Electronic die singulation method

1. A method of singulating a wafer comprising:

providing a wafer having a plurality of die formed on the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface;

placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate;

singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines, wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material;

placing the wafer and carrier substrate within a chamber, the chamber at least partially enclosing a pressure transfer vessel, wherein the pressure transfer vessel contains a fluid; and

moving a compression structure against the pressure transfer vessel thereby applying a pressure substantially uniformly along the second major surface to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein portions of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate after applying the pressure.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the wafer and carrier substrate within the chamber comprises placing the pressure transfer vessel against the carrier substrate such that the carrier substrate is between the pressure transfer vessel and the wafer, and wherein the pressure transfer vessel has a width that exceeds that of the wafer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pressure transfer vessel contains water.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the water is deoxygenated.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising placing a pressure plate between the pressure transfer vessel and the carrier substrate; and wherein:

providing the wafer comprises providing a semiconductor wafer where the layer of material comprises a conductive material; and

placing the wafer onto the carrier substrate comprises placing onto a carrier tape attached to a frame, wherein the applied pressure is from about 500 KPa to about 5000 KPa.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the wafer while applying the pressure.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the wafer is heated to a temperature from about 35 degrees Celsius to about 65 degrees Celsius.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing a protective film proximate to the first major surface of the wafer before applying the pressure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the pressure comprises extruding portions of the carrier substrate into the singulation lines to separate the layer of material, and wherein the portions of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

placing the wafer comprises placing the wafer onto a carrier tape attached to a frame;

singulating comprises plasma etching the wafer; and

applying the pressure comprises simultaneously applying the pressure uniformly along the entire second major surface using the pressure transfer vessel.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the compression structure comprises moving the compression structure against a static pressure balloon.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein static pressure balloon is filled with a heated fluid comprising one or more of a liquid and a gas.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the wafer comprises providing the layer of material comprising a conductive material greater than about three microns in thickness, and wherein applying the pressure comprises applying a pressure from about 500 KPa to about 5000 KPa.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying step is repeated more than once.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the compression structure comprises moving the compression structure against a static pressure balloon having a diameter greater than that of the wafer.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing a pressure plate between the pressure transfer vessel and the carrier substrate before applying the pressure, wherein:

providing the wafer comprises providing the layer of material having a thickness greater than about three microns; and

applying the pressure comprises a pressure between about 500 KPa to about 5000 KPa.

18. A method of singulating a wafer comprising:

providing a wafer having a plurality of die formed on the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface;

placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate;

singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines, wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material; and

placing the wafer and carrier substrate into a chamber, the chamber at least partially enclosing a pressure transfer vessel containing a fluid, wherein the pressure transfer vessel comprises a material having a high elastic deformation; and

moving a compression structure against the pressure transfer vessel to apply a pressure to the entire second major surface to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein placing the wafer and carrier substrate comprises placing the carrier substrate between the wafer and the pressure transfer vessel, and wherein the method further comprises:

placing a pressure plate between the pressure transfer vessel and the carrier substrate, wherein the pressure plate has a shape configured such that pressure is first applied to outer portions of the wafer.

20. A method of singulating a wafer comprising:

providing a wafer having a plurality of die formed on the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface;

placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate;

singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines, wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material; and

placing the wafer and carrier substrate within a chamber, the chamber at least partially enclosing a pressure transfer vessel that contains a fluid and a compression structure movably associated with the chamber; and

moving the compression structure against the pressure transfer vessel thereby applying a pressure to the second major surface to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.