Semiconductor devices are used in a variety of different circuitry, and are often found in mobile communication devices. Many of these semiconductor devices are fabricated on a wafer of a semiconductor material. These semiconductor devices often need to be tested before being removed from the wafer or before being packaged. One way to test these semiconductor devices is to use a fixed “probe card” that provides an electrical path between the test system and the circuit layouts of the semiconductor devices on the wafer. While this permits the testing and validation of the circuits before they are diced and packaged, the fixed nature of the probe card means that a new one must be made for any changes to the circuit layout.
Alternatively, the probe tip method is more flexible than using a probe card as it can be used for different input/output configurations and for other changes to the circuit layout. However, the probe tip method requires the existence of electrical connections between ground ports or bump pads in the circuit layouts to ensure proper characterization as the ground reference for both ground probes need to be connected on the wafer. These electrical connections are made of metal at the outer edges of the dies in the sawing streets. When testing is completed, these electrical connections are severed. Although the severed connections are no longer connecting the components, their presence may negatively affect the performance of the semiconductor device by creating capacitive or inductive leakage paths.
Accordingly, improved methods of fabricating semiconductor devices are needed with reduced capacitive or inductive leakage paths.