Semiconductor Substrate Bonding with Fiducial-Based Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of manufacturing stacked semiconductor devices is increased due to the involvement of different materials and components, leading to challenges in alignment and integration, which affects manufacturing efficiency and device performance.
Innovation Solution
A bonding system is employed that uses a gauging component with a fiducial pattern and multiple sensors to enhance alignment accuracy, allowing precise positioning of semiconductor substrates during the bonding process, thereby improving alignment and reducing manufacturing defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple semiconductor wafers with different materials are stacked to form 3DICs, then device performance and integration density are improved, but manufacturing complexity and alignment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment marks are pre-formed on the semiconductor wafers before stacking, and fiducial patterns are embedded in the bonding apparatus. This preliminary preparation enables automated optical systems to perform precise alignment during bonding without adding complex manual alignment procedures, thus improving integration density while managing manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual or mechanical alignment methods with an automated optical alignment system that uses optical sensors to detect alignment marks and fiducial patterns. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical alignment mechanisms and enables precise positioning of multiple wafers with different materials, resolving the contradiction between integration density and manufacturing complexity
2Manufacturing precision
If alignment accuracy is improved using gauging components and sensors, then manufacturing defects are reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical copying by forming images of alignment marks and fiducial patterns using optical sensors. This optical copying method provides precise alignment information without requiring physical contact or complex mechanical measurement systems, thereby improving manufacturing precision while minimizing the increase in system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding apparatus is designed with multi-functional capabilities: it can perform both the bonding process and the alignment measurement functions using integrated optical sensors and fiducial patterns. This universality allows a single system to achieve high alignment accuracy without requiring separate complex alignment equipment, thus reducing manufacturing defects while controlling system complexity
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 high alignment accuracy, reducing manufacturing defects and enabling the formation of finer pitch redistribution structures, which enhances device performance and scalability.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor facing towards the gauging component for detecting a position of the first semiconductor substrate
Implementation Method 2
a first sensor facing towards the gauging component for detecting a position of the first semiconductor substrate
Implementation Method 3
The second semiconductor substrate is bonded to the first semiconductor substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for bonding semiconductor substrates includes a first support including a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, a second support disposed below the first support and including a third side facing the first side of the first support, and a gauging component embedded in the second side of the first support and including a surface on which a fiducial pattern is disposed. A first semiconductor substrate is configured to be held on the first side of the first support and a second semiconductor substrate is configured to be held on the third side of the second support and bonded to the first semiconductor substrate.