Method and apparatus for securely holding a substrate during dicing
AssigneesTowa Corporation, Intercon Tools, Inc.
InventorsAlois Tieber, Kiyoteru Saiki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nest mechanism which is arranged to support a substrate during a dicing process, and methods for using such a nest mechanism, are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a nest apparatus supports a substrate, which includes a chip, a first side, and a second side, during a dicing process, includes an alignment mechanism that positions the substrate with respect to the nest apparatus. The nest apparatus also includes a grid arrangement that defines an opening which receives a contact which is included on the second side of the substrate. In one embodiment, the alignment mechanism is an alignment pin that engages the substrate, as for example through an opening in the substrate, to hold the substrate.
Claims22
A nest apparatus arranged to support a substrate during a dicing process, the substrate including a chip, the substrate having a first side and a second side, wherein the second side of the substrate includes at least one contact associated with the chip, the nest apparatus comprising:
- at least one alignment mechanism, the alignment mechanism being arranged to position the substrate with respect to the nest apparatus;
- and
- a grid arrangement which defines at least one opening that is arranged to receive the at least one contact.
A cutting apparatus for a tapeless substrate, comprising:
- a nest mechanism for retaining said tapeless substrate not having a tape for adhesion;
- a cutting mechanism for said tapeless substrate;
- and
- a supply mechanism for supplying and setting said nest apparatus to said cutting mechanism for said tapeless substrate,
- wherein said cutting mechanism for said tapeless substrate includes a vacuum chuck for engaging said tapeless substrate retained within said nest mechanism with a vacuum, and a cutting saw for cutting a prescribed portion of said tapeless substrate retained within said nest mechanism and engaged with the vacuum.
A nest apparatus arranged to support a substrate during and after a dicing process, the substrate including a chip, the substrate having a first side and a second side, wherein the second side of the substrate includes at least one ball grid array associated with the chip, the at least one ball grid array including a first ball, the nest apparatus comprising:
- a positioning arrangement for positioning the substrate with respect to the nest apparatus;
- and
- a grid arrangement, the grid arrangement including a first wall, the grid arrangement being arranged to define an opening that is arranged to receive at least part of the at least one ball grid array, the opening being at least partially defined by the first wall, wherein the grid arrangement is further arranged to maintain a contact point between the first ball and the first wall.
A single-piece nest apparatus arranged to support a substrate during and after a dicing process, the substrate including a chip, the substrate having a first side and a second side, the single-piece nest apparatus comprising:
- a grid arrangement that defines an opening;
- an alignment mechanism that is arranged to position the first side of the substrate at least partially over the grid arrangement and to cause the first side of the substrate to at least partially contact the grid arrangement, the alignment mechanism being arranged to position the chip over the opening substantially without contacting the second side of the substrate, the grid arrangement being arranged to inhibit both translational and rotational movement of the chip after the dicing process, wherein the single-piece nest apparatus is arranged to cooperate with a vacuum generated by a vacuum chuck to hold the substrate in position with respect to the grid arrangement during the dicing process.
A nest apparatus arranged to support a substrate during and after a dicing process, the substrate including an integrated circuit chip, the substrate having a first side and a second side, wherein the second side of the substrate includes at least one ball grid array associated with the integrated circuit chip, the at least one ball grid array including a first ball having a surface, the nest apparatus comprising:
- a grid arrangement, the grid arrangement including first and second walls, the grid arrangement being arranged to define an opening that is arranged to receive the at least one ball grid array, the opening being at least partially defined by the first wall and the second wall, wherein the first wall and the second wall are arranged to contact the surface of the first ball to substantially position the integrated circuit chip with respect to the opening.
A cutting apparatus for cutting a tapeless substrate, the tapeless substrate including a chip, the chip having a first ball contact, the cutting apparatus comprising:
- a nest mechanism for retaining the tapeless substrate not having a tape for adhesion, the nest mechanism including a grid arrangement, the grid arrangement including a first wall, the grid arrangement being arranged to define an opening that is arranged to receive the first ball contact, the opening being at least partially defined by the first wall, wherein the grid arrangement is further arranged to maintain a contact point between the first ball contact and the first wall to retain the first ball contact within the opening;
- a cutting mechanism for cutting the tapeless substrate;
- and
- a supply mechanism for supplying the nest mechanism to the cutting mechanism, wherein the cutting mechanism for the tapeless substrate includes a vacuum chuck for engaging the tapeless substrate retained within the nest mechanism with a vacuum and a cutting saw for cutting the chip included in the tapeless substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.