Semiconductor Die Singulation Cleaning for Plasma Residue Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The semiconductor industry faces challenges with residual contaminants and damage during the singulation of die from wafers, particularly with plasma dicing, which affects the quality and reliability of the singulated die and increases manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving plasma etch singulation followed by exposure to solvent vapors in a low oxygen environment to remove residual contaminants, using heated non-water soluble solvents under reduced pressure, which allows for longer processing times without affecting the adhesion of die to the carrier substrate and reduces waste and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If plasma dicing is used to singulate die, then throughput is increased and scribe line width is reduced, but residual polymer contaminants and fluorine residues are left on die surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful residual polymer contaminants and fluorine residues from the die surfaces using a targeted cleaning process. The cleaning solution specifically targets and removes these contaminants without damaging the underlying semiconductor structures, thereby eliminating the harmful effects while preserving the benefits of plasma dicing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a cleaning solution containing oxidizing agents that chemically react with and break down the residual polymer contaminants and fluorine residues. This oxidation process effectively removes the contaminants from die surfaces, converting them into removable byproducts that can be washed away, thus resolving the contamination issue.
2Productivity
If plasma dicing is used to singulate die, then manufacturing capacity is improved, but backside layers cannot be effectively removed from singulation lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using a cleaning solution with specific chemical properties that selectively interact with different materials. The solution is formulated to have different etching or cleaning rates for various materials, allowing effective removal of backside layers from singulation lines while preserving the integrity of the die structures, thus achieving both high manufacturing capacity and precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional scribing is used to singulate die, then scribe grid alignment is simplified, but large portions of the wafer are consumed and processing time exceeds one hour per line
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical scribing process with a plasma-based dicing method. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical contact and long processing times, using plasma energy to separate the die instead. The plasma process achieves singulation much faster while the subsequent cleaning step ensures proper removal of any remaining material, thus dramatically reducing processing time while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively removes residual films and contaminants, improving the quality and reliability of singulated die, reducing manufacturing costs, and maintaining the die's adhesion to the carrier substrate, thereby enhancing the semiconductor wafer singulation process.
Implementation Method 1
forming singulation lines by plasma etching the semiconductor wafer
Implementation Method 2
exposing surfaces of the plurality of die to solvent vapors in a low oxygen chamber to remove residual contaminates
Implementation Method 3
exposing the plurality of electronic die to solvent vapors under reduced pressure to reduce the present of the film and/or contaminants
Data Source
AI summary
A method for processing electronic die includes providing a substrate having a plurality of electronic die formed as part of the substrate and separated from each other by spaces. The method includes placing the substrate onto a first carrier substrate. The method includes plasma etching the substrate through the spaces to form singulation lines adjacent the plurality of electronic die. The method includes exposing the plurality of electronic die to solvent vapors, such as heated solvent vapors, under reduced pressure to reduce the presence of residual contaminants resulting from the plasma etching step.