Wafer Dicing Carrier with Etch Stop Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wafer dicing methods, such as scribing and sawing, result in chipping, cracking, and waste of semiconductor wafer real estate due to mechanical limitations, while plasma dicing faces challenges like high costs and production issues with metals like copper.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid method combining femtosecond-based laser scribing and plasma etching, using a substrate carrier with etch stop layers to support the wafer during the dicing process, allowing for precise and thermal-free separation of integrated circuits without compromising the carrier's structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If scribing or sawing is used to dice the wafer, then the wafer can be separated into individual dice, but chips and cracks form along the severed edges and additional spacing must be left between dice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical scribing and sawing systems with a plasma-based dicing system. The plasma process uses reactive ion etching to remove material along the streets between dice, eliminating mechanical contact that causes chipping and cracking. This allows dice to be separated without the need for additional spacing, maximizing wafer real estate utilization while maintaining excellent edge quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the dicing process by using plasma chemistry instead of mechanical force. By controlling plasma power, gas composition, and pressure, the process achieves precise material removal with clean edges, eliminating the trade-off between edge quality and space efficiency that plagues mechanical methods.
2Productivity
If a diamond saw is used to dice the wafer, then thick wafers can be separated, but the blade thickness requires substantial spacing between dice to prevent damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical diamond saw system with a plasma etching system. The plasma process can handle thick wafers effectively by removing material through chemical reactions rather than mechanical cutting. This eliminates the need for substantial spacing between dice that is required when using a thick diamond blade, thereby improving wafer real estate utilization while maintaining dice structural integrity.
3Manufacturing precision
If scribing is used to dice the wafer, then thin wafers can be separated, but only one side can be scribed in the direction of the crystalline structure resulting in jagged separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical scribing process with plasma etching. Unlike mechanical scribing that is constrained by crystal orientation, the plasma process can etch material in any direction with equal effectiveness. This provides complete dicing direction flexibility while maintaining smooth, high-quality separation lines without jagged edges, regardless of the wafer's crystalline structure.
4Productivity
If sawing is used to dice the wafer, then the wafer can be separated into dice, but particles and contaminants are generated requiring substantial cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sawing process with plasma etching. The plasma process removes material through chemical reactions that produce minimal particulate debris compared to mechanical cutting. This reduces the amount of cleaning required after dicing, improving overall process throughput while eliminating the generation of harmful particles and contaminants that accompany mechanical sawing.
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 approach minimizes thermal damage, reduces microcrack formation, and enables efficient singulation of integrated circuits with improved throughput and reduced waste, accommodating thin wafers and complex film structures, while avoiding the limitations of traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
etching the wafer or substrate by a plasma process
Implementation Method 2
femtosecond-based laser scribing
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of and carriers for dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a carrier for supporting a wafer or substrate in an etch process includes a frame having a perimeter surrounding an inner opening. The carrier also includes a tape coupled to the frame and disposed below the inner opening of the frame, the tape comprising an etch stop layer disposed above a support layer.