Scribe-line structures and methods of forming the same

Abstract

Scribe-line structures and methods of forming such scribe-line structures on a face of a semiconductor substrate are provided. By means of the scribe-line structures and the methods of this invention, physical shock and cracking tendencies along a semiconductor substrate can be minimized during performance of a cutting process on the semiconductor substrate as part of post-fabrication processing. A representative method according to this invention comprises the sequential steps of: forming a lower layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a molding layer on the lower layer such that the molding layer includes at least one protective contact hole; subsequently forming a dielectric layer and an upper layer on the molding layer so as to fill the protective contact hole, such dielectric layer being formed of a material having a greater mechanical intensity than that of the molding layer; and then forming protective layer patterns on the upper layer.