On-line cleaning of tool parts in hybrid bonding tool

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for cleaning tool parts in a substrate processing tool are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of cleaning tool parts in a substrate processing tool includes placing one or more dirty tools on a holder in a bonding chamber of a multi-chamber processing tool; transferring the holder from the engagement chamber to a cleaning chamber of the multi-chamber processing tool; cleaning the one or more dirty tools in the cleaning chamber to produce one or more cleaned tools; inspecting the one or more cleaned tools in an inspection chamber of the multi-chamber processing tool; and transferring the one or more cleaned tools to the engagement chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to substrate processing equipment. Background Art

[0002] Wafer bonding is a wafer-level packaging technology for manufacturing integrated circuits. Hybrid bonding is a wafer bonding technology in which the bonding interface has two types of materials, such as dielectric materials and metal materials. Wafer-to-wafer (W2W) hybrid bonding or chip-on-wafer (CoW) hybrid bonding are common hybrid bonding technologies. CoW hybrid bonding consists of bonding individual chips on a wafer. The bonding chamber may include tools configured to pick up, flip, place, and bond the die to the wafer. However, the tool parts of the bonding chamber may become dirty and cause defects to propagate to multiple subsequent dies being processed. It may take several days or longer to remove dirty parts for cleaning under strict control of particles and organic contamination, thereby reducing processing throughput. In addition, this cleaning may require a large number of additional parts to manage.

[0003] The inventors have therefore provided improved methods and apparatus for in-situ cleaning of tool parts in a hybrid joining tool. Summary of the invention

[0004] Methods and apparatus for cleaning tool parts in a substrate processing tool are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for cleaning tool parts in a substrate processing tool includes: placing one or more dirty tools on a holder in a bonding chamber of a multi-chamber integrated tool or processing tool; transferring the holder from the bonding chamber to a clean chamber of the multi-chamber processing tool; cleaning the one or more dirty tools in the clean chamber to produce one or more cleaned tools; inspecting the one or more cleaned tools in an inspection chamber of the multi-chamber processing tool; and transferring the one or more cleaned tools to the bonding chamber.

[0005] In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes one or more processors, which, when executed, perform a method of cleaning tool parts in a substrate processing tool, the method comprising: placing a dirty tool on a holder in a bonding chamber of a multi-chamber processing tool; transferring the holder from the bonding chamber to a clean chamber of the multi-chamber processing tool; cleaning the dirty tool in the clean chamber to produce a cleaned tool; inspecting the cleaned tool in an inspection chamber of the multi-chamber processing tool; and transferring the cleaned tool to the bonding chamber.

[0006] In some embodiments, a multi-chamber processing tool includes: a factory interface (FI) having one or more loading ports for receiving one or more substrates; a transfer chamber coupled to the factory interface; a plurality of processing chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, wherein the plurality of processing chambers include: a bonding chamber having a first tool and a holder configured to hold the first tool when the first tool is dirty; a cleaning chamber for cleaning the first tool; a drying chamber for drying the first tool; and an inspection chamber for inspecting the first tool; and a transfer robot disposed in the transfer chamber and configured to facilitate shuttling one or more substrates between the FI and the plurality of processing chambers.

[0007] Other and further embodiments of the disclosure are described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Embodiments of the present disclosure, briefly summarized above and discussed in more detail below, may be understood by reference to the illustrative embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of scope, as the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

[0009] Figure 1 A flow chart of a method of cleaning tool parts in a substrate processing tool is depicted in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2 A multi-chamber processing tool is depicted in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 3 Tool parts are depicted in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 4 A holder for holding a plurality of dirty tools is depicted in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] To facilitate understanding, the same reference numerals are used, where possible, to denote the same elements common to the drawings. The drawings are not drawn to scale and may be simplified for clarity. Elements and features of one embodiment may be advantageously incorporated into other embodiments without further description. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Embodiments of methods and apparatus for in-situ cleaning of tool parts are provided herein. For example, in-situ cleaning of tool parts can be performed in a multi-chamber processing tool. In some embodiments, the multi-chamber processing tool may include a first chamber having tool parts to be cleaned, a second chamber configured to clean the tool parts, and a third chamber for verifying the cleanliness of the cleaned tool parts. In-situ cleaning of dirty tool parts advantageously allows high-quality and rapid replacement of tool parts with minimal manual operation.

[0015] Figure 1 A flow chart of a method 100 for cleaning tool parts in a substrate processing tool according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure is depicted. At 102, the method 100 includes placing a dirty tool (e.g., a first tool 258) on a holder (e.g., a holder 266) in a bonding chamber (e.g., bonding chamber 250) of a multi-chamber processing tool (e.g., multi-chamber processing tool 200). In some embodiments, the dirty tool is a tool part used in the bonding chamber, such as a pick-up tool, a flip tool, an alignment tool, an ejection tool, or a placement tool of a bonder robot. The dirty tool can be any suitable part that requires periodic cleaning. In some embodiments, the dirty tool is determined via a post-bonding inspection (such as by acoustic or infrared inspection). The post-bonding inspection can identify propagated voids or related bonding quality degradation based on a defect library or other learning to determine whether the tool is dirty. In some embodiments, the dirty tool is determined without a post-bonding inspection, and instead, the periodic cleaning frequency is set according to a threshold time and / or a threshold total number of bonded dies (whichever is earlier). In some embodiments, after the dirty tool is removed, a spare clean tool may be installed for use in the bonding chamber.

[0016] The holder can be a circular plate generally. However, the holder can be any suitable shape, such as a polygon, an ellipse, an elongated ellipse, etc. In some embodiments, the size of the holder is the same as the size of the substrate being processed (e.g., the first substrate 262, the second substrate 264). In some embodiments, the size of the holder is smaller than the size of the substrate being processed. In some embodiments, the holder has a diameter of about 5.8 to about 12.5 inches. The holder can fasten / lock (multiple) tools by mechanical means. The tightness of the fastening should be able to keep (multiple) tools in place during the on-board cleaning process. In some embodiments, the locking mechanism is a spring-loaded clip to establish the necessary friction to keep the tool in place. In some embodiments, locking can be established by a locking mechanism.

[0017] At 104, method 100 includes transferring the holder from the joining chamber to a clean chamber (e.g., clean chamber 252) of a multi-chamber processing tool. In some embodiments, the holder is transferred from the joining chamber to the clean chamber via a transfer chamber (e.g., transfer chamber 204) of the multi-chamber processing tool. The transfer chamber can be maintained at atmospheric pressure. The holder may include one or more dirty tools for single or batch cleaning. In some embodiments, method 100 includes placing a second dirty tool (e.g., second tool 272) on the holder in the joining chamber before transferring the holder to the clean chamber.

[0018] At 106, method 100 includes cleaning a dirty tool in a clean chamber to produce a cleaned tool. In some embodiments, cleaning is performed via a wet cleaning process, a plasma process, or a mechanical scraping process. In some embodiments, method 100 includes drying the cleaned tool in a multi-chamber processing tool. In some embodiments, drying is performed in a drying chamber (e.g., drying chamber 254) separate from the clean chamber. In some embodiments, drying is performed via spin drying, blow drying, baking, or vacuum evacuation. In some embodiments, drying can be performed by injecting a gas such as nitrogen into the clean chamber or the dry chamber. In some embodiments, drying can be performed without injecting a gas.

[0019] At 108, method 100 includes inspecting the cleaned tool in an inspection chamber (e.g., inspection chamber 256) of a multi-chamber processing tool. In some embodiments, the inspection of the cleaned tool is performed via optical or infrared imaging. In some embodiments, inspecting the cleaned tool includes failing the inspection and re-cleaning the cleaned tool to produce a re-cleaned tool. For example, in some embodiments, the cleaned tool may be re-cleaned and re-inspected until the cleaned tool passes the inspection.

[0020] At 110, method 100 includes transferring the cleaned tool through inspection back into the bonding chamber. In some embodiments, the cleaned tool is installed in the bonding chamber. In some embodiments, before installing the cleaned tool, the cleaned tool can be placed on a spare holder (e.g., spare holder 268) to store until it needs to be installed for use.

[0021] Figure 2 A multi-chamber processing tool 200 is depicted in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. The multi-chamber processing tool 200 can be configured to bond one or more dies to a substrate. In some embodiments, the multi-chamber processing tool 200 includes a factory interface 202 (FI) having one or more load ports 206 for receiving one or more substrates.

[0022] The substrate may include a 200 mm wafer, a 300 mm wafer, a 450 mm wafer, a carrier substrate, a silicon substrate, a glass substrate, a substrate on a frame having one or more dies attached thereto, etc. The transfer chamber 204 may be coupled to the FI 202. The FI 202 may include a FI robot 228 for transferring substrates from one or more load ports 206 to the transfer chamber 204. A plurality of process chambers 210 may be sealingly engaged with the transfer chamber 204 to perform the processes described herein.

[0023] like Figure 2 As shown, the transfer robot 208 is generally housed in the transfer chamber 204 and is configured to transfer substrates between the FI 202 and the plurality of processing chambers 210 and between the plurality of processing chambers 210. The plurality of processing chambers 210 may include an atmospheric chamber configured to operate at atmospheric pressure, and a vacuum chamber configured to operate at vacuum pressure. Examples of atmospheric chambers may generally include wet cleaning chambers, annealing chambers, metrology chambers, bonding chambers, drying chambers, etc. Examples of vacuum chambers may include plasma chambers. The plurality of processing chambers 210 may be any processing chamber or module required to perform bonding processing, cleaning processing, drying processing, inspection processing, etc.

[0024] For example, the plurality of processing chambers 210 may include a bonding chamber 250 having a first tool 258 and a holder 266 configured to hold the first tool 258 when the first tool 258 is dirty. The bonding chamber 250 may include a second tool 272 that is different from the first tool 258. The holder 266 may be configured to hold the second tool 272. In some embodiments, the holder 266 is configured to hold at least one of the first tool 258 and at least one of the second tool 272. The bonding chamber 250 may also include a first support for supporting a first substrate 262 having a plurality of dies arranged thereon, such as a framed substrate. The bonding chamber 250 may include a second support for supporting a second substrate 264. The second substrate 264 may be a substrate on which a plurality of dies are placed and bonded in the bonding chamber 250. The first tool 258 and the second tool 272 may be any suitable tool for facilitating bonding of the plurality of dies to the second substrate 264. For example, the first tool 258 and the second tool 272 may be pick-up tools, flip tools, alignment tools, ejection tools, placement tools, etc.

[0025] The bonding chamber 250 may include a spare first tool 258' on a spare holder 268. The bonding chamber 250 may include a spare for the second tool 272 on the spare holder 268, or a spare holder other than the spare holder 268. In use, when the first tool 258 becomes dirty, one of the spare first tools 258' may be used in the bonding chamber 250 to facilitate bonding one or more dies to the second substrate 264 while the first tool 258 is being cleaned, advantageously resulting in minimal process flow interruption and downtime and increased throughput. Spare parts of the second tool 272 may be used in a similar manner.

[0026] The plurality of processing chambers 210 include a cleaning chamber 252, which is configured to support the holder 266 and clean one or more of the first tools 258. In some embodiments, the cleaning chamber is a wet cleaning chamber, a plasma chamber, or a mechanical scraping chamber. In some embodiments, the plurality of processing chambers 210 include a drying chamber 254, which is configured to support the holder and dry one or more of the first tools 258. In some embodiments, drying is performed by spin drying, blow drying, baking, or vacuum evacuation. In some embodiments, the cleaning chamber and the drying chamber are the same chamber. In a non-limiting example, the cleaning chamber 252 can perform a wet cleaning process and a spin drying process. The transfer robot 208 can be configured to transfer the holder 266 from the bonding chamber 250 to the cleaning chamber 252 and from the cleaning chamber 252 to the bonding chamber 250.

[0027] In some embodiments, the plurality of processing chambers 210 includes an inspection chamber 256 configured to inspect one or more of the first tools 258. In some embodiments, the inspection chamber 256 is an optical imaging chamber or an infrared imaging chamber. In some embodiments, the inspection chamber 256 is configured to track and store the cleaning history of each tool inspected therein via the controller 220 of the multi-chamber processing tool 200 or an independent controller of the inspection chamber 256.

[0028] The controller 220 generally controls the operation of the multi-chamber processing tool 200. The controller 220 may use direct control of the multi-chamber processing tool 200, or alternatively, by controlling a computer (or controller) associated with the multi-chamber processing tool 200. In operation, the controller 220 enables data to be collected from the multi-chamber processing tool 200 and feedback to optimize the performance of the multi-chamber processing tool 200. The controller 220 generally includes a central processing unit (CPU) 222, which includes one or more processors, a memory 224, and support circuits 226. The CPU 222 can be any form of general-purpose computer processor that can be used in an industrial environment. The support circuits 226 are conventionally coupled to the CPU 222 and can include caches, clock circuits, input / output subsystems, power supplies, etc. Software routines (such as the methods described below) can be stored in the memory 224 and, when executed by the CPU 222, turn the CPU 222 into a special-purpose computer (controller 220). The software routines may also be stored and / or executed by a second controller (not shown) located remotely from the multi-chamber processing tool 200 .

[0029] The memory 224 may be in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by the CPU 222, facilitate the operation of the multi-chamber processing tool 200. The instructions in the memory 224 may be in the form of a program product, such as a program that implements the method of the present principles. The program code may conform to any of a variety of different programming languages. In one example, the present disclosure may be implemented as a program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for use with a computer system. The program of the program product defines the functions of various aspects (including the methods described herein). Illustrative computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to: a non-writable storage medium on which information is permanently stored (e.g., a read-only memory device within a computer, such as a CD-ROM disk that can be read by a CD-ROM drive, a flash memory, a ROM chip, or any type of solid-state non-volatile semiconductor memory); and a writable storage medium on which changeable information is stored (e.g., a floppy disk within a floppy disk drive or a hard disk drive or any type of solid-state random access semiconductor memory). When the computer-readable storage medium carries computer-readable instructions that direct the functions of the methods described herein, it is an aspect of the present principles.

[0030] Figure 3A tool part 300 is depicted in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the tool part 300 is the first tool 258. In some embodiments, the tool part 300 is used in the bonding chamber 250 to pick up, place, flip, align, or eject a die. The tool part 300 may include a nozzle head 310 coupled to a shaft 314. In some embodiments, the nozzle head 310 includes one or more vacuum openings 312. In some embodiments, the tool part 300 is configured to selectively retain the die on the nozzle by applying a vacuum suction force through the one or more vacuum openings 312 in fluid communication with the central opening of the shaft 314.

[0031] Figure 4 A holder 266 is depicted for holding a plurality of dirty tools in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of dirty tools includes a first tool 258. The holder 266 may include any suitable features configured to hold or retain a plurality of dirty tools, such as tabs, pins, clamps, grooves, etc. For example, in some embodiments, as Figure 4 As shown, the holder 266 includes one or more pins 410 configured to retain the first tool 258, for example by extending into the shaft 314 of the tool part 300. In some embodiments, the transfer robot 208 includes an end effector 420 configured to hold and transfer the holder 266 between the plurality of process chambers 210.

[0032] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be conceived without departing from the basic scope thereof.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning tool parts in a substrate processing tool, comprising: placing one or more dirty tools on a holder in an engagement chamber of a multi-chamber processing tool; transferring the holder from the bonding chamber to a cleaning chamber of the multi-chamber processing tool; cleaning the one or more dirty tools in the cleaning chamber to produce one or more cleaned tools; inspecting the one or more cleaned tools in an inspection chamber of the multi-chamber processing tool; as well as The one or more cleaned tools are transferred to the bonding chamber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more dirty tools include a pick-up tool, a flip tool, an align tool, an ejection tool, or a placement tool. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the holder is transferred from the bonding chamber to the cleaning chamber via a transfer chamber of the multi-chamber processing tool.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The one or more cleaned tools are dried in the multi-chamber processing tool.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the drying is performed in a drying chamber separate from the cleaning chamber.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the drying is performed via spin drying, blow drying, baking or vacuum evacuation. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning is performed via a wet cleaning process, a plasma process, or a mechanical scraping process.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein transferring the holder is performed via a transfer robot.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein inspecting the cleaned tool comprises failing the inspection, and further comprising: The cleaned tool is re-cleaned to produce a re-cleaned tool.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein inspecting the cleaned tool is performed via optical or infrared imaging.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more processors, which when executed, perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 7.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein transferring the holder is performed via a transfer robot.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein inspecting the cleaned tool comprises failing the inspection, and further comprising: The cleaned tool is re-cleaned to produce a re-cleaned tool.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein inspecting the cleaned tool is performed via optical or infrared imaging.

15. A multi-chamber processing tool comprising: a factory interface (FI) having one or more load ports for receiving one or more substrates; a transfer chamber coupled to the factory interface; a plurality of processing chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, wherein the plurality of processing chambers comprises: a bonding chamber having a first tool and a holder configured to hold the first tool when the first tool is dirty; a cleaning chamber for cleaning the first tool; a drying chamber for drying the first tool; and an inspection chamber for inspecting the first tool; and A transfer robot is disposed in the transfer chamber and is configured to facilitate shuttling of the one or more substrates between the FI and the plurality of processing chambers.

16. The multi-chamber processing tool of claim 15, wherein the cleaning chamber and the drying chamber are the same chamber.

17. The multi-chamber processing tool of claim 15, wherein the first tool is a pick-up tool, a flip tool, an align tool, an eject tool, or a placement tool.

18. The multi-chamber processing tool of claim 15, wherein the inspection chamber is an optical imaging chamber or an infrared imaging chamber.

19. The multi-chamber processing tool of claim 15, wherein the retainer comprises one or more pins configured to retain the first tool.

20. The multi-chamber processing tool of claim 15, wherein the cleaning chamber is a wet cleaning chamber, a plasma chamber, or a mechanical scraping chamber.

Images