• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
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    • 专利摘要:
    An industrially-suitable method of handling precisely aligned and centered semiconductor wafer pairs for wafer-to-wafer alignment and bonding applications includes an end effector having a frame member and a floating support integral with the frame member with one therebetween Gap is connected, wherein the floating support has a semi-circular inner peripheral edge. The centered semiconductor wafer pairs are positionable using the end effector under robotic control within a processing system. The centered semiconductor wafer pairs are bonded together without the presence of the end effector in the bonding device.
    公开号:AT517254A2
    申请号:T50442/2016
    申请日:2016-05-13
    公开日:2016-12-15
    发明作者:
    申请人:Suss Microtec Lithography Gmbh；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    The present disclosure relates to a method for handling aligned wafer pairs, in particular by means of an end effector adapted to support aligned semiconductor wafer pairs with precision designed for wafer-to-wafer bonding applications.
    Wafer-to-wafer (W2W) bonding is used in a wide variety of ways
    Semiconductor process applications used to form semiconductor devices. Examples of semiconductor process applications where wafer-to-wafer bonding is used include substrate engineering and integrated circuit fabrication, packaging and encapsulation of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and stacking of many processed layers (3D integration) of pure microelectronics. W2W bonding involves aligning the surfaces of two or more wafers, transporting the aligned wafers into a wafer bonding chamber, contacting the wafer surfaces, and forming a strong bonding interface therebetween. The overall process yield and manufacturing cost of the semiconductor devices produced in this manner, and ultimately the cost of the electronic products incorporating these devices, are highly dependent on the quality of wafer-to-wafer bonding. The quality of W2W bonding depends on the accuracy of wafer alignment, wafer alignment during transport and bonding, and the uniformity and integrity of bond strength at wafer bond interfaces. In addition, care must be taken during transportation, positioning, centering and alignment of the wafers to avoid fractures, surface damage or warping of the wafers.
    FIG. 1A shows a diagram of a conventional transport jig used to transport aligned wafers from an aligner to a bonder, according to the prior art. Conventionally, a wafer pair 18 is aligned in an aligner station 50, and the aligned wafer pair 18 is secured on a transport chuck 24, as shown in FIG. 1A. The transport chuck 24 carries the aligned wafer pair 18 to the bonding station 60 and to all other processing stations. A prior art transport jig 24 is described in U.S. Patent No. 7,948,034, issued May 24, 2011, entitled "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEMICONDUCTOR BONDING," the contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference , FIG. 2A shows the conventional transport clamping device of FIG. 1A and, as described with reference to FIG. 3, according to the prior art, and FIG. FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the clamping assemblies of the conventional transporting jig of FIG. 2A according to the prior art. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the loading of an aligned wafer pair into a bonding chamber using a conventional prior art transport chuck. FIG. We turn first to FIG. 3, where a conventional transport chuck 24 is sized to hold an aligned wafer pair (not shown), and a transport 16 is used to move the transport chuck 24 and the aligned wafer pair into and out of the bonding chamber 12. In one example, the transport device 16 is a transport arm or slider that is automated or otherwise manually operated.
    As shown in Fig. 2A, the transport chuck 24 is a circular ring 280, often made of titanium, having three tabs 280a, 280b, 280c symmetrically spaced about the circular ring 280 and serving as support points for a base wafer. Near each of the three lobes 280a, 280b, 280c, three spacer and clamp assemblies 282a, 282b, 282c are symmetrically disposed at the peripheral edge of the circular ring at a pitch of 120 degrees each. Each spacer and clamp assembly 282a, 282b, 282c includes a spacer 284 and a clip 286. The spacer 284 is configured to set two wafers at a predetermined distance. Spacers of different thicknesses can be selected to set different distances between the two wafers. After the spacers are pushed between the wafers, the clamp 286 is tightened to lock the position of the two wafers. The clamp 286 may be a single structure, or may include a linkage that moves downwardly to contact an upper wafer and hold it in position on the transport chuck 24. Each spacer 284 and each clamp 286 are independently activated by linear actuators 283 and 285, respectively. For the bonding process, two aligned wafers are placed in the carrier chuck 24 and are spaced apart with spacers 284 and then clamped with clamps 286. The jig with the clamped wafers is inserted into the bonding chamber 12, and then the individual clamps 286 are released one by one, and the spacers 284 are removed. After all spacers 284 have been removed, the two wafers are overlaid with a pneumatically controlled center pin. Then, a force column is applied to facilitate the bonding process in the bonding apparatus 12 during the entire high-temperature bonding process.
    It is known in the industry that the transport chucks 24 may be heavy and difficult to handle for the transport device 16 or a robot. Furthermore, the transport chucks 24 remain in the bonding apparatus 12 throughout the duration of the bonding process after being positioned within the bonding apparatus 12 such that the transport chucks 24 are exposed to temperatures of up to 550 ° C and chamber gases and / or pressures in a bonding environment which may prevail within the bonding device 12. Specifically, the transport chuck 24 may be positioned at a position a few millimeters from an outer periphery of a heated chuck of the bonding apparatus 12 for an hour or more, so that the
    Transport tensioning device 24 is very hot. These conditions put tremendous stress on the transport chucks 24, and in particular the complicated mechanism of the spacers 284 and clamps 286. As a result, the transport chucks 24 become unreliable over time and require extensive maintenance including a delicate adjustment of the mechanism, which is expensive and a considerable amount of time.
    In other implementations, the aligned wafer pair is temporarily bonded and the temporarily bonded wafer pair is transported to the bonding station and all other processing stations. Temporary bonding of the wafers may be used to minimize alignment shift errors during processing. In the temporary wafer bonding techniques, the centers or edges of the wafers are alliased with a laser beam, the centers or edges of the wafers are bonded with a temporary tack adhesive, and the centers or edges of the wafers are hybrid bonded. The bonded pair of wafers are then transported to the bonding device by a transport chuck or similar conventional transporting device. The laser bonding techniques require at least one laser-transparent wafer, and the adhesive bonding techniques can contribute to the contamination of the wafer surfaces.
    Accordingly, in view of the above-mentioned shortcomings and deficiencies, it is desirable to have an industrial manufacturing device for handling precisely aligned and centered semiconductor wafer pairs for high throughput wafer-to-wafer bonding applications and the ability to handle all types of wafers without to provide the entrainment of impurities.
    Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for handling wafers, particularly by means of an end effector device. In short, an embodiment of the system may be implemented with, inter alia, the following architecture. The end effector device has a frame member and a floating support connected to the frame member with a gap formed therebetween, the floating support having a semicircular inner peripheral edge. A plurality of suction cups are connected to the floating support, each of the plurality of suction cups being inwardly of the semicircular
    Inner peripheral edge of the floating support extends.
    The present disclosure can also be seen to provide a method for arranging aligned wafer pairs in a processing device. In short, the architecture of one embodiment of the system may be implemented, inter alia, as follows. An end effector has a frame member and a floating carrier for transporting wafers in spaced apart orientation, the floating carrier being movably connected to the frame member. A robotic arm is connected to the end effector. A processing apparatus has a processing chamber, wherein the frame member and the floating carrier are positioned within the processing chamber, and wherein the floating carrier is decoupled from the frame member.
    The present disclosure can also be seen to provide a method for arranging aligned wafer pairs in a processing device. In short, the architecture of one embodiment of the system may be implemented, inter alia, as follows. An end effector has a frame member and a floating support, wherein the floating support is movably connected to the frame member and wherein a plurality of clamp spacer assemblies are connected to the frame member and / or to the floating support to support wafers in spaced alignment. A robotic arm is connected to the end effector. A bonding device has a bonding chamber, wherein the
    Frame member and the floating support are positioned before a bonding process within the bonding chamber and removed from the bonding chamber during the bonding process.
    The present disclosure can also be seen to provide methods for arranging aligned wafers in a bonding apparatus. In this regard, one embodiment of such a method may be generally summarized, inter alia, by the following steps: securing wafers in spaced alignment with an end effector having a frame member and a floating support movably connected to the frame member; Using a robot to move the end effector, thereby moving the wafers into a bonding chamber of a bonder; Unloading the wafers from the end effector; Moving out the end effector from the bonding chamber and bonding the wafers.
    Those skilled in the art will be aware of other systems, features and advantages of the present disclosure from a study of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such further systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be within the scope of the accompanying claims.
    Many aspects of the disclosure will be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale; rather, a clear illustration of the principles of the present disclosure is given. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numbers always designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. FIG. Figure 1A is a diagram of a conventional prior art transport chuck used to transport aligned wafers from an aligner to a bonder; FIG. FIG. 1B is a diagram of a transport apparatus and method according to a first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure used to transport aligned wafers from an aligner to a bonder; FIG. FIG. 2A shows the conventional transport clamping device of FIG. 1A and as shown in Fig. 3, according to the prior art; FIG. FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the clamping assemblies of the conventional transporting jig of FIG. 2A according to the prior art; FIG. Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of the loading of an aligned wafer pair into a bonding chamber using a conventional prior art transport chuck apparatus; FIG. FIG. 4 illustrates an end effector used to transport aligned wafers into and out of the processing chambers according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. FIG. 5 shows a top view of the end effector of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of the end effector of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. FIG. 7 shows a partially transparent bottom view of the end effector of FIG. 4 holding a pair of aligned wafers according to the first example
    Embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 8A shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the end effector of FIG. 4 holding a pair of aligned wafers according to the first example
    Embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 8B shows a cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 8C shows a cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 8D shows a cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 4, which is positioned in a storage station, according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 9 shows a bottom view of the adjustable suction cup end effector for holding wafers of various sizes according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIGURES 10A-10B depict the end effector in use with a robotic arm according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 11A-FIG. 11H schematically illustrate the steps of unloading an aligned wafer pair from an aligner with the end effector of FIG. 4 according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 12 is a diagram of a wafer aligner according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIGURES 13A-13I schematically illustrate the steps of loading an aligned wafer pair into a bonder with the end effector of FIG. 4 according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 14 shows the loading of an aligned wafer pair into a bonder with the end effector of FIG. 4 according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 15A is a schematic view of pinning two wafers using a single center pin according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 15B is a schematic view of pinching two wafers by means of a center pin and an eccentric anti-rotation pin according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 15C shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers using three circumferentially extending pins according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 16 is a diagram of an exemplary wafer embossing according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIG. 17 is a diagram of an exemplary bonder spacer tab mechanism used with a wafer bonder according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; FIGURES 18A-18B are diagrams of an example of a pin according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; and FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method of arranging aligned wafers in a bonding apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.
    The present disclosure provides an industrial-grade apparatus for handling precisely aligned and centered semiconductor wafer pairs for high throughput wafer-to-wafer alignment and bonding applications. The device has an end effector attached to the end of a robotic arm. The end effector is configured to hold and align an aligned pair of wafers in and out of the various processing stations without changing the wafer-to-wafer orientation and without introducing contaminants. FIG. 1B shows a diagram of a transport apparatus and method according to a first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure used to transport aligned wafers 20, 30 from an aligner to a bonder. As shown in FIG. 1B, an end effector 100 is attached to a robotic arm 80 and configured to move into and out of an alignment device 300 and into a separate or separate bonding station 400 having a bonding device , A pair of two wafers 20, 30 are carried by the end effector 100 into the alignment device 300 where the two wafers 20, 30 are aligned and their alignment is secured with the end effector 100. Next, the robotic arm 80 moves the end effector 100 with the aligned wafer pair 20, 30 out of the alignment device 300 and into the bonding station 400, where the two aligned wafers 20, 30 can be bonded. The end effector 100 is capable of placing the two aligned wafers 20, 30 in the bonding device, and then the robotic arm 80 pulls it out of the bonding device for the duration of the bonding process. After the bonding process is completed, the robotic arm 80 moves the end effector 100 back into the bonding apparatus to receive the bonded wafer pair 20, 30 which is supported by the end effector 100 while being led out of the bonding station 400. In some embodiments, the alignment device 300 and the bonding station 400 are integrated into the same reactor. FIG. 4 shows an end effector 100 used to transport aligned wafers into and out of the processing chambers, according to a first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. The end effector 100 may include a Y-shaped fixed frame 110 and a floating carrier 120 disposed on the frame 110. In one example, the frame 110 has a semi-circular inner peripheral edge 110a having a radius approximately equal to the radius of the wafers 20, 30. In other examples, the frame 110 has a Y-shaped or forked inner peripheral edge. Similarly, the carrier 120 has a semi-circular inner peripheral edge 120a having a radius approximately equal to the radius of the wafers 20, 30. According to this disclosure, the semi-circular inner peripheral edge 120a of the floating carrier 120 is conceivable as a partial ring structure having ends that terminate before a complete ring, e.g. B. 360 °, is formed. As shown in Fig. 4, the structure of the semicircular inner peripheral edge 120a may be formed of a floating support 120 having a partial ring shape substantially having a 180 ° rotation, or in other configurations, the partial ring shape may be up to 270 ° exhibit. Other partial ring configurations of the floating carrier 120 also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
    The floating support 120 may be formed from a substantially planar structure that is aligned parallel to and spaced from a plane of the frame 110. The floating support 120 may include a number of suction cups, such as three suction cups 122a, 122b, 122c protruding inwardly toward a central axis 119 of the semicircular inner peripheral edge 120a. The three suction cups 122a, 122b, 122c may be respectively positioned at three or more locations 111a, 111b, 111c of the inner peripheral edge 120a. The suction cups 122a, 122b, and 122c may be used to hold the edges of an upper wafer 20, as shown in FIG. 5 is shown. FIG. 5 shows a top view of the end effector 100 of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers 20, 30, according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of the end effector 100 of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers 20, 30, according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As seen in FIGS. 4-6, the end effector 100 is contemplated to include the floating support 120 positioned at its top while the frame member 110 is positioned at its bottom. In contrast to a conventional transport device, which carries both wafers of the aligned wafer pair on its upper side, as z. For example, referring to FIGS. 2A-2B, the end effector 100 may carry the wafers 20, 30 inside the arms of the frame member 110 and at a position below the extended lip of the floating carrier 120. This configuration allows the edges of the wafers 20, 30 between the fixed frame 110 and the floating support 120 at various locations along the inner peripheral edges 110a, 120a of the frame member 110 and the floating support 120, such as at three locations 111a, 111b, 111c to hold by means of three clamp-spacer assemblies 130a, 130b and 130c, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is shown. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper wafer 20 can be positioned on and supported by the suction cups 122a, 122b, and 122c on the underside of the floating carrier 120, while the lower wafer 30 is provided with mechanical clamps 132a, 132b and 132c can be held. FIG. FIG. 7 shows a partially transparent bottom view of the end effector of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 8A shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the end effector of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As can be seen in FIGS. 4-8A, the end effector 100 may further include a number of arrangements to hold and / or space the wafer, such as the assemblies 130a, 130b, and 130c along the inner peripheral edge 110a of the frame member 110. The assemblies 130a, 130b, and 130c may be disposed in a spaced position that substantially coincides with the spaced positioning of the suction cups 122a, 122b, and 122c. Each of the assemblies 130a, 130b, and 130c may include a carrier spacer tab 136a, 136b, and 136c, a mechanical clamp 132a, 132b, and 132c, and a limiting feature 134a, 134b, and 134c, respectively.
    The limiting structure elements 134a, 134b, 134c may loosely couple and hold the floating carrier 120 and the fixed frame 110. A gap 121 is formed between the floating support 120 and each of the restriction features 134a, 134b, and 134c, as shown in FIG. 8A. The gap 121 enhances the vibration isolation of the floating support 120 from the fixed frame 110, thereby preventing vibration generated in the robot carrying the end effector 100 from being transmitted to the floating support 120. In addition, this allows the floating support 120 to seat on the upper wafer-to-chuck reference interface in a compliant manner, and hard or material-stressing contact can be avoided. The floating carrier 120 is configured to extend along the direction 90 of FIG. 8a relative to the fixed frame 110 to move up and down, loosely guided by the limiting structure elements 134a, 134b and 134c. Although the boundary structure elements 134a, 134b, 134c may have varying shapes, in one example a lower portion of the boundary structure elements 134a, 134b, 134c may be bolted to the frame element 110 while an upper section is movable relative to the floating support 120. For example, the upper portion of the limiter features 134a, 134b and 134c may have a head that is within an indented cavity, e.g. B. an indented cavity 135 a in FIG. 8a, which allows limited movement of the floating support 120 relative to the frame member 110 in the direction 90, whereby a maximum size of the gap 121 can be controlled. Moreover, the size of the limiter features 134a, 134b, and 134c relative to the indented cavity may be selected to provide small amounts of lateral play such that the floating support 120 may be adjusted slightly laterally relative to the frame member 110.
    Carrier spacer tabs 136a, 136b, 136c are used to space the wafers 20, 30 apart as they are received by the end effector 100. In one example, the carrier spacer tabs 136a, 136b, 136b may be made of a stainless steel body with a titanium nitride coating, but other materials and coatings may be used. The carrier spacer tabs 136a, 136b, 136c may be inserted under the edge of the wafer 20 at the corresponding three locations 111a, 111b, 111c, and then the wafer 30 is slid below the spacer tabs 136a, 136b, 136c as shown in FIG Fig. 8A is shown. The two stacked wafers 20, 30 can then be clamped together with clamps 132a, 132b, 132c at the respective three locations 111a, 111b, 111c. The spacer tabs 136a, 136b, 136c are adapted to move horizontally along the direction 92, and the clamps 132a, 132b, 132c are adapted to pivotally move along a linear slider having a cam motion or a combination thereof to contact the lower wafer 30. For example, in one example, the clamps 132a, 132b, 132c may be around one
    Rotate pivot axis which is substantially parallel to an axis of the semicircular inner peripheral edge 120 a. FIG. 7 also illustrates bonder spacer tabs 138a, 138b, 138c, which are the spacer tabs used by the bonding apparatus to space the two stacked wafers 20, 30 when placed within the bonding apparatus. As can be seen, the bonder spacer tabs 138a, 138b, 138c may be positioned at proximal locations to the end effector spacer tabs 136a, 136b, 136c, which are spaced substantially uniformly about the semicircular peripheral edge of the floating carrier 120 can.
    In some applications, it may be desirable to provide the end effector 100 with a centering and / or locking mechanism to center and / or lock the floating support 120 to the frame member 110. FIG. 8B shows a cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. More specifically, FIG. 8B shows a centering mechanism 104 that uses a moving tapered pin 105 that allows re-centering of the floating support 120 on the frame member 110 between cycles of use. The pin 105 is precision-guided and driven by a motor or by pneumatic actuation on an axis on the fixed support 110. The pin 105 can be positioned within a first hole 105a in the frame member 110 and engages a precision hole 105b in the floating carrier 120. The pin 105 may be used for re-centering or may also be used during transportation to hold the floating support 120 to the frame member 110. In other configurations, the pin 105 may be a fixed pin located on the frame member 110 and engaging a precision hole 105b in the floating carrier 120 when the distance between the frame member 110 and the floating carrier 120 is very small, i. H. smaller than the length of the pin 105 itself, and is reset when the floating carrier 120 moves back onto the frame member 110. FIG. 8B also illustrates the use of a mechanical clamp 106 that may be used to fix the frame member 110 to the floating support 120. The mechanical clamp 106 may be mounted on the fixed support 110 and may move in a vertical direction or a rotational direction to engage the frame member 110 with the floating support to hold the floating support 120 against the frame member 110 and around To avoid position change of the floating support 120. FIG. 8C shows a cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 4, which holds a pair of aligned wafers according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. In FIG. 8C, a fixed re-indexing pin and a vacuum groove integrated with each other may be used to clamp the frame member 110 to the floating carrier 120. As shown, the frame member 110 may have a pin 107 extending into the hole 105b of the floating support 120, and may have a plurality of vacuum grooves 108 positioned in a surface of the frame member 110 connected to the floating support 120 is. A squeeze may be applied to the vacuum grooves 108 to bias the floating carrier 120 toward the frame member 110, while the pin 107 serves to center the floating carrier 120 on the frame member 110. FIG. 8D shows a cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 4, which is positioned in a storage station, according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As shown, the holes 105a, 105b may be utilized within the frame member 110 and the floating support 120 during a transfer process with the end effector 100, such as for switching between various end-effectors 100. More specifically, the robotic arm on which the end-effector 100 is worn as described with respect to FIG. 10A, position the end effector 100 near a storage station 86 having a pin 88 extending outwardly. The end effector 100 may be passed over the pin 88 of the storage station 86 until the pin 88 engages the holes 105a, 105b. After the pin 88 is positioned within the holes 105a, 105b, the robotic arm may separate from the end effector 100, leaving the end effector 100 in a stowed position in the storage station 86. The storage station 86 with the pin 88 may allow safe storage of the end effector 100 when not in use, and may allow the robotic arm to quickly switch between different end effectors 100.
    It should also be noted that when the end effector 100 is removed from a bonding device, the high temperature of the end effector 100 is under
    Using an integrated thermocouple can be monitored, which is positioned on the frame member 110 or on another part of the end effector 100. In another design, the storage station 86 may be equipped with a thermocouple to allow thermal monitoring of the end effector 100 when stowed in the storage station 86. Furthermore, it may be desirable for the end effector 100 to be cooled to a lower temperature when placed in the storage station 86, whether by natural cooling or by a cooling device. FIG. 9 shows a bottom view of the end effector 100 having suction cups 122a, 122b, and 122c that can be adjusted to hold wafers of various sizes, according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As shown, the suction cups 122a, 122b and 122c may be movably connected to the floating support 120 such that they can be adjusted radially along the semicircular inner peripheral edge 120a, e.g. Along the directions 123a, 123b, such that they can be moved closer and further toward a center of the semicircular inner circumferential edge 120a. FIG. 9 illustrates dotted lines boxes showing the general outline of the suction cups 122a, 122b and 122c in two exemplary locations: one where they are positioned closer toward the center to hold a smaller wafer size 22b and one farther from the center are positioned to hold a larger wafer size 22a. The suction cups 122a, 122b, and 122c may be adjustable to varying degrees to accommodate different sized wafers. FIGS. 10A-10B show the end effector 100 in use with a robotic arm 80 according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As shown, the end effector 100 may be removably attached to the robotic arm 80 (shown schematically in FIG. 10A) and may be exchanged for a differently sized or differently shaped end effector, depending on the size and number of wafers that need support become. The robotic arm 80 may be positioned near an alignment device 300 to allow the wafers 20, 30 carried on the end effector 100 to be taken down by the alignment device 300. The robotic arm 80 may also be located near the bonding device (not shown) such that the wafers 20, 30 may be transported between the processing units using a tool changer 84 at the end of the robotic arm 80. In one example, the tool changer 84 may be a shunt
    Type SWS-011, but other tool changers can be used. Compared to conventional transport chucks, the end effector 100 has a reduced weight, which significantly reduces the load on the robot. The end effector 100 also does not need to rotate the pairs of aligned wafers 20, 30 about the exchange axis 82 of the robot 80, e.g. B. to change relative vertical positions of the upper and the lower wafer 20, 30, resulting in a simpler handling overall and a lower
    Alignment postponement risk leads.
    Using the end effector 100 described with reference to FIGURES 4-1B0, a pair of wafers 20, 30 may be placed in an aligner within an alignment device 300 and aligned in accordance with methods and processes known in the art. After alignment, the end effector 100 may be used to remove the aligned wafer pair 20, 30 from the aligner. FIGURES 11A-11H schematically illustrate cross-sectional views of the steps of unloading an aligned wafer pair 20, 30 from an aligner with end effector 100 of FIG. 4 according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Although each of the figures generally illustrates only a single assembly 130a of the end effector 100, it should be understood that the same functions can be performed by the other assemblies included in the end effector 100 such that the same or similar functions operate on three or more more points on the end effector occur simultaneously or at different but pre-determined times.
    First, FIG. 11A, the wafers 20 and 30 are aligned relative to each other and held in contact with an upper wafer chuck 320 and a lower wafer chuck 330 of an alignment device 300. In the alignment device 300, the upper stage supporting the upper wafer chuck 320 is fixed, while the lower stage supporting the lower wafer chuck 330 is fixed vertically, i.e., the lower stage. H. in the z-direction, is movable, as indicated at 98. The wafers 20, 30 were in the x-direction, z. In the direction 92 in FIG. 11B, aligned in the y-direction (off-side) and angularly relative to each other such that the wafers are parallel. The wafers 20, 30 have edges 20e and 30e, respectively, and the edges 20e, 30e project from the sides of the chucks 320 and 330 of the alignment device 300.
    As shown in Fig. 11B, the end effector 100 is brought close to the sides of the chuck 320 and 330 of the alignment device 300 along the direction 91 to start the unloading process. As shown schematically, the end effector 100 has the frame member 110 which may be mounted on a robot (not shown) while the floating support 120 is movable relative to the frame member 110 along the direction 90. In the interest of a simplified description, the frame member 110 may be considered fixed in that it is stationary relative to the end portion of the robot to which the end effector 100 is attached, while the floating support 120 is considered movable in that it is relative to the end portion of the robot on which the end effector 100 is mounted, is movable. The limiting structure element 134a is connected to the frame element 110 and positioned within the hole 135a in the floating support 120, the play between the limiting structure element 134a and the side wall of the hole 135a causing a slight lateral movement of the floating support 120 relative to the frame element 110 along the direction 92 allowed.
    In this initial state, shown in Figure 11B, the end effector 100 is positioned near the alignment device 300 in an open configuration with the various clips and spacers retracted. The floating support 120 is in a coupled or contacted position with the fixed support 110. Next, as shown in Figure 11C, the floating support 120 is decoupled from the frame member 110 while the end effector 100 descends along the direction 97b, the z-direction, moves. The decoupling of the floating support 120 from the frame member 110 may be critical to preventing small vibrations in the robot carrying the end effector 100 from being transmitted to the alignment device 300 and causing unintentional movement of the wafers 20, 30 and out of the mutual Bring out alignment. The movement of the end effector 100 need only be a few millimeters until suction cups 122a come in contact with the top of the rim 20e of the wafer 20, and the distance between the fixed frame 110 and the floating carrier 120 increases such that the carrier spacer tabs 136a, 136b, 136c lie below the underside of the edge 20e of the wafer 20. In this position, the suction cups 122a may optionally be activated to effectively connect or lock the floating support 120 to the upper wafer 20. *** "
    Next, in FIG. 11D, the spacer tab 136a is positioned horizontally along the direction 92a, the x-direction, such that it is positioned between the bottom of the edge 20e of the wafer 20 and the top of the edge 30e of the wafer 30. The spacer tabs 136a, 136b, 136c are flexible in the z-direction such that they can conform to the surfaces of the wafers 20e and 30e without exerting any appreciable force on the surfaces. Next, as shown in FIG. 11E, the lower wafer chuck 330 is moved upward along the direction 96a until the top of the edge 30e of the wafer 30 contacts the bottom of the spacer tabs 136a, whereby the gap between the wafers 20, 30 is created. Next, the clamp 132a is moved to contact the underside of the edge 30e of the wafer 30 and clamp the edges 20e, 30e of the wafers 20, 30, respectively, while the interposed spacer tab 136a is therebetween, as shown in Fig. 11F is shown. In this position, the wafers 20, 30 are locked together with the spacer tab 136a therebetween, and all are held by the end effector 100. In order to release the wafer pair 20, 30 from the alignment device 300, the upper wafer chuck 320 may be cleaned, and then the lower wafer chuck 330 is moved down along the z-axis in the direction 96b to a center position, whereby a distance between the upper wafer 20 and the upper wafer chuck 320 is formed. Then, the vacuum of the lower wafer chuck 330 is turned off and it is further moved down in the z-direction until the aligned wafer pair 20, 30 is completely held at the edges 20e, 30e by the end effector 100 and ready to leave the alignment device 300 to be transported out, as shown in Fig. 11H. FIG. 12 is a diagram of a wafer alignment device 300 according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. The wafer alignment device 300 may serve as an example of the aligner using the process of FIGURES 11A-11H. As shown in FIG. 12, the alignment device 300 may further include a pneumatic z-axis spacer tab slide 360, a static support bridge 365, a support frame 390, the upper substrate chuck 320, the lower substrate chuck 330, and the WEC Spacer tab mechanisms 380, which are also described in US Patent 8,139,219 entitled "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER ALIGNMENT", which has the same assignee and the content of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. FIGURES 13A-13H schematically illustrate cross-sectional views of the steps of loading an aligned wafer pair into a bonder with the end effector of FIG. 4 according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. One of the processing stations where the aligned wafers 20, 30 can be transported and loaded with the robotic arm 80 and the end effector 100 is a bonder 400. FIG. 13A illustrates the bonder 400 in an idle state before the wafers are introduced into the bonder chamber 410. The bonder 400 includes a lower chuck 430 and an upper chuck 420 positioned below and above the bonder chamber 410, both of which are capable of maintaining a heated condition to bond the wafers. One or both of the upper and lower chucks 420, 430 may be vertically movable along the z-axis. In many designs of the Bonder 400, only one of the chucks is movable while the other remains stationary. Bonder spacers 138a are included in the bonder 400 and may be attached to the bottom step of the bonder 400 such that the bonder spacer flap 138a moves vertically with the bottom chuck 430, providing a constant relative position to the bottom chuck 430 is maintained. Although each of the figures generally illustrates only a single bonder spacer tab 138a for clarity of disclosure, it will be appreciated that three or more bonder spacer tabs 138a, 138b, 183c (FIG. 7) are also used in the bonder 400 can be such that the same or similar functions occur at three or more points in the bonder at the same time or at different but predetermined times.
    The bonding process using the end effector 100 differs significantly from the bonding process using the conventional transport chucks. Conventional transport chucks transport aligned wafers into a bonding apparatus and must remain in the bonding apparatus throughout the duration of the bonding process. In contrast, the end effector 100 of the present disclosure permits transport of aligned wafers into a bonding device and then is pulled out of the bonding chamber prior to the bonding process. Accordingly, the end effector 100 is exposed only a short time to the idling temperatures in the bonding devices, e.g. Approximately 300 ° C, rather than the 500 ° C for hours, to which conventional transport tensioning devices are exposed. As a result, end effector 100 has less mechanical and thermal stress and requires less maintenance, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
    Generally speaking, according to this disclosure, bonding is effected in part using bonder spacer tabs 138a which are slid between the wafers, allowing the end effector spacer tabs 136a, 136b, and 136c to be removed, and the entire end effector 100 of FIG Bonding chamber can be pulled. The aligned and spaced apart wafers are then pinned with pins 455a, 455b, and 455c, and then a bonding force is applied to the pinned wafers 20, 30. After the bonding is completed, the end effector 100 may be used to remove the bonded wafers from the bonding device.
    Further details of the process of loading the aligned pair of wafers 20, 30 into the bonder 400 with the end effector 100 will be disclosed with respect to FIGURES 13B-13H. Let's first turn to FIG. 13B, where aligned and clamped wafers 20 and 30 are carried by the end effector 100 and inserted into the bonder chamber 410. In this bonder design, the upper chuck 420 is fixed, and the lower chuck 430 is movable along the direction 425 via the z-drive 450; but it should be noted that the bonder 400 can have any configuration of movable and fixed chucks. As previously mentioned, the end effector holds the edges 20e, 30e of the wafers 20, 30 with clamp assemblies 130a, 130b, and 130c, and wafers 20, 30 are inserted into the bonder chamber 410 along the direction 99 so that the edges 20e, 30e from the feed side of the bonder 400, as shown in Fig. 13B. In this initial state, the floating support 120 is in contact with the frame member, 110 and wafer edges 20e, 30e are clamped.
    Next, as shown in FIG. 13C, the floating carrier 120 is decoupled from the frame member 110 with the clamped wafers 20, 30, so as to move downwardly along the direction 90b, and wafers 20, 30 are moved on the lower chuck 430 so that the underside of the wafer 30 is in contact with the upper surface of the lower chuck 430. In one of many alternatives, the floating carrier 120 with the clamped wafers 20, 30 could move upwardly along the direction 90a, and wafers 20, 30 are placed on the underside of the upper chuck 420 such that the top of the wafer 20 contacts the underside of the upper chuck 420 is. As shown, the lower chuck 430 may have one or more cutouts 432 along portions of the peripheral edge of the lower chuck 430 that leave enough clearance for the end effector 100 to insert the wafers 20, 30 into the bonder 400, e.g. B. such that the outer edges of the wafers 20, 30 can be aligned substantially on the peripheral edge of the upper and lower chucks 420, 430. Next, one or more pins 455a are brought into contact with the top of the wafer 20 at one or more locations, while the end effector spacer tab 136a remains in position between the wafers 20, 30, as shown in Figure 13D ,
    In the industry, it is desirable to bond wafers as efficiently as possible to increase production. One technique for increasing the production of bonded wafer pairs is to maintain a high temperature in the bonder 400 even if it does not actively bond wafers, thereby shortening the time required for the bonder 400 to reach the operating temperature for each cycle reached. However, the introduction of aligned wafers into an already heated bonder 400, e.g. B. on the order of 400 ° C, the orientation of the wafer 20, 30 affect. For example, exposing the wafers 20, 30 to this type of heated environment may cause the wafers 20, 30 to expand radially, and it is desirable to gather the wafers 20, 30 together as quickly and accurately as possible. Although the wafers 20, 30 may be pinned at various locations, it may be preferable to gather the wafers 20, 30 at their midpoint rather than along their radial edge, thereby avoiding situations where the thermal expansion of the wafers 20, 30 from an offset point causes a misalignment. Shown in FIGS. 13D-13F is a pin 455a located at a center of the wafers 20, 30, but the number of pins 455a and locations of these pins may vary, as discussed with respect to FIGS. 15A-15C ,
    Then, as shown in Fig. 13E, while the wafers 20, 30 are held with the one or more pins 455a, one or more of the bonder spacer tabs 138a positioned near the edge portions of the wafers 20, 30 are positioned are pushed between the wafers 20, 30 along the direction 411b. The bonder spacer tabs 138a may be thinner than the end effector spacer tab 136a, for which reason they are inserted between the wafers 20, 30 clamped around the end effector spacer tab 136a. In one example, the
    Bonder spacer tabs 138a may be about 100 microns in size, while the end effector spacer tab 136a may be about 200 microns in size.
    Next, the clamps 132a, 132b, 132c are released, whereupon they disengage from the bottom edge 30e of the wafer 30, as shown in Fig. 13F. It should be noted that the clamps may be removed according to predetermined routines, such as common, sequential or a combination thereof. After loosening the clamps 132a, 132b and 132c, the end effector spacer tab 136a is removed from the space between the two wafers 20, 30 along directions 92b, as shown in Figure 13G. The three or more bond spacer tabs 138a remain in position between the wafers 20, 30 along the peripheral edge of the wafers 20, 30. Typically, the bonder spacer tabs 138a are adjacent the locations of the end effector spacer tab 136a along the peripheral edge of the wafer Wafer 20, 30 positioned, as shown in Fig. 9. After the end effector spacer tabs 136a have been removed, there may still be a spaced gap between the wafers 20, 30, as shown in FIGs. 13G-13H, since the nearby bonder spacer tab is between the two Wafers 20, 30 remains.
    Finally, the end effector 100 moves upward along the direction 97a until the suction cups 122a, 122b, 122c disengage from the top of the edge 20e of the wafer 20, leaving the pinned wafers 20, 30 on the lower chuck 430, as shown in FIG 13H. At this stage, the end effector 100 is fully withdrawn from the bonder 400, as shown in Fig. 131, and the wafer bonding may begin. In the initial phases of the wafer bonding process, the wafers 20, 30 are tied together around the bonder spacer tabs 138a. Prior to the application of force, the bonder spacer tabs 138a are removed. Upon completion of the bonding process, the bonded wafer pair 20, 30 is retrieved from the bonder 400 with the end effector 100. FIG. 14 shows a bonder according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, which is positioned to receive the end effector of FIG. 4 to receive. More specifically, the bonder 400 of FIG. 14 differently constructed fixed and movable components have. In FIGS. 13A-13H, the bonder 400 is constructed such that the upper chuck 420 is fixed and the lower chuck 430 is movable along the z-axis. In the construction of the bonder 400 shown in FIG. 14, the lower chuck 430 is fixed, and the upper chuck 420 moves along the direction 426 until the underside of the upper chuck 420 contacts the top of the upper wafer. Any variations in the movement of the upper and / or lower chuck 420, 430 of a bonder 400 may be used with the apparatus, system and methods of this disclosure.
    FIGURES 15A-15C illustrate variations in the pins used in a bonder. FIG. 15A shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers using a single center pin according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 15B shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers using a center pin and an eccentric anti-rotation pin according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 15C shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers using three circumferentially extending pins according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As seen in FIGS. 15A-15C together, one or more of the pins 455a, 455b, 455c may be brought into contact with the top of the wafer 20 at one or more different locations. It may be preferable to use a single pin 455a positioned in the center of the wafers 20, 30, as shown in Fig. 15A. The use of a single pin 455a in the center may allow the wafers 20, 30 to thermally expand without suffering misalignment.
    In an alternative, the wafers 20, 30 may be pinned with two pins 455a, 455b, as shown in Fig. 15B. Here, the pin 455a is a center pin, and the pin 455b is an anti-rotation pin such that the pin 455b prevents rotation of the wafers 20, 30. In this construction, the center pin 455a can apply a larger pin force to the wafers 20, 30 than the anti-rotation pin 455b. In addition, the off-center pin 455b may yield radially, i. H. it may be movable along a radius of the wafers 20, 30 to accommodate thermal expansion of the wafers. In a further alternative shown in Fig. 15C, three pins 455a, 455b, 455c may be used which are disposed on the peripheral edge of the wafers 20, 30, such as near each of the bonder spacer tabs 138a. They may be substantially evenly spaced along the peripheral edge of the wafers 20, 30, such as at 120 degree intervals from one another. It is also possible to use a combination of these configurations or other pin designs not expressly shown. For example, it may be desirable to use the center pin of FIG. 15A with the three peripheral edge pins of FIG. 15C to use. FIG. 16 is a diagram of an exemplary wafer embossing according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in FIG. 16, the bonder 400 further includes a membrane force and motor positioning printhead 460, a pressure plate and top pin bonding head 470, a bonder spacer tab mechanism 480, a sandwich panel bottom heating device 490, and cleaning structure elements and a static z-axis support column 495. These and other components of the Bonder 400 are described in US Pat. No. 7,948,034 entitled "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEMICONDUCTOR BONDING", which has the same assignee and the content of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 17 is a diagram of an exemplary bonder spacer tab mechanism 480 used with a wafer bonder 400 in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As seen in FIGS. 16-17, the bonder spacer tab mechanism 480 may be used to position the bonder spacer tabs 138a, 138b, 138c (shown in FIG. 7) between retracted and retracted positions between aligned ones Move wafer pairs. In one example, the bonder spacer tab mechanism 480 may include a pneumatic piston 482 mounted on a ring 484 positioned about the z-axis column 495 and below the lower heater 490. The pneumatic piston 482 carries a support 486 which supports the bonder spacer tab 138a. When the pneumatic piston 482 is activated, it is movable to and from the center of the bonding field in a radial direction. The movement of the bonder spacer tab 138a may be guided by a track 488 on which the pad 486 may slide. These structures can impart radial compliance to the bonder spacer tabs 138a, allowing the bonder spacer tabs 138a to move in a radial direction with the wafers 20, 30 as the wafers expand under heat. Still other mechanical and electromechanical devices beyond pneumatically controlled devices may be used to move the bonder spacer tab 138a.
    Conventional bonding devices have used one or more pins to compress the wafers, but these devices provide only limited force control over the pin. In one example, a conventional pen had a single force created by a compression spring or similar device that could only exert a constant pressure on the wafers. As a result, when the upper and lower chucks compressed the wafers, less pressure was applied to the surface of the wafers which were aligned with the pin than to the surfaces of the wafer which were contacted by the chucks, resulting in a high mechanical yield at the portion of the wafer in contact with the pen caused. At the same time, the lower thermal conductivity of the conventional stylus caused a high thermal yield loss at the portion of the wafer which was aligned with the stylus. When these problems are combined with the fact that conventional pins have larger diameters and a large circumferential gap, usually about 12 mm-14 mm, high mechanical and thermal yield losses add up to a considerable inefficiency in wafer bonding.
    To overcome these problems, the present disclosure contemplates a pin 455a that reduces both mechanical yield losses and thermal yield losses. For this purpose, FIGURES 18A-18B are diagrams of an example of a pin 455a according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As shown, the pin 455a may extend through the upper chuck 420 of the bonding apparatus such that it can be moved into the region of the bonder chamber 410 where the wafers (not shown) would be positioned for bonding. In one example, the pin 455a may have a diameter of 5mm and be positioned within a 6mm bore within the upper chuck 420 to give the pin 455a approximately 0.50mm clearance to the upper chuck 420. Compared to prior art pins having a pin and gap diameter of about 12mm-14mm, the 6mm diameter pin 455a with gap can significantly reduce the high mechanical yield losses. In addition, unlike conventional pens that use a compression spring to provide the mechanical force, the pin 455a may utilize a pneumatic actuator to control the force of the pin 455a on the wafers. As a result, the pressure exerted by the pin 455a can be selected to substantially coincide with the pressing force of the chucks, thereby further reducing the mechanical yield loss.
    The pin 455a may be made of titanium, ceramic, such as silicon nitride ceramic, or other materials, and may include a center pin 502 surrounded by a lower tube or sleeve 504 along a lower portion of the pin 455a is positioned and surrounded by an upper tube or sleeve 505 having a thin wall and positioned along an upper portion of the pin 455a. The lower sleeve 504 and the upper sleeve 505 may be connected together at a joint near the center pin 502, such as by welding or other technique. The center pin 502 may have a pen tip 506 that is flat. The upper sleeve 505 may be actively heated by the surrounding chuck 420 and / or a heating pin 532 which abuts a heater 526 positioned over the chuck 420, as described with respect to FIG. 18B, and the center pin 502 may also be heated by the surrounding chuck 420. In addition, it is possible to heat components of the pin 455a with a resistance heating element connected to the structures of the pin 455a. In some designs, both passive heating of the chuck 420 and active heating of a resistive element may be used to heat the various components of the stylus 455a.
    The pin 455a may yield radially near the tip so that it is biased to center its upper center to ± 0.5 mm, allowing positioning of the pen tip 506. By preloading the pin 455a, the pin 455a can assume a natural, centered position when actuated, but also allows the pin 455a to radially yield under a force. As a result, the pin 455a can maintain the action of a normal force on the wafer.
    Another mechanism of the pin 455a is described in detail in FIG. 18B. Pin 455a is positioned substantially centrally within a central housing 510 having a center pin bushing 512, this center pin socket 512 also being known as a PEEK socket itself having a bushing with a short length to diameter ratio 514 which is used to position the pin 455a. The center pin bush 512 provides electrical isolation of the pin 455a against the surrounding mechanics of the bonder 400, which is important for anodic bonding processes where significantly high voltages can be used to bond the wafers. The chamber lid 516 and a steel reaction force plate 518 are also positioned to surround the center pin jack 512. Toward a lower end of the center pin jack 512, a low force preload acts to center the radial yielding O-ring 520, which may be made of silicone or similar materials. The O-ring 520 allows the center pin 502 and the surrounding tube 504 to move radially within the bonder 400. An aluminum cooling flange 522 is positioned below the force reaction plate 518, and a thermal insulating member 524 is positioned below the cooling flange 522 to thermally insulate the heater 526.
    Inside the cooling flange 522 is a bush 528 which surrounds a portion of the center pin 502. The sleeve 528 and the thermal insulating member 524 may be made of lithium aluminosilicate glass ceramic, such as one sold under the trade name ZERODUR®, or a similar material. The sleeve 528 may have insert cavities 530 on each side serving as overlap features to provide electrical isolation with a low-air dielectric in a vacuum. Below the sleeve 528 and around the lower edge of the center pin 502 and tube 504, a heating pin 532 is positioned. The heating pin 532 may be formed of silicon nitride and may engage the lower insert cavity 530 of the socket 528. The heating pin 532 may also be connected to the center pin 502 and tube 504 along the thickness of the heater 526 and at least a portion of the upper chuck 420. The positioning of the heating pin 532 in direct contact with the heater 526 as well as the material used to form the heating pin 532 may allow efficient heat transfer from the heater 526 through the heating pin 532 and to the center pin 502 and tube 504. Thereby, the center pin 502 and the tube 504 may have a temperature that substantially matches the temperature of the upper chuck 420, since all the structures are positioned so as to sufficiently absorb the heat from the heater 526 to the portions of the wafers they can touch, transmit. Accordingly, the thermal yield loss to which conventional pens are subjected can be significantly reduced. Increasing the thermal connectivity of the stylus 455a while allowing it to control an action force on the stylus 455a can improve the bonding of the wafers over that previously achieved in the prior art. FIG. 19 is a flowchart 600 illustrating a method of arranging aligned wafers in a bonding apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. It should be understood that all process descriptions or blocks in flowcharts are to be understood to represent modules, segments, portions of code, or steps that include one or more instructions for implementing specific logical functions in the process; and also include alternative implementations within the scope of the present disclosure in which functions, depending on the functionality involved, may be performed in a different order than that shown or discussed, including substantially simultaneously or in reverse order, as the person of ordinary skill in the art would understand.
    As shown by block 602, wafers are secured in spaced alignment with an end effector having a frame member and a floating support movably connected to the frame member. A robot is used to move the end effector, thereby moving the wafers into a bonding chamber of a bonder (block 604). The wafers are unloaded from the end effector (block 606). The end effector is withdrawn from the bonding chamber (block 608). The wafers are bonded (block 610). The method may further include any of the steps, processes, or functions disclosed with respect to each figure of this disclosure.
    It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, and in particular all "preferred" embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations that are set forth solely for the purpose of clearly understanding the principles of the disclosure. Many modifications and changes may be made to the above-described embodiments of the disclosure without materially departing from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. It is intended that all such modifications and variations fall within the scope of this disclosure and are protected by the following claims.
    权利要求:
    Claims (20)
    [1]
    A method of disposing aligned wafers in a bonding apparatus, the method comprising: securing wafers in spaced alignment with an end effector having a frame member and a floating support movably connected to the frame member; Using a robot to move the end effector, thereby moving the wafers into a bonding chamber of a bonder; Unloading the wafers from the end effector; Moving the end effector out of the bonding chamber; and bonding the wafers.
    [2]
    2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wafers are secured in spaced alignment using a plurality of clip-spacer assemblies connected to at least one of the frame member and the floating support.
    [3]
    3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of clip spacer assemblies are spaced substantially uniformly along a semicircular inner peripheral edge of the floating carrier.
    [4]
    4. The method of claim 1, wherein unloading the wafers from the end effector further comprises decoupling the floating carrier from the frame member.
    [5]
    5. The method of claim 1, wherein unloading the wafers from the end effector further comprises: inserting at least one bonder spacer tab between the wafers; and withdrawing at least one end effector spacer tab between the wafers.
    [6]
    6. The method of claim 1, wherein securing wafers in spaced alignment with the end effector further comprises retaining the wafers with a plurality of suction cups connected to the floating carrier, each of the plurality of suction cups extending inwardly of a semicircular inner peripheral edge of the wafer Floating carrier extends.
    [7]
    7. The method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting a position of the plurality of suction cups on the floating support radially along the semicircular inner peripheral edge.
    [8]
    8. The method of claim 6 or claim 7, further comprising adjusting the floating support relative to the frame member along an axis of the semicircular inner peripheral edge, wherein a size of a gap between the floating support and the frame member is adjustable.
    [9]
    A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising centering the floating support with respect to the frame member with a centering mechanism which is releasably engageable between the frame member and the floating support, the centering mechanism providing a positional change of the floating support prevented relative to the frame member.
    [10]
    10. The method of claim 1, wherein unloading the wafers from the end effector further comprises: contacting a chuck of the bonder with at least one of the wafers; Applying a compression force to the wafers with a compression pin; Inserting at least one bonder spacer tab between the wafers; Removing an end effector terminal from the wafers; and pulling an end effector spacer tab between the wafers.
    [11]
    11. The method of claim 10, wherein applying the compressive force to the wafers with the compression pin further comprises equalizing a compression pressure between the upper and lower chucks of the bonder.
    [12]
    The method of claim 10 of claim 11, wherein the compression pin further comprises at least two compression pins.
    [13]
    13. The method of claim 10, further comprising substantially equalizing a temperature of the compression pin to a temperature of the upper chuck of the bonder.
    [14]
    14. The method of claim 1, wherein bonding the wafers further comprises bonding the wafers in spaced alignment without contact of the wafers with the end effector during a bonding process.
    [15]
    15. A method of disposing aligned wafer pairs in a processing apparatus, the method comprising: supporting wafers in spaced alignment with an end effector having a frame member and a floating support, wherein the floating support is movably connected to the frame member; Changing a position of the end effector with a robotic arm connected to the end effector; and arranging the wafers in spaced apart alignment in a processing chamber of a processing apparatus by decoupling the floating carrier from the frame member while the frame member and the floating carrier are within the processing chamber.
    [16]
    16. The method of claim 15, wherein disposing in the processing chamber further comprises: contacting a chuck of the processing device with at least one of the wafers; Applying a compression force to the wafers with a compression pin; Inserting at least one bonder spacer tab between the wafers; Removing an end effector clip from the wafers; and pulling an end effector spacer tab between the wafers.
    [17]
    17. The method of claim 15, wherein applying the compressive force to the wafers with the compression pin further comprises equalizing a compression pressure between the upper and lower chucks of the processing device.
    [18]
    18. The method of claim 15, further comprising substantially equalizing a temperature of the compression pin to a temperature of the upper chuck of the bonder.
    [19]
    19. The method of claim 15, wherein applying the compressive force to the wafers with the compression pin further comprises applying pressure to at least two compression pins, wherein at least one of the at least two compression pins exerts a pressure substantially at a midpoint of the wafers applies and at least one of the at least two compression pins applies a pressure which is offset from substantially the center of the wafer.
    [20]
    20. A method of transporting aligned wafers with an end effector, the method comprising: holding at least two aligned wafers having a plurality of suction cups connected to a floating support of the end effector, the floating support having a frame member with a gap between, and wherein the floating support has a semi-circular inner peripheral edge, each of the plurality of suction cups extending inwardly of the semicircular inner peripheral edge of the floating support; and moving the end effector with a robotic arm.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    JP6785062B2|2020-11-18|
    AT517258B1|2020-01-15|
    AT517258A3|2018-09-15|
    CN106158714B|2020-12-11|
    US20210013079A1|2021-01-14|
    US9640418B2|2017-05-02|
    DE102016108788A1|2016-11-17|
    CN106158706B|2020-11-13|
    AT517254B1|2020-01-15|
    DE102016108787A1|2016-11-17|
    CN106158714A|2016-11-23|
    AT517258A2|2016-12-15|
    KR20160134540A|2016-11-23|
    TW201712789A|2017-04-01|
    US20160336212A1|2016-11-17|
    JP2017022364A|2017-01-26|
    US10825705B2|2020-11-03|
    KR20160134539A|2016-11-23|
    JP2017022363A|2017-01-26|
    KR102173844B1|2020-11-05|
    AT517254A3|2018-09-15|
    US20160336208A1|2016-11-17|
    CN106158706A|2016-11-23|
    TWI718149B|2021-02-11|
    JP6689668B2|2020-04-28|
    TWI706502B|2020-10-01|
    TW201712793A|2017-04-01|
    KR102210304B1|2021-02-02|
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    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    US201562161988P| true| 2015-05-15|2015-05-15|
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