Wafer Edge Grinding and Edge Rework for 300mm SiC, AlN, SOI and More

Dynamic Process Group edge grinds wafers up to 300mm in-house, producing a uniform rounded edge on silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, SOI, silicon and compound semiconductor substrates. We also rework wafers whose edges have been damaged by aggressive processing, restoring a rounded profile so the wafer survives the rest of the line.

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Why Edges Fail Downstream

A wafer edge is where almost every break starts. High-temperature anneals, thick film deposition, deep etches, backside thinning, bonding and debonding, and laser or saw cutting all leave the edge in worse condition than it arrived: chipped, jagged, sharp, and full of micro-cracks. Each of those defects is a stress concentrator. Under thermal cycling, vacuum chucking, spin coating, edge-grip robot handling or CMP down-force, a crack that started as a 20µm chip runs across the wafer, and every process step already invested in it is lost.

Sharp and chipped edges also shed particles onto the front side, contaminate chucks and end effectors, and fail the edge-inspection step at fabs that run one. Regrinding removes the damaged material and re-establishes a smooth, rounded profile before the wafer goes back into a tool where a break is expensive.

Typical candidates: wafers coming out of bond/debond, backside thinning, deep etch, thick-film deposition, or any laser or saw cut — and any hard, brittle substrate (SiC, AlN, GaAs, InP) heading into a high-value step.

What Edge Grinding Does

The wafer is rotated against a diamond profile wheel that removes the damaged perimeter and forms a rounded edge with a continuous, chip-free surface. The result is an edge that distributes stress instead of concentrating it, handles cleanly in cassettes and end effectors, and no longer sheds fragments.

Ground edge of a 300mm wafer at 100µm scale: uniform rounded profile, no chips or cracks along the perimeter.

Keyence 3D height map of a ground 300mm wafer edge — 3D profile of the same ground edge measured on our Keyence system. Edge height data is recorded per job and reported on the Certificate of Conformance.

Materials We Edge Grind

Material	Notes
Silicon carbide (SiC)	4H and 6H, semi-insulating and conductive; hard, brittle edges chip readily after cutting
Aluminum nitride (AlN)	Ceramic and single-crystal substrates for RF and power devices
SOI	Bonded stacks; edge rework after bond, thinning or trim
Silicon	Prime, test, reclaim and thinned wafers
GaAs, InP, germanium	Brittle III-V and Ge substrates; a rounded edge reduces cleave risk
Other substrates	Ask us about your material

Edge Grinding Specifications

Wafer sizes: Up to 12" (300mm), including wafers we have cored or resized

Edge profile: Rounded; unpolished

Flat or notch: Preserved

Patterned wafers: Accepted; front side protected during grinding on request

Inspection: Edge profile measured on calibrated Keyence equipment; measured values reported on the Certificate of Conformance

Lead times: Standard ~2 weeks · Priority ~1 week · Critical 48 hours

Removing the damaged edge takes a small amount of material from the perimeter. The finished diameter is agreed with you on the quote.

When to Send Wafers for Edge Rework

After laser cutting, saw dicing or coring, to convert a cut edge into a handling-safe rounded edge
After bonding, debonding or backside thinning that has left the edge chipped or feathered
After deposition or etch steps that have built up or undercut the edge
Before a high-value process step (implant, epi, CMP, lithography) where a break would be costly
Reclaimed or test wafers being returned to service

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you edge grind a wafer you have already cored for us?: Yes. Coring plus edge grinding is a common combination; the cored wafer gets a rounded edge before it ships. See Wafer Coring.
Does grinding change the wafer diameter?: Slightly. Removing the damaged edge takes a small amount of material from the perimeter. We agree the finished diameter with you on the quote.
Is the edge polished?: No. We produce a rounded, unpolished edge. If your process requires a polished edge, tell us and we will advise.
Can you handle SiC and AlN?: Yes. Both are hard and brittle, which is exactly where a damaged edge does the most harm. We grind them regularly.
Do you offer NDA / confidential processing?: Yes. All work is performed under NDA, and we do not photograph or publish customer material without written permission.

Get a Quote

Send us the material, diameter, thickness, quantity and a description of the edge condition (photos help). We typically respond within one business day.