Development of wafer singulation technique for MEMS and MOX gas sensors using 355 nm UV laser ablation process

This work presents a 355 nm UV laser ablation process for singulation of silicon wafers. The process may be suitable for singulation of wafers that are sensitive to water and particle contamination such as specific MEMS and MOX micro-hotplate gas sensors. Conventional dicing using a rotating blade and constant water flow can damage and contaminate delicate structures and functional layers. In contrast, the proposed UV laser method requires no liquids, minimizes particle generation near the dicing street, and offers a cleaner, safer alternative for singulating sensitive wafers.