US 12,009,319 B2
Integrated circuit with metal stop ring outside the scribe seal
Christopher Daniel Manack, Flower Mound, TX (US); Qiao Chen, Flower Mound, TX (US); Michael Todd Wyant, Dallas, TX (US); Matthew John Sherbin, Dallas, TX (US); and Patrick Francis Thompson, Allen, TX (US)
Assigned to TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED, Dallas, TX (US)
Filed by Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US)
Filed on Jan. 8, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/737,237.
Prior Publication US 2021/0210440 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. H01L 23/58 (2006.01); H01L 23/528 (2006.01); H01L 23/532 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 23/585 (2013.01) [H01L 23/528 (2013.01); H01L 23/53209 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An integrated circuit (IC) die, comprising:
a substrate having a semiconductor surface layer with circuitry configured for at least one function including a plurality of metal interconnect levels thereon comprising a top metal interconnect level and a bottom metal interconnect level, with a passivation layer comprising a dielectric material on the top metal interconnect level;
a scribe street around a periphery of the IC die, the scribe street comprising:
a scribe seal utilizing at least two of the plurality of metal interconnect levels;
an inner metal meander stop ring comprising at least the top metal interconnect level located outside the scribe seal, wherein the scribe seal and the inner metal meander stop ring are separated by a first separation gap, and
an outer metal meander stop ring comprising at least the top metal interconnect level located outside the inner metal stop ring, wherein the outer stop ring and the inner stop ring are separated by a second separation gap.