Method of making a surface etched shadow mask

Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a yield-enhancing shadow mask for providing vapor deposition patterns of bonding metals onto input/output interconnect locations of a semiconductor die while preventing damage to active regions of the die, comprising: a) providing a shadow mask having a top surface and a bottom surface; b) obtaining and transferring applicable dimensions of the semiconductor die to the shadow mask in order to define a plurality of vias in the shadow mask located in alignment with the input/output interconnect locations of the die for permitting vaporized bonding metals to pass through the mask and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations; and c) obtaining and transferring applicable dimensions of the semiconductor die in order to form the mask bottom surface so that it comprises a plurality of recessed regions which minimize the contact area of the mask with the die during the process of vapor deposition, the recessed regions being formed so that they surround substantially full-mask-thickness walls which define the vias aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and which provide damming action to retain the vapor deposit to within a limited distance of the input/output interconnect locations of the die as defined by the vias, the forming step comprising forming the recessed regions in the mask so that they are formed over active regions of the die in order to avoid damage to the active regions from contact with the mask, thus increasing the yield of reliable die during the production process.

Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a yield-enhancing shadow mask for providing vapor deposition patterns of bonding metals onto input/output interconnect locations of a semiconductor die while preventing damage to active regions of the die, comprising: a) providing a shadow mask having a top surface and a bottom surface; b) obtaining and transferring applicable dimensions of the semiconductor die to the shadow mask in order to define a plurality of vias in the shadow mask located in alignment with the input/output interconnect locations of the die for permitting vaporized bonding metals to pass through the mask and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations; and c) obtaining and transferring applicable dimensions of the semiconductor die in order to form the mask bottom surface so that it comprises a plurality of recessed regions which minimize the contact area of the mask with the die during the process of vapor deposition, the recessed regions being formed so that they surround substantially full-mask-thickness walls which define the vias aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and which provide damming action to retain the vapor deposit to within a limited distance of the input/output interconnect locations of the die as defined by the vias, the forming step comprising forming the recessed regions in the mask so that they are formed over active regions of the die in order to avoid damage to the active regions from contact with the mask, thus increasing the yield of reliable die during the production process.

Claim 7

A method of manufacturing a yield-enhancing shadow mask for providing vapor deposition patterns of bonding metals onto input/output interconnect locations of a semiconductor die while preventing damage to active regions of the die, comprising: a) providing a shadow mask having a top surface and a bottom surface; b) obtaining and transferring applicable dimensions of the semiconductor die to the shadow mask in order to define a plurality of vias in the shadow mask located in alignment with the input/output interconnect locations of the die for permitting vaporized bonding metals to pass through the mask and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations; and c) obtaining and transferring applicable dimensions of the semiconductor die to the shadow mask in order to etch the mask bottom surface so that it comprises a plurality of recessed regions which minimize the contact area of the mask with the die during the process of vapor deposition, the recessed regions being formed so that they surround substantially full-mask-thickness walls which define the vias aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and which provide damming action to retain the vapor deposit to within a limited distance of the input/output interconnect locations of the die as defined by the vias, the etching step comprising etching the recessed regions in the mask so that they are formed over active regions of the die in order to avoid damage to the active regions from contact with the mask, thus increasing the yield of reliable die during the production process.

Claim 8

A method of manufacturing a yield-enhancing shadow mask for providing vapor deposition patterns of bonding metals onto input/output interconnect locations of a semiconductor die while preventing damage to active regions of the die, comprising: a) providing a shadow mask having a top surface and a bottom surface; b) obtaining and transferring applicable dimensions of the semiconductor die to the shadow mask in order to define a plurality of vias in the shadow mask located in alignment with the input/output interconnect locations of the die for permitting vaporized bonding metals to pass through the mask and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations; and c) obtaining and transferring applicable dimensions of the semiconductor die to the shadow mask in order to etch the mask bottom surface so that it comprises a plurality of recessed regions which minimize the contact area of the mask with the die during the process of vapor deposition, the recessed regions being formed so that they surround substantially full-mask-thickness walls which define the vias aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and which provide damming action to retain the vapor deposit to within a limited distance of the input/output interconnect locations of the die as defined by the vias, the etching step comprising etching the recessed regions in the mask so that they are formed over active regions of the die in order to avoid damage to the active regions from contact with the mask, thus increasing the yield of reliable die during the production process.

Claim 10

A method of manufacturing and using a yield-enhancing shadow mask for providing vapor deposition patterns of bonding metals onto input/output interconnect locations of a semiconductor die while preventing damage to active regions of the die, the method comprising: (a) providing a shadow mask having a top surface and a bottom surface; (b) defining a plurality of vias in the shadow mask located in alignment with the input/output interconnect locations of the die for permitting vaporized bonding metals to pass through the mask and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations; (c) forming the mask bottom surface so that it comprises a plurality of recessed regions which minimize the contact area of the mask with the die during the process of vapor deposition, the recessed regions being formed so that they surround substantially full-mask-thickness walls which define the vias aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and which provide damming action to retain the vapor deposit to within a limited distance of the input/output interconnect locations of the die as defined by the vias, the forming step comprising forming the recessed regions in the mask so that they are formed over active regions of the die in order to avoid damage to the active regions from contact with the mask, thus increasing the yield of reliable die during the production process; (d) positioning the mask over the die so that the plurality of vias are aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and so that the recessed regions are located over the active regions of the die; (e) causing a vaporized bonding metal to pass through the vias and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations of the die; and (f) removing the mask from the die.

Claim 11

A method of manufacturing and using a yield-enhancing shadow mask for providing vapor deposition patterns of bonding metals onto input/output interconnect locations of a semiconductor die while preventing damage to active regions of the die, the method comprising: (a) providing a shadow mask having a top surface and a bottom surface; (b) defining a plurality of vias in the shadow mask located in alignment with the input/output interconnect locations of the die for permitting vaporized bonding metals to pass through the mask and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations; (c) forming the mask bottom surface so that it comprises a plurality of recessed regions which minimize the contact area of the mask with the die during the process of vapor deposition, the recessed regions being formed so that they surround substantially full-mask-thickness walls which define the vias aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and which provide damming action to retain the vapor deposit to within a limited distance of the input/output interconnect locations of the die as defined by the vias, the forming step comprising forming the recessed regions in the mask so that they are formed over active regions of the die in order to avoid damage to the active regions from contact with the mask, thus increasing the yield of reliable die during the production process; (d) positioning the mask over the die so that the plurality of vias are aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and so that the recessed regions are located over the active regions of the die; (e) causing a vaporized bonding metal to pass through the vias and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations of the die; and (f) removing the mask from the die.

Claim 16

A method of manufacturing and using a yield-enhancing shadow mask for providing vapor deposition patterns of bonding metals onto input/output interconnect locations of a semiconductor die while preventing damage to active regions of the die, the method comprising: (a) providing a shadow mask having a top surface and a bottom surface; (b) defining a plurality of vias in the shadow mask located in alignment with the input/output interconnect locations of the die for permitting vaporized bonding metals to pass through the mask and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations; (c) etching the mask bottom surface so that it comprises a plurality of recessed regions which minimize the contact area of the mask with the die during the process of vapor deposition, the recessed regions being formed so that they surround substantially full-mask-thickness walls which define the vias aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and which provide damming action to retain the vapor deposit to within a limited distance of the input/output interconnect locations of the die as defined by the vias, the etching step comprising etching the recessed regions in the mask so that they are formed over active regions of the die in order to avoid damage to the active regions from contact with the mask, thus increasing the yield of reliable die during the production process; (d) positioning the mask over the die so that the plurality of vias are aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and so that the recessed regions are located over the active regions of the die; (e) causing a vaporized bonding metal to pass through the vias and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations of the die; and (f) removing the mask from the die.

Claim 17

A method of manufacturing and using a yield-enhancing shadow mask for providing vapor deposition patterns of bonding metals onto input/output interconnect locations of a semiconductor die while preventing damage to active regions of the die, the method comprising: (a) providing a shadow mask having a top surface and a bottom surface; (b) defining a plurality of vias in the shadow mask located in alignment with the input/output interconnect locations of the die for permitting vaporized bonding metals to pass through the mask and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations; (c) etching the mask bottom surface so that it comprises a plurality of recessed regions which minimize the contact area of the mask with the die during the process of vapor deposition, the recessed regions being formed so that they surround substantially full-mask-thickness walls which define the vias aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and which provide damming action to retain the vapor deposit to within a limited distance of the input/output interconnect locations of the die as defined by the vias, the etching step comprising etching the recessed regions in the mask so that they are formed over active regions of the die in order to avoid damage to the active regions from contact with the mask, thus increasing the yield of reliable die during the production process; (d) positioning the mask over the die so that the plurality of vias are aligned with the input/output interconnect locations of the die and so that the recessed regions are located over the active regions of the die; (e) causing a vaporized bonding metal to pass through the vias and deposit onto the input/output interconnect locations of the die; and (f) removing the mask from the die.