Semiconductor Devices Having Insulating Substrates and Methods of Formation Thereof

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of forming a current sensor device includes forming a device region comprising a magnetic sensor within and/or over a semiconductor substrate. The device region is formed adjacent a front side of the semiconductor substrate. The back side of the semiconductor substrate is attached over an insulating substrate, where the back side is opposite the front side. Sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate are exposed by dicing the semiconductor substrate from the front side without completely dicing the insulating substrate. An isolation liner is formed over all of the exposed sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate. The isolation liner and the insulating substrate include a different material. The method further includes separating the insulating substrate to form diced chips, removing at least a portion of the isolation liner from over a top surface of the device region, and forming contacts over the top surface of the device region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a current sensor device, the method comprising:
 forming a device region comprising a magnetic sensor within and/or over a semiconductor substrate, the device region being formed adjacent a front side of the semiconductor substrate;   attaching a back side of the semiconductor substrate over an insulating substrate, the back side being opposite the front side;   exposing sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate by dicing the semiconductor substrate from the front side without completely dicing the insulating substrate;   forming an isolation liner over all of the exposed sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the isolation liner and the insulating substrate comprise a different material;   separating the insulating substrate to form diced chips;   removing at least a portion of the isolation liner from over a top surface of the device region; and   forming contacts over the top surface of the device region.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 attaching the front side of the semiconductor substrate to a glass substrate; and   partially dicing the glass substrate from the front side without completely dicing the insulating substrate.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the insulating substrate is another glass substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming an isolation liner comprises depositing the isolation liner using a vapor deposition process. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the insulating substrate comprises mechanical dicing. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the insulating substrate comprises grinding the insulating substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 attaching another insulating substrate over the front side of the semiconductor substrate.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device region comprises a Hall Element of a Hall effect sensor, and wherein the insulating substrate is a glass substrate. 
     
     
         9 . A method of forming a current sensor device, the method comprising:
 forming a device region comprising a magnetic sensor within and/or over a semiconductor substrate, the device region being formed adjacent a front side of the semiconductor substrate;   attaching a back side of the semiconductor substrate over an insulating substrate, the back side being opposite the front side;   exposing sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate by dicing the semiconductor substrate from the front side without completely dicing the insulating substrate;   forming an isolation liner over the exposed sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the isolation liner and the insulating substrate comprise a different material; and   separating the insulating substrate to form diced chips, wherein forming device region is performed after attaching the back side of the semiconductor substrate over the insulating substrate.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned before forming device region. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 attaching the front side of the semiconductor substrate to a glass substrate; and   partially dicing the glass substrate from the front side without completely dicing the insulating substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the device region comprises a Hall Element of a Hall effect sensor, and wherein the insulating substrate is a glass substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein separating the insulating substrate comprises mechanical dicing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein separating the insulating substrate comprises grinding the insulating substrate. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a current sensor device, the method comprising:
 forming Hall effect sensors within and/or over a semiconductor substrate, the Hall effect sensors being formed at a front side of the semiconductor substrate;   attaching a back side of the semiconductor substrate to a glass substrate, the back side being opposite the front side;   exposing sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate by dicing from the front side the semiconductor substrate and the glass substrate, the dicing stopped prior to completely dicing the glass substrate;   forming an dielectric liner over all of the exposed sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate and the glass substrate, wherein the dielectric liner and the glass substrate comprise a different material;   singulating the glass substrate to form diced chips, each of the diced chips comprising a portion of the semiconductor substrate with the one of the Hall effect sensors and a portion of the glass substrate;   removing a portion of the dielectric liner to expose a portion of the underlying Hall effect sensors; and   forming contacts to the Hall effect sensors.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 attaching the front side of the semiconductor substrate to a second glass substrate; and   dicing the second glass substrate before dicing the semiconductor substrate.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned before attaching the glass substrate and the second glass substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein forming the dielectric liner comprises depositing the dielectric liner using a vapor deposition process. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein separating the glass substrate comprises mechanical dicing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein separating the glass substrate comprises grinding the glass substrate.