Wafer Bonding Holder With Independent Fingers for Edge Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for bonding semiconductor wafers lack the precision needed for manufacturing high-performance, small-sized semiconductor devices at low costs, often resulting in inadequate bonding quality due to insufficient control over the bonding process.
Innovation Solution
A substrate bonding apparatus and method utilizing a substrate susceptor and holder with independently controlled holding fingers and a pressing finger to align and bond semiconductor wafers, allowing for precise control of the bonding process by maintaining contact and releasing the second substrate after spontaneous bonding propagation, ensuring edge alignment within 1 μm to 50 μm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional bonding methods are used, then the bonding process is simple, but the bonding precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder is divided into multiple independently controllable holding fingers that can be individually adjusted. This segmentation allows precise control over the positioning and bonding process, enabling high bonding precision while managing complexity through modular control of each finger segment
Solution Approach 2:
The holding fingers are designed to be dynamically adjustable during the bonding process. The fingers can be independently positioned and controlled to maintain optimal contact with the substrate throughout bonding, allowing the system to adapt to varying bonding requirements and achieve high precision without requiring an overly complex fixed structure
2Reliability
If holding fingers are released early, then the bonding process is faster, but the bonding quality deteriorates due to substrate distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The holding fingers maintain contact with the substrate edges throughout the entire bonding process, including during the critical spontaneous bonding propagation phase. This preliminary sustained holding action prevents substrate distortion before it can occur, ensuring high bonding quality without requiring extended process time
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors the bonding progression and maintains holding finger contact until bonding is sufficiently advanced. This feedback-based control ensures that holding is released at the optimal moment when bonding quality is achieved, balancing process time with reliability by avoiding both premature and unnecessarily prolonged holding
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple holding fingers are used, then the substrate control is better, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder uses multiple segmented holding fingers that can be independently controlled. Each finger acts as an independent control element, improving substrate positioning precision through distributed contact points while managing overall device complexity through modular design where each segment follows the same control pattern
Solution Approach 2:
Each holding finger is designed to perform multiple functions: supporting the substrate, positioning it precisely, and maintaining contact during bonding. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby improving substrate control capability without proportionally increasing device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate bonding apparatus includes a substrate susceptor to support a first substrate, a substrate holder over the substrate susceptor to hold a second substrate, the substrate holder including a plurality of independently moveable holding fingers, and a chamber housing to accommodate the substrate susceptor and the substrate holder.