Originally posted by: lexxmac
I'd like to know if anyone knows of some sites that have DETAILED information on how ICs are actually produced.
There aren't really those types of sites out there. If you can't afford a book try going to your local library, it's free. If your public library doesn't have any books on the subject find a friend who can take you to a university library, heck if all you want to do is read the books in the library you don't even have to really be a student. Or you could do a bit of reading for free in your local B&N or Borders.
Specifically, I'm looking for how the individual chips are cut out of the wafer
With a high speed inner diameter diamond saw blade. Check out
www.kns.com, they manufacture a large % of the dicing systems in use and have a small technical library. Actually you can find some useful albeit slanted information at many vendor's websites. Nothing in depth though, they are trying to sell you their systems, not the expertise.
how those extremely thin wires on the inside of the packaging are connected to the die itself
, and any information on how BGA packaging goes together.
K&S (linked previously) and esec.com both make bonders. There are other companies i'm less familiar with.
I hope that helps. Backend packaging is not my forte but if you ever have any questions about actual fabrication of ICs at the wafer level i'd be happy to answer as best I can.