Semiconductor Wafer Dicing with Frontside Trenches and Surface Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The dicing of semiconductor substrates often results in particles that can contaminate and affect the yield and functionality of semiconductor products, as existing methods do not adequately protect the surfaces during the mechanical separation of dies.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of trenches between adjacent device areas on the semiconductor substrate, with a protective layer applied to the front side to prevent contamination and mechanical separation of device areas while maintaining mechanical support, allowing for precise singulation of dies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical dicing is performed to separate semiconductor devices, then die separation is achieved, but particles are generated that contaminate device surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
A protective layer is applied to the semiconductor substrate surface before the dicing process. This preliminary protective action prevents particle contamination during mechanical separation, while the protective layer is designed to be removable after dicing to expose the device surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective layer acts as an intermediary between the mechanical dicing process and the semiconductor device surfaces. It absorbs the harmful effects of mechanical separation (particle generation) while allowing the desired function (die separation) to proceed, and can be removed afterward to reveal clean surfaces.
2Ease of manufacture
If the semiconductor substrate thickness is reduced to facilitate dicing, then die separation becomes easier, but mechanical support and structural integrity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The protective layer is applied before thinning and dicing operations. During these subsequent processes, the protective layer provides mechanical support to the thinned substrate, preventing breakage even when the substrate thickness is reduced to facilitate easy dicing and separation.
Data Source
Figure 1A~2B
Figure 3A~4B
Figure 5A~6B
AI summary
According to an aspect of the present inventive concept there is provided a method for dicing a semiconductor substrate (100) into a plurality of dies (170), wherein the semiconductor substrate having a front side (101) provided with a plurality of device areas (110), a back side (103), and a plurality of through substrate vias (130). The method comprises defining, from the front side (101) of the semiconductor substrate (100), at least one trench (140) to be formed between adjacent device areas (110a, 110b), forming the at least one trench (140), from the front side (101) of the semiconductor substrate (100), arranging a protective layer (150) on the front side (101) of the semiconductor substrate (100), thinning the semiconductor substrate (100) from the back side (103) to reduce the thickness (106) of the semiconductor substrate (100), processing the back side (103) of the semiconductor substrate 100 to form at least one contact (160), the contact (160) contacting at least one through substrate via (130), etching, from the back side (103) of the semiconductor substrate (100), through the minor portion (106b) of the thickness (106) of the semiconductor substrate (100) underneath the at least one trench (140), and dicing the semiconductor substrate (100) into the plurality of dies (170).