Wafer dicing is the process of cutting or sawing thin silicon wafers into its respective parts known as a die. Dicing typically involves mechanical sawing using a dicing saw, scribing and breaking, or laser dicing. All of which are automated to ensure accuracy and precision. There are many ways to dice silicon wafers. Here are some common methods of silicon wafer dicing:
The Dice Before Grind method is one dicing process that is used alternatively to prevent unacceptable chipping and edge damage of the wafers. The wafers are initially diced using half-cut dicer until it’s below the desired thickness. After this step, thinning follows which is essentially done by refining the thin silicon wafers into the target thickness. One benefit of this method is that it yields a better die strength.
Stealth dicing is done using lasers with a semi-transparent light wavelength that cuts through the substrate. It’s imperative to start cutting at the midpoint of the wafer since the cut must begin within the wafer. Since the wafer is cut from inside out, less silicone dust and particles are produced which could damage the substrate’s surface. Aside from that, stealth dicing also produces minimal heat transfer which eliminates the need for water or other cooling agents.
This method uses a diamond blade to cut through the wafers mounted using an adhesive onto a metal frame. The blades rotate between 15,000 to 30,000 rpm in order to cut through the wafers. While the dicing happens, cooling agents are sprinkled within the cutting lines to prevent silicon dust from contaminating the surface of the substrate.
There are a lot of dicing methods for thin silicon wafers. If you’re looking for a company who can provide you with a thin silicon wafer, then Wafer World will be happy to supply high-quality wafers for you. Our 22 years of being in the industry have allowed us to improve to make sure that we can deliver the best possible thin silicon wafers. If you have inquiries, feel free to give us a call.
