Test wafer and method of manufacturing and testing thereof

By installing a force detection device on the wafer to detect and record the contact position of the machine hardware, the problem of wafer damage caused by contact during machine processing is solved, thereby improving product yield and reducing production costs.

CN122227892APending Publication Date: 2026-06-16RUNPENG SEMICONDUCTOR (SHENZHEN) CO LTD

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
RUNPENG SEMICONDUCTOR (SHENZHEN) CO LTD
Filing Date
2025-12-30
Publication Date
2026-06-16

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Abstract

The application discloses a test wafer, a manufacturing method and a detection method thereof. The test wafer comprises a wafer body and a force detection device. The force detection device comprises a substrate and a force sensor. The substrate is arranged on the surface of the wafer body and detachably connected with the wafer body. The force sensor is arranged on the substrate and electrically connected with the wafer body. The force sensor is used for detecting external force acting on the force detection device. The wafer body is used for receiving the detection signal sent by the force sensor and sending the detection signal to an external device. The application can detect and determine the contact position of the test wafer and machine hardware, so that the machine hardware corresponding to the contact position can be improved in a targeted manner to avoid damage caused by the contact between the wafer and the machine hardware in the processing process of the cavity of the machine.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of testing equipment technology, and in particular to a test wafer and its manufacturing and testing methods. Background Technology

[0002] In integrated circuits, wafers are a crucial basic material used to carry circuits. Numerous tiny grains are formed on wafers through processes such as photolithography, etching, and ion implantation. These grains are the basic units of integrated circuits.

[0003] Since the equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing is almost entirely made of hard materials, if the equipment hardware comes into contact with the wafer during the processing, it will cause scratches on the surface of the wafer, damaging the dies on the wafer and thus scrapping the entire wafer, affecting product yield.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to detect and determine the contact points between the wafer and the equipment hardware during the wafer manufacturing process. This allows for targeted improvements to the equipment hardware corresponding to the contact points, preventing damage caused by contact between the wafer and the equipment hardware during processing within the equipment cavity. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a test wafer and its manufacturing and testing methods, which can detect and determine the contact position between the test wafer and the equipment hardware, thereby allowing for targeted improvements to the equipment hardware corresponding to the contact position to avoid damage caused by contact between the wafer and the equipment hardware during the processing of the equipment cavity.

[0006] This invention provides a test wafer, which includes a wafer body and a force detection device. The force detection device includes a substrate and a force sensor. The substrate is disposed on the surface of the wafer body and is detachably connected to the wafer body. The force sensor is disposed on the substrate and is electrically connected to the wafer body. The force sensor is used to detect the external force applied to the force detection device. The wafer body is used to receive the detection signal emitted by the force sensor and send the detection signal to an external device.

[0007] The test wafer according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: Firstly, by installing a force detection device on the wafer body, it is possible to detect whether the test wafer is subjected to external forces applied by the machine hardware during its movement path through the cavity of the testing equipment. When the test wafer is subjected to external forces, it indicates that the test wafer has made contact with the machine hardware. The force sensor can then send detection signals to external devices via the wafer body. Based on the detection signals obtained by the external devices, operators can determine the exact position of the test wafer on the movement path where it makes contact with the machine hardware. Based on the contact positions of the test wafer with each piece of machine hardware, the distribution of the various pieces of machine hardware in contact with the test wafer within the machine cavity can be determined, allowing for targeted adjustments to each contact position. Firstly, improvements are made to the hardware of each corresponding testing machine to prevent the wafer from coming into contact with the machine hardware during processing in the machine cavity, thus avoiding damage. This improves the product yield of wafer manufacturing, reduces losses, and consequently lowers wafer production costs. Secondly, by making the substrate detachably connected to the wafer body, if the force detection device is damaged, it can be removed from the surface of the wafer body and replaced with a new one. This allows for the reuse of the wafer body without replacing the entire test wafer, reducing testing costs. At the same time, by placing the substrate on the surface of the wafer body, direct contact between the machine hardware and the wafer body can be avoided, preventing damage and facilitating the reuse of the wafer body.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the substrate is peelably bonded to the surface of the wafer body; And / or, the substrate has at least two splicing portions, the at least two splicing portions are spliced ​​to the surface of the wafer body, each splicing portion is detachably connected to the wafer body, and each splicing portion is provided with a force sensor; And / or, the force sensor is embedded inside the substrate; And / or, the thickness of the force detection device is 130Å-800Å; And / or, the wafer body has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other, and force detection devices are respectively disposed on the first surface and the second surface.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the substrate includes an insulating layer and a passivation layer, which are stacked sequentially on the wafer body. The passivation layer is located on the side of the insulating layer away from the wafer body, and the force sensor is disposed between the insulating layer and the passivation layer.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the substrate further includes a metal layer disposed between an insulating layer and a passivation layer, the insulating layer defining a connection hole, the metal layer extending through the connection hole to the wafer body and electrically connected to the wafer body, the force sensor being disposed on the metal layer and electrically connected to the metal layer.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the metal layer includes a plurality of metal carriers, which are spaced apart. An insulating layer defines a plurality of connection holes, each connection hole being disposed corresponding to a metal carrier. Each metal carrier extends to the wafer body through the corresponding connection hole and is electrically connected to the wafer body. Each metal carrier defines a receiving groove, and a force sensor is disposed in the receiving groove on each metal carrier.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the force sensor includes a piezoresistive resistor; Alternatively, the force sensor may consist of a piezoresistive element and a flexible wrapping layer that encapsulates the piezoresistive element.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the substrate further includes an adhesive layer disposed on the side of the insulating layer facing the wafer body, the adhesive layer being used to bond to the surface of the wafer body.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the wafer body is provided with a signal transceiver module, and the force sensor is electrically connected to the signal transceiver module. The signal receiving module is used to receive detection signals and send detection signals to external devices. And / or, a power supply device is provided within the wafer body to power the force sensor.

[0015] This invention also provides a method for detecting the contact position between a test wafer and the equipment hardware, applied to the test wafer described above, the detection method comprising: The test wafer moves along a preset path in the cavity of the machine tool, and the external force on the force detection device is detected by a force sensor. The preset path is the movement path of the wafer in the cavity of the machine tool during the processing. When the force sensor detects that the external force acting on the force detection device is greater than zero, it determines that the force detection device is in contact with the machine hardware and records the current position of the test wafer in the preset path.

[0016] This invention also provides a method for manufacturing a test wafer, the method comprising: An insulating layer is stacked on one side of the wafer body, and a connection hole is made on the insulating layer; A metal layer is stacked on the side of the insulating layer away from the wafer body, and the metal layer fills the connection holes to make the metal layer electrically connected to the wafer body. A force sensor is placed on a metal layer so that the force sensor is electrically connected to the wafer body through the metal layer; A passivation layer is stacked on the side of the metal layer away from the insulating layer to obtain a test wafer.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the wafer body has a plurality of grains, the metal layer includes a plurality of metal carriers, the plurality of metal carriers are spaced apart, and each grain is opposite to at least one metal carrier along the thickness direction of the wafer body, and each metal carrier defines a receiving groove; a force sensor is disposed on the metal layer, including: The force sensor includes a piezoresistor, and multiple force sensors are respectively set in the receiving slots of multiple metal carriers through mass transfer; Alternatively, the force sensor includes a piezoresistive element and a flexible wrapping layer, with the flexible wrapping layer enclosing the piezoresistive element. Multiple force sensors are respectively placed in receiving slots of multiple metal carriers by inkjet printing.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the test wafer provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a top view schematic diagram of the structure of the test wafer provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for detecting the contact position between a test wafer and machine hardware, provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a test wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure label: Test wafer 100; Wafer body 10; force detection device 20; splicing part 210; substrate 21; insulating layer 211; passivation layer 212; metal layer 213; connecting hole 201; receiving groove 202; metal carrier 2131; force sensor 22; first surface 110; second surface 120. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0023] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0024] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0025] In the description of this invention, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0026] During wafer fabrication in the machine cavity, even slight contact between the wafer and the machine hardware can cause some damage to the dies on the wafer, affecting product yield and increasing wafer production costs. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid contact between the wafer and the machine hardware during wafer fabrication to ensure product yield.

[0027] In view of this, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure of a test wafer 100 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention provides a test wafer 100 that can detect and determine the contact position between the test wafer 100 and the machine hardware, thereby enabling targeted improvements to the machine hardware corresponding to the contact position to avoid damage caused by contact between the wafer and the machine hardware during the processing of the machine cavity.

[0028] The test wafer 100 includes a wafer body 10 and a force detection device 20. The force detection device 20 includes a substrate 21 and a force sensor 22. The substrate 21 is disposed on the surface of the wafer body 10 and is detachably connected to the wafer body 10. The force sensor 22 is disposed on the substrate 21 and is electrically connected to the wafer body 21. The force sensor 22 is used to detect the external force applied to the force detection device 20. The wafer body 21 is used to receive the detection signal emitted by the force sensor 22 and send the detection signal to an external device.

[0029] In practical use, a robotic arm or other transfer device can be used to move the test wafer 100 along a preset path within the machine's cavity. The preset path is the movement path of the wafer during the processing within the machine's cavity. A force sensor 22 detects the external force acting on the force detection device 20 in real time. When the force sensor 22 detects an external force acting on the force detection device 20, that is, when the force sensor 22 detects that the machine hardware is applying a force greater than zero to the force detection device 20, it indicates that the test wafer 100 is in contact with the machine hardware. Thus, the force sensor 22 can convert this external force into a detection signal and send it to an external device through the wafer body 21. After receiving the detection signal, the external device can process the signal through a signal processing module. Based on the processing results, the operator can determine the location of the test wafer 100 in the preset path where it is in contact with the machine hardware.

[0030] The external device can also generate a force distribution map of the test wafer 100 based on the received detection signal data.

[0031] In this embodiment of the invention, in a first aspect, by providing a force detection device 20 on the wafer body 10, it is possible to detect whether the test wafer 100 is subjected to an external force applied by the machine hardware during the movement path of the test wafer 100 through the cavity of the machine. When the test wafer 100 is subjected to an external force, it indicates that the test wafer 100 has made contact with the machine hardware. Thus, the force sensor 22 can send a detection signal to an external device through the wafer body 21. Based on the detection signal obtained by the external device, the operator can determine at which position on the movement path the test wafer 100 makes contact with the machine hardware. Based on the contact positions of the test wafer 100 with each piece of machine hardware, the distribution of each piece of machine hardware in contact with the test wafer 100 in the cavity of the machine can be determined, thereby enabling targeted [treatment / treatment]. Firstly, improvements are made to the hardware of each contact point to prevent the wafer from contacting the hardware during processing in the machine cavity, thereby improving the product yield and reducing losses in wafer manufacturing, and ultimately reducing wafer production costs. Secondly, by making the substrate 21 detachably connected to the wafer body 10, after the force detection device 20 is damaged, it can be removed from the surface of the wafer body 10 and replaced with a new force detection device 20. This allows for the reuse of the wafer body 10 without replacing the entire test wafer 100, reducing testing costs. At the same time, the substrate 21 is placed on the surface of the wafer body 10, which can prevent the machine hardware from directly contacting the wafer body 10 and causing damage to the wafer body 10, thus facilitating the reuse of the wafer body 10.

[0032] Furthermore, by electrically connecting the force sensor 22 to the wafer body 10, the force sensor 22 can utilize the circuits / devices (e.g., signal transceiver modules, power supply devices, etc.) built into the wafer body 10 to realize its own detection function. There is no need to set up other circuits / devices in the substrate 21 to realize the detection function of the force sensor 22. This makes the structure of the test wafer 100 more compact and also saves the space occupation and cost caused by setting up other circuits / devices to realize the detection function of the force sensor 22.

[0033] It is understood that, according to the embodiments of the present invention, the test wafer 100 can detect the magnitude of the external force applied to the force detection device 20, that is, the magnitude of the external force applied by the machine hardware to the force detection device 20. Based on the magnitude of the external force, the degree of damage to the force detection device 20 by the machine hardware can be determined, and thus the degree of improvement required for the machine hardware can be determined based on the degree of damage. For example, if the external force applied by the machine hardware to the force detection device 20 is detected to be small, the corresponding machine hardware can be shifted or repaired to avoid the movement path of the wafer during the processing of the machine cavity; if the external force applied by the machine hardware to the force detection device 20 is detected to be large, the corresponding machine hardware can be shifted or repaired to avoid the movement path of the wafer during the processing of the machine cavity.

[0034] Of course, the movement path of the wafer in the machine cavity can also be adaptively changed to avoid the position where the wafer would originally come into contact with the machine hardware, thereby preventing it from coming into contact with the machine hardware during movement.

[0035] In some embodiments, the substrate 21 is peelably bonded to the surface of the wafer body 10. By using an adhesive method to fix the force detection device 20 to the wafer body 10, the structure between the force detection device 20 and the wafer body 10 can fit as closely as possible, which helps to improve the flatness of the test wafer 100 and facilitates the removal of the force detection device 20 from the wafer body 10, making the operation simple.

[0036] Of course, in other embodiments, the substrate 21 can also be detachably connected to the wafer body 10 in other ways, for example, the outer periphery of the substrate 21 and the outer periphery of the wafer body 10 can be locked and fixed by a snap-fit ​​or clamping mechanism.

[0037] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a top view of the structure of the test wafer 100 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Each splicing portion 210 is divided into multiple regions by dashed lines. In some embodiments, the substrate 21 has at least two splicing portions 210, which are spliced ​​onto the surface of the wafer body 10. Each splicing portion 210 is detachably connected to the wafer body 10, and each splicing portion 210 is provided with a force sensor 22. By dividing the substrate 21 into at least two splicing portions 210, the different splicing portions 210 can be separated from each other. If any splicing portion 210 is damaged, it can be replaced accordingly, without needing to replace the entire force detection device 20, thus reducing testing costs.

[0038] It is understandable that at least two splicing parts 210, when spliced ​​together, can cover all the chips on the wafer body 10, and the size and shape of each splicing part 210 can be set according to actual needs.

[0039] The number of splicing parts 210 can be set according to actual needs, with a minimum of two, such as two, three, or more.

[0040] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the force sensor 22 is embedded inside the substrate 21, that is, the force sensor 22 is covered by the substrate 21. In this way, the force sensor 22 is not directly exposed outside the substrate 21. The substrate 21 can provide a certain structural protection for the force sensor 22. The substrate 21 can prevent the force sensor 22 from directly contacting the machine hardware, thereby preventing the machine hardware from scratching or damaging the force sensor 22. This is beneficial to ensuring the durability and detection accuracy of the force sensor 22. The substrate 21 can also prevent the force sensor 22 from directly contacting the dies on the wafer body 10, thereby preventing the force sensor 22 from scratching or damaging the dies on the wafer body 10.

[0041] Furthermore, by embedding the force sensor 22 inside the substrate 21, the substrate 21 can provide a certain limiting effect for the force sensor 22, preventing the force sensor 22 from falling off the substrate 21 under long-term stress. At the same time, the substrate 21 can also prevent the force sensor 22 from getting damp, which helps to ensure the electrical reliability of the force sensor 22.

[0042] Of course, in other embodiments, the force sensor 22 can also be directly exposed on the surface of the substrate 21. In this way, the machine hardware can directly contact the force sensor 22, which can improve the sensitivity of the force sensor 22 to a certain extent.

[0043] In some embodiments, the thickness of the force detection device 20 is 130Å-800Å. By limiting the minimum thickness (130Å) of the force detection device 20, the feasibility of manufacturing the force detection device 20 can be provided, avoiding increased manufacturing difficulty due to excessively small thickness. By limiting the maximum thickness (800Å) of the force detection device 20, the overall thickness of the force detection device 20 can be avoided from being too large, allowing the thickness of the test wafer 100 to be closer to the actual thickness of the wafer. Consequently, the accuracy of the external force data applied by the machine tool hardware to the wafer obtained by simulating the movement of the wafer in the machine tool cavity is high, ensuring that the measured data has a good guiding role in improving the machine tool hardware.

[0044] It should be noted that the thickness of the force detection device 20 can be 130Å, 131Å, 132Å, 133Å... or 800Å, or within the range of any two of the above values.

[0045] Understandably, during the wafer processing in the machine's cavity, both opposite sides of the wafer may come into contact with the machine hardware. Therefore, it is necessary to detect the external forces acting on both opposite sides of the test wafer 100 separately.

[0046] In some embodiments, the wafer body 10 has a first surface 110 and a second surface 120 that are opposite to each other. Force detection devices 20 are respectively provided on the first surface 110 and the second surface 120. In this way, the external forces on both sides of the test wafer 100 can be detected, thereby fully reflecting the contact between the opposite sides of the test wafer 100 and the hardware of the test equipment during the movement of the test wafer 100 in the cavity of the test equipment, and ensuring the integrity of the test wafer 100 detection.

[0047] It is understandable that the specific structure of the substrate 21 can be set according to actual needs. The substrate 21 can be a single-layer structure formed in one piece, or it can be a multi-layer structure with multiple layers stacked on the surface of the wafer body 10.

[0048] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the substrate 21 includes an insulating layer 211 and a passivation layer 212, which are stacked sequentially on the wafer body 10. The passivation layer 212 is located on the side of the insulating layer 211 away from the wafer body 10, and the force sensor 22 is disposed between the insulating layer 211 and the passivation layer 212.

[0049] In this embodiment, the insulating layer 211 provides structural protection for the force sensor 22 on the side near the wafer body 10, preventing the force sensor 22 from directly contacting the dies on the wafer body 10, thereby avoiding scratching or damaging the dies on the wafer body 10 by the force sensor 22. The insulating layer 211 also provides electrical protection between the force sensor 22 and the wafer body 10, preventing unnecessary electrical conduction caused by the force sensor 22 directly contacting the wafer body 10 at unnecessarily locations. The passivation layer 212 provides protection for the side of the force sensor 22 away from the wafer body 10. Provides a certain structural protection. When the test wafer 100 comes into contact with the equipment hardware, the contact point is located on the surface of the passivation layer 212 away from the force sensor 22. This can prevent the force sensor 22 from directly contacting the equipment hardware and avoid the equipment hardware from scratching or damaging the force sensor 22. In addition, the passivation layer 212 can provide a certain electrical protection on the side of the force sensor 22 away from the wafer body 10, so that the force sensor 22 is isolated from the outside environment located on the passivation layer 212 away from the wafer body 10, preventing external dust, moisture and other substances from contacting the force sensor 22 and affecting the electrical performance of the force sensor 22.

[0050] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the substrate 21 further includes a metal layer 213 disposed between the insulating layer 211 and the passivation layer 212. The insulating layer 211 defines a connection hole 201. The metal layer 213 extends to the wafer body 10 through the connection hole 201 and is electrically connected to the wafer body 10. The force sensor 22 is disposed on the metal layer 213 and is electrically connected to the metal layer 213. In this way, the metal layer 213 can serve as a carrier for the force sensor 22 and also realize the electrical connection between the force sensor 22 and the wafer body 10. There is no need to extend wires directly from the force sensor 22 to connect to the wafer body 10, which facilitates the installation of the force sensor 22.

[0051] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the metal layer 213 includes a plurality of metal carriers 2131, which are spaced apart. The insulating layer 211 defines a plurality of connection holes 201, each connection hole 201 being correspondingly provided with a metal carrier 2131. Each metal carrier 2131 extends to the wafer body 10 through the corresponding connection hole 201 and is electrically connected to the wafer body 10. Each metal carrier 2131 defines a receiving groove 202, and each receiving groove 202 on the metal carrier 2131 is provided with a force sensor 22.

[0052] In this embodiment, multiple spaced metal carriers 2131 are provided at the metal layer 213, and a receiving groove 202 for accommodating the force sensor 22 is defined on each metal carrier 2131. On the one hand, the receiving groove 202 can limit the force sensor 22 to a certain extent, so that the force sensor 22 can be stably held in the substrate 21, preventing the force sensor 22 from being displaced relative to the wafer body 10 when subjected to external force. On the other hand, the spaced distribution of multiple metal carriers 2131 can avoid short circuits caused by contact between adjacent metal carriers 2131, and can ensure the normal operation of the force sensor 22 on each metal carrier 2131.

[0053] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the wafer body 10 has multiple dies, each die being opposite to at least one metal carrier 2131 along the thickness direction of the wafer body 10. This allows each die to be subjected to force detection by the force sensor 22 on the corresponding metal carrier 2131, making it easier to determine which die on the wafer body 10 is damaged by the external force applied by the machine hardware, thus improving the detection accuracy of the test wafer 100.

[0054] In this embodiment, the end of each metal carrier 2131 away from the passivation layer 212 extends toward the wafer body 10 through the corresponding connection hole 201 and is electrically connected to the wafer body 10.

[0055] One crystal grain can be provided with one metal carrier 2131, or two or more metal carriers 2131 can be provided.

[0056] In some embodiments, the force sensor 22 includes a piezoresistor, and multiple force sensors 22 can be respectively disposed in the receiving grooves 202 of multiple metal carriers 2131 by mass transfer, so as to ensure the installation efficiency of multiple force sensors 22.

[0057] In some embodiments, the force sensor 22 includes a piezoresistor and a flexible wrapping layer. The flexible wrapping layer wraps the piezoresistor and has the characteristic of flexible deformation. This allows it to adapt to the shape of the receiving groove 202 by changing its own shape when filling the receiving groove 202. The flexible wrapping layer can effectively transmit external forces to the piezoresistor, so that the point external force applied to the passivation layer 212 can be uniformly transmitted to the piezoresistor. This helps to ensure the detection accuracy of the force sensor 22 and avoids stress concentration at a certain point on the piezoresistor, which could lead to damage to the piezoresistor.

[0058] In addition, by wrapping the varistor with a flexible wrapping layer, multiple force sensors 22 can be respectively set in the receiving slots 202 of multiple metal carriers 2131 by inkjet printing, so as to ensure the installation efficiency of multiple force sensors 22.

[0059] In some embodiments, the flexible wrapping layer includes a conductive liquid and an adhesive, which are mixed and in a semi-cured state. The conductive liquid is used to achieve electrical conduction between the metal carrier 2131 and the varistor, and the adhesive is used to adhere the varistor to the inner wall of the receiving groove 202, so that the varistor can be stably held in the receiving groove 202. By forming a flexible encapsulation layer with conductive liquid and adhesive, it can be sprayed together with the varistor into the receiving groove 202 of the metal layer 213 through inkjet printing or other methods. This makes it feasible to set multiple force sensors 22 in the receiving grooves 202 of multiple metal carriers 2131 respectively. Moreover, the structural characteristics of the flexible encapsulation layer can be used to fill the receiving grooves 202 of the metal layer 213, so that there is a large contact area between the force sensor 22 and the inner wall of the receiving groove 202. While ensuring the electrical conductivity between the force sensor 22 and the circuits / devices on the wafer body 10, it can also ensure good force transmission performance between the force sensor 22 and the metal layer 213 and passivation layer 212, which is beneficial to ensuring the detection accuracy of the force sensor 22.

[0060] The conductive liquid can be silver nanoparticle liquid, and the adhesive can be resin.

[0061] In the specific implementation process, a certain proportion of resin can be added to the silver nano liquid and mixed. After being irradiated by a UV lamp, the surface of the mixed silver nano liquid and adhesive is slightly cured, forming a flexible coating layer in a semi-cured state. In other embodiments, the force sensor 22 may also employ other sensor structures, such as strain gauges, which may be directly disposed on the surface of the substrate 21 or embedded inside the substrate 21.

[0062] In some embodiments, the substrate 21 further includes an adhesive layer 214 disposed on the side of the insulating layer 211 facing the wafer body 10, and the adhesive layer 214 is used to bond to the surface of the wafer body 10. By providing the adhesive layer 214 on the side of the insulating layer 211 close to the wafer body 10, mutual fixation between the substrate 21 and the wafer body 10 can be achieved. When the force detection device 20 is damaged and needs to be replaced, the provision of the adhesive layer 214 can facilitate the peeling of the force detection device 20 from the wafer body 10.

[0063] The adhesive layer 214 and the insulating layer 211 together define the connection hole 201, that is, the connection hole 201 penetrates the insulating layer 211 and the adhesive layer 214.

[0064] In this embodiment of the invention, along the direction away from the wafer body 10, the adhesive layer 214, the insulating layer 211, the metal layer 213 and the passivation layer 212 are sequentially stacked on the surface of the wafer body 10.

[0065] In some embodiments, the adhesive layer 214 may be made of polyimide, which serves as the substrate of the substrate 21. After obtaining the preform by spin coating or slot coating, the adhesive layer 214 is formed by vacuum drying and high-temperature thermal curing.

[0066] The thickness of the adhesive layer 214 can be between 10 Å and 100 Å. By limiting the minimum thickness (10 Å) of the adhesive layer 214, it can be ensured that the adhesive layer 214 has a certain adhesive ability to bond and fix it to the wafer body 10, avoiding the adhesive layer 214 being too thin and thus having insufficient adhesive force to the wafer body 10; by limiting the maximum thickness (100 Å) of the adhesive layer 214, it can be avoided that the overall thickness of the substrate 21 will increase due to the excessive thickness of the adhesive layer 214.

[0067] It should be noted that the thickness of the adhesive layer 214 can be 10 Å, 11 Å, 12 Å, 13 Å... or 100 Å, or within any two of the above values.

[0068] In some embodiments, the insulating layer 211 may be made of silicon oxide, which has good insulating properties, and can be formed on the insulating layer 211 by chemical vapor deposition.

[0069] The thickness of the insulating layer 211 can be 10Å-100Å. By limiting the minimum thickness (10Å) of the insulating layer 211, it can be ensured that the insulating layer 211 has a certain electrical insulation performance to avoid unnecessary electrical conduction between the force sensor 22 and the wafer body 10, and to prevent the insulating layer 211 from being easily broken down by the dielectric. By limiting the maximum thickness (100Å) of the insulating layer 211, it can be avoided that the overall thickness of the substrate 21 will increase due to the excessive thickness of the insulating layer 211.

[0070] It should be noted that the thickness of the insulating layer 211 can be 10 Å, 11 Å, 12 Å, 13 Å... or 100 Å, or within any two of the above values.

[0071] In some embodiments, the metal layer 213 may be made of a metal material such as aluminum, copper or silver, which has good electrical conductivity and can be formed on the insulating layer 211 by sputtering deposition.

[0072] The thickness of the metal layer 213 can be between 100 Å and 500 Å. By limiting the minimum thickness (100 Å) of the metal layer 213, it can be ensured that the metal layer 213 has certain mechanical structural properties to support the force sensor 22, which is beneficial to the stable connection between the force sensor 22 and the metal layer 213. By limiting the maximum thickness (500 Å) of the metal layer 213, it can be avoided that the overall thickness of the substrate 21 will increase due to the excessive thickness of the metal layer 213.

[0073] It should be noted that the thickness of the metal layer 213 can be 100 Å, 101 Å, 102 Å, 103 Å... or 500 Å, or within any two of the above values.

[0074] In some embodiments, the passivation layer 212 can be made of silicon oxide, which has good structural properties and can be formed on the metal layer 213 by chemical vapor deposition.

[0075] The thickness of the passivation layer 212 can be between 10 Å and 100 Å. By limiting the minimum thickness (10 Å) of the passivation layer 212, it can be ensured that the passivation layer 212 has certain mechanical structural properties to form a structural protection for the force sensor 22, and to prevent the passivation layer 212 from being too thin and easily punctured by the machine hardware. By limiting the maximum thickness (100 Å) of the passivation layer 212, it can be prevented that the overall thickness of the substrate 21 will increase due to the excessive thickness of the passivation layer 212.

[0076] It should be noted that the thickness of the passivation layer 212 can be 10 Å, 11 Å, 12 Å, 13 Å... or 100 Å, or within any two of the above values.

[0077] In some embodiments, the force sensor 22 may be composed of a pressure-sensitive resistor, a conductive liquid and an adhesive, and has high sensitivity to detect force. It can be sprayed into the receiving groove 202 of the metal layer 213 by inkjet printing or mass transfer.

[0078] The thickness of the force sensor 22 can be between 50 Å and 450 Å. By limiting the minimum thickness (50 Å) of the force sensor 22, it is possible to ensure that the force sensor 22 has certain mechanical structural properties and avoid the force sensor 22 being too thin and easily damaged under external force. By limiting the maximum thickness (450 Å) of the force sensor 22, it is possible to avoid the overall thickness of the substrate 21 increasing due to the excessive thickness of the force sensor 22.

[0079] It should be noted that the thickness of the force sensor 22 can be 50Å, 51Å, 52Å, 53Å... or 450Å, or within any two of the above values.

[0080] In some embodiments, the wafer body 10 is provided with a signal transceiver module, and the force sensor 22 is electrically connected to the signal transceiver module. The signal transceiver module is used to receive detection signals and send detection signals to external devices. In this way, the force sensor 22 can use the signal transceiver module on the wafer body 10 to send the detection signal generated by the external force it detects to the external device without the need to set up an additional signal transmission circuit in the force detection device 20.

[0081] The signal transceiver module can send detection signals to external devices via wireless or wired transmission.

[0082] The signal transceiver module can be a signal transceiver circuit integrated on the wafer body 10, or a processing chip integrated on the wafer body 10. Besides receiving and transmitting the detection signal to an external device, the processing chip can also process the received detection signal and send the processed result to the external device. Furthermore, a storage chip integrated on the wafer body 10 can be used to store the detection signal or the result of the processing chip's processing of the detection signal.

[0083] In some embodiments, the wafer body 10 is provided with a power supply device for supplying power to the force sensor 22.

[0084] The power supply device can be a power source that can power the force sensor 22 via wireless charging or wired charging. Alternatively, the power supply device can be a power supply circuit, with the wafer body 10 electrically connected to an external power source and powering the force sensor 22 via the power supply circuit.

[0085] Please see Figure 3 This invention also provides a method for detecting the contact position between a test wafer and the equipment hardware, applied to the test wafer 100 described in any of the above embodiments. The testing method includes: Step 301: Move the test wafer 100 along a preset path in the cavity of the machine tool, and detect the external force on the force detection device 20 through the force sensor 22. The preset path is the movement path of the wafer in the cavity of the machine tool during the processing. By simulating the movement of the wafer in the cavity of the machine tool, when the test wafer 100 comes into contact with the machine tool hardware, the contact position between the test wafer 100 and the machine tool hardware corresponds to the contact position between the wafer to be moved and the machine tool hardware, thereby ensuring the reliability of the data measured by the test wafer 100.

[0086] When the machine hardware comes into contact with the force detection device 20, the machine hardware applies an external force to the force detection device 20. When the force sensor 22 is embedded in the substrate 21, the external force can act indirectly on the force sensor 22 through the substrate 21 and be sensed by the force sensor 22; when the force sensor 22 is exposed on the surface of the substrate 21, the external force can act directly on the force sensor 22 and be sensed by the force sensor 22.

[0087] In the specific implementation process, the test wafer 100 can be moved along a preset path in the cavity of the machine by transfer devices such as robotic arms.

[0088] Step 302: When the force sensor 22 detects that the external force on the force detection device 20 is greater than zero, it determines that the force detection device 20 is in contact with the machine hardware and records the current position of the test wafer 100 in the preset path.

[0089] When the force sensor 22 detects that the external force acting on the force detection device 20 is greater than zero, it indicates that the force detection device 20 is in contact with the machine hardware, meaning that the machine hardware is located on the movement path of the wafer to be processed. During the wafer's movement, the machine hardware will come into contact with the wafer. By recording the current position of the test wafer 100 in the preset path when it comes into contact with the machine hardware, the distribution of the machine hardware components that are in contact with the test wafer 100 can be determined.

[0090] In this embodiment of the invention, by utilizing the movement of the test wafer 100 along a preset path within the cavity of the equipment, it is possible to detect and determine which position of the test wafer 100 contacts the equipment hardware on the preset path. Based on the contact positions of the test wafer 100 with each piece of equipment hardware, the distribution of each piece of equipment hardware in contact with the test wafer 100 can be determined. This allows for targeted improvements to the equipment hardware corresponding to each contact position, preventing the wafer from contacting the equipment hardware during processing within the equipment cavity. Consequently, the product yield of wafer manufacturing can be improved, losses reduced, and the overall production cost of wafer manufacturing lowered.

[0091] In the specific implementation process, the test wafer 100 can be actively contacted by transfer devices such as robotic arms, which may come into contact with the equipment hardware that may come into contact with the test wafer 100. This allows us to know whether the wafer will come into contact with the equipment hardware at certain locations during the processing of the wafer in the cavity of the equipment.

[0092] In the specific implementation process, after improving the corresponding machine hardware, the test wafer 100 can be repeatedly made to pass through the movement path of the wafer in the machine cavity during the processing process to verify the improved machine hardware. If the external force detected by the force sensor 22 remains zero, it means that the effect of the improvement of the machine hardware can meet the requirement that the wafer does not come into contact with the machine hardware during the processing process in the machine cavity. If the external force detected by the force sensor 22 is still greater than zero, the corresponding machine hardware can continue to be improved.

[0093] In the specific implementation process, the extent of damage to the force detection device 20 by the machine hardware can be determined based on the magnitude of the external force detected by the force sensor 22, and thus the required improvement of the machine hardware can be determined based on the extent of the damage.

[0094] Please see Figure 4 This invention also provides a method for manufacturing a test wafer, the method comprising: Step 401: An insulating layer 211 is stacked on one side of the wafer body 10, and a connection hole 201 is formed on the insulating layer 211; Step 402: Deposit a metal layer 213 on the side of the insulating layer 211 away from the wafer body 10, and fill the connection hole 201 with the metal layer 213 so that the metal layer 213 is electrically connected to the wafer body 10. Step 403: A force sensor 22 is disposed on the metal layer 213 so that the force sensor 22 is electrically connected to the wafer body 10 through the metal layer 213; Step 404: A passivation layer 212 is stacked on the side of the metal layer 213 away from the insulating layer 211 to obtain the test wafer 100.

[0095] In this embodiment, the test wafer 100 fabricated above can be used to detect and determine the contact position between the test wafer 100 and the machine hardware. This allows for targeted improvements to the machine hardware corresponding to the contact position, preventing damage caused by contact between the wafer and the machine hardware during processing in the machine cavity. By directly stacking insulating layers 211, metal layers 213, and passivation layers 212 on the wafer body 10, the insulating layers 211, metal layers 213, passivation layers 212, and force sensor 22 can use the wafer body 10 as a carrier. This facilitates the formation of a force detection device 20 on the wafer body 10 without needing to transfer the force detection device 20 to the wafer body 10 after its formation.

[0096] In some embodiments, an insulating layer 211 is stacked on one side of the wafer body 10, and a connection hole 201 is formed on the insulating layer 211, including: An adhesive layer 214 is laminated on the surface of the wafer body 10; An insulating layer 211 is stacked on the side of the adhesive layer 214 away from the wafer body 10; A connecting hole 201 is made in the adhesive layer 214 and the insulating layer 211, penetrating the adhesive layer 214 and the insulating layer 211.

[0097] In this embodiment, by providing an adhesive layer 214, the force detection device 20 can be detachably connected to the wafer body 10.

[0098] In some embodiments, the wafer body 10 has a plurality of grains, the metal layer 213 includes a plurality of metal carriers 2131, the plurality of metal carriers 2131 are spaced apart, and each grain is opposite to at least one metal carrier 2131 along the thickness direction of the wafer body 10, and each metal carrier 2131 defines a receiving groove 202; a force sensor 22 is disposed on the metal layer 213, including: Force sensor 22 includes a piezoresistor, and multiple force sensors 22 are respectively disposed in the receiving slots 202 of multiple metal carriers 2131 by mass transfer; Alternatively, the force sensor 22 includes a piezoresistor and a flexible wrapping layer, with the flexible wrapping layer wrapping the piezoresistor. Multiple force sensors 22 are respectively disposed in the receiving slots 202 of multiple metal carriers 2131 by inkjet printing.

[0099] In this embodiment, by employing mass transfer or inkjet printing to respectively install multiple force sensors 22 in the receiving slots 202 of multiple metal carriers 2131, a large number of force sensors 22 can be installed simultaneously, improving the installation efficiency of the force sensors 22. At the same time, each die can be subjected to force detection through the force sensor 22 on the corresponding metal carrier 2131, which makes it easier to know which die on the wafer body 10 is damaged by the external force applied by the machine hardware, thus improving the detection accuracy of the test wafer 100.

[0100] The adhesive layer 214 and the insulating layer 211 together define a plurality of connection holes 201. A plurality of metal carriers 2131 are respectively disposed corresponding to the plurality of connection holes 201 and respectively fill the corresponding connection holes 201, so that the force sensors 22 on each metal carrier 2131 can be electrically connected to the wafer body 10 respectively.

[0101] The following provides an exemplary description of the specific implementation details of the test wafer 100 of the present invention: The first step involves spin coating a polyimide material onto the surface of the wafer body 10 using either spin coating or slot coating, and then drying it under vacuum and curing it at high temperature to form an adhesive layer 214. The second step involves depositing silicon oxide on the side of the adhesive layer 214 away from the wafer body 10 using chemical vapor deposition to form an insulating layer 211. The third step involves coating the insulating layer 211 on the side away from the wafer body 10 with photoresist (using spin coating or slot coating). Through exposure and development, a pattern corresponding to multiple die positions on the wafer body 10 is formed above the insulating layer. Part of the photoresist at the location on the wafer body 10 where the signal transceiver module is electrically connected to the force sensor 22 is removed. Then, using dry etching, multiple connection holes 201 are etched at the locations where the photoresist was removed, extending through the insulating layer 211 and the adhesive layer 214 to the locations on the wafer body 10 where the signal transceiver module is electrically connected to the force sensor 22. The fourth step involves sputtering deposition to deposit metal onto the insulating layer 211 away from the wafer body 10. The adhesive layer 214 is applied to one side, and the metal fills the connection hole 201. The fifth step, similar to the third step, involves etching spacer grooves on the metal to divide it into multiple spaced metal carriers 2131 (the spacer grooves are located between adjacent metal carriers 2131), and etching receiving grooves 202 on the metal carriers 2131 to form a metal layer 213. The sixth step, when the force sensor 22 uses a piezoresistive element, multiple force sensors 22 are transferred to the receiving grooves 202 of the multiple metal carriers 2131 via mass transfer. When the force sensor 22 uses both a piezoresistive element and a flexible encapsulation layer, multiple force sensors 22 are inkjet printed onto the receiving grooves 202 of the multiple metal carriers 2131. The seventh step, using vapor deposition, deposits silicon oxide material on the side of the metal layer 213 away from the insulating layer 211 to form a passivation layer 212. Finally, a test wafer 100 is obtained.

[0102] Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention and features thereof can be combined with each other, unless otherwise specified.

Claims

1. A test wafer, characterized in that, The device includes a wafer body and a force detection device. The force detection device includes a substrate and a force sensor. The substrate is disposed on the surface of the wafer body and is detachably connected to the wafer body. The force sensor is disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the wafer body. The force sensor is used to detect the external force applied to the force detection device. The wafer body is used to receive the detection signal emitted by the force sensor and send the detection signal to an external device.

2. The test wafer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate is peelably bonded to the surface of the wafer body; And / or, the substrate has at least two splicing portions, at least two of the splicing portions are spliced ​​to the surface of the wafer body, each of the splicing portions is detachably connected to the wafer body, and each of the splicing portions is provided with the force sensor; And / or, the force sensor is embedded inside the substrate; And / or, the thickness of the force detection device is 130Å-800Å; And / or, the wafer body has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other, and the force detection device is respectively disposed on the first surface and the second surface.

3. The test wafer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate includes an insulating layer and a passivation layer, which are stacked sequentially on the wafer body. The passivation layer is located on the side of the insulating layer away from the wafer body, and the force sensor is disposed between the insulating layer and the passivation layer.

4. The test wafer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The substrate further includes a metal layer disposed between the insulating layer and the passivation layer. The insulating layer defines a connection hole, and the metal layer extends through the connection hole to the wafer body and is electrically connected to the wafer body. The force sensor is disposed on the metal layer and is electrically connected to the metal layer.

5. The test wafer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The metal layer includes a plurality of metal carriers, which are spaced apart. The insulating layer defines a plurality of connection holes, each connection hole corresponding to a metal carrier. Each metal carrier extends to the wafer body through the corresponding connection hole and is electrically connected to the wafer body. Each metal carrier defines a receiving groove, and each receiving groove on the metal carrier is provided with a force sensor.

6. The test wafer according to claim 5, characterized in that, The force sensor includes a pressure-sensitive resistor; Alternatively, the force sensor may include a piezoresistive element and a flexible wrapping layer, wherein the flexible wrapping layer wraps the piezoresistive element.

7. The test wafer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The substrate further includes an adhesive layer disposed on the side of the insulating layer facing the wafer body, the adhesive layer being used to bond to the surface of the wafer body.

8. The test wafer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer body is provided with a signal transceiver module, and the force sensor is electrically connected to the signal transceiver module. The signal receiving module is used to receive the detection signal and send the detection signal to an external device. And / or, a power supply device is provided within the wafer body, the power supply device being used to supply power to the force sensor.

9. A method for detecting the contact position between a test wafer and the equipment hardware, applied to the test wafer described in claim 1, characterized in that, The detection method includes: The test wafer is moved along a preset path in the cavity of the machine tool, and the external force on the force detection device is detected by the force sensor. The preset path is the movement path of the wafer in the cavity of the machine tool during the processing. When the force sensor detects that the external force acting on the force detection device is greater than zero, it determines that the force detection device is in contact with the machine hardware and records the current position of the test wafer in the preset path.

10. A method for manufacturing a test wafer, characterized in that, The manufacturing method includes: An insulating layer is stacked on one side of the wafer body, and a connection hole is formed on the insulating layer; A metal layer is stacked on the side of the insulating layer opposite to the wafer body, and the metal layer fills the connection hole to make the metal layer electrically connected to the wafer body; A force sensor is disposed on the metal layer so that the force sensor is electrically connected to the wafer body through the metal layer; A passivation layer is stacked on the side of the metal layer opposite to the insulating layer to obtain the test wafer.

11. The method for manufacturing a test wafer according to claim 10, characterized in that, The wafer body has multiple grains, the metal layer includes multiple metal carriers, the multiple metal carriers are spaced apart, and each grain is opposite to at least one metal carrier along the thickness direction of the wafer body, and each metal carrier defines a receiving groove. The provision of a force sensor on the metal layer includes: The force sensor includes a piezoresistor, and multiple force sensors are respectively disposed in the receiving grooves of multiple metal carriers through mass transfer; Alternatively, the force sensor includes a piezoresistive element and a flexible wrapping layer, the flexible wrapping layer wrapping the piezoresistive element, and multiple force sensors are respectively disposed in the receiving slots of multiple metal carriers by inkjet printing.