Segmented Conductive Pad for Semiconductor Wafer Dicing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing semiconductor devices with conventional conductive pads cause damage to dicing blades during wafer dicing, leading to reduced yield and increased dicing time due to crack propagation and unwanted chemical reactions, especially as the number of dies increases.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a conductive pad featuring a substrate, dielectric layer, and patterned conductive strips and strings arranged in a staggered manner, where the dielectric material between the conductive strips reduces crack propagation and abrasion on dicing blades, allowing for faster and more efficient wafer dicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional conductive pads are used on scribe lines, then the conductive connection is achieved, but the dicing blades become damaged and crack propagation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive pad is segmented into multiple conductive strips arranged in parallel, rather than using a single continuous conductive pad. This segmentation reduces the continuous conductive path that causes blade damage and crack propagation during dicing, while still maintaining electrical connectivity through the distributed strips
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the scribe line are assigned different properties: conductive strips provide electrical connectivity in specific locations, while dielectric material fills the spaces between strips to prevent crack propagation. This local differentiation allows the structure to simultaneously achieve conduction and crack resistance
2Productivity
If the amount of dies increases, then the productivity improves, but the dicing time increases and yield decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the conductive pad into multiple strips, the dicing blade can more easily traverse the scribe line without encountering continuous conductive material that causes damage and slows down the process. This enables faster dicing while maintaining yield
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful continuous conductive pad into beneficial segmented strips separated by dielectric material. The dielectric material, which normally would be just an insulator, now serves the dual function of electrical isolation and crack propagation prevention, turning a passive material into an active protective element
3Reliability
If conventional conductive pads are used, then the electrical connection is established, but unwanted chemical reactions occur and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive path is divided into discrete strips rather than continuous material, reducing the total surface area available for unwanted chemical reactions during dicing while maintaining sufficient electrical connectivity for the application
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device having a conductive pad is provided, wherein the conductive pad includes a substrate, a dielectric layer, a plurality of vias, and a patterned conductive pad. The dielectric layer is overlying the substrate. The vias are disposed in the dielectric layer. The patterned conductive pad is disposed over the dielectric layer. The conductive pad includes, from a top view, at least three first conductive strips spaced apart from each other, arranged in different rows. The conductive strips in different rows are electrically and physically connected by a plurality of conductive strings. The conductive strings between different rows of the conductive strips are arranged in a staggered manner. The vias are disposed under the conductive strips.