Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Kuo Liang Lu

Yeur-Luen Tu

Ping-Yin Liu

Yu-Hung Cheng

Ru-Liang Lee

Xin-Hua Huang

Kuan-Liang Liu

Cheng-Kang Hu

Sheng-Hsiang Chuang

Chang-Chen Tsao

Fu-Chen Chang

Chien-Chen Li

Ching Tasi Liu

Te Lung Liu

Min-Chang Ching

Po-Hsiang Wang

B J Chang

Yang Cheng Hung

Tseng Wen Song

Chen Peir Horng

Nai Huai Liu

Bo-Han Chu

The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip processing tool. The integrated chip processing tool includes a gas distribution ring configured to extend along a perimeter of a process chamber. The gas distribution ring includes a lower ring extending around the process chamber. The lower ring has a plurality of gas inlets arranged along a bottom surface of the lower ring and a plurality of gas conveyance channels arranged along an upper surface of the lower ring directly over the plurality of gas inlets. The gas distribution ring further includes an upper ring disposed on the upper surface of the lower ring and covering the plurality of gas conveyance channels. A plurality of gas outlets are arranged along opposing ends of the plurality of gas conveyance channels. A plurality of gas conveyance paths extending between the plurality of gas inlets and the plurality of gas outlets have approximately equal lengths.

Gas distribution ring for process chamber

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a workpiece bonding apparatus. The workpieces bonding apparatus includes a first substrate holder having a first surface configured to receive a first workpiece, and a second substrate holder having a second surface configured to receive a second workpiece. A vacuum apparatus is positioned between the first substrate holder and the second substrate holder and is configured to selectively induce a vacuum between the first surface and the second surface. The vacuum is configured to attract the first surface and the second surface toward one another.

Apparatus for bond wave propagation control

An apparatus and method is provided for controlling a propagation of a bond wave during semiconductor processing. The apparatus has a first chuck to selectively retain a first workpiece. A second chuck selectively retains a second workpiece. The first and second chucks selectively secure at least a periphery of the respective first workpiece and second workpiece. An air vacuum is circumferentially located in a region between the first chuck and second chuck. The air vacuum is configured to induce a vacuum between the first workpiece and second workpiece to selectively bring the first workpiece and second workpiece together from a propagation point. The air vacuum can be localized air vacuum guns, a vacuum disk, or an air curtain positioned about the periphery of the region between the first chuck and second chuck. The air curtain induces a lower pressure within the region between the first and second chucks.

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.

Embodiments using immersion de-taping are described. A substrate having a substrate tape attached thereto is provided. The substrate includes electrically conductive connectors attached to the substrate tape. A fluid is provided between the substrate and the substrate tape. While the fluid is between the substrate and the substrate tape, the substrate tape is removed from the substrate. Another embodiment is an apparatus comprising an immersion tank, a substrate chuck, first and second fixed rollers, and a moveable roller. The substrate chuck is configured to secure a substrate and to place the substrate into the immersion tank. The first fixed roller is operable to dispense a clamp tape. The second fixed roller is operable to roll the clamp tape. The moveable roller is operable to extend into the immersion tank and to adhere the clamp tape to a substrate tape on the substrate.

Immersion de-taping

A novel semiconductor wafer lifter is disclosed for handling wafers during wet bench processing. In particular, the lifter has a plurality of holes formed in its vertical support surface to allow cleaning or rinsing fluid to flow through the vertical support instead of around its sides. These holes facilitates a constant flow of fluid across the wafer during recirculation of the tank contents during etching and rinsing operations, thus ensuring more even etching of all wafers and minimizing the deposition of particulate matter on wafer surfaces.

Semiconductor wafer lifter

A wet chemical process tank for processing semiconductor wafers equipped with a specially designed fluid dispenser positioned at the bottom of the tank where the dispenser has a fluid dispensing member having an elongated body connected on at least one end to at least one support member for stabilizing the member and a fluid passage therein in fluid communication with a plurality of openings provided on at least one of the vertical sides of the member such that a fluid may only exit the member in a horizontal direction so that bubbles generated do not directly contact the semiconductor wafers suspended at the center of the tank.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Kuo Liang Lu