Control of small parts in a manufacturing operation

A method of transforming a semiconductor wafer into an array of individual chips comprising the steps of:

• selecting a resilient diaphragm that is larger than the wafer;
• stretching the diaphragm;
• placing the wafer upon the upper surface of the diaphragm;
• adhesively securing the entire under surface of the wafer to the upper surface of the prestretched diaphragm;
• while continuing to support the wafer on the stretched diaphragm, fracturing the wafer along two sets of parallel lines to produce an array of individual chips;
• inverting the diaphragm so that the array of chips is then supported on its under side;
• applying moving air streams to the upper surface of the inverted diaphragm so as to jostle the chips and hence dislodge fragments resulting from the fracture;
• and
• continuously varying the orientation of the air streams relative to the diaphragm until the fragments are substantially completely dislodged.

A method of transforming a semiconductor wafer into an array of individual chips, comprising the steps of:

• selecting a resilient diaphragm;
• stretching the diaphragm and securing its periphery to a fixed support;
• placing the wafer upon the upper surface of the prestretched diaphragm;
• adhesively securing the entire under surface of the wafer to the upper surface of the prestretched diaphragm;
• while continuing to support the wafer on the prestretched diaphragm, fracturing the wafer along two sets of parallel lines so as to produce a array of individual chips;
• and
• then raising and further stretching a selected portion of the prestretched diaphragm so as to elevate a selected one of the chips above the array.

A method of transforming a semiconductor wafer into an array of individual chips, and of handling the individual chips thus formed, comprising the steps of:

• selecting a resilient diaphragm;
• stretching the diaphragm and securing its periphery to a fixed support;
• placing the wafer upon the upper surface of the prestretched diaphragm;
• adhesively securing the entire under surface of the wafer to the upper surface of the prestreched diaphragm;
• while continuing to support the wafer on the prestretched diaphragm, fracturing the wafer along two sets of parallel lines so as to produce an array of individual chips;
• grasping the prestretched diaphragm by means of vacuum force on its under surface about the periphery of a selected area thereof, whose upper surface supports a selected one of the chips;
• and
• then raising and further stretching said selected portion of the prestretched diaphragm so to elevate said selected one of the chips above the array.