Ultra thinning wafer technology is critical in semiconductor applications, as thin wafer packaging requirements continue to push the packaging industry. Mechanical backgrinding has been the standard process for wafer thinning in the semiconductor industry owing to its low cost and productivity. As the thickness requirement of wafers is reduced to below 100 μm, many challenges are being faced due to wafer/die bow, mechanical strength, wafer handling, total thickness variation (TTV), dicing, and packaging assembly. Various ultrathin wafer processing and assembly technologies have been developed to address these challenges. These include wafer carrier systems to handle ultrathin wafers; backgrinding subsurface damage and surface roughness reduction; improved wafer carrier flatness and backgrinding auto-TTV control to improve TTV. Currently, our Cross-Feed grinding systems offer the greatest tensile die strength allowing for flexible packaging applications. 

The company is now happy to announce the introduction of a new service; we are now offering a 4000 grit ultra fine grind process for 150mm, 200mm, and 300mm wafers. We are successfully thinning 300mm wafers down to 8 mils with this process. Since this service is normally a grind process, we can thin the wafers at considerable less cost than a true polish price while offering many of the advantages of a polished wafer. 

The new process will be attractive to companies requiring thinner wafers that are employed in a stressful environment such as smart card applications. One customer experienced yield increases of over 50% during initial assembly testing and very satisfactory life cycle increases after the assembled parts were deployed in the field.