Single-Crystal Substrate Cleavage Breaking to Reduce Chipping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for dividing single-crystal substrates, such as SiC and Si, result in chipping and scattering of small pieces on the break-surface due to the substrate being deformed into a 'V-shape' during division, leading to contamination and electrical insulation issues in semiconductor devices.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the formation of scribe lines on the substrate, attachment of an adhesive dicing tape, and shifting the breaking plate's contact position from the cleavage plane by a predetermined amount to reduce chipping, using a cleavage plane inclined at an off-angle to the vertical plane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the substrate is attached to the adhesive dicing tape on the scribe-surface and divided by pressing from the break-surface, then the substrate can be divided into semiconductor devices, but the substrate deforms into a V-shape causing chipping on the break-surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional attachment configuration by attaching the substrate to the protecting film on the break-surface instead of the adhesive dicing tape on the scribe-surface. This inversion changes the deformation behavior during division, preventing V-shape deformation and chipping on the break-surface while enabling efficient division into semiconductor devices
2Ease of operation
If the substrate is attached to the adhesive dicing tape on the scribe-surface, then the substrate can be fixed for division, but small pieces scatter on the break-surface causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the attachment configuration by attaching the substrate to the protecting film on the break-surface rather than the adhesive dicing tape on the scribe-surface. This inversion prevents small pieces from scattering on the break-surface during division, thereby reducing contamination risk while maintaining fixing stability through the protecting film attachment
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
Reduces chipping on the break-surface, enhancing the yield of semiconductor devices by minimizing the scattering of small pieces and maintaining device integrity during subsequent processing steps.
Implementation Method 1
attaching an adhesive dicing tape onto the scribe-surface
Implementation Method 2
applying external force to the break-surface from the breaking plate to divide the single-crystal substrate along the cleavage plane
Implementation Method 3
divide the single-crystal substrate along the cleavage plane
Data Source
AI summary
A process for dividing a single-crystal substrate having a cleavage plane inclined with respect to a scribe-surface and a break-surface of the single-crystal substrate is provided. The process includes steps of forming a scribe line on the scribe-surface, attaching an adhesive dicing tape onto the scribe-surface, inverting and placing the single-crystal substrate on a breaking table such that the scribe-surface faces the breaking table, bringing a breaking plate into contact with the break-surface along a break-line which is positioned away from a cross-line where the cleavage plane extending from the scribe line crosses the break-surface, with respect to a reference line where a vertical plane extending from the scribe line in a direction orthogonal to the scribe-surface and the break-surface crosses the break-surface, and applying external force to the break-surface from the breaking plate to divide the single-crystal substrate along the cleavage plane.