Non-lot based method for assembling integrated circuit devices

• US 6,400,840 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2001
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Wilson, Kevin, Hjorth, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Werner, Brian P.
• Application Number:
  US09/832,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 382/141, 382/145-149, 382/152, 702/80-84, 702/185, 702/187, 702/118, 348/87, 348/126, 356/237.4, 356/237.5, 438/7, 438/15, 438/16, 250/559.34, 250/559.44, 209/577, 235/375, 700/96, 700/108-110, 700/115, 700/116, 700/121, 414/935
• US Class Current: 382/145
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31307 Identification structure is partly a copy of operating structure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36371 Barcode reader
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67294 using identification means, e.g. labels on substrates or labels on containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/5444 for electrical read out
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54473 for use after dicing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/5448 Located on chip prior to dicing and remaining on chip after dicing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54486 Located on package parts, e.g. encapsulation, leads, package substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An inventive method tracks IC devices through the assembly steps in a manufacturing process. Prior to die attach, a laser scribe marks the lead frame of each of the devices with a coded hole matrix that gives each device a unique ID code. During die attach, an optical hole reader retrieves the ID code of each of the IC devices, and a computer system stores the retrieved ID codes in association with the lot numbers of the ICs attached to the lead frames. The ID codes of the devices are then read at each step in assembly so the devices can be tracked through assembly individually, rather than by lots. As a result, the devices can proceed through assembly in a more efficient, continuous manner (i.e., without breaks between lots).

Claims

1. A manufacturing method for multiple lots of a plurality of integrated circuit devices through an assembly step in a manufacturing process, each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices having a mounting substrate, the method comprising:

providing said mounting substrate;

providing said plurality of integrated circuit devices;

placing a substantially unique identification code on the mounting substrate in a readable position thereon;

placing an identification code on the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices;

correlating the identification codes of the each integrated circuit devices to be mounted on the mounting substrate with the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate;

mounting at least one of the plurality of integrated circuit devices on the mounting substrate;

reading the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices in each lot of the multiple lots;

performing a series of assembly steps in the manufacturing process on the plurality of integrated circuit devices in the multiple lots through;

generating data related to the series of assembly steps of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices through the series of assembly steps; and

associating the data generated for the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of its associated integrated circuit device for tracking the multiple lots of the plurality of integrated circuit devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices includes said mounting substrate selected from a group comprising a lead frame and a printed circuit board, wherein the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices is selected from another group comprising lead frame integrated circuit devices, Chip-on-Board (COB) integrated circuit devices, and flip-chip integrated circuit devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mounting substrate of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices is marked with a unique, optically retrievable substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate, wherein the step of reading the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices comprises optically retrieving the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the unique, optically retrievable substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate comprises one of a bar code, an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) code, and a coded hole matrix and wherein the assembly step of optically retrieving the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices comprises retrieving the mounting substrate identification code of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with one of a bar code reader, an OCR reader, and an optical hole reader.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one assembly step of a series of assembly steps in the manufacturing process includes one assembly step of die attach, die cure, wire bond, molding, deflash, lead finish, trim and form, and opens/shorts testing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reading the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices occurs before the manufacturing process.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing a series of assembly steps in the manufacturing process on the plurality of integrated circuit devices comprises advancing the plurality of integrated circuit devices serially through multiple machines associated with the series of assembly steps.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing a series of assembly steps in the manufacturing process comprises advancing the plurality of integrated circuit devices through parallel machines associated with the series of assembly steps.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating data related to the series of assembly steps of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices through the assembly step comprises generating at least one of assembly equipment data, assembly personnel data, assembly setup data, and time and date data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices and wherein the associating the data generated for the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of its associated integrated circuit device comprises storing the data generated for the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices in association with the stored substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of its associated integrated circuit device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the storing the data generated for the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices in association with the stored substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of its associated integrated circuit device comprises storing the data in a decentralized manner within a computer system so that at least partial access to the stored data may continue during a failure of a centralized portion of the computer system.

12. A manufacturing method for a plurality of integrated circuit devices comprising:

providing a plurality of substrates in multiple lots;

fabricating a plurality of integrated circuit dice on each substrate of the plurality of substrates;

separating each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice on each substrate of the plurality of substrates forming one integrated circuit die of a plurality of integrated circuit dice;

providing a plurality of mounting substrates, each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates marked with a substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate;

providing a front-end identification code associated with each substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate associated with the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice;

reading a front-end identification code associated with the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice;

reading the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate marked on the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates;

attaching the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice to one mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates forming an integrated circuit device of a plurality of integrated circuit devices;

storing the front-end identification code associated with the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice in each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices in association with the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates to which the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice is attached;

performing an assembly step on the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices including;

advancing the plurality of integrated circuit devices through at least one assembly step in a substantially continuous manner;

generating data related to the advancement of the plurality of integrated circuit devices through the at least one assembly step; and

associating the data generated for the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices so the plurality of integrated circuit devices may be tracked through the assembly step; and

back-end testing the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing a back-end identification code of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices in association with the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates to which the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice is attached; and

storing back-end testing related data for the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices in association with the back-end identification code of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices so the plurality of integrated circuit devices may be tracked through back-end testing.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of storing the back-end identification code of the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices comprises storing at least one of a fuse ID code and a lot number.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the front-end identification code and back-end identification code associated with the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices are identical.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the plurality of substrates comprises providing substrates selected from a group comprising semiconductor wafers, Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) substrates, Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) substrates, and Silicon-on-Glass (SOG) substrates.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the fabricating a plurality of integrated circuit dice on the each substrate of the plurality of substrates comprises fabricating integrated circuit dice selected from a group comprising Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) ICs, Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) ICs, Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) ICs, processor ICs, Application Specific ICs (ASICs), Read Only Memory (ROM) ICs, and Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM) ICs.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising programming the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice on the each of the substrate of the plurality of substrates to permanently store a substantially unique fuse ID code, wherein the reading a front-end identification code associated with the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice comprises reading the fuse ID code programmed into the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the programming the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice on the each substrate of the plurality of substrates to permanently store the substantially unique fuse ID code comprises programming at least one of fuses and anti-fuses in the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice on the each substrate of the plurality of substrates to permanently store each of the substantially unique fuse ID.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the plurality of mounting substrates comprises marking the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates with an optically readable, substantially unique mounting substrate ID code selected from a group comprising a bar code, an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) code, and a coded hole matrix.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates comprises one of a plurality of lead frames, wherein the marking the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates comprises laser scribing a coded hole matrix in a lead frame rail of each lead frame of the plurality of lead frames.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the reading a front-end identification code associated with the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice comprises reading at least one of a lot number, a wafer number, and a fuse ID code associated with the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the reading the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate marked on the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates comprises reading the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate with at least one of a bar code reader, an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) reader, and an optical hole reader.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the reading the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate includes verifying the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate using a Cycle Redundancy Check (CRC).

25. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the plurality of mounting substrates comprises providing at least one of a plurality of lead frames and a plurality of printed circuit boards.

26. The method of claim 12, further comprising verifying that the plurality of integrated circuit devices are supposed to progress through the assembly step before the advancing the plurality of integrated circuit devices through the at least one assembly.

27. The method of claim 12, wherein the attaching the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice comprises attaching the plurality of integrated circuit dice using at least one of a Chip-on-Board (COB) technique and a flip-chip technique.

28. A manufacturing method for multichip integrated circuit devices comprising:

providing a plurality of wafers in multiple lots;

fabricating a plurality of integrated circuit dice on each wafer of the plurality of wafers;

separating each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice on the each wafer of the plurality of wafers from its wafer forming one integrated circuit die of a plurality of integrated circuit dice;

providing a plurality of mounting substrates, each mounting substrate of the plurality marked with a substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate;

providing a front-end identification code associated with the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate associated with the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice;

reading a front-end identification code associated with the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice;

reading a substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate marked on the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates;

attaching more than one integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice to the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates forming a plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices;

storing the front-end identification code of the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice in each multichip integrated circuit device of the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices in association with the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates to which the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice is attached;

performing an assembly step for each multichip integrated circuit device of the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices including;

advancing the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices through at least one assembly step in a substantially continuous manner;

generating data related to the advancement of the each multichip integrated circuit device of the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices through the at least one assembly step; and

associating the data generated for the each multichip integrated circuit device of the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices with the substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each mounting substrate of plurality of mounting substrates the each multichip integrated circuit device of the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices so the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices may be tracked through the assembly step; and

back-end testing the each multichip integrated circuit device of the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

storing a back-end identification code of the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice in the each multichip integrated circuit device of the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices in association with the substantially unique substantially unique identification code of the mounting substrate of the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates to which the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice is attached; and

storing back-end testing related data for the each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices in association with the back-end identification code of the each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice so the plurality of integrated circuit dice may be tracked through the back-end testing.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the attaching more than one integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice to the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates forming the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices comprises attaching more than one integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice to the each mounting substrate of the plurality of mounting substrates to form the plurality of multichip integrated circuit devices selected from a group comprising Single In-Line Memory Modules (SIMs), Dual In-Line Memory Modules (DIMMs), Multi-Chip Modules (MCMs), and multichip printed circuit (PC) boards.

31. A location method for at least one integrated circuit die of a plurality of integrated circuit devices, each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices having the at least one integrated circuit die comprising:

marking a mounting substrate of the at least one integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with a substantially unique, optically readable identification code of the mounting substrate;

advancing the plurality of integrated circuit devices through assembly in multiple lots while reading the substantially unique, optically readable identification code of the mounting substrate associated with the at least one integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit devices and storing the substantially unique, optically readable mounting substrate identification code in association with a machine identification number of an assembly related machine and when the at least one integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dies is stored in an integrated circuit device carrier, reading the substantially unique, optically readable mounting substrate identification code associated with the at least one integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit devices and the storing the substantially unique, optically readable mounting substrate identification code in association with a carrier identification number of the integrated circuit device carrier; and

reading the carrier identification number of the integrated circuit device carrier in which the plurality of integrated circuit devices are stored and storing the carrier identification number in association with a location code identifying a location of the integrated circuit device carrier on a manufacturing line when individual integrated circuit device are stored in the integrated circuit device carrier, locating the individual integrated circuit device on the manufacturing line by accessing the carrier identification number stored in association with the substantially unique, optically readable identification code of the mounting substrate of the at least one integrated circuit die of the individual integrated circuit device and by accessing the location code stored in association with an accessed carrier identification number and when the individual integrated circuit device is being processed by an assembly related machine, locating the individual integrated circuit device on the manufacturing line by accessing a machine identification number stored in association with the substantially unique, optically readable identification code of the mounting substrate of the at least one integrated circuit die of the individual integrated circuit device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the reading the carrier identification number comprises reading carrier bar codes.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the storing the carrier identification number in association with a location code identifying the location of the integrated circuit device carrier on the manufacturing line comprises storing the carrier identification number in association with a location code identifying the location of the integrated circuit device carrier as being a location selected from a group comprising on a storage shelf, in a storage bin, mounted to feed a plurality of integrated circuit devices into an assembly related machine, and mounted to receive processed integrated circuit devices from an assembly related machine.