Semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor
View Patent ↗A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate provided with a scribe region and an IC region. A first insulating film is disposed on the semiconductor substrate across the scribe region and the IC region. At least one separation groove is provided in the first insulating film in the scribe region. Side walls made of a plug metal film are formed only on respective lateral walls of the separation groove so that the plug metal film on the lateral walls does not extend out of the separation groove and does not exist on an upper surface of the first insulating film. A second insulating film covers at least the side walls formed on the respective lateral walls of the separation groove so that the side walls are disposed under the second insulating film.
1. A semiconductor chip having a scribe region and an IC region and being obtained by dicing a semiconductor wafer along a dicing line, the semiconductor wafer comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a first insulating film disposed on the semiconductor substrate across the scribe region and the IC region of the semiconductor chip;
a separation groove provided in the first insulating film in the scribe region and spaced apart from the dicing line, the separation groove having a bottom portion exposing a surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a plug metal film formed on lateral walls of the separation groove so that the plug metal film on the lateral walls does not extend out of the separation groove and does not exist on an upper surface of the first insulating film; and
a second insulating film covering the IC region and extending contiguously therefrom toward the scribe region and into the separation groove so as to cover the plug metal film formed on the lateral walls of the separation groove.
2. A semiconductor chip according to claim 1 , wherein the second insulating film is a passivation film.
3. A semiconductor chip according to claim 1 , wherein the separation groove has an opening width that is not less than twice a thickness of the plug metal film.
4. A semiconductor chip according to claim 1 , wherein the second insulating film is disposed in direct contact with the exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate at the bottom portion of the separation groove.
5. A semiconductor chip according to claim 1 , wherein the plug metal film formed on the lateral walls of the separation groove is disposed under and are completely covered by the second insulating film.
6. A semiconductor chip according to claim 1 , wherein the second insulating film extends into the separation groove from the upper surface of the first insulating film to the bottom of the separation groove as to cover the exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate.
7. A semiconductor chip according to claim 1 , wherein the second insulating film extends into the separation groove but does not reach the exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate.
8. A semiconductor chip having a scribe region and an IC region and being obtained by dicing a semiconductor wafer along a dicing line, the semiconductor chip comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a first insulating film disposed on the semiconductor substrate across the scribe region and the IC region of the semiconductor chip;
at least one separation groove provided in the first insulating film in the scribe region and spaced apart from the dicing line;
a plug metal film formed only on lateral walls of the separation groove so that the plug metal film on the lateral walls does not extend out of the separation groove and does not exist on an upper surface of the first insulating film; and
a second insulating film extending into the separation groove and covering at least the plug metal film formed on the lateral walls of the separation groove so that the plug metal film is disposed under the second insulating film.
9. A semiconductor chip according to claim 8 , wherein the separation groove has an opening width that is not less than twice a thickness of the plug metal film.
10. A semiconductor chip according to claim 8 , wherein the second insulating film is a passivation film.
11. A semiconductor chip having a scribe region and an IC region and being obtained by dicing a semiconductor wafer along a dicing line, the semiconductor chip comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a first insulating film disposed on the semiconductor substrate across the scribe region and the IC region of the semiconductor chip;
at least one separation groove provided in the first insulating film in the scribe region and spaced apart from the dicing line;
a plug metal film formed on lateral walls of the separation groove; and
a second insulating film extending into the separation groove and covering at least the plug metal film formed on the lateral walls of the separation groove so that the plug metal film is disposed under the second insulating film.
12. A semiconductor chip according to claim 11 , wherein the separation groove has an opening width that is not less than twice a thickness of the plug metal film.
13. A semiconductor chip according to claim 11 , wherein the separation groove has an opening width that is less than twice a thickness of the plug metal film.
14. A semiconductor chip according to claim 11 , wherein the second insulating film is a passivation film.
15. A semiconductor chip according to claim 11 , wherein the plug metal film is formed only on the lateral walls of the separation groove so that the plug metal film is not formed on any surface of the first insulating film other than surfaces of the first insulating film corresponding to the lateral walls of the separation groove.