Device Wafer Half-Cut Grooves for Faster Plasma Dicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plasma dicing of semiconductor device wafers is time-consuming, especially when dealing with thick base materials, as existing methods do not efficiently reduce processing time without generating debris that can contaminate the surface.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of half-cut grooves using a cutting blade or laser beam before plasma etching, which reduces the thickness of the base material to be removed, allowing for faster plasma etching and minimizing debris formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If plasma etching is applied to all streets at the same time to divide the device wafer, then the devices are divided along the streets, but the processing time becomes excessively long especially for thick base materials
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by forming half-cut grooves in the base material before performing plasma etching on the device layer. This pre-cutting reduces the thickness of the base material that needs to be removed during plasma etching, thereby significantly shortening the processing time while maintaining precise division along the streets
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the base material removal process into two stages: first forming half-cut grooves that partially divide the base material, then completing the division through plasma etching of the device layer. This segmentation allows the thick base material to be removed more efficiently without compromising the precision of the final division
2Productivity
If conventional plasma dicing is used to divide thick base materials, then the base material is divided along streets, but the processing time is excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by forming half-cut grooves in the base material before performing plasma etching on the device layer. This pre-cutting reduces the thickness of the base material that needs to be removed during plasma etching, thereby significantly shortening the processing time while maintaining precise division along the streets
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of base material thickness by removing portions of the base material to form half-cut grooves before plasma etching. This parameter change reduces the effective thickness that needs to be etched, thereby increasing productivity and reducing processing time
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 significantly shortens the processing time for dividing device wafers into chips by reducing the thickness of the base material to be etched and prevents debris from remaining as contaminants, enhancing the cleanliness and efficiency of the plasma dicing process.
Implementation Method 1
plasma etching that removes a base material
Implementation Method 2
forming half-cut grooves by a cutting blade or laser beam in the base material
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method for processing a device wafer, in which a device layer, the device layer constituting devices, is stacked on a base material and the devices are formed, respectively, in regions defined by a plurality of intersecting streets on a front surface of the base material. The method includes a first step of dividing the device layer along the streets, a second step of dividing the base material by plasma etching along the streets, and a third step of, before performing at least the second step, forming half-cut grooves by a cutting blade or a laser beam in the base material along the streets, respectively, from a side of a front surface or a side of a back surface of the device wafer. The third and second steps are performed from the side of the same surface of the device wafer.