Patent ID: 7273804

Claim:
A method of forming internally reinforced bond pads, the method comprising the steps of: forming a metallic layer on a substrate; forming a first dielectric layer over the metallic layer; patterning a first portion of the first dielectric layer so as to form at least one through via to the metallic layer and a plurality of spaced-apart dielectric structures, a second portion of the first dielectric layer being unpatterned; conformally depositing a metallic bond layer over the spaced-apart dielectric structures and into the through via such that the spaced-apart dielectric structures are substantially reproduced in the metallic bond layer as spaced-apart metallic structures; forming a second dielectric layer over the spaced-apart metallic structures and the unpatterned portion of the first dielectric layer; and removing substantially all of the second dielectric layer over the spaced-apart metallic structures except for a plurality of separated discrete rings of dielectric material wherein each ring surrounds a spaced-apart metallic structure.