Reinforced aluminum copper bonding pad

A method of forming a bond pad structure reinforced with insulator spacers located on the sides of the bond pad structure has been developed. The method features formation of an aluminum based bond pad structure located overlying and contacting a top portion of a metal interconnect structure exposed in an opening in an intermetal dielectric layer. After deposition of an insulator layer such as silicon nitride or silicon oxide, an anisotropic dry etch procedure is employed to define the insulator spacers on the sides of the bond pad structure. The presence of insulator spacers on the sides of the bond pad structure reduces the risk of bond pad damage which can occur during subsequent pre-wire bonding dicing and transportation procedures.