Use of a reference fiducial on a semiconductor package to monitor and control a singulation method

A semiconductor package panel singulation process using a reference fiducial, the process comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor package panel comprising a plurality of interconnected semiconductor packages, at least one of the packages having at least two reference fiducials formed thereon;
• singulating the semiconductor package panel such that at least a portion of the at least two reference fiducials remains on the package;
• and
• monitoring at least one singulation quality characteristic using at least a portion of at least one of the two reference fiducials that remains on the package exposed prior to singulation;
• wherein the steps of singulating the panel and monitoring at least one singulation quality characteristic are performed substantially simultaneously.

A semiconductor package singulation method, the method comprising the step of:

• providing a semiconductor package panel comprising a plurality of interconnected semiconductor packages, at least one of the packages having at least two reference fiducials formed thereon, the reference fiducials having a plurality of reference fiducial portions;
• singulating the semiconductor package panel along a path of singulation such that the plurality of reference fiducial portions remains on the package;
• and
• monitoring the path of singulation using the plurality of reference fiducial portions that remains on the package exposed prior to singulation.

A singulation method, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor package panel having interconnected first and second semiconductor packages;
• forming at least two reference fiducials on the semiconductor package panel;
• singulating the package panel such that at least a portion of the at least two reference fiducials remains on at least one of the packages;
• and
• monitoring at least one singulation quality characteristic using the remaining portion of the at least two reference fiducials exposed prior to singulation.

A semiconductor package singulation method, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor package panel, the semiconductor package panel comprising a support substrate for supporting a plurality of interconnected semiconductor packages thereon, at least one of the plurality of packages having at least two reference fiducials formed thereon;
• singulating the package panel along at least one singulation path such that at least a portion of the at least two reference fiducials remains on the package;
• and
• adjusting the at least one singulation path based on the reference fiducial portion that remains on the package following the singulating.