Technical-Report

Plasma Dicing Solu�ons of a Variety of Materials:
From Silicon Wafers with Metal or Resin Layers, to Compound Semiconductors

Blade dicing is widely used in the dicing processes, but its impact and stress cause cracking and chipping of chips.
Also, as the chip size becomes smaller, the throuput declines due to the increase in the number of cut lines.
Samco proposes plasma dicing solu�ons by using the Bosch process, with the produc�on-type Deep Reac�ve Ion
Etching (DRIE) system, the RIE-800iPBC. Its plasma dicing technology enables reliable dicing processes, regardless ofwafer and chip sizes. Addi�onally, the technology could be applied to a wide variety of dicing applica�ons such as
circular chips, silicon wafers with metal or resin layers, and compound semiconductors.
■ Advantages of Plasma Dicing

Etch Rate (µm/min)

50

Plasma dicing is the dry etching process that uses ﬂuorine
chemistry, and does not have physical contact with thechips, unlike blade dicing, which entails physical contact
with the chips, resul�ng in chipping and cracking. Also,with plasma dicing, its dicing process �me does notincrease when the chip size gets smaller; consequently
the number of cut lines increases. On the other hand,
blade dicing needs more process �me to go throughmore cut lilnes (Fig. 1). Therefore, plasma dicing issuitable for dicing special shaped chips, such as circularchips, and micro-size chips of 500 µm square or smaller.

4030201000204060Open Area of ø8-inch Si Wafers (%)

Fig. 2 Open Area of ø8-inch Si Wafers vs. Etch Rate
Etch Rate Decline (%)

5040302010012345Aspect Ra�o67Fig. 3 Aspect Ra�o vs. Etch Rate Decline
Blade Dicing

Plasma Dicing

Fig.1 The Concept Images of Blade Dicing and Plasma Dicing- All of the cut lines in the whole wafer areprocessed simultaneously in plasma dicing.

However, the drawback of plasma dicing is that it
requires not only a DRIE system but also other systems
for resist coa�ng, exposure and development; therefore,
the total number of processes should be increased.
■ Samco’s Plasma Dicing Technology

The RIE-800iPBC is a produc�on-type DRIE system speciallydesigned for the Bosch process. This system is capableof high-speed etching (over 40μm/min) and high aspectsilicon etching ra�o, and it provides process solu�ons
op�mized for narrow-pa�erned and ver�cal trench
fabrica�on. The etch rate depends on the open area
and the aspect ra�o (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3). For example, when
the scribe open area of a ø8-inch wafer (150μm thick)is 30% and the scribe width is 30 nm, the etching rate isabout 16 μm/min, and the whole wafer is diced in ten
minutes. Samco provides total plasma dicing solu�ons
including op�miza�on of the process before and a�erdicing, and is researching dicing technologies including
glue for wafer support.

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■ Plasma Dicing Solu�ons of a Variety of Materials

Samco’s research focus on plasma dicing includes dicingof silicon wafers with metal or resin layers, and also
con�nuous etching of gallium nitride and silicon of thegallium nitride on silicon (GaN on Si) wafers by means of
ﬂuorine-based plasma.
In the case of blade dicing, silicon wafers with metal layers
cause blade clogging. On the other hand, plasma dicing is
a non-contact process; therefore, clogging does not occur.
In the case of plasma dicing of mul�ple materials with
one system, chamber cleaning and parts exchange will
be required. In such a case, installa�on of several systems
dedicated to the etching of each material could save on
the total cost. Samco oﬀers plasma dicing technology ofvarious materials, such as GaAs in chlorine-based plasma(please refer our Technical Report Vol. 79), and can provide
plasma dicing solu�ons of a variety of materials, whichmeet various customer needs.
■ Summary

Samco provides customized plasma dicing solu�ons
to meet each customer’s requirements, and will con�nue todevelop plasma dicing technology for a variety of materias usedin device manufacturing.

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