Semiconductor chip

Details Semiconductor chip Semiconductor chip

2000-08-01

2001-10-02

Nelms, David (Department: 2818)

Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode

Combined with electrical contact or lead

Solder wettable contact, lead, or bond

C257S678000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06297561

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor chip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In semiconductor processing, the formation of the passivation layer formed of electrical isolation material on the semiconductor chip is followed as integrated circuits (ICs) within the semiconductor chip and the metallic layer on the surface of the integrated circuits are prepared. Also, openings are made in the passivation layer for allowing the exposure of the underlying metallic layer to function as the bonding pad. Electrical testing can then be performed for selecting out the qualified semiconductor chips those will undergo the packaging process. During testing, a probe is placed in contact with the surface of the bonding pad to electrically test the ICs within the semiconductor chip. Metallic wire bonding is then performed on those passing the electrical testing thus connecting the semiconductor chips to external components. However, the probe must make contact with the bonding pad for performing the electrical testing so a probe mark is often left on the bonding pad of the semiconductor chip. If the probe mark is very deep, peeling occurs during metallic wire bonding. This reduces the reliability of the packaging process.
Please refer to FIG.
1
and FIG.
2
.
FIG. 1
is a top view of a bonding pad
12
on a semiconductor chip
10
according to the prior art.
FIG. 2
is a sectional schematic diagram of the bonding pad
12
shown in FIG.
1
. After all metallic interconnections and the metallic layer employed as the bonding pad on the semiconductor chip
10
are completed and the circuits are defined, a passivation layer
14
is deposited on the semiconductor chip
10
. A hole
16
is then formed on the passivation layer
14
by performing the photolithography and the dry-etching process. After bonding pad processing is complete, the semiconductor chip
10
contains a plurality of bonding pads
12
on its surface and a passivation layer
14
deposited on the bonding pads
12
. The passivation layer
14
comprises a plurality of holes
16
separately positioned above each bonding pad
12
thus exposing the metal layer. These holes
16
serve as the testing area of the ICs within the semiconductor chip
10
as well as the connecting area of the metallic wire bonding.
Please refer to FIG.
3
.
FIG. 3
is a sectional schematic diagram of the bonding pad
12
shown in
FIG. 2
after testing. After the bonding pad
12
is completely formed, the electrical testing is performed. A probe is used to contact with the portion of the bonding pad
12
not covered by the passivation layer
14
through the hole
16
for electrically testing the Ics within the semiconductor chip
10
. As a result, the qualified semiconductor chips
10
are selected out to be performed the packaging process on later. However, a probe mark
18
remains on the bonding pad
12
where the probe had originally made contact.
Please refer to FIG.
4
.
FIG. 4
is a schematic diagram of the bonding pad
12
shown in
FIG. 3
for bonding to a metallic wire. After successful testing of the semiconductor chip
10
, a packaging process is performed in which a metallic wire is attached to the bonding pad
12
. When bonding a metallic wire, the rearface of the semiconductor chip
10
is fixed to a baseplate
20
firstly. Next, a metallic ball
24
is formed at one end of the metallic wire
22
and bonded to the exposed metal of the bonding pad
12
. The other end of the metallic wire
22
is then dragged to the baseplate
20
and bonded to the predetermined area of the baseplate
20
thus linking the signals of the semiconductor chip
10
to the exterior. The resultant probe mark
18
on the surface of the bonding pad
12
interferes with the adherence of the metallic ball
24
to the bonding pad
12
. Also, dragging of the metallic wire
22
may cause the metallic ball
24
to peel from the surface of the bonding pad
12
and even remove part of the metal of the bonding pad
12
with it. This not only causes damage to the surface of the semiconductor chip
10
but also reduces the reliability of the packaging process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide a semiconductor chip for preventing the metal of the bonding pad peeling during the testing and packaging process.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a semiconductor chip, the semiconductor chip comprises an integrated circuit (IC) positioned within the semiconductor chip, a bonding pad positioned on the surface of the semiconductor chip and electrically connected with the IC, and a passivation layer covered on the surface of the semiconductor chip for passivating the surface of the semiconductor chip. Wherein the bonding pad comprises a testing area on its surface for performing an electrical test of the integrated circuit, and a connecting area outside the testing area for performing wire bonding or bumping. The passivation layer comprises an opening positioned on the connecting area of the bonding pad, and the testing area of the bonding pad is covered by the passivation layer.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the testing area is distinct from the connecting area so that the peeling phenomenon caused by the probe mark can be avoided.
This and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5693565 (1997-12-01), Camilletti et al.
patent: 5844317 (1998-12-01), Bertolet et al.
patent: 5897326 (1999-04-01), Eldridge et al.
patent: 6144102 (2000-11-01), Amagai

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