Collar positionable about a periphery of a contact pad and around a conductive structure secured to the contact pads, semiconductor device components including same, and methods for fabricating same

Abstract

Dielectric collars to be disposed around contact pads on a surface of a semiconductor device or another substrate and methods of fabricating and disposing the collars on semiconductor devices and other substrates are disclosed. Semiconductor devices including the collars and having contact pads exposed through the collars are also disclosed. One or more of the collars are disposed around the contact pads of a semiconductor device or other substrate before or after conductive structures are secured to the contact pads. Upon connecting the semiconductor device face down to a higher level substrate and establishing electrical communication between contact pads of the semiconductor device and contacts pads of the substrate, the collars prevent the material of conductive structures protruding from the semiconductor device from contacting regions of the surface of the semiconductor device that surround the contact pads thereof. The collars may be preformed structures which are attached to a surface of a semiconductor device or other substrate. Alternatively, the collars can be fabricated on the surface of the semiconductor device or other substrate. A stereolithographic method of fabricating the collars is disclosed. The stereolithographic method may include use of a machine vision system including at least one camera operably associated with a computer controlling a stereolithographic application of material so that the system may recognize the position and orientation of a semiconductor device or other substrate on which the collar is to be fabricated.