Wafer Division Using Expandable Tape and Dual Annular Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wafer processing methods are laborious, time-consuming, and costly due to the need for preparing a ring-shaped tape to maintain radial tension, leading to material losses and potential damage during storage or shipping of separated dies.
Innovation Solution
A method involving attaching a wafer to an adhesive tape supported by a first annular frame, applying a laser to form a modified region, and using a second annular frame to maintain radial tension of the expanded tape, eliminating the need for additional tape preparation and reducing material losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ring-shaped tape is attached to the peripheral portion of the expanded tape to maintain radial tension, then the reliability of preventing die contact is improved, but the device complexity and processing time increase due to the need for an annular frame and additional assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tension-maintaining function from a separate ring-shaped tape assembly and integrates it directly into the expandable tape structure. The expandable tape itself is configured to maintain radial tension after expansion, eliminating the need for additional annular frames and complex assembly procedures while ensuring reliable prevention of die contact during storage and shipping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of the expandable tape and the tension-maintaining ring-shaped tape into a single integrated structure. The expandable tape is designed to both expand for wafer division and simultaneously maintain radial tension to prevent die contact, combining multiple functions into one component to reduce device complexity and processing steps.
2Reliability
If a ring-shaped tape is prepared separately and attached to the expanded tape, then the radial tension can be maintained, but the productivity decreases due to laborious preparation and attachment processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates the tension-maintaining structure as an integral part of the expandable tape before the expansion process. The ring-shaped configuration is pre-formed in the tape material itself, so that when the tape is expanded for wafer division, the tension-maintaining structure is already in place and automatically activates, eliminating subsequent assembly steps and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable tape is designed to automatically maintain radial tension through its own structural configuration after expansion. The tape's material properties and geometric design enable it to self-maintain tension without requiring external annular frames or additional assembly operations, allowing the system to service itself and significantly improving processing efficiency.
3Reliability
If the tape is cut into a ring shape to maintain tension, then the radial tension can be applied, but material losses increase leading to higher processing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable tape is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the expanding element for wafer division and the tension-maintaining structure simultaneously. By making the tape itself multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate ring-shaped tape pieces that would require cutting and assembly, thereby preventing material waste and reducing processing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the expandable tape to be used in its entirety without discarding portions. The entire tape structure is utilized for both expansion and tension maintenance, recovering full value from the material investment and eliminating waste associated with cutting and discarding excess tape material from ring-shaped preparations.
4Reliability
If the characteristics of the ring-shaped tape are precisely matched with the expandable tape, then the tension maintenance is improved, but the adaptability of tape material selection is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves reliable tension maintenance through the geometric and structural parameters of the expandable tape itself rather than through material property matching between separate components. By controlling the tape's thickness, width, expansion ratio, and structural configuration, the system maintains adaptability in material selection while ensuring reliable tension maintenance across different tape materials.
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 enhances processing efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness by maintaining radial tension over time, preventing unintentional contact between dies and minimizing material waste.
Implementation Method 1
applying a laser beam with a suitable wavelength to the wafer along the division lines
Implementation Method 2
The modified region is formed by applying a laser beam with a suitable wavelength to the wafer along the division lines
Implementation Method 3
an external force is applied to the wafer in the radial directions thereof, thereby dividing the wafer along the division lines and separating the resulting dies or chips from each other
Data Source
AI summary
A wafer has a device area on one side with a plurality of devices partitioned by a plurality of division lines. Either side of the wafer is attached to an adhesive tape supported by a first annular frame. A modified region is formed in the wafer along the division lines by a laser. The wafer is placed on a support member whose outer diameter is smaller than an inner diameter of the first annular frame. After applying the laser beam, the adhesive tape is expanded thereby dividing the wafer along the division lines. A second annular frame is attached to a portion of the expanded adhesive tape. An inner diameter of the second annular frame is smaller than the outer diameter of the support member and smaller than the inner diameter of the first annular frame.