Automated dicing tool for semiconductor substrate materials

An apparatus for subdividing or singularizing a sheet of brittle insulating material having scribe lines in a surface thereof into a plurality of rectangular pieces comprising:

• a fluidic pressure applying chamber supporting a flexible, elastic and resilient membrane;
• a flexible, elastic conformable carrier for supporting the sheet of brittle insulating material having a plurality of lines scribed in a surface thereof, positioned on said membrane;
• a mechanical arm for positioning a rigid convex, arched anvil above the said carrier in a first position;
• a drive mechanism for applying a fluidic force in said chamber to expand said membrane to force the conformable carrier and any sheet contained therein to conform to the arch of said anvil to fracture the contained sheet along the lines scribed in the sheet:
• a pressure release for removing said force from said chamber;
• a mechanical actuator for raising said anvil above said carrier;
• wherein said conformable carrier comprises a substantially flat base having a wall enclosed central portion for supporting the sheet of brittle material to be subdivided;
• and an upper carrier element having an open grid pattern formed by a first set of spaced parallel ribs and a second set of spaced parallel ribs with said second set being arranged perpendicular to said first set.