Semiconductor device and method of forming stress-reduced conductive joint structures

1. A method of making a semiconductor device, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a first conductive layer over the substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over the substrate and overlapping the first conductive layer;

removing a portion of the first insulating layer over the substrate and outside the first conductive layer to form a first region of the first insulating layer stepped down from a second region of the first insulating layer at least partially overlapping the first conductive layer;

forming a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer by,

(a) forming a first ring of the second insulating layer extending from the first region of the first insulating layer over the second region of the first insulating layer and extending to contact the first conductive layer, and

(b) forming a second ring of the second insulating layer over the first region of the first insulating layer; and

forming a second conductive layer over the first ring of the second insulating layer and the first conductive layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including forming the second conductive layer as an under bump metallization layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the second insulating layer further includes:

forming a first opening in the second insulating layer to form the first ring of the second insulating layer; and

forming a second opening in the second insulating layer around the first opening in the second insulating layer to form the second ring of the second insulating layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including:

forming an opening in the first insulating layer over the first conductive layer; and

forming an opening in the second insulating layer over the first conductive layer, wherein the opening of the first insulating layer is greater than the opening of the second insulating layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including forming a slot in the second insulating layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , further including forming an interconnect structure over the second insulating layer and conductive layer.

7. A method of making a semiconductor device, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a conductive layer over the substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over the substrate and overlapping the conductive layer;

removing a portion of the first insulating layer over the substrate away from the conductive layer to form a first region of the first insulating layer stepped down from a second region of the first insulating layer overlapping the conductive layer; and

forming a second insulating layer as a ring extending from the first region of the first insulating layer over the second region of the first insulating layer.

8. The method of claim 7 , further including forming a plurality of openings in the second insulating layer.

9. The method of claim 7 , further including removing a portion of the second insulating layer to expose the conductive layer.

10. The method of claim 7 , further including forming an under bump metallization layer over the second insulating layer and conductive layer.

11. The method of claim 7 , further including disposing an interconnect structure within an opening of the second insulating layer over the conductive layer.

12. The method of claim 7 , further including forming a third insulating layer between the conductive layer and substrate.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second insulating layer includes polyimide.

14. The method of claim 7 , further including forming a slot in the second insulating layer.