Evaluation of silicon fracture strength dependence on stealth dicing layers for “cleave-before-use” MEMS freestanding cantilever probes

A method to remove substrate after MEMS fabrication by cleaving for cantilever probe application is proposed. Cleaving line is embedded by stealth dicing technology before cantilever fabrication process. Stealth dicing is a complete dry wafer dicing technology with infrared laser focused inside a wafer, which was applied to control of bending fracture strength of silicon substrate in presented work. Fracture strength dependence on depth, density, and number of stealth-dicing lines were evaluated. Fabrication of a cantilever MEMS probe array was demonstrated with the method.