Method and apparatus for debonding temporarily bonded wafers in wafer-level packaging applications

An apparatus for debonding a wafer from a bonded wafer stack, said apparatus comprising:

• a flashlamp for emitting light pulses to debond a processed wafer from a bonded wafer stack, wherein said bonded wafer stack includes a wafer attaching to a carrier via a light absorbing layer and an adhesive layer;
• a flashlamp control unit for controlling said flashlamp, wherein said flashlamp control unit includes
• a capacitor bank;
• a power supply for charging said capacitor bank;
• an IGBT-based switching device;
• and
• a frequency controller;
• and
• a wafer debonding unit having:
• a debonding vacuum table for holding down said bonded wafer stack;
• a wafer feeding robot for transporting said bonded wafer stack to and from said debonding vacuum table;
• and
• a vacuum gripper for removing said carrier from said bonded wafer stack after said light pulses have been emitted by said flashlamp to debond said processed wafer from said bonded wafer stack.