Integrated testing for improving hybrid bonding yield in advanced semiconductor packaging manufacturing

Abstract

This specification provides a method and apparatus for hybrid bonding with inspection. In some embodiments, the hybrid bonding with inspection method includes: cleaning a substrate in a first cleaning chamber and cleaning a tape frame having a plurality of chiplets in a second cleaning chamber; inspecting the substrate for pre-bonding defects in a first measuring chamber and inspecting the tape frame for pre-bonding defects in a second measuring chamber by a first measuring system; bonding one or more of the plurality of chiplets to the substrate by a hybrid bonding process in a bonder chamber to form a bonded substrate; and performing a post-bonding inspection of the bonded substrate for post-bonding defects by a third measuring chamber using a second measuring system different from the first measuring system.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Substrates undergo various processes during the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuit devices. Some of these processes include wafer dicing, in which a processed wafer is placed on a dicing tape and cut or separated into a plurality of dice or chiplets. After dicing the wafer, the chiplets typically remain on the dicing tape until they are extracted and bonded to a substrate, for example, by a hybrid bonding process. Hybrid bonding generally involves stacking and electrically connecting one or more dice to a substrate. However, pre-bonding defects such as cracked or chipped dice or particles on the bonding surface can lead to post-bonding problems. Additionally, defects such as misalignment, voids, or delamination found after bonding can negatively impact yield and may require increased tool downtime for identifying and servicing the tool performing the hybrid bonding process.

[0003] Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have provided an improved multi-chamber processing tool for processing substrates by hybrid bonding technology.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] This specification provides a method and apparatus for hybrid bonding with inspection. In some embodiments, the hybrid bonding with inspection method includes: cleaning a substrate in a first cleaning chamber and cleaning a tape frame having a plurality of chiplets in a second cleaning chamber; inspecting the substrate for pre-bonding defects in a first measuring chamber and inspecting the tape frame for pre-bonding defects in a second measuring chamber by a first measuring system; bonding one or more of the plurality of chiplets to the substrate by a hybrid bonding process in a bonder chamber to form a bonded substrate; and performing a post-bonding inspection of the bonded substrate for post-bonding defects by a third measuring chamber using a second measuring system different from the first measuring system.

[0005] In some embodiments, a non-temporary computer-readable medium has instructions stored thereon, and when the instructions are executed by one or more processors, a hybrid bonding method with inspection is performed, the method comprising: cleaning a substrate by a first cleaning chamber and cleaning a tape frame having a plurality of chiplets by a second cleaning chamber; inspecting the substrate for pre-bonding defects in a first measuring chamber and inspecting the tape frame for pre-bonding defects in a second measuring chamber by a first measuring system; bonding one or more chiplets from the plurality of chiplets to the substrate by a hybrid bonding process in a bonder chamber to form a bonded substrate; and performing a post-bonding inspection of the bonded substrate for post-bonding defects by a third measuring chamber using a second measuring system different from the first measuring system.

[0006] In some embodiments, a multi-chamber processing tool for bonding chiplets to a substrate comprises an equipment front end module (EFEM) having one or more substrate load ports for receiving substrates and one or more tape frame load ports for receiving tape frames having multiple chiplets, and a plurality of automation modules having a first automation module coupled to the FI, each of the plurality of automation modules comprising a transfer chamber and one or more process chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, one or more process chambers comprising a bonder chamber, the transfer chamber comprising a buffer configured to hold one or more substrates and one or more tape frames, and the transfer chamber comprising a transfer robot configured to transfer the substrates and tape frames between the buffer, one or more process chambers and buffers located in adjacent automation modules of the plurality of automation modules, and a plurality of automation modules. The system includes a first measurement chamber coupled to one of a plurality of automation modules, the first measurement chamber comprising a first measurement system configured to acquire measurements of a substrate and a motion system configured to align the first measurement system to various parts of the substrate, and a second measurement chamber coupled to one of a plurality of automation modules, the second measurement chamber comprising a second measurement system different from the first measurement system, configured to acquire measurements of a substrate, and a second motion system configured to align the second measurement system to various parts of the substrate.

[0007] Other embodiments and additional embodiments of this disclosure are described below.

[0008] The embodiments of this disclosure, briefly outlined above and discussed in more detail later, can be understood by referring to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure shown in the accompanying drawings. However, the accompanying drawings only illustrate typical embodiments of this disclosure and should therefore not be considered limiting, as other equally valid embodiments may be accepted by this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic top view of a multi-chamber processing tool according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a top view of a tape frame according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A-3B] This is a schematic side view of a pre-bonding defect according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4A-4B] This is a schematic side view of a post-combination defect according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a high-level block diagram of a master controller for a multi-chamber processing tool according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart of a hybrid bonding method with inspection, according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals were used to indicate identical elements common to the figures where possible. The figures are not drawn at a constant scale and may be simplified for clarity. Elements and features of one embodiment may be usefully incorporated into other embodiments without further description.

[0011] This specification provides embodiments of a method and apparatus for hybrid bonding with inspection. This method generally includes automated processing and inspection of substrates undergoing hybrid bonding. Inspection may include investigation of pre-bonding and post-bonding defects. Inspection may be performed in-site within a multi-chamber processing tool configured for hybrid bonding. For example, the apparatus provided herein may include a measurement system such as an optical or non-optical measurement system for searching for pre-bonding defects such as particles, cracks, or improper surface activation, or an optical or non-optical measurement system for searching for post-bonding defects such as die alignment, delamination, or voids. Based on measurements or data obtained from the measurement system, the multi-chamber processing tool may be configured to discard defective substrates or dies, adjust processing parameters, or perform additional processing on the substrate.

[0012] Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a multi-chamber processing tool according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. The multi-chamber processing tool 100 generally includes an equipment front-end module (EFEM) 102 and a plurality of atmospheric modular mainframes (AMMs) 110 or automation modules coupled in series to the EFEM 102. The plurality of AMMs 110 are configured to reciprocate one or more types of substrates 112 from the EFEM 102 through the multi-chamber processing tool 100 and to perform one or more processing steps on the one or more types of substrates 112. Each of the plurality of AMMs 110 generally includes a transfer chamber 116 and one or more process chambers 106 coupled to the transfer chamber 116 to perform one or more processing steps. To advantageously provide modular expandability and customization of the multi-chamber processing tool 100, the plurality of AMMs 110 are coupled to each other by their respective transfer chambers 116. As shown in Figure 1, the multiple AMM110 includes three AMMs, where the first AMM110a is coupled to the EFEM102, the second AMM110b is coupled to the first AMM110a, and the third AMM110c is coupled to the second AMM110b. However, the multiple AMM110 may include any number of AMMs required for substrate processing.

[0013] The EFEM102 includes a plurality of load ports 114 for receiving one or more types of substrates 112. In some embodiments, one or more types of substrates 112 include 200 mm wafers, 300 mm wafers, 450 mm wafers, tape frame substrates, carrier substrates, silicon substrates, or glass substrates. In some embodiments, the plurality of load ports 114 include at least one of one or more first load ports 114a for receiving a first type of substrate 112a, or one or more second load ports 114b for receiving a second type of substrate 112b. In some embodiments, the first type of substrate 112a has a different size than the second type of substrate 112b. In some embodiments, the second type of substrate 112b includes a tape frame substrate or a carrier substrate. In some embodiments, the second type of substrate 112b includes a plurality of chiplets arranged on a tape frame or carrier plate. In some embodiments, the second type of substrate 112b may hold chiplets of different types and sizes. Therefore, one or more second load ports 114b may have different sizes or receiving surfaces configured to load second types of substrates 112b having different sizes.

[0014] In some embodiments, the EFEM 102 includes a scanning station 108 having a substrate ID reader for scanning one or more types of substrates 112 to acquire identification information. In some embodiments, the substrate ID reader includes a barcode reader or an optical character recognition (OCR) reader. The multi-chamber processing tool 100 is configured to use the identification information from the scanned one or more types of substrates 112 to determine identification-based process steps, for example, different process steps for a first type of substrate 112a and a second type of substrate 112b. In some embodiments, the scanning station 108 may be further configured to rotate in order to align the first type of substrate 112a or the second type of substrate 112b. In some embodiments, one or more AMMs 110 out of a plurality of AMMs 110 include the scanning station 108.

[0015] An EFEM robot 104 is located inside the EFEM 102 and is configured to transport first type substrates 112a and second type substrates 112b between a plurality of load ports 114 to a scanning station 108. The EFEM robot 104 may include a substrate end effector for handling the first type substrates 112a and a second end effector for handling the second type substrates 112b. The EFEM robot 104 may rotate, or rotate and move linearly.

[0016] Figure 2 shows a top view of a tape frame according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the second type of substrate 112b is a tape frame or tape frame substrate, which generally comprises a layer of backing tape 202 surrounded by a tape frame 204. When in use, a plurality of chiplets 206 can be attached to the backing tape 202. The plurality of chiplets 206 are generally formed by a dicing process that dices a semiconductor wafer 210 into a plurality of chiplets 206 or dies. In some embodiments, the tape frame 204 is made of a metal such as stainless steel. To facilitate alignment and handling, the tape frame 204 may have one or more notches 208. For a semiconductor wafer 210 with a diameter of 300 mm, the tape frame 204 may have a width of about 340 mm to about 420 mm and a length of about 340 mm to about 420 mm. Alternatively, the second type of substrate 112b may be a carrier plate, and the carrier plate may be configured to have a plurality of chiplets 206 coupled to the carrier plate.

[0017] Refer again to Figure 1. One or more process chambers 106 may be sealed and engaged with the transfer chamber 116. The transfer chamber 116 generally operates at atmospheric pressure, but may be configured to operate at vacuum pressure. For example, the transfer chamber 116 may be a non-vacuum chamber configured to operate at atmospheric pressure of about 700 Torr or higher. In addition, although one or more process chambers 106 are generally shown perpendicular to the transfer chamber 116, one or more process chambers 106 may be positioned diagonally to the transfer chamber 116, or in a combination of perpendicular and diagonal positions. For example, the second AMM 110b shows a pair of process chambers 106 of one or more process chambers 106 positioned diagonally to the transfer chamber 116.

[0018] The transfer chamber 116 includes a buffer 120 configured to hold one or more first type substrates 112a. In some embodiments, the buffer 120 is configured to hold one or more substrates 112a of the first type substrates 112a and one or more substrates 112b of the second type substrates 112ba. The transfer chamber 116 includes a transfer robot 126 configured to transfer the first type substrates 112a and the second type substrates 112b between the buffer 120, one or more process chambers 106, and a buffer located in an adjacent AMM among a plurality of AMMs 110. For example, the transfer robot 126 in the first AMM 110a is configured to transfer the first type substrates 112a and the second type substrates 112b between the buffer 120 in the first AMM 110a and the second AMM 110b. In some embodiments, the buffer 120 is located within the internal volume of the transfer chamber 116, which advantageously reduces the overall tool footprint. In addition, the buffer 120 can be left open relative to the internal volume of the transfer chamber 116 to facilitate access by the transfer robot 126. In some embodiments, the buffer 120 may further be configured to perform a radiation process on a second type of substrate 112b.

[0019] The transfer chamber 116 may have one or more environmental controls. For example, the airflow opening of the transfer chamber 116 may include a filter to pass the airflow entering the transfer chamber 116 through a filter. Other environmental controls may include one or more of humidity control, positioning control, temperature control, or pressure control. The buffer 120 is configured to rotate in order to align the first type of substrate 112a and the second type of substrate 112b in a desired manner. In some embodiments, the buffer 120 is configured to hold one or more types of substrate 112 as a vertical stack, which advantageously reduces the footprint of the transfer chamber 116. For example, in some embodiments, the buffer 120 includes a plurality of shelves for storing or holding one or more first type of substrate 112a and one or more second type of substrate 112b.

[0020] Refer again to Figure 1. One or more process chambers 106 may include an atmospheric chamber configured to operate under atmospheric pressure and a vacuum chamber configured to operate under vacuum pressure. Examples of atmospheric chambers may generally include a wet cleaning chamber, a radiation chamber, a heating chamber, a measurement chamber, or a coupling chamber. Examples of vacuum chambers may include a plasma chamber. The types of atmospheric chambers discussed above may also be configured to operate under vacuum if necessary. One or more process chambers 106 may be any process chamber or module required to perform a coupling process, a dicing process, a cleaning process, or a plating process, etc.

[0021] In some embodiments, the multi-chamber processing tool 100 is configured such that one or more process chambers 106 of each AMM 110 among the plurality of AMMs 110 include at least one of the at least one wet cleaning chamber 122, at least one plasma chamber 130, at least one degassing chamber 132, at least one radiation chamber 134, and at least one bonding chamber 140.

[0022] The wet cleaning chamber 122 is configured to perform a wet cleaning process for cleaning one or more types of substrates 112 with a fluid such as water. The wet cleaning chamber 122 may include a first wet cleaning chamber 122a for cleaning the first type of substrate 112a or a second wet cleaning chamber 122b for cleaning the second type of substrate 112b. The degassing chamber 132 is configured to perform a degassing process for removing moisture from the substrate 112, for example, by a high-temperature firing process. In some embodiments, the degassing chamber 132 includes a first degassing chamber 132a for the first type of substrate 112a and a second degassing chamber 132b for the second type of substrate 112b.

[0023] The plasma chamber 130 may be configured to perform an etching process to remove unwanted materials, such as organic materials and oxides, from a first type substrate 112a or a second type substrate 112b. In some embodiments, the plasma chamber 130 includes a first plasma chamber 130a for the first type substrate 112a and a second plasma chamber 130b for the second type substrate 112b. The plasma chamber 130 may also be configured to perform an etching process to dic the substrate 112 into chiplets. In some embodiments, the plasma chamber 130 may be configured to perform a deposition process, such as a physical vapor deposition process or a chemical vapor deposition process, to coat the first type substrate 112a or the second type substrate 112b with a desired material layer.

[0024] The radiation chamber 134 is configured to perform a radiation process on a second type of substrate 112b to reduce adhesion between the plurality of chiplets 206 and the backing tape 202. For example, the radiation chamber 134 may be an ultraviolet radiation chamber configured to direct ultraviolet radiation to the backing tape 202, or a heating chamber configured to heat the backing tape 202. The bonder chamber 140 is configured to transfer and bond at least a portion of the plurality of chiplets 206 to one of the first type of substrates 112a. The bonder chamber 140 generally includes a first support 142 for supporting one of the first type of substrates 112a and a second support 144 for supporting one of the second type of substrates 112b.

[0025] In some embodiments, the last AMM among the plurality of AMMs 110, e.g., the third AMM 110c in FIG. 1, includes one or more bonding chambers 140 (two bonding chambers 140 are shown in FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the first of the two bonding chambers is configured to remove and bond dielets having a first size, and the second of the two bonding chambers is configured to remove and bond dielets having a second size. In some embodiments, any one of the plurality of AMMs 110 includes one or more measurement chambers 150 configured to perform measurements of one or more types of substrates 112. In FIG. 1, one of the one or more measurement chambers 150 is shown as being directly coupled to the transfer chamber 116 of the third AMM 110c. However, the one or more measurement chambers 150 may be coupled to any transfer chamber 116, or may be disposed within any transfer chamber 116 of the transfer chambers 116. To facilitate pre-bond or post-bond inspection, the one or more measurement chambers 150 may be directly coupled to one or more of the bonding chambers 140.

[0026] The one or more measurement chambers 150 generally include a measurement system 118 configured to obtain measurements of one or more types of substrates 112. For example, the first measurement chamber among the one or more measurement chambers 150 includes a first measurement system configured to obtain measurements of one or more types of substrates 112 using, for example, a first optical imaging system. The first measurement system may include a motion system configured to align the first measurement system with various portions of the substrate being inspected. The first optical system may include a first microscope. In some embodiments, the first measurement system is a system configured to obtain non-optical measurements, e.g., weight-based measurements, electric field measurements, radiation measurements, or ultrasonic measurements, for determining bonding defects.

[0027] In some embodiments, a second measurement chamber is coupled to one of a plurality of AMM110s, and the second measurement chamber includes a second measurement system configured to acquire measurements of the substrate using, for example, a second optical imaging system different from the first optical imaging system. The second measurement system may include a second motion system configured to align the second measurement system with different parts of the substrate under inspection. The second optical imaging system may include a second microscope different from the first microscope. In some embodiments, the second imaging system is a system configured to acquire non-optical systems, such as weight-based measurements, electric field measurements, radiation measurements, or ultrasonic measurements.

[0028] In some embodiments, a first measurement chamber is directly coupled to one of the transfer chambers, and a second measurement chamber is directly coupled to another of the transfer chambers. In some embodiments, the first measurement chamber is directly coupled to one of the bonder chambers 140. In some embodiments, the first and second measurement chambers are directly coupled to the same bonder chamber 140 from one or more bonder chambers 140. In some embodiments, the first optical imaging system includes an infrared microscope, and the second optical imaging system includes an optical microscope or an ultraviolet microscope. In some embodiments, the first optical imaging system includes an infrared microscope, and the second optical imaging system includes an infrared microscope. The infrared microscope may be used, for example, to penetrate the dielectric layers of a plurality of chiplets and capture an image of the invisible bonding interface between the substrate and the chiplets.

[0029] In some embodiments, the first and second measurement chambers are the same chamber. In such embodiments, the measurement system 118 within the measurement chamber 150 may include a plurality of optical systems. For example, the measurement system 118 may include at least two of an infrared microscope, an optical microscope, or an ultraviolet microscope. In some embodiments, the first measurement chamber may be configured to inspect a first type of substrate 112a. In some embodiments, the second measurement chamber may be configured to inspect a second type of substrate 112a.

[0030] In some embodiments, one or more measurement chambers 150 include a third measurement chamber having a third optical system configured to acquire substrate measurements using a third microscope. In some embodiments, the third measurement chamber is configured to inspect the bonded substrate. The third measurement chamber may be directly coupled to one of the transfer chambers 116 or the bonder chamber 140. In some embodiments, the third measurement chamber includes an infrared microscope.

[0031] The master controller 180 controls the operation of any of the multi-chamber processing tools described herein, including the multi-chamber processing tool 100. The master controller 180 may use direct control of the multi-chamber processing tool 100, or, instead, control a computer (or controller) associated with the multi-chamber processing tool 100. To optimize the performance of the multi-chamber processing tool 100, the master controller 180 enables data collection and feedback from the multi-chamber processing tool 100 during operation.

[0032] Figures 3A and 3B show schematic side views of pre-bonding defects according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3A shows a pre-bonding defect that includes contaminants such as particles 308 placed on one or more substrates 112. As shown in Figure 3A, this substrate is a first type of substrate 112A. However, this substrate may also be a second type of substrate 112B. The first type of substrate 112A includes one or more metal pads 310 for providing electrical connections with a plurality of chiplets 206 when bonded to the first type of substrate 112A. Figure 3B shows a pre-bonding defect that includes a missing portion 312 of one of the one or more metal pads 310. Figure 3B also shows a pre-bonding defect that includes a crack 314 in one of the one or more metal pads 310. In some embodiments, the first type of substrate 112A includes one or more bonded chiplets 350, where pre-bonding defects are within or on one or more of the bonded chiplets 350. For example, one or more bonded chiplets 350 may contain unwanted particles, chipped portions, or cracked portions. Multiple chiplets 206 of the second type of substrate 112B may be bonded next to or on one or more bonded chiplets 350. For example, Figure 4B shows one chiplet 206 of multiple chiplets 206 bonded on one chiplet 350 of the bonded chiplets 350.

[0033] Figures 4A and 4B show schematic side views of post-bonding defects according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4A shows a plurality of chiplets 206 bonded to a first type substrate 112A. The plurality of chiplets 206 include one or more second metal pads 404 for providing electrical connection with the first type substrate 112A when aligned with one or more metal pads 310. In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of chiplets 206 have a second metal pad 404 that is poorly aligned 418 with one or more metal pads 310. In some embodiments, a void 408 is located between one or more metal pads 310 and one or more second metal pads 404. Figure 4B shows a plurality of chiplets 206 bonded to a first type substrate 112A, where the interface between one of the plurality of chiplets 206 and the first type substrate 112B has a delamination defect 412.

[0034] Figure 5 shows a high-level block diagram of the master controller 180 of a multi-chamber processing tool according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. Various embodiments of the method of hybrid bonding with inspection as described herein may be performed using one or more controllers, which may interact with each other and with various other devices. One such controller is the master controller 180. In some embodiments, the master controller 180 may be configured to perform the methods described herein. The master controller 180 may be used to perform any other system, device, element, function, or method among the embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, the master controller 180 may be configured to perform the method 600 of Figure 6, and in various embodiments, the master controller 180 may be configured to perform the method 600 of Figure 6 as a processor-executable program instruction 522 (e.g., a program instruction executable by processor 510). In some embodiments, one or more of the process chambers 106 may include their respective controllers to interact with the master controller 180.

[0035] In some embodiments, the master controller 180 includes one or more processors 510A to 510N coupled to system memory 520 by an input / output (I / O) interface 530. The master controller 180 may further include a network interface 540 coupled to the I / O interface 530, as well as one or more input / output devices 550, such as a cursor control device 560, a keyboard 570, and a display 580. In various embodiments, any of these components may be utilized by the system to receive the user inputs described above. In various embodiments, a user interface may be generated and displayed on the display 580. In some cases, the embodiments may be implemented using a single instance of the master controller 180, while in other embodiments, multiple such systems, or multiple nodes constituting the master controller 180, may be configured to host different parts or instances of the various embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, some elements may be implemented by one or more nodes of the master controller 180, separate from the nodes implementing other elements. In another example, multiple nodes may implement the master controller 180 in a distributed manner.

[0036] In some embodiments, the master controller 180 may be any type of device from a variety of devices, including, but not limited to, personal computer systems, desktop computers, laptops, notebooks, tablets or netbook computers, mainframe computer systems, handheld computers, workstations, network computers, or generally any type of computing or electronic device.

[0037] In various embodiments, the master controller 180 may be a uniprocessor system including one processor 510, or a multiprocessor system including several (e.g., two, four, eight, or another appropriate number) processors 510. The processors 510 may be any suitable processor capable of executing instructions. For example, in various embodiments, the processors 510 may be general-purpose or embedded processors implementing any ISA from among various instruction set architectures (ISAs). In a multiprocessor system, each of the processors 510 may, but generally, implement the same ISA.

[0038] The system memory 520 may be configured to store program instructions 522 and / or data 532 accessible by the processor 510. In various embodiments, the system memory 520 may be implemented using any suitable memory technology, such as static random access memory (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), non-volatile / flash memory, or any other type of memory. In the illustrated embodiment, the system memory 520 may store program instructions and data that implement any element of the embodiments described above. In other embodiments, the program instructions and / or data may be received, transmitted, or stored on a different type of computer-accessible medium, or on a similar medium other than the system memory 520 or the master controller 180.

[0039] In one embodiment, the I / O interface 530 may be configured to coordinate I / O traffic between the processor 510, the system memory 520, and any peripheral devices within the device, including a network interface 540 or other peripheral interfaces, such as an input / output device 550. In some embodiments, the I / O interface 530 may perform any necessary protocols, timing, or other data conversions to convert data signals from one component (e.g., the system memory 520) into a format suitable for use by another component (e.g., the processor 510). In some embodiments, the I / O interface 530 may include support for devices attached via various types of peripheral buses, such as variations of the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus standard or the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard. In some embodiments, the functionality of the I / O interface 530 may be divided into two or more separate components, such as a northbridge and a southbridge. Also, in some embodiments, some or all of the functionality of the I / O interface 530, such as the interface with the system memory 520, may be directly integrated into the processor 510.

[0040] The network interface 540 may be configured to enable data exchange between the master controller 180 and other devices attached to the network (e.g., network 590), such as one or more external systems, or between nodes of the master controller 180. In various embodiments, network 590 may include, but is not limited to, one or more networks, including a local area network (LAN) (e.g., Ethernet or a corporate network), a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet), a wireless data network, some other electronic data network, or some combination thereof. In various embodiments, the network interface 540 may support communication over wired or wireless general data networks, such as any suitable type of Ethernet network, communication over a digital fiber optic communication network, communication over a storage area network such as a Fiber Channel SAN, or communication over any other suitable type of network and / or protocol.

[0041] In some embodiments, the input / output device 550 may include one or more display terminals, keyboards, keypads, touchpads, scanning devices, voice or optical recognition devices, or any other device suitable for data input or data access by one or more computer systems. Multiple input / output devices 550 may reside within the master controller 180, or multiple input / output devices 550 may be distributed across various nodes of the master controller 180. In some embodiments, similar input / output devices may be isolated from the master controller 180 and may interact with one or more nodes of the master controller 180 via wired or wireless connections, for example, via a network interface 540.

[0042] Those skilled in the art will understand that the master controller 180 is merely an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments. In particular, the computer systems and devices may include any combination of hardware or software capable of performing the indicated functions of various embodiments, including computers, network devices, internet devices, PDAs, wireless telephones, and pagers. The master controller 180 may also be connected to other devices not shown, or instead, may operate as a standalone system. In addition, in some embodiments, the functions provided by the illustrated components may be combined into fewer components or distributed among additional components. Similarly, in some embodiments, the functions of some of the illustrated components may not be provided, and / or other additional functions may be available.

[0043] Furthermore, although various items are shown as being stored in memory or on storage while in use, those skilled in the art will understand that for memory management and data integrity, these items or parts of these items may be transferred between memory and other storage devices. Alternatively, in other embodiments, some or all of the software components may be executed in memory on another device and communicate with the illustrated computer system by intercomputer communication. Also, some or all of the system components or data structures may be stored (e.g., as instructions or structured data) on non-temporary computer-readable media or portable articles read by appropriate drives, as various examples described above. In some embodiments, instructions stored on computer-readable media separate from the master controller 180 may be transmitted to the master controller 180 by a transmission medium or signal, such as electrical, electromagnetic, or digital signals, transmitted by a communication medium such as a network and / or wireless link. Various embodiments may further include receiving, transmitting, or storing instructions and / or data performed in accordance with the above description on or by a communication medium. Generally, computer-readable media may include storage media or memory media such as magnetic or optical media, such as disks or DVD / CD-ROMs, RAM (e.g., SDRAM, DDR, RDRAM, and SRAM), and volatile or non-volatile media such as ROM.

[0044] The methods described herein may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof in different embodiments. In addition, the order of the methods may be changed, various elements may be added, various elements may be rearranged, various elements may be combined, omitted, or otherwise modified. All examples described herein are presented in a non-limiting manner. Various modifications and changes may be made, and such modifications and changes will be obvious to those skilled in the art who are entitled to the present disclosure. Implementation by embodiments has been described in the context of a particular embodiment. These embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. Thus, multiple instances may be provided for components described herein as a single instance. The boundaries between various components, operations, and data stores are somewhat arbitrary, and certain operations are shown in the context of a particular exemplary configuration. Other assignments of functions are conceivable, and those assignments may fall within the scope of claims shown later. Finally, structures and functions presented as separate components in an exemplary configuration may be implemented as a combined structure or component. These variations, modifications, additions, and improvements, as well as other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements, may fall within the scope of embodiments defined in the claims set forth later.

[0045] Embodiments provided herein may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. Alternatively, embodiments may be implemented as instructions stored using one or more machine-readable media, which may be read and executed by one or more processors. The machine-readable media may include any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computing device or a “virtual machine” running on one or more computing devices). For example, the machine-readable media may include any suitable form of volatile or non-volatile memory.

[0046] In some embodiments, the master controller 180 is configured to improve the parameters of hybrid bonding using at least one of artificial intelligence techniques or machine learning techniques. In some embodiments, according to this principle, a suitable machine learning technique can be applied to learn the commonalities of sequential application programs and to determine by machine learning techniques to what level the sequential application programs can be normalized. In some embodiments, machine learning techniques that can be applied to learn the commonalities of sequential application programs may include, but are not limited to, regression methods, ensemble methods, or neural networks and deep learning, such as "Se2oSeq" recurrent neural network (RNN) / long-short-term memory (LSTM) networks, or graph neural networks applied to abstract syntax trees corresponding to sequential program applications.

[0047] In some embodiments, the machine learning technique may receive data inputs from sensors and monitoring devices associated with the multi-chamber processing tool 100, along with user input. In some embodiments, the machine learning technique may receive data inputs as imported data files. For example, data inputs may be obtained from one or more measurement chambers 150 that perform pre-coupling or post-coupling inspections provided herein. To train a machine learning model, data collected from one or more of the above sources can be combined partially or completely.

[0048] Artificial intelligence or machine learning techniques may be used to improve the parameters of the hybrid bonding process. For example, if defects such as poor alignment between the die and the substrate, voids, or delamination are found after bonding, the parameters of the bonder chamber 140 may be improved. In other examples, if pre-bonding or post-bonding defects are found, cleaning or other processing steps may be repeated or improved.

[0049] Figure 6 shows a flowchart of a hybrid bonding method with inspection according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. Method 600 includes, in 602, cleaning a substrate (e.g., a substrate of a first type 112a) by a first cleaning chamber (e.g., a first wet cleaning chamber 122a) and cleaning a tape frame (e.g., a substrate of a second type 112b) having a plurality of chiplets (e.g., a plurality of chiplets 206) by a second cleaning chamber (e.g., a second wet cleaning chamber 122b). In some embodiments, Method 600 is performed within a single multi-chamber processing tool (e.g., multi-chamber processing tool 100).

[0050] Method 600, in 604, includes inspecting the substrate for pre-bonding defects in a first measurement chamber (e.g., one or more measurement chambers 150) and inspecting the tape frame for pre-bonding defects in a second measurement chamber (e.g., one or more measurement chambers 150) using a first measurement system (e.g., one of the measurement systems 118). In some embodiments, the pre-bonding defects include particles, cracks, or chips larger than a threshold within the substrate or tape frame. The threshold may be a suitable value such that, at a value below it, the particles, cracks, or chips would adversely affect the performance of the bonded substrate (e.g., bonded substrate 402). In some embodiments, the pre-bonding defects include particles, cracks, or chips larger than a threshold and are located in a critical area of ​​the substrate or tape frame, for example, at or near one or more metal pads 310 or one or more second metal pads 404. In some embodiments, method 600 includes performing a second cleaning or second degassing process before bonding if pre-bonding defects are found on the substrate or tape frame. In some embodiments, method 600 includes discarding a plurality of chiplets 206 having pre-bonding defects in the form of cracks or chips larger than a threshold.

[0051] Method 600 includes, in 606, forming a bonded substrate by bonding one or more chiplets from a plurality of chiplets to a substrate by a hybrid bonding process in a bonder chamber (e.g., bonder chamber 140). Method 600 also includes, in 608, performing post-bonding inspection of the bonded substrate for post-bonding defects by a third measurement chamber (e.g., one or more measurement chambers 150) using a second measurement system different from the first measurement system. In some embodiments, the first, second, and third measurement chambers are different chambers. In some embodiments, the first, second, and third measurement chambers are the same chamber. In some embodiments, at least two of the first, second, and third measurement chambers are different chambers.

[0052] In some embodiments, post-bonding defects include voids, poor alignment, or delamination. In some embodiments, method 600 includes adjusting the parameters of the bonder chamber using data from post-bonding inspection if post-bonding defects are found on the substrate or tape frame. In some embodiments, post-bonding inspection is performed using an infrared or near-infrared inspection system capable of penetrating the dielectric layers of multiple chiplets to provide an image of the bonding interface between the substrate and the multiple chiplets.

[0053] Data, images, or measurements obtained from the measurement system 118 may be used to modify upstream or downstream processes of hybrid bonding. The upstream or downstream processes may be in-situ or ex-situ (i.e., outside the multi-chamber processing tool 100). For example, if a second type of substrate 112b or tape frame substrate has varying amounts of unwanted particle counts and comes from different pulverization tools in the manufacturing plant, particle count measurements may be used to identify the pulverization tool associated with a higher particle count on the tape frame substrate. The method may include, for example, cleaning such pulverization tools to reduce the particle count, or adjusting the parameters of such pulverization tools. In another non-limiting example, if the measurement system 118 detects a certain roughness level of one or more metal pads 310 during pre-bonding inspection, the parameters of the bonder chamber 140 during bonding or the parameters of post-bonding annealing may be improved to minimize the resulting post-bonding voids.

[0054] In some embodiments, method 600 is performed to certify the multi-chamber processing tool 100. For example, data, images, or measurements obtained from the measurement system 118 may be used to certify the multi-chamber processing tool 100 and determine its readiness for use. In some embodiments, data, images, or measurements obtained from the measurement system 118 may be used for maintenance or recertification of an already certified multi-chamber processing tool 100.

[0055] While the above description applies to embodiments of the present disclosure, other embodiments and additional embodiments of the present disclosure can be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A hybrid bonding method with inspection, The substrate is cleaned using a first cleaning chamber, and the tape frame having multiple chiplets is cleaned using a second cleaning chamber. The first measurement system inspects the substrate for pre-bonding defects in the first measurement chamber and inspects the tape frame for pre-bonding defects in the second measurement chamber. A hybrid bonding process within a bonder chamber is used to bond one or more of the plurality of chiplets to the substrate, thereby forming a bonded substrate. A second measurement system, different from the first measurement system, is used to perform a post-bonding inspection of the bonded substrate using a third measurement chamber for post-bonding defects. Methods that include...

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first measurement chamber, the second measurement chamber, and the third measurement chamber are different chambers.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first measurement chamber, the second measurement chamber, and the third measurement chamber are the same chamber.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed within a single multi-chamber processing tool.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-bonding defect includes particles, cracks, or chips larger than a threshold within the substrate or tape frame, and the post-bonding defect includes voids, poor alignment, or delamination.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing a second cleaning process before bonding if a pre-bonding defect is found on the substrate or the tape frame.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising adjusting the parameters of the bonder chamber using data from the post-bonding inspection in response to the detection of a post-bonding defect on the substrate or the tape frame.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first measurement system and the second measurement system are optical imaging systems comprising one or more microscopes.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first measurement system or the second measurement system is configured to acquire weight-based measurements, electric field measurements, radiation measurements, or ultrasonic measurements.

10. A non-temporary computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein when the instructions are executed by one or more processors, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is performed.

11. The non-temporary computer-readable medium according to claim 10, further comprising adjusting the parameters of the bonder chamber using data from the post-bonding inspection in response to the detection of a post-bonding defect on the substrate or the tape frame.

12. The non-temporary computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the first measurement system and the second measurement system are optical imaging systems comprising one or more microscopes.

13. The non-temporary computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the first measurement system or the second measurement system is configured to acquire weight-based measurements, electric field measurements, radiation measurements, or ultrasonic measurements.

14. The pre-bonding defect includes particles, cracks, or chips larger than a threshold within the substrate or tape frame, and the post-bonding defect includes voids, poor alignment, or delamination. If a pre-bonding defect is found on the substrate or the tape frame, a second cleaning process is performed. If a post-bonding defect is found on the substrate or the tape frame, the parameters of the bonder chamber are adjusted using machine learning techniques based on the data from the post-bonding inspection. A non-temporary computer-readable medium according to claim 10, further comprising:

15. A multi-chamber processing tool for bonding chiplets to a substrate, An equipment front-end module (EFEM) having one or more substrate load ports for receiving the substrate and one or more tape frame load ports for receiving a tape frame having multiple chiplets, A plurality of automation modules, each having a first automation module coupled to the EFEM, wherein each of the plurality of automation modules includes a transfer chamber and one or more process chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, the one or more process chambers include a bonder chamber, the transfer chamber includes a buffer configured to hold one or more of the substrates and one or more tape frames, and the transfer chamber includes a transfer robot configured to transfer the substrates and tape frames between the buffer, the one or more process chambers, and a buffer located in an adjacent automation module among the plurality of automation modules, A first measurement system coupled to one of the plurality of automation modules, configured to acquire measurement values ​​of the substrate in a first measurement chamber and acquire measurement values ​​of the tape frame in a second measurement chamber, A second measurement system coupled to one of the aforementioned plurality of automation modules, configured to acquire measurement values ​​of the coupled substrate in a third measurement chamber, and A multi-chamber processing tool equipped with the following features.

16. The multi-chamber processing tool according to claim 15, wherein the first measurement chamber is directly coupled to one of the transfer chambers, and the second measurement chamber is directly coupled to another of the transfer chambers.

17. The multi-chamber processing tool according to claim 15, wherein the first measurement chamber is directly coupled to the bonder chamber.

18. The multi-chamber processing tool according to claim 15, wherein the first measurement system includes an infrared microscope, and the second measurement system includes an optical microscope or an ultraviolet microscope.

19. The multi-chamber processing tool according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the first measurement system is configured to acquire weight-based measurements, electric field measurements, radiation measurements, or ultrasonic measurements.

20. The multi-chamber processing tool according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the second measurement chamber is different from the first measurement chamber.

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