Laser dicing device, method of laser beam modulation, and method of dicing a substrate

A method of laser beam modulation, the method comprising:

• emitting a Gaussian laser beam;
• and
• modulating a shape of the emitted Gaussian laser beam by reducing intensity of the Gaussian laser beam in a region surrounding a first line passing through a center of the Gaussian laser beam in a plan view,
• wherein the first line is parallel with a laser dicing direction of the emitted Gaussian laser beam.

A laser dicing device comprising:

• a Gaussian laser beam emitter configured to emit a Gaussian laser beam having a Gaussian energy distribution;
• a laser beam modulator configured to modulate a shape of the emitted Gaussian laser beam by reducing intensity in a region surrounding a first line parallel with a laser dicing direction of the emitted Gaussian laser beam, the first line crossing a center of the Gaussian laser beam in a plan view;
• a focusing lens configured to focus a modulated Gaussian laser beam modulated by the laser beam modulator;
• and
• a substrate support configured that a substrate to be diced is seated on the substrate support,
• wherein the focusing lens is configured to collect the modulated laser beam inside the substrate seated on the substrate support.

A laser dicing device comprising:

• a Gaussian laser beam emitter configured to emit a Gaussian laser beam having a Gaussian energy distribution;
• a laser beam modulator configured to modulate a shape of the emitted Gaussian laser beam by reducing intensity in a region surrounding a first line parallel with a laser dicing direction of the emitted Gaussian laser beam, the first line crossing a center of the Gaussian laser beam in a plan view;
• a focusing lens configured to focus a modulated Gaussian laser beam modulated by the laser beam modulator;
• and
• a substrate support configured that a substrate to be diced is seated on the substrate support,
• wherein the focusing lens is configured to collect the modulated laser beam inside the substrate seated on the substrate support.

A method of dicing a substrate by using a laser dicing device, the method comprising:

• emitting a Gaussian laser beam;
• modulating a shape of the emitted Gaussian laser beam by reducing intensity in a region surrounding a first line parallel with a laser dicing direction of the emitted Gaussian laser beam, the first line passing through a center of the Gaussian laser beam in a plan view;
• focusing the modulated Gaussian laser beam;
• forming modified regions and cracks by collecting the focused modulated Gaussian laser beam inside a substrate;
• relatively moving the laser dicing device and the substrate in a dicing direction;
• and
• dicing the substrate into individual semiconductor chips by applying an external force to the substrate and expanding the cracks.

A method of dicing a substrate by using a laser dicing device, the method comprising:

• emitting a Gaussian laser beam;
• modulating a shape of the emitted Gaussian laser beam by reducing intensity in a region surrounding a first line parallel with a laser dicing direction of the emitted Gaussian laser beam, the first line passing through a center of the Gaussian laser beam in a plan view;
• focusing the modulated Gaussian laser beam;
• forming modified regions and cracks by collecting the focused modulated Gaussian laser beam inside a substrate;
• relatively moving the laser dicing device and the substrate in a dicing direction;
• and
• dicing the substrate into individual semiconductor chips by applying an external force to the substrate and expanding the cracks.