Vacuum expansion of integrated circuits at sort
View Patent ↗A frame and vacuum expansion chuck are used in combination for stretching a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices to facilitate removal of the devices with reduced risk of contact between a device being removed from the tape and an adjacent device on the tape. The combination includes a frame for holding edges of a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices, and a vacuum chuck having upper surfaces for contacting an underside of a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices. The vacuum chuck extends along a perimeter circumscribing the singulated devices, and at least one groove is defined in the upper surface of the vacuum chuck. Conduit for providing fluid communication between the groove and a vacuum source are provided. Upon evacuation of the volume defined between the groove and the tape, the tape is drawn down into the groove and stretched, thereby increasing the separation or gap between adjacent dice and reducing the risk of damage upon removal of the dice.
1. A frame and vacuum expansion chuck combination for stretching a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices to facilitate removal of the devices with reduced risk of contact between a device being removed from the tape and an adjacent device on the tape, comprising:
a frame for holding edges of a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices;
a vacuum chuck having an upper surface for continuously contacting an underside of the tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices along a perimeter circumscribing the singulated devices,
a groove being defined in the upper surface of the vacuum chuck, said groove disposed to only underlie the tape outside of the perimeter circumscribing the singulated devices; and
conduit for providing fluid communication between the groove and a vacuum source.
2. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum chuck has a circular ring configuration.
3. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum chuck includes a plurality of discontinuous grooves.
4. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum chuck includes a plurality of concentric grooves.
5. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the groove in the vacuum chuck has a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration.
6. An apparatus for stretching a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices to facilitate removal of the devices with reduced risk of contact between a device being removed from the tape and an adjacent device on the tape, comprising:
a frame for holding edges of a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices;
a vacuum chuck having an upper surface for continuously contacting an underside of the tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices;
a groove defined in the upper surface of the vacuum chuck, said groove disposed to only underlie the tape outside of a perimeter circumscribing the plurality of singulated devices;
conduit for providing fluid communication between the groove and a vacuum source; and
a valve for selectively isolating the groove from the vacuum source and allowing fluid communication between the groove and the vacuum source to cause a tape to be pulled into the groove and stretched, whereby gaps defined between adjacent dice are expanded to facilitate removal of the dice from the tape with a reduced risk of contact between dice during removal of a die.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the vacuum chuck has a circular ring configuration.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the vacuum chuck includes a plurality of discontinuous grooves.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the vacuum chuck includes a plurality of concentric grooves.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the groove in the vacuum chuck has a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration.
11. A process for stretching a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices to facilitate removal of the devices with reduced risk of contact between a device being removed from the tape and an adjacent device on the tape, comprising:
mounting a tape carrying a plurality of singulated devices on a frame;
positioning a vacuum chuck having an upper surface contacting an underside of the tape carrying the plurality of singulated devices, the vacuum chuck extending along a perimeter circumscribing the singulated devices, a groove defined in the upper surface of the vacuum chuck, said groove disposed to only underlie the tape outside of the perimeter circumscribing the singulated devices;
providing conduit for fluid communication between the groove and a vacuum source;
providing the vacuum source to the conduit and the groove to evacuate a volume defined between the groove and the tape, whereby the tape is drawn into the groove and stretched to expand gaps defined between adjacent dice.
12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the vacuum chuck has a circular ring configuration.
13. The process of claim 11 , wherein the vacuum chuck includes a plurality of discontinuous grooves.
14. The process of claim 11 , wherein the vacuum chuck includes a plurality of concentric grooves.
15. The process of claim 11 , wherein the groove in the vacuum chuck has a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration.