Patent ID: 7566637

Claim:
A method comprising: dividing a wafer into at least one chip, wherein said chip includes internal metallic features, and wherein said dividing deposits at least one metallic substance on a surface of said chip, wherein said metallic substance comprises one of Copper, Aluminum, and Tungsten; after said dividing, exposing said chip to a heated ambient environment having a certain partial pressure of a gaseous chemical agent, wherein said chemical agent is capable of bonding with said metallic substance; and performing a wet chemical etch on said chip, wherein said chemical agent comprises oxygen, wherein said chemical agent comprises at least one of sulfur, chlorine, nitrogen and hydrogen, wherein said exposing process controls said environment so as to bond said chemical agent to said metallic substance to create a molecule that is incapable of diffusing to an interior of said chip, such that said molecule is permanently bonded to an exterior of said chip throughout a useful life of said chip, wherein said exposing of said chip to said environment is performed for a predetermined time period, wherein said environment comprises a temperature above a temperature at which said dividing is performed, and wherein said wet chemical etch comprises chemistry capable of dissolving said metallic substance.