Silicon thinning and polishing on packaged devices

Abstract

Sample preparation with the ChipUnzip tool makes it possible to insure the functionality of packaged devices after opening. For debug and failure analysis, the silicon substrate needs to be thinned down to less than 50 microns while maintaining the functionality of the packaged device. This as proved to be very difficult on large dies. As we will present in this paper it is difficult to obtain a uniform silicon thickness after thinning due to some bending issues. Finally, we will present our fine polishing results, which represent a key issue for backside failure analysis. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.