# US 12,224,208 B2 · Method of separating electronic devices having a back layer and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,208 B2 - Document ID: US12224208B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/248,751 - Filed: 2021-02-05 - Published: 2021-06-17 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-21 - Assignees: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC - Applicants: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC - Inventors: Gordon M. Grivna - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224208B2 ## CPC - H10P 54/00: Cutting or separating of wafers, substrates or parts of devices - B26F 3/02: Tearing - H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials} - H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching} - H10P 72/0428: {Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting} - H10P 72/0442: {Apparatus for placing on an insulating substrate, e.g. tape} - H10P 72/7402: {Wafer tapes, e.g. grinding or dicing support tapes} - H10P 72/742: {involving stretching of the auxiliary support post dicing} - H10P 72/744: {Details of chemical or physical process used for separating the auxiliary support from a device or a wafer} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B26F: PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING (marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; shoemaking A43D; surgery A61B; punching metal B21D; drilling metal B23B; cutting of metal by applying heat locally, e.g. flame cutting, B23K; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; details common to machines for severing B26D; drilling wood B27C; drilling stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; of glass C03B; of leather C14B; of textile materials D06H; for light guides G02B6/25; of tickets G07B) ## Abstract An apparatus for singulating a layer of material on a semiconductor substrate includes a chamber. The chamber is configured for supporting a semiconductor substrate attached to a carrier substrate, the semiconductor substrate can include a plurality of die formed as part of the semiconductor substrate and separated from each other by singulation lines and a layer of material disposed over a major surface of the semiconductor substrate. In some examples, the singulation lines terminate so that the layer of material extends over the singulation lines. The apparatus includes a pressure transfer vessel inside the chamber and a compression structure movably associated with the chamber. The compression structure can be configured so that the pressure transfer vessel is interposed between the semiconductor substrate and the compression structure. The compression structure and the pressure transfer vessel are adapted to apply pressure to the entire semiconductor substrate to singulate the layer of material that extends over the singulation lines. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for singulating a layer of material on a semiconductor substrate comprising: a compression chamber comprising a lower chamber wall, an upper chamber wall, and vertical sidewalls that extend upward from the lower chamber wall to the upper chamber wall; wherein: the vertical sidewalls bound the compression chamber on all sides to maintain pressure within the compression chamber; the upper chamber wall comprises an opening extending through the upper chamber wall; and the lower chamber wall is configured for supporting a semiconductor substrate having a layer of material disposed on a major surface of the semiconductor substrate; a bladder inside the compression chamber and comprising a bladder top side, a bladder lower side, and a bladder side extending between the bladder top side and the bladder lower side; and a compression plate within the compression chamber adjacent to the bladder top side, wherein: the compression plate is mounted for movement in response to a downward pressure from a fluid introduced through the opening; and the compression plate is adapted to apply a controlled and substantially uniform pressure through the bladder towards the lower chamber wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a pressure plate interposed between the bladder lower side and the lower chamber wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein: the pressure plate comprises a lower major surface facing the lower chamber wall, wherein the lower major surface comprises a concave shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein: the pressure plate comprises a spring steel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further in combination with: a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of die formed as part of the semiconductor substrate and separated from each other by singulation lines and a layer of material disposed over a major surface of the semiconductor substrate, the singulation lines terminate so that the layer of material extends over the singulation lines; wherein: the compression plate and the bladder are adapted to singulate the layer of material that extends over the singulation lines by forcing portions of the layer of material into the singulation lines. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the bladder is configured to contain a heated fluid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the bladder is configured to contain solid particles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further in combination with: a solid material including one or more of carbon nanotubes or graphene within the bladder. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further in combination with: anaerobic water within the bladder. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the compression chamber comprises a width so that the bladder side contacts the vertical sidewalls of the compression chamber in response to the controlled and substantially uniform pressure applied by the compression plate. ### Claim 11 An apparatus for singulating a layer of material on a semiconductor substrate comprising: a compression chamber comprising a lower chamber wall, an upper chamber wall, and vertical sidewalls that extend upward from the lower chamber wall to the upper chamber wall; wherein: the vertical sidewalls bound the compression chamber on all sides to maintain pressure within the compression chamber; and the lower chamber wall is configured for supporting a semiconductor substrate having a layer of material disposed on a major surface of the semiconductor substrate; a bladder inside the compression chamber and comprising a bladder top side, a bladder lower side, and a bladder side extending between the bladder top side and the bladder lower side; and a compression plate within the compression chamber adjacent to the bladder top side, wherein: the compression plate moves in response to a fluid introduced into the compression chamber above the compression plate; and the compression plate is adapted to apply a substantially uniform pressure through the bladder towards the lower chamber wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a pressure plate interposed between the bladder lower side and the lower chamber wall, wherein: the compression plate comprises a first width; and the pressure plate comprises a second width less than the first width. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the pressure plate comprises spring steel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further in combination with: a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of die formed as part of the semiconductor substrate and separated from each other by singulation lines and a layer of material disposed over a major surface of the semiconductor substrate, the singulation lines terminate so that the layer of material extends over the singulation lines; wherein: the compression plate and the bladder are adapted to singulate the layer of material that extends over the singulation lines by forcing portions of the layer of material into the singulation lines. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further in combination with: a solid material including one or more of carbon nanotubes or graphene within the bladder. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further in combination with: anaerobic water within the bladder. ### Claim 17 An apparatus for singulating a layer of material on a singulated semiconductor substrate comprising: a compression chamber comprising a lower chamber wall, an upper chamber wall, vertical sidewalls that extend upward from the lower chamber wall to the upper chamber wall, and an inlet; wherein: the vertical sidewalls bound the compression chamber on all sides to maintain pressure within the compression chamber; and the lower chamber wall is configured for supporting a semiconductor substrate having a layer of material disposed on a major surface of the semiconductor substrate; a bladder inside the compression chamber and comprising a bladder top side, a bladder lower side, and a bladder side extending between the bladder top side and the bladder lower side; and a rigid compression plate within the compression chamber adjacent to the bladder top side, wherein: the rigid compression plate is mounted for movement in unison with a downward pressure from a fluid introduced into the compression chamber through the inlet; the rigid compression plate is adapted to compress the bladder downward towards the lower chamber wall; and the bladder side contacts the vertical sidewalls of the compression chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further in combination with: a solid material including one or more of carbon nanotubes or graphene within the bladder. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: a pressure plate interposed between the bladder lower side and the lower chamber wall, wherein the pressure plate is detached from the vertical sidewalls of the compression chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further in combination with: a singulated semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of die formed as part of the singulated semiconductor substrate and separated from each other by singulation lines and a layer of material disposed over a major surface of the singulated semiconductor substrate, the singulation lines terminate so that the layer of material extends over the singulation lines; wherein: the rigid compression plate and the bladder are adapted to singulate the layer of material that extends over the singulation lines by forcing portions of the layer of material into the singulation lines.