Debonders and related devices and methods for semiconductor fabrication
AssigneeSkyworks Solutions, Inc.
InventorsSteve Canale, David J. Zapp, Daniel E. Sanchez, Hung V. Phan, Hyong Y. Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are systems, devices and methodologies for debonding wafers from carrier plates. In certain wafer processing operations, it is desirable to temporarily mount a wafer on a carrier plate for support and ease of handling. Such a mounting can be achieved by bonding the wafer and the carrier plate with an adhesive. Once such operations are completed, the wafer needs to be debonded from the carrier plate. Such a debonding process can be achieved by applying a suction force to the wafer-carrier plate assembly. Various debonding systems, devices and methodologies, and related features, are disclosed.
Claims42
A debonding chuck for holding an assembly of a wafer and a plate bonded together, the plate having a lateral dimension that is larger than a lateral dimension of the wafer such that the assembly includes a peripheral area on the plate that is not covered by the wafer, the chuck comprising:
- a first surface that defines a recess having a lateral dimension that is sufficiently large to accommodate the lateral dimension of the wafer, but less than the lateral dimension of the plate, such that when the assembly with the wafer facing the recess is positioned on the chuck for debonding, at least a portion of the peripheral area of the plate engages at least a portion of the first surface to remain outside of the recess while the wafer is substantially within the recess;
- and
- a second surface disposed in the recess and separated from the first surface so as to define a depth of the recess, the second surface defining at least one suction opening configured to facilitate delivery of a suction force to the wafer via the recess, the depth being selected to be greater than the wafer's thickness such that when the wafer is debonded from the plate by the suction force, the wafer allowed to become separated from the plate and engage the second surface while the plate remains engaged to the first surface.
A method for debonding a wafer from an oversized plate, the method comprising:
- positioning an assembly of a wafer and a plate on a vacuum chuck that is dimensioned to support the assembly by an oversized portion of the plate such that the wafer faces the vacuum chuck;
- applying a suction to the vacuum chuck so as to yield a suction force being applied to the wafer, the plate inhibited from following the wafer due to the vacuum chuck supporting the oversized portion of the plate so that the wafer is pulled away from the plate by the suction force;
- and
- receiving the separated wafer in a recess defined by the vacuum chuck.
A debonding apparatus for separating a wafer from a plate, the plate having a lateral dimension that is larger than a lateral dimension of the wafer such that an assembly of the wafer and the plate includes a peripheral area on the plate that is not covered by the wafer, the apparatus comprising:
- a chuck having a vacuum surface configured to receive the wafer of the assembly;
- and
- one or more separation members disposed relative to the vacuum surface so as to allow the one or more separation members to engage at least a portion of the plate and move the at least a portion of the plate without directly touching the wafer so as to allow separation of the plate away from the wafer by moving the one or more separation members when the wafer is held on the vacuum surface by application of vacuum.
An apparatus comprising:
- a means for holding an assembly of a wafer bonded to a plate;
- and
- a means for separating the wafer from the plate by applying a force to and moving one of the wafer and the plate while the other of the wafer and the plate is inhibited from moving due to the force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.