Pre-Bowed Ceramic Wafer for Thick Film Stress Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thick metal circuit films on ceramic substrates cause surface tension or internal stress, leading to warping or bowing of the substrate, which is detrimental to subsequent manufacturing processes requiring wafer flatness.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic wafer with at least one curved surface is manufactured through a high-temperature sintering process followed by shaping processes such as grinding, polishing, or machining, and controlled heating to manage surface stress, allowing the wafer to be pulled into a flat configuration suitable for subsequent processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thick metal circuit films or semiconductor circuit films are formed on ceramic substrates, then the electrical performance and functionality are improved, but surface tension or surface internal stress causes warping or bowing of the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the ceramic substrate with a warped or bowed shape before depositing the thick IC film. This preliminary shaping compensates for the anticipated warping effect that will occur when the thick conductive film is subsequently formed, ensuring the final substrate maintains the required flatness for manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary anti-action by creating an opposing warp or bow in the ceramic substrate that counteracts the surface tension and internal stress that will be generated by the thick IC film. This pre-applied counter-force ensures that when the thick film is deposited, the substrate remains sufficiently flat despite the stress from the thick conductive layer.
2Ease of manufacture
If the ceramic substrate is kept flat initially, then subsequent manufacturing processes can be performed easily, but thick IC films will cause warping that complicates further processing
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic substrate is pre-shaped with a controlled warp or bow before IC film deposition. This preliminary action ensures that when the thick IC film is subsequently formed, the combined effect of the pre-shaped substrate and the film stress results in the desired flat configuration, maintaining ease of manufacture throughout subsequent processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the shape parameter of the ceramic substrate from a conventional flat configuration to a controlled warped or bowed configuration. This parameter change allows the substrate to compensate for stress-induced deformation when thick IC films are applied, thereby maintaining both manufacturability and functional performance.
3Shape
If a warped or bowed substrate is formed, then surface tension can pull the substrate flat when thick IC films are applied, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The warping or bowing of the ceramic substrate is performed as a preliminary action during substrate preparation, before IC film deposition. This advance shaping simplifies the overall process by eliminating the need for complex stress compensation techniques during film formation, reducing manufacturing complexity while achieving the desired flatness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of substrate warping into a beneficial feature. By deliberately introducing a controlled warp or bow that works in conjunction with the surface tension of thick IC films, the substrate self-corrects to achieve flatness, transforming what would normally be a manufacturing defect into a useful mechanism for maintaining substrate flatness.
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 warped or bowed ceramic wafer effectively mitigates surface tension or internal stress caused by thick IC films, ensuring wafer flatness necessary for subsequent manufacturing steps.
Implementation Method 1
performing a high-temperature sintering process on a ceramic green body to produce a ceramic material
Implementation Method 2
heating the ceramic material at different temperatures or at different temperature increasing and/or decreasing rates from around the ceramic material in order to change the shape of the ceramic material
Implementation Method 3
heating the ceramic material at different temperatures or at different temperature increasing and/or decreasing rates from around the ceramic material in order to change the shape of the ceramic material
Implementation Method 4
the processing process is a grinding, polishing, or machining process for imparting different surface roughnesses to an upper surface and a lower surface of the ceramic material
Data Source
AI summary
A ceramic wafer includes an upper surface and a lower surface, and the ceramic wafer includes at least one curved surface. A manufacturing method of the ceramic wafer includes the steps of: performing a high-temperature sintering process on a ceramic green body to produce a ceramic material; and performing a processing process on the ceramic material to form the ceramic wafer, wherein the processing process is used to change the shape of the ceramic material and thereby form the ceramic wafer. The ceramic wafer and the manufacturing method thereof are advantageous in that by forming a warped or bowed ceramic wafer, it is made possible for the surface tension or surface internal stress resulting from forming a thick integrated circuit film on the ceramic wafer to pull the ceramic wafer into a relatively flat configuration suitable for subsequent manufacturing processes that require wafer flatness.