US3559855A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Shimless scribing
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1969-02-19
•
Granted: 1971-02-02
•
Expires: 1989-02-19
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to a method of subdividing a semiconductor wafer. Marks are scribed on a selected surface of the wafer along predetermined scribe passages thereby producing fracture loci under the marks. The wafer is then placed on a pad of resilient material. One surface is then covered with a thin sheet of flexible material capable of direct adhesion to the wafer that acts as a temporary pellet carrier. Next a compressive load is induced along the scribe marks by moving a compressive member in engagement with the covered surface of the wafer thereby fracturing the wafer into individual pellets such that they are individually adhered to the flexible sheet in essentially the same position they occupied in the parent wafer prior to the fracturing of the wafer.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack R Barnett
- 👤 Robert W Brown
- 👤 Francis C Gantley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 17:42
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0428; H10P52/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T225/00; Y10T225/10; Y10T225/12; Y10T225/30; Y10T225/307; Y10T225/321; Y10T225/325; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49789; Y10T29/4979
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of subdividing a wafer of a semiconductor material having first and second opposed major surfaces comprising the steps of: structurally weakening the wafer by forming fracture loci along the first major surface which divide the wafer into a plurality of separable useful increments; placing the second major surface of the wafer in contact with a flexible sheet of a material capable of direct adhesion to the semiconductor material; and placing the first major surface of the wafer against a coacting resilient support, placing a disc on the flexible sheet covering the second major surface of the wafer and contacting a compression member to the disc to bend the wafer against the support and cause the wafer to fracture along the predetermined structurally weakened major surface, the separate increments of the wafer thereby formed remaining adhered to said sheet in the same relative position which they occupied prior to fracturing.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of subdividing a wafer of a semiconductor material having first and second opposed major surfaces comprising the steps of: structurally weakening the wafer by forming fracture loci along the first major surface which divide the wafer into a plurality of separable useful increments; placing the second major surface of the wafer in contact with a flexible sheet of a material capable of direct adhesion to the semiconductor material; and placing the first major surface of the wafer against a coacting resilient support, placing a disc on the flexible sheet covering the second major surface of the wafer and contacting a compression member to the disc to bend the wafer against the support and cause the wafer to fracture along the predetermined structurally weakened major surface, the separate increments of the wafer thereby formed remaining adhered to said sheet in the same relative position which they occupied prior to fracturing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method of subdividing a wafer as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of placing the wafer on a pad includes the use of a resilient material exhibiting a hardness in the range of from 20 to 85 durometers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of subdividing a wafer as recited in claim 1 where wherein the step of adhering is accomplished using as a sheet a flexible material which comprises at least one material from the group consisting of polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene and polyvinylidene fluoride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of subdividing a wafer as recited in claim 1 wherein the disc of ductile material comprised of at least one material from a group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, poly acrylic esters, and cellulose acetate alkylate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of subdividing a wafer as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of adhering is accomplished using as a sheet a flexible material which is transparent.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of subdividing a wafer of silicon semiconductor material having first and second major surfaces comprising the steps of: forming at least one set of scribe marks on a selected surface of the wafer along predetermined scribe passages by moving a scribing tool relative to the wafer thereby producing fracture loci under the marks; placing the wafer in a coherent bag of flexible material so that the bag adheres to at least one major surface of the wafer and acts as a temporary pellet carrier and storage container; placing the bag containing the wafer on a pad of resilient material; placing a disc of material exhibiting a hardness in the range of 75 to 95 durometers on top of the bag containing the wafer; and moving a compressive member relative to the one major surface over the disc and the coacting pad to fracture the wafer along the fracture loci and to subdivide the a wafer into individual pellets that are individually adhered to the flexible material in the same relative position occupied thereby prior to fracturing.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of subdividing a wafer of silicon semiconductor material having first and second major surfaces comprising the steps of: forming at least one set of scribe marks on a selected surface of the wafer along predetermined scribe passages by moving a scribing tool relative to the wafer thereby producing fracture loci under the marks; placing the wafer in a coherent bag of flexible material so that the bag adheres to at least one major surface of the wafer and acts as a temporary pellet carrier and storage container; placing the bag containing the wafer on a pad of resilient material; placing a disc of material exhibiting a hardness in the range of 75 to 95 durometers on top of the bag containing the wafer; and moving a compressive member relative to the one major surface over the disc and the coacting pad to fracture the wafer along the fracture loci and to subdivide the a wafer into individual pellets that are individually adhered to the flexible material in the same relative position occupied thereby prior to fracturing.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of subdividing a wafer of silicon semiconductor material having first and second major surfaces comprising the steps of: forming at least one set of scribe marks on a selected surface of the Wafer along predetermined scribe passages by moving a scribing tool relative to the wafer thereby producing fracture loci under the marks; adhere adhering at least one major surface of the wafer to a coherent sheet of transparent polyvinylidene chloride which acts as a temporary pellet carrier; placing the wafer on a pad of silicone rubber exhibiting a hardness of from 60 to 70 durometers; placing a disc of polyethylene terephthalate exhibiting a hardness in the range of from 78 to 93 durometers between a compressive member and the coherent sheet; and moving a compressive member relative to the one major surface over the marks and the coat coacting silicone rubber pad to fracture the wafer along the fracture loci and to subdivide the wafer into individual pellets that are individually adhered to the sheet in the same relative position occupied thereby prior to fracturing.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of subdividing a wafer of silicon semiconductor material having first and second major surfaces comprising the steps of: forming at least one set of scribe marks on a selected surface of the Wafer along predetermined scribe passages by moving a scribing tool relative to the wafer thereby producing fracture loci under the marks; adhere adhering at least one major surface of the wafer to a coherent sheet of transparent polyvinylidene chloride which acts as a temporary pellet carrier; placing the wafer on a pad of silicone rubber exhibiting a hardness of from 60 to 70 durometers; placing a disc of polyethylene terephthalate exhibiting a hardness in the range of from 78 to 93 durometers between a compressive member and the coherent sheet; and moving a compressive member relative to the one major surface over the marks and the coat coacting silicone rubber pad to fracture the wafer along the fracture loci and to subdivide the wafer into individual pellets that are individually adhered to the sheet in the same relative position occupied thereby prior to fracturing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-01 | 1974-08-03 | 1975-02-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-01 | 1978-08-03 | 1979-02-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-01 | 1982-08-03 | 1983-02-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |