Semiconductor die singulation method
In one embodiment, a method of singulating semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer includes forming a material on a surface of a semiconductor wafer and reducing a thickness of portions of the material. Preferably, the thickness of the material is reduced near where singulation openings are to be formed in the semiconductor wafer.
1. A method of singulating semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer comprising:
providing the semiconductor wafer formed from a semiconductor material and having a plurality of semiconductor dies formed on a first surface of the semiconductor wafer, the plurality of semiconductor dies separated from each other by singulation regions where singulation openings are to be formed wherein the plurality of semiconductor dies include a dielectric layer overlying portions of the plurality of semiconductor dies, the semiconductor wafer including a second surface that is opposite to the first surface;
providing a conductor on the second surface of the semiconductor wafer, the conductor having a thickness;
attaching the semiconductor wafer to a first carrier tape wherein the conductor overlies the carrier tape;
etching a first opening to extend into the semiconductor wafer thereby creating a space between the plurality of semiconductor dies wherein the carrier tape remains attached during the etching;
applying a second carrier tape to the first surface of the semiconductor wafer; and
reducing the thickness of portions of the conductor to form a reduced thickness region of the conductor after forming the space between the plurality of semiconductor dies.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein reducing the thickness of portions of the conductor includes forming the reduced thickness region subsequently to forming the space.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein forming the reduced thickness region subsequently to forming the space includes forming the reduced thickness region underlying the space.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein reducing the thickness of portions of the conductor includes one of laser ablating the conductor to form the reduced thickness region or using a wafer saw to form the reduced thickness region.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein laser ablating the conductor to form the reduced thickness region includes laser ablating the conductor from a side of the first opening on the second surface of the semiconductor wafer.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein reducing the thickness of portions of the conductor includes forming the reduced thickness region to extend through the conductor.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the semiconductor wafer includes providing the semiconductor wafer having an opening in the dielectric layer overlying at least a portion of the singulation regions.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the semiconductor wafer includes providing the semiconductor wafer having the dielectric layer that is formed from one of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or polyimide.
9. A method of singulating semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer comprising:
providing the semiconductor wafer formed from a semiconductor material and having a plurality of semiconductor dies formed on a first surface of the semiconductor wafer and separated from each other by singulation regions of the semiconductor wafer where singulation openings are to be formed, the semiconductor wafer including a second surface that is opposite to the first surface;
providing a material on the second surface of the semiconductor wafer, the material having a thickness;
forming a first opening to extend into the semiconductor wafer thereby creating a space between the plurality of semiconductor dies; and
reducing the thickness of a portion of the material subsequently to forming the first opening including reducing the thickness by one of laser ablating the portion of the material to reduce the thickness or engaging a cutting tool with the material to reduce the thickness.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein providing the material on the second surface includes providing a conductor on the second surface.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein reducing the thickness of the portion of the material, includes forming the reduced thickness region underlying the space.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein reducing the thickness of the portion of the material includes forming the reduced thickness region offset from under the space.
13. The method of claim 9 further including attaching a carrier tape to the first surface of the semiconductor wafer prior to reducing the thickness of the portion of the material.
14. The method of claim 9 wherein reducing the thickness of the portion of the material includes reducing the thickness from the first surface and through the first opening.
15. The method of claim 9 wherein reducing the thickness of the portion of the material includes reducing the thickness from a side of the first opening on the second surface of the semiconductor wafer.
16. The method of claim 9 wherein reducing the thickness of the portion of the material includes reducing the thickness by using a wafer saw as the cutting tool.
17. A method of singulating semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer comprising:
providing the semiconductor wafer formed from a silicon semiconductor material and having a plurality of semiconductor dies formed on a first surface of the semiconductor wafer, the plurality of semiconductor dies separated from each other by singulation regions where singulation openings are to be formed wherein the plurality of semiconductor dies include a dielectric layer overlying portions of the plurality of semiconductor dies, the dielectric layer including an opening overlying at least a portion of the singulation regions, the semiconductor wafer including a second surface that is opposite to the first surface with a conductor overlying the second surface wherein the conductor has a thickness;
attaching the semiconductor wafer to a first carrier tape wherein the conductor is between the carrier tape and the second surface of the semiconductor wafer;
etching a first opening to extend into the semiconductor wafer thereby creating a space between the plurality of semiconductor dies wherein the carrier tape remains attached during the etching;
applying a second carrier tape to the first surface of the semiconductor wafer; and
reducing the thickness of portions of the conductor to form a reduced thickness region of the conductor after forming the space between the plurality of semiconductor dies.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein providing the semiconductor wafer includes providing the semiconductor wafer having the dielectric layer that is formed from one of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, polyimide, a polymer, aluminum-nitride, a material that is not substantially etched by a process is used to etch the silicon material of the semiconductor wafer.