Semiconductor component with improved contact pad and method for forming the same

1. A method for forming a semiconductor component, the method comprising:

depositing an insulating layer over a last metal line of a substrate;

forming openings in the insulating layer;

printing a colloid over the insulating layer, wherein the colloid fills the openings; and

heating the colloid to form conductive vias and bond pads, wherein the conductive vias are disposed in the openings, and wherein the bond pads are disposed on the conductive vias.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the colloid comprises dispersed nano-particles.

3. The method of claim 1 , where heating the colloid forms dummy bond pads disposed on the insulating layer, wherein the dummy bond pads do not contact the conductive vias.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the colloid comprises heating at a temperature of about 200° C. to about 250° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bond pads comprise a first cross sectional area, the conductive vias comprise a second cross sectional area, and a ratio of the first cross sectional area to the second cross sectional area is greater than about 20:1.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein printing the colloid over the insulating layer comprises printing with screen printing, ink-jet printing, electrostatic printing, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after heating the colloid to form the bond pads, the method further comprises:

dicing the substrate; and

grinding the substrate.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the nano-particles comprise a diameter less than about 10 nm.

9. An interconnect structure comprising:

a passivation layer disposed over a last layer of metal lines;

a conductive via disposed in the passivation layer; and

a bond pad disposed over the conductive via, wherein the conductive via electrically couples a portion of board pads with the last layer of metal lines, wherein the bond pad and the conductive via comprise sintered nano-particles.

10. The interconnect structure of claim 9 , wherein the bond pad and the conductive via further comprise voids.

11. The interconnect structure of claim 9 , wherein the sintered nano-particles comprise a metal or a combination of metals.

12. The interconnect structure of claim 9 , wherein the sintered nano-particles comprise silver, copper, aluminum, platinum, nickel, tin, tantalum, titanium, lead, gold, or a combination thereof.

13. The interconnect structure of claim 9 , wherein a density of the bond pad is less than a density of the nano-particles.

14. A semiconductor chip comprising:

bond pads disposed over last metal lines of a semiconductor die, the bond pads electrically coupled to the last metal lines, wherein the bond pads comprise connections for electrically coupling to a board; and

a first test pad and a second test pad disposed over the last metal lines, the first and second test pads electrically coupled to the last metal lines, wherein the first and second test pads do not comprise connections for electrically coupling to the board, wherein the bond pads are disposed between the first and second test pads, and wherein the first and second test pads are larger than the bond pads.

15. The semiconductor chip of claim 14 , wherein an area of the first and second test pads is at least 10 times larger than an area of the bond pads.

16. The semiconductor chip of claim 14 , further comprising:

first conductive vias disposed in a passivation layer, the first conductive vias disposed under the bond pads, wherein the passivation layer is an uppermost insulation layer of the semiconductor die, and wherein the first conductive vias electrically couple the bond pads to the last metal lines; and

second conductive vias disposed in the passivation layer, the second conductive vias disposed under the first and second test pads, wherein the second conductive vias electrically couple the first and second test pads to the last metal lines.

17. The semiconductor chip of claim 14 , wherein the first and second test pads and the bond pads are disposed in a row.

18. The semiconductor chip of claim 16 , wherein the bond pads, the first and second test pads, and the first and second conductive vias comprise sintered nano-particles.

19. The semiconductor chip of claim 16 , wherein the first conductive vias are substantially a same size as the second conductive vias.

20. The semiconductor chip of claim 16 , further comprising:

third and fourth test pads disposed over the passivation layer; and

further bond pads disposed between the third and fourth test pads, wherein the third and fourth test pads and the further bond pads are disposed in a row different from a row comprising the first and second test pads.

21. A semiconductor package comprising:

a first semiconductor chip mounted on a board;

a bond pad disposed over a conductive via and a passivation layer of the first semiconductor chip, the conductive via disposed in the passivation layer and electrically coupled to circuitry of the first semiconductor chip, wherein the bond pad is electrically coupled to the board; and

a dummy bond pad disposed over the passivation layer, wherein the dummy bond pad is not electrically coupled to the circuitry, and wherein the bond pad, the dummy bond pad and the conductive via comprise sintered nano-particles.

22. The semiconductor package of claim 21 , wherein the bond pad is electrically coupled to the board via wirebonding loops, and wherein the dummy bond pad mechanically supports the wirebonding loops.

23. The semiconductor package of claim 21 , further comprising a second semiconductor chip disposed over the first semiconductor chip.

24. The semiconductor package of claim 21 , wherein the first semiconductor chip is mounted on the board via flip chip packaging, and wherein the dummy bond pad mechanically supports a flipped first semiconductor chip.

25. The semiconductor package of claim 23 , wherein the bond pad is electrically coupled to the board via wirebonding loops disposed between the first and second semiconductor chips.

26. A method for forming a semiconductor component, the method comprising:

forming first features by printing a colloid over a last level of metal lines of a substrate;

depositing an insulating layer over the last level of metal lines, the insulating layer covering the first features;

removing a portion of the insulating layer exposing the first features; and

heating the colloid to form conductive vias from the first features, wherein the conductive vias are disposed in openings.

27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:

forming second features by printing a second colloid over the insulating layer, wherein the second features are formed on the first features, wherein heating the colloid forms bonding pads from the second features, and wherein the bonding pads are disposed on the conductive vias.

28. A semiconductor chip comprising:

first conductive vias disposed in an uppermost insulation layer of a semiconductor die, wherein the first conductive vias electrically couple a circuit board to last metal lines;

bond pads disposed above and electrically coupled to the first conductive vias;

second conductive vias disposed in the uppermost insulation layer, wherein the second conductive vias electrically couple to the last metal lines but not to the circuit board; and

test pads disposed above and electrically coupled to the second conductive vias, wherein the test pads are larger than the bond pads.

29. The semiconductor chip of claim 28

wherein the bond pads, the first and second test pads, and the first and second conductive vias comprise sintered nano-particles.