Die including non-rectangular optical material and methods of manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a die and / or a wafer that exhibit(s) no defects and can pass repeated thermal cycling and / or thermal shock reliability tests.SOLUTION: A die includes a substrate and an optical material. The substrate has a surface defined by paired oppositely-oriented edges. The optical material is in a non-rectangular shape, and provided on the surface of the substrate. The optical material does not extend an entire length of either of the paired oppositely-oriented edges. A wafer can include a plurality of the dies. Methods of manufacturing the wafer and the die are also disclosed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THEINVENTION The present invention generally relates to a die that includes a substrate and an optical material, the substrate being opposed to one another. The optical material has a non-rectangular shape and a surface defined by opposing edges on both sides. and on a surface of the substrate, the optical material being disposed at opposing edges of the pair of edges. It does not extend the entire length of any edge. A wafer may contain multiple dies. Methods for making these wafers and dies are also disclosed. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Background of the Invention Modern die-sized light diffusers are mostly circular, rigid The wafer is then fabricated with a single, large polymer layer on a solid, optical quality substrate. Generally, the chip is cut into dices along the dicing lines (cutting lines for cutting dices). The dicing lines are parallel to the grid. In this way, each die is a rectangular (each side dimension 100 mm x 100 mm) square on the glass. If they are equal, the polymer will have a square shape.

[0003] During dicing of the wafer into dies, the corners and edges of the dies These defects can be caused by the formation of a polymer / glass interface. Glass chips, voids, and dicing-induced delamination, etc. These defects can result in die failure during repeated thermal cycling and / or resistance to thermal shock. This could result in failure to meet applicable reliability specifications.

[0004] In addition, when using a rectangular die, the central area is effectively used. The diffuser is only a small area because most of the incoming light beam is circular. Even with the largest beam size passing through the die, most of the corners and edges of the die are , outside the area of ​​active use. Optically redundant and contributing to the formation of defects are These areas are the majority of the corners and edges. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] What is needed is a material that does not exhibit the defects described above and is resistant to repeated thermal cycling and / or thermal shock. Items such as dies and / or wafers that can pass reliability tests. In addition, the die can be adjusted to accommodate the size of the incoming beam from the light source. The present invention can include materials of non-rectangular shapes having dimensions that can be easily adjusted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In one embodiment, a die is disclosed that includes a substrate and an optical material, the substrates being on opposite sides of each other. and the optical material has a non-rectangular shape, On the surface of the substrate, the optical material is disposed at either of the opposing edges of the pair. It does not extend the entire length of the edge.

[0007] In another aspect, a method of making a wafer is disclosed, the method comprising: An optical material is placed on the portion having the relief pattern. forming a non-rectangular shape on each raised relief of the pattern; Contacting a substrate with an optical material to have a thickness in the range from about 20 microns to about 200 microns providing the optical material with a non-rectangular shape; and removing the mold comprise.

[0008] Additional features and advantages of various preferred examples are, in part, described in the following description that follows, in part will become apparent from this description, or can be learned by practicing various preferred examples. The objects and other advantages of various preferred examples are realized and achieved by the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the description herein.

[0009] The features of the present invention are illustrated in the following drawings by way of non-limiting examples, in which like numbers indicate like elements.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Detailed Description of the Invention For simplicity and for illustrative purposes, the present invention will be described mainly by reference to its examples. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be readily understood that the present invention can be practiced without being limited to these specific details. In other instances, some methods and structures are not described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

[0012] In addition, the elements shown in the accompanying drawings can include additional components, and some of the components described in these drawings can be removed and / or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention. Further, the elements shown in the drawings may not be drawn to scale, and thus, these elements may have sizes and / or shapes different from those shown in the drawings.

[0013] The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended to provide an explanation of various embodiments of the teachings of the present invention. It should be understood that in a wide and varied range of embodiments, the present specification discloses die 28, wafer 26, and a method of fabricating die 28 and wafer 26. Die 28 comprises a substrate 10 and an optical material 12, the substrate 10 having surfaces defined by opposing edges that are opposite each other, and the optical material 12 being non-rectangular in shape and being on the surface of the substrate 10. The optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any of the edges at the opposing edges that are opposite each other.

[0014] ​​​​​​Dicing the wafer 26 to obtain a plurality of dies 28 having an optical material with a non-rectangular shape can minimize the resulting defects. The fewer the defects present in the die 28 , the more the delamination at the interface 22 between the optical material 12 and the substrate 10 can be reduced . By reducing or eliminating these defects on the die 28, the die 28 should be able to exhibit improved reliability against thermal shock and improved performance during thermal cycling .

[0015] In addition, the non-rectangular shape of the optical material 12 can be designed to match, for example, the cross-section of the incident beam 32 incident from a light source 30 and a light shaping (optical shaping) optical element (e.g., a diffuser). In this way, the space utilization of the die 28 can be improved and the physical dimensions can be reduced . .

[0016] In addition, the method of fabricating the wafer 26 and / or the die 28 can exhibit improved efficiency , because the non-rectangular shape corresponds to the method of depositing the optical material 12 during the replication process. In this way, an increased thickness and dimensions can be given to the optical material 12, resulting in a reduction in the cost of the optical material 12 .

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a wafer 26 including a plurality of dies 28. The plurality of dies 28 share a common continuous surface of the substrate 10. The dies 28 can be separated one by one by a region of only the substrate, for example, a dicing street 14 . The dicing street 14 can be a virtual line extending between two or more dies 28, and the wafer 26 can be diced along it . . ​​It can be used as a guide (guide line). The dicing street 14 can be a plurality of parallel horizontal and vertical lines forming a grid (lattice) pattern. The wafer 26 is dice-cut along the dicing street 14 to generate two or more dice 28, and optionally, waste 24 after die cutting without the optical material 12, or small pieces of the substrate 10 can be generated. For example, in FIG. 1, row 1 and column 1 can be areas outside the optical material 12 (without any optical material 12) on the substrate 10. The substrate 10 can be a circular wafer, or in special cases, a square wafer. The substrate 10 is an optically transparent material such as glass, semiconductor material, and polymer within the desired spectral region. In one aspect, the substrate 10 is glass. The substrate 10 can have a size in the range of about 100 mm to about 300 mm in diameter, or if square in shape, can have a size in the range of about 50 mm × about 50 mm to about 300 mm × about 300 mm. In most cases, the thickness of the substrate is in the range of about 0.2 mm to about 1.0 mm. At the die level, the substrate 10 can have a size in the range of about 0.5 mm × about 0.5 mm to about 50 mm × about 5

[0018] 0 mm. The size of the substrate 10 can be according to the customer's specifications and can be defined by a first dimension (e.g., length) and a second dimension (e.g., width). At the die level, the substrate 10 can have an aspect ratio (length to width ratio) in the range of about 1:1 to about 10:1. The substrate 10 can have a surface such as the upper surface defined by the edges 20 that are opposite to each other and form a pair. The substrate 10 can be an optically transparent material such as glass, semiconductor material, and polymer within the desired spectral region. In one aspect, the substrate 10 is glass. The substrate 10 can have a size in the range of about 100 mm to about 300 mm in diameter, or if square in shape, can have a size in the range of about 50 mm × about 50 mm to about 300 mm × about 300 mm. In most cases, the thickness of the substrate is in the range of about 0.2 mm to about 1.0 mm. At the die level, the substrate 10 can have a size in the range of about 0.5 mm × about 0.5 mm to about 50 mm × about 5 0 mm. The size of the substrate 10 can be according to the customer's specifications and can be defined by a first dimension (e.g., length) and a second dimension (e.g., width). At the die level, the substrate 10 can have an aspect ratio (length to width ratio) in the range of about 1:1 to about 10:1. The substrate 10 can have a surface such as the upper surface defined by the edges 20 that are opposite to each other and form a pair. In most cases, the thickness of the substrate is in the range of about 0.2 mm to about 1.0 mm. At the die level, the substrate 10 can have a size in the range of about 0.5 mm × about 0.5 mm to about 50 mm × about 5 0 mm. The size of the substrate 10 can be according to the customer's specifications and can be defined by a first dimension (e.g., length) and a second dimension (e.g., width). At the die level, the substrate 10 can have an aspect ratio (length to width ratio) in the range of about 1:1 to about 10:1. The substrate 10 can have a surface such as the upper surface defined by the edges 20 that are opposite to each other and form a pair. 0 mm. The size of the substrate 10 can be according to the customer's specifications and can be defined by a first dimension (e.g., length) and a second dimension (e.g., width). At the die level, the substrate 10 can have an aspect ratio (length to width ratio) in the range of about 1:1 to about 10:1. The substrate 10 can have a surface such as the upper surface defined by the edges 20 that are opposite to each other and form a pair. The size of the substrate 10 can be according to the customer's specifications and can be defined by a first dimension (e.g., length) and a second dimension (e.g., width). At the die level, the substrate 10 can have an aspect ratio (length to width ratio) in the range of about 1:1 to about 10:1. The substrate 10 can have a surface such as the upper surface defined by the edges 20 that are opposite to each other and form a pair. The size of the substrate 10 can be according to the customer's specifications and can be defined by a first dimension (e.g., length) and a second dimension (e.g., width). At the die level, the substrate 10 can have an aspect ratio (length to width ratio) in the range of about 1:1 to about 10:1. The substrate 10 can have a surface such as the upper surface defined by the edges 20 that are opposite to each other and form a pair. The size of the substrate 10 can be according to the customer's specifications and can be defined by a first dimension (e.g., length) and a second dimension (e.g., width). At the die level, the substrate 10 can have an aspect ratio (length to width ratio) in the range of about 1:1 to about 10:1. The substrate 10 can have a surface such as the upper surface defined by the edges 20 that are opposite to each other and form a pair. The substrate 10 can have a surface such as the upper surface defined by the edges 20 that are opposite to each other and form a pair. In this way, the substrate 10 can be rectangular or square.

[0019] Figures 2A and 2B show the die 26 formed when the wafer 26 of FIG. 1 is diced along the dicing street 14. The die 28 can include a substrate 10 and an optical material 12. The substrate 10 can have surfaces defined by opposing edges 20 on opposite sides of each other, and the optical material 12 is of a non-rectangular shape and is on the surface of the substrate 10. The optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any of the edges at the opposing edges 20 on opposite sides of each other. As shown in FIG. 2A, the optical material 12 can be of a single non-rectangular shape on the surface of the substrate 10. As shown in FIG. 2B, the optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any of the edges at the opposing edges on opposite sides of each other. In one aspect, the portion 22 near the edge on the upper surface of the substrate 10 can be without the optical material 12. In this way, the possibility of defects occurring at the interface 22 between the optical material 12 and the substrate 10 during dicing is reduced. The optical material 12 can include an optically quality medium selected from UV (ultraviolet) curable polymers, organic / inorganic host-guest systems, and organic / inorganic hybrid systems. Non-limiting examples of UV curable polymers include free radical curable acrylates, cationic curable epoxies, UV cross-linked polymers, and thermally cross-linked polymers. Organic / inorganic host-guest systems can set the refractive index to a desired level by utilizing the dispersion of nanoparticles of various materials. Organic / inorganic hybrid systems include sol-gels, ormosils, and polymers. The organic / inorganic host-guest system can set the refractive index to a desired level by utilizing the dispersion of nanoparticles of various materials. The organic / inorganic hybrid system includes sol-gels, ormosils, and polymers. As shown in FIG. 2A, the optical material 12 can be of a single non-rectangular shape on the surface of the substrate 10. As shown in FIG. 2B, the optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any of the edges at the opposing edges on opposite sides of each other. In one aspect, the portion 22 near the edge on the upper surface of the substrate 10 can be without the optical material 12. In this way, the possibility of defects occurring at the interface 22 between the optical material 12 and the substrate 10 during dicing is reduced. The optical material 12 can include an optically quality medium selected from UV (ultraviolet) curable polymers, organic / inorganic host-guest systems, and organic / inorganic hybrid systems. Non-limiting examples of UV curable polymers include free radical curable acrylates, cationic curable epoxies, UV cross-linked polymers, and thermally cross-linked polymers.

[0020] The optical material 12 can include an optically quality medium selected from UV (ultraviolet) curable polymers, organic / inorganic host-guest systems, and organic / inorganic hybrid systems. Organic / inorganic host-guest systems can set the refractive index to a desired level by utilizing the dispersion of nanoparticles of various materials. Organic / inorganic hybrid systems include sol-gels, ormosils, and polymers. Non-limiting examples of UV curable polymers include free radical curable acrylates, cationic curable epoxies, UV cross-linked polymers, and thermally cross-linked polymers. Organic / inorganic host-guest systems can set the refractive index to a desired level by utilizing the dispersion of nanoparticles of various materials. Organic / inorganic hybrid systems include sol-gels, ormosils, and polymers. - It can include glass. In one aspect, the optical material 12 can be selected from polymers and sol-gels.

[0021] The optical material 12 can be present in a non-rectangular shape such that the flat bottom surface forms the interface with the upper surface of the substrate 10. The optical material 12 can have one or more surfaces that form a three-dimensional shape together with the flat bottom surface, and this three-dimensional shape can be selected from the group consisting of pyramid shape, pentagonal prism shape, hexagonal prism shape, heptagonal prism shape, octagonal prism shape, hemispherical shape, cylindrical shape, and conical shape. The non-rectangular shape of the optical material 12 can be selected based on the shape of the incident beam 32 from the light source 30. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the flat bottom surface of the optical material 12 can cover a majority, but less than the whole, of the upper surface of the substrate 10.

[0022] It should be understood that "majority" as used herein means greater than 50%. In one aspect, the optical material 12 covers from more than 50% to less than 100% of the surface of the substrate 10; for example, more than 55% to less than 95%; as an additional example, more than 65% to less than 90%. In another aspect, the optical material 12 does not extend to one or more edges 20 or corners of the substrate 10. In this way, the cost of the optical material 12 can be reduced, and the possibility of forming defects by die cutting can be reduced.

[0023] In one aspect, the optical material 12 is in a non-rectangular shape such as a cylindrical shape. The diameter of this cylinder is equal to the first dimension of the substrate 10. In another aspect, the diameter of this cylinder is less than the first dimension of the substrate 10. The first dimension of the substrate 10 can be the length or the width. For example​​​​​​​​​ Then, the optical material 12 can be present in a size ranging from a value equal to the first dimension of the substrate 10 to 5% of the first dimension of the substrate 10. The non-rectangular shape of the optical material 12 can be sized to match the size of the incident beam 32.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the die 28 can include the optical material 12 present on the surface of the substrate 10 in two or more non-rectangular shapes. These two or more non-rectangular shapes can be separated one by one by gaps within the optical material 12. These gaps can be in the area of the substrate 10. These two or more non-rectangular shapes can be of the same shape or a combination of different shapes. In one aspect, two or more non-rectangular shapes of the optical material 12 range from about 2 to about 10 within the die 28.

[0025] In one aspect, the optical material 12 can be present on the substrate 10 with a non-uniform thickness. The upper surface of the optical material 12 can include a microstructure or a diffraction grating. In this aspect, the thickness of the optical material can include two components, namely the baseline thickness and the nominal thickness (the called thickness). The baseline thickness of the optical material 12 can range from about 0 microns to about 500 microns, for example, from about 0.5 microns to about 480 microns, and as an additional example, from about 5 microns to about 450 microns. The nominal thickness of the optical material can include the baseline thickness and the height of the microstructure or the diffraction grating. The nominal thickness can range from about 5 microns to about 1000 microns; for example, from about 10 microns to about 900 microns; and as an additional example, from about 20 microns to about 200 microns. do.

[0026] The baseline thickness and nominal thickness values ​​are determined by the refractive index of the substrate 10 at the selected wavelength, Light shaping elements such as light diffusers, gratings, lenses, waveguides, prisms, etc. It is determined by a few variables, such as the refractive index of the optical medium used to fabricate the optical element. These values ​​are necessary to control the mechanical stress between the optical material 12 and the substrate 10. It can also be determined based on the need and the specific optical functionality of the optical material 12 .

[0027] Also disclosed is a system including a light source 30, as shown in FIG. 7, which emits incident light 32. , incident light 32 can be received by die 28 .

[0028] A method for making the wafer 26 is also disclosed, which includes removing the protruding recesses in the mold. The optical material 12 is placed on the portion having the groove pattern to form a non-rectangular shape of the optical material 12. on each raised relief of said pattern; 0, and an optical fiber having a thickness ranging from about 20 microns to about 1000 microns. The method includes the steps of: imparting the material 12 with a non-rectangular shape; and removing the mold. The natural flow dynamics of the liquid allow the circular droplet of optical material 12 to spread out. This allows for control of the diameter and thickness of the optical material 12. The steps may include controlling the size of the droplets of optical material 12 .

[0029] A method for making die 28 includes the steps of providing a wafer 26; For example, the optical material 12 may be diced along one or more dicing streets between the separated portions of the optical material 12. It can include a step of cutting. In one aspect, the dicing street 14 can be an area of only the substrate 10, i.e., there is no optical material 12.

[0030] Example

[0031] Comparative Example 1 - A conventional wafer 16 is shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The wafer 16 includes a circular-shaped substrate 10, and the substrate 10 is generally glass. An optical material 12 such as a polymer is deposited on the substrate. During the manufacturing process, the wafer 16 is diced along the dicing street 14, and the dicing street 14 is a grid line parallel to the vertical and horizontal directions. The dicing cuts create a plurality of dies 18 and post-dicing waste 24. The dies 18 are formed based on the customer's specifications, and the post-dicing waste 24 does not meet the customer's specifications. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the die 18 is a rectangular-shaped optical material 12 and extends to the full length of each edge 20 of the substrate 10 (i.e., a rectangle has four edges). The die 18 exhibits defects such as glass chips, voids, and delamination induced by dicing during repetitive thermal cycles.

[0032] The post-dicing waste 24 may have polymer non-uniformities that do not meet the customer's specifications, and / or various reasons such as defects formed at the interface between the optical material 12 and the substrate 10, etc., which are not considered as dies 18 by those skilled in the art. Referring to FIG. 4A, if the dicing street 14 is used as a standard, the post-dicing waste 24 includes the entire top row, the entire bottom row, the entire left column, the entire right column, and rows 2, columns 2 and 7, rows 2, columns 1 and 8, etc. Referring to FIG. 4B, there is no post-dicing waste, because the dicing line 14 is on the substrate 10.​​​​ This is because it is arranged to optimize the shape of the optical material 12. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, after die cutting, the waste 24 includes a substrate 10 having a surface defined by opposing edges 20 on opposite sides of each other, and a non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 on the surface of the substrate 10. The non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 extends to the full length of any edge at the opposing edges. For ease of understanding, in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 extends along the entire length of the left and lower sides of the edge 20 of the substrate 10. Defects are also formed at the interface between the optical material 12 and the substrate 10 by die cutting and thermal cycling. including a substrate 10 having a surface defined by opposing edges 20 on opposite sides of each other, and a non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 on the surface of the substrate 10. The non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 extends to the full length of any edge at the opposing edges. For ease of understanding, in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 extends along the entire length of the left and lower sides of the edge 20 of the substrate 10. Defects are also formed at the interface between the optical material 12 and the substrate 10 by die cutting and thermal cycling. the non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 extends along the entire length of the left and lower sides of the edge 20 of the substrate 10. Defects are also formed at the interface between the optical material 12 and the substrate 10 by die cutting and thermal cycling. Defects are also formed at the interface between the optical material 12 and the substrate 10 by die cutting and thermal cycling. formed.

[0033] Example 1 - The wafer 26 described in the present specification and shown in FIG. 1. The wafer 26 includes a substrate 10 (preferably) having a circular (or square) shape, and the substrate 10 is generally glass. An optical material 12 such as a polymer is deposited on the substrate 10. During the manufacturing process, the wafer 26 is die cut along the dicing street 14, and the dicing street 14 is a grid of lines parallel to each other vertically and horizontally. By die cutting, a plurality of dies 28 disclosed in the present specification are created, and the dies 28 are formed based on customer specifications. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the die 28 includes a substrate 10 having a surface defined by opposing edges 20 on opposite sides of each other, and a non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 on the surface of the optical substrate 10. The non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any edge at the opposing edges. The die 28, as a result of the die cutting process itself and also as a result of repeated thermal cycling, has glass chips on the glass-optical material interface 22. including a substrate 10 having a surface defined by opposing edges 20 on opposite sides of each other, and a non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 on the surface of the optical substrate 10. The non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any edge at the opposing edges. The die 28, as a result of the die cutting process itself and also as a result of repeated thermal cycling, has glass chips on the glass-optical material interface 22. The wafer 26 is die cut along the dicing street 14, and the dicing street 14 is a grid of lines parallel to each other vertically and horizontally. By die cutting, a plurality of dies 28 disclosed in the present specification are created, and the dies 28 are formed based on customer specifications. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the die 28 includes a substrate 10 having a surface defined by opposing edges 20 on opposite sides of each other, and a non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 on the surface of the optical substrate 10. The non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any edge at the opposing edges. The die 28, as a result of the die cutting process itself and also as a result of repeated thermal cycling, has glass chips on the glass-optical material interface 22. created, and the dies 28 are formed based on customer specifications. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the die 28 includes a substrate 10 having a surface defined by opposing edges 20 on opposite sides of each other, and a non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 on the surface of the optical substrate 10. The non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any edge at the opposing edges. The die 28, as a result of the die cutting process itself and also as a result of repeated thermal cycling, has glass chips on the glass-optical material interface 22. The die 28 includes a substrate 10 having a surface defined by opposing edges 20 on opposite sides of each other, and a non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 on the surface of the optical substrate 10. The non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any edge at the opposing edges. The die 28, as a result of the die cutting process itself and also as a result of repeated thermal cycling, has glass chips on the glass-optical material interface 22. The non-rectangular shaped optical material 12 does not extend to the full length of any edge at the opposing edges. The die 28, as a result of the die cutting process itself and also as a result of repeated thermal cycling, has glass chips on the glass-optical material interface 22. The die 28, as a result of the die cutting process itself and also as a result of repeated thermal cycling, has glass chips on the glass-optical material interface 22. formed on the glass-optical material interface 22 as a result of the die cutting process itself and also as a result of repeated thermal cycling. showed no defects such as voids and delamination induced by dicing.

[0034] From the above description, those skilled in the art can understand that the teachings of the present invention can be realized in various forms. Therefore, although these teachings have been described in relation to specific embodiments and examples, the true scope of the teachings of the present invention should not be so limited. Various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings in this specification. The scope disclosed should be construed broadly. The present disclosure intends to disclose equivalents, means, systems, and methods for realizing the devices, operations, and mechanical operations disclosed in this specification. For each of the disclosed devices, articles, methods, means, mechanical elements, or mechanisms, the present disclosure also includes and intends to teach equivalents, means, systems, and methods for implementing the numerous aspects, mechanisms, and devices disclosed in this specification.

[0035] The scope of the present disclosure should be construed broadly. The claims of this application should also be construed broadly. The description of the present invention in this specification is merely illustrative in nature in its numerous embodiments, and thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. Such variations should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. ​​​​​​​​

Claims

1. a substrate having a surface defined by a pair of opposed edges; an optical material on a surface of the substrate, the optical material being non-rectangular in shape; The optical material is preferably a material having a thickness of at least one of the opposing edges. A die that does not even extend to its full length.

2. The non-rectangular shaped optical material has a flat bottom surface that interfaces with the top surface of the substrate. and one or more surfaces that together with the flat bottom surface form a three-dimensional shape, the three-dimensional shape comprising: Pyramid, pentagonal prism, hexagonal prism, heptagonal prism, octagonal prism, semi The die of claim 1 , wherein the die is selected from the group consisting of a sphere, a cylinder, and a cone.

3. The flat bottom surface of the optical material covers most of the top surface of the substrate, but 3. The die of claim 2, wherein the die covers less than the entire surface.

4. The die of claim 1 , wherein the non-rectangular shape of the optical material is a cylinder.

5. The die of claim 4 , wherein a diameter of the cylinder is equal to a first dimension of the substrate.

6. The die of claim 4 , wherein the cylindrical diameter is less than a first dimension of the substrate.

7. 10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical material is a single non-rectangular shape on a surface of the substrate. of Die.

8. The optical material is two or more non-rectangular shapes on a surface of the substrate, 10. The optical material of claim 1 , wherein the non-rectangular shapes are separated one from the other by gaps in the optical material. Die as described.

9. 2. The datum of claim 1, wherein a portion of the top surface of the substrate near an edge is free of the optical material. stomach.

10. The die of claim 1 , wherein the optical material has a non-uniform thickness.

11. The optical material has a nominal thickness ranging from about 5 microns to about 1000 microns.

2. The die of claim 1 .

12. The substrate has a size of about 50 mm x about 50 mm to about 300 mm x about 300 mm. The die of claim 1.

13. 10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate has an aspect ratio of from about 1:1 to about 10:

1. Thailand.

14. The two or more non-rectangular shapes of the optical material range from about 2 to about 10. The die of claim 8 .

15. 13. A wafer comprising a plurality of dies according to claim 1, comprising: A wafer in which the multiple dies share a common contiguous surface of the substrate.

16. The substrate is glass and the optical material is selected from a polymer or a sol-gel.

16. The wafer of claim 15 which is an optical material.

17. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of dies are separated one from the other by dicing streets. The wafer as described above.

18. 1. A method of making a wafer, comprising: placing an optical material on the portion of the mold having the raised relief pattern; forming a non-rectangular shape of the optical material on each of the raised reliefs of the pattern; and A substrate is contacted with the optical material to form a sieve having a thickness ranging from about 20 microns to about 200 microns. imparting a non-rectangular shape to the optical material having a thickness; removing the mold; The method includes:

19. The step of disposing the optical material includes controlling the size of the droplets of the optical material.

20. The method of claim 18, comprising:

20. Providing a wafer as claimed in claim 18; dicing the wafer between the separated portions of optical material; The method includes:

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