Corner Protection Structure for Wafer Dicing Crack Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cracks during wafer dicing can extend into the device region of a die, causing damage to the circuit.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor structure with protection structures in the corner regions, featuring varying sizes of square top-view patterns, and a seal ring structure surrounding the device region to prevent crack extension and relieve stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal ring is disposed outside the device region to prevent crack extension, then the circuit in the device region is protected, but the stress relief effect is insufficient and cracks may still extend into the device region
Solution Approach 1:
The protection structure is segmented into multiple protection units arranged in an array, with each unit containing multiple protection structures. This segmentation allows the stress and crack propagation to be distributed and blocked at multiple points, enhancing both crack prevention and stress relief capabilities compared to a single seal ring structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection structures extend in multiple dimensions - they are arranged in an array pattern (two-dimensional arrangement) and have varying sizes to create a gradient effect. This multi-dimensional configuration provides superior crack blocking and stress distribution compared to the one-dimensional seal ring approach.
2Reliability
If protection structures with varying sizes are used in corner regions, then crack extension is prevented more effectively, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different protection units have different sizes and are positioned at different locations, with the first protection unit having a first size and the second protection unit having a second size. This local variation in protection structure characteristics optimizes crack prevention at different regions while maintaining overall system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection structures exhibit asymmetric characteristics through their varying sizes and arrangements in corner regions. This asymmetric configuration is specifically designed to address the stress concentration and crack propagation patterns that occur at corner regions, providing targeted protection where it is most needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor structure including a substrate and protection structures is provided. The substrate includes a die region. The die region includes corner regions. The protection structures are located in the corner region. Each of the protection structures has a square top-view pattern. The square top-view patterns located in the same corner region have various sizes.