Wafer Orientation Flat Cutting Jig for Balanced Dicing Blade Load

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Solution Overview

Problem

During the cutting of orientation flats in semiconductor wafers, the dicing blade experiences uneven force application, leading to increased risk of breakage and reduced blade lifetime.

Innovation Solution

A semiconductor manufacturing device is designed with a stage that fixes a semiconductor wafer with an orientation flat and a jig of corresponding shape to each other using dicing tape. A transport machine positions the jig to face the orientation flat, ensuring balanced force distribution on the dicing blade.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the dicing blade cuts the orientation flat along the straight shape, then the cutting precision is improved, but the dicing blade is easily broken due to uneven force application

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting precisionVSAvoiddicing blade lifetime

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A jig with a straight shape corresponding to the orientation flat is introduced as an intermediary component. The jig is fixed to the dicing tape and positioned to face the orientation flat, serving as a mediator that receives force from the dicing blade during cutting. This transfers the uneven force away from the dicing blade, preventing blade breakage while maintaining cutting precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The jig is designed as a disposable or easily replaceable component with lower value than the dicing blade. By making the jig the sacrificial element that absorbs the uneven force, the expensive and precision-critical dicing blade is protected from damage, extending its service life while the simpler jig can be replaced more economically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of manufacture

If the dicing blade cuts through the orientation flat with one surface receiving force, then the cutting operation is simplified, but uneven force is applied to the dicing blade

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting operation simplicityVSAvoidforce uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The jig acts as a force-distributing intermediary positioned between the dicing blade and the orientation flat. During cutting, the jig receives and distributes the force more evenly, preventing concentrated stress on the dicing blade while maintaining the simplicity of the cutting operation. The jig's straight shape corresponds to the orientation flat geometry, ensuring proper force distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250038038A1Semiconductor manufacturing device, wafer mounting device, dicing device, and semiconductor manufacturing method

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

An object is to provide a technique capable of suppressing unevenness of force applied to a dicing blade in cutting an orientation flat. A semiconductor manufacturing device includes a stage and a transport machine. A semiconductor wafer including an orientation flat and a jig having a shape corresponding to the orientation flat to be used for cutting the orientation flat by a dicing blade are fixed to each other by a dicing tape on the stage. The transport machine transports the jig so that the jig faces the orientation flat on the stage.