Air-Knife Wafer Separation for Damage-Free SOI Splitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mechanical separation of bonded wafers in SOI technology causes damage to the wafer edges, leads to particle contamination, affects product yield, and increases production costs, with existing separation machines being complex and difficult to maintain.
Innovation Solution
A wafer splitting system utilizing an air knife and Bernoulli's principle to separate bonded wafers into donor and SOI wafers, employing a carrier assembly, clamping assembly, and drive assembly to minimize mechanical contact and facilitate separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical separation method is used to separate bonded wafers, then separation can be achieved, but wafer edge damage and particle contamination occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical separation system with a pneumatic system. An air knife generates a high-velocity air jet that creates a pressure difference to separate the bonded wafers, eliminating mechanical contact and its associated damage and contamination issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pneumatic principles by introducing high-pressure air through an air knife to create a pressure differential across the bonded wafer interface. This pneumatic force separates the wafers without mechanical contact, solving the problem of edge damage and particle contamination.
2Manufacturing precision
If mechanical separation machine is used, then wafer separation can be performed, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex mechanical separation machine is replaced with a simplified pneumatic system consisting primarily of an air knife and air supply. This substitution dramatically reduces structural complexity while maintaining separation capability and reducing maintenance requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional mechanical separation is used, then separation function is achieved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pneumatic separation system that uses compressed air instead of complex mechanical components. This approach reduces equipment cost, maintenance cost, and production cost while achieving the same separation function.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If air knife separation method is used, then mechanical damage is avoided, but separation force mechanism changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from mechanical force to pneumatic force for separation. The air knife generates a high-velocity air jet that creates a pressure difference across the wafer interface, using pneumatic pressure rather than mechanical contact force to achieve separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of separation force from mechanical contact force to pneumatic pressure. By controlling air pressure and velocity in the air knife, the separation mechanism transitions to a non-contact pneumatic force system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively separates wafers without mechanical damage, improving yield and reducing production costs while enhancing operational efficiency by allowing simultaneous separation of multiple wafers.
Implementation Method 1
high-pressure air is controlled to be delivered through an air pipe to the air outlet of the air knife and ejected, where a high-pressure airflow flows through two sides of the bonded wafer, air pressure on the two sides of the bonded wafer decreases, and the two sides of the bonded wafer are subjected to outward forces according to Bernoulli's principle so that the bonded wafer is separated
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Provided are a wafer splitting system and a wafer splitting method, which belong to the field of semiconductor equipment technology. The wafer splitting system includes a mounting frame, a carrier assembly, a separation assembly, a clamping assembly, and a drive assembly. When the separation assembly blows a bonded wafer, a high-pressure airflow flows through two sides of the bonded wafer, air pressure on the two sides of the bonded wafer decreases, and two wafers of the bonded wafer are each subjected to an outward force according to Bernoulli's principle so that the bonded wafer is separated into a donor wafer and an SOI wafer.