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US 2026/0239987 A1Published application
Simultaneous Silicon Spring and Chip Singulation DRIE
OwnerKia Silverbrookinventor
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OwnerKia Silverbrookinventor
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Disclosed are devices and methods in which a single through-channel pattern formed in silicon by deep reactive ion etching simultaneously defines mechanically compliant stress-relief structures and device singulation edges. The inclusion of Fermat-Archimedean silicon spring structures allows out-of-plane deflection beyond 100 micrometers without damage. Trench-type through-channels with high aspect ratio are distributed according to a stress map and are etched through the full substrate thickness with alternating etch and passivation cycles under backside-cooled temperature control and monitored by optical emission and interferometry. Redistribution layers and mounted dies on one surface are set back from the trench perimeter to avoid overhang. Wafer-level implementations support differing compliance patterns across devices before singulation. The result is reduced process complexity, improved mechanical robustness, and alignment of stress-relief geometry with device edges using a single lithographic and etch step.
An electronic device comprising a silicon substrate and through-channels that concurrently define mechanically compliant stress-relief structures and device singulation edges, the stress-relief structures configured to accommodate out-of-plane deflection exceeding 100 micrometers without damage to the substrate.
A wafer panel comprising a silicon substrate carrying a plurality of electronic devices, each device bounded by singulation edges formed by through-channels and including within its interior mechanically compliant stress-relief structures defined by a same through-channel patterning step, the through-channels formed by deep reactive ion etching through the full thickness of the silicon substrate.
A method comprising forming, in a silicon substrate having opposing first and second surfaces, a pattern of through-channels that concurrently defines mechanically compliant stress-relief structures and device singulation edges, the pattern formed by deep reactive ion etching through the full thickness of the substrate such that the stress-relief structures accommodate out-of-plane deflection exceeding 100 micrometers without damage to the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.