Hybrid Bonding Humidity Control for Plasma-Activated Dies
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Solution Overview
Problem
The plasma activation of semiconductor substrates and dies diminishes over time, leading to voids and incomplete bonding in hybrid bonding processes, significantly decreasing yields due to prolonged queue times before bonding can occur.
Innovation Solution
An environmentally controllable apparatus is used to maintain high humidity levels (80% to 95%) and controlled gas flow to extend the queue time, preserving surface activation and preventing reactivation needs, thereby enhancing bonding yields.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plasma activation is performed prior to bonding, then surface activation and bonding attraction are improved, but queue time before bonding causes activation to diminish and yields to decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the environmental parameters (humidity, temperature, gas composition) in the queueing area to maintain plasma activation. Specifically, it uses a humidified atmosphere (e.g., 40-60% relative humidity) and controlled gas flow to prevent surface deactivation, allowing extended queue times without losing bonding yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert or controlled atmosphere in the queueing area using purified gas (e.g., nitrogen or filtered air) with controlled humidity levels. This protected environment prevents oxidation and deactivation of the plasma-activated surfaces during the queue time before bonding.
2Productivity
If queue time is extended to accommodate large numbers of dies, then processing capacity is improved, but surface activation diminishes and bonding quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies environmental parameters (humidity, temperature, gas composition) in the queueing area to maintain plasma activation during extended queue times, enabling high processing capacity without compromising bonding quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous surface activation by providing ongoing plasma exposure or protected atmosphere during the entire queue time, ensuring that the activation state is preserved continuously from plasma treatment through to bonding.
3Strength
If plasma activation is used to increase bonding attraction, then bonding strength is improved, but reactivation may be needed due to activation loss, increasing process complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an inert or controlled atmosphere in the queueing area to prevent oxidation and deactivation of plasma-activated surfaces, maintaining bonding strength without requiring reactivation steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous surface activation through ongoing plasma exposure or protected atmosphere during queue time, eliminating the need for reactivation steps and reducing process complexity.
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 apparatus effectively doubles or triples the queue time for surface activation, reducing rework and maintaining high bonding performance by keeping the surfaces hydrated and active, thus increasing overall bonding yields and reducing processing time.
Implementation Method 1
a humidifier apparatus that is fluidly connected to the environmentally controllable space, wherein the humidifier apparatus enables controllable humidity levels within the environmentally controllable space
Implementation Method 2
a gas velocity accelerator that recirculates one or more gases laterally across the support
Implementation Method 3
a filter which impedes on the one or more gases prior to the one or more gases flowing laterally across the support
Implementation Method 4
a pressurizing apparatus fluidly connected to the humidifier apparatus on an output and fluidly connected to at least one gas supply on an input
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for extending substrate queue time for hybrid bonding by preserving plasma activation. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include an environmentally controllable space with a support for holding a die or a substrate, a gas velocity accelerator that recirculates one or more gases laterally across the support, a filter, a humidifier apparatus that is fluidly connected to the environmentally controllable space, wherein the humidifier apparatus enables controllable humidity levels within the environmentally controllable space, a pressurizing apparatus fluidly connected to the humidifier apparatus on an output and fluidly connected to at least one gas supply on an input, a relative humidity (RH) sensor positioned within the environmentally controllable space, and an environment controller in communication with at least the humidifier apparatus and the RH sensor, wherein the environment controller is configured to maintain an RH level of approximately 80% to approximately 95%.