Significant Step in Wafer Yield
Optimization and Operation Cost Reduction Due to Dicing Innovation
Advanced Laser Separation International, Platinawerf
20G, 6641 TL Beuningen, The Netherlands,
mark.mueller@alsi-international.com, phone: +31 24 678 2876
Driven by packaging as well as electrical
performance requirements there is a clear trend to thinner wafers and smaller
die sizes. Moreover, as a result of continuing price erosion the need for a reduction
of manufacturing costs is obvious.
Both can be achieved by making use of A.L.S.I.’s
multiple beam laser dicing technology which is applied successfully in the high
volume T&D market segment for already more than 15 years. This technology also
gains importance for numerous LED applications.
Since the laser tool separates the material without
directly introducing mechanical forces even thin wafers can be diced without the
typical known issues. Focus sizes below 10 mm as well as the superb dynamic accuracy of A.L.S.I.’s
planar motion system make it possible to decrease the dicing street to less
than 30 mm thus
leading to a noticeable increase of semiconductor components on a wafer.
Additional to this productivity boost the technology
overcomes the process capability problems of current mechanical dicing
technologies: laser dicing causes no chipping, wafers with thick backside
metal-layers can be diced, also there is no quality deterioration due to wear
of the sawing blade or diamond tip. Further even brittle III/V materials used
for LED and RF-IC applications can be diced at high speed.