Particle-free semiconductor cutting using the water jet guided laser

Abstract

For many years, wafer cutting has posed a challenge to laser-based cutting techniques because of the brittle nature of semiconductors and the exacting requirements for cleanliness. Since conventional laser cutting generates a strong heat-affected zone and a large amount of particles, abrasive sawing is currently the standard process for semiconductor wafer dicing. However, abrasive sawing can no longer fulfill the demands of new, emerging types of semiconductor devices like those based on thin wafers and compound semiconductors. New separation methods are investigated here. The water jet guided laser is a relatively recent technology that offers not only a significantly reduced heat-affected zone but also a cleaner wafer surface. This is due, first, to the water jet, which cools the material between the laser pulses and removes a significant amount of molten material generated by laser ablation. However, the system has recently been upgraded by adding a device that covers the entire wafer surface with a well-controlled thin water film throughout the cutting process. The few generated particles are thus kept in suspension and will not deposit on the wafer surface.