Patent ID: 7642175

Claim:
A wafer level method of forming an optically opaque backcoat layer on back surfaces of a multiplicity of flip chip style integrated circuit devices formed on a wafer, the wafer having an active surface with a plurality of contact pads and a back surface, the method comprising: applying a backcoat/mount tape on the back surface of the wafer wherein the backcoat/mount tape includes a backcoat adhesive layer and a mount layer, the backcoat adhesive layer being formed from an optically opaque material; dicing the wafer to define a multiplicity of singulated flip chip style integrated circuits, wherein the dicing is arranged to cut fully through the wafer and the backcoat adhesive layer but only partially through the mount layer of the backcoat/mount tape such that the backcoat/mount tape remains substantially intact with a multiplicity of singulated flip chip style integrated circuits thereon; curing the backcoat adhesive layer of the backcoat/mount tape such that the backcoat adhesive layer is affixed to the second surface of the wafer and such that the backcoat adhesive layer covers the entire back surface of each of the integrated circuits; releasing the mount layer from the backcoat adhesive layer thereby forming a backcoat layer on the second surface of the wafer that is formed only from the backcoat adhesive layer, wherein the releasing is performed after the dicing operation; and separating the singulated integrated circuits from the mount layer of the backcoat/mount tape while leaving only the backcoat layer formed from the backcoat adhesive layer affixed to the back surfaces of the integrated circuits, wherein the backcoat adhesive layer is cured before the mount layer is removed, whereby the cured backcoat layer forms an optically opaque protective coating that covers the entire back surface of each flip chip style integrated circuit and is suitable for preventing light from striking the back surface of the integrated circuits.