Substrate Protective Film Mounting for Unobstructed Two-Sided Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for processing substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, face challenges with the interference of holding frames with processing equipment and the risk of damage due to adhesive residues during handling and transport, leading to complex and space-consuming processing procedures.
Innovation Solution
A method where the holding frame is attached to the back surface of a protective film, allowing the substrate to be processed from either side without interference, eliminating the need for clamping and reducing the risk of adhesive-related damage, using a protective film that adheres directly to the substrate without adhesives and a holding frame that does not obstruct processing equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the holding frame is attached to the protective film on the same side as the substrate, then the substrate and holding frame can be securely held together, but the holding frame obstructs access to the substrate by processing equipment and interferes with substrate processing
Solution Approach 1:
The holding frame is moved from the front surface dimension to the back surface dimension of the protective film. By attaching the holding frame to the back surface of the protective film while the substrate is attached to the front surface, the frame no longer obstructs access to the substrate from the front, eliminating interference with processing equipment while maintaining secure holding through the protective film's adhesive properties.
2Ease of operation
If the holding frame is clamped down to move it away from the substrate surface, then interference with processing is reduced, but the clamp down mechanism is space consuming and renders substrate processing more cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The holding frame is extracted from the front surface position and relocated to the back surface of the protective film. This removal from the processing area eliminates the need for clamp down mechanisms entirely, as the frame naturally stays away from the substrate surface through its attachment to the protective film's back surface, simplifying the processing procedure and reducing space requirements.
3Strength
If adhesive is used to attach the holding frame to the protective film, then the frame can be securely held, but adhesive residues may damage or contaminate the frame during detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The protective film is designed as a disposable component that is attached to the substrate and then discarded after use. The holding frame is attached to the back surface of this disposable protective film, allowing secure attachment during processing without concern for adhesive residues damaging the frame, since the protective film itself is discarded rather than reused.
4Ease of operation
If a large portion of protective film is present between the frame and substrate for clamping down, then sufficient clamping is enabled, but a frame with large inner diameter is required, aggravating space consumption
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of clamping the holding frame down from the front surface onto the substrate, the approach is inverted by attaching the holding frame to the back surface of the protective film. This inversion eliminates the need for extensive protective film area for clamping purposes, allowing the use of frames with smaller inner diameters and reducing overall space consumption while maintaining effective holding capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side is processed by providing a protective film having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface and providing a holding frame for holding the substrate. The holding frame has a central opening. The holding frame is attached to the back surface of the protective film so as to close the central opening of the holding frame by the protective film, and the first side of the substrate or the second side of the substrate is attached to the front surface of the protective film. The substrate is processed from the side of the substrate which is opposite the side of the substrate attached to the front surface of the protective film, and/or the side of the substrate which is attached to the front surface of the protective film.