Integrated Shield for Wafer Plating Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and low throughput of semiconductor wafer electroplating processes in semiconductor fabrication plants due to expensive and maintenance-intensive equipment, leading to high costs per wafer and frequent downtime.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor substrate carrier with an integrated shield that allows the use of low-cost, inline plating equipment, such as those used in leadframe or printed circuit board industries, to achieve uniform electroplating across wafers by controlling the electrical field and fluid flow during the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If semiconductor fabrication plant equipment is used for electroplating, then electroplating can be performed on semiconductor wafers, but the cost per wafer is high and throughput is low
Solution Approach 1:
A carrier substrate is introduced as an intermediary component that holds the semiconductor wafer and provides integrated shielding structures. This carrier enables the wafer to be processed in low-cost inline plating equipment while maintaining uniform electroplating through the shielding structures that control electrical field distribution. The carrier acts as a mediator between the wafer and the plating equipment, allowing high-precision results using low-throughput equipment constraints to be overcome.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable or replaceable carrier substrates that can be used in low-cost inline plating equipment. These carriers are designed for single-use or limited-use cycles, enabling the use of inexpensive plating equipment without compromising the quality of electroplating on expensive semiconductor wafers. The carriers absorb the wear and maintenance requirements, allowing the expensive wafers to be processed efficiently.
2Manufacturing precision
If semiconductor fabrication plant equipment is used for electroplating, then electroplating can be performed on semiconductor wafers, but the cost per wafer is high
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier substrate serves as an intermediary that enables the use of low-cost inline plating equipment while maintaining high manufacturing precision. The integrated shielding structures on the carrier control the electrical field to ensure uniform electroplating, allowing expensive wafers to be processed on inexpensive equipment without sacrificing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
By using disposable or replaceable carrier substrates, the patent allows the use of low-cost plating equipment for processing expensive semiconductor wafers. The carriers are designed to be inexpensive and replaceable, absorbing the wear and maintenance costs while enabling high-precision electroplating at lower per-wafer costs.
3Manufacturing precision
If semiconductor fabrication plant equipment is used for electroplating, then electroplating can be performed on semiconductor wafers, but maintenance requirements are high leading to frequent downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses disposable or replaceable carrier substrates that can be discarded or replaced when worn, eliminating the need for complex maintenance of expensive plating equipment. This allows the use of simple inline plating equipment with minimal maintenance requirements, ensuring high equipment availability and continuous production without sacrificing electroplating uniformity through the integrated shielding design.
4Productivity
If low-cost inline plating equipment is used, then throughput increases and cost per wafer decreases, but uniform electroplating is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier substrate with integrated shielding structures acts as an intermediary that enables low-cost inline plating equipment to achieve uniform electroplating. The shielding structures on the carrier control the electrical field distribution, ensuring uniform metal deposition even in the simpler equipment environment, while allowing high throughput processing of multiple wafers.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier substrate incorporates localized shielding structures in specific positions to control the electrical field distribution across the wafer surface. By providing different shielding characteristics in different locations, the carrier ensures uniform electroplating across the entire wafer when processed in high-speed inline equipment, addressing local field variations that would otherwise cause non-uniform deposition.
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
Significantly reduces the cost per wafer and increases throughput by enabling the use of more efficient and cost-effective plating equipment, achieving uniform plating thickness and reducing maintenance requirements.
Implementation Method 1
In the electroplating process, electrical current is used to deposit metal ions from a solution onto a wafer, forming a film or patterned structure of metal on the wafer.
Implementation Method 2
The shield may be used to control uniformity of the thickness of the plating across the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor substrate carrier for use during wet chemical processing may comprise a conductive flange to couple the carrier with processing equipment, a frame coupled with the conductive flange, where the frame is configured to hold a semiconductor substrate, and an integrated shield coupled with the frame. The integrated shield is configured to alter an electric field near at least a portion of a surface of the semiconductor substrate during the wet chemical processing.