Silicon handler with laser-extractable layer

Abstract

The handler wafer and method of handling a wafer includes positioning a handler attached to the wafer by a bonding layer including a release layer, an optical enhancement layer, and an anti-reflective layer, and the handler is debonded from the wafer using a laser that emits laser energy at a wavelength that is absorbed by the release layer and trapped in the release layer by the optical enhancement layer such that when exposed to the laser energy, material of the release layer ablates to release the wafer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of semiconductor devices, and more specifically to a wafer handler having a laser release layer. Background Art

[0002] Three-dimensional chip integration has the effect of improving the area efficiency of chips by stacking components on top of each other. In particular, this stacking can reduce chip complexity and improve performance, for example by shortening signal propagation time.

[0003] However, it may be difficult to position different layers of a three-dimensional chip relative to each other before bonding the layers together. In some cases, moving an unsupported wafer can lead to damage, especially when the wafer to be placed is thin. Accordingly, handlers may sometimes be used to provide structural support to a wafer. Such a handler may be adhered to one side of the wafer during transfer of the wafer, and can then be peeled off and removed to provide opportunity for further processing.

[0004] This release process may involve the use of a laser that penetrates the material of the handler to heat the release layer. When the release layer is sufficiently heated, the release layer can sublime to release the wafer. However, the absorption of laser energy within the release layer can be very low (e.g., about 5%). The requirement for a high-power laser increases the cost of the release process. Furthermore, only a small amount of laser energy actually heats the release layer, and the remaining laser energy passes through and is absorbed by surrounding materials and the environment. This can result in damage to the wafer or other circuits if the laser energy is absorbed by unintended structures. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A method for handling a wafer involves positioning a handler attached to the wafer by a bonding layer comprising a release layer, an optical enhancement layer, and an anti-reflective layer. The handler is released from the wafer using a laser emitting laser energy. This is because the material of the release layer melts and releases the wafer when exposed to laser energy of a wavelength absorbed by the release layer and confined within the release layer by the optical enhancement layer.

[0006] A method for handling a wafer involves bonding a handler to the wafer using a bonding layer comprising a release layer, an optical enhancement layer, and an anti-reflective layer. The handler is positioned. The handler is detached from the wafer using a laser emitting laser energy. This is because the material of the release layer melts and releases the wafer when exposed to laser energy of a wavelength absorbed by the release layer and confined within the release layer by the optical enhancement layer.

[0007] The handler wafer includes a handler layer formed from a material that is transparent at a certain wavelength of light. The bonding layer includes a release layer and an optical enhancement layer. The release layer is formed from a material that absorbs light of the above wavelength and has an actual refractive index greater than 3.0 and an extinction coefficient greater than 5.0 at that wavelength. The optical enhancement layer is formed from a material that is transparent at the above wavelength and has a refractive index greater than 2.0, and confines the energy of the above wavelength of light in the release layer.

[0008] The handler wafer includes a handler layer formed from a material that is transparent at a certain wavelength of light. The bonding layer includes a delamination layer that absorbs light of the above wavelength, formed from a material having a real refractive index greater than 3.0 and an extinction coefficient greater than 5.0 at the above wavelength. The optical strengthening layer of the bonding layer is formed from a material that is transparent at the above wavelength and has a refractive index greater than 2.0, and confines the energy of the above wavelength of light in the delamination layer.

[0009] The handler wafer includes a handler layer formed from silicon. The bonding layer includes a delamination layer, an optical enhancement layer, an optical boundary layer, and an anti-reflective layer. The delamination layer absorbs light of a wavelength selected from the range of 1200 nm to 2500 nm from a delamination laser and is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, iron, nickel, rhodium, palladium, platinum, and lutetium. The optical enhancement layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon, amorphous germanium, and polycrystalline silicon and confines the laser energy of the above wavelengths of light to the delamination layer. The optical boundary layer is on the opposite side of the delamination layer from the handler layer and reflects light of the above wavelengths into the delamination layer. The anti-reflective layer is located between the optical enhancement layer and the handler layer.

[0010] Some embodiments may include a release layer comprising a metallic material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, iron, nickel, rhodium, palladium, platinum, and lutetium. Furthermore, some embodiments may include a release layer comprising a metallic material selected from the group consisting of zirconium, niobium, tungsten, and rhenium.

[0011] Some embodiments may include a delamination layer containing a metal having an extinction coefficient of at least 5 at the above laser wavelength.

[0012] Some embodiments may include an optically enhanced layer formed from a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon, amorphous germanium, and polycrystalline germanium.

[0013] These and other features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, which will be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0014] The following description will elaborate on preferred embodiments with reference to the following figures. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1]This is a cross-sectional view of a layer arrangement for handling a wafer, which includes a bonding / delamination layer capable of releasing the wafer when the delamination portion is removed using the application of laser energy, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of a layer arrangement for handling a wafer, which includes a multilayer bonding / delamination layer capable of releasing the wafer when the delamination portion is removed using the application of laser energy, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of a layer arrangement for handling a wafer, which includes a multilayer bonding / delamination layer capable of releasing the wafer when the delamination portion is removed using the application of laser energy, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a block / flow diagram of a method for removing a handling layer from a wafer by melting the delamination layer with a laser, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a block / flow diagram of a method for manipulating a wafer using a handler capable of selectively peeling using laser energy, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a block / flow diagram of a method for forming a handler, according to one embodiment of the present invention, which includes a delamination layer formed from a material selected to improve the absorption of laser energy for the purpose of delaminating a wafer. [Figure 7] This is a diagram of a wafer handling system according to one embodiment of the present invention, which includes a manipulator that contacts a handler bonded to a wafer and manipulates and positions the wafer for processing. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] When integrating multiple chips into a three-dimensional configuration, the chips are moved carefully and precisely and positioned relative to each other for manufacturing processes and to create functional connections between structures. Wafers may be handled using various structures. For example, a handler layer may be formed from any suitable material such as silicon and bonded to the wafer being moved. In this way, the handler provides structural support to the device wafer, thus preventing wafer damage. This is particularly relevant when the substrate of the device wafer is thinned, which can make the wafer weaker against lateral forces.

[0017] The handling process includes not only the mechanism by which the handler layer is bonded to the wafer, but also the method by which the handler is detached to release the wafer. For example, a laser may be used to remove the detachment layer. The material of the detachment layer, as well as the wavelength and power of the laser, may be selected to selectively remove the bonded layer without damaging the wafer, for example, by sublimating the detachment layer material. The detachment layer may be formed from a material having appropriate stability at the operating temperature, melting point, refractive index, and absorption to the laser wavelength. The selection of the detachment layer material can enable low-energy laser removal with a small spot size, and further reduce the risk of damage to the wafer circuitry while providing high throughput.

[0018] In particular, the bonding / delamination layer may comprise multiple constituent layers. One such constituent layer may be a bonding layer, which provides adhesion between the handler and the wafer. Another such constituent layer may be a delamination layer, formed from metal or a film, between the bonding layer and the handler. The delamination layer may be designed to release the wafer by, for example, melting or sublimating the material of the delamination layer when irradiated with a suitable laser. Once the delamination layer is completely removed, the handler can be lifted and removed from the wafer without causing damage.

[0019] The release layer may be formed of a metal or film material having a high refractive index (e.g., higher than about 3.0) and an appropriate extinction coefficient (e.g., κ between about 5 and about 10) at mid-infrared laser wavelengths (e.g., between about 1200 nm and about 6000 nm). Selecting a laser wavelength that is not absorbed by the handler material enables release to be performed by irradiating laser light through the handler material. In addition, a release enhancement layer having a high refractive index (e.g., higher than about 2.0) and high transmittance (e.g., κ close to zero) for mid-infrared laser wavelengths may be used. The complex refractive indices of the release layer and the surrounding materials help confine laser energy within the release layer, where a large proportion of the energy is absorbed to facilitate release. Details of such materials will be described in detail below.

[0020] When these materials are used, light absorption of the peeling laser light is concentrated in the metal layer or film layer to be peeled. This improves the efficiency of the peeling process and allows the use of lower output lasers. Furthermore, since absorption of laser light energy is concentrated in the release layer, less heat is generated in the handler and the wafer.

[0021] Referring now to FIG. 1, a cross-sectional view of a handler 106 bonded to a wafer 102 is shown. It is particularly contemplated that the wafer 102 may be an integrated circuit formed on a semiconductor substrate such as silicon, but it should be understood that the wafer may be formed of any suitable material and may include any suitable device. For example, wafer 102 may include active circuit components such as transistors, and may further include passive circuit components such as capacitors, inductors, and conductive interconnects.

[0022] The handler 106 may likewise be formed from any suitable material, with silicon being specifically contemplated. The handler 106 may further have an anti-reflection layer 108, which may be formed of silicon nitride or other material having a suitable refractive index and transmittance. The handler 106 is formed of a material that is transparent to the wavelength of light used for release.

[0023] A multilayer bonding layer 104 is shown between the wafer 102 and the handler 106. The bonding layer 104 will be described in further detail below. Each layer constituting the bonding layer 104 is selected such that laser light absorption is concentrated within the release layer. Therefore, the bonding layer 104 performs two functions: firstly, providing adhesion between the wafer 102 and the handler 106, and secondly, separating the two structures when the wafer 102 is operated to a predetermined position during laser light irradiation.

[0024] By using the handler 106 during a semiconductor manufacturing process, the efficiency and speed of chip packaging can be greatly improved. The machine can be configured to pick up the wafer 102 with the handler 106, for example by applying suction or mechanical gripping, enabling automatic and accurate manipulation of the wafer during the manufacturing process. This is particularly useful when mounting a wafer onto another wafer, for example during the packaging of three-dimensional integrated circuits. Particularly, in flip chip processing, integrated circuits may be fabricated on a wafer. The wafer is then cut into chips, and the chips may be inverted and bonded to another chip. This process will be described in detail below.

[0025] Referring next to FIG. 2, there is shown a cross-sectional view of the handler 106 bonded to the wafer 102, with additional details of the bonding layer 104. The bonding layer 104 may include a first optical boundary layer 202, a release layer 204, a second optical boundary layer 206, and an antireflection layer 208. The thickness of each of these layers may range from about 20 nm to about 5 μm.

[0026] The optical boundary layers 202 and 206 and the antireflection layer 208 each perform functions related to control of interlayer reflection, and these functional designations are not intended to be construed strictly. In particular, any layer can provide an antireflection function for one layer and an optical boundary function for another layer based on the difference in respective refractive indices.

[0027] While a particular layer arrangement is described with respect to Figure 2, it should be understood that other layers may be used in addition to or instead of the layers depicted. For example, the bonding layer 104 may include, in order from the handler layer toward the wafer, a first optional anti-reflective coating, an optional optical boundary layer, a second optional anti-reflective coating, a delamination layer, and an optical boundary layer.

[0028] The first optical boundary layer 202 may provide adhesion to the wafer 102, and the real number component n real It may be formed from a material with a refractive index having <2.0. For example, the material of the first optical boundary layer 202 may be a polyimide having a complex refractive index of approximately n = 1.6 + 0i, where n is the real part. real is the refractive index, and its imaginary part is the extinction coefficient κ of this material at the wavelength of interest. Alternatively, silicon dioxide may be used as the material for the first optical boundary layer 202, which has a complex refractive index of approximately n = 1.5 + 0i. The refractive index is chosen to be low in order to increase reflection at the interface between the delamination layer 204 and the first optical boundary layer 202. Thus, as the laser light passes through the delamination layer 204, some energy is absorbed, but some passes through and is simply reflected by the first optical boundary layer 202 back to the delamination layer 204.

[0029] The delamination layer 204 is formed on the first optical boundary layer 202. The delamination layer 204 is formed at least one suitable laser wavelength, for example, in the range of 1200 nm to 6000 nm, preferably n real The delamination layer may be formed from a material having a complex refractive index with a real component of >3.0 and an imaginary component of κ >5.0. Exemplary materials for the delamination layer can be selected from those shown in Table 1. These materials have suitable complex refractive index values ​​for at least one wavelength range, including both the real and absorbance components.

[0030] [Table 1]

[0031] Additional materials that may be used are shown in Table 2. These materials have high absorption values ​​and relatively low real component of their refractive index, or they have a high real component and low absorption values.

[0032] [Table 2]

[0033] Further materials that may be used are shown in Table 3. These materials are similar to those in Table 2, but have higher boiling points.

[0034] [Table 3]

[0035] Materials like tungsten and zirconium have relatively high boiling points (e.g., over 4000°C), and their use may be impractical because the temperature required to strip the wafer could damage nearby components. On the other hand, aluminum has relatively high solubility in silicon, which affects the optical properties of such layers and reduces the absorption of laser light energy. In contrast, materials like nickel and platinum absorb a large amount of laser light even at relatively small thicknesses (e.g., around 500 Å).

[0036] Furthermore, alloys of the materials described herein may be used to achieve a desired complex refractive index. Similarly, alloys of the metals described herein with other metals may be used as appropriate. In addition, the release layer 204 may consist of multiple layers of different suitable materials. The selection of the release layer 204 utilizes two different material properties to improve the absorption of laser light energy. Additional criteria for selection may include compatibility with the semiconductor line to avoid contamination of the wafer material. The selection may also be made to improve storage properties to prevent corrosion and oxidation of the release layer 204.

[0037] In some cases, the release layer 204 may include a polymer film having a filler selected from one or more of the materials described herein. For example, the filler may include metal particles, metal alloy particles, metal-coated carbon particles, and non-metallic particles. The material of the filler is selected to absorb and remove laser energy during the release process, together with the polymer material of the film.

[0038] A second optical boundary layer (optical enhancement layer) 206 may be formed on the delamination layer 204 to reduce the reflection of light from the interface of the delamination layer 204. Reflection occurs at the boundary between materials and increases as the mismatch in refractive indices between the layers in contact at the interface increases; therefore, a layer with an intermediate refractive index can reduce the amount of laser light energy reflected from the delamination layer 204.

[0039] The anti-reflective layer 208 may provide an additional material having an intermediate refractive index. For example, the anti-reflective layer 208 may be formed from silicon dioxide having a complex refractive index of 1.5+0i at the wavelength in question.

[0040] Each layer of the multilayer bonding layer may be formed by sequential deposition processes. Starting with the handler 106, the first optical boundary layer, the anti-reflective layer 208, and the second optical boundary layer 206 may be formed on the handler surface by deposition using one or more suitable processes such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The release layer 204 may similarly be formed using PVD or CVD. The first optical boundary layer 202, which may be formed from polyimide, may be deposited using a spin-coating process. If wafer 102 is an active silicon wafer, the polyimide can act as an adhesive. If wafer 102 is a passive redistribution layer, wafer 102 may be formed directly on the polyimide of the first optical boundary layer 202, and therefore no separate bonding step to wafer 102 is required.

[0041] Next, referring to Figure 3, a cross-sectional view of the handler 106 bonded to the wafer 102 is shown, along with additional details of the bonding layer 104. In some embodiments, in addition to using a release layer 204 having a high refractive index, a second optical boundary layer 302 having a high refractive index may be used.

[0042] Exemplary materials for this layer include amorphous silicon with a complex refractive index of 3.5+0i at the target wavelength, and amorphous or polycrystalline germanium with a complex refractive index of 4.0+0i at the target wavelength. Compared to using silicon nitride for this layer, using amorphous silicon can increase the laser light absorption rate in the exfoliation layer 204 from 60%-80% to 90%-100%.

[0043] Referring next to Figure 4, a method 400 for peeling the handler 106 from the wafer 102 is shown. This step may be performed after the wafer 102 has been positioned and connected to another chip, or as preparation for an intermediate step in which the bottom surface of the wafer 102 is processed. This positioning may include alignment with another chip, such as a carrier chip, and may further include a bonding process to attach the wafer 102 to that other chip. Such a bonding process may include, for example, reflowing solder bumps and adding adhesive underfill to provide structural support for electrical connections.

[0044] Block 404 melts a portion of the delamination layer 204 using a laser of an appropriate wavelength. This melting can be performed using a short-duration laser pulse directed at the area of ​​interest. When a wavelength absorbed by the delamination layer 204 is used, the energy of the laser light is transferred to the material of the delamination layer 204 within the area of ​​interest, causing a localized change in the material. This change may be considered sublimation of the material, directly converting the material to a gaseous or plasma state without first melting it. This allows the penetration of thermal energy to be localized in the delamination layer 204, and the resulting temperature rise in adjacent layers decreases rapidly.

[0045] In this way, the delamination layer 204 can be selectively removed from between the wafer 102 and the handler 106 without causing thermal damage to the wafer 102. Each laser pulse removes material within the laser spot area. The melting may then be repeated in a scanning pattern to completely remove the delamination layer 204. Thus, block 406 determines whether the delamination is complete, for example, by determining that the entire delamination layer 204 has been exposed to the laser pulse. If not, block 408 repositions the laser to the delamination layer 204 so that a new area is exposed to the laser spot, and block 404 repeats the melting in the new area by emitting a new laser pulse. Once the delamination is complete in block 406, block 410 removes the handler 106 from the wafer 102. Any remaining adhesive layer 202 material may be dissolved using a solvent.

[0046] Referring next to Figure 5, a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit using a handler is shown. Block 502 uses one or more manufacturing steps to create a wafer 102 having an integrated circuit. For example, block 502 may include a series of deposition and etching steps for fabricating circuit components, including active components such as transistors and passive components such as interconnects, capacitors, and inductors. The wafer 102 may include multiple layers, including an active device layer and an interconnect layer.

[0047] In block 504, the handler 106 is bonded to the wafer 102 using a bonding layer 104. As described above, the bonding layer 104 may include a number of distinct layers having beneficial functional and optical properties that can be formed on the handler 106. Bonding may be performed by adhering the bonding layer 104 to the wafer 102.

[0048] Block 505 positions the wafer 102. This positioning may include manipulating the wafer 102 relative to another structure, such as a chip or a second wafer. Positioning may also include moving the wafer 102 from one processing position to another, for example, manipulating the wafer 102 to another machine for further processing. Positioning may also include inverting the wafer to expose its bottom surface. Positioning may be performed, for example, by using a vacuum to pick up the handler 106 or the wafer 102.

[0049] As described above, once the wafer 102 is positioned in block 505, block 400 may be used to detach the wafer 102 from the handler 106. The handler 106 is removed in block 506, and block 508 performs any additional processing that may be required. For example, the wafer 102 may be further processed, for example, to form an additional structure, to process the substrate of the wafer 102, or to bond another structure to the wafer 102.

[0050] Next, referring to Figure 6, a method for forming the handler is shown. Block 602 forms an anti-reflective layer 208 on the handler layer 106 using, for example, CVD or PVD processing. Block 604 forms an optical strengthening layer 206 on the anti-reflective layer 208, and Block 606 forms a release layer 204 on the optical strengthening layer 206, again using CVD or PVD processing. Block 608 then forms an optical boundary layer (optical barrier layer) 202 on the release layer 204 using, for example, spin coating processing. At this point, Block 610 can bond the handler 106 to the wafer 102 by, for example, inverting the handler 106 and pressing it against the wafer 102 until the material of the optical barrier layer 202 hardens.

[0051] CVD is a deposition process in which a deposited species is formed as a result of a chemical reaction between gaseous reactants at temperatures higher than room temperature (e.g., from about 25°C to about 900°C). The solid products of the reaction are deposited on a surface on which a film, coating, or layer of the solid products is to be formed. Variants of the CVD method may be used, but are not limited to atmospheric pressure CVD (APCVD), low-pressure CVD (LPCVD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), and metal-organic CVD (MOCVD), as well as combinations thereof. In alternative embodiments using PVD, the sputtering apparatus may include a DC diode system, radio frequency sputtering, magnetron sputtering, or ionized metal plasma sputtering.

[0052] Referring now to Figure 7, an apparatus for handling the wafer is shown. The wafer 702 may include a handler layer as described above and is manipulated using a vacuum manipulator 704. The handler layer provides rigidity to the wafer 702, otherwise the wafer 702 may buckle, crack, or break due to the pressure of the vacuum manipulator 704 or the forces involved in moving the wafer 702 from one position to the next.

[0053] Although the use of the vacuum manipulator 704 is particularly intended, it should be understood that the wafer handling systems described herein can be used to position the wafer using any type of manipulator, including any type of manual or automatic gripping device. The manipulator 704 may come into contact with the handler side of the wafer 702 to prevent damage to any delicate surface components of the wafer 702.

[0054] While aspects of the present invention are described from a given exemplary architecture, it should be understood that other architectures, structures, substrate materials, processing functions, and steps can be varied within the scope of the aspects of the present invention.

[0055] Furthermore, when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as being "on top of" or "on top of" another element, it will be understood that it may be directly on top of the other element, or there may be an intervening element. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on top of" or "on top of" another element, there is no intervening element. Similarly, when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "linked" to another element, it will be understood that it may be directly "connected" or "linked" to the other element, or there may be an intervening element. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly linked" to another element, there is no intervening element.

[0056] Embodiments of the present invention may include the design of an integrated circuit chip, which may be created in a computer programming language for graphics and stored on a computer storage medium (such as a disk, magnetic tape, physical hard drive, or virtual hard drive in a storage access network). If the designer does not manufacture the chip or the photolithography mask used to manufacture the chip, the designer may send the resulting design to such an entity directly or indirectly, either by physical means (e.g., by providing a copy of the storage medium containing the design) or electronically (e.g., via the Internet). The stored design is then converted into a format suitable for the manufacture of a photolithography mask (e.g., GDSII), which generally includes numerous copies of the chip design to be formed on a wafer. The photolithography mask is used to define areas of the wafer (or layers on or both) to be processed by etching or other methods.

[0057] The methods described herein can be used to manufacture integrated circuit chips. The resulting integrated circuit chips may be distributed by the manufacturer in the form of a raw wafer (i.e., as a single wafer with a number of unpackaged chips), as a bare die, or in a packaged form. In the latter case, the chips are mounted in a single-chip package (such as a plastic carrier with leads that are attached to a motherboard or other higher carrier) or a multi-chip package (such as a ceramic carrier with either or both surface interconnects or embedded interconnects). In either case, the chips are then integrated with other chips, individual circuit elements, or other signaling devices or combinations thereof as part of (a) an intermediate product such as a motherboard, or (b) a final product. The final product may be any product containing integrated circuit chips, ranging from toys and other low-end applications to displays, keyboards and other input devices, and advanced computing products with central processing units.

[0058] Furthermore, it should be understood that material compounds are described as listed elements, such as SiGe. These compounds contain elements in different proportions; for example, SiGe contains Si x Ge 1-x It includes such that x is 1 or less, etc. In addition, other elements may be included in the compound and it may still function according to the principles of the present invention. Compounds containing additional elements are referred to as alloys in this specification.

[0059] In this specification, “one embodiment” or “one embodiment,” and other variations thereof, means that certain features, structures, characteristics, etc., described in relation to that embodiment are included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the appearance of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in one embodiment,” and other variations thereof, in various parts of this specification does not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.

[0060] It should be understood that the use of any of the following " / ", "and / or", and "at least one of", for example "A / B", "A and / or B", and "at least one of A and B", is intended to encompass the selection of only the first-listed option (A), or only the second-listed option (B), or both options (A and B). As further examples, in the case of "A, B, and / or C" and "at least one of A, B, and C", such expressions are intended to encompass the selection of only the first-listed option (A), or only the second-listed option (B), or only the third-listed option (C), or only the first and second-listed options (A and B), or only the first and third-listed options (A and C), or only the second and third-listed options (B and C), or all three options (A, B, and C). This can be applied as many times as there are listed items, as will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art and related fields.

[0061] The terms used herein are intended solely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments. Where used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to also encompass the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, where used herein, the words “equipped with,” “containing,” or “equipped with,” “containing,” or both, indicate the presence of a feature, integer, step, action, element, or component, or a combination thereof, but are not intended to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, actions, elements, components, or groups thereof, or combinations thereof.

[0062] Spatially relative terms such as “downward,” “below,” “subordinate,” “upward,” “top,” and “upper” may be used herein to facilitate the description of the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature illustrated in a figure. It will be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition to the orientation depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure is turned upside down, an element described as being “below” or “below” another element or feature will face “above” the other element or feature. Thus, the term “downward” may encompass both upward and downward orientations. The device may also be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptive terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly. In addition, it will be understood that when a layer is referred to as being “between” two layers, it may be the only layer between the two layers, or there may be one or more layers intervening.

[0063] In this specification, various elements may be described using terms such as "first," "second," etc., but it should be understood that such elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one element from another. Therefore, without deviating from the scope of this concept, the first element described below can also be called the second element.

[0064] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or part of an instruction, which contains one or more executable instructions for performing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions described in a block may be performed in a different order than shown in the diagram. For example, two consecutively shown blocks may be executed simultaneously, substantially simultaneously, or partially or completely overlapping in time, or they may sometimes be executed in reverse order depending on the functions involved. It will also be noted that each block in the block diagram or flowchart diagram, or both, and combinations of blocks in the block diagram or flowchart diagram, or both, may be implemented by a special-purpose hardware-based system that performs a specified function or operates or implements a combination of special-purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0065] Preferred embodiments of silicon handlers having a laser-extractable layer (these are illustrative and not limiting) have been described, but it should be noted that modifications and variations can be made in light of the above teachings by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that modifications may be made to specific embodiments disclosed within the scope of the invention outlined by the appended claims. While aspects of the invention have been described with the detail and specificity required by patent law, the content for which a patent is sought and which is desired to be protected by a patent certificate is described in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for handling wafers, Positioning the handler attached to the wafer, wherein the handler is A handler layer formed from a material that is transparent at the wavelength of the irradiated light, A bonding layer, A peeling layer that absorbs light of the aforementioned wavelength, formed from a material having a real refractive index greater than 3.0 and an extinction coefficient greater than 5.0 at the aforementioned wavelength, An optical strengthening layer disposed on the handler layer side of the release layer, formed from a material that is transparent at the wavelength and has a refractive index greater than 2.0, wherein the optical strengthening layer increases the absorption rate of light of the wavelength in the release layer, and An optical boundary layer, located on the opposite side of the delamination layer from the handler layer, that reflects the energy of the wavelength of light into the delamination layer. Including the positioning, The process of peeling the handler from the wafer using a laser emitting laser energy of the aforementioned wavelength, wherein the material of the peeling layer melts and releases the wafer due to the laser energy of the aforementioned wavelength being absorbed by the peeling layer at the aforementioned absorption rate when exposed to the laser energy of the aforementioned wavelength. A method that includes this.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the release layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, iron, nickel, rhodium, palladium, platinum, and lutetium.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the release layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, chromium, manganese, and cobalt.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength is selected from the range of 1200 nm to 6000 nm.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the wavelength is selected from the range of 1200 nm to 2500 nm.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical strengthening layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon, amorphous germanium, and polycrystalline germanium.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bonding layer further includes an anti-reflective layer between the optical enhancement layer and the handler layer.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical boundary layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide or silicon dioxide.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein attaching the handler to the wafer includes applying an adhesive layer to the bonding layer.

10. Handler wafer, A handler layer formed from a material that is transparent at the wavelength of the irradiated light, A bonding layer, A peeling layer that absorbs light of the aforementioned wavelength, formed from a material having a real refractive index greater than 3.0 and an extinction coefficient greater than 5.0 at the aforementioned wavelength, An optical strengthening layer disposed on the handler layer side of the release layer, formed from a material that is transparent at the wavelength and has a refractive index greater than 2.0, wherein the optical strengthening layer increases the absorption rate of light of the wavelength in the release layer, and An optical boundary layer, located on the opposite side of the delamination layer from the handler layer, that reflects the energy of the wavelength of light into the delamination layer. The bonding layer including and A handler wafer equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

11. The handler wafer according to claim 10, wherein the release layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, iron, nickel, rhodium, palladium, platinum, and lutetium.

12. The handler wafer according to claim 10, wherein the release layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, chromium, manganese, and cobalt.

13. The handler wafer according to claim 10, wherein the wavelength is selected from the range of 1200 nm to 6000 nm.

14. The handler wafer according to claim 10, wherein the optical strengthening layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon, amorphous germanium, and polycrystalline germanium.

15. The handler wafer according to claim 10, wherein the optical boundary layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide or silicon dioxide.

16. The handler wafer according to claim 10, further comprising an anti-reflective layer between the optical enhancement layer and the handler layer.

17. The handler wafer according to claim 10, wherein the handler layer is formed from a semiconductor material including silicon.

18. The handler wafer according to claim 10, wherein the bonding layer further comprises an adhesive layer.

19. Handler wafer, A handler layer formed from silicon, A bonding layer, A peeling layer that absorbs light of a wavelength selected from the range of 1200 nm to 2500 nm from a peeling laser, the peeling layer being formed by comprising a metallic material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, iron, nickel, rhodium, palladium, platinum, and lutetium. An optically enhanced layer formed from a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon, amorphous germanium, and polycrystalline germanium, wherein the optically enhanced layer enhances the absorption rate of light of the specified wavelength in the peeling layer. An optical boundary layer located on the opposite side of the release layer from the handler layer, the optical boundary layer which reflects light of the wavelength into the release layer and provides adhesion to the wafer, and Anti-reflective layer between the optical enhancement layer and the handler layer The bonding layer including and A handler wafer equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

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