System and Related Techniques for Handling Aligned Wafer Pairs

专利摘要:
There is provided an industrial scale system and method for handling precisely aligned and centered semiconductor substrate (eg, wafer) pairs for substrate-to-substrate (e.g., wafer-to-wafer) alignment and bonding applications. Some embodiments include an apparatus for transporting aligned substrates having a frame member and a spacer assembly. The centered semiconductor substrate pairs may be positioned within a processing system using the apparatus for transporting aligned substrates, optionally under robotic control. The centered semiconductor substrate pairs may be bonded together without the presence of the device for transporting aligned substrates in the bonding device. The bonding device may include a second spacer assembly that operates in concert with that for the device for transporting aligned substrates to perform a spacer transfer between the substrates.
公开号:AT520028A2
申请号:T50452/2018
申请日:2018-06-06
公开日:2018-12-15
发明作者:
申请人:Suss Microtec Lithography Gmbh；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

AREA OF REVELATION
The present disclosure relates to system components and a method for handling aligned substrate pairs, and more particularly to components configured to maintain the alignment of aligned semiconductor substrate pairs with a precision suitable for substrate-to-substrate (eg, wafer-to-wafer).
Bonding applications is suitable.
BACKGROUND
Wafer-to-wafer (W2W) bonding is used in a wide range of semiconductor process applications 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 thus fabricated, and ultimately the cost of the electronic device
Products incorporating these devices are highly dependent on the quality of W2W bonding. The quality of W2W bonding depends on the accuracy of wafer alignment, wafer alignment retention during transport and bonding, and uniformity and integrity of bond strength along the wafer bond interfaces. In addition, care must be taken during transport, positioning, centering and alignment of the wafers to avoid breakage, surface damage or warping of the wafers. FIG. 1A shows a diagram of a conventional transport jig used to transport aligned wafers from an alignment device to a bonding device, according to the prior art. Conventionally, a wafer pair 18 in an alignment station 50 is aligned and the aligned wafer pair 18 is secured on a transport fixture 24, as shown in FIG. 1A. The transport fixture 24 carries the aligned wafer pair 18 to the bonding station 60 and other others
Processing stations. Prior art transport fixture 24 is described in U.S. Patent No. 7,948,034, issued May 24, 2011, entitled "Apparatus and
Method for Semiconductor Bonding ". FIG. 2A shows the conventional transport jig of FIG. 1A and, as with reference to FIG. 3, according to the prior art. FIG. FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the clamp assemblies of the conventional transport 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 fixture. FIG. We turn first FIG. 3 too. A conventional transport jig 24 is sized to hold an aligned wafer pair (not shown), and a transport 16 is used to move the transport jig 24 and the aligned wafer pair into and out of the bonding chamber 12. In one example, the
Transport device 16 a transport arm or transport slide that is automated or otherwise manually operated.
As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2A, the transport jig 24 is a circular ring 280, often made of titanium, and includes three lobes 280a, 280b, 280c symmetrically spaced about the circular ring 280, which serve as fulcrums for one
Serve basic wafers. Near each of the three noses 280a, 280b, 280c are three
Spacer and clamp assemblies 282a, 282b, 282c symmetrically disposed at the peripheral edge of the circular ring 280 at 120 ° intervals. Each spacer and
Clamp assembly 282a, 282b, 282c includes a spacer 284 and a clamp 286.
The spacer 284 is configured to hold two wafers at a predetermined distance. Spacers 284 having different thicknesses may be selected to set different spacings between the two wafers. Once the spacers 284 are inserted between the wafers, the clamp 286 is closed to lock the position of the two wafers. The clamp 286 may be a single structure or linkage that moves downwardly to contact an upper wafer to position it in position on the upper wafer
Transport chuck 24 to hold. 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, spaced apart with spacers 284, and then clamped with clamps 286. The fixture with the clamped wafer is inserted into the bonding chamber 12, and then the clamps 286 are released one at a time, and the spacers 284 are removed. Once all spacers 284 are 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 jigs 24 can be heavy and that a transport 16 or robot can have handling problems. Furthermore, once the transport jigs 24 have been positioned within the bonding apparatus 12, they remain in the bonding apparatus 12 throughout the duration of the bonding process, thereby reducing the transport
Clamping devices 24 are exposed to bonding environments at temperatures of up to 550 ° C as well as chamber gases and / or pressures that may be used within the bonding device 12. More specifically, the transportation jig 24 can be positioned at a position only a few millimeters from an outer periphery of a heated tensioning device of the bonding device 12 for one hour or more, so that the transportation jig 24 becomes very hot. These conditions expose the transport chucks 24, and particularly the complicated mechanism of the spacers 284 and clamps 286, to extreme loads. As a result, over time, the transport jigs 24 become unreliable and require a considerable amount of maintenance, including a sensitive adjustment of the mechanism, which is associated with high costs and considerable expenditure 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 other other processing stations. Temporary bonding of the wafers may be used to minimize the orientation shift error during processing. The temporary wafer bonding techniques include bonding the centers or edges of the wafers to a laser beam, temporary tack adhesive, and hybrid fusion. The bonded wafer pair is then transported to the bonding apparatus by a transport jig or similar conventional transporting apparatus. The laser bonding techniques require at least one laser-transmissive wafer, and the adhesive bonding techniques can contribute to contamination of the wafer surfaces.
Accordingly, in the light of the above-mentioned shortcomings and deficiencies, it is desirable to have an industrial scale system and method for handling precisely aligned and centered semiconductor substrate (eg, wafer) substrate-to-substrate (e.g., wafer-to-wafer) pairs ) Provide high throughput bonding applications and the ability to handle all types of substrates without entraining contaminants.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An exemplary embodiment provides a substrate processing system configured to bond a pair of substrates. The system includes a processing chamber. The system further includes a spacer assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat
Processing chamber is arranged and comprises a spacer which is adapted to be inserted between the pair of substrates and with a guiding feature of a
Device for the transport of aligned substrates, which is arranged in the processing chamber, wherein the spacer is adapted to stop its advancement in the processing chamber, as soon as it comes into contact with the guide feature, before being inserted between the pair of substrates becomes. In some cases, the spacer assembly further includes a biasing member configured to provide a radial preload in that it provides a preloaded starting point for outward radial thermal expansion compliance for the pair of substrates. In some such cases, the spacer assembly further comprises: a
Driving device; a shaft operatively coupled to the drive device; and a bearing operatively coupled to the shaft and spacer. In addition, the drive device is configured to provide linear movement of the shaft in a manner that provides linear movement of the bearing and the spacer. In some such cases, the system further includes a mounting portion operatively coupled to the shaft and the bearing such that movement of the mounting portion over the shaft provides movement of the bearing, wherein: the bearing is mounted to the mounting portion; the mounting portion and the shaft have some play, creating a floating coupling between them; and the biased starting point is located at the floating coupling. In some such cases, the biasing member includes a spring member having a first end coupled to the mounting portion and a second end connected to a portion of the shaft that extends beyond the mounting portion. In some cases that is
Spacer assembly configured to bias the spacer to reduce the possibility of bending the spacer when the spacer is inserted between the pair of substrates.
Another exemplary embodiment provides an apparatus configured to handle a pair of substrates. The device comprises a frame element. The apparatus further comprises a spacer assembly associated with the
A frame member is coupled and comprising: a first spacer which is adapted to be inserted between the pair of substrates; and a guide feature configured to provide a reference stop point for advancing a second spacer of a substrate processing device. In some cases, the guide feature is substantially L-shaped and has a first leg attached to the first spacer and oriented substantially perpendicular to a length of the first spacer; and a second leg that is aligned substantially parallel to the length of the first spacer. In some other cases, the guiding feature and the first spacer are of monolithic construction. In addition, the guide feature is substantially L-shaped and has a first leg extending from the first spacer and oriented substantially perpendicular to a length of the first spacer; and a second leg that is aligned substantially parallel to the length of the first spacer. In some cases, while configured to provide the reference stop point for the second spacer, the guide feature is configured to physically contact the second spacer and stop the advancement of the second spacer in a vertical direction. In some cases, the apparatus further includes a biasing member configured to provide a radial preload in that it provides a preloaded starting point for outward radial thermal expansion compliance for the pair of substrates. In some such cases, the spacer assembly further comprises: a drive device; a shaft operatively coupled to the drive device; and a bearing operatively coupled to the shaft and the first spacer. In addition, the drive device is configured to provide linear movement of the shaft in a manner that provides linear movement of the bearing and the first spacer. In some such cases, the apparatus further includes an arm portion operatively coupled to the shaft and the bearing such that movement of the arm portion over the shaft provides movement of the bearing, wherein: the arm portion and the shaft have some play, thereby a floating coupling arises between them; and the biased starting point is located at the floating coupling. In some such cases, the biasing member includes a spring member having a first end coupled to the bearing; and a second end connected to a portion of the shaft that extends beyond the arm portion.
Another exemplary embodiment provides a stylus device that is configured to apply a compressive force to a pair of substrates in a spaced orientation within a substrate processing chamber. The pen device includes a penpoint tip. The pen device further includes a foot portion including: a point contact feature disposed at a first end of the foot portion and configured to contact the pen point; and a substantially planar base located at a second end of the foot portion opposite the first end and configured to contact one of the pair of substrates. In some cases, the point contact feature has a hemispherical shape that extends from the first end of the foot portion toward the pen tip. In some cases, the
Foot portion relative to the pen tip so movable that: in an uncompressed state of the foot portion, a gap between the foot portion and the pen tip is present; and in a compressed state of the foot portion, the point contact feature comes into contact with the penpoint tip. In some cases, the pen device is configured to be resilient radially in such a manner that it is biased toward the center and the center is brought into an uppermost position. In some cases, the foot portion is configured to contact a center of one of the pair of substrates. In some cases, the stylus device further includes an O-ring configured to allow radial movement of the stylus tip and the foot portion; and provide a biasing force acting on the center. In some cases, the pin device further includes a bearing configured to allow radial movement of the penpoint tip and the foot portion; and to provide gimbal behavior by the pin device. In some cases that is
A pen device configured to apply the compressive force to the pair of substrates in a manner consistent with a pressure applied to the pair of substrates by one or more surrounding chucks and / or evenly distributed with respect to the pair of substrates.
Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the present disclosure will or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon studying the drawings and the following detailed description. It is intended that all such other systems, methods, features and advantages be also included in this description in the
Scope of the present disclosure and are protected by the appended claims.
The features and advantages described herein are not exhaustive. More specifically, many other features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in studying the drawings, the specification, and the claims. In addition, it should be noted that the formulations used in the specification have been chosen principally from the viewpoint of good readability and instruction and are not intended to limit the scope of the subject matter of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the disclosure may be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Rather, emphasis was placed on a clear illustration of the principles of the present
Revelation laid. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. FIG. 1A shows a diagram of a conventional transport jig used to transport aligned substrates from an alignment device to a bonding device, according to the prior art. FIG. 1B shows a diagram of an apparatus and method for transporting aligned substrates used to transport aligned substrates from an alignment device to a bonding device, according to a first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 2A shows the conventional transport jig of FIG. 1A and as shown in FIG. 3, according to the prior art. FIG. FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the clamp assemblies of the conventional transport jig of FIG. 2A according to the prior art. FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of loading a pair of aligned substrates into a bonding chamber using a conventional prior art transport fixture. FIGURES 4A-4B illustrate a top view and a bottom view, respectively, of an apparatus for transporting aligned substrates that includes a plurality of spacer assemblies and configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates an isometric side view of a spacer assembly of a device for transporting aligned substrates configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional side elevational view of a spacer assembly of a device for transporting aligned substrates configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 illustrates an isometric partial side view of a bonding device chamber comprising a plurality of bonding device chamber spacer assemblies and configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 illustrates an isometric side view of a bonding device chamber spacer assembly configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGURES 9-10 illustrate a cross-sectional side elevational view and an isometric cross-sectional partial side view of a bonding device chamber spacer assembly, respectively, configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 illustrates a cross-sectional, partial side view of a bonding device chamber spacer assembly configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 illustrates a cross-sectional, partial side elevational view of a pen configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 illustrates cross-sectional partial side elevation views of a pen configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 illustrates an isometric partial side view of a pen configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 15 illustrates an isometric view of a device and a stylus for transporting aligned substrates disposed in a bonding device chamber according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGURES 16A-16B illustrate partial isometric views of various stages in a spacer replacement process in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGURES 17A-17I schematically illustrate the steps of loading an aligned wafer pair into a bonding device with the end effector of FIG. 4 according to one embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. FIG. 18 shows the loading of an aligned wafer pair in a bonding apparatus with the end effector of FIG. 4 according to one embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 19A shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers over a single center pin according to one embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 19B shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers over a center pin and an off-center anti-rotation pin according to an embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 19C shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers over three peripheral pins according to one embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 20 is a diagram of an exemplary wafer bonding apparatus according to an embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 21 is a diagram of an exemplary bonding device spacer tab mechanism used with a wafer bonding apparatus according to an embodiment of this disclosure. FIGURES 22A-22B are diagrams of an example of a pen according to one embodiment of this disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present disclosure provides an industrial scale system and method for handling precisely aligned and centered semiconductor substrate (eg, wafer) pairs for substrate-to-substrate (e.g., wafer-to-wafer) high throughput alignment and bonding applications ready. The system may include a device for transporting aligned substrates (eg, such as an end effector), which may optionally be attached to the end of a robotic arm. The transport device may be configured to hold, move and place an aligned pair of substrates into and out of different processing stations without changing the substrate-to-substrate orientation and without entraining contaminants. The system may also include a bonding device including a second spacer assembly that operates in concert with that of the substrate-transporting device for performing spacer transfer between the substrates. The system may also include a pin device configured to stack the substrates during transfer.
It should be noted that throughout the disclosure, one or more substrates, such as substrates 20, 30, may be referred to. As the reader recognizes in the study of this disclosure, a given substrate may be a semiconductor wafer or other wafer, but it is not intended to be limited solely thereto. A given substrate may be substantially planar, although planarity is not required. A given substrate may be generally circular or polygonal (for example, rectangular, square, or otherwise quadrilateral) and may have a diameter or width of any desired size (eg, about 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12 or 18 inches or larger). A given substrate may have a thickness (for example, an average thickness) in the range of about 50-3,000 μm or larger. A given plurality of the substrates may be substantially the same size in one or more dimensions (for example, substantially the same size) or different sizes as needed. For a given plurality of substrates, one substrate may be disposed over another and, in some cases, may serve as a lid or cover for the underlying substrate. In some cases, a given substrate may either have a substantially straight (flat) edge and / or a recess at its peripheral edge.
With regard to the material composition, a given substrate can be formed from one or a combination of: (1) a semiconductor material such as silicon (Si) or gallium arsenide (GaAs); (2) a glass such as quartz glass; (3) a plastic; or (4) a ceramic material. Other suitable substrate materials will become apparent in the light of this disclosure and are dependent on a given target application or end use. In addition, a given substrate may be wholly or partially monocrystalline, polycrystalline or amorphous as needed. In some cases, a given substrate may include one or more structures that may be regularly aligned with each other, or may be formed in another desired arrangement on or in at least one of its surfaces. In some cases, the structures may include ridges, voids, or the like. In some instances, the structures may include electrical circuitry, such as transistors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), photodetectors, integrated circuits (ICs), or optical elements, to name but a few. In some instances, the structures may include microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) or microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS), or be part of them. A given substrate may comprise one or more layers, coatings, bonding adhesives, adhesive beads, release liners, residues and / or contaminants on at least one of its surfaces. The structures, coatings, residues and the like may be disposed on a surface of a first substrate facing a second substrate. FIG. 1B shows a diagram of a device and method for transporting aligned substrates used to transport aligned substrates 20, 30 from an alignment device to a bonding device, according to a first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1B, a substrate 100 for transporting aligned substrates is attached to a robotic arm 80 and is configured to move into and out of an alignment device 300 and into and out of a separate bonding station 400 having a bonding device. A pair of two substrates 20, 30 are transported by the transport device 100 into the alignment device 300, where two substrates 20, 30 are aligned and their orientation is secured with the transport device 100. Next, the robotic arm 80 moves the transport device 100 with the aligned substrate pair 20, 30 out of the alignment device 300 and in bonding station 400 where the two aligned substrates 20, 30 can be bonded. The transport device 100 is capable of arranging the two aligned substrates 20, 30 in the bonding device, and then the robotic arm 80 removes them from the bonding device for the duration of the bonding process. As soon as the
Bonding process is completed, the robot arm 80 moves the transport device 100 back into the bonding device to accommodate the bonded substrate pair 20, 30, which is supported by the transport device 100 when it is removed from the bonding station 400. In some embodiments, the alignment device 300 and the bonding station 400 are integrated in the same reactor. FIGURES 4A-4B illustrate a top view and a bottom view, respectively, of an aligned substrate transport apparatus 100 that includes a plurality of spacer assemblies 130 'and configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The transport device 100 may be used to transport aligned substrates (eg, wafers) into and out of processing chambers, in accordance with some embodiments. The transport device 100 may be, for example, an end effector or other wafer or substrate transport chuck. Numerous embodiments and variations will become apparent in the study of this disclosure.
The transport device 100 may include a Y-shaped fixed frame 110 and a floating support 120 disposed on the frame 110. In one example, the frame 110 has a semi-circular inner periphery 110a having a radius approximately equal to the radius of the substrates 20, 30. In other examples, the frame 110 has a Y-shaped or fork-shaped inner circumference. Similarly, the carrier 120 has a semi-circular inner periphery 120a having a radius approximately equal to the radius of the substrates 20, 30. According to some embodiments, the semicircular inner periphery 120a of the floating carrier 120 is conceivable as a partial ring structure having ends that terminate before a complete ring (for example, 360 °) is formed. As shown in FIGS. 4A-4B, the structure of the semicircular inner periphery 120a may be formed of a floating support 120 having a partial annular shape that substantially comprises a 180 ° turn; in other designs, the partial ring shape can reach up to 270 °. Other partially annular shapes of the floating carrier 120 are also considered to 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 transport device 100 is conceivable to have the floating support 120 positioned on its upper side, whereas the frame element 110 may be positioned on its lower side. Unlike a conventional one
Transport device carrying both substrates of the aligned substrate pair on its top surface (as discussed, for example, with reference to FIGS. 2A-2C), the transport device 100 may include substrates 20, 30 inside the arms of the frame member 110 and at a position below the elongated one Wear lip of floating support 120. This design allows the edges of the substrates 20, 30 between the fixed frame 110 and the floating support 120 at different positions along the inner peripheries of the frame member 110 and the floating support 120, such as three positions 111a, 111b, 111c hold.
The transport device 100 may further include a number of assemblies for holding and / or spacing the substrates 20, 30, such as spacer assemblies 130 'disposed about the inner periphery of the frame member 110. As can be seen, the transport device 100 may include a first spacer assembly 130 'at a first position 111a, a second spacer assembly 130' at a second position 111b, and a third spacer assembly 130 'at a third position 111c. Of course, as will become apparent in the study of this disclosure, according to other embodiments, a smaller number (e.g., two or fewer) or a greater number (e.g., four or more) spacer assemblies 130 'may be provided as needed for a given target application or end use. FIG. 5 illustrates an isometric side view of a spacer assembly 130 'configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional side elevational view of a spacer assembly 130 'configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As can be seen in FIGS. 5-6, the spacer assembly 130 'may include a mounting portion 702' that may be directly or indirectly coupled to the transport device 100 (eg, at a given position 111a, 111b, or 111c thereof). For this purpose, the mounting portion 702 'may be coupled via any suitable fastening means, as can be seen from this disclosure. The dimensions and precise configuration of the mounting portion 702 'may be adjusted as desired for a given target application or end use. Numerous suitable configurations for mounting portion 702 'will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
The spacer assembly 130 'may also include a drive device 704' that may be directly or indirectly coupled to the mounting portion 702 '. The drive device 704 'may be configured to provide a linear movement (eg, extension and retraction) of an element coupled thereto. To this end, the drive device 704 'in some embodiments may be a piston-type pneumatic actuator that is configured to be generally in the final state. However, the present disclosure is not intended to be so limited since, in some other embodiments, the drive device 704 'may also be a mechanical, electronic or other suitable drive element, as can be seen from this disclosure. The stroke length of the drive device 704 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the drive device 704 'may have a stroke end with a hard end stop. Other suitable implementations for the drive device 704 'will depend on the particular application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
The spacer assembly 130 'may further include a shaft 706' that may be directly or indirectly coupled to the drive device 704 '. The dimensions and precise configuration of the shaft 706 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the shaft 706 'may have a generally cylindrical shape. According to some embodiments, a first end (eg, a proximal end) of the shaft 706 'may be operatively coupled to the drive device 704'. According to some embodiments, a second end (eg, a distal end) of the shaft 706 'may be operatively coupled to a coupling arm 708' (discussed below) and may be connected to a biasing element 712 '(discussed below). In this manner, the drive device 704 'may drive the shaft 706' in a linear fashion, and the shaft 706 'may apply a force to the coupling arm 708' and the biasing member 712 'during operation of the spacer assembly 130'. Other suitable designs for the shaft 706 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
As noted previously, the spacer assembly 130 'may include a coupling arm 708' coupled directly or indirectly to the shaft 706 '. The coupling arm 708 'may be configured as a generally elongated body having a bifurcated end adapted to be connected to the second end (eg, distal end) of the shaft 706'. At this juncture, the coupling arm 708 'may receive the second end of the shaft 706' with some play (for example, a gap), optionally creating a floating coupling 710 '. The end of the coupling arm 708 'located opposite its forked end may be coupled directly or indirectly to the bearing 188' (discussed below) via one or more suitable fasteners. Other suitable embodiments for the coupling arm 708 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
Also, as noted previously, the spacer assembly 130 'may optionally include a biasing member 712'. According to some embodiments, the biasing member 712 'may be configured as a generally elongate body having a first end configured to be connected to the second end (eg, distal end) of the shaft 706' that extends beyond the bifurcated end of the coupling arm 708 'protrudes. A second end of the biasing member 712 'may be coupled directly or indirectly to the bearing 188' (discussed below) via one or more suitable attachment means. According to some embodiments, the biasing member 712 'may be configured to provide a radial preload that provides a preloaded launch point on the floating coupling 710' for outward radial thermal expansion compliance for the substrates 20, 30. In this way, the biasing member 712 ', and more generally the spacer assembly 130', may allow the spacer 136 '(discussed below) to move as the substrates 20, 30 radially increase or decrease due to temperature changes in the bonding apparatus chamber 410 , For these purposes, the biasing member 712 'may be, for example, a weak leaf spring or other suitable spring element configured to provide a degree of preload. In some cases, the biasing member 712 'may be configured to provide a recovery force in the range of about 0.5-2.0 N, although greater or lesser forces may be provided as needed for a given target application or end use. Other suitable configurations for the biasing element 712 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the provision of preload and radial compliance solely by embodiments that include an optional biasing element 712 'and an optional floating coupling 710'. For example, in some other embodiments, the biasing member 712 'and / or the floating coupling 710' may be omitted, and in some such cases, the force applied by the driving device 702 'may be reduced to a given desired degree by the same or substantially to provide similar preload and compliance capabilities as those discussed above with respect to cases involving the biasing member 712 'and / or the floating coupling 710'. Numerous embodiments and variations will become apparent in the study of this disclosure.
In addition, as previously noted, the spacer assembly 130 'may include a bearing 188' that may be coupled directly or indirectly to the mounting portion 702 '. According to some embodiments, the bearing 188 'may be configured to facilitate the linear movement (eg, extension and retraction) of a member coupled thereto. For this purpose, the bearing 188 'may, for example, be a linear motion bearing comprising slide rail components and configured as typically in the final state. Due to the coupling of the drive device 704 'to the shaft 706', the coupling arm 708 'and thus the bearing 188', the bearing 188 'may be able to advance or retract when the drive device 704' advances or retracts the shaft 706 ' , That is, the bearing 188 'may have a stroke length that is substantially the same as the stroke length of the drive device 704', as discussed above.
Additionally, due to the coupling of the biasing member 712 'to the bearing 188', the restoring force provided by the biasing member 712 'may act, in whole or in part, on the bearing 188'. Other suitable configurations for the bearing 188 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
As further shown in FIGS. 5-6, the spacer assembly 130 'may include a spacer 136' that may be directly or indirectly coupled to the bearing 188 '. The spacer 136 'may be a spacer tab or other suitable spacer body configured to be inserted between the substrates 20, 30 in a temporary or otherwise desired manner.
The spacer 136 'is used to space the wafers 20, 30 apart when received by the end effector 100. In one example, the spacer 136 'may be made of a stainless steel body with a titanium nitride coating, but various materials and coatings may be used. The spacer 136 'may be inserted under the edge of the wafer 20 at the respective three positions, and then the wafer 30 is placed under the spacer 136'.
The spacers 136 'are configured to move horizontally along the direction 92, and the clamps 132a, 132b, 132c (to be discussed later) are configured to pivot in a cam-like movement along a linear slide rail a combination thereof to touch the lower wafer 30. For example, in one example, the clamps 132a, 132b, 132c may rotate about a pivot axis that is substantially parallel to an axis of the semicircular inner periphery 120a.
In any event, the shape and dimensions of the spacer 136 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. Due to the coupling of the drive device 704 'to the shaft 706', the coupling arm 708 'and the bearing 188', the spacer 136 'may be able to advance or retract when the drive device 704' advances or retracts the shaft 706 '. That is, the spacer 136 'may have a stroke length that is substantially the same as the one
Stroke length of the drive device 704 'as discussed above. Additionally, due to the coupling of the biasing member 712 'to the bearing 188', the restoring force provided by the biasing member 712 'may act, in whole or in part, on the spacer 136'. As previously discussed, this may provide some degree of radial compliance as needed for a given target application or end use. According to some embodiments, the spacer 136 'may optionally be configured to provide some degree of z-compliance, which may facilitate, at least in some cases, the provision of a good clamping action with respect to the substrates 20, 30.
The spacer (s) 136 'may be used to space the substrates 20, 30 apart when received by the transport device 100.
In one example, the spacers 136 'may be made of a stainless steel body with a titanium nitride (tin) coating, but various other materials and coatings may be used. The spacer (s) 136 'may be inserted under the edge of the substrate 20 at any (or all) corresponding three positions 111a, 111b, 111c, and then the substrate 30 may be positioned below the spacer (s) 136', as generally shown. A given spacer 136 'may be configured to move substantially horizontally. Other suitable configurations for the spacer 136 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
In addition, as can be seen in FIGS. 5-6, the spacer assembly 130 'may include a guide feature 137'. In some embodiments, the guide feature 137 'and the spacer 136' may be of monolithic construction (for example, formed together as a singular, unitary piece). In some other embodiments, the guide feature 137 'and the spacer 136' may be separate parts (for example, of polyhedral construction) that may be directly or indirectly attached or otherwise operatively coupled with each other. The shape and dimensions of the guide feature 137 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the guide feature 137 'may be generally L-shaped with one leg aligned substantially parallel to the spacer 136' and the other leg aligned substantially perpendicular to the spacer 136 '. The guide feature 137 'may extend from the spacer 136' in a given desired direction and optionally height. In accordance with some embodiments, the guide feature 137 'may be at least partially offset from the spacer 136' and extend laterally adjacent to the portion of the spacer 136 'that is to be inserted between the substrates 20, 30. The guide feature 137 'may be substantially planar but lie in a plane above the plane of the underlying spacer 136'. In this embodiment, the guide feature 137 'may serve as a reference stop point (for example, an upper limit) for the spacer 138' (discussed below) as it advances in the z direction within the bonding device chamber 410. In this way, once the spacer 138 'contacts directly (or indirectly) the underside of the guide feature 137', it can stop advancing in the z direction and begin to advance toward the substrates 20, 30 to be inserted between them to become, as discussed below. Other suitable configurations for the guide feature 137 'will be directed to a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
The bonding process using the transport device 100 is substantially different from the bonding process using conventional transport chucks. Conventional transport jigs transport aligned wafers into a bonding apparatus and must remain in the bonding apparatus throughout the duration of the bonding process. In contrast, the transport device 100 may allow transport of aligned substrates (eg, wafers) into a bonding device, and may then be removed from the bonding chamber prior to the bonding process. Accordingly, it is possible to only briefly expose the transport device 100 to idle temperatures in the bond devices (eg, temperatures of about 300 ° C compared to 500 ° C and hours of time to which conventional transport chucks are exposed). As a result, it is possible to expose the transporting device 100 to less mechanical and thermal stresses, so that they require less maintenance, whereby the efficiency can increase and the costs can decrease. FIG. 7 illustrates an isometric partial side view of a bonding device chamber 410 that includes a plurality of bonding device chamber spacer assemblies 480 'configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. As can be seen, the bonding device chamber 410 may include a first spacer assembly 480 'at a first position, a second spacer assembly 480' at a second position, and a third
Spacer assembly 480 'at a third position. Of course, according to others
Embodiments, as can be appreciated by studying this disclosure, also provide a lesser number (e.g., two or fewer) or a greater number (e.g., four or more) of spacer assemblies 480 'as needed for a given target application or end use. FIG. 8 illustrates an isometric side view of a spacer assembly 480 'configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGURES 9-10 illustrate a cross-sectional side elevational view and an isometric cross-sectional partial side view of a spacer assembly 480 ', respectively, configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 illustrates a cross-sectional, partial side view of a spacer assembly 480 'configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
As can be seen in FIGS. 8-11, the spacer assembly 480 'may include a mounting portion 486' that may be directly or indirectly coupled to another portion of the bonding device chamber 410. For this purpose, the mounting portion 486 'may be coupled via any suitable fastening means, as can be seen from this disclosure. The dimensions and precise configuration of the mounting portion 486 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. As will become clear from the study of this disclosure, in some embodiments, the mounting portion 486 'may be configured to operate in substantially the same manner and to serve broadly the same purpose as, for example, the console 486 shown in FIG. 21. Other suitable embodiments for the Mounting portion 802 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
The spacer assembly 480 'may include a drive device 482' that may be directly or indirectly coupled to the mounting portion 486 '. The drive device 482 'may be configured to provide a linear movement (eg, extension and retraction) of an element coupled thereto. As will be apparent from the study of this disclosure, the drive device 482 'may be configured to operate in substantially the same manner and to serve substantially the same purpose as, for example, the pneumatic piston 482 as shown in FIG. The pneumatic piston 482 is mounted on a ring 484 which is positioned about the Z-axis column 495 and below the lower heater 490. The pneumatic piston 482 carries a bracket 486 which supports the bonding device spacer tab 138a. When the pneumatic piston 482 is activated, it may be moved to and from the center of the bonding pad in a radial direction.
In at least some embodiments, the drive device 482 'may be a piston type pneumatic actuator that is configured to be typically in the final state. However, the present disclosure is not intended to be so limited since, in some other embodiments, the drive device 482 'may also be a mechanical, electronic, or other suitable drive element, as will be appreciated from this disclosure. The stroke length of the drive device 482 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the drive device 482 'may have a stroke end with a hard end stop. Other suitable configurations for the drive device 482 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
The spacer assembly 480 'may further include a shaft 806' that may be coupled directly or indirectly to the driver 482 '. The dimensions and precise configuration of the shaft 806 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the shaft 806 'may be generally cylindrical in shape. According to some embodiments, a first end (eg, a proximal end) of the shaft 806 'may be operatively coupled to the driver 482'. According to some embodiments, a second end (eg, a distal end) of the shaft 806 'may be operatively coupled to the mounting portion 486' and may be connected to a biasing member 812 '(discussed below). At this juncture, the mounting portion 486 'may receive the second end of the shaft 806' with some play (for example, a gap), thereby providing a floating coupling 811 '. In this way, the drive device 482 'may drive the shaft 806' in a linear fashion, and the shaft 806 'may apply a force to the mounting portion 486' and the biasing member 812 '. Other suitable designs for the shaft 806 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
As noted previously, the spacer assembly 480 'may include a biasing member 812'. The biasing member 812 'may be configured as a generally elongated body having a first end configured to be connected to the second end (eg, distal end) of the shaft 806'. For this purpose, a fastener 810 'may be used, with the fastener 810' defining the engagement area of the shaft 806 'at its interface with the mounting portion 486'. A second end of the biasing member 812 'may be coupled directly or indirectly to the bearing 488' (discussed below) via one or more suitable attachment means. In some embodiments, the biasing member 812 'may be configured to provide a radial preload that provides a preload starting point on the outward radial expansion coefficient floating coupling 811' for the substrates 20, 30.
In this way, the biasing member 812 ', and more generally the
Spacer assembly 480 'allows spacer 138' (discussed below) to move as substrates 20, 30 radially increase or decrease due to temperature changes in bonding apparatus chamber 410. For these purposes, the biasing element 812 'may be, for example, a weak leaf spring or other suitable spring element configured to provide some degree of preload. In some cases, the biasing member 812 'may be configured to provide a recovery force in the range of about 0.5-2.0 N, although greater or lesser forces may be provided as needed for a given target application or end use. As will be apparent from the study of this disclosure, the restoring force provided by the biasing member 812 'may also be counteracted, in a substantially similar or otherwise desired manner, by the recovery force provided by a given biasing member 712' of a given spacer assembly 130 ' will be discussed earlier. Other suitable configurations for the biasing element 812 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
In addition, as previously noted, the spacer assembly 480 'may include a bearing 488' that may be coupled directly or indirectly to the mounting portion 486 '. According to some embodiments, the bearing 488 'may be configured to facilitate the linear movement (eg, extension and retraction) of a member coupled thereto. For this purpose, the bearing 488 'may be, for example, a linear motion bearing comprising slide rail components and configured as typically in the final state. Due to the coupling of the drive device 482 'to the shaft 806', the bearing 488 'may be able to advance or retract when the
Drive 482 'the shaft 806' advances or retracts. That is, the bearing 488 'may have a stroke length that is substantially the same as the stroke length of the drive device 482', as discussed above. Additionally, due to the coupling of the biasing member 812 'to the bearing 488', the restoring force provided by the biasing member 812 'may act, in whole or in part, on the bearing 488'. Other suitable configurations for the bearing 488 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
As further shown in FIGS. 8-11, the spacer assembly 480 'may include a base portion 814' that may be directly or indirectly coupled to the mounting portion 486 '. The base portion 814 'may have a pedestal portion 816' extending therefrom. The shape and dimensions of the base portion 814 'and its associated pedestal portion 816' may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the pedestal portion 816 'may extend away from the base portion 814' in a substantially perpendicular manner. Numerous suitable configurations for base portion 814 'and pedestal portion 816' will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
The spacer assembly 480 'may also include an arm portion 818' that may be directly or indirectly coupled to the socket portion 816 '. According to some embodiments, the arm portion 818 'may be configured to hold the rail portion 820' (discussed below) thereon or otherwise allow for assembly. To this end, the shape and dimensions of the arm portion 818 'may be adjusted as needed for a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the arm portion 818 'may be generally L-shaped with one leg aligned substantially parallel to the base portion 816' and the other leg aligned substantially perpendicular to the base portion 816 '. Other suitable configurations for the arm portion 818 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
As noted previously, the spacer assembly 480 'may include a rail portion 820' that may be coupled directly or indirectly to the arm portion 818 '. In some embodiments, the rail portion 820 'may be configured to hold the spacer 138' (discussed below) or otherwise allow for assembly. To this end, the shape and dimensions of the rail portion 820 'may be adjusted as needed for a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the rail portion 820 'may be a generally elongate body having an angled portion 822' at one of its ends (eg, its distal end). As with particular reference to FIG. 11, the angled portion 822 'may extend away from the arm portion 818' at a given angle (θ), which may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. Other suitable configurations for the rail portion 820 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
As further shown in FIGS. 8-11, the spacer assembly 480 'may include a spacer 138' that may be directly or indirectly coupled to the rail portion 820 '. The spacer 138 'may be a spacer tab or other suitable spacer body configured to be inserted between the substrates 20, 30 in a temporary or otherwise desired manner. As will be apparent from the study of this disclosure, the spacer 138 'may be configured to operate in substantially the same manner and to serve broadly the same purpose as, for example, the spacers 138' discussed above. For these purposes, the shape and dimensions of the spacer 138 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In some embodiments, the spacer 138 'may be smaller in at least one dimension (eg, a thinner vertical profile as viewed from a side elevation) than the spacer 136', and in at least some cases, this difference may be one or more dimensions of the spacer. Simplify the handover process (described here). Due to the coupling of the driver 482 'to the shaft 806', the mounting portion 486 'and the bearing 488', the spacer 138 'may be able to advance or retract when the driver 482' advances or retracts the shaft 806 '. That is, the spacer 138 'may have a stroke length that is substantially the same as the stroke length of the driver 482', as discussed above. Additionally, due to the coupling of the biasing member 812 'to the bearing 488', the restoring force provided by the biasing member 812 'may act, in whole or in part, on the spacer 138'. As previously discussed, this may allow for some degree of radial compliance as needed for a given target application or end use. In addition, the spacer assembly 480 'may include an end stop member 824' (such as a shoulder screw or other suitable body, which may optionally be a fastener) configured to support the spacer 138 'with a degree of preload in the region of the angled portion 822 'of the rail portion 820'. In some cases, the spacer 138 'may be provided with a slight biasing force against the end stop member 824', which biasing force is sufficiently low magnitude to minimize the possibility of bowing or other movement of the spacer 136 'during the spacer transfer process (herein) Text described) (or otherwise reduce). In some cases, this biasing force may be in the range of about 0.5-2.0 N, although greater or lesser forces may be used as needed for a given target application or end use.
The spacer (s) 138 'may be used by the bonding apparatus to space the two stacked substrates 20, 30 when placed in the bonding apparatus. As can be seen, the spacer (s) 138 'may be positioned in proximal positions to the spacer (s) 136', which may be disposed substantially equidistantly around the semicircular periphery of the floating support 120. Generally speaking, according to some embodiments, bonding may be accomplished, at least in part, using the spacer (s) 138 'inserted between the substrates 20, 30. Thereby, the spacers 136 'can be removed, and the entire transport device 100 can be taken out of the bonding chamber. The aligned and spaced apart substrates 20, 30 may then be pinned with the pin 455 '(discussed below), and then a bonding force may be applied to the pinned substrates 20, 30. Once the bonding is completed, the transport device 100 can be used to remove the bonded substrates 20, 30 from the bonding apparatus. Other suitable configurations for the spacer 138 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure. FIG. 12 illustrates a cross-sectional partial side elevation view of a pin 455 'configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 illustrates a cross-sectional partial side elevation view of a pin 455 'configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 illustrates an isometric partial side view of a pin 455 'configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As will be apparent from the study of this disclosure, the pin 455 'in a general sense may be configured to operate in substantially the same manner and to serve broadly the same purpose as, for example, one of the pins 455a, 455b and 455c shown below Referring to Figures 17A to 22B.
The pin 455 'may be made of titanium, a ceramic material such as silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4) ceramic or other materials, and may include a center pin 502 surrounded by a bottom tube or sleeve 504 extending along a lower portion of the core Pin 455 'positioned. The bottom tube 504 may be of any desired
Be cross-sectional geometry (for example, circular tubular or annular, rectangular tubular). More generally, pin 455 'may be of any desired cross-sectional geometry (e.g., circular, elliptical, or otherwise curvilinear, rectangular, square, or otherwise polygonal). The center pin 502 may include a pen tip 506 that is flat or pointed. As will be further understood, in some embodiments, the pin 455 'may be radially compliant near its tip so as to be biased ± 0.5 mm toward the center and the center placed in an uppermost position to allow the penpoint tip 506 to join the paired substrates 20 , 30 can engage at a desired angle of impact. The preload of the pin 455 'may allow it to have a natural, centered position when actuated, and also to be radially compliant as soon as a force acts on it. As a result, the pin 455 'may, according to some embodiments, be configured to maintain the application of a normal force to the substrates 20, 30.
The pin 455 'may be positioned substantially centered in a center housing 510 having a center pin socket 512 which itself has a socket seat with a short length to diameter ratio and is used to position the pin 455'. The center pin socket 512 may electrically isolate the pin 455 'from the surrounding mechanics of the bonding device 400, which may be important for anodic bonding processes where significantly high voltages may be used to bond the substrates 20, 30. Toward a lower end of the center pin bushing 512 is a radially biased, radially-biased O-ring 520, which may be made of a fluoropolymer or similar materials. The O-ring 520 may allow the center pin 502 and the surrounding tube 504 to move radially within the bonding device 400.
As can be seen in FIGS. 12-14, the pin 455 'may include a foot portion 900' at its end. According to some embodiments, the foot portion 900 'may include a body portion 902' configured to directly or indirectly contact a substrate 20, 30 to apply a given amount of force thereto. To this end, the dimensions and precise configuration of the body portion 902 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the body portion 902 'may be a substantially cylindrical body having a substantially planar, solid base. In the uncompressed state of the foot portion 900 ', a gap 908' may be located between the body portion 902 'and the tube 504. However, when the pin 455 'meets the substrates 20, 30, the gap 908' may close in whole or in part.
In the body portion 902 ', an opening 904' may be defined through which a retaining pin 912 'or other fastener may be inserted to hold the body portion 902' in position with respect to the tube 504 while moving along one or more of the body portions 902 ' Axles is allowed. To this end, the dimensions and shape of the opening 904 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the opening 904 'may be substantially circular. In some cases, a corresponding elongate opening 914 'may be disposed in the tube 504 and may be wholly or partially aligned with the opening 904'. The retention pin 912 'or other fastener may move vertically within the elongated opening 914' as the foot portion 900 'transitions between its uncompressed and compressed states at the end of the tube 504.
The body portion 902 'may further include a point contact feature 906' disposed opposite its base. In some embodiments, the point contact feature 906 'may be configured to be touched directly or indirectly by the stylus tip 506 in a manner effective to transmit the applied downward force of the center pin 502 to the body portion 902' (and thus to the substrates 20) 30, with which the body portion 902 'may be in contact). In this manner, the foot portion 900 'may be configured to provide a uniform force distribution on the substrates 20, 30 while eliminating (or otherwise minimizing) the possibility that these substrates 20, 30 move within the bonding device chamber 410. For these purposes, the dimensions and geometry of the point contact feature 906 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some embodiments, the point contact feature 906 'may be substantially hemispherical or otherwise convex and extend from the local surface of the body portion 902'. Other suitable embodiments for foot portion 900 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
As further shown in FIGS. 12-14, the pin 455 'may further include a guide feature 910' that may be disposed within the center pin socket 512. According to some embodiments, the guide feature 910 'may be configured to guide the tube 504, and thus the center pin 502, thereby providing a surface against which the tube 504 may slide during operation of the pin 455'. For these purposes, the dimensions and precise design of the guide feature 910 'may be adjusted as needed to a given target application or end use. In at least some instances, the guide feature 910 'may be sized to provide a gap between its outer surface and the inner side wall surface of the center pin jack 512, allowing some degree of lateral movement of the guide feature 910' and thus the tube 504 within the center pin jack 512 is. In some embodiments, the guide feature 910 'may be in contact with an O-ring 520 in a manner that allows the center pin 502 and the surrounding tube 504 to move radially while also applying a biasing force to the center. As will be apparent from the study of this disclosure, in some embodiments, the O-ring 520 may be configured to operate in substantially the same manner and to serve broadly the same purpose as, for example, the '689 application. In at least some instances, the guide feature 910 'may be wholly or partially made of a high performance plastic material suitable for the sliding movement desired for the tube 504. Other suitable embodiments for the guide feature 910 'will be directed to a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
The pin 455 'may further include a bearing 916' that may be disposed at one end of the tube 504. According to some embodiments, the bearing 916 'may be configured to allow the tube 504, and thus the guide feature 910' through which the tube 504 passes, to move radially within the middle sleeve 510. In this manner, the bearing 916 'can provide gimbals or other pivotal behavior to the center pin 502 and foot portion 900', providing, as needed, some degree of radial compliance and control over the angle of incidence to the substrates 20, 30 for a given target application Can provide end use. For this purpose, the bearing 916 'may, in at least some embodiments, be a spherical or other round bearing designed to be generally in the final state. Other suitable configurations for the bearing 916 'will depend on a given application and will become apparent upon study of this disclosure.
According to some embodiments, the foot portion 900 'may be capable of gimbal-type movement while also being configured to receive a point load from the center pin 502. In this way, the foot portion 900 'may provide control of the force, and hence pressure, to be uniformly applied to the substrates 20, 30. In at least some cases, an absolutely normal force and thus an absolutely uniform pressure can be achieved. As such, the foot portion 900 'according to some embodiments may be used to apply pressure to the substrates 20, 30 in a manner that substantially matches the pressure applied by the surrounding tensioners 320, 330 (discussed above). FIG. 15 illustrates an isometric view of a substrate 100 for transporting aligned substrates and a stylus 455 'disposed in a bonding device chamber 410, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As described herein, the transport device 100 may carry a plurality of substrates 20, 30 within the bonding device chamber 410. One or more spacer assemblies 130 'located on the transport device 100 may first have their respective spacers 136' interposed between the substrates 20, 30. One or more spacer assemblies 480 'located in the bonding device chamber 410 may then be caused to insert their respective spacers 138' between the substrates 20, 30. Simultaneously (or before or after), the pin 455 'may be caused to engage the substrates 20, 30 to apply pressure thereto to stably hold the substrates 20, 30. When the spacer (s) 138 'are in position and the pin 455' stabilizes the substrates 20, 30, the spacer (s) 136 'may be pulled out of position between the substrates 20, 30, thereby causing a spacer transfer in the bonding device chamber 410 , Further details on this process are set forth immediately below. FIGURES 16A-16B illustrate partial isometric views of various stages in a spacer replacement process in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 16A, the spacer transfer process may begin with the spacer 136 'between the substrates 20, 30. In this position, the guide feature 137 'may further protrude to the side of the spacer 136' in a plane above that of the spacer 136 '. The spacer 138 'may then move upwardly along the z-axis until it abuts the underside of the guide feature 137'. Thus, in a general sense, the guide feature 137 'may serve as a cap defining the limits to which the spacer 138' may move in the z-direction in the bonding device chamber 410. Simultaneously (or before or after), the pin 455 'may engage the substrates 20, 30 as described herein. As shown in FIG. 16B, the spacer 138 'may then advance toward the substrates 20, 30 remaining under the guide feature 137' and may be inserted therebetween. The spacer 136 'and guide feature 137' may then retract from the substrates 20, 30 while leaving the spacer 138 'between the substrates 20, 30.
In this spacer transfer process, the pin 455 'may operate in concert with the spacer assemblies 130' and 480 'to hold the substrates 20, 30 in position while providing a radial compliance during the spacer transfer process. When the foot portion 900 'of the pin 455' first contacts the substrates 20, 30, the body portion 902 'may planarize, thereby becoming substantially coplanar or otherwise substantially parallel to the landing surface of the substrates 20, 30. When the center pin 502 applies force to the foot portion 900 'at its point contact feature 906', the foot portion 900 'then applies that force across the surface of the substantially planar, solid base of the body portion 902', thereby uniforming the pressure to the substrates 20, 30 is created in the local impact area. By virtue of its configuration, the foot portion 900 'can distribute this pressure in a flat, even manner, thereby achieving good clamping of the underlying substrates 20, 30 without distorting them, and while the substrates 20, 30 are stacked in a manner which prevents or otherwise reduces the potential for asymmetric thermal expansion, which could otherwise occur due to processing temperatures in the bonding device chamber 410. Thus, the foot portion 900 ', and generally the pin 455', may exert some degree of control over the radial growth of the substrates 20, 30, particularly around their centers.
Further details regarding the construction and mode of operation of the pins 455 will be discussed below with reference to FIGS. 17A-22B. FIGURES 17A-17H are schematic cross-sectional illustrations of the steps of loading an aligned wafer pair into a bonding device 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 bonding device 400. FIG. 17A illustrates the bonding apparatus 400 in an idle state before the wafer is placed in the bonding device chamber 410. The bonding apparatus 400 includes a lower chuck 430 and an upper chuck 420 positioned below and above the bonding device chamber 410, both of which are capable of maintaining a heated state 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 bonding apparatus 400, only one of the fixtures is movable while the other remains stationary. Bonding device spacers 138a are included in the bonding device 400 and may be attached to the lower stage of the bonding device 400 such that the bonding device spacer flag 138a moves vertically with the lower tightening device 430, thereby maintaining a constant relative position to the lower tightening device 430. Although the individual figures generally illustrate only a single bonding-device spacer lug 138a for the sake of clarity of disclosure, it should be appreciated that three or more bonding-device spacers 138a, 138b, 138c may be used in the bonding apparatus 400 such that the same or similar Functions at three or more points in the bonding device take place simultaneously or at different but predetermined times.
The bonding process using the end effector 100 differs significantly from the bonding process using conventional transport chucks. Conventional transport jigs 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 allows transport of aligned wafers into one
Bonding device and is then before the bonding process from the
Bonding chamber taken out. Accordingly, it is possible to only briefly expose the end effector 100 to idle temperatures in the bonding devices, for example, temperatures of about 300 ° C compared to 500 ° C and hours of time to which conventional transport jigs are exposed. As a result, it is possible to expose the end effector 100 to less mechanical and thermal stress, requiring less maintenance, which can increase efficiency and reduce costs.
In summary, bonding according to this disclosure is achieved in part by using bonding device spacer tabs 138a inserted between the wafers, whereby the end effector spacer tabs 136a, 136b and 136c can be removed and the entire end effector 100 removed from the bonding chamber , 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. Once 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 bonding apparatus 400 with the end effector 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 17A-17H. We turn first FIG. 17B, where the aligned and clamped wafers 20 and 30 are transported through the end effector 100 and inserted into the bonding device 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; however, it should be noted that the bonding device 400 can have any configuration of movable and stationary chucks. As mentioned above, the end effector holds the edges 20e, 30e of the wafers 20, 30 with clamp assemblies 130a, 130b, and 130c, and the wafers 20, 30 are inserted into the bonding device chamber 410 along the direction 99 such that the edges 20e, 30e of FIG of the loading side of the bonding device 400, as shown in FIG. 17B. In this initial state, the floating support 120 is in contact with the frame member 110, and the wafer edges 20e, 30e are clamped together.
Next, as shown in FIG. 17C, 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 the wafers 20, 30 are placed on the lower chuck 430 such that the underside of the wafer Wafer 30 is in contact with the top of lower jig 430. In one of many alternatives, the floating carrier 120 with the clamped wafers 20, 30 could move upwardly along the direction 90a, and the wafers 20, 30 are placed on the underside of the upper clamp 420 so that the top of the wafer 20 contacts with the underside of the upper clamping device 420 is. As shown, the lower jig 430 may have one or more cutouts 432 along portions of the periphery of the lower jig 430, which is sufficient
Endeffector 100 may provide clearance to place the wafers 20, 30 in the bonding device 400, such that, for example, the outer edges of the wafers 20, 30 may be substantially aligned with the circumference of the upper and lower chucks 420, 430. Next, while the end effector spacer tab 136a remains at a position between the wafers 20, 30, one or more pins 455a are brought into contact with the top of the wafer 20 at one or more positions as shown in FIG. 17D shown.
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 keep a high temperature uniform in the bonding apparatus 400 when it does not actively bond wafers, thereby reducing the time required for the wafer to bond
Bonding device 400 comes to operating temperature in each cycle. However, placing aligned wafers in an already heated bonding device 400, for example, on the order of 400 ° C, may adversely affect the alignment of the wafers 20, 30. For example, contacting the wafers 20, 30 with this type of heated environment may cause the wafers 20, 30 to expand radially so that 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 positions, it may be preferable to gather the wafers 20, 30 at their midpoint rather than along a radial edge, thereby avoiding situations where thermal expansion of the wafers 20, 30 from an offset point Caused misalignments. In Figures 17D-17F, pin 455a is shown as being in a center of wafers 20, 30, but the number of pins 455a and the positions of these pins may vary, as discussed with reference to FIGS. 19A-19C ,
Then, as shown in FIG. 17E, while the wafers 20, 30 are held with the one or more pins 455a, one or more of the bonding device spacer tabs 138a positioned near the edge portions of the wafers 20, 30 are sandwiched between the wafers 20, 30 along the direction 411b introduced. The bonding device spacer tabs 138a may be thinner than the end effector spacer tab 136a, and therefore may be inserted between the wafers 20, 30 which are clamped around the end effector spacer tab 136a. In one example, the bonding device spacer tabs 138a may be about 100 microns, while the end effector spacer tab 136a may be about 200 microns.
Next, the clamps 132a, 132b, 132c are released, and they separate from the edge 30e of the underside of the wafer 30, as shown in FIG. 17F. It should be noted that the
Clamps can be removed according to predetermined routines, such as simultaneously, sequentially or in a combination thereof. After releasing the clamps 132a, 132b, and 132c, the end effector spacer lug 136a is removed from the space between the two wafers 20, 30 along the directions 92b, as shown in FIG. 17G shown. The three or more bond spacer tabs 138a remain at a position between the wafers 20, 30 along the periphery of the wafers 20, 30. Mostly, the fixture spacer tabs 138a are positioned near the positions of the end effector spacer tab 136a along the perimeter of the wafers 20, 30. After the end effector spacer tabs 136a have been removed, there may still be a gap distance between the wafers 20, 30, as shown in FIGS. 17G-17H, due to the proximity of the bonding device spacer tab between the wafers 20, 30 remains.
Finally, the end effector 100 moves upwardly along the direction 97a until the suction cups 122a, 122b, 122c disengage from the top of the rim 20e of the wafer 20, leaving the pinned wafers 20, 30 on the lower jig 430, as shown in FIG , 17H shown. At this stage, the end effector 100 is completely pulled out of the bonding device 400, as shown in FIG. 17I and wafer bonding can begin. In the initial stages of the wafer bonding process, the wafers 20, 30 are bonded together around the bonding device spacer tabs 138a. Before applying the force, remove the bonding device spacer tabs 138a. After completion of the bonding process, the bonded wafer pair 20, 30 is taken out of the bonding device 400 together with the end effector 100. FIG. FIG. 18 shows a bonding device positioned to apply the end effector of FIG. 4, according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. More specifically, the bonding device 400 of FIG. Have 18 differently designed fixed and movable components. In FIGS. 17A-17H, the bonding apparatus 400 is configured such that the upper chuck 420 is fixed and the lower chuck 430 is movable along the z-axis. In the design of the in FIG. 18, 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 upper and / or lower chucks 420, 430 of a bonding device 400 with the devices, the system, and the methods of this disclosure may be used. FIGURES 19A-19C illustrate variations of the pins used in a bonding device. FIG. 19A shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers over a single center pin according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 19B shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers over a center pin and an off-center anti-rotation pin according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 19C shows a schematic view of pinning two wafers over three peripheral pins according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Referring to FIGS. 19A-19C 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 positions. It may be preferable to use a single pin 455a positioned in the center of the wafers 20, 30 as shown in FIG. 19A. The use of a single pin 455a in the center may allow the wafers 20, 30 to thermally expand without misalignment.
In an alternative, the wafers 20, 30 may be pinned with two pins 455a, 455b as shown in FIG. 19B. Here, the pin 455a is a center pin, and the pin 455b is a rotation prevention pin, so that the pin 455b prevents rotation of the wafers 20, 30. In this design, the center pin 455a can apply a larger pin force to the wafers 20, 30 than the rotation prevention pin 455b. Additionally, the off-center pin 455b may be radially compliant in that it may be movable along a radius of the wafers 20, 30 to compensate for thermal expansion of the wafers. In a in FIG. 19C, three pins 455a, 455b, 455c may be used, arranged along the perimeter of the wafers 20, 30, such as near each of the fuser spacer tabs 138a. They may be spaced substantially equally spaced along the circumference of the wafers 20, 30, such as 120 degrees apart. It is also possible to use a combination of these configurations or other pin configurations that are not explicitly shown. For example, it may be desirable to use the center pin of FIG. 19A with the three perimeter pins of FIG. 19C to use. FIG. 20 is a diagram of an exemplary wafer bonding apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in FIG. 20, the bonding apparatus 400 further includes a membrane force and motor positioning printhead 460, a pressure plate and top pin bonding head 470, a bonding device spacer lug mechanism 480, a sandwich panel and cleaning feature bottom heater 490, and a Z-axis static support column 495 FIG. 21 is a diagram of an exemplary bonding device spacer tab mechanism 480 used with a wafer bonding apparatus 400, according to one embodiment of this disclosure. Referring to FIGS. 20-21, the bonding device spacer tab mechanism 480 may be used to move the bonding device spacer tabs 138a, 138b, 138c between inserted and retracted positions between aligned wafer pairs. In one example, the bonding device 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 bracket 486 which supports the bonding device spacer tab 138a. When the pneumatic piston 482 is activated, it may be moved in a radial direction toward and away from the center of the bonding pad. The movement of the bonding device spacer tab 138a may be guided by a rail 488 on which the bracket 486 may slide. These structures may allow the bonding device spacer tabs 138a to have radial compliance, allowing the bonding device spacer tabs 138a to move in a radial direction with the wafers 20, 30 as the wafers undergo thermal expansion. Other mechanical and electromechanical devices besides pneumatically controlled devices may be used to move the bonding device spacer tab 138a.
Conventional bonding devices have one or more pens for compressing wafers, but these devices provide only limited force control over the peg. In one example, a conventional pen had a single force passing through one
Compression spring or similar device was created, which could only apply a constant pressure to the wafer. As a result, as the upper and lower chucks compressed the wafers, less pressure was applied to the surface of the wafers that were aligned with the pin than to the faces of the wafers that contacted the chucks, resulting in a high mechanical power loss at the portion of the wafer in contact with the pen caused. At the same time, the lower thermal conductivity of the conventional pen caused a large thermal power loss at the portion of the wafer that was aligned with the stylus. When these problems are combined with the fact that conventional pins have larger diameters and a large ambient gap, which is typically around 12-14 mm, high mechanical and thermal power losses add up to a significant efficiency loss in wafer bonding.
To overcome these problems, the present disclosure contemplates a pin 455a that reduces both mechanical power loss and thermal power loss. For this purpose, FIGS. 22A-22B are diagrams of an example of a pin 455a according to the first exemplary embodiment thereof
Epiphany. As shown, the pin 455a may extend through the upper jig 420 of FIG
Bonding device extend so that it can be moved into the area of the bonding device 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 in a 6mm bore in 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 gap diameter of about 12-14 mm, the pin 455a having a 6 mm diameter gap can significantly reduce the mechanical high power loss. 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 jigs, thereby further reducing the mechanical power loss.
The pin 455a may be made of titanium, a ceramic material such as silicon nitride ceramic or other materials, and may include a center pin 502 formed by a lower tube or sleeve 504 positioned along a lower portion of the pin 455a and an upper tube or sleeve 505, which has a thin wall and is positioned along an upper portion of the pin 455a. The lower sleeve 504 and the upper sleeve 505 may be connected at a joint near the center pin 502, for example, by welding or other technique. The center pin 502 may include a pen tip 506 that is flat. The upper sleeve 505 may be actively heated by the surrounding tensioning device 420 and / or a heating pin 532 in contact with a heater 526 positioned over the tensioning device 420, as described with reference to FIG. 22B, and center pin 502 may also be heated by surrounding jig 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 from the fixture 420 and active heating from a resistive heating element may be used to heat the various components of the stylus 455a.
The pin 455a may be radially compliant near the tip so as to be biased toward the center by ± 0.5 mm centering in the uppermost position to allow the penpoint tip 506 to engage the paired wafers 20, 30 at a desired angle of impact can take. Preloading pin 455a allows pin 455a to assume a natural, centered position when actuated, but also allows pin 455a to be radially compliant as soon as a force acts on it. As a result, the pin 455a can maintain the application of a normal force to the wafers.
Further mechanical details of the pin 455a are shown in FIG. 22B. The pin 455a is positioned substantially centered within a center housing 510 having a center pin socket 512, also referred to as a peek socket, which itself has a bushing seat with a short length to diameter ratio 514 and for positioning the pin 455a is used. The center pin socket 512 allows electrical isolation of the pin 455a from the surrounding mechanics of the bonding device 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 force reaction plate 518 are also positioned to surround the center pin jack 512. Towards a lower end of the center pin bushing 512 is a radially biased, radially resilient 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 in the bonding device 400. An aluminum cooling flange 522 is positioned below the force reaction plate 518 and a heat insulating member 524 is positioned below the cooling flange 522 to thermally insulate the heater 526.
Within the cooling flange 522 is a sleeve 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 that is under the company name ZERODUR® or a similar material. Socket 528 may have indented cavities 530 on each side which serve as overlap features to provide electrical isolation with a low-air dielectric in a vacuum. A heating pin 532 is positioned below the sleeve 528 and around the lower edge of the center pin 502 and the tube 504. The heating pin 532 may be formed of silicon nitride and may be engaged with the lower indented cavity 530 of the socket 528. The heating pin 532 may also contact the center pin 502 and the 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 for efficient heat transfer from the heater 526 through the heating pin 532 and to the center pin 502 and the 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 to adequately transfer the heat from the heater 526 to the portions of the wafers they contact , transfer.
Accordingly, the thermal power loss experienced by conventional pins can be significantly reduced. Increasing the thermal conductivity of the stylus 455a while having the ability to control a force of applying the stylus 455a can improve the bonding of the wafers as compared to bonding that was possible with the prior art.
It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, in particular, any "preferred" embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations intended solely to provide a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the disclosure without materially departing from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.

权利要求:
Claims (23)
[1]
claims
A substrate processing system configured to bond a pair of substrates, the substrate processing system comprising: a processing chamber; and a spacer assembly disposed in the processing chamber and including a spacer configured to be inserted between the pair of substrates; and to be in contact with a guiding feature of a device for transporting aligned substrates disposed in the processing chamber, the spacer being adapted to stop advancing in the processing chamber as soon as it comes into contact with the guiding feature before it between the pair of substrates is introduced.
[2]
The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the spacer assembly further comprises a biasing member configured to provide a radial preload in that it provides a preloaded starting point for outward radial thermal expansion compliance for the pair of substrates.
[3]
The substrate processing system of claim 2, wherein: the spacer assembly further comprises: a drive device; a shaft operatively coupled to the drive device; and a bearing operatively coupled to the shaft and spacer; and the drive device is configured to provide linear movement of the shaft in a manner that provides linear movement of the bearing and the spacer.
[4]
The substrate processing system of claim 3, further comprising a mounting portion operatively coupled to the shaft and the bearing such that movement of the mounting portion over the shaft provides movement of the bearing, wherein: the bearing is mounted to the mounting portion; the mounting portion and the shaft have some play, creating a floating coupling between them; and the biased starting point is located at the floating coupling.
[5]
5. The substrate processing system of claim 4, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring member comprising: a first end coupled to the mounting portion and a second end connected to a portion of the shaft that extends beyond the mounting portion ,
[6]
The substrate processing system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer assembly is configured to bias the spacer to reduce the possibility of flexing of the spacer as the spacer is inserted between the pair of substrates.
[7]
The substrate processing system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein an apparatus configured to handle a pair of substrates is integrated, the apparatus comprising: a frame member; and a spacer assembly coupled to the frame member and comprising: a first spacer configured to be inserted between the pair of substrates; and a guide feature configured to provide a reference stop point for advancing a second spacer of a substrate processing device.
[8]
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the guide feature is substantially L-shaped and includes: a first leg attached to the first spacer and oriented substantially perpendicular to a length of the first spacer; and a second leg that is aligned substantially parallel to the length of the first spacer.
[9]
The system of claim 7 or claim 8, wherein: the guiding feature and the first spacer are of monolithic construction; and the guide feature is substantially L-shaped and includes: a first leg extending from the first spacer and oriented substantially perpendicular to a length of the first spacer; and a second leg that is aligned substantially parallel to the length of the first spacer.
[10]
10. The system of claim 7, wherein the guide feature is configured to provide the reference stop point for the second spacer, and is configured to physically contact the second spacer and to advance the second spacer in a vertical one To stop direction.
[11]
The system of any of claims 7 to 10, further comprising a biasing member configured to provide a radial preload in that it provides a preloaded starting point for an outward radial thermal expansion compliance for the pair of substrates.
[12]
12. The system of claim 11, wherein: the spacer assembly further comprises: a drive device; a shaft operatively coupled to the drive device; and a bearing operatively coupled to the shaft and the first spacer; and the drive device is configured to provide linear movement of the shaft in a manner that provides linear movement of the bearing and the first spacer.
[13]
13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an arm portion operatively coupled to the shaft and the bearing such that movement of the arm portion over the shaft provides movement of the bearing, wherein: the arm portion and the shaft have some play which creates a floating coupling between them; and the biased starting point is located at the floating coupling.
[14]
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring member comprising: a first end coupled to the bearing; and a second end connected to a portion of the shaft that extends beyond the arm portion.
[15]
15. The system of claim 1, wherein a stylus device configured to apply a compression force to a pair of substrates in a spaced orientation within a substrate processing chamber is provided, the stylus device comprising: a stylus tip; and a foot portion, comprising: a point contact feature disposed at a first end of the foot portion and configured to contact the pen point; and a substantially planar base located at a second end of the foot portion opposite the first end and configured to contact one of the pair of substrates.
[16]
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the point contact feature has a hemispherical shape extending from the first end of the foot portion toward the penpoint tip.
[17]
The system of claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the foot portion is movable relative to the penpoint such that: in an uncompressed state of the foot portion, there is a gap between the foot portion and the penpoint tip; and in a compressed state of the foot portion, the point contact feature comes into contact with the penpoint tip.
[18]
A system according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the pin device is adapted to be resilient radially in such a manner that it is biased towards the center and the center is brought into an uppermost position.
[19]
The system of any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the foot portion is adapted to contact a center of one of the pair of substrates.
[20]
The system of any one of claims 15 to 19, further comprising an O-ring configured to: allow radial movement of the penpoint tip and the foot portion; and provide a biasing force acting on the center.
[21]
The system of any one of claims 15 to 20, further comprising a bearing configured to: allow radial movement of the penpoint tip and the foot portion; and to provide gimbal behavior by the pin device.
[22]
22. The system of claim 15, wherein the stylus device is configured to apply the compressive force to the pair of substrates in a manner that: matches a pressure applied to the pair of substrates by one or more surrounding fixtures; and / or evenly distributed with respect to the pair of substrates.
[23]
A system according to any one of claims 15 to 22, wherein there are three pins, the pins preferably being uniformly spaced in a circumferential direction.

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法律状态:

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