Method and apparatus for marking a bare semiconductor die

• US 6,734,032 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Tandy, William D, Street, Bret K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, W. David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brewster, William M.
• Application Number:
  US10/227,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 438/26, 438/55, 438/118, 438/459, 438/64, 438/106
• US Class Current: 438/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67282 Marking devices
• 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 2221/68327 used during dicing or grinding
• 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 2224/274 by blanket deposition of the material of the layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2919 with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83856 Pre-cured adhesive, i.e. B-stage adhesive
• 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 23/573 using passive means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/27 Manufacturing methods
• 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 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0665 Epoxy resin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/90 Bulk effect device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/977 Thinning or removal of substrate

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for marking a semiconductor wafer or device. The method and apparatus have particular application to wafers or devices which have been subjected to a thinning process, including backgrinding in particular. The present method comprises reducing the cross-section of a wafer or device, applying a tape having optical energy-markable properties over a surface or edge of the wafer or device, and exposing the tape to an optical energy source to create an identifiable mark. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit chip and for identifying a known good die are also disclosed. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a multilevel laser-markable tape for application to a bare semiconductor die. In the apparatus, an adhesive layer of the tape provides a homogenous surface for marking subsequent to exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

Claims

1. A method of marking a semiconductor die comprising:

providing a semiconductor die from one of an individual semiconductor die and a semiconductor die on a wafer;

reducing a thickness of said semiconductor die;

applying a tape having optical energy-markable properties to at least a portion of a surface of said semiconductor die;

exposing at least a portion of said tape applied to said semiconductor die to optical energy; and

forming a mark in at least a portion of said tape using said optical energy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said applying a tape having optical energy-markable properties to at least a portion of a surface of said semiconductor die comprises applying said tape to a surface of said semiconductor die previously subjected to a thinning process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said thinning process comprises backgrinding.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor die comprises an integrated circuit semiconductor die.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying a tape to at least a portion of a surface of said semiconductor die includes applying said tape to an edge portion of said semiconductor die.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said exposing at least a portion of said tape comprises exposing said tape on said edge portion of said semiconductor die.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said optical energy-markable properties of said tape are embedded within said tape.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said optical energy-markable properties of said tape comprise properties of at least one adhesive layer affixed to said tape.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one adhesive layer is selected from one of the group consisting of thiolene, poly-paraxylylene (Paralene), urethanes, silicones, epoxies, acrylics, or combinations of any thereof.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one adhesive layer is UV-sensitive.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one adhesive layer comprises a multilayer adhesive having a first outermost layer comprising a mixture of electromagnetic radiation-curable components and a second layer disposed between said tape and said first outermost layer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a second tape over at least a portion of a surface of said tape, and wherein said exposing at least a portion of said tape includes exposing at least a portion of said second tape.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said second tape is a carrier tape.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said carrier tape includes a carrier tape having translucent properties.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said second tape comprises a tape having optical energy-markable properties.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said tape comprises polytetrafluoroethylene tape.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said exposing at least a portion of said tape to optical energy comprises exposing said at least a portion of said tape to one of an Nd:

YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser, an Nd;

YLP (pulsed ytterbium fiber) laser, or carbon dioxide laser.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said exposing at least a portion of said tape to optical energy comprises exposing said at least a portion of said tape to an ultraviolet light source.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said tape comprises a UV-penetrable polyvinyl chloride tape having an acrylic UV-sensitive adhesive disposed thereon.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said tape comprises a tape having antistatic capacities.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said tape comprises a tape having a thermally dissipating material.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said tape comprises a tape having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially similar to that of said semiconductor die.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming said mark includes one of heating, chemically reacting, or transferring of materials comprising said tape using said optical energy.

24. A manufacturing method for at least one semiconductor die comprising:

providing a semiconductor wafer including at least one integrated circuit on a first surface thereof for forming part of a portion of a semiconductor die;

reducing at least a portion of a cross-section of said semiconductor wafer;

applying a tape having optical energy-markable properties to at least a portion of a second surface of said semiconductor wafer;

exposing at least a portion of said tape applied to said semiconductor wafer to optical energy; and

forming a mark in said at least a portion of said tape by said exposing step.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

dicing said semiconductor wafer to create a plurality of individual integrated circuit semiconductor dice with at least a portion of said tape thereon prior to said exposing said at least a portion of said tape to optical energy.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising applying a carrier tape over said tape prior to said dicing of said semiconductor wafer.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said reducing said at least a portion of a cross-section of said semiconductor wafer includes a backgrinding process.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of applying a tape to at least a portion of a second surface of said semiconductor wafer includes applying said tape to a surface of said semiconductor wafer subjected to said backgrinding process.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of applying a tape to at least a portion of a second surface of said semiconductor wafer includes applying said tape to an edge portion of said semiconductor wafer.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein exposing at least a portion of said tape to form a mark comprises exposing said tape on said edge portion of said semiconductor wafer.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein said optical energy-markable properties of said tape are embedded within said tape.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein said optical energy-markable properties of said tape include properties of at least one adhesive layer affixed to said tape.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said at least one adhesive layer is selected from one of thiolene, poly-paraxylylene (Paralene), urethanes, silicones, epoxies, acrylics, and combinations of any thereof.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said at least one adhesive layer is UV-sensitive.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein said at least one adhesive layer includes a multilayer adhesive having a first outermost layer comprising a mixture of electromagnetic radiation-curable components and a second layer disposed between said tape and said first outermost layer.

36. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

applying a second tape over at least a portion of a surface of said tape; and

exposing at least a portion of said second tape.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said second tape is a carrier tape.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said carrier tape includes translucent properties.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said second tape comprises a tape having optical energy-markable properties.

40. The method of claim 24, wherein said tape comprises polytetrafluoroethylene tape.

41. The method of claim 24, wherein said exposing at least a portion of said tape to optical energy includes exposing said at least a portion of said tape to one of an Nd:

YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser, an Nd;

YLP (pulsed ytterbium fiber) laser, or a carbon dioxide laser.

42. The method of claim 24, wherein said exposing at least a portion of said tape to optical energy includes exposing said at least a portion of said tape to an ultraviolet light source.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said tape is comprised of a UV-penetrable polyvinyl chloride tape with an acrylic UV-sensitive adhesive disposed thereon.

44. The method of claim 24, wherein said tape includes a tape having antistatic capacities.

45. The method of claim 24, wherein said tape includes a tape of a thermally dissipating material.

46. The method of claim 25, wherein said tape includes a tape having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially similar to that of said plurality of individual integrated circuit semiconductor dice.

47. The method of claim 24, wherein forming said mark includes one of heating, chemically reacting, or transferring materials comprising said tape.

48. A method for determining a known good die on a wafer form comprising:

providing a semiconductor wafer including integrated circuitry on a first surface thereof;

reducing at least a portion of a cross-section of said semiconductor wafer;

testing at least one integrated circuit of said semiconductor wafer for defects, said at least one integrated circuit forming at least a portion of a semiconductor die;

compiling data representing defect testing results;

applying a tape having optical energy-markable properties to at least a portion of a second surface of said semiconductor wafer;

exposing at least a portion of said tape applied to said at least a portion of said second surface of said semiconductor wafer to optical energy;

forming at least one mark in said at least a portion of said tape on said at least a portion of said second surface of said semiconductor wafer; and

encoding said defect testing results onto portions of said semiconductor wafer using said at least one mark.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

dicing said semiconductor wafer to create a plurality of individual integrated circuit semiconductor dice after said applying said tape.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said encoding said defect testing results includes encoding said defect testing results on at least a portion of said plurality of individual integrated circuit semiconductor dice.

51. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

applying a carrier tape over said tape prior to said dicing of said semiconductor wafer.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein said reducing said at least a portion of said cross-section of said semiconductor wafer includes a backgrinding process.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said step of applying a tape to at least a portion of a second surface of said semiconductor wafer includes applying said tape to a surface of said semiconductor wafer subjected to said backgrinding process.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein said step of applying a tape to at least a portion of a second surface of said semiconductor wafer includes applying said tape to an edge portion of said semiconductor wafer.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said exposing at least a portion of said tape to optical energy comprises exposing said tape on said edge portion of said semiconductor wafer.

56. The method of claim 48, wherein said optical energy-markable properties of said tape are embedded within said tape.

57. The method of claim 48, wherein said optical energy-markable properties of said tape include properties of at least one adhesive layer affixed to said tape.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said at least one adhesive layer is selected from one of thiolene, poly-paraxylylene (Paralene), urethanes, silicones, epoxies, acrylics, and combinations of any thereof.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein said at least one adhesive layer is UV-sensitive.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein said at least one adhesive layer includes:

multilayer adhesive having a first outermost layer comprising a mixture of electromagnetic radiation-curable components; and

a second layer disposed between said tape and said first outermost layer.

61. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

applying a second tape over at least a portion of a surface of said tape; and

exposing at least a portion of said second tape.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein said second tape is a carrier tape.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein said carrier tape includes a tape having translucent properties.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein said second tape includes a tape having optical energy-markable properties.

65. The method of claim 48, wherein said tape comprises polytetrafluoroethylene tape.

66. The method of claim 48, wherein said exposing at least a portion of said tape to optical energy includes exposing said at least a portion of said tape to one of an Nd:

YAG laser (yttrium aluminum garment), Nd;

YLP laser (pulsed ytterbium fiber), or a carbon dioxide laser.

67. The method of claim 48, wherein said exposing at least a portion of said tape to optical energy includes exposing said at least a portion of said tape to an ultraviolet light source.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein said tape comprises a UV-penetrable polyvinyl chloride tape having an acrylic UV-sensitive adhesive disposed thereon.

69. The method of claim 48, wherein said tape includes a tape having antistatic capacities.

70. The method of claim 48, wherein said tape includes a tape of thermally dissipating material.

71. The method of claim 49, wherein said tape includes a tape having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially similar to that of said plurality of individual integrated circuit semiconductor dice.

72. The method of claim 48, wherein fanning said at least one mark includes one of heating, chemically reacting, or transferring of materials comprising said tape.

73. The method of claim 48, wherein said testing said at least one integrated circuit of said semiconductor wafer for defects includes electrical testing of said semiconductor wafer.

74. The method of claim 48, wherein said testing said at least one integrated circuit of said semiconductor wafer for defects includes visually scanning said semiconductor wafer for defects.