# US 10,319,618 B2 · Metal recycling method and metal recycling equipment thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,319,618 B2 - Document ID: US10319618B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/276,141 - Filed: 2016-09-26 - Published: 2017-03-30 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-25 - Assignees: Epistar Corporation - Applicants: Epistar Corporation - Inventors: Chun-Lung Tseng; Hung-Yao Lin; Hsin-Yi Wang; Chin-Kang Hu; Sheng-Hsiung Chuang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319618B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/0442: {Apparatus for placing on an insulating substrate, e.g. tape} - B32B 37/025: {Transfer laminating} - B32B 38/10: Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically - H05K 3/025: {by transfer of thin metal foil formed on a temporary carrier, e.g. peel-apart copper} - H05K 3/046: {by selective transfer or selective detachment of a conductive layer} - H10P 72/0428: {Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting} - B32B 2309/12: Pressure - B32B 2311/00: Metals, their alloys or their compounds - B32B 2311/02: Noble metals - B32B 2311/12: Copper - B32B 2311/24: Aluminium - B32B 2457/14: Semiconductor wafers - B44C 1/14: Metallic leaves or foils, e.g. gold leaf - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)} ## Abstract A metal recycling method comprises attaching a tape to a metal layer of a semiconductor structure; and separating a part of the metal layer from the semiconductor structure and transferring the part of the metal layer to the tape by a pressure difference. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A metal recycling method, which comprises: attaching a tape to a metal layer of a semiconductor structure, and wherein the metal layer comprises gold, silver, platinum, aluminum or copper; and providing a first pressure difference to separate a part of the metal layer from the semiconductor structure and transfer the part of the metal layer to the tape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The metal recycling method of claim 1, wherein the first pressure difference is 1.5 atm to 3.5 atm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The metal recycling method of claim 1, further comprising providing a second pressure difference to attach the tape to the metal layer of a semiconductor structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The metal recycling method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductor stack, an electrode formed on the semiconductor stack, a sacrificial layer formed on the semiconductor stack and not deposited on the electrode, and the metal layer formed on the electrode and the sacrificial layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The metal recycling method of claim 4, wherein the part of the metal layer deposited on the sacrificial layer is transferred to the tape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The metal recycling method of claim 5, wherein another part of the metal layer on the electrode remains on the semiconductor structure after the part of the metal layer is transferred to the tape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The metal recycling method of claim 1, further comprising providing a metal recycling equipment comprising the tape and a metal removing apparatus wherein the tape is located, and wherein the metal removing apparatus comprises an upper hollow cavity and a lower hollow cavity on the opposite sides of the tape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The metal recycling method of claim 7, wherein the first pressure difference is achieved by inflating the lower hollow cavity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The metal recycling method of claim 8, wherein a first pressure in the lower hollow cavity is inflated to 40˜60 PSI when separating the part of the metal layer from the semiconductor structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The metal recycling method of claim 3, further comprising providing a metal recycling equipment comprising the tape and a metal removing apparatus wherein the tape is located, and wherein the metal removing apparatus comprises an upper hollow cavity and a lower hollow cavity on the opposite sides of the tape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The metal recycling method of claim 10, wherein the second pressure difference is achieved by inflating the upper hollow cavity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The metal recycling method of claim 11, wherein a second pressure in the upper hollow cavity is inflated to 40˜60 PSI when attaching the tape to the metal layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The metal recycling method of claim 10, wherein the second pressure difference is achieved by exhausting the lower hollow cavity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The metal recycling method of claim 7, wherein the metal recycling equipment further comprises a deformable chamber which is able to change its size in the upper hollow cavity, and the tape is attached to the metal layer through pressing the tape toward the metal layer by the deformable chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The metal recycling method of claim 14, wherein the metal recycling equipment further comprises a rotating member to drive the deformable chamber to rotate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The metal recycling method of claim 14, wherein a path of the deformable chamber is a planetary moving path or a spiral moving path when the tape is pressed by the deformable chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The metal recycling method of claim 7, wherein the metal recycling equipment further comprises a carrier and a lifting shaft in the metal recycling equipment, and the lifting shaft connects to the carrier to control the lift and the fall of the carrier. ### Claim 18 (depends on 7) The metal recycling method of claim 7, wherein the metal recycling equipment further comprises a pressure controlling tube connecting to the upper hollow cavity or a lower hollow cavity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 7) The metal recycling method of claim 7, wherein the metal recycling equipment further comprises a metal recycling tank.