Granted Patent B2

US 9,496,177 · App. 14/721,443 · Granted Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

Claims (15)

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;

providing an electrostatic chuck within said work piece support;

providing a lift mechanism within the process chamber;

placing a work piece onto said work piece support using said lift mechanism, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate, said lift mechanism engaging a bottom surface of said work piece outside an outer diameter of the substrate of said work piece;

electrostatically clamping said work piece to said work piece support using said electrostatic clamp;

generating a plasma using the plasma source; and

etching the work piece using the generated plasma.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said lift mechanism engaging the frame of said work piece.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said lift mechanism engaging said work piece at least five millimeters outside of said outer diameter of the substrate of said work piece.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising said lift mechanism penetrating said electrostatic chuck outside of said outer diameter of the substrate of said work piece.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising said electrostatic chuck not being penetrated by said lift mechanism.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said lift mechanism being external to said work piece support.

Assignments (15)