Following the etching of the ILD 3-2 Oxide and ILD 4-1 SiCN layers and the subsequent Ashing and Clean steps, the bondpad contact area is fully opened to the underlying top-level interconnect A1.The Ta-based Bottom Barrier deposition step serves as the critical interface between this underlying metallization and the upcoming Metal 7 Al Metal Deposition A1.Unlike subsequent Ta-based liner deposition steps that may conformally coat the sidewalls of high-aspect-ratio packaging vias, this specific s