Annular Adhesive Protective Sheeting for Semiconductor Wafer Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional semiconductor wafer processing methods require multiple tapes and complex alignment procedures, which increase the number of processing equipment components and steps, potentially damaging sensitive devices like MEMS due to adhesive forces and residues.

Innovation Solution

A protective sheeting with a substantially circular base sheet and an annular adhesive layer applied to the peripheral portion of one surface, allowing secure attachment to both the wafer and annular frame without adhesive inside the inner diameter, reducing the number of components and steps needed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple tapes (ring adhesive tape and support tape) are used to hold the wafer, then the wafer can be securely held and processed, but the number of processing equipment components and steps increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewafer holding securityVSAvoidnumber of tapes and alignment steps

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective tape combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides device protection, secures the wafer to the annular frame, and enables handling during processing. By merging the protective function and the holding function into one integrated tape structure with adhesive in the peripheral region, the need for separate ring adhesive tape and support tape is eliminated, reducing complexity while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective tape is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously protects devices from contamination, secures the wafer to the frame through peripheral adhesive, and facilitates handling during various processing steps. This universal design replaces multiple specialized components with one versatile tape that performs all necessary functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This solution simplifies wafer processing by reducing equipment components and steps, minimizing damage and contamination risks to sensitive devices, and enabling efficient attachment and removal of the protective sheeting.

Implementation Method 1

a substantially annular or annular adhesive layer applied to a peripheral portion of a first surface of the base sheet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesive: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS9905453B2Protective sheeting for use in processing a semiconductor-sized wafer and semiconductor-sized wafer processing method

Publication Date: 2018.02.27 DISCO CORP

AI summary

A protective sheeting for use in processing a semiconductor-sized wafer has a substantially circular base sheet and a substantially annular adhesive layer applied to a peripheral portion of a first surface of the base sheet. The inner diameter of the adhesive layer is smaller than the diameter of the wafer. Further, the outer diameter of the adhesive layer is larger than the inner diameter of an annular frame for holding the wafer. A related method includes attaching the protective sheeting to a front side or a back side of the wafer via the adhesive layer on the first surface of the base sheet so that an inner peripheral portion of the adhesive layer adheres to an outer peripheral portion of the front side or the back side of the wafer, and processing the wafer after the protective sheeting has been attached to the front side or the back side thereof.