What is Wafer Dicing?
Wafer dicing is the process of separating optical components onto wafers. It is an intricate process because it requires the utmost precision and caution as the small chips or slices of the semiconducting material (known as dice) are separated for using in electronics and other technological advancements. The dicing process can involve other processes such as wafer scribing, cutting or wax mounting as per the requirements and needs of application in which it is to be used. A wafer is sawed so that thin dice can be separated. In order to increase their backside support, manufacturers usually place them onto a tape, which is then loaded into a cassette. This mounted structure is then processed for actual cutting, and the wafer is sliced into individual dice. The dicing mechanism contains a sharp abrasive blade which is rotates at a high speed of usually 30,000–60,000 rpm along with a spindle.
For enhancing abrasive quality, blades are equipped with diamond grit which embeds into an electroplated nickel matrix. These super sharp blades can dice strong materials and can crush the debris produced during slicing. This debris can later be cleaned off.
How is wafer diced?
The dicing process takes place as the diamond rimmed blade moves between active areas of the dice through streets- dedicated lines- which resultantly produce groove in the substrate material. To minimize the debris and chipping, the substrate is waxed onto hard mounts or is supported with tape. Intricate dicing and slicing can be carried out by experienced dicing experts who also optically align microscopic patterns.
Wafer Dicing Services Provider
Wafers have become a significant component of electronics manufactured these days. Due to their intricate structure, they require professional expertise and experience. Impeccable dicing services are critical for because of their usage in various industries. In case you deal with semiconductors, and you are looking for a good wafer dicing service provider, this guide can help you in finding the best wafer dicing services provider. With the help of these tips you can identify a good service provider from a bad one, and what should be your area of concern while hiring a dicing company. Moreover, you can have an idea about things to avoid while hiring a dicing service provider. Here are just a few tips for finding and selecting a high-quality dicing service. Let’s take a look.
1. Have a Clear Idea about What You Need
Before you hire any company for handling this intricate process, bear it in your mind that not every dicing service provider is qualified or experienced enough to handle every kind of material. For example, if you want to get services for silicon dicing, then it is a big mistake to stop by those facilities which deal in glass or germanium. Visit their website services page and know what they offer. Have a clear idea about their services and specialties so that you don’t get stuck with the wrong kind of services.
2. Go Through Their Website in Detail
Silicon wafers become part of applications which are used in sensitive projects and settings. It is critical to know the expertise level of the company so that there is no mistake made which can trigger a disaster in future. You can know about a company by taking a good look at their ‘about us’ page which provides information of their experience in the industry. It tells the number of years they have been dealing in these services, and the kind of training their employees have received. You can also know if they are ISO certified, and have any affiliation with any professional or industrial organization, or if they have any certifications from regulatory bodies. However, the real information comes from reviews and testimonials which other customers have left for that company.
3. Ask for Recommendations
This one goes for all kinds of services which you hire. Instead of directly landing into purchasing any services, ask around for recommendations. Seek help from your friends or colleagues who have prior experience of a specific dicing service. First-hand experience of your circle or people whom you rely can be guiding light for picking the best wafer dicing services provider. If you don’t know anyone who has had such experience, then you do a quick search online. There are many reliable blogs and directories which provide a detailed analysis of companies. Blogs aim at providing a comparison between various service providers by doing a pros and cons section. Based on this detailed analysis you can make your decision if you should pick a company or not. If the pros outweigh cons, it is a green signal in most of the cases, and vice versa.
4. Look at Their Methods
Another helpful tip for picking the right wafer dicing services provider is by looking at their methods of performing dicing. Different service providers use different methods for cutting material, such as laser cutting, ultrasonic cutting, and so on. If you are method conscious, then you might want to know their method before-hand. Even if the method does matter to you, do some research on your own to learn about the services that you’re going to utilize. This will allow you to have a clear idea of the procedure, possible challenges down the lane, and devising strategy for dealing with those challenges.
5. Have an Idea about Wafer Dicing Techniques
We are almost done with dicing service provider tips; however, this one is relevant in deciding service providers. There are many techniques of wafer dicing. Based on the sensitive nature of your work, you can pick a service provider which utilizes a specific technique, or you can ask your service provider to use a particular technique.
- Wafer Scribing
Scribing is two-step process which refers to a specific dice singulation. In this technique one tool is used to cut through a wafer partially, followed by a breaking step which cuts the wafer into dice along scribed lines.
- Through Cutting
This method helps achieve higher tolerance on the end product. However, its downside includes chipping on the bottom-side. To deal with its negative side, some manufacturers go for wax mounting wafers onto glass, which offers more precise cutting.
- Wax Mounting
This method is labor intensive, but guarantees superior quality wafers. To ensure quality services, the work-pieces must first be cleaned. Wax-mounting on glass result in lesser chipping.
Final Words.
At GDSI, we offer premium quality wafer dicing service. If you have any method preference, our experienced and qualified team will be happy to provide your required services. To know more about us, visit our website. To get a quote, talk to our team.
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