Method and apparatus for plasma dicing a semi-conductor wafer
The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The substrate is provided with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the substrate having a plurality of street areas and at least one device structure. The substrate is placed onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece. A process chamber having a plasma source is provided. A work piece support is provided within the plasma process chamber. The work piece is placed onto the work piece support. A plasma is generated from the plasma source in the plasma process chamber. The work piece is processed using the generated plasma and a byproduct generated from the support film while the support film is exposed to the generated plasma.
1. A method of dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a plasma process chamber having a plasma source;
providing a work piece support within the plasma process chamber;
providing the substrate;
placing the substrate onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece;
placing the work piece onto said work piece support;
generating a plasma from the plasma source in the plasma process chamber;
exposing at least a portion of the support film that is not overlapped by the substrate to the generated plasma;
generating a byproduct from the exposed portion of the support film; and
processing the work piece using the generated plasma and the byproduct generated from the exposed portion of the support film.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate further comprising a compound semiconductor.
3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising monitoring a change in a composition of the support film during the exposure of the support film to the generated plasma.
4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising modifying the processing of the work piece based on the composition of the support film.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is adhered to the support film.
6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the support film further comprising a carbon containing layer.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the support film further comprising a plurality of layers.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the support film further comprising an adhesive layer.
9. A method of dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a plasma process chamber having a plasma source;
providing a work piece support within the plasma process chamber;
providing the substrate;
placing the substrate onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece;
placing the work piece onto said work piece support;
generating a plasma from the plasma source in the plasma process chamber;
exposing at least a portion of the support film that is not overlapped by the substrate to the generated plasma;
generating a byproduct from the exposed portion of the support film;
etching a surface of the substrate of the work piece using the generated plasma to remove material from the surface of the substrate and provide exposed surfaces; and
depositing a passivation layer comprising the byproduct generated from the support film that is exposed to the generated plasma onto the surfaces that were exposed in the etching step.
10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the etch step is an anisotropic etch.
11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the substrate further comprising a compound semiconductor.
12. The method according to claim 9 further comprising monitoring a change in a composition of the support film during the exposure of the support film to the generated plasma.
13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising modifying the processing of the work piece based on the composition of the support film.
14. The method according to claim 9 wherein the substrate is adhered to the support film.
15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the support film further comprising a carbon containing layer.
16. The method according to claim 9 wherein the support film further comprising a plurality of layers.
17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the support film further comprising an adhesive layer.
18. A method of dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a plasma process chamber having a plasma source;
providing a work piece support within the plasma process chamber;
providing the substrate;
placing the substrate onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece;
placing the work piece onto said work piece support;
generating a plasma from the plasma source in the plasma process chamber;
exposing at least a portion of the support film that is not overlapped by the substrate to the generated plasma;
generating a byproduct from the exposed portion of the support film; and
etching a surface of the substrate of the work piece using a plasma etch gas and the byproduct generated from the support film that is exposed to the generated plasma to remove material from the surface of the substrate and provide exposed surfaces.
19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the substrate further comprising a compound semiconductor.
20. The method according to claim 18 further comprising monitoring a change in a composition of the support film during the exposure of the support film to the generated plasma.
21. The method according to claim 18 wherein further comprising modifying the processing of the work piece based on the composition of the support film.
22. The method according to claim 18 wherein the substrate is adhered to the support film.
23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the support film further comprising a carbon containing layer.
24. The method according to claim 18 wherein the support film further comprising a plurality of layers.
25. The method according to claim 24 wherein the support film further comprising an adhesive layer.
26. A method of dicing a substrate, the method comprising:
providing a plasma process chamber having a plasma source;
providing a work piece support within the plasma process chamber;
providing the substrate;
placing the substrate onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece;
placing the work piece onto said work piece support;
generating a plasma from the plasma source in the plasma process chamber;
exposing at least a portion of the support film that is not overlapped by the substrate to the generated plasma;
processing the work piece using the generated plasma;
monitoring a support film composition during the processing step;
detecting a change in the support film composition during the processing step; and
modifying the work piece processing step based on the detection step.