Backside metal photolithographic patterning die singulation systems and related methods

A method of singulating a plurality of die comprised in a substrate, the method comprising:

• forming a plurality of die on a first side of a substrate;
• forming a backside metal layer on a second side of the substrate;
• applying a photoresist layer over the backside metal layer;
• patterning the photoresist layer along a die street of the substrate;
• forming a groove at a pattern of the photoresist layer only partially through a thickness of the backside metal layer, wherein the groove is located in a die street of the substrate;
• etching the backside metal layer, wherein the etch exposes a portion of the substrate in the die street;
• removing the photoresist layer;
• and
• singulating the plurality of die comprised in the substrate through plasma etching at the portion of the substrate exposed by the etching.

A method of singulating a plurality of die comprised in a substrate, the method comprising:

• forming a plurality of die on a first side of a substrate;
• forming a backside metal layer on a second side of the substrate;
• applying a photoresist layer over the backside metal layer;
• patterning the photoresist layer along a die street of the substrate through exposing the photoresist layer and developing the photoresist layer;
• forming a groove partially through the backside metal layer in a die street using one of a laser beam or a saw blade at the pattern of the photoresist layer;
• wet etching the backside metal layer, wherein the etch exposes a portion of the substrate in the die street;
• removing the photoresist layer;
• and
• singulating the plurality of die comprised in the substrate by removing substrate material in the die street.