Abstract:
A stacked-chip assembly including a plurality of IC chips or die that are stacked, and electrically coupled by solder bonds. In accordance with some embodiments described further below, the solder bonds are to contact a back-side land that includes a diffusion barrier to reduce intermetallic formation and/or other solder-induced reliability issues. The back-side land may include an electrolytic nickel (Ni) barrier layer separating solder from a back-side redistribution layer trace. This electrolytic Ni may be of high purity, which at least in part, may enable the backside metallization stack to be of minimal thickness while still functioning as a diffusion barrier. In some embodiments, the back-side land composition and architecture is distinct from a front-side land composition and/or architecture.