Wafer Coating System Using Tilting Pin for Uniform Epoxy Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge in semiconductor chip packaging lies in forming a uniform isolation layer, as traditional oxide materials are expensive and time-consuming to deposit, while epoxy materials used as alternatives are prone to aggregation due to gravity, leading to non-uniform layers and reduced yield.

Innovation Solution

A wafer coating system that includes a wafer chuck, a flowing insulating material sprayer, and a tilting lifting pin to form an acute angle between the wafer and gravity, ensuring uniform distribution of photosensitive epoxy material, which is then cured to create a consistent isolation layer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If oxide material is used to prepare isolation layer, then insulating property is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and process time extends

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsulating propertyVSAvoidprocess efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive oxide materials with epoxy material that can be applied as a disposable coating layer. The epoxy material achieves sufficient insulating properties for chip packaging without requiring complex deposition processes, thereby reducing both material cost and process time while maintaining functional requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes complex oxide deposition processes with a simpler epoxy coating and curing process. Instead of using sophisticated physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition equipment to deposit oxide layers, the invention uses straightforward epoxy application followed by UV curing, dramatically simplifying the manufacturing system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If epoxy material is used to prepare isolation layer, then process efficiency is improved, but uniformity of isolation layer deteriorates due to material aggregation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess efficiencyVSAvoiduniformity of isolation layer

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a wafer tilting mechanism that dynamically adjusts the wafer orientation during epoxy coating. By tilting the wafer at a specific angle (e.g., 5-15 degrees), gravity is utilized to promote uniform epoxy flow across the wafer surface and into through-holes, preventing aggregation and ensuring consistent coating thickness throughout the packaging structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameters of the coating process by controlling wafer tilt angle, epoxy viscosity, and curing conditions. By optimizing these parameters, the epoxy material flows uniformly during application and maintains consistent thickness, achieving both high productivity and manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If epoxy material is applied horizontally, then application process is simplified, but material aggregation occurs due to gravity, reducing chip package yield

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication process simplicityVSAvoidchip package yield

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamic tilting mechanism that adjusts wafer orientation during the epoxy application process. By tilting the wafer at a controlled angle, the system maintains simplicity in the application process while using gravity to guide epoxy flow into through-holes and across the surface, preventing aggregation and ensuring uniform coverage that maintains high chip package yield.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

This method effectively prevents aggregation of the insulating material, maintains excellent insulating properties, and increases the yield of chip packages by ensuring uniform thickness across the wafer surfaces and through holes, reducing the risk of undercut profiles and disconnection of conductive layers.

Implementation Method 1

the wafer tilting lifting pin is configured to form a first acute angle between the wafer and direction of gravity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

the flowing insulating material is a photosensitive epoxy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotopolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS10388541B2Wafer coating system and method of manufacturing chip package

Publication Date: 2019.08.20 XINTEC INC

AI summary

A wafer coating system includes a wafer chuck, a flowing insulating material sprayer and a wafer tilting lifting pin. The wafer chuck has a carrier part and a rotating part, which the carrier part is mounted on the rotating part to carry a wafer, and the rotating part is configured to rotate with a predetermined axis. The flowing insulating material sprayer is above the wafer chuck and configured to spray a flowing insulating material to the wafer, and the wafer tilting lifting pin is configured to form a first acute angle between the wafer and direction of gravity.