Patent ID: 8796849

Claim:
A structure comprising: a first semiconductor component having: a first metal bump comprising a first material and formed on a surface of the first semiconductor component; and a first barrier layer comprising a second material different from the first material and formed on the first metal bump; a second semiconductor component having: a second metal bump comprising a third material and formed on a surface of the second semiconductor component; and a second barrier layer comprising a fourth material different from the third material and formed on the second metal bump; and a solder joint structure electrically connecting the first metal bump and the second metal bump, wherein the solder joint structure comprises: an intermetallic compound region formed between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer, the intermetallic compound region comprising a compound comprising at least one element of the second material and/or the fourth material and at least one element of a solder material, wherein the intermetallic compound region has a vertical dimension from the first barrier layer to the second barrier layer; and a surrounding portion comprising the solder material and formed along exterior walls of the first metal bump and the second metal bump, wherein the surrounding portion has a lateral dimension from a point aligned with at least one of respective walls of the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer to a nearest exterior surface of the surrounding portion, and wherein the lateral dimension is greater than the vertical dimension.