Method and apparatus for breaking and separating dies from a wafer
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorRafael C. Alfaro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for breaking a wafer into individual devices, and a method of using the same. An anvil 100 is pressed against a flexible membrane 304 on which a wafer 300 is attached. A vacuum is applied to the anvil 100 which allows the flexible membrane 304 and the wafer 300 to be pressed against the face of the anvil 100. As the flexible membrane 304 is deformed against the anvil 100, the wafer 300 breaks into individual devices 302. Dicing debris that is created when the wafer 300 is broken falls into a base fixture 408 so that the debris does not contact and damage the devices 302.
Claims17
A method of separating a wafer into wafer portions, the method comprising:
- mounting a wafer on a flexible membrane;
- deforming the wafer with an anvil to physically separate the wafer into wafer portions, the deforming step comprising;
- contacting the flexible membrane with the anvil;
- evacuating an interior region of the anvil to cause the flexible membrane to be pressed against the anvil;
- and
- stretching the membrane to spatially separate the wafer portions.
A method of separating a wafer into wafer portions, the method comprising:
- mounting a flexible membrane between an inner ring and an outer ring;
- mounting a wafer on a flexible membrane;
- deforming the wafer with an anvil to physically separate the wafer into wafer portions;
- and
- stretching the membrane to spatially separate the wafer portions, the stretching step performed by pressing the inner ring into a third ring.
A method of separating a wafer into wafer portions, the method comprising:
- mounting a flexible membrane between an inner ring and a first portion of an outer ring;
- mounting a wafer on a flexible membrane;
- deforming the wafer with an anvil to physically separate the wafer into wafer portions;
- and
- stretching the membrane to spatially separate the wafer portions, the stretching step performed by pressing the inner ring into a second portion of the outer ring.
A method of separating a wafer into wafer portions, the method comprising:
- mounting a flexible membrane between an between an inner ring and a first portion of an outer ring, the stretching step comprising;
- mounting a wafer on a flexible membrane;
- deforming the wafer with an anvil to physically separate the wafer into wafer portions;
- and
- stretching the membrane to spatially separate the wafer portions, the stretching step performed by pressing a split ring onto a second portion of the outer ring.
A method of separating a wafer into wafer portions, the method comprising:
- mounting a wafer on a flexible membrane;
- placing the wafer in a base fixture and evacuating the base fixture;
- deforming the wafer with an anvil to physically separate the wafer into wafer portions;
- and
- stretching the membrane to spatially separate the wafer portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.