Method and apparatus for plasma dicing a semi-conductor wafer
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising providing a process chamber having a wall; providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber; providing a work piece support within the process chamber; placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate; loading the work piece onto the work piece support; applying a tensional force to the support film; clamping the work piece to the work piece support; generating a plasma using the plasma source; and etching the work piece using the generated plasma.
1. A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a process chamber having a wall;
providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate, the work piece having a first tensional force in the support film;
loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
applying a second tensional force to the support film by actuating a process kit to apply a force to the frame, said second tensional force being applied before the clamping step;
generating a plasma using the plasma source; and
etching the work piece using the generated plasma.
2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising introducing a heat transfer fluid between the support film and the work piece.
3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the heat transfer fluid is a gas.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the heat transfer fluid is helium.
5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the heat transfer fluid further comprising a fluid pressure greater than one Torr.
6. The method according to claim 2 wherein the heat transfer fluid further comprising a fluid pressure less than thirty Torr.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the support film is dicing tape.
8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising changing the applied second tensional force to the support film after the clamping step.
9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising removing the applied second tensional force to the support film after the clamping step.
10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the process kit is mechanically actuated to apply the second tensional force.
11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the process kit is magnetically actuated to apply the second tensional force.
12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the process kit is electrostatically actuated to apply the second tensional force.
13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the support film is elastically deformed by the application of the second tensional force.
14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the support film is not plastically deformed by the application of the second tensional force.
15. The method according to claim 1 wherein the clamping step uses an electrostatic chuck.
16. The method according to claim 1 wherein the clamping step uses a mechanical chuck.
17. A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a process chamber having a wall;
providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate;
loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
positioning the bottom of the frame to be non-coplanar with the bottom of the substrate;
clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
supporting the support film by the work piece support while a portion of the frame extends beyond an outer edge of the work piece support;
generating a plasma using the plasma source; and
etching the work piece using the generated plasma while the portion of the frame that extends beyond the outer edge of the work piece support is not held by an additional support such that the weight of the frame contributes to a tensioning force to the support film during the etching step.
18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising the support film contacting a first surface of the substrate.
19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising the support film contacting a second surface of the frame.
20. The method according to claim 17 wherein the substrate being positioned above the frame during the positioning step.
21. The method according to claim 17 wherein a first surface of the substrate being positioned non-coplanar to a second surface of the frame during the positioning step.
22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the first surface of the substrate being positioned above the second surface of the frame.
23. The method according to claim 17 further comprising an inner diameter of the frame being greater than an outer diameter of the work piece support.
24. The method according to claim 17 wherein the clamping step uses an electrostatic chuck.
25. The method according to claim 17 wherein the clamping step uses a mechanical chuck.
26. A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a process chamber having a wall;
providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate;
loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
positioning the frame non-coplanar to the substrate on the work piece support;
supporting the substrate by a clamp and supporting the frame by a lift mechanism;
clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
generating a plasma using the plasma source; and
etching the work piece using the generated plasma.
27. A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a process chamber having a wall;
providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate;
loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
positioning the frame non-coplanar to the substrate on the work piece support;
supporting the support film by the work piece support and supporting the frame by a lift mechanism;
clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
generating a plasma using the plasma source; and
etching the work piece using the generated plasma.
28. A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a process chamber having a wall;
providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate, the work piece having a first tensional force in the support film;
loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
applying a second tensional force to the support film;
generating a plasma using the plasma source; and
etching the work piece using the generated plasma, the frame not being in contact with a cover ring during the etching step.
29. The method according to claim 28 further comprising introducing a heat transfer fluid between the support film and the work piece.
30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the heat transfer fluid further comprising a fluid pressure greater than one Torr.
31. The method according to claim 29 wherein the heat transfer fluid further comprising a fluid pressure less than thirty Torr.
32. The method according to claim 29 wherein the heat transfer fluid is a gas.
33. The method according to claim 32 wherein the heat transfer fluid is helium.
34. The method according to claim 28 wherein the support film is dicing tape.
35. The method according to claim 28 wherein the second tensional force is applied to the frame.
36. The method according to claim 28 wherein the second tensional force is mechanically actuated.
37. The method according to claim 28 wherein the second tensional force is magnetically actuated.
38. The method according to claim 28 wherein the second tensional force is electrostatically actuated.
39. The method according to claim 28 wherein the support film is elastically deformed by the application of the second tensional force.
40. The method according to claim 28 wherein the support film is not plastically deformed by the application of the second tensional force.
41. A method for plasma dicing a plurality of substrates, the method comprising:
providing a process chamber having a wall;
providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the plurality of substrates;
positioning the frame non-coplanar to the plurality of substrates on the work piece support;
loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
generating a plasma using the plasma source; and
etching the work piece using the generated plasma, the frame not being in contact with a cover ring during the etching step.
42. A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a process chamber having a wall;
providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate;
loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
positioning the frame non-coplanar to the substrate on the work piece support;
clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
generating a plasma using the plasma source; and
etching the work piece using the generated plasma, the frame not being in contact with a cover ring during the etching step.