Dry Etching Nozzle for Bonded Wafer Periphery Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for removing the periphery of a thin film from bonded wafers using ion implantation delamination methods face challenges such as reduced bonding strength, uneven surface geometry, and the generation of particles due to breakage and corrosion, with existing techniques like wet etching and polishing being inefficient and prone to contamination.
Innovation Solution
A method involving dry etching with a nozzle that adjusts the inner diameter of the gas-jetting port and the distance between the nozzle and the thin film surface is employed to reproducibly and effectively remove the thin-film periphery, maintaining film thickness uniformity and preventing degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If wet etching is used to remove the periphery of the thin film, then the periphery can be removed, but masking is required which causes scratches or impurity contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wet etching (chemical process requiring masking) with dry etching using a nozzle system. The dry etching process uses a jet of etching gas to directly remove the thin film periphery without requiring contact masks, thereby eliminating scratches and impurity contamination from mask application and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic delivery of etching gas through a nozzle to achieve periphery removal. The etching gas is jetted onto the thin film surface in a controlled manner, allowing precise periphery removal without mechanical contact or masking operations.
2Manufacturing precision
If polishing is used to remove the periphery of the thin film, then the periphery can be removed, but the removal width cannot be reproducibly obtained due to irregular touch from polishing pad changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical polishing with a dry etching process using a jet of etching gas. This substitution eliminates the variability introduced by polishing pad wear and irregular touch, as the gas jet delivers consistent etching action that can be precisely controlled and reproduced across different production batches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the etching process by adjusting parameters such as gas flow rate, nozzle-to-surface distance, and etching gas composition. These parameter changes allow precise control of removal width and ensure reproducible results, unlike polishing where pad condition varies over time.
3Strength
If the periphery of the thin film is not removed, then the bonding strength is maintained, but surface geometry becomes uneven and particles are generated due to breakage and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes only the peripheral portion of the thin film while preserving the main body. This selective removal eliminates the source of particles (uneven surface geometry, breakage, and corrosion at the periphery) while maintaining the bonding strength of the intact thin film in the device fabrication area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different treatment to different regions of the thin film: the periphery is removed to eliminate particle generation, while the central area is preserved to maintain bonding strength. This local differentiation of quality and function resolves the contradiction between strength and particle generation.
4Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods are used to remove the thin-film periphery, then the periphery can be removed, but the process is complex and requires masking formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex masking process with a direct dry etching approach using a nozzle. The etching gas jet can be directed precisely at the periphery region, eliminating the need for mask formation, alignment, and removal steps, thereby significantly simplifying the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the periphery removal function from the complex masking process. By using a nozzle to deliver etching gas directly to the target area, the process eliminates the intermediate masking step while achieving the same periphery removal objective with greater simplicity.
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 approach allows for easy and reproducible removal of the thin-film periphery with minimal quality degradation, reducing particle generation and enhancing the uniformity and stability of the thin film's geometry, even for ultra-thin films less than 1 μm thick.
Implementation Method 1
the thin-film periphery removal step after the delamination step is performed by dry etching that supplies an etching gas from a nozzle
Implementation Method 2
adjusting an inner diameter of a gas-jetting port of the nozzle, and a distance between the gas jetting-port of the nozzle and a surface of the thin film
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for manufacturing a bonded wafer by an ion implantation delamination method, including bonding a base wafer with a bond wafer having a microbubble layer formed by ion implantation, delaminating the wafers along the micro bubble layer as a boundary, and removing a periphery of a thin film formed on the base wafer by the delamination. The removal step is performed by dry etching that supplies an etching gas from a nozzle, and the dry etching is performed by adjusting an inner diameter of the gas-jetting port of the nozzle, and a distance between the gas-jetting port of the nozzle and a surface of the thin film.