Techniques for dicing substrates during integrated circuit fabrication

An arrangement configured to support a substrate during a dicing process, said substrate having a first substrate side and a second substrate side, said first substrate side being smoother than said second substrate side, comprising:

• a nest having a first nest side and a second nest side, said nest including a grid which defines at least one nest opening, said nest opening having an opening area that is smaller than an area of a die diced from said substrate;
• and
• a vacuum retainer plate including a vacuum block platform and a base plate, the vacuum block platform having thereon a plurality of vacuum pedestals each of which includes a vacuum port, said base plate being configured to distribute vacuum among said vacuum ports of said plurality of vacuum pedestals, said vacuum pedestals having an upper surface formed of a resilient material, said vacuum pedestals being configured to be disposed through said nest opening when said nest is mated with said vacuum retainer plate, said vacuum pedestals protruding above said first nest side of said nest when said vacuum pedestal is disposed through said nest opening from said second nest side to support said substrate on said upper surface and lift said substrate off said first nest side, when said substrate is positioned on said nest with said first substrate side facing said first nest side and when said nest is mated with said vacuum retainer plate.

An arrangement configured to support a substrate during a dicing process, said substrate having a first substrate side and a second substrate side, said first substrate side being smoother than said second substrate side, comprising:

• a nest having a first nest side and a second nest side, said nest including a grid which defines at least one nest opening, said nest opening having an opening area that is smaller than an area of a die diced from said substrate;
• a vacuum retainer plate having thereon at least one vacuum pedestal;
• a resilient capping arrangement configured to be disposed atop said vacuum pedestal, said vacuum pedestal including said resilient cap arrangement being configured to be disposed through said nest opening when said nest is mated with said vacuum retainer plate, said resilient capping arrangement protruding above said first nest side of said nest when said vacuum pedestal is disposed through said nest opening from said second nest side to lift said substrate off said first nest side when said substrate is positioned on said nest with said first substrate side facing said first nest side and when said nest is mated with said vacuum retainer plate;
• and
• a top cover configured to be disposed above said substrate, said top cover including at least one contact post that contacts said die to force said die against said first nest side when said vacuum retainer plate is disengaged from said nest.

An arrangement configured to support a substrate during a dicing process, said substrate having a first substrate side and a second substrate side, said first substrate side being smoother than said second substrate side, comprising:

• a nest having a first nest side and a second nest side, said nest including a grid which defines at least one nest opening, said nest opening having an opening area that is smaller than an area of a die diced from said substrate;
• a vacuum retainer plate having thereon at least one vacuum pedestal, said vacuum pedestal having an upper surface formed of a resilient material, said vacuum pedestal being configured to be disposed through said nest opening when said nest is mated with said vacuum retainer plate, said vacuum pedestal protruding above said first nest side of said nest when said vacuum pedestal is disposed through said nest opening from said second nest side to support said substrate on said upper surface and lift said substrate off said first nest side when said substrate is positioned on said nest with said first substrate side facing said first nest side and when said nest is mated with said vacuum retainer plate;
• and
• a top cover configured to be disposed above said substrate, said top cover including at least one contact post that contacts said die to force said die against said first nest side when said vacuum retainer plate is disengaged from said nest.

An arrangement configured to support a substrate during a dicing process, said substrate having a first substrate side and a second substrate side, said first substrate side being smoother than said second substrate side, comprising:

• a nest having a first nest side and a second nest side, said nest including a grid which defines at least one nest opening, said nest opening having an opening area that is smaller than an area of a die diced from said substrate, said nest opening including at least one retainer wall disposed on said first nest side proximate said opening area;
• a vacuum retainer plate having thereon at least one vacuum pedestal including a vacuum port configured to hold said die securely against an upper surface of said vacuum pedestal when said nest is mated with said vacuum retainer plate and vacuum is turned on, and
• a resilient capping arrangement configured to be disposed atop said vacuum pedestal, said vacuum pedestal including said resilient cap arrangement being configured to be disposed through said nest opening when said nest is mated with said vacuum retainer plate, said resilient capping arrangement protruding above said first nest said of said nest when said vacuum pedestal is disposed through said nest opening from said second nest said to lift said substrate off said first nest side when said substrate is positioned on said nest with said first substrate side facing said first nest said and when said nest is matched with said vacuum retainer plate.