JPH0467650A - Manufacture of semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the cuttings of a semiconductor substrate and to prevent cracks from occurring in the substrate around a chip region by a method wherein a groove is provided to a wafer along a scribe line provided around a semiconductor chip through an isotropic etching, and another groove is provided to the former groove through an anisotropic etching. CONSTITUTION:A protective film 4 is formed on the whole surface of a wafer provided with a scribe line 2 of shallow groove formed around a semiconductor chip region through a diffusion process. The protective film 4 formed on the scribe line 2 is so removed through etching as to leave a protective film 4a unremoved on the surface of the semiconductor chip region. Using the protective film 4a as a mask, a groove 5 is formed through an isotropic etching. By this setup, a scribe line 2a composed of the shallow groove formed through a diffusion process and the groove 5 formed through an isotropic etching is provided. Using the protective film 4a as a mask again, a groove 6 is provided through an anisotropic etching. By these processes, a scribe line 2b composed of the shallow groove formed through a diffusion process, the groove 5 formed through an isotropic etching, and the groove 6 formed through an anisotropic etching is formed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing the shape of a semiconductor chip region surface and scribe line in a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device in a wafer state to be subjected to dicing. .

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a semiconductor device W in a wafer state (hereinafter referred to as a wafer) before dicing is simply formed around a semiconductor chip region on the surface of a wafer 1 by a diffusion process, as shown in a longitudinal cross-sectional view in FIG. It had a scribe line 2 consisting of a shallow groove.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

When dicing the above-mentioned wafer 1 using, for example, the diamond blade 3, chips of the semiconductor substrate constituting the semiconductor device are likely to be generated, damaging the surface of the semiconductor chip region, or damaging the semiconductor substrate near the periphery of the semiconductor chip region. It had the disadvantage of being prone to cracking.

[Means to solve the problem]

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention includes the steps of: forming a groove by isotropic etching in a scribe line around a semiconductor chip region; and forming a groove by anisotropic etching in a scribe line. ing.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1(a) to 1(d) are vertical cross-sectional views in order of steps for explaining one embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 1(a), a protective film 4 is coated on the entire surface of a wafer 1 having a scribe line 2 consisting of a shallow groove formed by a diffusion process around a semiconductor chip region.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the scribe line 2
The upper protective film 4 is removed by etching, leaving the protective film 4a on the surface of the semiconductor chip region.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 1C, grooves 5 are formed by isotropic etching using the protective film 4a as a mask. As a result, a scribe line 2 consisting of a shallow groove formed by the diffusion process and a groove 5 formed by isotropic etching is formed.
a is formed. Note that the isotropic etching is preferably wet etching or isotropic plasma etching.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 1(d), the protective film 4 is applied again.
Using a as a mask, the edge 6 is formed by anisotropic etching. As a result, the shallow groove 9 formed by the diffusion process
A scribe line 2b is formed by dipping 5 by isotropic etching and 7116 by anisotropic etching. Note that as the anisotropic etching, for example, reactive ion etching (RIE) is used.

The vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2 is a view when dicing is applied to the semiconductor device obtained in this example. In the scribe line 2b, the diamond grade 3 is guided by the deep groove formed by the grooves 7115 and 6, as shown.

After dicing, the protective film 4a is removed, and then the semiconductor chip is pre-king.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device in a wafer state to be subjected to dicing, in which the surface of a semiconductor chip region is covered with a protective film, and the protective film is used as a mask for scribe lines around the semiconductor chip region. Then, isotropic and anisotropic etching is performed to form deep grooves at the scribe line portions.

Therefore, at the time of dicing, the diamond grade is guided into the deep grooves, which reduces the generation of debris in the semiconductor substrate constituting the semiconductor device and the generation of cracks in the semiconductor substrate near the periphery of the semiconductor chip region. Further, even if dust particles are generated, the surface of the semiconductor chip region is covered with a protective film, so that the surface of the semiconductor chip region is not damaged by this dust.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining the conventional technique.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Wafer, 2.2a, 2b... Scribe line, 3... Diamond grade, 4, 4a... Protective film, 5.6... Groove.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device in a wafer state, comprising: forming a protective film on the surface of a semiconductor chip region; and forming a groove by isotropic etching in a scribe line around the semiconductor chip region. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: forming a groove in the scribe line by anisotropic etching.