Texas Instruments Corporation

David Durin

Cecil J Davis

John I Jones

Robert G McKenna

Don Brown

A method and apparatus for separating a wafer into wafer portions comprising a larger wafer flex-frame ( ) supported on a support base ( ) and a smaller flex-frame ( ) positioned within the support base ( ). A wafer film transfer cylinder ( ) encompasses a wafer breaking device ( ), such as a convex dome. The transfer cylinder ( ) is slidable downwardly with respect to the dome ( ) to first stretch the wafer tape ( ) and then transfer the wafer ( ) from the larger frame ( ) to the smaller frame ( ) after dome ( ) breaks the wafer ( ) into die. The transfer cylinder ( ) is heated to facilitate removing the saw tape ( ) from the larger frame ( ) after transfer to the smaller frame ( ). The transfer cylinder ( ) is juxtaposed with the smaller frame ( ) residing within a cavity ( ) of the support base ( ). The present invention is suited for automated wafer transfer carriers which advance the broken wafer to pick and place equipment for packaging of the die.

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Rowlett, TX, United States of America

David Durin