LOC tape design for protecting integrated circuit pattern from damage due to a dicing saw blade

In general, the scribing position of a dicing saw blade is close to the IC (integrated circuit) device because the mounting density of the separated IC device (i.e. productibility or yield) increases by the reduced dimension of the scribe regions. So, the IC patterns are not free from mechanical damage due to the dicing saw blade. In the present study, in order to protect the IC patterns from the impact due to the dicing saw blade, the pattern layers on the scribe regions of a semiconductor wafer are selectively removed and so, the bare silicon surface is exposed therein. The scribe regions (where the layers are absent) are then replaced by polyimide prior to the wafer dicing process. Since the polyimide film has a considerably larger adhesion strength with the silicon surface, compared with other pattern layers or plastic-encapsulants, it effectively absorbs the force of the impact of the saw blade.