Scribing sapphire substrates with a solid state UV laser with edge detection

摘要

A process and system scribe sapphire substrates, by performing the steps of mounting a sapphire substrate, carrying an array of integrated device die, on a stage such as a movable X-Y stage including a vacuum chuck; and directing UV pulses of laser energy directed at a surface of the sapphire substrate using a solid state laser and locating edges of the substrate. The cutting is stopped based on the edge location, to prevent impacting background elements. The pulses of laser energy have a wavelength below about 560 nanometers, and preferably between about 150 in 560 nanometers. In addition, energy density, spot size, and pulse duration are established at levels sufficient to induce ablation of sapphire.

主权项

1. A method for manufacturing die from a sapphire substrate, comprising;
mounting the sapphire substrate on a stage, the sapphire substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface facing the stage; coupling pulses of laser energy having a wavelength between about 150 and about 560 nanometers at a repetition rate of greater than 5 kHz, directly into the top surface of the sapphire substrate by absorption sufficient to induce ablation of sapphire at the top surface, the pulses having a power density of less than 10 GW/cm2 per pulse, a spot size, and a repetition rate inducing absorption of the laser energy by the sapphire substrate; causing the laser energy to impact the sapphire substrate in a scribe pattern to cut scribe lines in the sapphire substrate; and separating die defined by the scribe pattern from the sapphire substrate.