Plasma Dicing for Higher Yield and Throughput – More Die for Your $Dollar
Plasma dicing is gaining significant interest within the semiconductor industry as a viable alternative to conventional singulation methods using saw blades or LASERs. It is well understood that deep reactive ion etch (DRIE) processing offers considerable benefits for die singulation, including increased die counts and throughputs, improved die quality and flexibility for die layout and design. Plasma dicing is non-damaging and produces die with significantly improved strength compared to a traditional saw, which is especially attractive for fragile devices such as MEMS, since there is no physical force to vibrate the wafer, in contrast to forces applied in a saw process. As cost pressures dictate that, where possible, use of existing tapes and frames is maintained. Compatibility of commonly-used dicing tapes and frames with plasma will also be discussed.
Key to successful introduction of plasma dicing is how to integrate this front-end technology into the back-end process flow. This presentation will show how various schemes can be used to allow plasma dicing to enter the process flow as seamlessly as possible. It will cover production-ready DRIE plasma dicing techniques, highlighting the key process control attributes necessary to ensure the integrity of individual die. It includes a focus on a unique end-point solution which allows users to safely etch the dicing lanes without causing lateral damage of the die sidewall at the silicon/tape interface. Use of end-point detection also protects the tape, ensuring that singulated die can be safely handled and the tape frame re-used.