Laser Substrate Recovery for Semiconductor Manufacturing Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices, such as NAND flash memory, face challenges in efficiently reusing substrates after the formation of memory cell array chips and control circuit chips, as they require separate substrates and bonding processes, which can be inefficient and wasteful.
Innovation Solution
A processing apparatus using a laser is developed, featuring a stage that rotates to hold substrates on concentric circles and a laser irradiation apparatus that moves radially to focus infrared pulsed laser spots on a laser absorption layer, allowing for the controlled removal of substrates and improving manufacturing efficiency by reusing the peeled substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate substrates are used for memory cell array chip and control circuit chip formation, then chip fabrication can be performed independently, but substrate utilization efficiency deteriorates due to inability to reuse substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies substrate recovery by using laser processing to separate the formed chip from the substrate, enabling the substrate to be reused for subsequent chip formations. This resolves the contradiction by recovering the substrate after chip fabrication, thereby improving substrate utilization efficiency while maintaining independent fabrication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical bonding/separation methods with laser-based processing. The laser processing apparatus uses optical energy to selectively remove or modify the substrate, enabling precise chip separation and substrate recovery without mechanical contact, thus improving both manufacturing ease and substrate reuse efficiency.
2Reliability
If bonding processes are used to join memory cell array chip and control circuit chip, then functional integration is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical bonding processes with laser-based joining or direct integration methods. The laser processing apparatus can selectively modify or remove substrate portions to enable direct chip integration, reducing the number of bonding steps and associated complexity while maintaining functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses laser processing to change the physical or chemical parameters of the substrate and chip interfaces, enabling direct integration without conventional bonding. By controlling laser parameters such as power, pulse duration, and wavelength, the process achieves reliable chip- substrate integration while simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
3Device complexity
If conventional laser processing is used without rotation, then processing setup is simple, but laser irradiation uniformity deteriorates across the substrate surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces rotational motion to the substrate holder, transforming the static processing setup into a dynamic system. By rotating the substrate during laser processing, the system achieves uniform laser irradiation across the entire substrate surface, improving manufacturing precision while the rotational mechanism remains relatively simple to implement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs circular or rotational motion patterns in the substrate processing. The substrate rotates in a circular path during laser processing, ensuring that all areas receive equivalent laser exposure. This circular motion approach improves irradiation uniformity while maintaining simple equipment design.
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 method enhances the manufacturing efficiency of semiconductor devices by uniformly and efficiently irradiating substrates with lasers, reducing the bonding force of the laser absorption layer to separate the substrate from the device, thereby improving substrate reuse and overall production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a laser irradiation apparatus that moves in a radial direction, the laser irradiation apparatus including a control unit configured to control an output of an infrared pulsed laser
Implementation Method 2
allowing for the controlled removal of substrates and improving manufacturing efficiency by reusing the peeled substrates
Data Source
AI summary
A processing apparatus using laser according to an embodiment includes a stage configured to hold a plurality of substrates on concentric circles and rotates around a center of the concentric circles, and a laser irradiation apparatus capable of moving in a radial direction of the concentric circles, the laser irradiation apparatus including a control unit configured to control an output of an infrared pulsed laser so that a plurality of laser spots adjacent to each other are separated from each other.