Apparatus and method to dice integrated circuits from a wafer using a pressurized jet

Abstract

An apparatus and method to cut irregularly shaped dice from a wafer using a fluid jet cutting system. One embodiment of the invention involves a method to cut irregularly shaped dice from a wafer, such as planar light-wave circuit device. The method includes placing a wafer on a fixture; aligning the wafer in the fixture to expose the dice to a fluid jet cutting nozzle; supplying an abrasive to the fluid jet cutting nozzle; supplying a pressurized fluid to the fluid jet cutting nozzle expelling the abrasive in combination with the fluid from the fluid jet cutting nozzle at a velocity sufficient to cut through the wafer, while the fluid jet cutting nozzle moves in relation to the wafer in the fixture; and removing the dice from the fixture after the dice have been cut from the wafer. A second embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus to provide a wafer die cutting system to cut a wafer. The apparatus includes a fixture to align and hold the wafer; a cutting nozzle to expel a fluid and an abrasive towards the wafer at a velocity sufficient to cut through the wafer; a fluid source to supply the fluid to the cutting nozzle; an abrasive source to supply the abrasive to the cutting nozzle; and a mechanism to move the cutting nozzle relative to the wafer in the fixture.