Method and means of die matrix expansion

Abstract

Abstract A METHOD AND MEANS OF HANDLING AND SEPARATING SMALL, FRAGILE OBJECTS SUCH AS "DICE" BEARING MINATURIZED ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY, ONE FROM THE OTHER. SUCH DICE OR OTHER OBJECTS REST UPON AND PREFERABLY ARE TRANSIENTLY ADHERED TO THE SURFACE OF A FOAM EXPANSIBLE PLASTIC ARTICLE WHICH IS SUBSEQUENTLY EXPANDED TO ENLARGE THE INTERSTICES BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL DICE SO THAT THE DICE CAN BE CONVIENTLY PICKED UP BY, E.G., VACUUM OR TWEEZER TECHNIQUES. A WAFER HAVING FAULT LINES THERIN DEFINING DICE CAN BE APPLIED TO THE SURFACE AND CRACKED ALONG THE FAULT LINES TO FORM INTERSTICES BETWEEN THE DICE. ALTERNATIVELY, THE WAFER CAN BE FIRST CRACKED ALONG THE FAULT LINES TO FORM AN ASSEMBLY OF DICE HAVING INTERSTICES THEREBETWEEN, WHICH ASSEMBLY CAN THEN BE TRANSFERRED TO THE FOAM EXPANSIBLE SURFACE FOR EXPANSIVE ENLARGEMENT OF THE INTERSTICES OR CONVERSELY THE WAFER MAY BE PLACED ON THE SURFACE BEFORE THE FAULT LINES ARE FORMED. PREFERABLE THE FOAM EXPANSIBLE PLASTIC IS A CROSSLINKED POLYMER, MOST PREFERABLY ONE WHICH IS TACKY DURING THE EXPANSION PROCESS SO AS TRANSIENTLY TO ADHERE THE DICE TO THE EXPANSIBLE PLASTIC ARTICLE. ALTERNATIVELY, THAT TRANSIENT ADHESION CAN BE SECURED WHERE DESIRED BY THE USE OF A LIGHT ADHESIVE.

Inventors

• 👤 Victor E Althouse

Bibliographic Details