Semiconductor Die Carrier Removal via Encapsulant Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods face difficulties in removing carriers from wafers with thin thickness without damaging the wafer, and often require individual removal from each semiconductor die after wafer division, which is inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device and manufacturing method where a carrier is temporarily adhered to a semiconductor die, and after stacking with another die, an encapsulant is formed to facilitate easy carrier removal, allowing for efficient separation before individual die singulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a carrier is used to adhere to and fix the wafer during manufacturing, then the wafer is protected from damage, but the carrier becomes difficult to remove from thin wafers without causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming an encapsulant layer around the semiconductor devices on the wafer before removing the carrier. This encapsulant layer provides structural support to the thin wafer, enabling safe carrier removal. The encapsulant is formed by dispensing encapsulant material and curing it, creating a protective structure that allows subsequent carrier separation without damaging the thin wafer or devices.
2Ease of operation
If the wafer is divided into individual semiconductor die before carrier removal, then each die can be processed separately, but the carrier must be removed one by one from each die which is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the opposite sequence by forming the encapsulant layer and removing the carrier from the entire wafer before dicing into individual die. This preliminary encapsulation provides structural support that enables bulk carrier removal from the entire wafer at once, rather than requiring sequential removal from each individual die after separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional sequence of operations. Instead of dividing the wafer into individual die first and then removing carriers from each die separately, the method forms the encapsulant layer, removes the carrier from the entire wafer as a unit, and then dices the wafer into individual semiconductor devices. This inversion dramatically improves productivity by enabling batch carrier removal.
3Length of moving object
If the wafer thickness is reduced for miniaturization, then device size is decreased, but the wafer becomes more susceptible to damage during carrier removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an encapsulant layer as an intermediary structure between the thin wafer and the external environment. This encapsulant layer acts as a mediator that provides mechanical support and protection to the thin wafer during carrier removal and subsequent handling. The encapsulant material surrounds and supports the semiconductor devices, distributing stresses and preventing wafer breakage despite reduced wafer thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The encapsulant layer is formed in advance before carrier removal, providing preliminary structural reinforcement to the thin wafer. This preliminary encapsulation creates a protective framework that enables safe manipulation and carrier separation from thin wafers that would otherwise be too fragile to handle.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. A carrier is removed after a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die are stacked on each other, and then a first encapsulant is formed, so that the carrier may be easily removed when compared to approaches in which a carrier is removed from a wafer having a thin thickness.