Stress analysis of Si chip sidewalls using micro-Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy was used to estimate stress in the sidewalls of silicon chips and predict the chips’ breaking stress. Silicon wafers were diced using four methods; the breaking stress of the resulting chips was measured mechanically and compared with stress measurements made using Raman spectroscopy. The stress measurements made by Raman spectroscopy were loosely correlated with the breaking stress. We conclude that Raman spectroscopy is a promising technique for predicting breaking stress, but requires further development before it can be applied commercially.