Bi-axial fracture strength characteristic of an ultra-thin flash memory chip

Recently, ultra-thin chips with thicknesses of under 35 µm have emerged as an option for thinner, high performance electronic devices. For reliable electronic devices and high throughput packaging processes, the mechanical properties of ultra-thin chips need to be accurately understood. In this study, the fracture strength of an ultra-thin flash memory chip was measured using a ball-on-ring (BOR) test. To evaluate and validate the bi-axial strength in the BOR test, a finite element analysis was performed. It was compared with the analytical solution based on Hertzian contact theory. Flash memory chip specimens with different thicknesses were prepared and their bi-axial strengths were tested with respect to various wafer thinning process parameters such as grinding speed and polishing time. Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize the residual stress generated during the wafer thinning process. The surface roughness of the silicon wafer was measured using an atomic force microscope under various wafer thinning conditions. From the study, the fracture strength characteristics of the ultra-thin chip could be established as a function of the wafer thinning parameters. (paper)