Insulating Substrate Metal Smoothing After Semiconductor Thinning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor components, particularly optoelectronic chips, face challenges in achieving a smooth second main surface after thinning, leading to roughness exceeding 300 nm, which affects adhesion and heat transfer during the processing and singulation stages.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the application of a smoothing metal layer over the thinned second main surface of an insulating substrate, followed by smoothing and potentially using this layer as a contact metal layer for electrical connection, to reduce surface roughness and improve processing outcomes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the insulating substrate is thinned to reduce thickness, then the substrate thickness is reduced, but the surface roughness increases to more than 300 nm
Solution Approach 1:
A smoothing metal layer is applied as an intermediary between the thinned insulating substrate and subsequent processing steps. This metal layer serves as a mediator that provides a smooth surface for adhesion and heat transfer while allowing the substrate to remain thinned, thus resolving the contradiction between reduced thickness and maintained surface smoothness
Solution Approach 2:
The surface roughness parameter is changed by depositing a metal layer that can be smoothed to a lower roughness value. The metal layer's surface roughness is controlled to be less than that of the thinned substrate, transforming the surface quality parameter without changing the substrate thickness
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional smoothing processes are applied to the thinned substrate, then surface roughness is reduced, but novel complex processes are required increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The metal layer acts as an intermediary that simplifies the smoothing task. Instead of applying complex smoothing processes directly to the substrate, the metal layer is deposited and then smoothed using standard, well-established metal smoothing techniques, reducing process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The smoothing metal layer can be considered a disposable intermediate layer that is applied, smoothed, and then can be removed or used as the final smooth surface. This approach uses a simple, easily processed material rather than complex substrate modification processes
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 method effectively reduces the roughness of the smoothing metal layer's surface, enhancing adhesion and heat transfer, while avoiding the need for novel smoothing processes and minimizing costs by utilizing metals with better smoothability than the substrate material.
Implementation Method 1
applying a smoothing metal layer over the second main surface of the insulating substrate
Implementation Method 2
smoothing the smoothing metal layer
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a semiconductor component may include applying a semiconductor chip over a first main surface of an insulating substrate, thinning a second main surface of the insulating substrate where the second main surface has a roughness of more than 300 nm after thinning, applying a smoothing metal layer over the second main surface of the insulating substrate, and smoothing the smoothing metal layer. A semiconductor component may include a semiconductor chip, an insulating substrate where the semiconductor chip is arranged over a first main surface of the insulating substrate and a second main surface of the insulating substrate has a roughness Ra of more than 300 nm, and a smoothing metal layer over the second main surface.