REINFORCED VIA FARM INTERCONNECT STRUCTURE, A METHOD OF FORMING A REINFORCED VIA FARM INTERCONNECT STRUCTURE AND A METHOD OF REDESIGNING AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CHIP TO INCLUDE SUCH A REINFORCED VIA FARM INTERCONNECT STRUCTURE

摘要

Disclosed is reinforced via farm interconnect structure for an integrated circuit chip that minimizes delamination caused by tensile stresses applied to the chip through lead-free C4 connections during thermal cycling. The reinforced via farm interconnect structure includes a plurality of vias electrically connecting metal wires within different wiring levels and, for reinforcement, further incorporates dielectric columns into the lower metal wire so that the areas around the metal-to-metal interface between the vias and the lower metal wire contain a relatively strong dielectric-to-dielectric interface. The reinforced via farm interconnect structure can be located in an area of the chip at risk for delamination and, for added strength, can have a reduced via density relative to conventional via farm interconnect structures located elsewhere on the chip. Also disclosed are a method of forming the reinforced via farm interconnect structure and a method of redesigning an integrated circuit chip to include reinforced via farm interconnect structure(s).