Method of processing semiconductor material wafers and method of forming flip chips and semiconductor chips

• US 6,074,896 A
• Filed: 01/22/1999
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Dando, Ross S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picardat, Kevin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, DEVEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/235,567
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 438/114, 438/113, 438/110, 438/106
• US Class Current: 438/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6836 Wafer tapes, e.g. grinding or dicing support tapes adhesive tapes in general C09J7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/78 with subsequent division of the substrate into plural individual devices cutting to change the surface-physical characteristics or shape of semiconductor bodies H01L21/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68327 used during dicing or grinding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/585 comprising conductive layers or plates or strips or rods or rings H01L23/60, H01L23/62, H01L23/64, H01L23/66 take precedence

Abstract

A method of processing a semiconductive material wafer includes, a) providing a semiconductive material wafer having integrated circuitry fabricated within discrete die areas on the wafer, the discrete die areas having bond pads formed therewithin; b) cutting at least partially into the semiconductive material wafer about the die areas to form a series of die cuts, the cuts having edges; c) depositing an insulative material over the wafer and to within the cuts to at least partially cover the cut edges and to at least partially fill the cuts with the insulative material; d) removing the insulative material from being received over the bond pads and leaving the insulative material within the die cuts; and e) after the removing, cutting into and through the insulative material within the die cuts and through the wafer. A semiconductor chip includes an outer surface having conductive bond pads proximately associated therewith. Side edges extend from the outer surface. An insulating material layer is adhered to at least a portion of the side edges and not formed over the bond pads. The insulative material layer can be continuous and adhered to only a portion of the outer surface and adhered to at least a portion of the side edges. The insulative material preferably has a thickness of between 100 Angstroms and 100 microns.

Claims

1. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising:

providing a semiconductor wafer having a thickness which is defined between a pair of outwardly-facing surfaces;

first removing material of the semiconductor wafer sufficient to define an intermediate wafer surface within the wafer;

forming an insulative material over the intermediate wafer surface to a thickness of greater than 100 Angstrom; and

second removing material of both the insulative material and the semiconductor wafer sufficiently through the entire thickness of the semiconductor wafer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate wafer surface is generally planar and generally parallel with at least one of the outwardly-facing surfaces.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate wafer surface is generally planar and generally parallel with both of the outwardly-facing surfaces.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first removing comprises cutting the wafer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first removing comprises cutting the wafer with a saw blade.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second removing comprises cutting the wafer with a saw blade.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming of the insulative material comprises forming said material with a syringe.

8. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising:

providing a semiconductor wafer having an outer surface;

cutting into the semiconductor wafer in a direction to form a first cut having a first cut width; and

cutting into the semiconductor wafer in said direction and within said first cut to form a second cut having a second cut width which is less than the first cut width.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said direction is away from the outer surface of the semiconductor wafer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said direction is orthogonally away from the outer surface of the semiconductor wafer.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the cutting to form the second cut, cuts entirely through the semiconductor wafer.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the cutting to form at least one of the first and second cuts comprises using a saw blade to cut the semiconductor wafer.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the cutting to form both the first and second cuts comprises using a saw blade to cut the semiconductor wafer.

14. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising:

providing a semiconductor wafer;

first cutting into the semiconductor wafer to form a first cut having a first cut width;

forming insulative material within the first cut; and

second cutting into the semiconductor wafer to form a second cut having a second cut width which is less than the first cut width.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the forming of the insulative material comprises completely filling the first cut.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the forming of the insulative material comprises less than completely filling the first cut.

17. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising:

providing a semiconductor wafer;

first cutting into the semiconductor wafer to form a first cut;

depositing insulative material over the wafer and within the first cut;

patterning away some of the insulative material but leaving other of the insulative material within the first cut; and

second cutting into the semiconductor wafer through the first cut, said second cutting removing material of the insulative material within the first cut.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second cutting comprises cutting entirely through the wafer.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the depositing of the insulative material comprises less than filling the first cut with insulative material.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first cut has a first cut width, and wherein the second cutting comprises forming a second cut width which is different from the first cut width.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first cut has a first cut width, and wherein the second cutting comprises forming a second cut width which is less than the first cut width.

22. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising:

providing a semiconductor wafer;

first removing material of the semiconductor wafer;

replacing at least some removed material with another material which is provided through a syringe; and

second removing additional material of the semiconductor wafer and at least some of the material which replaced the first removed material.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second removing comprises removing said material completely through the wafer.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the first and second removings comprises using a saw blade to remove wafer material.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein both of the first and second removings comprise using a saw blade to remove wafer material.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the first removing defines an area within the wafer having a first width, and the second removing defines an area within the wafer having a second width which is different from the first width.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the first removing defines an area within the wafer having a first width, and the second removing defines an area within the wafer having a second width which is less than the first width.

28. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising:

providing a semiconductor wafer;

first removing material of the semiconductor wafer entirely through the wafer to define an area from where material was removed;

forming insulative material with the area; and

second removing at least some of the insulative material entirely through the insulative material.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein forming of the insulative material comprises filling the entire area with insulative material.

30. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising:

mounting a semiconductor wafer on a stretchable film;

dicing the wafer into individual die;

stretching the film with the individual die thereon;

forming insulative material between the individual die; and

singulating the individual die by removing portions of the insulative material formed therebetween.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the forming of the insulative material comprises forming said material while the film is stretched.