Ring Frame Cleaning With Optical Inspection for Adhesive Residue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cleaning and inspecting ring frames used in semiconductor wafer dicing processes are inefficient, relying on chemical-based methods that are environmentally unfriendly and economically unfeasible, and require manual inspection, which is time-consuming and lacks high-resolution detection capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical cleaning system using blades and wheel brushes to remove adhesive residues, combined with an automated optical inspection system for high-throughput and high-resolution detection of cleanness, eliminating the need for chemical cleaning and manual inspection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical cleaning methods using acid and alcohol are used, then tape residues are removed from ring frames, but environmental pollution increases and economic feasibility deteriorates due to large amounts of chemical waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical cleaning methods with a mechanical cleaning system consisting of a cleaning head with abrasive elements (such as abrasive pads or brushes) that mechanically remove adhesive residues from ring frames through friction and abrasion, eliminating the need for chemical solvents and their associated environmental harm
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cleaning mechanism from chemical dissolution to mechanical abrasion by using abrasive materials with specific grain sizes and hardness properties, transforming the cleaning process parameters from chemical concentration and contact time to mechanical force and abrasive characteristics
2Measurement precision
If manual inspection by human operators using optical instruments is performed, then residue detection is conducted, but inspection resolution and sampling rate are compromised due to time-resource trade-offs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual optical inspection with an automated optical inspection system that uses cameras or sensors to capture images of ring frames, processes the images through algorithms, and automatically detects residue particles, thereby eliminating human limitations in inspection speed and consistency while maintaining high resolution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates optical copies (images) of the ring frame surfaces and analyzes these copies digitally to detect residues, allowing multiple inspections to be performed rapidly without physical contact and enabling high-throughput processing while maintaining detailed inspection resolution
3Productivity
If manual inspection is performed at high sampling rates, then inspection throughput increases, but inspection resolution decreases due to time constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous automated inspection where the optical system continuously captures and processes images of ring frames as they pass through the system, maintaining both high throughput and consistent inspection resolution through uninterrupted automated operation rather than discrete manual inspections
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 mechanical cleaning and automated inspection system effectively removes adhesive residues and accurately determines the cleanness of ring frames, enhancing environmental sustainability, economic feasibility, and inspection efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an automated optical inspection system configured to determine the cleanness of the first and second surfaces of the ring frame after cleaning
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for cleaning and inspecting ring frames is disclosed here. In one embodiment, a ring frame processing system includes: a cleaning station configured to remove a first tape on a first surface of a ring frame using a first blade, clean first adhesive residues from the first tape on the first surface of the ring frame using a first wheel brush, and remove second adhesive residues from a second tape on a second surface of the ring frame using a second blade; and an inspection station, wherein the inspection station comprises an automated optical inspection system configured to determine the cleanness of the first and second surfaces of the ring frame after cleaning.