Multi-step and asymmetrically shaped laser beam scribing

摘要

Methods of dicing substrates by both laser scribing and plasma etching are disclosed. A method includes laser ablating material layers, the ablating leading with a first irradiance and following with a second irradiance, lower than the first. Multiple passes of a beam adjusted to have different fluence level or multiple laser beams having various fluence levels may be utilized to ablate mask and IC layers to expose a substrate with the first fluence level and then clean off redeposited materials from the trench bottom with the second fluence level. A laser scribe apparatus employing a beam splitter may provide first and second beams of different fluence from a single laser.

主权项

1. A system for dicing a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of ICs, the system comprising:
a laser scribe module to pattern a mask and expose regions of a substrate between the ICs along a predetermined path, the laser scribe module to ablate a predetermined pattern of trenches into the mask and into a thin film IC stack disposed below the mask by splitting a laser beam into a first beam and a second beam with a beam splitter, wherein the first beam has a first irradiance and the second beam has a second irradiance lower than the first, and by leading with the first irradiance and following with the second irradiance; a plasma etch module physically coupled to the laser scribe module, the plasma etch module to singulate the ICs by anisotropic plasma etching of the substrate; and a robotic transfer chamber to transfer a laser scribed substrate between the laser scribe module and the plasma etch module in vacuum.