Singulation of semiconductor wafers to form semiconductor chips, by inducing crystallographic strains into region of separating tracks using ion implantation of charged particles, and laser ablating along separating tracks

摘要

Singulation of semiconductor wafers (1) to form semiconductor chips, comprises inducing crystallographic strains (7) into a region of separating tracks (6) by using ion implantation of charged particles and/or ionized atoms that can be incorporated interstitially into the monocrystalline lattice of a semiconductor crystal; and laser ablating along the separating tracks. Induction of crystallographic strains into the region of separating tracks is effected by using ion implantation of carbon ions, nitrogen ions, oxygen ions, and/or silicon ions; noble gas ions; protons; or alpha -particles. Singulation of semiconductor wafers to form semiconductor chips, comprises producing a semiconductor wafer having semiconductor chip positions (5) arranged in rows and columns, separating tracks being arranged between the positions; inducing crystallographic strains into the region of the separating tracks by using ion implantation of charged particles and/or ionized atoms that can be incorporated interstitially into the monocrystalline lattice of a semiconductor crystal; laser ablating along the separating tracks; and separating of the semiconductor wafer into individual semiconductor chips. Induction of crystallographic strains into the region of separating tracks is effected by using ion implantation of carbon ions, nitrogen ions, oxygen ions, and/or silicon ions; noble gas ions; protons; alpha -particles; ions from the group of transition elements and/or from the group of lanthanides; or irradiation with formation of vacancy clusters effected by using infrared laser irradiation, laser irradiation with setting of depth-staggered focusing depths, or laser irradiation with staggered variation of the laser wavelength, in the range from near UV to far infrared. An independent claim is included for a semiconductor wafer.