Die-Level Thermal Wafer Chuck Without Cooling Gas Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum chucks face issues with wafer deformation and particle adhesion leading to insufficient vacuum, while electrostatic chucks suffer from cooling gas leakage and wafer ejection due to residual gas pressure imbalances.
Innovation Solution
A wafer chuck design with integrated heating/cooling units on the substrate surface, eliminating the need for cooling gases and enabling independent temperature control of dies through corresponding heating/cooling units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling gases are used to dissipate heat from the electrostatic chuck, then heat dissipation is improved, but cooling gas leakage causes unnecessary shutdown procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from the gas phase and implements it in the solid phase through a heat sink structure. The heat sink is integrated into the electrostatic chuck substrate, providing a direct thermal conduction path from the wafer contact surface to the external cooling system, thereby eliminating the need for cooling gases that can leak and cause shutdowns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the pneumatic cooling system (using cooling gases) with a solid-state thermal conduction system. The heat sink structure uses direct thermal contact and conduction through solid materials to dissipate heat, substituting the mechanical/gas-based cooling approach that was prone to leakage issues.
2Temperature
If cooling gases are used to dissipate heat, then heat dissipation is improved, but residual gas pressure causes wafer ejection and fragmentation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the cooling gas medium entirely from the system and replaces it with a solid heat sink structure. This extraction of the gas phase cooling mechanism eliminates the source of pressure imbalances that cause wafer ejection and subsequent fragmentation during electrostatic force removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the pneumatic pressure-based cooling system with a solid-state thermal conduction system. The heat sink provides stable thermal management without introducing gas pressure variations that could lead to wafer ejection and fragmentation.
3Force
If vacuum is used to fix the semiconductor wafer, then wafer fixation is achieved, but wafer deformation and particle adhesion cause insufficient vacuum
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the vacuum fixation function with the electrostatic clamping function in a single integrated system. The electrostatic chuck applies electrostatic forces through electrodes to clamp the wafer, while vacuum is used as a supplementary fixation mechanism, combining both methods to achieve reliable wafer holding that overcomes the limitations of vacuum alone.
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
Prevents wafer fragmentation and unnecessary shutdowns by managing heat and particle adhesion without cooling gas leakage, ensuring precise temperature control and stable wafer handling.
Implementation Method 1
the heating/cooling wafer is disposed on the first surface of the substrate and includes a plurality of heating/cooling units arranged in an array... the heating/cooling units are capable of heating or cooling corresponding dies independently
Implementation Method 2
the electrostatic chuck (ESC) uses polarization charges to fix the semiconductor wafer on the chuck... when a voltage is applied on the electrostatic chuck, the charges arranged at the rear side of the semiconductor wafer will have opposite polarity to the charges arranged on the electrostatic chuck
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a wafer chuck including a substrate and a heating/cooling wafer. The substrate includes a first surface facing a wafer to be carried and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The heating/cooling wafer is disposed on the first surface of the substrate and includes a plurality of heating/cooling units arranged in an array. In a direction perpendicular to the first surface, the positions of the heating/cooling units and the positions of a plurality of dies included in the wafer to be carried are corresponded with each other, and the heating/cooling units can heat or cool the corresponding dies individually.