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APD proudly announces the availability of a wafer dicing process utilizing the Synova Laser Microjet.© Description of Process The Laser Microjet is a technology that couples a laser beam into a thin water jet. The water jet is then used as a fiber optic wave guide to direct the beam to the wafer to be cut. The wafer is moved in the X and Y axis under computer control with precision optically encoded stepping motors. Any pattern that can be programmed can be cut into the wafer. Conventional wafer dicing can also be programmed. This is a wet laser process similar to a conventional semiconductor sawing process. Capabilities  This machine can process wafers up to 12" in
diameter. It can place cuts with 1 micron
accuracy. The width of the kerf will be the width of
the water jet. Even though these machines can cut with a
kerf smaller than 50 microns we are currently limited to a kerf no smaller than
80 microns. Curved cuts can be made as easily as
straight cuts. This process works very well with thin
materials. Wafers that are thicker than 1 mm are usually more efficiently cut
using conventional dicing processes.
Advantages over traditional laser dicing Focusing is not necessary as cutting can be
accomplished along the entire water jet. Because the laser beam is delivered
inside a water stream, localized heating is minimized. Because molten material is not ejected
during the cutting process, the problem of redeposition of material on the wafer
surface is eliminated. Because this is a cool laser process,
localized changes in the bulk material are also minimized.
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