Integrated circuit sealing system with broken seal ring

Abstract

The amount of signal propagation and moisture penetration and corresponding reliability problems due to moisture penetration degradation in an IC can be reduced by fabricating a wide seal ring with a channel having offset ingress and egress portions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sealing system for an integrated circuit, comprising:
 a seal ring circumscribing the integrated circuit, the seal ring including at least one channel having an ingress portion and an egress portion, the ingress portion being offset from the egress portion.   
     
     
         2 . The sealing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a less heavily doped area within the channel, whereby resistivity to signal propagation across the channel is increased. 
     
     
         3 . The sealing system of  claim 1 , where the ingress is separated from the egress by at least 100 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The sealing system of  claim 1 , wherein the ingress is separated from the egress by a distance of about 100 μm to about 200 μm. 
     
     
         5 . The sealing system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one channel has a length of about 200 μm to 300 μm. 
     
     
         6 . The sealing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a doped area within the channel, wherein the doped area comprises a dopant. 
     
     
         7 . The sealing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first doped area under the seal ring and a second doped area within the channel, wherein the first doped area and the second doped area have the same dopant. 
     
     
         8 . A sealing system for an integrated circuit, comprising:
 a seal means circumscribing the integrated circuit, the seal means including at least one separation means having an ingress portion and an egress portion, the ingress portion being offset from the egress portion.   
     
     
         9 . The sealing system of  claim 8 , further comprising a less heavily doped area within the separation means, whereby resistivity to signal propagation across the separation means is increased. 
     
     
         10 . The sealing system of  claim 8 , where the ingress is separated from the egress by at least 100 μm. 
     
     
         11 . The sealing system of  claim 8 , wherein the ingress is separated from the egress by a distance of about 100 μm to about 200 μm. 
     
     
         12 . The sealing system of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one channel has a length of about 200 μm to 300 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The sealing system of  claim 8 , further comprising a doped area within the channel, wherein the doped area comprises a p+ dopant. 
     
     
         14 . The sealing system of  claim 8 , further comprising a first doped area under the seal ring and a second doped area within the channel, wherein the first doped area and the second doped area have the same dopant.