Clam Shell Wafer Holder With Two-Pin Hinge Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wafer holders with multiple contact pins face challenges in aligning pins with wafer contact points, leading to high voltage scrap and wafer breakage due to misalignment and excessive stress, resulting in inefficient metal plating processes and increased wafer scrap.
Innovation Solution
A clam shell wafer holder design with a hinge connecting a base and lid, featuring only two diagonally positioned contact pins that align with corresponding wafer contact points, reducing stress and improving alignment control during the plating process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If four contact pins are used to deliver current to the wafer, then current delivery capability is improved, but alignment difficulty and wafer damage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts two contact pins from the four-pin configuration, reducing the number of pins from four to two. This reduction simplifies the alignment process while maintaining sufficient current delivery capability through the remaining two pins, directly resolving the contradiction between power delivery and alignment ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the clamping mechanism into a hinge-connected lid and base structure, allowing the lid to be opened for wafer placement and then closed to automatically position the contact pins. This segmentation enables easier operation by separating the wafer loading function from the pin alignment function.
2Power
If four contact pins are used to deliver current to the wafer, then current delivery capability is improved, but wafer stress and breakage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
By removing two contact pins from the four-pin configuration, the patent reduces the number of contact points on the wafer. This reduction decreases the mechanical stress and clamping force required to hold the wafer, thereby reducing wafer breakage risk while maintaining adequate current delivery through the two remaining pins.
3Manufacturing precision
If visual alignment of contact pins with wafer contact points is performed, then alignment precision can be improved, but operator safety and efficiency deteriorate due to impaired line of sight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the holder into a movable lid and stationary base, allowing the lid to be opened wide for wafer placement without obstruction. This segmentation eliminates the need for operators to work in cramped, visually impaired spaces, improving both safety and efficiency while maintaining alignment precision through the hinge mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism is designed to preliminarily position the contact pins in alignment with the wafer contact points as the lid closes. This preliminary action reduces the need for精细 manual adjustment, allowing operators to work from a safe, open position while still achieving precise alignment.
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 two-pin configuration reduces high voltage scrap and wafer breakage, increases die yield by 0.2%, and allows for better pin placement control, leading to improved metal plating efficiency and reduced ergonomic challenges.
Implementation Method 1
A single hinge pivotally connects the lid to the base, the hinge primarily aligning the two contact pins with two corresponding contact points on a wafer when the lid is closed against the base
Implementation Method 2
Metal electroplating is accomplished by delivering current to the metallized contact points 152 and 254 of a wafer surface (seed metal) through the four contact pins 122, acting as conductors
Implementation Method 3
Metal electroplating is accomplished by delivering current to the metallized contact points 152 and 254 of a wafer surface (seed metal) through the four contact pins 122
Data Source
AI summary
A clam shell wafer holder includes a base and a lid pivotally connected with the base by an integral hinge. The base includes a rotatable wafer support, and the lid includes a universal frame and a pin holder attachment spaced inwardly from the frame. Only two contact pins are formed in a wafer-facing surface of the pin holder attachment. The contact pins are manually aligned with and contact two points on a wafer when the lid is closed against the base. A method for holding a wafer for plating is provided using the disclosed holder apparatus.