Craig W Hendricks

US Patent:

7655539, Feb 2, 2010

Filed:

Apr 16, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/103878

Inventors:

Craig Hendricks - West Valley City UT, US
Eric Woolsey - Draper UT, US
Jim Murphy - South Jordan UT, US

Assignee:

Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation - DE

International Classification:

H01L 21/78

US Classification:

438460, 438113, 438427, 438462, 438464, 438626, 257620, 257787, 257E23179, 257E23116, 257E21599

Abstract:

Semiconductor device processing and methods for dicing a semiconductor wafer into a plurality of individual dies that can have back surface metallization are described. The methods comprise providing a wafer with pre-diced streets in the wafer's front surface, applying a sidewall masking mechanism to the front surface of the wafer so as to substantially fill the pre-diced streets, thinning the back surface of the wafer so as to dice the wafer (e. g. , by grinding, etching, or both) and expose a portion of the sidewall masking mechanism from the back surface of the wafer, and applying a material, such as metal, to the back surface of the diced wafer. These methods can prevent the metal from being deposited on die sidewalls and may allow the separation of individual dies without causing the metal to peel from the back surface of one or more adjacent dies. Other embodiments are also described.

US Patent:

20100081257, Apr 1, 2010

Filed:

Nov 24, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/625075

Inventors:

Craig W. Hendricks - West Valley City UT, US
Eric Woolsey - Salt Lake City UT, US
Jim Murphy - South Jordan UT, US

International Classification:

H01L 21/302

US Classification:

438462, 257E21214

Abstract:

Semiconductor device processing and methods for dicing a semiconductor wafer into a plurality of individual dies that can have back surface metallization are described. The methods comprise providing a wafer with pre-diced streets in the wafer's front surface, applying a sidewall masking mechanism to the front surface of the wafer so as to substantially fill the pre-diced streets, thinning the back surface of the wafer so as to dice the wafer (e.g., by grinding, etching, or both) and expose a portion of the sidewall masking mechanism from the back surface of the wafer, and applying a material, such as metal, to the back surface of the diced wafer. These methods can prevent the metal from being deposited on die sidewalls and may allow the separation of individual dies without causing the metal to peel from the back surface of one or more adjacent dies. Other embodiments are also described.