Polymer Die Corner Coating for Crack-Resistant Dicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor dies suffer from physical damage such as cracking and delamination during separation and manufacturing processes, leading to reduced reliability and yield.
Innovation Solution
A protective coating is applied over the die corners and sidewalls before separation, adhering to them to prevent cracking and delamination, using techniques like plasma dicing and laser grooving, and remaining intact during subsequent processing steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separation process is performed without protective coating, then manufacturing process is simple, but die corners and edges suffer from cracking and physical damage
Solution Approach 1:
A protective coating is applied to die corners and edges before the separation process to prevent cracking and physical damage. This preliminary protective action ensures that the dies are safeguarded during subsequent manufacturing steps such as plasma dicing, laser ablation, or rotary blade separation, thereby improving reliability without significantly complicating the overall manufacturing process.
2Strength
If protective coating is applied to die corners, then cracking is prevented, but additional manufacturing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating is selectively applied only to die corners and edges where cracking is most likely to occur, rather than coating the entire die surface. This localized approach provides targeted strength enhancement at critical stress points while minimizing the complexity of the manufacturing process and avoiding unnecessary coating steps on areas that do not require protection.
3Productivity
If separation process is performed, then dies are separated for assembly, but delamination of layers can occur
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating is applied before the separation process to preemptively prevent layer delamination. By establishing this protective layer in advance, the coating acts as a barrier that maintains layer adhesion during the separation process and subsequent handling, ensuring that productivity gains from efficient separation do not come at the cost of layer integrity.
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
The protective coating enhances the reliability and yield of semiconductor dies by preventing physical damage during separation and assembly, improving die strength and protecting low-K layers.
Implementation Method 1
A protective coating is applied over the die corners and sidewalls before separation, adhering to them to prevent cracking and delamination
Data Source
AI summary
A method for separating semiconductor dies of a semiconductor die assembly comprises depositing a first coating on a first surface of the assembly. The assembly comprises a die wafer having a plurality of semiconductor dies and first and second surfaces. A first portion of the die wafer and the first coating is removed between adjacent semiconductor dies to form trenches having an intermediate depth in the die wafer between first and second surfaces such that die corners are formed on either side of the trenches. A protective coating is deposited on the first surface of the die assembly to cover the die corners, trenches and at least a portion of the first coating. The first coating is selectively removed such that portions of the protective coating covering die corners and trenches remain on the die wafer. Adjacent semiconductor dies are separated and the protective coating remains covering the die corners.