Preliminary trenches formed in kerf regions for die singulation

US10672661B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Markus Zundel · Egmating, DE
• Stefan Mieslinger · Kottgeisering, DE
• Thomas Ostermann · Velden am Wörther See, AT
• Christian Westermeier · Munich, DE
• Jochen Hilsenbeck · Villach, AT
• Jens Peter Konrath · Villach, AT
• Boris Mayerhofer · Neubiberg, DE
• Anatoly Sotnikov · Regensburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 31, 2018
• Grant date: Jun 2, 2020
• Expiry date: Oct 31, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D64/117
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor wafer having a main surface and a rear surface opposite from the main surface is provided. A die singulation preparation step is performed in kerf regions of the semiconductor wafer. The kerf regions enclose a plurality of die sites. The die singulation preparation step includes forming one or more preliminary kerf trenches between at least two immediately adjacent die sites. The method further includes forming active semiconductor devices in the die sites, and singulating the semiconductor wafer in the kerf regions thereby providing a plurality of discrete semiconductor dies from the die sites. The one or more preliminary kerf trenches are unfilled during the singulating, and the singulating includes removing semiconductor material from a surface of the semiconductor wafer that is between opposite facing sidewalls of the one or more preliminary kerf trenches.