Apparatus for mechanically debonding temporary bonded semiconductor wafers

A debonder apparatus for debonding two via an adhesive layer combined with a release layer temporary bonded wafers, comprising:

• a chuck assembly comprising a chuck and a first wafer holder configured to hold wafers in contact with the top surface of the chuck;
• a flex plate assembly comprising a flex plate and a second wafer holder configured to hold wafers in contact with a first surface of the flex plate, wherein said flex plate comprises a first edge connected to a hinge and a second edge diametrically opposite to the first edge, and wherein said flex plate's first edge is arranged adjacent to a first edge of the chuck and said flex plate is configured to swing around said hinge and to be placed above the top surface of the chuck;
• a contact roller arranged adjacent to a second edge of the chuck, said second edge of the chuck being diametrically opposite to its first edge;
• a debond drive motor configured to move the contact roller vertical to the plane of the chuck top surface;
• wherein a wafer pair, comprising a carrier wafer stacked upon and being bonded to a device wafer via an adhesive layer and a release layer, is placed upon said chuck so that the unbonded surface of the device wafer is in contact with the chuck top surface;
• wherein said flex plate swings around said hinge and is placed above said bottom chuck so that its first surface is in contact with the unbonded surface of the carrier wafer;
• wherein said contact roller is driven upward until it contacts and pushes the second edge of the flex plate up while said carrier wafer is held by said flex plate and said device wafer is held by said chuck via said second and first wafer holders, respectively;
• and
• wherein said contact roller push flexes said second edge of the flex plate and causes delamination of the wafer pair along the release layer.