Wafer Carrier Structure for Probe Testing Thinned Substrates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Thinned semiconductor wafers are prone to breakage and warpage during testing due to probe pressure and handling, leading to incomplete testing and increased manufacturing costs, as existing methods struggle to effectively test wafers before they are fully thinned and feature-complete.
Innovation Solution
A substrate carrier system comprising a top ring and a bottom support that encloses the edge and entire second side of the substrate, allowing for secure mechanical coupling without bonding, and featuring openings for direct probe contact, enabling stable and complete electrical testing of thinned semiconductor wafers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If thinned semiconductor wafers are tested before full thinning and feature completion, then testing can be performed earlier in manufacturing, but the wafers are prone to breakage and warpage due to probe pressure and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a substrate carrier as an intermediary device between the probe station and the thinned wafer. The carrier provides mechanical support and stabilization to the wafer during testing, absorbing probe pressure and preventing direct transmission of stress to the fragile thinned wafer structure. This mediator enables early testing while maintaining wafer integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system is segmented into distinct functional components: the substrate carrier that provides mechanical support and the probe station that performs electrical testing. This segmentation allows the carrier to specialize in structural support while the probe station specializes in electrical measurement, resolving the conflict between early testing capability and wafer fragility.
2Reliability
If a substrate carrier system is introduced to prevent breakage, then wafer integrity is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate carrier utilizes a thin-film or flexible shell structure that provides sufficient mechanical support for wafer handling and testing while maintaining a low-profile design. This approach achieves wafer protection without introducing bulky or complex mechanical structures, minimizing the increase in device complexity.
3Strength
If the substrate carrier encloses the entire second side and edge of the substrate, then structural support is maximized, but the area available for probe contact is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate carrier is designed with spatially varying properties: the edges and second side provide maximum enclosure and support, while the first side maintains openings or reduced enclosure in specific regions to allow probe access. This local differentiation of structural quality enables both maximum support and adequate probe contact area.
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations of a substrate carrier may include: a top ring configured to enclose an edge of a first side of a substrate; and a bottom support configured to enclose an entire second side and an edge of the second side of the substrate.