Claims
- 1. A method for scribing a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising the steps of:
directing a patterned laser projection at a surface of said semiconductor wafer, said semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate layer and a device layer; applying said patterned laser projection with a given set of parameters until at least a partial cut in said semiconductor wafer is obtained; and blowing gas across the surface for removing particles during said partial cut.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate layer comprises a sapphire substrate layer.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said device layer comprises a nitride device layer.
- 4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of vacuuming said gas received from across the surface with a vacuum hose.
- 5. The method of claim 2, wherein said blowing is performed by at least one jet nozzle.
- 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the blowing step adjusts said jet nozzle to blow gas at a rate greater than 2 psi.
- 7. The method of claim 2, wherein said patterned laser projection is reflected back into the wafer from a reflector disposed near a second surface of said semiconductor wafer during the applying step.
- 8. A method for scribing a semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate layer and a device layer, said method comprising the steps of:
directing a patterned laser projection at said device layer of said semiconductor wafer; applying said patterned laser projection with a given set of parameters until at least a partial cut in said semiconductor wafer is obtained; and reflecting said patterned laser projection back into said semiconductor wafer during said partial cut.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said substrate layer comprises a sapphire substrate layer.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said device layer comprises a nitride device layer.
- 11. A method for preparing a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of:
providing said semiconductor wafer, the providing step including the step of, on a substrate, depositing a device layer; directing a laser through optical elements to form a patterned laser projection; making a plurality of cuts in at least the substrate via laser ablation using the patterned laser projection; and blowing gas across a surface of said semiconductor wafer for removing particles during said partial cut.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said substrate comprises a sapphire substrate layer.
- 13. The method of claim 12, wherein said device layer comprises a nitride device layer.
- 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of vacuuming said gas received from across the surface with a vacuum hose.
- 15. A laser-based system for dicing semiconductor wafers, comprising:
a table for holding and positioning a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of devices, said semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate layer and a device layer; a projection delivery system for directing a patterned laser projection to a surface of said semiconductor wafer; a controller for applying said patterned laser projection in accordance with given parameters to achieve at least a partial cut through said semiconductor wafer; and a cleaning system for removing particles during said partial cut.
- 16. The system of claim 15, wherein said substrate layer comprises a sapphire substrate layer.
- 17. The system of claim 16, wherein said device layer comprises a nitride device layer.
- 18. The system of claim 16, wherein said cleaning system blows gas across the surface of the wafer.
- 19. The system of claim 16, wherein said cleaning system includes at least one jet nozzle adapted to blow gas across the surface of the wafer.
- 20. The system of claim 16, wherein said cleaning system includes at least one vacuum hose to remove particles from the surface being cut.
- 21. The system according to claim 16, wherein said projection system includes a reflector underlying the wafer set on said table for reflecting said patterned laser projection back into the wafer to enhance the cutting process.
- 22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said reflector is a reflective metal applied to a surface of said wafer.
- 23. A laser-based system for dicing semiconductor wafers, comprising:
a table for holding and positioning a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of devices, said semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate layer and a device layer; a projection delivery system for directing a patterned laser projection at said device layer of said semiconductor wafer; a controller for applying said patterned laser projection in accordance with given parameters to achieve at least a partial cut through said semiconductor wafer; and a reflector in said substrate layer for reflecting said patterned laser projection back into said semiconductor wafer during said partial cut.
- 24. The system of claim of 23, wherein said substrate layer comprises a sapphire substrate layer.
- 25. The system of claim 24, wherein said device layer comprises a nitride device layer.
- 26. The system according to claim 24 wherein said reflector is a reflective metal applied to a surface of said substrate.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part and claims the benefit of U.S. Application Ser. No. 09/178, 287 filed on Oct. 23, 1998 which is incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09178287 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
Child |
10146267 |
May 2002 |
US |