Package Substrate Warpage Reshaping Apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

A significant percentage of pre-assembled package substrates exhibit severe 'crying' warpage profiles due to manufacturing processes, leading to reliability concerns and increased manufacturing costs as they are often rejected, affecting the performance of integrated circuit packages.

Innovation Solution

A warpage reshaping apparatus and method that involves placing the package substrate in a cavity, applying mechanical forces using spring-loaded clips and planar boards with protruding blocks, and heating to a reflow temperature to reshape the substrate's warpage profile from 'crying' to 'flat' or 'smiling' profiles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If mechanical forces are applied to reshape the warpage profile, then the warpage level is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewarpage profileVSAvoidapparatus structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reshaping apparatus is divided into modular components including multiple cavities in the support structure, separate heating elements, and individual planarizing elements that can independently apply force to different regions of the substrate, allowing complex warpage correction through coordinated simple actions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A planarizing element or anvil is introduced as an intermediary between the heating element and the substrate. This intermediary transfers and distributes the mechanical force evenly across the substrate surface during heating, enabling effective warpage correction without requiring direct complex mechanical manipulation of the substrate itself

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If the substrate is heated to reflow temperature, then the warpage is reduced, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewarpage profileVSAvoidheating energy

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heating apparatus applies heat locally to specific regions of the substrate where warpage is most severe, rather than uniformly heating the entire substrate. This localized heating approach reduces the total energy required while still achieving effective warpage correction in the critical areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The heating process utilizes controlled temperature cycling and time-temperature parameter optimization to achieve warpage correction at lower peak temperatures or shorter exposure times, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If severe warpage is corrected, then more substrates are accepted, but the manufacturing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate acceptance rateVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The warpage correction is performed as a preliminary step before final substrate inspection and assembly. By correcting warpage early in the manufacturing process while the substrate is still accessible and can be easily manipulated, the need for rework or rejection later is eliminated, actually reducing total manufacturing time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The heating and planarizing process is designed to continuously process substrates through a streamlined workflow where substrates are loaded, heated, planarized, and unloaded in sequence without interruption. This continuous processing minimizes idle time and maximizes the throughput of substrates that can be accepted

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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

Effectively reduces warpage-related rejections by reshaping substrates to acceptable profiles, enhancing the reliability and performance of integrated circuit packages while minimizing manufacturing costs.

Implementation Method 1

heating the package substrate in the reshaping apparatus to a reflow temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

applying mechanical forces using spring-loaded clips and planar boards with protruding blocks

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS9633874B1Package substrate warpage reshaping apparatus and method

Publication Date: 2017.04.25 ALTERA CORP

AI summary

A warpage reshaping apparatus to reshape a warpage profile of a package substrate is disclosed. The warpage reshaping apparatus includes a metal boat, a plurality of planar boards and a plurality of spring-loaded clips. The metal boat includes a plurality of cavities. Package substrates are placed into each of the cavities. Each of the plurality of planar boards is disposed on a respective one of the package substrates. The spring-loaded clips have a first portion coupled to the metal boat and having a second portion biased against a respective one of the planar boards such that each planar board is biased against its respective package substrate. In addition to that, a method to operate the warpage reshaping apparatus is also disclosed and the manner in which the warpage reshaping apparatus changes the warpage profile of the package substrate is also disclosed.