Patent ID: 7960814

Claim:
A semiconductor device comprising: a die comprising an active region and a die edge; the die further comprising a scribe region outside a crack stop, wherein the crack stop at least partially surrounds the active region; and the die further comprising a crack arrest structure, wherein at least a portion of the crack arrest structure is formed in the scribe region of the die, wherein the die further comprises: a substrate, a first layer overlying the substrate, wherein the first layer comprises metal, a second layer overlying the first layer, wherein the second layer comprises metal, a third layer overlying the second layer, wherein the third layer comprises metal, and wherein the crack arrest structure comprises: a first portion formed in the first layer, wherein the first portion has a first outer edge located at a first distance from the die edge; a second portion formed in the second layer, wherein the second portion has a second outer edge located at a second distance from the die edge and the second distance is greater than the first distance; and a third portion formed in the third layer, wherein the third portion has a third outer edge located at a third distance from the die edge, and wherein the third distance is greater than the second distance; and, wherein the crack arrest structure extends from a first edge of the scribe region to a second edge of the scribe region and spaced from a corner formed by the first and second edges of the scribe region.