# US 2021/0242043 A1 · Fully automated wafer debonding system and method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242043 A1 - Document ID: US20210242043A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/110,122 - Filed: 2020-12-02 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-31 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Cheng-Fei Yu; Chang-Chen TSAO; Ting-Yau Shiu; Cheng-Kang Hu; Hsu-Shui Liu; Jiun-Rong Pai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242043A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/0428: {Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting} - B32B 43/006: {Delaminating} - H10P 70/40: {Cleaning for reclaiming} - H10P 74/203: {Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects} - H10P 90/16: {by reclaiming or re-processing} - H10W 72/071: {Connecting or disconnecting} - H10W 72/0711: {Apparatus therefor} - B32B 2457/14: Semiconductor wafers - H10W 72/0198: {batch processes} - 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 - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A debonding system for debonding a pair of bonded wafers, comprising: 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The debonding apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cross section of a leading portion of each of the pair of separating blades has a shape selected from: a rounded wedge, a square wedge and a triangular wedge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The debonding apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of separating blades have a Young's modulus in a range of from about 3 Gigapascal (GPa) to about 3.95 Gigapascal (GPa). ### Claim 4 (depends on 4) The debonding apparatus of claim 4, wherein the pair of separating blades are configured to rotate in an opposite direction of the rotating pair of bonded wafers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The debonding apparatus of claim 1, wherein, during an insertion process, the pair of separating blades are controlled by an automatic optical inspection (AOI) system configured to control insertion depths of the pair of separating blades. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The debonding apparatus of claim 5, the AOI system is further configured to determine insertion points for inserting the pair of separating blades between the bonded wafers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The debonding apparatus of claim 5, further comprising at least one pressure detector configured to monitor pressure applied to the first and second wafer during the insertion process of the pair of blades. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The debonding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least two pulling heads are configured to apply at least a first pull force and a second pull force, respectively. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The debonding apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first and second pull forces are set to be unequal. ### Claim 10 A debonding system, comprising: 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 plurality of circular plate separating blades that are equally spaced from each other and arranged around the pair of bonded wafers and configured to rotate in an opposite direction of the rotating pair of bonded wafers, wherein the plurality of circular plate separating blades are rotatably inserted between a first and a second wafers of the pair of bonded wafers; a flex wafer assembly comprising of at least two pulling heads configured to pull the second wafer upwardly so as to debond the first wafer from the second wafer; and an automatic optical inspection (AOI) system comprising of three-dimensional cameras configured to monitor a debonding process, wherein the AOI system transmits feedback signals to actuators controlling the plurality of circular plate separating blades and the at least two pulling heads of the flex wafer assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A debonding system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of separating blades rotate at different speeds. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A debonding system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of separating blades have a thickness in a range of from about 2 mm to about 6 mm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A debonding system of claim 10, wherein a first separating blade from the plurality of separating blades is inserted between the bonded wafers to a first distance, and a second separating blade from the plurality of separating blades is inserted between the bonded wafers to a second distance that is different from the first distance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) A debonding system of claim 10, the AOI system is further configured to measure an inserting speed, depth, and slope of the plurality of separating blades and feedback the measured inserting speed, depth, and slope to a controller that is configured to control the rotating speed of the plurality of separating of blades and the rotating speed of the bonded wafers. ### Claim 15 A method for debonding a pair of bonded wafers, the method comprising: attaching a pair of bonded wafers onto a wafer chuck using vacuum suction; determining a bonding interface between the pair of bonded wafer using an automatic optical inspection (AOI) system; determining a distance from a pair of circular plate blades to the pair of bonded wafers using the AOI system; inserting the pair of circular plate blades the bonding interface using a robotic arm; rotating the pair of bonded wafers by rotating the wafer chuck attached to the bonded wafers; and pulling up a top wafer of the pair of bonded wafers so as to debond the pair of bonded wafers, while simultaneously retracting the pair of blades from the bonded wafers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: inspecting surface defects of the debonded wafers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising: cleaning and re-polishing the debonded surfaces. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising: rotating the pair of bonded wafers four times, wherein each rotation is by 45 degrees. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring, using pressure detectors, pressure in the pair of bonded wafers during the inserting step of the pair of blades. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the pair of blades are rotated in an opposite direction to the rotating wafer chuck.