Methods for marking a bare semiconductor die including applying a tape having energy-markable properties

• US 7,238,543 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Street, Bret K., Tandy, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brewster; William M.
• Application Number:
  US11/282,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 438/26, 438/55, 438/118, 438/459, 257/E23.179
• 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

A method used 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 after a thinning process for reducing a thickness of the semiconductor die, the semiconductor die having an active surface and a thinned surface, the method comprising:

providing the semiconductor die in wafer form;

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

subsequently exposing at least a portion of the tape to optical energy; and

forming a mark on a portion of the semiconductor die.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor die comprises at least one integrated circuit semiconductor die.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the tape to the at least a portion of the thinned surface of the semiconductor die includes applying the tape to an edge portion of the semiconductor die.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein exposing the at least a portion of the tape to optical energy includes exposing the tape on the edge portion of the semiconductor die.

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

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

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one adhesive layer is selected from one of thiolene, poly-paraxylylene (Paralene), urethanes, silicones, epoxies, acrylics, or combinations of any thereof.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one adhesive layer is UV-sensitive.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the 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 the tape and the first outermost layer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

exposing at least a portion of the second tape.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second tape is a carrier tape.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the carrier tape includes a carrier tape having translucent properties.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second tape includes a tape having optical energy-markable properties.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the tape comprises polytetrafluoroethylene tape.

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

YAG laser (yttrium aluminum garnet), an Nd;

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

16. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the at least a portion of the tape to optical energy includes exposing the at least a portion of the tape to an ultraviolet light source.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the tape is comprised of a UV-penetrable polyvinyl chloride tape with an acrylic UV-sensitive adhesive disposed thereon.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the tape includes a tape having antistatic capacities.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the tape includes a tape of a thermally dissipating material.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the tape includes a tape having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially similar to that of the semiconductor die.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the mark includes one of heating, chemically reacting, or transferring materials comprising the tape.

22. A method of marking a semiconductor die after a thinning process for reducing a thickness of the semiconductor die, the semiconductor die having an active surface and a thinned surface, the method comprising:

providing the semiconductor die in sliced wafer form;

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

subsequently exposing at least a portion of the tape to optical energy; and

forming a mark on a portion of the semiconductor die.

23. A method of marking a semiconductor die after a thinning process for reducing a thickness of the semiconductor die, the semiconductor die having an active surface and a thinned surface, the method comprising:

providing the semiconductor die as a portion of a wafer;

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

subsequently exposing at least a portion of the tape to optical energy; and

forming a mark on a portion of the semiconductor die.

24. A method of marking a semiconductor die after a thinning process for reducing a thickness of the semiconductor die, the semiconductor die having an active surface and a thinned surface, the method comprising:

providing the semiconductor die as a portion of a sliced wafer;

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

subsequently exposing at least a portion of the tape to optical energy; and

forming a mark on a portion of the semiconductor die.