Segmented edge protection shield
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsManfred Engelhardt, Michael Roesner, Georg Ehrentraut
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A segmented edge protection shield for plasma dicing a wafer. The segmented edge protection shield includes an outer structure and a plurality of plasma shield edge segments. The outer structure defines an interior annular edge configured to correspond to the circumferential edge of the wafer. Each one of the plurality of plasma shield edge segments is defined by an inner edge and side edges. The inner edge is interior to and concentric to the annular edge of the outer structure. The side edges extend between the inner edge and the annular edge.
Claims20
A method of plasma dicing a wafer, comprising:
- providing a wafer that has been patterned to expose kerf lines on a surface of the wafer;
- providing a segmented edge protection shield above the surface of the wafer;
- and
- plasma etching the surface of the wafer through the segmented edge protection shield to singulate die within the kerf lines and to singulate a plurality of wafer edge areas that are spaced apart around a circumferential edge of the wafer.
A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
- patterning the substrate to expose kerf lines on a surface of the substrate;
- and
- singulating a plurality of substrate edge areas that are arranged around an edge of the substrate.
A method of dicing a semiconductor wafer in a plasma reaction chamber, comprising:
- providing a wafer that has been patterned to expose kerf lines on a surface of the wafer;
- exposing the surface of the wafer to a plasma through a segmented edge protection shield spaced above the surface of the wafer, wherein the segmented edge protection shield includes a plurality of shield edge segments configured to shield corresponding edge segments on the surface of the wafer from the plasma;
- and
- singulating die on the wafer that are exterior to the corresponding edge segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.