# US 6,295,978 B1 · Method for reducing damage to wafer cutting blades during wafer dicing

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- Number: US 6,295,978 B1
- Document ID: US6295978B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/619,944
- Filed: 2000-07-20
- Granted: 2001-10-02
- Earliest claimed: 1996-11-26
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: James M. Wark; Salman Akram
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6295978B1

## CPC

- B28D 5/0094: {the supporting or holding device being of the vacuum type}
- B28D: WORKING STONE OR STONE-LIKE MATERIALS

## Abstract

A method of forming a support for supporting the underside of a semiconductor wafer having a circuit side, an underside, and a street index that defines dice on the semiconductor wafer, at least during dicing of the semiconductor wafer, is provided. The method includes providing a support having a surface for supporting the underside of the semiconductor wafer and forming at least one recess in the surface corresponding to the street index of the semiconductor wafer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming a support for a semiconductor wafer at least during dicing of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a circuit side, an underside, and a street index that defines dice on the semiconductor wafer, comprising:
providing a support having a surface for supporting the underside of the semiconductor wafer; and
forming at least one recess in the surface corresponding to the street index of the semiconductor wafer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the support has an endless edge and said forming includes forming at least one recess extending from a first portion of the endless edge to a second portion of the endless edge.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said forming includes forming at least one recess having a width at least as wide as a cutting blade utilized for dicing the wafer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising placing an adhesive intermediate the support and the semiconductor wafer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising displacing the adhesive from the wafer at the at least one recess.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein said displacing includes applying a negative pressure intermediate the adhesive and the support.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising forming a port through the support in fluid communication with the recess.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising applying a negative pressure to the port.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said forming includes cutting the support.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said forming includes etching the support.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said forming includes forming a recess having a V-shaped cross-section.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said forming includes forming a recess having a semi-circular cross-section.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said forming includes forming a recess having a semi-elliptical cross-section.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said forming includes forming a recess having a semi-trapezoidal cross-section.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising forming at least one second recess on the support.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising aligning a street index of a second semiconductor wafer with the at least one second recess.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising forming at least one port in fluid communication with the surface of the support.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising applying a negative pressure to the port for securing the underside of the semiconductor wafer to the support.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
securing the semiconductor wafer to a wafer frame; and
applying a negative pressure to the port to secure the wafer frame to the support.

### Claim 20

A method of forming a support for supporting the underside of a semiconductor wafer during dicing of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a circuit side, an underside, and a street index that defines dice on the semiconductor wafer, comprising:
providing a support having a surface for supporting the underside of the semiconductor wafer;
forming a plurality of recesses, having a width at least as wide as a cutting blade utilized for dicing the wafer, in the surface, wherein the recesses correspond to the street index of the semiconductor wafer;
placing an adhesive intermediate the support and the semiconductor wafer;
forming a port through the support in fluid communication with the recess; and
applying a negative pressure to the port.