Disclosed are methods and apparatus for protecting dielectric films on microelectronic components from contamination associated with singulation, picking and handling of singulated microelectronic components from a wafer for assembly with other components.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The manufacturing method includes attaching a substrate to a sheet. The manufacturing method includes fragmenting the substrate into a plurality of individual chips. The manufacturing method includes expanding the sheet to widen the spacing between the plurality of chips. The manufacturing method includes covering the main surface and side surface of each of the plurality of chips with resin and sealing the chips to form a sealed body. The manufacturing method includes forming a stacked body in which a plurality of sealed bodies are stacked. The plurality of sealed bodies include a first sealed body and a second sealed body. Forming the stacked body includes stacking the second sealed body on the first sealed body in a state where the position of the chip in the second sealed body is offset in a direction in the plane with respect to the position of the chip in the first sealed body.

A wafer processing method includes: a resin film coating step of coating an upper surface of a wafer with a water-soluble resin and coating a dicing tape exposed between the wafer and a frame with a water-soluble resin, and solidifying the water-soluble resin to form a resin film, a partial resin film removing step of removing the resin film from regions to be divided of the wafer to partially expose the upper surface of the wafer, an etching step of subjecting the regions to be divided of the wafer to plasma etching to divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a whole resin film removing step of cleaning a frame unit to remove wholly the resin film.

A method of manufacturing a microelectronic device may include forming a wiring layer on a first surface of a wafer. The method may also include forming a modified layer along separation regions for each microelectronic device of the wafer by focusing a laser on an inside portion of the wafer. The method may also include removing material from the second surface of the wafer. The wafer may be cooled to a temperature where a low dielectric constant layer extending across the separation regions is brittle while the material is removed from the second surface of the wafer. The method may further include separating the wafer along the separation region to form separate microelectronic devices.

A conveying mechanism includes a suction part that has a suction pad and sucks and holds a target object by the suction pad, a bracket connected to the suction part through a joint that is swingable, an elastic component in which one end part is fixed to the suction part and the other end part is fixed to the bracket, a negative pressure control unit that controls generation of a negative pressure at the suction part, and a movement unit that moves the bracket. The elastic component permits a swing of the suction part according to tilt or deformation of the target object that is sucked and held and, when suction holding of the target object is released, the elastic component returns the orientation of the suction pad to a predetermined orientation when the suction pad is not sucking and holding the target object.

An electrostatic clamping system including a platen, an electrostatic electrode associated with the platen, and a sealing cover having a concave lower surface defining a cavity and having a sealing ring extending about a periphery of the lower surface, the sealing cover movable relative to the platen for being moved onto, and being moved off of, a wafer disposed on the platen, the sealing cover further having an inlet valve for introducing a gas into a space between a cover body of the sealing cover and the wafer.

A wafer processing method includes an adhesive film bonding step of bonding an adhesive film on a side of a back surface of the wafer, an adhesive film cutting-off step of cutting off at least the adhesive film that is bonded on the side of the back surface of the wafer along streets from the side of the back surface of the wafer, a modified layer forming step of irradiating a laser beam of a wavelength that has transmissivity through the wafer with the laser beam focused inside the wafer, so that modified layers are formed along the streets, respectively, and a dividing step of, after performing the adhesive film cutting-off step and the modified layer forming step, applying an external force to the wafer so that the wafer is divided from the modified layers as starting points.

A wafer supporting mechanism and a method for wafer dicing are provided. The wafer supporting mechanism includes a base portion and a support portion. The base portion includes a first gas channel and a first outlet connected to the first gas channel. The support portion is connected to the base portion and including a second gas channel connected to the first gas channel. An accommodation space is defined by the base portion and the support portion.

A planarization apparatus, including a chuck having a first surface and a second surface at two opposing sides thereof. The chuck includes a first zone extending along a periphery of the chuck, a second zone at an inner portion of the chuck, the second zone being surrounded by the first zone; and a flexure connecting the first zone with the second zone. The first zone includes a first member extending along the first surface from the flexure and a first ring land protruding from the first member adjacent to the flexure.

A wafer processing method includes applying a laser beam to division lines in a wafer to remove a passivation film laminated on the division lines and expose a semiconductor substrate along the division lines, thereafter coating a front surface of the wafer with a resin to form a protective film, and applying a laser beam to division lines to remove the protective film laminated on the division lines. Next, the semiconductor substrate is exposed along the division lines, after which the semiconductor substrate exposed along the division lines is divided by plasma etching with the protective film as a shielding film.