# US 12,765,041 B2 · Semiconductor processing tool and methods of operation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,765,041 B2 - Document ID: US12765041B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/424,016 - Filed: 2024-01-26 - Published: 2025-07-31 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2024-01-26 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Ching-Hung Wang; Tzu-Wei Yu; Pin Yen Hsieh; Yeong-Jyh Lin; Kuan-Liang Liu; Ching I Li; Kai-Yun Yang; Min-Chang Ching - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12765041B2 ## CPC - H10D 84/038: {using silicon technology, e.g. SiGe} - H10D 88/01: {Manufacture or treatment} - H10P 72/0428: {Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting} - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - H10P 72/722: {Details of electrostatic chucks} - H10P 72/78: using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks - H10P 74/203: {Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects} - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Some implementations described herein provide a bonding tool having a top bonding fixture that includes an inflatable forcing structure (e.g., a gas bag). When pressurized, the inflatable forcing structure has a curved surface that protrudes from an under side of the top bonding fixture to deform a top semiconductor substrate during a bonding operation. A rate of inflation and/or a pressure within the inflatable forcing structure may be controlled to distribute a force more evenly in a bond region of the semiconductor substrate relative to another bonding tool having another top bonding fixture including a striker pin. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: receiving a first semiconductor substrate on a first bonding fixture including a first inflatable forcing structure in a recess of a first chuck component, wherein the first bonding fixture includes a first vacuum port structure passing through the first inflatable forcing structure and the first chuck component; activating a first vacuum supply system to draw the first semiconductor substrate to a surface of the first inflatable forcing structure; receiving a second semiconductor substrate on a second bonding fixture including a second inflatable forcing structure in a recess of a second chuck component, wherein the second bonding fixture includes a second vacuum port structure passing through the second inflatable forcing structure and the second chuck component; activating a second vacuum supply system to draw the second semiconductor substrate to a surface of the second inflatable forcing structure; activating a first gas supply system to inflate the first inflatable forcing structure; activating a second gas supply system to inflate the second inflatable forcing structure; and performing a bonding operation that joins the first semiconductor substrate with the second semiconductor substrate after inflating the first inflatable forcing structure and inflating the second inflatable forcing structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including: monitoring a bond region between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate during the bonding operation to determine one or more parameters related to a propagation of a bonding wave, and adjusting a first setting of the first gas supply system to control a pressure within the first inflatable forcing structure based on the one or more parameters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including: monitoring a bond region between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate during the bonding operation to determine one or more parameters related to a propagation of a bonding wave, and adjusting a first setting of the first gas supply system to control a rate of inflation within the first inflatable forcing structure based on the one or more parameters. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including: monitoring a bond region between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate during the bonding operation to determine one or more parameters related to a propagation of a bonding wave, and deactivating the first vacuum supply system to release the first semiconductor substrate from the surface of the first inflatable forcing structure during the bonding operation. ### Claim 5 A method, comprising: receiving a semiconductor substrate on a bonding fixture including an inflatable forcing structure in a recess of a chuck component; activating a vacuum supply system to draw a vacuum through a plurality of vacuum port structures that pass through the inflatable forcing structure to draw the semiconductor substrate against a surface of the inflatable forcing structure; activating a gas supply system to provide a pressurized gas through a gas inlet port structure that enters the inflatable forcing structure to inflate the inflatable forcing structure; and performing a bonding operation that joins the semiconductor substrate with another semiconductor substrate after inflating the inflatable forcing structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein activating the gas supply system to provide the pressurized gas to inflate the inflatable forcing structure forms a convex curvature along an outer surface of the inflatable forcing structure that protrudes beyond a surface of the chuck component to provide a force that deforms a bond region of the semiconductor substrate during the bonding operation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein a distance that the convex curvature protrudes beyond the surface of the chuck component is included in a range from greater than 0 microns and up to approximately 100 microns. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein activating the gas supply system to provide the pressurized gas to inflate the inflatable forcing structure includes: activating the gas supply system to provide a pressurized nitrogen gas. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further including: adjusting a setting that controls a pressure of the pressurized gas, wherein the pressure of the pressurized gas is included a range of approximately 50 millibars to approximately 1000 millibars. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting the setting that controls the pressure of the pressurized gas is based on an output of a machine learning model. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further including: monitoring a deformation of the semiconductor substrate during the bonding operation using a sensor system; and adjusting a setting that controls a pressure of the pressurized gas based on information received from the sensor system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: monitoring a deformation of the semiconductor substrate during the bonding operation using a sensor system; and adjusting a setting of the vacuum supply system that controls a vacuum force on the semiconductor substrate based on information received from the sensor system. ### Claim 13 A bonding tool, comprising: a processing chamber; and a bonding fixture, in the processing chamber, configured to hold a semiconductor substrate and comprising: a chuck component; an inflatable forcing structure within a recess of the chuck component; a vacuum port structure passing through the chuck component and through the inflatable forcing structure, and configured to provide a vacuum force that holds a bond region of the semiconductor substrate against the inflatable forcing structure; and a gas inlet port structure passing through the chuck component and into the inflatable forcing structure, and configured to provide a pressurized gas to inflate the inflatable forcing structure to form a convex curvature along an outer surface of the inflatable forcing structure that protrudes outside the recess, and to provide a force that deforms the bond region of the semiconductor substrate during a bonding operation that joins the semiconductor substrate with another semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The bonding tool of claim 13, wherein the vacuum port structure comprises: a sleeve component that passes through the chuck component and into the inflatable forcing structure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The bonding tool of claim 13, wherein the inflatable forcing structure corresponds to an enclosed gas bag that includes a titanium nitride material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The bonding tool of claim 13, wherein the inflatable forcing structure corresponds to an enclosed gas bag that includes a 3 mol percentage yttria-stabilized zirconia material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The bonding tool of claim 13, wherein the vacuum port structure is one of a plurality of vacuum port structures that pass through the chuck component and through the inflatable forcing structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The bonding tool of claim 17, wherein the plurality of vacuum port structures are arranged in a radial pattern. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The bonding tool of claim 13, further comprising: a vacuum supply system connected to the vacuum port structure and configured to draw a vacuum that provides the vacuum force through the vacuum port structure; a gas supply system connected to the gas inlet port structure and configured to provide the pressurized gas through the gas inlet port structure; and a controller configured to: adjust a first setting to control a pressure of the vacuum, and adjust a second setting to control a pressure of the pressurized gas. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The bonding tool of claim 19, further comprising: a sensor system configured to monitor a bonding wave propagation during the bonding operation, and wherein the controller is further configured to: adjust the first setting or the second setting based on the bonding wave propagation.