Apparatus and methods for wafer debonding using a liquid jet
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsGi-ho Cha, Byoung-hun Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Wafer debonding of a bonded bulk wafer and a device wafer using a liquid jet to avoid scratching of the wafers is provided. The wafer debonder includes a wafer loader having a first stand with a flat upper surface and a second stand located above the first stand having a lower surface slanted with respect to the upper surface of the first stand at a predetermined angle. A first holder is connected to the first stand and a second holder is located on an imaginary surface extended from the lower surface of the second stand for holding the wafers. A liquid jetting nozzle is positioned adjacent the wafer loader to direct a jet of liquid at the interface between the wafers to separate the wafers.
Claims19
A wafer debonder which separates a bonded wafer having a first wafer and a second wafer bonded to said first wafer at an interface comprising:
- a wafer loader which positions said bonded wafer;
- a liquid jetting nozzle positioned adjacent said wafer loader to direct a jet of liquid at said interface to separate said first wafer from said second wafer;
- and
- wherein said wafer loader comprises:
- a first stand having a surface for positioning said bonded wafer;
- a second stand having a surface positioned adjacent said surface of said first stand and extending at a predetermined angle relative to said surface of said first stand, said liquid jetting nozzle being positioned so as to direct a jet of liquid between said surface of said first stand and said surface of said second stand;
- and
- a first holder positioned adjacent said first stand to hold a bonded wafer in place on said surface of said first stand.
A wafer debonding method for separating a bonded wafer having a first wafer and a second wafer bonded to said first wafer at an interface, said method comprising the steps of:
- loading the bonded wafer into a wafer loader;
- holding the first wafer of the bonded wafer in a substantially fixed position in said wafer loader;
- positioning a nozzle adjacent the wafer loader on an imaginary line extended from the interface;
- jetting a liquid from the nozzle toward the interface to separate the second wafer and the first wafer;
- and,
- holding the separated second wafer in said wafer loader.
A wafer separator which separates a first wafer and a second wafer at an interface therebetween comprising:
- a wafer loader which positions said first wafer and said second wafer;
- a liquid jetting nozzle positioned adjacent said wafer loader to direct a jet of liquid at said interface to separate said first wafer from said second wafer;
- a jet of liquid that is supplied from said liquid jetting nozzle at a pressure sufficient to separate said first wafer from said second wafer;
- and
- wherein said wafer loader further comprises a first holder positioned in said wafer loader so as to hold said first wafer in place in said wafer loader.
A wafer separating method for separating a first wafer and a second wafer at an interface therebetween, said method comprising the steps of:
- loading the first wafer and the second wafer into a wafer loader;
- holding the first wafer in a substantially fixed position in said wafer loader;
- and
- jetting a liquid from a nozzle toward the interface to separate the second wafer and the first wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.