Making Grooves, E.g., Cutting (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.238)
  • Patent number: 11437579
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating a stretchable electronic device, the method including a step of forming one or more semiconductor devices on a first carrier substrate; a step of forming semiconductor device array patterns by separating semiconductor device arrays each including the semiconductor devices; a step of releasing the semiconductor device array patterns from the first carrier substrate; a step of forming a stretchable substrate on a second carrier substrate; and a step of transferring the released semiconductor device array patterns onto the stretchable substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION GROUP OF KYUNG HEE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jin Jang, Min Sang Park
  • Patent number: 11127633
    Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyolefin sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyolefin sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyolefin sheet as applying a pressure to the polyolefin sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyolefin sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of blowing out air to push up each device chip and picking up each device chip from the polyolefin sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigenori Harada, Minoru Matsuzawa, Hayato Kiuchi, Yoshiaki Yodo, Taro Arakawa, Masamitsu Agari, Emiko Kawamura, Yusuke Fujii, Toshiki Miyai, Makiko Ohmae
  • Patent number: 11075117
    Abstract: Techniques for singulating dies from a respective workpiece and for incorporating one or more singulated die into a stacked device structure are described herein. In some examples, singulating a die from a workpiece includes chemically etching the workpiece in a scribe line. In some examples, singulating a die from a workpiece includes mechanically dicing the workpiece in a scribe line and forming a liner along a sidewall of the die. The die can be incorporated into a stacked device structure. The die can be attached to a substrate along with another die that is attached to the substrate. An encapsulant can be between each die and the substrate and laterally between the dies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Ganesh Hariharan, Raghunandan Chaware, Inderjit Singh
  • Patent number: 11037813
    Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyolefin sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyolefin sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyolefin sheet as applying a pressure to the polyolefin sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyolefin sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of cooling the polyolefin sheet, pushing up each device chip through the polyolefin sheet, and then picking up each device chip from the polyolefin sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigenori Harada, Minoru Matsuzawa, Hayato Kiuchi, Yoshiaki Yodo, Taro Arakawa, Masamitsu Agari, Emiko Kawamura, Yusuke Fujii, Toshiki Miyai, Makiko Ohmae
  • Patent number: 11018043
    Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyester sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyester sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyester sheet as applying a pressure to the polyester sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyester sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of blowing out air to push up each device chip and picking up each device chip from the polyester sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigenori Harada, Minoru Matsuzawa, Hayato Kiuchi, Yoshiaki Yodo, Taro Arakawa, Masamitsu Agari, Emiko Kawamura, Yusuke Fujii, Toshiki Miyai, Makiko Ohmae
  • Patent number: 10964595
    Abstract: A method of packaging an integrated circuit includes forming a first integrated circuit and a second integrated circuit on a wafer, the first and second integrated circuit separated by a singulation region. The method includes covering the first and second integrated circuits with a molding compound, and sawing through the molding compound and a top portion of the wafer using a beveled saw blade, while leaving a bottom portion of the wafer remaining. The method further includes sawing through the bottom portion of the wafer using a second saw blade, the second saw blade having a thickness that is less than a thickness of the beveled saw blade. The resulting structure is within the scope of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yen-Ping Wang, Ming-Kai Liu, Kai-Chiang Wu
  • Patent number: 10896850
    Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyolefin sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyolefin sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyolefin sheet as applying a pressure to the polyolefin sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyolefin sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of heating the polyolefin sheet, pushing up each device chip through the polyolefin sheet, and then picking up each device chip from the polyolefin sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigenori Harada, Minoru Matsuzawa, Hayato Kiuchi, Yoshiaki Yodo, Taro Arakawa, Masamitsu Agari, Emiko Kawamura, Yusuke Fujii, Toshiki Miyai, Makiko Ohmae
  • Patent number: 10847420
    Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyolefin sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyolefin sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyolefin sheet as applying a pressure to the polyolefin sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyolefin sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of picking up each device chip from the polyolefin sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigenori Harada, Minoru Matsuzawa, Hayato Kiuchi, Yoshiaki Yodo, Taro Arakawa, Masamitsu Agari, Emiko Kawamura, Yusuke Fujii, Toshiki Miyai, Makiko Ohmae
  • Patent number: 10811363
    Abstract: Embodiments of semiconductor fabrication methods are disclosed. In an example, a method for forming a mark for locating patterns in semiconductor fabrication is disclosed. A wafer is divided into a plurality of shots. Each of the plurality of shots includes a semiconductor chip die. Four quarters of a locking corner mark are subsequently patterned, respectively, at four corners of four adjacent shots of the plurality of shots. Each quarter of the locking corner mark is symmetric to adjacent quarters of the locking corner mark and is separated from the adjacent quarters of the locking corner mark by a nominally same distance. The locking corner mark is set as an origin for locating patterns in at least one of the four adjacent shots in semiconductor fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dou Dou Zhang, Jin Yu Qiu, Zhi Yang Song, Jun He, Zhi Hu Gao, Yaobin Feng
  • Patent number: 10720360
    Abstract: An embodiment method includes providing a wafer including a first integrated circuit die, a second integrated circuit die, and a scribe line region between the first integrated circuit die and the second integrated circuit die. The method further includes forming a kerf in the scribe line region and after forming the kerf, using a mechanical sawing process to fully separate the first integrated circuit die from the second integrated circuit die. The kerf extends through a plurality of dielectric layers into a semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fu-Chen Chang, Cheng-Lin Huang, Wen-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 10497621
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for dicing a substrate with back metal, the method comprising the following steps. The substrate is provided with a first surface and a second surface wherein the second surface is opposed to the first surface. A mask layer is provided on the first surface of the substrate and a thin film layer is provided on the second surface of the substrate. The first surface of the substrate is diced through the mask layer to expose the thin film layer on the second surface of the substrate. A fluid from a fluid jet is applied to the thin film layer on the second surface of the substrate after the thin film layer has been exposed by the dicing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLC
    Inventors: Peter Falvo, Linnell Martinez, David Pays-Volard, Rich Gauldin, Russell Westerman
  • Patent number: 10424548
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided, which includes a bonding step bonding a semiconductor substrate having a semiconductor element disposed on a first surface, to a support substrate, at least through an adhesive layer between the semiconductor substrate and the support substrate, and a groove forming step forming a groove in a scribe area of the semiconductor substrate, from a side of a second surface of the semiconductor substrate, the second surface being opposite to the first surface, and in the groove forming step, a conductive layer between the semiconductor substrate and the support substrate is exposed at a bottom of the groove, without the adhesive layer being exposed in the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Kazue, Takahiro Hachisu, Hidemasa Oshige
  • Patent number: 10364510
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate for crystal growth used for a vapor phase growth of a crystal, wherein a plurality of seed crystal substrates made of a group III nitride crystal are arranged in a disc shape, so that their main surfaces are parallel to each other and adjacent lateral surfaces are in contact with each other; and the plurality of seed crystal substrates constituting at least a portion other than a peripheral portion of the substrate for crystal growth respectively has a main surface whose planar shape is a regular hexagon, and a honeycomb pattern obtained by matching the seed crystal substrates has two or more symmetries, when the substrate for crystal growth is rotated once, with an axis passing through a center of a main surface of the substrate for crystal growth and orthogonal to the main surface as a central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignees: SCIOCS COMPANY LIMITED, SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Tekehiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10082455
    Abstract: The present invention related to an apparatus for separating micro-nano scale particles based on microfluidic chromatography using surface acoustic waves, comprising: a piezoelectric substrate; a pair of transducers, which are patterned on the piezoelectric substrate and generate surface acoustic waves when electric energy is applied to the piezoelectric substrate; a microfluidic chip, which is mounted on the piezoelectric substrate and include a microfluidic channel disposed between the pair of transducers, wherein a fluid including micro-nano scale particles flows in the microfluidic channel; and a detection unit, which detects micro-nano scale particles separated by the surface acoustic waves while the micro-nano scale particles pass through the microfluidic channel, wherein forces of the surface acoustic waves generated by the pair of transducers are formed in a direction opposite to a fluid flow to generate flow resistance to the micro-nano scale particles which flows in the microfluidic channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Se Hyun Shin, Jeong Hoon Nam
  • Patent number: 9847258
    Abstract: Consistent with an example embodiment, there is a method for preparing an integrated circuit (IC) device from a wafer substrate, the wafer substrate having a top-side surface with a plurality of active device die separated by saw lanes and an opposite under-side surface. The method comprises coating the under-side surface of the wafer substrate with a resilient coating, locating the position of the saw lanes from the underside surface, blade dicing trenches in the resilient material to expose under-side bulk material in the position of saw lanes, and plasma etching through the trenches to remove the exposed under-side bulk material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Rohleder, Hartmut Buenning, Guido Albermann, Sascha Moeller, Martin Lapke
  • Patent number: 9754832
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer (100) having a regular pattern of predetermined separation lanes (102) is provided, wherein the predetermined separation lanes (102) are configured in such a way that the semiconductor wafer is singularizable along the regular pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Florian Schmitt, Heimo Scheucher, Michael Ziesmann
  • Patent number: 9704749
    Abstract: A method of dividing a wafer, having on one side a device area with a plurality of devices partitioned by a plurality of division lines and a peripheral marginal area with no devices formed around the device area, into dies is provided. The method comprises: attaching an adhesive tape for protecting devices on the wafer to the one side of the wafer, the adhesive tape adhering to at least some, optionally all, of the devices; connecting a carrier for supporting the adhesive tape to the side of the adhesive tape being opposite to the side in contact with the devices by connecting means; grinding that side of the wafer being opposite the one side for adjusting the wafer height; and cutting the wafer along the division lines. The method is characterized by locating the connecting means completely outward of the device area of the wafer in a top view thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Karl Heinz Priewasser
  • Patent number: 9653417
    Abstract: A method of packaging an integrated circuit includes forming a first integrated circuit and a second integrated circuit on a wafer, the first and second integrated circuit separated by a singulation region. The method includes covering the first and second integrated circuits with a molding compound, and sawing through the molding compound and a top portion of the wafer using a beveled saw blade, while leaving a bottom portion of the wafer remaining. The method further includes sawing through the bottom portion of the wafer using a second saw blade, the second saw blade having a thickness that is less than a thickness of the beveled saw blade. The resulting structure is within the scope of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Ping Wang, Ming-Kai Liu, Kai-Chiang Wu
  • Patent number: 9564366
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The method comprising providing a process chamber having a wall; providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber; providing a work piece support within the process chamber; placing the substrate onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece work piece; loading the work piece onto the work piece support; providing a cover ring disposed above the work piece; generating a plasma through the plasma source; and etching the work piece through the generated plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLC
    Inventors: Linnell Martinez, David Pays-Volard, Chris Johnson, David Johnson, Russell Westerman, Gordon M. Grivna
  • Patent number: 9416041
    Abstract: A method for cutting a substrate of irregular pattern includes: forming a cutting line on the substrate, wherein the closed region enclosed by the cutting line is the irregular pattern that is required; forming a trough line at the cutting line; and applying an external force to the substrate so as to divide the substrate at the trough line. The method can remarkably improve accuracy and efficiency of cutting a substrate of irregular pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignees: BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Liyuan Jiang, Yaokun Zheng, Lianjie Qu, Yajie Wang, Yanqi Jiang
  • Patent number: 9040389
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of forming a semiconductor device comprises forming a groove on and/or over a first side of a substrate. A dicing layer is formed from a second side of the substrate using a laser process. The second side is opposite the first side. The dicing layer is disposed under the groove within the substrate. The substrate is singulated through the dicing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Gunther Mackh, Maria Heidenblut, Adolf Koller, Anatoly Sotnikov
  • Patent number: 9034733
    Abstract: In one embodiment, semiconductor die are singulated from a semiconductor wafer having a backmetal layer by placing the semiconductor wafer onto a carrier tape with the backmetal layer adjacent the carrier tape, forming singulation lines through the semiconductor wafer to expose the backmetal layer within the singulation lines, and separating portions of the backmetal layer within the singulation lines using a pressurized fluid applied to the carrier tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: William F. Burghout, Dennis Lee Conner, Michael J. Seddon, Jay A. Yoder, Gordon M. Grivna
  • Patent number: 8999818
    Abstract: A semiconductor element is formed on a first surface of the substrate. A resin layer is formed over a second surface of the substrate which is opposite to the first surface of the substrate and on a part of the side surface of the substrate. A step is formed on the side surface of the substrate. The width of the upper section of the substrate with a step is narrower than the lower section of the substrate with a step. Therefore, the substrate can also be a protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Takahashi, Daiki Yamada, Yohei Monma, Hiroki Adachi, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8962452
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of singulating semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer includes forming a material on a surface of a semiconductor wafer and reducing a thickness of portions of the material. Preferably, the thickness of the material is reduced near where singulation openings are to be formed in the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon M. Grivna
  • Patent number: 8962363
    Abstract: Provided is a novel method for forming a groove composed of two smooth inclined surfaces on a surface of a flat plate formed of a nitride semiconductor crystal having an A, C, M-axes. In the present invention, a disk-shaped dicing blade is moved along a direction of the A-axis to form first and second inclined surfaces on the surface of the flat plate. The following mathematical formulae (I)-(III) are satisfied: 45 degrees??b?a?60 degrees (I) 45 degrees??b+a?60 degrees (II), 0 degrees?|a|?7.5 degrees, where angle ?b represents an angle formed between a surface of the edge and a radial direction of the dicing blade in a cross-sectional view which includes the M-axis and the C-axis. The angle a represents an angle formed between the principal surface and the M-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Inoue, Toshiyuki Fujita, Toshiya Yokogawa
  • Patent number: 8951815
    Abstract: A method for producing a liquid-discharge-head substrate includes a step of preparing a silicon substrate including, at a front-surface side of the silicon substrate, an energy generating element; a step of forming a first etchant introduction hole on the front-surface side of the silicon substrate; a step of supplying a first etchant into the first etchant introduction hole formed on the front-surface side of the silicon substrate, and supplying a second etchant to a back-surface side of the silicon substrate; a step of stopping the supply of the second etchant; and a step of, after the supply of the second etchant has been stopped, forming a liquid supply port extending through front and back surfaces of the silicon substrate by the supply of the first etchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryotaro Murakami, Shuji Koyama, Keisuke Kishimoto, Kenta Furusawa
  • Patent number: 8951833
    Abstract: A method for forming large substantially defect-free void areas on a semiconductor integrated circuit chip includes processing the chip through the passivation level processing operations then forming one or more openings in a designated blank area of the integrated circuit chip in a separate dedicated etching operation. The one or more openings may constitute 5-10% or more of the total area of the semiconductor chip. The void areas are deep trench openings that extend through the passivation layer and through all of the other material layers in the blank area exposing the substrate surface in one embodiment and through all material layers except for a field oxide layer formed directly on the substrate in another embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: WaferTech, LLC
    Inventor: Kun-Yi Liu
  • Patent number: 8865568
    Abstract: Fractures (17a, 17b) are generated from modified regions (7a, 7b) to front and rear faces (12a, 12b) of a object to be processed (1), respectively, while an unmodified region (2) is interposed between the modified regions (7a, 7b). This can prevent fractures from continuously advancing in the thickness direction of a silicon substrate (12) when forming a plurality of rows of modified regions (7). By generating a stress in the object (1), the fractures (17a, 17b) are connected to each other in the unmodified region (2), so as to cut the object (1). This can prevent fractures from meandering in the rear face (12b) of the object (1) and so forth, whereby the object (1) can be cut accurately along a line to cut the object (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K
    Inventors: Takeshi Sakamoto, Aiko Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8865569
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dividing a thin film device having a first layer which is a lower electrode layer, a second layer which is an active layer and a third layer which is an upper electrode layer, the layers each being continuous over the device, into separate cells which are electrically interconnected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: M-Solv Ltd.
    Inventor: Adam North Brunton
  • Patent number: 8790996
    Abstract: Methods of processing a device substrate are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of processing a device substrate can include bonding a first surface of a device substrate to a carrier with a polymeric material. The device substrate may have a plurality of first openings extending from the first surface towards a second surface of the device substrate opposite from the first surface. Then, material can be removed at the second surface of the device substrate, wherein at least some of the first openings communicate with the second surface at least one of before or after performing the removal of the material. Then, at least a portion of the polymeric material disposed between the first surface and the carrier substrate can be exposed to a substance through at least some first openings to debond the device substrate from the carrier substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Invensas Corporation
    Inventor: Pezhman Monadgemi
  • Patent number: 8790995
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a substrate processing method is disclosed. The above method includes: grinding an outer edge portion on a back surface of a semiconductor wafer with a semiconductor element formed on its front surface with a first grindstone or blade to thereby form an annular groove; grinding a projecting portion on an inner side of the groove with a second grindstone to thereby form a recessed portion integrally with the groove on the back surface of the semiconductor wafer; and grinding a bottom surface of the recessed portion including a ground surface made by the second grindstone with a third grindstone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinya Takyu, Noriko Shimizu, Tsutomu Fujita
  • Patent number: 8778719
    Abstract: The linear semiconductor substrate 1 or 2 of the present invention comprises at least one desired thin film 4 formed on a linear substrate 3 having a length ten or more times greater than a width, thickness, or diameter of the linear substrate itself. Adopting semiconductor as the thin film 4 forms a linear semiconductor thin film. The linear semiconductor substrate 1 or 2 of the present invention is produced by utilizing a fiber-drawing technique which is a fabricating technique of optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Nakamura, Nobuaki Orita, Hisashi Koaizawa, Kenkichi Suzuki, Hiroshi Kuraseko, Michio Kondo
  • Patent number: 8772168
    Abstract: Gate to contact shorts are reduced by forming dielectric caps in replaced gate structures. Embodiments include forming a replaced gate structure on a substrate, the replaced gate structure including an ILD having a cavity, a first metal on a top surface of the ILD and lining the cavity, and a second metal on the first metal and filling the cavity, planarizing the first and second metals, forming an oxide on the second metal, removing the oxide, recessing the first and second metals in the cavity, forming a recess, and filling the recess with a dielectric material. Embodiments further include dielectric caps having vertical sidewalls, a trapezoidal shape, a T-shape, or a Y-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ruilong Xie, Balasubramanian Pranatharthi Haran, David V. Horak, Su Chen Fan
  • Patent number: 8728914
    Abstract: Fractures (17a, 17b) are generated from modified regions (7a, 7b) to front and rear faces (12a, 12b) of a object to be processed (1), respectively, while an unmodified region (2) is interposed between the modified regions (7a, 7b). This can prevent fractures from continuously advancing in the thickness direction of a silicon substrate (12) when forming a plurality of rows of modified regions (7). By generating a stress in the object (1), the fractures (17a, 17b) are connected to each other in the unmodified region (2), so as to cut the object (1). This can prevent fractures from meandering in the rear face (12b) of the object (1) and so forth, whereby the object (1) can be cut accurately along a line to cut the object (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Takeshi Sakamoto, Aiko Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8728916
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor element of the present invention, has: a laser irradiation step of focusing a pulsed laser beam inside of a substrate constituting a wafer, thereby forming a plurality of isolated processed portions along an intended dividing line inside of the substrate, and creating a fissure that runs from the processed portions at least to the surface of the substrate and links adjacent processed portions; and a wafer division step of dividing the wafer along the intended dividing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Tamemoto
  • Patent number: 8709916
    Abstract: A laser processing method is disclosed, comprising the steps of: directing a laser beam to a workpiece; and effecting a relative motion between the laser beam and the workpiece. In particular, the step of directing the laser beam to the workpiece comprises focusing the laser beam within the workpiece until an internal damage forms within the workpiece and a crack propagates from the internal damage to at least one surface of the workpiece to form a surface crack on the workpiece. Further, the step of effecting the relative motion between the laser beam and the workpiece is such that the surface crack on the workpiece propagates along a line of separation on the workpiece. A laser processing apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: ASM Technology Singapore Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Chi Hang Kwok, Chi Wah Cheng, Lap Kei Chow
  • Patent number: 8698161
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is bonded directly to a diamond substrate by Van der Waal forces. The diamond substrate is formed by polishing a surface of diamond to a first degree of smoothness; forming a material, such as diamond, BeO, GaN, MgO, or SiO2 or other oxides, over the polished surface to provide an intermediate structure; and re-polishing the material formed on the intermediate structure to a second degree of smoothness smoother than the first degree of smoothness. The diamond is bonded to the semiconductor structure, such as GaN, by providing a structure having bottom surfaces of a semiconductor on an underlying material; forming grooves through the semiconductor and into the underlying material; separating semiconductor along the grooves into a plurality of separate semiconductor structures; removing the separated semiconductor structures from the underlying material; and contacting the bottom surface of at least one of the separated semiconductor structures to the diamond substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Ralph Korenstein, Mary K. Herndon, Chae Doek Lee
  • Patent number: 8697475
    Abstract: A solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The solar cell may include a substrate, an emitter layer positioned at a first surface of the substrate, a first anti-reflection layer that is positioned on a surface of the emitter layer and may include a plurality of first contact lines exposing a portion of the emitter layer, a first electrode that is electrically connected to the emitter layer exposed through the plurality of first contact lines and may include a plating layer directly contacting the emitter layer, and a second electrode positioned on a second surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Goohwan Shim, Changseo Park, Philwon Yoon, Yoonsil Jin, Jinsung Kim, Youngho Choe, Jaewon Chang
  • Patent number: 8673742
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a starting-point crack on a cleavage line on a surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming preliminary cracks intermittently along the cleavage line on the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and cleaving the semiconductor substrate along the cleavage line passing through the preliminary cracks, from the starting-point crack, wherein each of the preliminary cracks has a crack joining the cleavage line from outside of the cleavage line, in a direction of a progress of cleaving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Ono, Masato Negishi, Masato Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8669190
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a process of providing a semiconductor wafer having a wiring layer having conductive patterns and a plurality of insulation films containing a first insulation film surrounding side surfaces of the conductive patterns are provided. After the process of providing the semiconductor wafer, a process of removing some regions of the plurality of insulation films to form openings is provided. Herein, the first insulation film is disposed to a position closer to the circumference of the semiconductor wafer than a position closest to the outermost circumference of the wafer among the arrangement positions of the conductive patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Togo, Hiroaki Sano
  • Patent number: 8664089
    Abstract: In one embodiment, semiconductor die are singulated from a semiconductor wafer having a backmetal layer by placing the semiconductor wafer onto a carrier tape with the backmetal layer adjacent the carrier tape, forming singulation lines through the semiconductor wafer to expose the backmetal layer within the singulation lines, and fluid machining the semiconductor wafer to remove the backmetal layer from the singulation lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: William F. Burghout, Dennis Lee Conner, Michael J. Seddon, Jay A. Yoder
  • Patent number: 8563343
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a laser diode device includes: forming, in a semiconductor laser bar, separation trenches extending across all of a transverse dimension of the semiconductor laser bar and defining a mesa stripe, each of the separation trenches having wide portions located at longitudinal edge portions of the semiconductor laser bar and a narrow portion located in a longitudinal central portion of the semiconductor laser bar; scribing, in the semiconductor laser bar, grooves extending parallel to the separation trenches and terminating before reaching longitudinal edge portions of the semiconductor laser bar; and splitting the semiconductor laser bar along the grooves to form cleaved surfaces extending from a bottom surface of the semiconductor laser bar to bottom surfaces of the separation trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Motoda
  • Patent number: 8536025
    Abstract: A resized wafer using a negative photoresist ring, methods of manufacture and design structures thereof are disclosed. The method includes forming a ring within a radius of a wafer. The method also includes patterning a photoresist formed on the wafer, by exposing the photoresist to energy. Additionally, the method includes forming troughs in a substrate of the wafer based on the patterning of the photoresist, wherein the ring blocks formation of the troughs underneath the ring. The method also includes filling the troughs with a metal and resizing the wafer at an area of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis P. Hogan, Gregory S. Jankowski, Robert K. Leidy
  • Patent number: 8518804
    Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus with which it is possible, when a wafer has a warp, to effectively peel off an ultraviolet peelable tape with ultraviolet irradiation of a short duration. Even when a wafer has a warp, by correcting the warp of the wafer with an ultraviolet transmitting plate, and uniformly irradiating an ultraviolet peelable tape attached to the wafer with ultraviolet light, it is possible to reduce a distance between an ultraviolet light source and the ultraviolet peelable tape. Also, by blocking heat from the ultraviolet light source with the ultraviolet transmitting plate, it is possible to suppress a rise in temperature of the wafer. As a result of this, it is possible to effectively peel the ultraviolet peelable tape from the wafer with ultraviolet irradiation of a short duration without any adhesive residue remaining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichi Urano
  • Patent number: 8492255
    Abstract: A Schottky diode with a small footprint and a high-current carrying ability is fabricated by forming an opening that extends into an n-type semiconductor material. The opening is then lined with a metallic material such as platinum. The metallic material is then heated to form a salicide region where the metallic material touches the n-type semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Sheldon D. Haynie, Ann Gabrys
  • Patent number: 8431440
    Abstract: A substrate table used for manufacturing a chip is provided. The substrate table includes a substrate stage, a substrate placement surface formed on the substrate stage, and on which a substrate is placed, and a guiding member that can project and retract from the substrate placement surface. The guiding member positions the substrate when the guiding member is at a projected position abutting an edge portion of the substrate placed on the substrate placement surface, and the guiding member retracts at a time of applying a tape to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Lapis Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiromi Morita
  • Patent number: 8420418
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a light emitting device comprising: providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a first major surface and a second major surface opposite to the first major surface, forming a plurality of light emitting stack layers on the first major surface, forming an etching protection layer on the plurality of light emitting stack layers, forming a plurality of discontinuous holes or continuous lines on the substrate by a laser beam with the depth of 10˜150 ?m, cleaving the substrate through the plurality of discontinuous holes or continuous lines, providing a adhesion layer on the second major surface of the substrate, and expanding the adhesion layer to form a plurality of separated light emitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Epistar Corporation
    Inventor: Tzu-Chieh Hsu
  • Patent number: 8404566
    Abstract: Provided are a light emitting diode and a method for manufacturing the same. In the method, a semiconductor layer is formed, and a mask layer is formed on the semiconductor layer. Laser is irradiated onto a scribing region of the mask layer to divide the semiconductor layer into a plurality of light emitting diodes. The scribing region is etched, and then the mask layer is removed. The plurality of light emitting diodes are then separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang Youl Lee
  • Patent number: 8389312
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a group-III nitride semiconductor laser device includes: preparing a substrate of a hexagonal group-III nitride semiconductor, where the substrate has a semipolar primary surface; forming a substrate product having a laser structure, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, where the laser structure includes the substrate and a semiconductor region, and where the semiconductor region is formed on the semipolar primary surface; scribing a first surface of the substrate product in part in a direction of the a-axis of the hexagonal group-III nitride semiconductor; and carrying out breakup of the substrate product by press against a second surface of the substrate product, to form another substrate product and a laser bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Yoshizumi, Shimpei Takagi, Takatoshi Ikegami, Masaki Ueno, Koji Katayama
  • Patent number: 8390129
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device with a plurality of mark through substrate vias, including a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of original through substrate vias and a plurality of mark through substrate vias. The original through substrate vias and the mark through substrate vias are disposed in the semiconductor substrate and protrude from the backside surface of the semiconductor substrate. The mark through substrate vias are added at a specific position and/or in a specific pattern and serve as a fiducial mark, which facilitates identifying the position and direction on the backside surface. Thus, the redistribution layer (RBL) or the special equipment for achieving the backside alignment (BSA) is not necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc
    Inventors: Chi-Chih Shen, Jen-Chuan Chen, Hui-Shan Chang, Chung-Hsi Wu, Meng-Jen Wang