Wafer Expander Structure for Uniform Die Gap Expansion
Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing, dies with large aspect ratios present challenges in uniformly expanding gaps between them, leading to insufficient and non-uniform gaps during the die separation process.
Innovation Solution
A wafer expander system comprising a wafer ring, an expander ring that can ascend or descend, and a base ring with liftable portions, which supports the dicing tape and expands gaps between dies uniformly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional wafer expander is used to expand gaps between dies, then the expansion process is simple, but the gaps between dies are not uniform especially for dies with large aspect ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The base ring is divided into multiple independent lifting portions (first lifting portion, second lifting portion, third lifting portion, fourth lifting portion) that can be controlled separately. Each lifting portion corresponds to a specific region of the dicing tape and can be raised or lowered independently to achieve uniform gap expansion across different areas, particularly addressing the non-uniform expansion problem for dies with large aspect ratios.
Solution Approach 2:
The wafer expander employs dynamic control of the base ring lifting portions through a lifting device that can adjust the height of each portion independently. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to adapt to different die configurations and achieve uniform gap expansion by selectively raising or lowering specific portions of the base ring during the expansion process.
2Manufacturing precision
If the base ring is made fully liftable to improve gap uniformity, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different lifting portions of the base ring are designed to be controllable independently, allowing local adjustment of the dicing tape height in specific regions. This local quality control enables precise gap uniformity adjustment in areas where dies have large aspect ratios without requiring complex control of the entire base ring, simplifying the overall control mechanism while maintaining high precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a wafer expander for uniformly expanding gaps between dies, and a die supplying module and die bonding equipment including the same. The wafer expander, for supporting a dicing tape to which a plurality of dies are attached and for expanding gaps between the plurality of dies, includes an expander ring detachably coupled to a wafer ring that fixes an edge of the dicing tape, and configured to ascend and descend, and a base ring supporting a bottom side of the dicing tape, and at least a portion thereof is configured to ascend and descend.