Electrostatic Workpiece Holding for Adhesive-Free Chip Dicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing device chips using semiconductor wafers rely on adhesive tapes that are costly and difficult to remove, leading to inefficiencies in the process.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a sheet of insulating material placed between the workpiece and a polarizing table, where electrostatic forces are used to attract and hold the workpiece, allowing for division into device chips without adhesive tapes, and a conductive probe is used to release the chips from the sheet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesive tape is used to hold the workpiece, then the workpiece is securely positioned during processing, but the adhesive tape cannot be reused and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical adhesive bonding system with an electrostatic field-based holding system. A polarizing table generates electrostatic forces to attract and hold the workpiece during processing, eliminating the need for disposable adhesive tapes. This substitution reduces material costs while maintaining secure positioning, as the electrostatic field can be activated and deactivated electrically rather than requiring physical adhesive application and disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the holding mechanism from chemical adhesion to electrostatic attraction. By applying voltage to the polarizing table, the electrostatic field strength can be adjusted to match different workpiece weights and sizes, providing flexible, reusable holding without the cost of disposable adhesive tapes.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If adhesive tape is used to prevent device chips from scattering, then device chips are contained, but the strong adhesive makes peeling off device chips difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical adhesive system with an electrostatic field system for containing device chips. The polarizing table generates electrostatic forces that prevent chip scattering during processing, but unlike adhesive tape, the electrostatic field can be electrically controlled to release chips when needed. This eliminates the difficulty of peeling chips from strong adhesive while still preventing scattering during the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the chip containment system dynamic and controllable through electrical signals. The electrostatic field can be activated to prevent scattering during processing, then deactivated or reversed to facilitate easy chip removal. This dynamic control contrasts with the static, irreversible bonding of adhesive tape, enabling both containment and easy release.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If adhesive tape is used for workpiece processing, then the workpiece is protected from impacts, but the tape must be discarded after use increasing waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the consumable adhesive tape protection system with a reusable electrostatic field system. The polarizing table provides impact protection and workpiece holding through controlled electrostatic forces that can be applied and removed electrically. This eliminates the need to discard adhesive tapes after each use, reducing material waste while maintaining protective functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables recovery and reuse of the workpiece holding and protection function through the reusable polarizing table. Unlike disposable adhesive tapes that must be discarded, the electrostatic field system can be reset and reused for multiple workpieces, significantly reducing substance loss and waste generation in the manufacturing process.
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 eliminates the need for adhesive tapes, reduces costs, and ensures secure holding and easy peeling of device chips, enhancing the manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
attracting the sheet to the workpiece under electrostatic forces by applying a voltage between the electrodes in the table to polarize the sheet and the workpiece
Implementation Method 2
applying a voltage to the probe thereby to release the sheet from the device chips that have attracted the sheet
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing device chips includes the steps of placing a workpiece on a table with a sheet of an insulating material being interposed between the table and the workpiece, attracting the sheet to the workpiece under electrostatic forces by applying a voltage between electrodes in the table to polarize the workpiece and the sheet, unloading the workpiece with the sheet attracted thereto from the table, processing the workpiece with the sheet attracted thereto to divide the workpiece into a plurality of device chips that correspond respectively to devices, and peeling off the device chips from the sheet by bringing an electrically conductive probe into contact with one, at a time, of areas of the sheet that correspond respectively to the device chips and applying a voltage to the probe thereby to release the sheet from the device chips that have attracted the sheet.