BACK GRINDING TAPE HAVING TABS TO ASSIST IN REMOVING THE BACK GRINDING TAPE FROM A WAFER
A back grinding tape (BG) has one or more tabs extending from a center region. The center region is adhered to a wafer during a wafer back grinding step of a semiconductor die fabrication process. When the wafer back grinding step is complete, a sensor directs a gripping mechanism to a particular tab. When the gripping mechanisms has grabbed a gripping region defined by the tab, a table on which the wafer is placed moves in a particular direction. Movement of the table, in combination with the gripping mechanism holding the gripping region, causes the BG tape to be removed from the wafer.
1 . Support tape for a wafer, comprising:
a center region having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
an adhesive layer provided on at least one of the first surface and the second surface, the adhesive layer securing the center region to the wafer; and
a tab formed from the support tape and extending from an outer edge of the center region, the tab defining a gripping region for removal of the center region from the wafer.
2 . The support tape of claim 1 , wherein the tab is a first tab and wherein the support tape further comprises a second tab, the second tab formed from the support tape and extending from the outer edge of the center region.
3 . The support tape of claim 2 , wherein the second tab is positioned on the outer edge of the center region at a forty-five degree angle from the first tab.
4 . The support tape of claim 1 , wherein the tab has a semicircle shape.
5 . The support tape of claim 4 , wherein the semicircle shape has a radius between ten millimeters (mm) and thirty mm.
6 . The support tape of claim 1 , wherein the tab is associated with a pulling angle, the pulling angle specifying an angle at which the support tape is removed from the wafer.
7 . The support tape of claim 6 , wherein the pulling angle is based, at least in part, on a structure of the wafer.
8 . A method, comprising:
adhering support tape to a wafer, the support tape comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion covering a surface of the wafer and the second portion extending beyond an edge of the surface of the wafer; and
upon completion of a wafer back grinding process, using the second portion to begin removing the support tape from the surface of the wafer.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second portion is a tab that extends from the first portion.
10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising sensing a location of the second portion.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the support tape further comprises a third portion extending beyond the edge of the surface of the wafer.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the third portion is positioned at a forty-five degree angle from the second portion.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the second portion is associated with a first pulling angle and the third portion is associated with a second pulling angle.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second portion is used to begin removing the support tape based, at least in part, on the first pulling angle.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second portion is used to begin removing the support tape based, at least in part, on a structure of the wafer.
16 . A back grinding support means for a wafer, comprising:
a center region having a coupling means on a surface, the coupling means for securing the back grinding support means to the wafer; and
a gripping means extending from a perimeter of the center region, the gripping means defining a gripping region for removing the back grinding support means from the wafer, the gripping means and the center region forming a single, unitary piece.
17 . The back grinding support means of claim 16 , wherein the gripping means is a first gripping means and wherein the grinding support means further comprises a second gripping means extending from the perimeter of the center region.
18 . The back grinding support means of claim 17 , wherein the second gripping means is positioned on the perimeter at least at a forty-five degree angle from the first gripping means.
19 . The back grinding support means of claim 17 , wherein the first gripping means and the second gripping means are associated with different pulling angles.
20 . The back grinding support means of claim 16 , wherein the gripping means is formed during a back grinding support means cutting process.