Methods and apparatus for facilitating manufacture of an integrated circuit on a carrier
AssigneePragmatic Semiconductor Limited
InventorsRichard PRICE, Bobur MIRKHAYDAROV, Lee WINCHESTER, Devaraj SHANMUGAM
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of, and apparatus for, manufacturing integrated circuits (ICs) are disclosed. The method includes processing a carrier for supporting a plurality ICs during fabrication and for aiding release of the ICs following fabrication. Processing the carrier includes providing a layer of a release material thereon, which is subsequently patterned prior to the deposition of substrate materials upon which ICs are formed.
Claims20
A method of processing a carrier for supporting a plurality of integrated circuits, ICs, during fabrication and for aiding release of the ICs following fabrication, the method comprising:
- providing a carrier for supporting a substrate material during fabrication of the ICs on the substrate material, the carrier having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
- forming, on the first surface of the carrier, a layer of release material for receiving the substrate material, and for aiding release of the substrate material following fabrication of the ICs;
- and
- patterning the release material formed on the carrier to define a plurality of distinct IC support areas in the release material, each IC support area being arranged to bond to a respective portion of the substrate material for fabrication of a corresponding IC on that portion of substrate material;
- wherein the layer of release material is configured for allowing at least part of at least one specific wavelength of electromagnetic radiation incident on the release material to act, at an interface between the release material and the substrate material, to reduce a strength of the bond between the release material and the substrate material.
A method of manufacturing at least one IC, the method comprising:
- providing a carrier processed by a method comprising:
- providing a carrier for supporting a substrate material during fabrication of the ICs on the substrate material, the carrier having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
- forming, on the first surface of the carrier, a layer of release material for receiving the substrate material, and for aiding release of the substrate material following fabrication of the ICs;
- and
- patterning the release material formed on the carrier to define a plurality of distinct IC support areas in the release material, each IC support area being arranged to bond to a respective portion of the substrate material for fabrication of a corresponding IC on that portion of substrate material;
- wherein the layer of release material is configured for allowing at least part of at least one specific wavelength of electromagnetic radiation incident on the release material to act, at an interface between the release material and the substrate material, to reduce a strength of the bond between the release material and the substrate material;
- forming a layer of the substrate material on the carrier;
- and
- patterning the substrate material to form a respective portion of the substrate material on each IC support area;
- fabricating a respective IC on each portion of the substrate material;
- irradiating the carrier with the at least one specific wavelength of electromagnetic radiation to reduce the strength of the bond between the release material and the substrate material;
- and removing at least one portion of the substrate material, on which the at least one IC is fabricated, from the carrier.
A structure for supporting a plurality of integrated circuits, ICs, during fabrication and for aiding release of the ICs following fabrication, the structure comprising:
- a carrier for supporting a substrate material during fabrication of the ICs on the substrate material;
- and
- a layer of release material formed, on a surface of the carrier, for receiving the substrate material, and for aiding release of the substrate material following fabrication of the ICs;
- wherein the release material is patterned on the carrier to define a plurality of distinct IC support areas in the release material, each IC support area being arranged to bond to a respective portion of the substrate material for fabrication of a corresponding IC on that portion of substrate material;
- and
- wherein the layer of release material is configured for allowing at least part of at least one specific wavelength of electromagnetic radiation incident on the release material to act, at an interface between the release material and the substrate material, to reduce a strength of the bond between the release material and the substrate material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.