Semiconductor Wafer Dicing Kerf Check Using Outermost Trenches
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dicing devices face issues with blade wear causing chipping and thermal deformation, leading to inaccuracies in kerf positioning and chip size, which affects the precision and miniaturization of semiconductor devices.
Innovation Solution
A production method involving forming surface electrode metals and trenches on a wafer, with an outermost trench serving as a reference for kerf check after dicing, allowing for precise kerf measurement and enabling miniaturization by eliminating the need for additional steps and ensuring insulation around the chip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If blade wear and thermal deformation are not addressed, then manufacturing process simplicity is maintained, but kerf positioning accuracy and chip size precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an outer peripheral oxide film as an intermediary reference element that mediates between the blade cutting process and the kerf positioning measurement. This oxide film serves as a stable, pre-formed reference that eliminates the need for direct blade condition monitoring, thereby improving kerf positioning accuracy without adding blade maintenance complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a reference copy of the desired kerf position using the outer peripheral oxide film pattern. Instead of directly measuring blade position, the system copies the reference oxide film position and compares it with the actual kerf position, enabling high-precision measurement without complex blade monitoring systems
2Measurement precision
If conventional kerf check methods are used, then measurement simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to blade wear and thermal deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by forming the outer peripheral oxide film before the dicing process. This pre-formed oxide film serves as a reference that is already in place before cutting begins, eliminating the need for complex real-time blade condition monitoring and enabling high-precision measurement throughout the process
Solution Approach 2:
The outer peripheral oxide film acts as an intermediary reference element that translates the complex blade condition (wear, thermal deformation) into a simple, stable geometric reference. This mediator enables precise measurement without requiring direct measurement of blade conditions
3Volume of moving object
If chip size is reduced for miniaturization, then device density is improved, but insulation reliability deteriorates due to insufficient distance from chip edge to kerf
Solution Approach 1:
The patent shifts the reference from a one-dimensional blade position measurement to a two-dimensional reference system using the outer peripheral oxide film. This allows the chip edge to be positioned relative to the oxide film pattern, ensuring adequate insulation distance even as chip size decreases for miniaturization
Data Source
AI summary
The following are performed in this method for producing a semiconductor device: a step for forming multiple surface electrode metals joined to a surface of a semiconductor layer on a wafer on which multiple semiconductor devices are attached; a step for excavating a semiconductor layer outside an outer edge of the surface electrode metal to form an outermost edge trench of the semiconductor device; a dicing step for cutting out individual semiconductor devices from the wafer; and a kerf check performed after the dicing step by checking the distance from the outermost edge trench to the chip outline position of the semiconductor device.