Wafer Stack Deposition Electrode for Beveled Gap Filling

Solution Overview

Problem

The presence of lateral gaps between beveled edges of wafers in stacked-wafer assemblies leads to mechanical robustness issues, increasing manufacturing inefficiencies and defect likelihood due to multi-step processes like trimming and grinding, which can cause trim-loss, trim wall exposure, and trim peeling.

Innovation Solution

A deposition tool with an electrode protrusion generates an enhanced electromagnetic field to deposit a supporting fill material between beveled regions, improving the robustness of the stacked-wafer assembly by reducing the need for additional manufacturing steps and defects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If multi-step processes like trimming and grinding are used to address lateral gaps, then mechanical robustness issues are addressed, but manufacturing efficiency decreases and defect likelihood increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical robustnessVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by depositing a fill material into the lateral gaps between beveled edges before the trimming and grinding operations. This pre-filling of gaps provides mechanical support that prevents defects during subsequent processing, thereby maintaining manufacturing efficiency while addressing robustness issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a fill material as an intermediary substance that is deposited into the lateral gaps. This intermediary material acts as a mediator between the beveled edges, providing mechanical support and preventing the harmful effects of gap-related defects during trimming and grinding operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If multi-step processes like trimming and grinding are used to address lateral gaps, then mechanical robustness issues are addressed, but defect likelihood increases due to trim-loss, trim wall exposure, and trim peeling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical robustnessVSAvoiddefect likelihood

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by depositing a fill material into the lateral gaps between beveled edges before the trimming and grinding operations. This pre-filling of gaps provides mechanical support that prevents defects during subsequent processing, thereby maintaining manufacturing efficiency while addressing robustness issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a fill material as an intermediary substance that is deposited into the lateral gaps. This intermediary material acts as a mediator between the beveled edges, providing mechanical support and preventing the harmful effects of gap-related defects during trimming and grinding operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If additional manufacturing steps are added to address lateral gaps, then mechanical robustness is improved, but resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical robustnessVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the gap-filling function with the existing deposition tool and process. By integrating the fill material deposition into the lateral gaps, the invention combines multiple functions (gap filling, mechanical support provision) into a single deposition step, avoiding the need for separate additional manufacturing steps and reducing overall resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enhances manufacturing efficiency by minimizing resource consumption and defect likelihood, ensuring higher quality and reliability of the wafer-on-wafer products through fewer manufacturing tools and computing resources.

Implementation Method 1

an electrode component that is adjacent to the insulator component and that includes a protrusion, where the protrusion extends into a region vertically above a top surface of the semiconductor substrate support component and vertically below a bottom surface of the insulator component, and where the protrusion is configured to generate an approximately lateral electromagnetic field between the protrusion and a stack of two or more semiconductor substrates positioned on the semiconductor substrate support component

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic field: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS20260078492A1Semiconductor processing tool and methods of operation

Publication Date: 2026.03.19 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

Some implementations described herein include systems and techniques for fabricating a wafer-on-wafer product using a filled lateral gap between beveled regions of wafers included in a stacked-wafer assembly and along a perimeter region of the stacked-wafer assembly. The systems and techniques include a deposition tool having an electrode with a protrusion that enhances an electromagnetic field along the perimeter region of the stacked-wafer assembly during a deposition operation performed by the deposition tool. Relative to an electromagnetic field generated by a deposition tool not including the electrode with the protrusion, the enhanced electromagnetic field improves the deposition operation so that a supporting fill material may be sufficiently deposited.