Method and apparatus for plasma dicing a semi-conductor wafer

A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a process chamber having a wall;
• providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
• providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
• placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate;
• loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
• positioning the bottom of the frame to be non-coplanar with the bottom of the substrate;
• clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
• supporting the support film by the work piece support while a portion of the frame extends beyond an outer edge of the work piece support;
• generating a plasma using the plasma source;
• and
• etching the work piece using the generated plasma while the portion of the frame that extends beyond the outer edge of the work piece support is not held by an additional support such that the weight of the frame contributes to a tensioning force to the support film during the etching step.

A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a process chamber having a wall;
• providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
• providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
• placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate;
• loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
• positioning the frame non-coplanar to the substrate on the work piece support;
• supporting the substrate by a clamp and supporting the frame by a lift mechanism;
• clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
• generating a plasma using the plasma source;
• and
• etching the work piece using the generated plasma.

A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a process chamber having a wall;
• providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
• providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
• placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate;
• loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
• positioning the frame non-coplanar to the substrate on the work piece support;
• supporting the support film by the work piece support and supporting the frame by a lift mechanism;
• clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
• generating a plasma using the plasma source;
• and
• etching the work piece using the generated plasma.

A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a process chamber having a wall;
• providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
• providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
• placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate, the work piece having a first tensional force in the support film;
• loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
• applying a second tensional force to the support film;
• generating a plasma using the plasma source;
• and
• etching the work piece using the generated plasma, the frame not being in contact with a cover ring during the etching step.

A method for plasma dicing a plurality of substrates, the method comprising:

• providing a process chamber having a wall;
• providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
• providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
• placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the plurality of substrates;
• positioning the frame non-coplanar to the plurality of substrates on the work piece support;
• loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
• clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
• generating a plasma using the plasma source;
• and
• etching the work piece using the generated plasma, the frame not being in contact with a cover ring during the etching step.

A method for plasma dicing a substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a process chamber having a wall;
• providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber;
• providing a work piece support within the process chamber;
• placing a work piece onto the work piece support, said work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate;
• loading the work piece onto the work piece support;
• positioning the frame non-coplanar to the substrate on the work piece support;
• clamping the work piece to the work piece support;
• generating a plasma using the plasma source;
• and
• etching the work piece using the generated plasma, the frame not being in contact with a cover ring during the etching step.