초록 ▼

Crack stops for substantially preventing cracks and chips produced along the dicing channel from spreading into the active areas of the ICs are described. The crack stops are formed by creating discontinuities in the thickness of the dielectric layer in the dicing channel near the chip edges. The di

Crack stops for substantially preventing cracks and chips produced along the dicing channel from spreading into the active areas of the ICs are described. The crack stops are formed by creating discontinuities in the thickness of the dielectric layer in the dicing channel near the chip edges. The discontinuities can result in increasing and/or decreasing the thickness of the dielectric layer.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate for fabricating integrated circuits, comprising:a dicing channel disposed between adjacent ones of said integrated circuits;such dicing channel having steps disposed in underling surface portions of the substrate along a periph

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate for fabricating integrated circuits, comprising:a dicing channel disposed between adjacent ones of said integrated circuits;such dicing channel having steps disposed in underling surface portions of the substrate along a periphery of the dicing channel;a dielectric layer disposed in said dicing channel, such dielectric layer having portions thereof disposed in the steps, said dielectric layer having a thickness in regions thereof disposed over the steps in the substrate greater than over region thereof disposed over portions of the substrate adjacent to the steps in the substrate.