Aqueous Detergent-Soluble Adhesive for Semiconductor Substrate Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current adhesive technologies for handling thin substrates in electronics manufacturing are complex, costly, and generate hazardous waste, as they require robotic tools, organic solvents, and high thermal resistance, making it difficult to achieve efficient and environmentally friendly processing.
Innovation Solution
Aqueous detergent-soluble coatings and adhesives based on Lewis acids, epoxy, acrylate, silicone, urethane, and rubber, which provide thermal and chemical resistance, planarization, and easy removal using aqueous alkali detergents, allowing for batch processing and reduced waste generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cross-linked adhesives (silicone, polyimide, acrylic) are used for temporary bonding, then thermal resistance and bond strength are improved, but demounting complexity and hazardous waste generation increase due to requirement of organic solvents and robotic tools
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive chemistry is modified by changing the polymer matrix from cross-linked structures to non-cross-linked structures, and by adjusting the solvent system from organic solvents to aqueous detergent solutions. This parameter change allows the adhesive to maintain bond strength during processing while enabling simple aqueous demounting without requiring complex robotic tools or organic solvent systems
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive is designed as a temporary, disposable bonding layer that serves its purpose during manufacturing and then is easily removed with aqueous detergent. This disposable approach eliminates the need for complex demounting equipment and avoids accumulation of hazardous waste, as the adhesive can be cleanly removed with simple aqueous solutions
2Reliability
If organic solvents are used for adhesive application and cleaning, then adhesive performance and substrate handling are improved, but environmental safety and worker health deteriorate due to toxic and flammable properties
Solution Approach 1:
The solvent system parameter is changed from organic solvents to aqueous detergent solutions. This substitution maintains adequate adhesive performance for temporary bonding while eliminating the toxic and flammable hazards associated with organic solvents, thereby improving environmental safety and worker health
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the traditionally harmful organic solvent system into a beneficial aqueous detergent system. By replacing organic solvents with aqueous detergents, the process transforms a harmful chemical approach into a safe and environmentally friendly approach, maintaining adhesive functionality while eliminating hazards
3Manufacturing precision
If robotic process tools are used for substrate handling and demounting, then handling precision is improved, but throughput and cost efficiency deteriorate due to single substrate processing and high equipment cost
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive system is designed to be self-demounting through aqueous detergent dissolution. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex robotic demounting tools, allowing simple batch-style cleaning processes that can handle multiple substrates simultaneously, thereby improving throughput and reducing equipment costs while maintaining adequate handling precision
4Productivity
If batch-style cleaning processes are implemented, then throughput and cost efficiency are improved, but adhesive removal completeness deteriorates with traditional non-soluble adhesives
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive chemistry is specifically designed with soluble polymer matrices that dissolve in aqueous detergent solutions. This parameter change enables complete adhesive removal through batch-style cleaning processes, achieving both high throughput and complete adhesive removal without requiring single-substrate robotic handling
Solution Approach 2:
The aqueous detergent acts as an intermediary medium that facilitates complete adhesive removal in batch processes. The detergent soluble adhesive allows the detergent to penetrate and dissolve the adhesive matrix uniformly across multiple substrates simultaneously, achieving complete removal and enabling efficient batch-style cleaning that maintains manufacturing precision
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 enables efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly temporary bonding and debonding of substrates, reducing tooling costs and waste, while improving throughput and safety by using conventional equipment and DI water for cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
the coating and adhesive chemistry is dissolved by chemical intervention... to be easily and rapidly removed in aqueous alkali detergent (e.g. water) by dissolution, lift-off, or related mechanisms
Implementation Method 2
the chemistry of this invention to be dissolved by chemical intervention and to allow the work unit to be released and cleaned in a simple fashion
Data Source
AI summary
Compositions and methods are described for a temporary coating and adhesive with adjustable acidity for use in coating work units as a planarization coating over high topography and also for affixing thin units onto a carrier whereby such compositions provide sufficient properties to support a manufacturing process, and upon completion, the compositions are removed by an aqueous detergent that dissolves and releases the work unit within a rapid time frame without harm to its integrity. The temporary adhesive provides a tunable acidity based upon Lewis acid represented as its acid dissociative constant, Ka, where it is preferred to have Ka≧1×10−6 (pKa≦6), more preferred Ka≧1×10−5 (pKa≦5), and most preferred Ka≧1×10−4 (pKa≦4). The temporary coating and adhesive may be applied and cured in a variety of ways that meet the needs of the work unit and objectives of the manufacturing process. The invention provides benefits of flexibility and reduced cost when establishing practices to handle difficult work units in the manufacture of semiconductors and flat panel displays.