Glass Package Plasma Dicing for Low-Stress Singulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for dicing glass substrates in semiconductor manufacturing, such as mechanical sawing and laser cutting, face challenges with glass delamination and breakage due to induced stress, especially as substrate layer stacks increase, leading to high costs and reduced yields.
Innovation Solution
Plasma cutting is used to remove build-up layers and glass cores at low temperatures, employing reactive ion etching and acid rinses to minimize heat-induced stress, with semi-sphere filler morphologies for reduced mechanical stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mechanical sawing or laser cutting is used to dice glass substrates, then dicing and singulation can be performed, but stress is induced leading to glass delamination and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sawing systems with plasma-based processing systems. The plasma process uses reactive ions to chemically etch and separate the glass substrate and build-up layers without mechanical contact, thereby eliminating mechanically-induced stress that causes delamination and breakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental processing parameter from mechanical force to plasma energy. By controlling plasma power, gas composition, and exposure time, the process achieves clean separation of glass substrates and build-up layers without inducing the stress problems associated with mechanical methods.
2Ease of manufacture
If laser cutting is used to heat and cool glass rapidly, then controlled cracks can be created for separation, but thermal stress is induced causing compatibility challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces laser-based thermal processing with plasma-based chemical processing. Instead of using rapid heating and cooling to create thermal stress cracks, the plasma process uses reactive ion etching to chemically separate materials, avoiding thermal stress entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of plasma from a gaseous state to reactive ions that chemically interact with the glass and build-up layer materials. This chemical interaction enables controlled separation through etching rather than thermal cracking, eliminating the associated stress problems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the height of the substrate layer stack increases with build-up layers and interconnects, then device functionality is improved, but mechanical stress from cutting increases causing delamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical cutting systems that cannot easily handle increased layer stack heights with plasma processing systems. The plasma process can penetrate and separate through complex multi-layer stacks without applying mechanical stress that would cause delamination of the additional build-up layers and interconnects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses plasma processing to selectively etch and separate different layers of the stack at different rates, enabling clean separation through complex multi-layer structures. The plasma process can be tuned to remove build-up layers and interconnects while preserving the glass substrate, handling increased layer stack complexity effectively.
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
Plasma cutting reduces stress-related cracking and delamination, offering lower costs and improved yields by providing a more efficient and controlled dicing process for glass substrates.
Implementation Method 1
plasma dicing steps to form cut-streets through the topside BU layers and the backside BU layers and using a plasma dicing step to cut through the glass core
Implementation Method 2
The plasma dicing step may be performed using reactive ion etching
Implementation Method 3
In another aspect, the dicing of the semiconductor panel further includes using an acid rinse to remove metal salts, which may be formed when dopants are used in the glass core, when cutting through the glass core during the plasma dicing step
Data Source
AI summary
According to the various aspects, a method is provided for dicing a semiconductor panel having a glass core with topside build-up (BU) layers, backside BU layers, and interconnects. In an aspect, a hard mask is deposited on the semiconductor panel and patterned to form openings for a plurality of cut-streets. In an aspect, the dicing of the semiconductor panel includes using plasma dicing steps to form cut-streets through the topside BU layers and the backside BU layers, and using a mechanical sawing step or plasma dicing step to cut through the glass core. In another aspect, the dicing of the semiconductor panel further includes using an acid rinse to remove metal salts when cutting through the glass core during the plasma dicing step. In another aspect, a singulated die may have a first BU sidewall and a second BU sidewall having a morphology that includes semi-sphere fillers.