Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes following steps. An aperture is formed in an interlayer insulating film formed on a semiconductor wafer apart from an integrated circuit portion by etching process. The interlayer insulating film has a dielectric constant smaller than a silicon oxide film (SiO2), and the width of the aperture is larger than a dicing region. A resin layer is embedded in the aperture. An adhesive layer is formed on the interlayer insulating film and the resin layer. The semiconductor wafer is attached to a glass substrate using the adhesive layer by Face Down method. The semiconductor wafer, the resin layer, and the adhesive layer on a dicing region are cut by blade dicing. The semiconductor wafer and the glass substrate adhered to the semiconductor wafer are cut into pieces by the blade dicing of the glass substrate under the dicing region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-221978, filed Sep. 28, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The embodiments relate to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, a Low-k insulating film whose dielectric constant is smaller than a silicon oxide film (SiO2) is widely used as an interlayer insulating film for a semiconductor integrated circuit with progress of improvement in integration density, operation speed and low power consumption. The semiconductor devices in which the semiconductor integrated circuit having the Low-k insulating film is formed on a glass substrate are separated into pieces by dicing (for example, refer to a Japanese laid open patent application No. 2007-73958).

In the semiconductor device described in the above-mentioned patent application, the semiconductor devices are separated into pieces, for example, by a blade dicing from a back side of the semiconductor integrated circuit. For this reason, damage occurs in the Low-k insulating film at the time of dicing, and problems such as chipping, cracking, and film breakage at an edge of a semiconductor chip are resulted. Similarly, when a protection film is prepared in a surface of a semiconductor wafer which has a Low-k insulating film in a semiconductor integrated circuit, and the wafer is separated into pieces by the blade dicing from a back surface side of the wafer, problems such as chipping, cracking, and film breakage can occur at the chip edge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein the same or like reference numerals designate the same or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming an aperture in an interlayer insulating film formed on a semiconductor wafer apart from an integrated circuit portion by etching process, the interlayer insulating film having a dielectric constant smaller than a silicon oxide film (SiO2), and the width of the aperture being broader than a dicing region; embedding a resin layer in the aperture; forming an adhesive layer on the interlayer insulating film and the resin layer; arranging the semiconductor wafer having the adhesive layer on a glass substrate by face down; attaching the semiconductor wafer to the glass substrate by the adhesive layer; cutting the semiconductor wafer, the resin layer, and the adhesive layer on the dicing region by blade dicing; and separating the semiconductor wafer and the glass substrate adhered to the semiconductor wafer into pieces by blade dicing of the glass substrate under the dicing region.

According to another embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip includes: an interlayer insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate and having a dielectric constant smaller than a silicon oxide film (SiO2); an aperture portion formed in the interlayer insulating film at an edge of the semiconductor chip apart from a semiconductor element portion; and a resin layer formed so as to cover the aperture portion.

First Embodiment

First, a semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a method for manufacturing the same are explained with reference to the drawings.FIG. 1is a cross-sectional view showing the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment, andFIG. 2is a cross-sectional view showing the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment applied to a camera module. In this embodiment, a resin layer is formed in an edge portion of a semiconductor chip to reduce chipping, cracking, and film breakage generated in the semiconductor chip at the time of dicing.

As shown inFIG. 1, a semiconductor device80includes a semiconductor chip50and a glass substrate60. In the semiconductor device80, the semiconductor chip50is arranged on the glass substrate60by Face Down method, and the semiconductor chip50and the glass substrate60are attached by an adhesive layer10.

The semiconductor chip50includes a silicon substrate1, an integrated circuit portion2, a light sensor portion3, an interlayer insulating film4, a resin layer5, a surface electrode6, a penetration electrode8, a back surface electrode9, a back surface protection film12, and a ball terminal13. The semiconductor chip50is arranged on the glass substrate60so that both edges of the semiconductor chip50are apart from by only distance L1from the respective ends of the glass substrate60. The semiconductor chip50is, for example, a CMOS type image sensor constituted by the integrated circuit portion2and the light sensor portion3.

The integrated circuit portion2includes the light sensor portion3, and is formed in the central portion of the first principal surface of the silicon substrate1. The interlayer insulating film4is formed of a Low-k insulating film having a dielectric constant smaller than a silicon oxide film (SiO2) on the first principal surface of the silicon substrate1. The resin layer5is formed on the first principal surface of the silicon substrate1so as to contact with the interlayer insulating film4at the edge of the semiconductor chip50. The resin layer5is formed in an aperture portion formed in the interlayer insulating film4by etching process.

The surface electrode6is formed on the interlayer insulating film4. The back surface electrode9is formed on the second principal surface (back side) on the silicon substrate1opposing to the first principal surface. The surface electrode6and the back surface electrode9are respectively connected with the penetration electrode8formed in a through-hole7in the silicon substrate1by etching process.

The ball terminal13is arranged on the second principal surface of the silicon substrate1so as to contact with the back surface electrode9. A back surface protection film12is formed on the second surface of the silicon substrate1except the back surface electrode9and the ball terminal13. A space portion11surrounded by the semiconductor chip50, the glass substrate60, and the adhesive layer10is formed on the integrated circuit portion2.

FIG. 2is a cross-sectional view showing a camera module according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 2, an IR cut filter21, a lens22for condensing light, a lens holder23, a shielding cap24, a substrate70, and a semiconductor device80are formed in a camera module90. In addition, although not illustrated, a signal processing IC chip, a power supply IC chip, an input-and-output IC chip, and passive elements, etc. are implemented in the camera module90.

The lens22for condensing light is held by the lens holder23and condenses an incident light. The IR cut filter21is formed on one surface of the glass substrate60opposing to the integrated circuit portion2and cuts an infrared region of the condensed incident light. Furthermore, the incident light is irradiated to the sensor portion3. The shielding cap24shields the IR cut filter21, the lens22for condensing, the lens holder23, and the semiconductor device80. Various circuits are formed on the substrate70and are connected with the ball terminal13.

Next, a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device is explained with reference toFIGS. 3 to 11.FIGS. 3 to 11are cross-sectional views showing the manufacturing process of the semiconductor device.

As shown inFIG. 3, in the semiconductor device80constituting the sensor module, an aperture30is formed in a region of the interlayer insulating films4on the silicon wafer100in which a CMOS type image sensor is formed so that the silicon substrate1is exposed by irradiating with laser light. The aperture30is formed in a region of the interlayer insulating film4in which the surface electrode6is not formed. Although a SiOC film is used for the interlayer insulating film4in this embodiment, other materials such as a SiOCH film, a porous (porosity) silica layer, and etc. may be used instead. Furthermore, although AL (aluminum) is used for the surface electrode6, other metal such as Cu (copper) etc. may be used instead.

The relation of a laser beam treatment width Wlk, a dicing region width Wdl, and respective distances L11from both ends of the dicing region in the aperture30to the edges of the interlayer insulating film4are set as follows.
Wlk=Wdl+(2×L11)  Expression (1)

That is, the aperture30is formed so as to be apart from the integrated circuit portion2, and to extend to the inside of the semiconductor chip for distance L11from the end of the dicing region.

In the formation method of the aperture30using the laser light, for example, a water-soluble protection film is formed on the surface, and UV pulsed laser is used as the laser light. The water-soluble protection film is used to remove solidified residual substance after melted with the UV pulse laser irradiation by water flow. The water-soluble protection film is also removed by the water flow. Here, although the laser light is used for the formation of the aperture30, RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) etc. may be used instead.

Next, as shown inFIG. 4, the resin layer5is formed in the aperture30. Although polyimide resin is used for the resin layer5, other resins such as BCB (benzocyclobuten) resin, fluorine resin, and etc. may be used instead. The resin layer5is formed to considerably reduce the chipping, the crack, and the broken originated from the edge of the semiconductor chip, specifically, the Low-k insulating film, when the semiconductor chips are separated in pieces by the blade dicing of the silicon wafer100,

Then, as shown inFIG. 5, back surface polishing of the silicon wafer100is carried out to make the surface into a mirror surface, and the silicon wafer100is formed into a thin wafer. Then, the adhesive layer10is formed on the interlayer insulating film4, the surface electrode6, and the aperture30. Although epoxy resin is used for the adhesives10in this embodiment, other adhesives such as polyimide resin, acrylic resin, and etc. may be used instead.

Then, as shown inFIG. 6, the silicon wafer100formed into the thin wafer is arranged on the glass substrate60by the Face Down method, and the silicon wafer100is adhered to the glass substrate60by the adhesive layer10.

Next, as shown inFIG. 7, the through-hole7is formed in the silicon substrate1so that the surface electrode6may be exposed by etching the silicon substrate1and the interlayer insulating film4using the Deep RIE method. Practically, the through-hole7in an approximately perpendicular shape with a large aspect ratio is formed using the Bosch method in which an etching step by SF6gas and a deposition process by C4F8gas are repeated by turns. RIE post-processing is performed after the Deep RIE processing, and the inner surface of the through-hole7is cleaned.

Then, as shown inFIG. 8, the penetration electrode8is formed in the through-hole7using a plating method. Here, although the electroplating method is used, an electroless plating method etc. may be used. In this embodiment, Cu (copper) is used for the penetration electrode8, however, other metals such as Ag (silver), nickel (nickel), or Au (gold) may be used instead.

After the penetration electrode8is formed, the back surface electrode9is formed on the second principal surface (back side) of the silicon substrate1, for example, using the plating method so as to contact with the penetration electrode8. Although Cu (copper) is used for the back surface electrode9in this embodiment, other metals, such as Au (gold) may be used instead.

Then, as shown inFIG. 9, the back surface protection film12is formed on the second principal surface (back side) of the silicon substrate1except the back surface electrode9. The ball terminal13is formed on the back surface electrode9after the back protection film12is formed. Although solder resist material is used for the back surface protection film12in this embodiment, the resins such as polyimide resin, epoxy resin, and etc. may be used instead. Further, Pb (lead) free solder is used for the ball terminal13, however, other materials such as Au (gold) and etc. may be used.

Next, as shown inFIG. 10, the back surface protection film12, the silicon substrate1, the resin layer5, and the adhesive layer10on the dicing region are cut by the blade dicing method using a first cutting blade edge. Here, although the cutting is started from X direction, and then Y direction is cut after that, reverse order is possible.

Here, since the interlayer insulating film4is arranged apart from the dicing region, the interlayer insulating film4is not cut. For this reason, the chipping, the crack or the drop of the interlayer insulating film4formed of the Low-K insulating film can be remarkably reduced in the case of cutting by the blade dicing. Moreover, since it is not necessary to make slow the number of rotations of the first cutting blade edge in the blade dicing method, the productivity in the blade dicing process does not fall. In addition, peeling off of the interlayer insulating film4formed of the Low-K insulating film by heat stress or medicine damage in the sensor module formation process can be suppressed remarkably.

Then, as shown inFIG. 11, the glass substrate60under the dicing region is cut by the blade dicing method using a second cutting blade edge. Here, although the cutting is started from X direction, and then Y direction is cut after that, reverse order may be possible. According to the dicing, a plurality of discrete semiconductor devices80(refer toFIG. 1), such as a first semiconductor chip50aand a second semiconductor chip50badhered on the glass substrate60are formed respectively.

As mentioned above, in the semiconductor device and a manufacturing method for the semiconductor device according to this embodiment, the interlayer insulating film4on the silicon wafer100in which the integrated circuit portion2is formed, is etched to form the aperture30broader than the dicing region so as to be apart from the integrated circuit portion2. The resin layer5is embedded in the aperture30. The silicon wafer100is arranged on the glass substrate60by the Face Down method and is adhered on the glass substrate60by the adhesive layer10. The silicon wafer100adhered to the glass substrate60is diced into pieces using the blade dicing method. The back surface protection film12, the silicon substrate1, the resin layer5, and the adhesive layer10on the dicing region are cut using the first cutting blade edge. Since the interlayer insulating film4is arranged apart from the cutting region, the interlayer insulating film4is not cut. The glass substrate60under the dicing region is cut by the blade dicing method using the second cutting blade edge. Consequently, the semiconductor devices80are separated into pieces.

Thereby, the chipping, the crack or the broken of the interlayer insulating film4by the blade dicing can be reduced remarkably. Moreover, since it is not necessary to make slow the number of rotations of the first cutting blade edge, the productivity in the blade dicing process does not fall. Moreover, the peeling off of the interlayer insulating film4by heat stress or the medicine damage in the sensor module manufacturing process can be suppressed remarkably.

In addition, although the embodiment is applied to the silicon wafer arranged on the glass substrate by the Face Down method, the embodiment is also applied to a case where a semiconductor element or an integrated circuit is formed on a silicon wafer, and the silicon wafer provided with a protection film on the surface is diced from the back surface of the wafer.

Second Embodiment

Next, a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device according to a second embodiment of the present invention are explained with reference to drawings.FIG. 12andFIG. 13are cross-sectional views showing the manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. In this embodiment, the shape of the resin layer5formed in the aperture is changed.

Hereafter, the same mark or symbol is given to the same portion as the first embodiment. The explanation about the same portion is omitted, and only a different portion is explained.

As shown inFIG. 12, the second embodiment uses the same process as the first embodiment till the process to form the aperture30in the silicon wafer100in which the CMOS type image sensor is formed ends. Next, the resin layer5is formed in the aperture30and on the interlayer insulating film4. Here, the resin layer5is formed so as to cover the bottom and the both sides of the aperture30extending on the interlayer insulating film4.

Then, as shown inFIG. 13, the adhesive layer10is formed on the resin layer5. After this, since the process is the same as that of the first embodiment, illustration and explanation are omitted.

As mentioned above, in the semiconductor device and the manufacturing method of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment, when carrying out the blade dicing of the silicon wafer100adhered to the glass substrate60by the adhesive layer10like the first embodiment, the resin layer5is formed in the region in which the dicing is carried out, while the interlayer insulating film4is not formed.

For this reason, chipping, cracking or breakage of the interlayer insulating film4by the blade dicing can be reduced remarkably. Moreover, the peeling off of the interlayer insulating film4by the heat stress or the medicine damage in the sensor module manufacturing process can be also suppressed remarkably.

Third Embodiment

Next, the semiconductor device and the manufacturing method of the semiconductor device according to a third embodiment of the present invention are explained with reference to drawings.FIG. 14andFIG. 15are cross-sectional views showing the manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. In this embodiment, a color filter layer is formed on the semiconductor wafer before dicing.

Hereafter, the same mark or symbol is given to the identical configuration portion to the first embodiment and the explanation of the portion is omitted, and only a different portion is explained.

As shown inFIG. 14, the color filter film31is formed on the integrated circuit portion2and the interlayer insulating film4of the silicon wafer100in which the CMOS type image sensor is formed.

Next, as shown inFIG. 15, the color filter film31and the interlayer insulating film4are etched using the RIE method to form the aperture30. The resin layer5is embedded in the aperture30after washing process by RIE. After this, since the process is the same as the first embodiment, the illustration and the explanation are omitted.

As mentioned above, in the semiconductor device and the manufacturing method of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment, when carrying out the blade dicing of the silicon wafer100adhered to the glass substrate60by the adhesive layer10like the first embodiment, the resin layer5is formed in the region in which the dicing is carried out, while the interlayer insulating film4is not formed.

For this reason chipping, cracking or breakage of the interlayer insulating film4by the blade dicing can be reduced remarkably. Moreover, the peeling off of the interlayer insulating film4by the heat stress or the medicine damage in the sensor module manufacturing process can be also suppressed remarkably.

Although the embodiments are applied to the blade dicing of the CMOS type image sensor device which uses the silicon substrate1, they are also applicable to the blade dicing of general semiconductor devices using a SiC substrate or a GaAs substrate other than the CMOS type image sensor device using the silicon substrate1.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. In practice, the structural and method elements can be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. Various embodiments can be made by properly combining the structural and method elements disclosed in the embodiments. For example, some structural and method elements may be omitted from all the structural and method elements disclosed in the embodiments. Furthermore, the structural and method elements in different embodiments may properly be combined. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall with the scope and spirit of the inventions.