Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chang-Chen Tsao

Cheng-Kang Hu

Yeur-Luen Tu

Ping-Yin Liu

Yu-Hung Cheng

Ru-Liang Lee

Xin-Hua Huang

Sheng-Hsiang Chuang

Kuo Liang Lu

Jiun-Rong Pai

Hsu-Shui Liu

Ting-Yau Shiu

Cheng-Fei Yu

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method that includes aligned a first wafer with a second wafer. The second wafer is spaced apart from the first wafer. The first wafer is arranged on a first electrostatic chuck (ESC). The first ESC has electrostatic contacts that are configured to attract the first wafer to the first ESC. Further, the second wafer is brought toward the first wafer to directly contact the first wafer at an inter-wafer interface. The inter-wafer interface is localized to a center of the first wafer. The second wafer is deformed to gradually expand the inter-wafer interface from the center of the first wafer toward an edge of the first wafer. The electrostatic contacts of the first ESC are turned OFF such that the first and second wafers are bonded to one another by the inter-wafer interface.

Simultaneous bonding approach for high quality wafer stacking

An apparatus and method for debonding a pair of bonded wafers are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the debonding apparatus, comprises: a wafer chuck having a preset maximum lateral dimension and configured to rotate the pair of bonded wafers attached to a top surface of the wafer chuck, a pair of circular plate separating blades including a first separating blade and a second separating blade arranged diametrically opposite to each other at edges of the pair of bonded wafers, wherein the first and the second separating blades are inserted between a first and a second wafers of the pair of bonded wafers, and at least two pulling heads configured to pull the second wafer upwardly so as to debond the second wafer from the first wafer.

Fully automated wafer debonding system and method thereof

Simultaneous bonding approach for high quality wafer stacking applications

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method for bonding a first wafer to a second wafer. The method includes aligning a first wafer with a second wafer, so the first and second wafers are vertically stacked and have substantially planar profiles extending laterally in parallel. The method further includes bringing the first and second wafers into direct contact with each other at an inter-wafer interface. The bringing of the first and second wafers into direct contact includes deforming the first wafer so that the first wafer has a curved profile and that the inter-wafer interface is localized to a center of the first wafer. The second wafer maintains its substantially planar profile throughout the deforming of the first wafer. The method further includes deforming the first wafer and/or the second wafer to gradually expand the inter-wafer interface from the center to an edge of the first wafer.

The present disclosure relates to a debonding apparatus. In some embodiments, the debonding apparatus comprises a wafer chuck configured to hold a pair of bonded substrates on a chuck top surface. The debonding apparatus further comprises a pair of separating blades including a first separating blade and a second separating blade placed at edges of the pair of bonded substrates. The first separating blade has a first thickness that is smaller than a second thickness of the second separating blade. The debonding apparatus further comprises a flex wafer assembly configured to pull the pair of bonded substrates upwardly to separate a second substrate from a first substrate of the pair of bonded substrate. By providing unbalanced initial torques on opposite sides of the bonded substrate pair, edge defects and wafer breakage are reduced.

Wafer debonding system and method

The present disclosure relates to a debonding apparatus. In some embodiments, the debonding apparatus comprises a wafer chuck configured to hold a pair of bonded substrates on a chuck top surface. The debonding apparatus further comprises a pair of separating blades including a first separating blade and a second separating blade placed at edges of the pair of bonded substrates diametrically opposite to each other. The first separating blade has a first thickness that is smaller than a second thickness of the second separating blade. The debonding apparatus further comprises a flex wafer assembly placed above the pair of bonded substrates and configured to pull the pair of bonded substrates upwardly to separate a second substrate from a first substrate of the pair of bonded substrate. By providing unbalanced initial torques on opposite sides of the bonded substrate pair, edge defects and wafer breakage are reduced.

The present disclosure relates to a method for debonding a pair of bonded substrates. In the method, a debonding apparatus is provided comprising a wafer chuck, a flex wafer assembly, and a set of separating blades. The pair of bonded substrates is placed upon the wafer chuck so that a first substrate of the bonded substrate pair is in contact with a chuck top surface. The flex wafer assembly is placed above the bonded substrate pair so that its first surface is in contact with an upper surface of a second substrate of the bonded substrate pair. A pair of separating blades having different thicknesses is inserted between the first and second substrates from edges of the pair of bonded substrates diametrically opposite to each other while the second substrate is concurrently pulled upward until the flex wafer assembly flexes the second substrate from the first substrate. By providing unbalanced initial torques on opposite sides of the bonded substrate pair, edge defects and wafer breakage are reduced.

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Tainan, Taiwan

Chang-Chen Tsao