Patent ID: 7135124

Claim:
A method for thinning a product wafer having a first surface including a plurality of conductive bumps arranged in a first pattern and a second surface to which a grinding force is to be applied to effect the thinning, said method comprising the steps of: a. forming a socket plate having a plurality of cavities formed therein by; providing a base plate having a chemical vapor deposition layer thereon; coating said deposition layer with a positive resist material; exposing said resist material with a second pattern corresponding to said first pattern; etching said deposition layer using said resist material as a mask; removing said resist material; etching said base plate to form a plurality of cavities arranged in said second pattern; and removing said deposition layer; b. placing said product wafer in registry with said socket plate so that each of said conductive bumps are inserted into a corresponding one of said plurality of cavities; and c. applying a grinding force to said second surface of said product wafer.