Multi beam laser dicing, the new standard for laser grooving and dicing of low k wafers!

21 Apr 2010

ALSI has again set the standard with their patented multi-beam laser dicing technology for a new application.  After successful introductions and market leader position for transistor/diodes, LED’s and RFIC, ALSI has released this time successfully the multi-beam technology for grooving and dicing of low-k wafers.

The introduction of low-k dielectrics is needed in order to continue the downscaling of microelectronic devices (extending Moore’s law). The transistor density increase in integrated circuits introduces performance challenges such as charge build up and cross talk. The materials used for low-k dielectrics are typically porous materials with fragile structures, having relatively low mechanical strength. The materials are used on wafers that range in thickness from full thickness down to ultra thin wafers (e.g. <50 um)

Traditional mechanical dicing technologies such as blade dicing, can create cracks, cause tearing and delamination of the low-k materials.

Laser ablation processes have been developed and qualified to clean the dicing streets of such materials, prior to the blade dicing process, thus avoiding such mechanical damage in the low-k materials that could propagate into the integrated circuit. The typical low-k removal process by laser is to apply a single beam high power, multiple pass, laser process which increases the risk of thermal damage, due to the large heat affected zone and low productivity as it utilizes 5-10 passes to clear the dicing street.

ALSI’s unique and proprietary multi-beam laser dicing process is extremely suitable to remove the low-k material in a single pass, with very low power per beam, thus resulting in a minimized heat affected zone. The productivity of our technology is a factor 5X or more than with any other laser grooving process.

ALSI has just released this new technology on their latest fully integrated 300 mm laser dicing platform with integrated coating and cleaning stations.

Just after the release of this new platform with the multi-beam grooving process, a leading US based company has already placed orders for the system. The interest from other 300mm customers, to whom we have revealed our new technology, is huge. “This proves that ALSI has successfully developed a solution that offers a significantly better value proposition for the customer“, says ALSI’s director of commerce Rene Hendriks. The productivity is that high that the system is equipped with multiple coat and clean stations. This unique multibeam process can also be used in the same system and configuration to offer a complete thru cut for thin 300mm wafers without the use of blade dicers all together. Thus the complete process can be accomplished in one system without the need for transfer from one system to another.

In conclusion, the low k wafer can be diced partly, (grooved) or diced completely, with a lower defect density, less handling, and with greater throughput which will reduce the cost of dicing significant while improving the yield.

The delivery of the new systems will start in May 2010.

For more detailed information of our processes, technology or system concepts please visit www.laserdicing.com or contactinfo@laserdicing.com

Published at Global SMT & Packing