Wafer dicing using hybrid laser scribing and plasma etch approach with intermediate breakthrough treatment

A system for dicing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuits, the system comprising:

• a factory interface;
• a laser scribe apparatus coupled with the factory interface and comprising a laser;
• a first plasma etch chamber coupled with the factory interface, the first plasma etch chamber configured for performing a breakthrough treatment, the breakthrough treatment comprising a first physical bombardment operation, a second iterative isotropic and directional plasma etch operation, and a third directional breakthrough operation;
• and
• a second plasma etch chamber coupled with the factory interface, the second plasma etch chamber configured for performing a deep silicon plasma etch operation.

A method of dicing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuits, the method comprising:

• forming a mask layer above a silicon substrate, the mask layer covering and protecting integrated circuits disposed on the silicon substrate, the integrated circuits comprising a layer of silicon dioxide disposed above a layer of low K material and a layer of copper;
• patterning the mask layer, the layer of silicon dioxide, the layer of low K material, the layer of copper, and a portion of the silicon substrate with a laser scribing process to expose regions of the silicon substrate between the integrated circuits;
• subsequent to performing the laser scribing process, performing a breakthrough treatment, the breakthrough treatment comprising a first physical bombardment operation, a second iterative isotropic and directional plasma etch operation, and a third directional breakthrough operation;
• and
• subsequent to performing the breakthrough treatment, plasma etching the silicon substrate through the exposed regions of the silicon substrate to singulate the integrated circuits.