Direct bumping on integrated circuit contacts enabled by metal-to-insulator adhesion

A semiconductor device including a contact pad and circuit metallization on the surface of an integrated circuit (IC) chip comprises a stack of protection layers over the surface of the chip. The stack consists of a first inorganic layer ( 303, preferably silicon nitride) on the chip surface, followed by a polymer layer ( 306 , preferably benzocyclobutene) on the first inorganic layer ( 303 ), and finally an outermost second inorganic layer ( 310 , preferably silicon dioxide) on the polymer layer ( 303 ). A window ( 301 a) in the stack of layers exposes the metallization ( 301 ) of the IC. A patterned seed metal layer ( 307 , preferably copper) is on the metallization ( 301 ) in the window and on the second inorganic layer ( 310 ) around the window. A buffer metal layer ( 308 , preferably copper) is positioned on the seed metal layer ( 307 ). A metal reflow element ( 309 ) is attached to the buffer metal ( 308 ).