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US 5,916,460 AGranted
Method and apparatus for dicing a substrate
AssigneeHitachi Cable, Ltd.
InventorsKatsuyuki Imoto, Shinobu Sato
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laser device dices a substrate by generating a continuous wave-oscillation laser beam 3 that is converged by a lens 4 and focused at a predetermined focus O between the surface of the substrate 1 and a tip of a nozzle of a guide 5. Then, the focus is expanded to result in a laser beam 3a having a beam spot diameter of S at the surface of the substrate 1. A flow of assist gas G.sub.0, G.sub.1, G.sub.2 having a predetermined constant pressure is supplied from a gas intake 6 surrounding the laser beam 3. As the laser beam 3a is defocused, the beam spot diameter S is expanded and its energy distribution is moderated. The gas is blown onto the substrate 1 at constant pressure in order to suppress generation of strains due to thermal deformation.
Claims22
A method for dicing a substrate, comprising the steps:
- generating a laser beam along a path defined by a guide and onto a substrate;
- introducing a gas into the guide for surrounding said laser beam at a predetermined constant pressure;
- moving the substrate along a predetermined path relative to said laser beam;
- focusing said laser beam above said substrate at a predetermined distance so that a defocused laser beam is projected onto the surface of said substrate;
- generating a crack on said substrate by irradiating said laser beam thereon;
- and
- developing the crack along said predetermined path by directing said gas onto the surface of said substrate.
4 more elements
A method of dicing a substrate, comprising the steps:
- generating a laser beam along a path defined by a guide;
- introducing a gas, at a predetermined constant pressure, into the guide to surround said laser beam;
- and
- moving a substrate along a predetermined path and at a predetermined angle of inclination relative to said laser beam;
- focusing said laser beam above said substrate at a predetermined distance so that a defocused laser beam is projected onto the surface of said substrate;
- and
- dicing said substrate by irradiating said laser beam while directing said gas onto the surface of said substrate.
4 more elements
An apparatus for dicing a substrate, comprising:
- a laser source for outputting a laser beam;
- a monitoring device for monitoring a part of said laser beam;
- an output signal generated by said monitoring device in response to predetermined conditions, said output signal being redirected to said laser source in a feedback loop;
- a focusing assembly for converging and focusing said laser beam above said substrate and directing a defocused laser beam on a surface of said substrate;
- a moving stage capable of movement in at least one direction in order to facilitate irradiation of said laser beam on said substrate along a predetermined dicing path;
- a guide for enclosing said laser beam and receiving a gas at a predetermined constant pressure from an external source, said guide directing said gas onto the surface of said substrate where said defocused laser beam is directed in order to generate thermal stress that results in a crack and propagating said crack along said predetermined dicing path;
- and
- a setting stage for securely receiving said substrate.
5 more elements
An apparatus for dicing a substrate, comprising:
- a laser source for outputting a laser beam;
- a first monitoring device for monitoring a part of said laser beam;
- a first output signal generated by said monitoring device in response to predetermined conditions, said output signal being redirected to said laser source in a feedback loop;
- a focusing assembly for converging and focusing said laser beam above a substrate;
- an optical shutter positioned between an output port of said laser source and said and focusing assembly;
- a guide for enclosing said laser beam receiving a gas at a predetermined constant pressure from an external source, and directing said gas onto a surface of said substrate;
- a setting stage for securely receiving said substrate;
- a moving stage capable of movement in at least one direction in order to facilitate irradiation of said laser beam on said substrate along a predetermined dicing path;
- a second monitoring device for visually monitoring a dicing position on said substrate and outputting a second signal;
- and
- a controller for controlling the operation of said moving stage for positioning said substrate at a predetermined position,
- an output power of said laser source,
- said optical shutter, and said gas,
- said controller operating in response to said second output signal.
11 more elements
An apparatus for dicing a substrate, comprising:
- a laser source for outputting a laser beam;
- a monitoring device for monitoring a part of said laser beam;
- an output signal generated by said monitoring device in response to predetermined conditions said output signal being redirected to said laser source in a feedback loop;
- a focusing assembly for converging and focusing said laser beam above a substrate;
- a guide for enclosing said laser beam receiving a gas at a predetermined constant pressure from an external source and directing said gas onto a surface of said substrate;
- a setting stage for securely receiving and elevating said substrate at a predetermined angle of inclination relative to said laser beam;
- and
- a moving stage capable of movement in at least one direction along an inclined surface of said setting stage for irradiating said laser beam on said substrate along a predetermined dicing path.
5 more elements
A method for dicing a substrate comprising the steps:
- generating a pulse-oscillation laser beam along a path defined by a guide;
- generating an initial crack by irradiating said pulse-oscillation laser beam onto one side of a static substrate;
- generating a continuous wave oscillation laser beam along the path defined by said guide;
- introducing a gas at a predetermined constant pressure, into the guide to surround, said continuous wave-oscillation laser beam;
- moving said substrate along a predetermined path relative to said continuous wave-oscillation laser beam;
- focusing said laser beam above said substrate at a predetermined distance so that a defocused laser beam is projected onto the surface of said substrate;
- and
- dicing said substrate by irradiating said continuous wave oscillation laser beam so as to develop said initial crack into a break;
- and
- developing said break along said predetermined path by directing said gas onto the surface of said substrate.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.