Wafer Leveling Device Using Magnetic and Soft Material Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wafer leveling devices apply pressures on warped wafers using rigid components, causing stress and potential damage, and fail to effectively stabilize large or thinned wafers during manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A wafer leveling device comprising a claw component, a base component, a ring component, and a dynamic module with magnetic and bevel soft material auxiliary feed-in units, along with multiple motors for stable up/down movements, reduces stress and contact damage by using magnetic attraction and bevel soft materials, and employs a vacuum component for stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If rigid components are used to apply pressure on warped wafers, then the wafer can be leveled, but stress and potential damage are caused to the wafer surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible membrane component that can conform to the warped surface of the wafer. This membrane applies distributed pressure across the wafer surface rather than concentrated point pressure, effectively leveling the wafer while minimizing stress and preventing surface damage. The flexibility of the membrane allows it to adapt to various wafer warpage patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a controllable pressure application mechanism that can adjust the magnitude and distribution of force applied to the wafer. By dynamically changing pressure parameters, the system can effectively level wafers with different degrees of warpage while maintaining stress within safe limits to prevent damage.
2Reliability
If conventional leveling devices are used, then some pressure can be applied to the wafer, but large or thinned wafers cannot be effectively stabilized during manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a multi-component fixture system that can accommodate various wafer sizes and thicknesses. The adjustable support structure and flexible membrane work together to provide stable support for both large/thinned wafers and conventional wafers, making the device universally applicable across different wafer types while maintaining reliable stabilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The leveling device is divided into multiple independent components including support elements, a flexible membrane, and adjustable fixtures. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for specific functions and enables the system to adapt to different wafer configurations, particularly benefiting large or thinned wafers that require distributed support.
3Manufacturing precision
If magnetic components are not used, then the device structure is simpler, but wafer shifts during leveling cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates magnetic components that utilize magnetic attraction forces to hold and position the wafer during the leveling process. This magnetic positioning system replaces or supplements mechanical clamping mechanisms, providing precise wafer positioning without physical contact that could cause shifts, while adding only minimal complexity to the overall device structure.
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 device minimizes stress on the wafer surface, prevents damage, and reduces shifts during leveling, ensuring stable and precise wafer positioning throughout the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
the ring component comprises at least a first positioning magnetic unit which magnetically attracts at least a second positioning magnetic unit at the base component
Implementation Method 2
employs a vacuum component for stabilization
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a wafer leveling device which comprises a carrier module, a fixture module and a dynamic module. A wafer, which is conveyed to and stays above a claw component of the carrier module by a robotic arm, is further carried by the lifted claw component for a continuous ascent until the wafer is contacted by a ring component of the fixture module; the clamp component of the fixture module releases the ring component; the claw component, the ring component and the wafer, all of which keep stabilized mutual positions, are lowered so that several protrudent structures on a base component of the carrier module contact the wafer; the claw component, the ring component and the wafer which completes a manufacturing process are lifted; the carrier module and the wafer are lowered with the clamp components stabilizing the ring component.