Protective Tape Application Apparatus for Semiconductor Wafer Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for applying protective tape to semiconductor wafers result in excessive tension and residual stress, leading to warping or breaking of the wafer during thickness reduction processes.
Innovation Solution
An application apparatus and method that involves a tape conveyance mechanism, a tape holding body, and a peeling mechanism to apply and peel the protective tape from a base material under controlled tension, ensuring the tape is held with low tension to minimize residual stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the protective tape is applied by pressing with a rotating application roller, then the tape can be applied to the wafer surface, but excessive tension is applied to the tape causing residual stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful tensioning mechanism from the application process. Instead of using a rotating roller that presses and tensions the tape, the invention uses a stationary application head that deposits the tape without applying excessive force, separating the application function from the tensioning function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the application process by controlling the tape feed rate and application speed to maintain low tension throughout the process, ensuring that the tape is applied without generating residual stress that would cause wafer warping.
2Reliability
If the protective tape is applied with tension to ensure adhesion, then the tape sticks to the wafer, but the wafer warps or breaks during thickness reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using a release paper that is pre-treated with release agents, allowing the tape to be transferred to the wafer without requiring high tension during application. The release paper facilitates easy tape handling and transfer while minimizing stress on the wafer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a release paper as an intermediary between the tape and the application mechanism. This mediator allows the tape to be handled and positioned without direct mechanical contact that would apply tension, and then transferred to the wafer through a controlled release process that maintains wafer integrity.
3Length of moving object
If the back surface of the wafer is ground to reduce thickness, then chip downsizing is achieved, but the protective tape's residual stress causes warping or breaking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by ensuring the protective tape is applied in a stress-free state before the wafer undergoes thickness reduction. By eliminating residual stress during application, the tape counteracts the warping forces that would otherwise be generated during grinding, preventing wafer deformation and breakage.
Data Source
AI summary
To reduce residual stress generated on a protective tape at a time of application of the protective tape to a semiconductor wafer, provided is an application apparatus (1) for applying a protective tape (PT) to a semiconductor wafer (W), including: a tape conveyance mechanism (2) configured to convey the protective tape (PT) temporarily applied to a base material (BM) to a peeling position; a tape holding body (30) capable of holding the protective tape (PT); a holding-body moving mechanism (31) configured to move the tape holding body (30) to the peeling position; and a peeling mechanism (4) configured to peel the base material (BM) from the protective tape (PT) held by the tape holding body (30) at the peeling position.