Hermetic barrier for semiconductor device
A barrier or “crackstop” that is configured to conduct electrical signals. These configurations may form a wall around integrated, active circuitry of a semiconductor die. This wall may include a conductor that follows a three-dimensional pathway from one side to the other side of the wall. This pathway may have sections that overlap, or double-back, so that portions of the conductor overlap along their individual length. These sections prevent crack propagation internal to the wall.
1. An integrated circuit chip, comprising:
an active region; and
a barrier circumscribing the active region, the barrier comprising a conductor that extends between terminal ends, one each disposed on an interior side and an exterior side of the barrier, the conductor having a serpentine pattern that causes a signal to transit in at least three directions between the terminal ends, wherein the conductor comprises an overlap region that causes the signal to transit in opposite direction along adjacent wires.
2. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1 , wherein the directions include opposite directions along adjacent portions of the conductor.
3. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1 , wherein the terminal ends are in the same material layer.
4. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1 , wherein the conductor comprises vias that connect wires separated by at least three material layers.
5. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1 , wherein the conductor comprises a u-shaped junction that connects wires that are longitudinally-spaced apart from one another.
6. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1 , wherein the conductor comprises a u-shaped junction that connects wires that are vertically spaced part from one another.
7. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1 , wherein the barrier surrounds the active region.
8. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a wall comprising a layered structure;
a conductor formed in the layered structure, the conductor comprising:
a first wire;
a second wire adjacent the first wire and having a portion that overlaps with the first wire along their length; and
a junction connecting the first wire and the second wire, the junction having a part spaced from the first wire and the second wire by at least three layers of the layered structure.
9. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the first wire and the second wire reside in one material layer of the layered structure.
10. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the first wire and the second wire reside in different material layers of the layered structure.
11. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the first wire and the second wire are parallel to one another.
12. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the junction comprises a through via connected to each of the first wire and the second wire.
13. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the junction comprises a super via connected to each of the first wire and the second wire.
14. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the junction comprises a third wire disposed perpendicular to each of the first wire and the second wire.
15. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the conductor has terminal ends disposed on opposing sides of the wall.
16. A method, comprising:
forming integrated circuit chips on a substrate, the integrated circuit chips having an active region; and
hermetically sealing the active region of each integrated circuit chip with a wall having a conductor disposed therein, the conductor connecting opposing terminal ends on opposite sides of the wall, the conductor having a pair of adjacent wires that overlap along a portion of their length.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
forming a wire that extends across a dicing region to connect the conductor on adjacent integrated circuit chips on the substrate.
18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
forming the conductor so that the pair of adjacent wires reside in one material layer of the wall.
19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
forming the conductor so that the pair of adjacent wires reside in one different layers of the wall.