Wafer Plasma Dicing Cleanup via Surface Hydrophilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to sufficiently remove protective films and clean workpieces and support components after plasma processing, as the hydrophobization of surfaces hinders effective removal by cleaning liquids.
Innovation Solution
A processing method involving protective film coating, partial removal, plasma division, hydrophilization using a second gas in a plasma state, and subsequent cleaning with a liquid to effectively remove the protective film and clean the workpiece, support component, and annular frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a first gas in a plasma state is supplied to divide the workpiece into chips (plasma etching), then the workpiece is effectively divided and processing dust is removed, but the surface layers of chips, support component, and annular frame become hydrophobized, making subsequent cleaning by liquid difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surface property parameter from hydrophobic to hydrophilic by supplying a second gas (oxygen-containing gas) in a plasma state after the first gas (fluorine-containing gas) plasma etching. This parameter change restores the cleaning ease without affecting the division precision achieved by the first gas etching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful hydrophobization effect (which prevents cleaning) into a beneficial intermediate state. The hydrophobized surface is temporarily maintained to ensure proper etching, then deliberately converted to hydrophilic state to enable effective cleaning. The harmful side effect becomes a controllable intermediate step in the process.
2Reliability
If a protective film is coated on the workpiece to protect devices during processing, then device protection is achieved, but the protective film requires additional removal steps and complicates the cleaning process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective film removal function with the surface hydrophilization function. The second gas plasma treatment that converts the hydrophobized surface to hydrophilic also simultaneously removes the protective film, combining two functions into one step and reducing overall process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective film is designed to be automatically removed by the oxygen plasma treatment intended for hydrophilization. The film removal is not a separate forced action but occurs naturally as a result of the surface treatment process, making the system self-service and reducing operational steps.
3Manufacturing precision
If plasma etching is used to remove processing strain and dust from processing grooves, then chip quality is improved, but the support component and annular frame surfaces become hydrophobized, requiring additional cleaning steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter change to the support component and annular frame surfaces, converting them from hydrophobic to hydrophilic state through oxygen plasma treatment. This enables effective cleaning by liquid and reduces the time required for cleaning operations without affecting the chip quality improvements achieved by the etching process.
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
The method ensures thorough removal of protective films and cleaning of workpieces and support components by converting hydrophobized surfaces to hydrophilic, facilitating efficient cleaning with a liquid.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a first gas in a plasma state to divide the workpiece into a plurality of chips along the planned dividing lines
Implementation Method 2
supplying a second gas in a plasma state to at least any of front surfaces and side surfaces of the chips, the support component exposed, and the annular frame that have been hydrophobized due to the dividing step to hydrophilize the at least any of the front surfaces and the side surfaces of the chips, the support component exposed, and the annular frame
Implementation Method 3
removing the protective film and cleaning the frame unit by a cleaning liquid after the hydrophilization step
Implementation Method 4
cleaning the frame unit by a cleaning liquid after the hydrophilization step
Data Source
AI summary
A processing method of a workpiece includes a protective film coating step of coating a front surface of a wafer with a protective film, and partly removing the protective film along planned dividing lines, a dividing step of supplying a first gas in a plasma state to divide the wafer into multiple chips along the planned dividing lines, a hydrophilization step of supplying a second gas in a plasma state to at least any of front surfaces and side surfaces of the chips, an exposed adhesive tape, and an annular frame that have been hydrophobized due to the dividing step to hydrophilize the at least any of the front surfaces and the side surfaces of the chips, the exposed adhesive tape, and the annular frame, and a cleaning step of removing the protective film and cleaning a frame unit by a cleaning liquid after the hydrophilization step.