Laser marking techniques for bare semiconductor die

• US 6,680,458 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Farnworth, Warren M.
• Primary Examiner(s): EDMONDSON, LYNNE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US09/943,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20020030040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.68, 219/121.69, 219/121.6, 219/121.65, 347/185, 347/224, 347/262, 347/110
• US Class Current: 219/121.68
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54473 for use after dicing
• 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

Abstract

A laser marking apparatus and method having an energy source which is not substantially transmissible through the substrate of a semiconductor chip, or the substrate of the semiconductor chip is substantially opaque to the energy source for marking the surface of a semiconductor chip, are described herein.

Claims

1. A semiconductor chip marking method comprising:

providing an energy beam having a predetermined frequency;

providing a substrate including circuitry on at least one surface thereof, said substrate substantially opaque to said predetermined frequency of said energy beam;

directing said energy beam onto another surface of said substrate;

forming a mark on said another surface of said substrate; and

placing a chip in a path of said energy beam.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

translating said energy beam to mark said chip.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

fixing a source of said energy beam; and

translating said energy beam to mark said chip.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

translating a source of said energy beam.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inspecting the quality of said mark.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

rejecting said chip if said mark is not within selected quality control parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

injecting a coolant onto a surface of said substrate either during or immediately subsequent to said forming said mark.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said energy beam includes a laser beam.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said energy beam includes a focused light source.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said energy beam includes a radiant photon energy beam.

50. The method of claim 4, wherein:

said energy beam includes a focused light source.

11. A semiconductor chip marking method comprising:

providing a radiant photon energy beam having a predetermined frequency;

providing a substrate having circuitry on at least one surface thereof, said substrate substantially opaque to said predetermined frequency of said radiant photon energy beam;

directing said radiant photon energy beam onto another surface of said substrate;

forming a mark on said another surface of said substrate; and

placing a chip in a path of said radiant photon energy beam.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

translating said radiant photon energy beam to mark said chip.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

fixing a source of said radiant photon energy beam; and

translating said radiant photon energy beam to mark said chip.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

translating a source of said radiant photon energy beam.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

inspecting the quality of said mark.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

rejecting said chip if said mark is not within selected quality control parameters.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

injecting a coolant onto a surface of said substrate either during or immediately subsequent to said forming said mark.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

said radiant photon energy beam includes a laser beam.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said radiant photon energy beam includes a focused light source.

20. A semiconductor chip marking method comprising:

providing a substrate formed of a material;

providing an energy beam having a predetermined frequency substantially nontransmissible through said material of said substrate;

directing said energy beam onto a surface of said substrate; and

forming a mark on said surface of said substrate.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

placing a chip in a path of said energy beam.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

translating said energy beam to mark said chip.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

fixing a source of said energy beam; and

translating said energy beam to mark said chip.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

translating a source of said energy beam.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

inspecting the quality of said mark.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

rejecting said chip if said mark is not within selected quality control parameters.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

injecting a coolant onto said surface of said substrate either during or immediately subsequent to said forming said mark.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein said energy beam includes a laser beam.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein:

said energy beam includes a focused light source.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein:

said energy beam includes a radiant photon energy beam.

31. A semiconductor chip marking method comprising:

providing a radiant photon energy beam having a predetermined frequency;

providing a substrate of a material substantially opaque to said predetermined frequency of said radiant photon energy beam;

directing the radiant photon energy beam onto a surface of said substrate; and

forming a mark on said surface of said substrate.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

placing a chip in a path of said radiant photon energy beam.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

translating said radiant photon energy beam to mark said chip.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

fixing a source of said radiant photon energy beam; and

translating said radiant photon energy beam to mark said chip.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

translating a source of said radiant photon energy beam.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

inspecting the quality of said mark.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

rejecting said chip if said mark is not within selected quality control parameters.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

injecting a coolant onto said surface of said substrate either during or immediately subsequent to said forming said mark.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein:

said radiant photon energy beam includes a laser beam.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein:

said radiant photon energy beam includes a focused light source.

41. A semiconductor chip marking method comprising:

providing an energy beam;

configuring said energy beam to have a predetermined frequency;

providing a substrate comprised of a material substantially opaque to said predetermined frequency of said energy beam, said substrate having circuitry;

channeling said energy beam onto a surface of said substrate;

forming a mark on said surface of said substrate; and

preventing substantial damage to said circuitry of said substrate by said energy beam by said material of said substrate being substantially opaque to said predetermined frequency of said energy beam.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

placing a chip in a path of said energy beam.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

translating said energy beam to mark said chip.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

translating a source of said energy beam to mark said chip.

45. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

fixing a source of said energy beam; and

translating said energy beam to mark said chip.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

inspecting the quality of said mark.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

rejecting said chip if said mark is not within selected quality control parameters.

48. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

injecting a coolant onto said surface of said substrate either during or immediately subsequent to said forming said mark.

49. The method of claim 41, wherein:

said energy beam includes a laser beam.

51. The method of claim 41, wherein:

said energy beam includes a radiant photon energy beam.

52. A semiconductor chip marking method comprising:

providing radiant photon energy beam;

configuring said radiant photon energy beam to have a predetermined frequency;

providing a substrate comprising a material through which said predetermined frequency of said radiant photon energy beam is substantially not transmissible, said substrate having circuitry;

channeling said radiant photon energy beam onto a surface of said substrate;

forming a mark on said surface of said substrate; and

preventing substantial damage to said circuitry of said substrate by said radiant photon energy beam from said substrate not substantially transmitting said predetermined frequency of said radiant photon energy beam therethrough.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

placing a chip in a path of said radiant photon energy beam.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

translating said radiant photon energy beam to mark said chip.

55. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

translating a source of said radiant photon energy beam to mark said chip.

56. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

fixing a source of said radiant photon energy beam; and

translating said radiant photon energy beam to mark said chip.

57. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

inspecting the quality of said mark.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising:

rejecting said chip if said mark is not within selected quality control parameters.

59. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

injecting a coolant onto said surface of said substrate either during or immediately subsequent to said forming said mark.

60. The method of claim 52, wherein:

said radiant photon energy beam includes a laser beam.

61. The method of claim 52, wherein:

said radiant photon energy beam includes a focused light source.