Semiconductor Substrate Cleavage Using Intermittent Preliminary Cracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The divergence of cleavage lines from the desired cleavage plane in semiconductor substrate processing leads to unsatisfactory product performance and reduced productivity due to errors in pattern alignment and cleavage direction during the manufacturing of semiconductor devices like laser diodes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a starting-point crack and intermittent preliminary cracks along the desired cleavage line, where each preliminary crack joins the cleavage line from outside, guiding the cleavage to maintain alignment and reduce divergence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single starting-point crack is formed on the desired cleavage line, then the cleavage process can be initiated, but the cleavage may diverge from the desired cleavage line due to errors in pattern alignment and knife axis deviation
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple preliminary cracks are formed intermittently along the desired cleavage line before the actual cleavage process. These preliminary cracks serve as guides to ensure that the cleavage progresses accurately along the intended line, preventing divergence caused by alignment errors or knife axis deviations.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleavage line is divided into multiple segments by forming intermittent preliminary cracks at specific intervals. Each preliminary crack acts as an independent guide point, and the cumulative effect of these segmented guides ensures high overall accuracy of the cleavage line without requiring a single complex operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple preliminary cracks are formed intermittently along the desired cleavage line, then the cleavage accuracy is improved, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming a continuous crack or excessive number of cracks, the method uses a partial approach by forming only the necessary intermittent preliminary cracks at optimized intervals. This provides sufficient guidance for accurate cleavage while avoiding unnecessary process complexity and time consumption.
3Productivity
If the cleavage progresses along the longitudinal axis of the knife-like part, then the cleavage can be completed, but the cleavage may significantly diverge from the desired cleavage line due to divergence of the knife axis from the cleavage plane
Solution Approach 1:
Preliminary cracks are formed in advance along the desired cleavage line to establish accurate guidance paths. When the knife-like part applies stress to propagate the cleavage, these pre-formed cracks ensure that the cleavage follows the intended line rather than deviating along the knife's longitudinal axis, even if the knife axis is slightly divergent.
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 method effectively alleviates the divergence of cleavages from the desired cleavage line, improving product performance and productivity by ensuring accurate cleavage and maintaining atomic-level smoothness.
Implementation Method 1
forming a plurality of preliminary cracks intermittently along the desired cleavage line on the surface of the semiconductor substrate... each of the preliminary cracks has a crack joining the desired cleavage line from outside of the desired cleavage line in a direction of a progress of a cleavage
Implementation Method 2
a scribe line is first formed on one side or both sides of the substrate along a cleavage plane using a diamond-point tool or the like. Directly under the scribe line, micro-cracks (minute cracks) are formed. Next, stress is applied to the substrate to open the micro-cracks along the cleaved plane. Thereby, the substrate can be separated while forming a cleaved plane having atomic-level smoothness
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a starting-point crack on a cleavage line on a surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming preliminary cracks intermittently along the cleavage line on the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and cleaving the semiconductor substrate along the cleavage line passing through the preliminary cracks, from the starting-point crack, wherein each of the preliminary cracks has a crack joining the cleavage line from outside of the cleavage line, in a direction of a progress of cleaving.