US Patent 7402509 Method of forming self-passivating interconnects and resulting devices

A method of forming self-passivating interconnects. At least one of two mating bond structures is formed, at least in part, from an alloy of a first metal and a second metal (or other element). The second metal is capable of migrating through the first metal to free surfaces of the mating bond structures. During bonding, the two mating bond structures are bonded together to form an interconnect, and the second metal segregates to free surfaces of this interconnect to form a passivation layer. Other embodiments are described and claimed.