Workpiece holder, wafer chuck, and method of manufacturing semiconductor package

Abstract

A workpiece holder includes a chuck body and a seal ring. The chuck body includes a receiving surface configured to receive a workpiece and at least one vacuum port configured to apply a vacuum seal. The seal ring encircles a side surface of the chuck body. A top surface of the seal ring is higher than the receiving surface of the chuck body, and the workpiece abuts the seal ring when the vacuum seal is applied between the workpiece and the chuck body.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a workpiece holder, a wafer chuck, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package. BACKGROUND

[0002] Larger wafers accommodate more dies and can reduce the cost per die. Therefore, wafers with large sizes are commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing processes today. While using wafers with large sizes can reduce manufacturing costs, larger wafers introduce new problems that were not previously considered in smaller wafers. One key problem is that wafer warpage becomes more severe for larger wafers.

[0003] Wafer warpage causes many undesirable manufacturing defects. For example, a spun-on layer on a wafer can have a thickness at the center that is greater than a thickness at the outer edge. In an etching process, problems with critical dimension (CD) uniformity from the wafer center to the edge are at least partially due to imperfect chucking of wafer warpage. Furthermore, in a photolithographic process, the thickness uniformity of a photoresist (PR) layer from the wafer center to the outer edge is critical. During exposure, focus drift induced by wafer warpage can have a devastating effect on CD uniformity. In addition, residual stress in a warped wafer has been observed to cause cracks in the wafer. SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a workpiece holder, a wafer chuck, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package that can provide sufficient support and vacuum force to a warped workpiece and can improve the yield of a process to be performed on the workpiece subsequently.

[0005] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a workpiece holder includes a chuck body, a seal ring, and a support. The chuck body includes a receiving surface configured to receive a workpiece and at least one vacuum port configured to apply a vacuum seal. The seal ring surrounds an outermost surface of the chuck body. A top surface of the seal ring is higher than the receiving surface of the chuck body, and the workpiece rests against the seal ring when the vacuum seal is applied between the workpiece and the chuck body. The support is disposed at the outermost surface and includes a recess, wherein at least a portion of the seal ring is disposed within the recess.

[0006] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a wafer chuck includes a chuck body and a sealing ring. The chuck body includes a receiving surface configured to receive a wafer. The sealing ring is disposed on the outermost surface of the chuck body and surrounds the chuck body, wherein the top surface of the sealing ring is higher than the receiving surface of the chuck body, and, from a top view, the sealing ring is separated from the outer edge of the wafer.

[0007] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a wafer holding method includes the following steps: A semiconductor device is provided on a substrate. An encapsulating material is provided on the substrate to encapsulate the semiconductor device at least laterally and form a reconstructed wafer. The reconstructed wafer is attached to a tape carrier. The reconstructed wafer is removed from the substrate. The reconstructed wafer, together with the tape carrier, is provided to a wafer chuck, wherein the wafer chuck includes a chuck body and a sealing ring surrounding the chuck body, and the top surface of the sealing ring is higher than the receiving surface of the chuck body. The tape carrier is secured outside the chuck body, wherein the tape carrier abuts against the sealing ring, and a closed space is formed between the chuck body, the tape carrier, and the sealing ring. A vacuum seal is formed by evacuating air from the closed space to pull the periphery of the reconstructed wafer toward the chuck body. The reconstructed wafer is processed on the wafer chuck. Attached Figure Description

[0008] The best understanding of all aspects of this disclosure will be achieved by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, the various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, for clarity of explanation, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or decreased.

[0009] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a workpiece holder according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0010] Figures 2 to 8 A cross-sectional view is shown of an intermediate stage in semiconductor packaging manufacturing according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 9 A top view of a workpiece holder according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0012] Figure 10 A perspective view of a workpiece holder according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0013] Figure 11A and Figure 11B A cross-sectional view of a sealing ring according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0014] Figure 12 A partial cross-sectional view of a workpiece holder according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0015] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0016] 100: Workpiece holder / wafer chuck

[0017] 110: Chuck body

[0018] 112: Receiving Surface

[0019] 114: Vacuum Port

[0020] 116: Outermost surface

[0021] 120: Sealing ring

[0022] 122: Top surface

[0023] 130: Support component

[0024] 132: Fastening components

[0025] 134: Groove / Stepped Groove

[0026] 140: Clamping assembly

[0027] 200: Workpiece

[0028] 201: Encapsulated semiconductor devices

[0029] 210: Workpiece body / wafer / reconstructed wafer

[0030] 211, 211a: Semiconductor devices

[0031] 212: Back surface

[0032] 212a: Encapsulation material

[0033] 213: Through hole

[0034] 214: Rewiring Structure

[0035] 217: Insulation layer

[0036] 220: Carrier / Tape Carrier

[0037] 222: Tape section

[0038] 224: Framework Section

[0039] 280: Electrical connector

[0040] 2112: Electrical contacts

[0041] AL: Adhesive layer

[0042] D1, Y, Y1, Z: Vertical distance

[0043] F1: Vacuum Force / Vacuum Seal

[0044] S1: Enclosed space

[0045] ST: Substrate

[0046] X, X1: Horizontal distance

[0047] θ: Angle Detailed Implementation

[0048] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or instances for implementing various features of the provided subject matter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify this disclosure. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the description in the following text, "above" or "on" a second feature, may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in various instances of this disclosure. Such repetition is for the purpose of brevity and clarity and is not, in itself, an indication of a relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed.

[0049] Furthermore, for ease of explanation, spatially relative terms such as "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," and "upper" may be used herein to describe the relationship between one component or feature shown in the figures and another component or feature. These spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition to those shown in the figures. The device may have other orientations (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptive terms used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0050] In addition, for ease of explanation, terms such as "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" may be used in this document to describe one or more similar or different components or features shown in the figure, and these terms may be used interchangeably depending on the order of presentation or the context of the description.

[0051] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a workpiece holder according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figures 2 to 8This diagram shows a cross-sectional view of an intermediate stage in semiconductor packaging manufacturing according to some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. It should be understood that only the main components of the workpiece holder 100 are shown. To avoid confusion, nuts, bolts, screws, fittings, etc., required for assembling the workpiece holder 100 are not shown in detail in the diagram. (Refer to...) Figure 1 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the workpiece holder 100 is configured to hold the workpiece 200 and hold it in a fixed position for use in subsequent processes. In some embodiments, the workpiece 200 may include a carrier 220 and a workpiece body 210 disposed on the carrier 220.

[0052] In semiconductor device fabrication, wafers must be processed through numerous processing steps (e.g., up to hundreds) to produce the final product of integrated circuit (IC) chips. In the various chemical or physical processes used to perform these fabrication steps, the wafer must be securely held in a processing chamber onto a wafer carrier (e.g., a wafer chuck) so that the active surfaces of the wafer can be processed. According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the workpiece body 210 may be a wafer, and the carrier 220 may be a tape carrier. In this embodiment, the workpiece holder 100 may be referred to as a wafer chuck 100, which is configured to hold the wafer 210 and hold it in a fixed position for uniform processing of the wafer 210 in semiconductor wafer processing processes such as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), laser drilling, solder paste printing, die sawing, etc. This disclosure is not limited thereto. Different processes can be applied to form wafers 210 with different patterns and feature sizes. For example, to create patterns, lithography, x-ray lithography, imprint lithography, photolithography, etc., can be used.

[0053] In some embodiments, wafer 210 may represent a reconstructed wafer, a reconstructed panel, a reconstructed substrate, etc. For example, in a planar view, wafer 210 may have a circular shape, a rectangular shape, etc. Multiple semiconductor devices may be arranged in an array in the reconstructed wafer, reconstructed panel, or reconstructed substrate. For example, the manufacturing process of reconstructed wafer 210 may include the following steps. (Refer to...) Figure 2At least one semiconductor device 211a (shown as a single semiconductor device 211a, but an array of semiconductor devices is contemplated) is provided on a substrate ST. An adhesive layer AL may be disposed on the substrate ST. In some embodiments, the substrate ST may be a glass carrier, a ceramic carrier, etc. The adhesive layer AL may be a light-to-heat conversion release coating (LTHC), etc. In some embodiments, optionally, an insulating layer 217 may be disposed on the substrate ST or on the adhesive layer AL (if present).

[0054] In some embodiments, a plurality of vias (conductive pillars) 213 are provided on the substrate ST, and the vias 213 surround the device mounting area where the semiconductor device 211a is disposed. In some embodiments, the semiconductor device 211a may be a logic chip including logic circuitry. In some exemplary embodiments, the number of semiconductor devices 211a may be multiple and they are device dies designed for mobile applications, and may include, for example, power management integrated circuit (PMIC) dies and transceiver (TRX) dies.

[0055] In some embodiments, the substrate ST may include a plurality of device mounting regions arranged, for example, in an array. Therefore, vias 213 can be formed to surround each of these regions, and a plurality of semiconductor devices 211a can be disposed on each of the device mounting regions, thus the vias 213 can surround each of the semiconductor devices 211a. Using this arrangement, multiple semiconductor packages can be formed simultaneously. For simplicity and clarity, in Figures 2 to 8 The manufacturing process of one of the semiconductor packages is shown in the figure.

[0056] Then, refer to Figure 3 The semiconductor device 211a and the via 213 on the substrate ST are encapsulated using an encapsulation material 212a. In other words, the encapsulation material 212a is disposed on the substrate ST to encapsulate the via 213 and the semiconductor device 211a at least laterally. In some embodiments, the encapsulation material 212a may include molding compounds, epoxy resins, or resins, etc. In some embodiments, the encapsulation material 212a may cover the top end of the via 213 and the top surface of the semiconductor device 211a.

[0057] Then, refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 A thinning process, which can be a polishing process, is performed to thin the encapsulating material 212a until the top of the through-hole 213 and the electrical contact 2112 of the semiconductor device 211a are exposed. Figure 4The resulting structure is shown in the figure. Due to the thinning process, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the top of the through-hole 213 is substantially flush with the top surface of the electrical contact 2112 and also substantially flush with the top surface of the encapsulating material 212. Throughout the description, as... Figure 4 The structure shown, including semiconductor device 211, through-hole 213 and encapsulation material 212, is called encapsulated semiconductor device 201, which can be in wafer form during the process.

[0058] Then, any desired processes can be sequentially performed on the encapsulated semiconductor device 201 to form a reconstructed wafer. For example, refer to... Figure 5 A redistribution structure 214 can be formed on the encapsulated semiconductor device 201. The redistribution structure 214 is electrically connected to the semiconductor device 211 and via 213 encapsulated in the semiconductor device 201. The redistribution structure 214 can be formed, for example, by depositing a conductive layer, patterning the conductive layer to form a redistribution circuit, partially covering the redistribution circuit, and filling the gaps between the redistribution circuits with a dielectric layer. The material of the redistribution circuit may include metals or metal alloys (including aluminum, copper, tungsten, and / or alloys thereof). The dielectric layer may be formed of dielectric materials such as oxides, nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, combinations thereof, and / or multiple layers thereof. The redistribution circuit is formed in the dielectric layer and is electrically connected to the semiconductor device 211 and via 213. In addition, an under-bump metallurgy (UBM) layer can be formed on the redistribution structure 214 by sputtering, vapor deposition, or electroless plating. In some embodiments, according to some exemplary embodiments, at least one electrical connector 280 and / or at least one integrated passive device (IPD) may be provided on the redistribution structure 214. Forming the electrical connector 280 may include placing solder balls on the redistribution structure 214 and then reflowing the solder balls. In an alternative embodiment, forming the electrical connector 280 may include performing a plating process to form solder regions on the redistribution structure 214 and then reflowing the solder regions. The electrical connector 280 may also include conductive pillars or conductive pillars having solder caps, which may also be formed by plating. In this case, a reconstructed wafer 210 may be formed on the substrate ST. It should be noted that the processes required to form the reconstructed wafer and the detailed structure of the reconstructed wafer are not limited in this disclosure. For clarity and simplicity, the reconstructed wafer 210 in the following figures will be shown as a single layer in an abstract form for convenience.

[0059] Now refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7In subsequent processes, the reconstructed wafer 210 can be bonded to the tape carrier 220 and then detached (removed) from the (glass) substrate ST. For example, the substrate ST can be detached by projecting light (e.g., a laser beam) onto the adhesive layer AL of the substrate ST, and the light penetrates the transparent substrate ST. The adhesive layer AL is thus broken down, and the reconstructed wafer 210 is released from the substrate ST. Generally, after the detachment process, the reconstructed wafer 210 may suffer from significant warpage problems, which may result in uneven distribution of the vacuum force F1 and support force from the wafer chuck 100, and lead to poor yield rates for subsequent processes performed on the wafer chuck 100. In some exemplary embodiments, subsequent processes can be performed on the reconstructed wafer 210 on the wafer chuck 100, and these processes may include, for example, patterning (laser drilling) processes, solder paste printing, monomerization (die sawing) processes, etc., performed on the insulating layer 217 of the reconstructed wafer 210. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0060] In some embodiments, the workpiece holder (wafer chuck) 100 includes a chuck body 110 and a sealing ring 120. In some embodiments, the chuck body 110 includes a receiving surface 112 and at least one vacuum port (e.g., Figure 4 The four vacuum ports 114 shown are not limited to this. In some embodiments, the receiving surface 112 is configured to receive the workpiece 200, and the vacuum ports 114 may be configured to form a vacuum seal by applying a vacuum seal F1. In some embodiments, the vacuum ports 114 may be disposed on the receiving surface 112, while a vacuum device (not shown) may be coupled to the chuck body 110 and fluidly communicated with the vacuum ports 114. For example, the vacuum device may include a vacuum pump, etc. In this embodiment, the vacuum device is configured to apply a vacuum force F1 to the back side of the workpiece 200 to hold the workpiece 200 in place, for example, to hold the workpiece 200 against the receiving surface 112. In some embodiments, the vacuum ports 114 may also be used to neutralize the vacuum to "de-chuck" the workpiece 200 after the process to be performed is completed. Thus, a vacuum system and / or an air compressor may be fluidly communicated with the vacuum ports 114 to provide a vacuum for holding the wafer 210 and / or for providing pressurized air in the vacuum ports 114. This disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0061] When the various components are assembled together, they form a circular chuck body 110, for example, that is substantially flat on both its top and bottom surfaces. In some embodiments, the chuck body 110 may be a rigid circular plate for connecting to the base (or lower portion) of the workpiece holder (wafer chuck) 100. In some embodiments, the lower side of the chuck body 110 may be coupled to a spindle (also referred to as a spindle or mandrel) that supports and positions the workpiece holder (wafer chuck) 100. Openings or holes through the chuck body 110 allow fastening tools (screws, bolts, etc.) to mount the chuck body 110 to the spindle. In some embodiments, openings are also provided for the passage of fluids (e.g., air or inert gases) or for providing a vacuum (e.g., vacuum port 114).

[0062] In some embodiments, the wafer chuck 100 may further include a rotation mechanism configured to rotate / rotate the chuck body 110 about an axis of a shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the center of the receiving surface 112. The shaft may be coupled to a rotation mechanism such as a spindle motor. Thus, the chuck body 110 and the shaft rotate via the rotation mechanism. In some embodiments, the shaft is hollow, thereby allowing fluid such as air to pass through a vacuum port 114 to create a vacuum state between the wafer chuck 100 and the workpiece 200. In some embodiments, the vacuum port 114 may be connected to a vacuum device via a plurality of vacuum lines or channels arranged along the axis of the shaft and converging at, for example, the center of the shaft. In some embodiments, the wafer chuck 100 may further include a gas valve disposed within the shaft to control the vacuum performance of the vacuum device (e.g., on and off, strong or weak, etc.). The purpose of the vacuum device is to provide a secure arrangement of the wafer 210 outside the chuck body 110.

[0063] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the sealing ring 120 may surround the outermost surface 116 of the chuck body 110. In other words, the sealing ring 120 may be considered as an O-ring surrounding the chuck body 110. Alternatively, the sealing ring 120 may be a continuous annular ring surrounding the outermost surface 116 of the chuck body 110. However, in other embodiments, the sealing ring 120 may be of any shape suitable for a particular application. In some exemplary embodiments, the outer edge of the wafer 210 may extend to the outer edge (or edge) of the chuck body 110, but not beyond the outermost surface 116 where the sealing ring 120 is disposed. In other words, from a top view, the sealing ring 120 may be spaced apart from the outer edge of the wafer 210. In some embodiments, the top surface 122 of the sealing ring 120 is higher than the receiving surface 112 of the chuck body 110. In this configuration, when a vacuum force F1 is applied to form a vacuum seal between the workpiece 200 and the chuck body 110, the workpiece 200 will abut against the sealing ring 120. In some exemplary embodiments, the vertical distance D1 between the top surface 122 of the sealing ring 120 and the receiving surface 112 is generally between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm. In one embodiment, the vertical distance D1 may be generally between 2 mm and 3 mm, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. Specifically, the carrier (tape carrier) 220 is configured to abut against the sealing ring 120 while the workpiece body (wafer) 210 is disposed on the carrier (tape carrier) 220. Therefore, when the wafer 210 is placed on the receiving surface 112 together with the tape carrier 220, the top tip of the sealing ring 120 is in physical contact with the tape carrier 220, allowing the tape carrier 220 to remain thereon and forming a seal between the chuck body 110 and the tape carrier 220 when a vacuum is applied.

[0064] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3According to some exemplary embodiments, to hold the workpiece body (wafer) 210 by the workpiece holder (wafer chuck) 100, the workpiece body (wafer) 210 may first be attached to a carrier (tape carrier) 220. In some exemplary embodiments, the wafer 210 may be warped on its surface, wherein the warping is a result of previous processing applied to the wafer 210. For example, a thin layer of material (not shown) formed on the top surface of the wafer 210 generally warps the wafer 210 in a concave (smiling) or convex (crying) manner. In some embodiments, if residual stress in the wafer 210 causes the outer edges to warp upward, the wafer 210 is concavely warped (i.e., the warping of the wafer 210 is negative). In this case, the periphery of the wafer 210 may extend away from the wafer chuck 100, while the central region of the wafer 210 may contact the wafer chuck 100 (via the tape carrier 220). In some embodiments, the wafer 210 may be placed on the chuck body 110 in a recessed manner, and the tape carrier 220 attached to the wafer 210 conformally covers the back surface 212 of the wafer 210. In some embodiments, the tape carrier 220 is as follows: Figure 7 The extension shown extends beyond the circumference of the chuck body 110 and abuts against the sealing ring 120.

[0065] In some exemplary embodiments, the carrier (tape carrier) 220 may include a tape portion 222 and a frame portion 224 disposed around the tape portion 222. In some embodiments, the tape portion 222 and the frame portion 224 are capable of temporarily fixing the position of the wafer 210 during any suitable tape-based process, such as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), laser drilling, solder paste printing, die sawing, etc. After the tape-based process, the frame portion 224 may be reusable, and the tape portion 222 may be removed from the frame portion 224, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0066] Figure 9 A top view of a workpiece holder according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. (Refer to...) Figure 7 and Figure 9 Then, in some exemplary embodiments, the workpiece body (wafer) 210 is disposed together with the carrier (tape carrier) 220 on the workpiece holder (wafer chuck) 100. For example... Figure 9As shown in the top view, the top surface of the sealing ring 120 does not overlap with the receiving surface 112 of the chuck body 110. In some embodiments, the wafer 210 is disposed on the wafer chuck 100 in a concave-warped manner, and the tape portion 222 of the tape carrier 220 attached to the wafer 210 conformally covers the back surface 212 of the wafer 210. In some embodiments, the workpiece holder (wafer chuck) 100 may further include at least one clamping assembly 140 disposed on one side of the chuck body 110, and when the tape carrier 220 is fixed (clamped) by the clamping assembly 140 disposed outside the chuck body 110, the tape carrier 220 abuts against the sealing ring 120. In some exemplary embodiments, the clamping assembly 140 may be a mechanical clamp or the like. In some exemplary embodiments, when the frame portion 224 is clamped by the clamping assembly 140, it is the tape portion 222 that abuts against the sealing ring 120.

[0067] In this embodiment, a plurality of vacuum ports 114 are provided on the chuck body 110. Using multiple vacuum ports 114 distributed at different locations on the chuck body 110 reduces the presence of localized low-pressure areas between the chuck body 110, the wafer 210, and the tape carrier 220 because they share the pressure that allows each vacuum port 114 to operate, thus achieving a uniform vacuum pressure. In other words, by operating a larger number of vacuum ports 114, a uniform vacuum pressure can be achieved between the chuck body 110 and the workpiece 200. Therefore, using multiple vacuum ports 114 allows a low-pressure vacuum to be formed between the chuck body 110 and the workpiece 200, without creating the localized low-pressure areas that would otherwise be caused by the high vacuum required to attach the larger wafer 210 to the chuck body 110.

[0068] It should be understood that the shape of the vacuum port 114 may vary in different embodiments without significantly reducing the uniformity of the vacuum formed between the chuck body 110 and the tape carrier 220. For example, in this embodiment, the vacuum port 114 includes a circular vacuum orifice. In other embodiments, the vacuum port 114 may include a triangular, square, and / or polygonal vacuum orifice. In some embodiments, the shape of each of the vacuum ports 114 may differ from the shape of the other of the vacuum ports 114.

[0069] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 9As shown, the workpiece holder (wafer chuck) 100 may include a plurality of clamping assemblies 140. In some embodiments, four clamping assemblies 140 are shown herein, and the clamping assemblies 140 are disposed on four sides (e.g., front, rear, right, and left) of the chuck body 110. Of course, the embodiments are merely illustrative, and this disclosure does not limit the number and location of the clamping assemblies 140. In some exemplary embodiments, vacuum ports 114 may be uniformly distributed on the receiving surface 112 to form a vacuum region (or low-pressure region) on the chuck body 110. In some embodiments, a sealing ring 120 may define a vacuum region of the chuck body 110 surrounded by the sealing ring 120. The vacuum region is in fluid communication with a vacuum device (not shown) via the vacuum ports 114.

[0070] Then, in some embodiments, a vacuum force F1 is applied to the receiving surface 112 via the vacuum port 114 (see...). Figure 7 Therefore, a vacuum seal is formed / applied between the tape carrier 220 and the chuck body 110. At this time, when a vacuum seal is applied between the tape carrier 220 and the chuck body 110, the tape portion 222 of the tape carrier 220 abuts against the sealing ring 120. In other words, when a vacuum force F1 is applied, the sealing ring 120 and the tape carrier 220 come into physical contact, such that the tape carrier 220, the sealing ring 120, and the chuck body 110 together form a closed space S1, and a vacuum seal is formed by evacuating air from the closed space. Due to the arrangement of the sealing ring 120 protruding from the receiving surface 112, the sealing ring 120 can abut against the tape carrier 220 and seal the space between the tape carrier 220 and the chuck body 110.

[0071] Therefore, when a vacuum force F1 is applied through the vacuum port 114, the wafer 210... Figure 8 As shown, the wafer 210 is pulled towards the chuck body 110 by the vacuum force F1, thus effectively improving (adjusting) the warpage profile of the wafer 210. Furthermore, the vacuum force F1 and support force from the wafer chuck 100 can be distributed more evenly. That is, the sealing ring 120 can first contact the tape carrier 220, which is attached to the wafer 210 with its concave warpage, to form an initial seal between the tape carrier 220 (or the workpiece 200 as a whole) and the chuck body 110. When a vacuum (or low pressure) is applied in the initial sealed state, the periphery of the warped wafer 210 is pulled towards the chuck body 110, thus improving (reducing) the warpage of the wafer 210, and the sealing ring 120 can deform slightly accordingly.

[0072] With this configuration, when the warped wafer 210 is placed on the wafer chuck 100 along with the tape carrier 220, the sealing ring 120 abuts against the tape carrier 220, thereby further enhancing the vacuum (or low-pressure) state between the workpiece 200 and the wafer chuck 100. In other words, due to the configuration of the sealing ring 120 above the receiving surface 112 that carries the wafer 210, the sealing ring 120 can physically contact the tape carrier 220 when a vacuum (or low pressure) is applied. Therefore, an initial seal can be formed, and the periphery of the warped wafer 210 can be pulled towards the chuck body 110 to reduce the warping of the wafer 210. Thus, the wafer chuck 100 can provide sufficient support and vacuum force to the warped wafer 210, and can improve the yield of subsequent processes to be performed on the wafer 210. Furthermore, because the wafer chuck 100 provides sufficient and uniform support and vacuum force to the warped wafer 210, the wafer chuck 100 is able to handle wafers 210 that tend to exhibit more significant warping, such as larger wafers 210. In one embodiment, the wafer chuck 100 is able to handle wafers 210 with significant warping of up to about 5000 μm, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0073] Figure 10 A perspective view of a workpiece holder according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. (Refer to...) Figure 1 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, the wafer chuck (workpiece holder) 100 may further include a support 130 disposed at the outermost surface 116 and including a groove 134 for receiving a sealing ring 120. According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a stepped groove 134 may be present for receiving the sealing ring 120. More specifically, the bottom surface of the stepped groove 134 contacts (extends to) a side surface of the support 130 (i.e., the surface immediately adjacent to the chuck body 110). Therefore, at least a portion of the sealing ring 120 is disposed within the groove 134, such that the support 130 is configured to hold and position the sealing ring 120. In some embodiments, the support 130 may have the same shape as the chuck body 110 (e.g., a circular shape) for surrounding the outermost surface 116 of the chuck body 110. The support 130 may further include a plurality of fastening components 132 for locking the support 130 to the chuck body 110. In some exemplary embodiments, the fastening assembly 132 may include a plurality of screws extending through the support 130 to lock the support 130 into position. The sealing ring 120 may be placed in the recess 134 to maintain the position of the sealing ring 120 such that its top surface is above the receiving surface 112.

[0074] Figure 11A and Figure 11B A cross-sectional view of a sealing ring according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. (Refer to...)Figures 10 to 11B According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a sealing ring 120 in the form of an elastomeric material may be positioned around the outer periphery of the chuck body 110. In one embodiment, the sealing ring 120 may be a rubber O-ring that fits snugly around the chuck body 110. In some embodiments, the sealing ring 120 may be made of an elastic material such as rubber, silicone rubber, polyurethane (PU), or any other suitable elastic or flexible material, and may be stretched to wrap around the outer edge (i.e., the outermost surface) of the chuck body 110. The material of the sealing ring 120 should have sufficient stiffness to maintain the stretched positioning of the sealing ring 120 around the outer edge of the chuck body 110. On the other hand, the material of the sealing ring 120 should also be flexible enough to allow slight deformation, thereby forming a better seal with the workpiece 200. In some embodiments, the cross-section of the sealing ring 120 may be, for example, circular, rectangular, or square, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0075] Figure 12 A partial cross-sectional view of a workpiece holder according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. (Refer to...) Figure 7 In some embodiments, the vertical distance Y from the outer edge of the workpiece body (wafer) 210 to the receiving surface 112 is 1.5 to 5 times the vertical distance Y1 from the outer edge of the receiving surface 112 to the carrier (tape carrier) 220. In some embodiments, the vertical distance Y can actually be considered as the warpage of the wafer (workpiece body) 210. Therefore, by measuring the warpage of the wafer (workpiece body) 210, the vertical distance Y1 representing the shortest distance between the tape carrier (carrier) 220 and the outer edge of the chuck body 110 can be obtained. Therefore, the position and size of the sealing ring 120 can be obtained.

[0076] In some exemplary embodiments, the metrology device is configured to measure the amount of warpage of a wafer (workpiece body) 210 in situ within a tool used to perform a fabrication process. For example, the metrology device may have a scanning laser configured to measure the distance between the laser and the top surface of the wafer (workpiece body) 210 to detect the height profile of the top surface wafer (workpiece body) 210. In some exemplary embodiments, data indicating the amount of warpage of the wafer 210 is measured. In some embodiments, the measurement includes measuring the height of a plurality of points on the top surface of the wafer 210. For example, the measurement may include scanning the height of the top surface of the wafer 210 with a laser. In some embodiments, the laser of the metrology device scans back and forth across the surface of the wafer 210. In other embodiments, the laser beam is stationary, and the chuck body 110 holding the wafer 210 may reciprocate back and forth in, for example, the X and Y directions, so that the fixed beam scans the surface of the wafer 210. This disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0077] The proportional relationship between vertical distance Y and vertical distance Y1 can be satisfied in many different configurations so that the sealing ring 120 can abut against the carrier (tape carrier) 220 and form an initial sealing state. In one of the exemplary embodiments, the proportional relationship between vertical distance Y and vertical distance Y1 can be determined by the following equation Eq.(1):

[0078]

[0079] Therefore, the vertical distance Y1 can be determined by the following equation Eq.(2):

[0080]

[0081] Wherein θ is represented as the angle between the tape carrier and a reference horizontal line extending from the base point of the clamping assembly 140; Z is represented as the vertical distance between the receiving surface 112 and the reference horizontal line; X1 is represented as the horizontal distance between the chuck body 110 and the base point of the clamping assembly 140; and X is represented as the horizontal distance between the outer edge of the wafer (workpiece body) 210 and the base point of the clamping assembly 140. In some embodiments, the base point is the location where the clamping assembly 140 clamps the frame portion 224 of the tape carrier 220, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. Therefore, by solving Eq.(2) to obtain the vertical distance Y1, the position and size of the sealing ring 120 can be obtained, such that the sealing ring 120 can be configured to abut against the carrier (tape carrier) 220 and form an initial sealing state therewith.

[0082] In view of the foregoing, when the workpiece body (wafer) 210, together with the carrier (tape carrier), is placed on the workpiece holder (wafer chuck) 100, the sealing ring 120 abuts against the tape carrier 220, thereby further enhancing the vacuum (or low pressure) conditions between the workpiece 200 and the workpiece holder (wafer chuck) 100. In other words, due to the configuration of the sealing ring 120 being higher than the receiving surface 112 of the chuck body 110, the sealing ring 120 can physically contact the tape carrier 220 when a vacuum (or low pressure) is applied. Therefore, an initial sealing state can be formed, and the warped wafer 210 can be pulled towards the chuck body 110 to reduce the warping of the wafer 210. Therefore, the wafer chuck 100 can provide sufficient support and vacuum force to the warped wafer 210, and can improve the yield of subsequent processes to be performed on the wafer 210. Furthermore, because the wafer chuck 100 provides sufficient and uniform support and vacuum force to the warped wafer 210, the wafer chuck 100 is able to handle wafers 210 that tend to exhibit more significant warping, such as larger wafers 210. In one embodiment, the wafer chuck 100 is able to handle wafers 210 with significant warping of up to about 5000 μm, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0083] Based on the above discussion, it can be seen that this disclosure provides a variety of advantages. However, it should be understood that not all advantages are discussed herein, and other embodiments may provide different advantages, and no particular advantage is required for all embodiments.

[0084] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a workpiece holder includes a chuck body, a sealing ring, and a support member. The chuck body includes a receiving surface configured to receive a workpiece and at least one vacuum port configured to apply a vacuum seal. The sealing ring surrounds the outermost surface of the chuck body, wherein the top surface of the sealing ring is higher than the receiving surface of the chuck body, and the workpiece abuts against the sealing ring when the vacuum seal is applied between the workpiece and the chuck body. The support member is disposed on the outermost surface and includes a groove, wherein at least a portion of the sealing ring is disposed within the groove.

[0085] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the vertical distance between the top surface of the sealing ring and the receiving surface ranges from 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm.

[0086] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the workpiece includes a carrier extending beyond the periphery of the chuck body and a workpiece body disposed on the carrier, and when the vacuum seal is applied between the workpiece and the chuck body, the sealing ring protrudes from the receiving surface and contacts the carrier.

[0087] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the workpiece body includes a semiconductor device and an encapsulation material that encapsulates the semiconductor device at least laterally.

[0088] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the vertical distance from the outer edge of the workpiece body to the receiving surface is 1.5 to 5 times the vertical distance from the outer edge of the receiving surface to the carrier.

[0089] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the workpiece holder further includes a clamping assembly disposed on one side of the chuck body, wherein when the workpiece is clamped by the clamping assembly, the workpiece abuts against the sealing ring.

[0090] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the support further includes a plurality of fastening components to lock the support to the chuck body.

[0091] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the workpiece, the sealing ring, and the chuck body together form a closed space for applying the vacuum seal.

[0092] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a wafer chuck includes a chuck body and a sealing ring. The chuck body includes a receiving surface configured to receive a wafer. The sealing ring is disposed on the outermost surface of the chuck body and surrounds the chuck body, wherein the top surface of the sealing ring is higher than the receiving surface of the chuck body, and, from a top view, the sealing ring is separated from the outer edge of the wafer.

[0093] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, from a top view, the top surface of the sealing ring does not overlap with the receiving surface of the chuck body.

[0094] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the wafer is bonded to an adhesive tape carrier that extends beyond the circumference of the chuck body and abuts against the sealing ring.

[0095] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the cross-section of the sealing ring is circular or rectangular.

[0096] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the sealing ring is a continuous annular ring surrounding the outermost surface of the chuck body.

[0097] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the wafer chuck further includes a clamping assembly disposed on one side of the chuck body, wherein when the tape carrier is clamped by the clamping assembly, the tape carrier abuts against the sealing ring.

[0098] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the tape carrier includes a tape portion and a frame portion disposed around the tape portion, and the tape portion abuts against the sealing ring when the frame portion is clamped by the clamping assembly.

[0099] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the wafer chuck further includes a support disposed on the outermost surface, and the support includes a stepped groove for receiving the sealing ring.

[0100] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a wafer holding method includes the following steps: A semiconductor device is provided on a substrate. An encapsulating material is provided on the substrate to encapsulate the semiconductor device at least laterally and form a reconstructed wafer. The reconstructed wafer is attached to a tape carrier. The reconstructed wafer is removed from the substrate. The reconstructed wafer, together with the tape carrier, is provided to a wafer chuck, wherein the wafer chuck includes a chuck body and a sealing ring surrounding the chuck body, and the top surface of the sealing ring is higher than the receiving surface of the chuck body. The tape carrier is secured outside the chuck body, wherein the tape carrier abuts against the sealing ring, and a closed space is formed between the chuck body, the tape carrier, and the sealing ring. A vacuum seal is formed by evacuating air from the closed space to pull the periphery of the reconstructed wafer toward the chuck body. The reconstructed wafer is processed on the wafer chuck.

[0101] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, after the tape carrier is fixed to the outside of the chuck body, the vacuum seal is applied through the vacuum port on the receiving surface.

[0102] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, fixing the tape carrier to the outside of the chuck body includes clamping the tape carrier by a clamping assembly disposed on one side of the chuck body.

[0103] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, fixing the tape carrier includes a frame portion that clamps the tape carrier, while the tape portion of the tape carrier abuts against the sealing ring.

[0104] The foregoing has outlined features of several embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to better understand various aspects of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will recognize that this disclosure can be readily used as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures to achieve the same purposes and / or realize the same advantages as the embodiments described herein. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that these equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, and that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A workpiece holder, comprising: A chuck body includes a receiving surface configured to receive a workpiece and at least one vacuum port configured to apply a vacuum seal, wherein the workpiece includes a carrier extending beyond the circumference of the chuck body and a workpiece body disposed on the carrier; and A sealing ring surrounds and is disposed on the outermost surface of the chuck body, wherein the angle between the outermost surface of the chuck body and the receiving surface of the chuck body is greater than zero, and the carrier abuts against the sealing ring when the vacuum seal is applied between the workpiece and the chuck body; as well as A support member is disposed on the outermost surface and includes a groove, wherein a portion of the sealing ring is disposed within the groove, wherein, before a vacuum seal is applied, the vertical distance from the outer edge of the workpiece body to the receiving surface is 1.5 to 5 times the vertical distance from the outer edge of the receiving surface to the carrier.

2. The workpiece holder according to claim 1, wherein the vertical distance between the top surface of the sealing ring and the receiving surface ranges from 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm.

3. The workpiece holder according to claim 1, wherein when the vacuum seal is applied between the workpiece and the chuck body, the sealing ring protrudes from the receiving surface and contacts the carrier.

4. The workpiece holder according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece body comprises a semiconductor device and an encapsulation material that encapsulates the semiconductor device at least laterally.

5. The workpiece holder according to claim 1, wherein the vertical distance from the outer edge of the workpiece body to the receiving surface is 1.5 to 5 times the vertical distance from the outer edge of the receiving surface to the carrier.

6. The workpiece holder according to claim 1 further includes a clamping assembly disposed on one side of the chuck body, wherein when the workpiece is clamped by the clamping assembly, the workpiece abuts against the sealing ring.

7. The workpiece holder according to claim 1, wherein the support further comprises a plurality of fastening components to lock the support to the chuck body.

8. The workpiece holder according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece, the sealing ring, and the chuck body together form a closed space for applying the vacuum seal thereto.

9. A chip chuck, comprising: A chuck body includes a receiving surface configured to receive a wafer, wherein the wafer is attached to an adhesive tape carrier that extends beyond the chuck body; A sealing ring is disposed on the outermost surface of the chuck body and surrounds the chuck body, wherein, viewed from a top view, the sealing ring is separated from the outer edge of the wafer, and the angle between the outermost surface of the chuck body and the receiving surface of the chuck body is greater than zero; A clamping assembly is disposed outside the sealing ring and separate from the sealing ring, wherein when the tape carrier is clamped by the clamping assembly, the tape carrier abuts against the sealing ring.

10. The wafer chuck of claim 9, wherein, viewed from a top view, the top surface of the sealing ring does not overlap with the receiving surface of the chuck body.

11. The wafer chuck according to claim 9, wherein the sealing ring has a circular or rectangular cross-section.

12. The wafer chuck of claim 9, wherein the sealing ring is a continuous annular ring surrounding the outermost surface of the chuck body.

13. The wafer chuck of claim 9, wherein the tape carrier comprises a tape portion and a frame portion disposed around the tape portion, and the tape portion abuts against the sealing ring when the frame portion is clamped by the clamping assembly.

14. The wafer chuck of claim 9, further comprising a support disposed on the outermost surface of the chuck body, the support comprising a stepped groove for receiving the sealing ring.

15. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor package, comprising: Provide semiconductor devices on a substrate; An encapsulation material is provided on the substrate to encapsulate the semiconductor device at least laterally and form a reconstructed wafer; The reconstructed wafer is attached to the tape carrier; Detach from the substrate from the reconstructed wafer; The reconstructed wafer, together with the tape carrier, is provided to a wafer chuck, wherein the wafer chuck includes a chuck body and a sealing ring surrounding the chuck body, and the top surface of the sealing ring is higher than the receiving surface of the chuck body. The tape carrier is fixed to the outside of the chuck body, wherein the tape carrier abuts against the sealing ring, and a closed space is formed between the chuck body, the tape carrier and the sealing ring; A vacuum seal is formed by evacuating air from the enclosed space to pull the periphery of the reconstructed wafer toward the chuck body; and The reconstructed wafer is processed on the wafer chuck.

16. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor package according to claim 15, wherein after the tape carrier is secured to the outside of the chuck body, the vacuum seal is applied through a vacuum port on the receiving surface.

17. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor package according to claim 15, wherein securing the tape carrier to the outside of the chuck body comprises clamping the tape carrier by means of a clamping assembly disposed on one side of the chuck body.

18. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor package according to claim 15, wherein fixing the tape carrier includes a frame portion that clamps the tape carrier while the tape portion of the tape carrier abuts against the sealing ring.

19. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor package according to claim 15, wherein the sealing ring has a circular cross-section.

20. A chip chuck, comprising: A chuck body includes a receiving surface configured to receive a wafer, the wafer being attached to a carrier extending beyond the periphery of the chuck body; The clamping assembly is located on one side of the chuck body; as well as A sealing ring is disposed on the outermost surface of the chuck body and surrounds the chuck body, wherein the angle between the outermost surface and the receiving surface is greater than zero, and the top surface of the sealing ring is higher than the receiving surface of the chuck body, wherein, viewed from a top view, the sealing ring is separated from the outer edge of the wafer.

21. The wafer chuck according to claim 20, characterized in that, The first vertical distance from the outer edge of the wafer to the receiving surface is 1.5 to 5 times the second vertical distance from the outer edge of the receiving surface to the carrier.

22. The wafer chuck of claim 21, wherein the second vertical distance is determined by the following formula: in, Y is the first vertical distance, Y1 is the second vertical distance, Z is the vertical distance from the receiving surface to the reference horizontal line, X1 is the horizontal distance from the chuck body to the base point of the clamping assembly, and X is the horizontal distance between the outer edge of the wafer and the base point of the clamping assembly.

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