Rotating Mounting Drum for Uniform 3D Sputter Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sputtering apparatuses for semiconductor packages suffer from low step coverage and non-uniform thin film deposition due to their inline deposition method, particularly affecting the lateral surfaces, which are deposited based on the thinnest film thickness among multiple sides, resulting in less than 40% uniformity.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable mounting drum system where three-dimensional objects are mounted to face source targets, allowing for a rotatable deposition process that ensures uniform metal film coverage on multiple surfaces, including a jig structure with holding slots for stable mounting and adhesive film attachment, and optional ion-beam preprocessing for surface preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an inline sputtering deposition system is used to deposit thin films on semiconductor packages, then the deposition process can be performed while passing through process modules in a straight line, but the thickness of the thin film deposited on the lateral surface is below 40% of the thickness deposited on the top surface, resulting in poor step coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a rotatable mounting drum that rotates during the sputtering deposition process, allowing the semiconductor package to be dynamically repositioned. This rotation enables all five surfaces (top and four lateral surfaces) to face the target sequentially, ensuring uniform film thickness distribution across all surfaces while maintaining continuous deposition efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a linear inline deposition approach to a rotational three-dimensional deposition approach. By rotating the mounting drum, the system adds a temporal dimension to the deposition process, allowing different surfaces to be exposed to the target at different times, thereby achieving uniform coverage on complex three-dimensional package structures
2Device complexity
If a conventional sputtering apparatus uses a downward deposition method with inline carrying, then the process can be simplified, but it is hard to secure uniformity of the thin film because the step coverage is not higher than 40%
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting drum rotation mechanism dynamically adjusts which surface of the semiconductor package faces the target during deposition. This simple rotational motion ensures that all five surfaces receive equivalent deposition exposure, achieving uniform film thickness without complex multi-axis positioning or multiple deposition passes
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 system achieves improved uniformity and quality of metal film deposition on three-dimensional objects, particularly enhancing EMI shielding films on semiconductor IC packages with uniform thickness across all surfaces, increasing production efficiency and film quality.
Implementation Method 1
at least one source target depositing a film, preferably a metal film, onto the surface of the three-dimensional object mounted to the mounting drum by sputtering
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates to an apparatus for depositing a metal film on a surface of a three-dimensional object, and more particularly to an apparatus for depositing a metal film on a surface of a three-dimensional object, in which a plurality of three-dimensional objects are mounted to a mounting drum so that their three-dimensional surfaces to be subjected to deposition can face toward source targets, and the mounting drum is rotatable, thereby depositing a three-dimensional metal film with improved uniformity and quality on the three-dimensional surface of the three-dimensional object. The apparatus according to the disclosure includes a mounting drum rotatably disposed inside a chamber and having a circumferential surface onto which a plurality of three-dimensional objects is settled and mounted making each surface thereof to be subjected to deposition be exposed to an outside; and at least one source target depositing a metal film onto the surface of the three-dimensional object mounted to the mounting drum by sputtering.