| CPC B23K 26/364 (2015.10) [B23K 26/064 (2015.10); B23K 26/0643 (2013.01); B23K 26/38 (2013.01); B23K 2103/56 (2018.08)] | 6 Claims |

|
1. A method of cutting a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a laser source for directing laser light to an irradiation region of a laser cutting apparatus,
b) supporting the semiconductor wafer within the laser cutting apparatus such that the irradiation region is coincident with a point on a cut line of the semiconductor wafer,
c) cutting the semiconductor wafer along the cut line by irradiating the irradiation region of the semiconductor wafer with laser light having a first polarization state and relatively moving the semiconductor wafer and the irradiation region in a direction parallel to the plane of the semiconductor wafer such that the irradiation region follows the cut line of the wafer, so that the semiconductor wafer is cut along the cut line to form a groove; and
annealing the cut semiconductor wafer by subsequently irradiating the irradiation region of the semiconductor wafer with laser light having a second polarization state that is different from the first polarization state and relatively moving the semiconductor wafer and the irradiation region in a direction parallel to the plane of the semiconductor wafer such that the irradiation region follows the cut line of the wafer, so that the semiconductor wafer is annealed along the cut line.
|