Wafer Dicing – A Key Step In Chip Making

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Games-Toys )



Wafer dicing is that part of the process in integrated circuit manufacturing where you separate, or dice, a wafer into individual chips. Dicing is a straightforward mechanical process, but is nevertheless a very sophisticated process requiring the most advanced manufacturing equipment, dicing machines and dicing saws, and lapping machines.

Before you begin wafer dicing, you need to prepare wafers by flat lapping, to make them thinner and to achieve true surfaces and a desired quality of finish. This will ensure that your cutting depth from the dicing saws will be uniform. This is particularly necessary on the front side of the wafer which contains the active parts of the chips. After flat lapping, you put the wafers on the dicing machines fitted with dicing saws and begin cutting.

As you cut, you continually pour specially treated water on the wafer to remove fine particles generated while you are cutting and also to cool the wafer. Cooling is necessary to avoid chipping during the wafer dicing process. After cutting is done, the separated chips go for sorting and quality checks.

Wafer dicing is a crucial step in the manufacturing process that produces integrated circuits packages for constructing electronic devices. You would have many concerns about the process.

Wafers can contain about three thousand chips. If you can find ways to reduce the width of the space (called dicing street) between active chips without compromising the chips or the wafer dicing process, you can help increase the number of wafers per chip. That is the goal of every semiconductor maker: a wafer dicing process with high chip yield and narrow dicing streets.

Another major concern in wafer dicing operations is chipping, which refers to portions of the sides along the cut breaking away as the dicing saws grind through the material. Chipping can damage the silicon chips thus reduce your yields.


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