US5273615A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for handling fragile semiconductor wafers
Assignee: NXP USA Inc
•
Filing: 1992-04-06
•
Granted: 1993-12-28
•
Expires: 2012-04-06
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus (60) which handles fragile semiconductor wafers (21) adhesively mounted to a submount (22) using a high temperature wax is provided. The apparatus (60) includes a vacuum chuck (24) for holding a first surface of the wafer (21) and a solvent chamber (11, 11') for applying solvent to the back surface of the submount (22). The apparatus (60) includes an enclosure (29) for providing an inert gas environment around the solvent chamber (11, 11'), the wafer (21), and the vacuum chuck (24). The apparatus (60) further includes a means for remounting (30) the wafer (21) to a submount (22) using a low temperature wax after the high temperature wax is dissolved. The wafer (21) is then released from the vacuum chuck (24) and the first surface of the wafer (21) is mounted to an adhesive tape (34). Following the mounting, the low temperature wax is dissolved or melted to demount the wafer (21 ) from the submount (22), leaving the wafer (21) securely mounted on the adhesive tape (34) for sawing.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul D. Asetta
- 👤 Lawrence R. Gardner
- 👤 Michael P. Norman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 02:28
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23B; B23B31/00; B23B31/02; B23B31/24; B23B31/30; B23B31/307; H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/78; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S156/00; Y10S156/934; Y10S156/941; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/11; Y10T156/19; Y10T156/1911; Y10T279/00; Y10T279/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
An apparatus for handling a fragile semiconductor wafer comprising: a rigid submount having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a first surface mounted to the front surface of the rigid submount by a high temperature adhesive, the wafer has a second surface which is exposed, and the rigid submount has a plurality of holes formed therein allowing liquid to pass from the back surface to the front surface; a vacuum chuck for holding the second surface of the wafer; a solvent chamber including a cavity for holding a pool of solvent, an annular portion surrounding the cavity, and an inlet coupled to the cavity for filling the cavity with solvent; and an annular seal on the annular portion of the solvent chamber, wherein the annular seal is shaped to provide a solvent-tight seal against the back surface of the rigid submount such that the plurality of holes in the rigid submount are over the cavity of the solvent chamber.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
169 words
An apparatus for handling a fragile semiconductor wafer comprising: a rigid submount having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a first surface mounted to the front surface of the rigid submount by a high temperature adhesive, the wafer has a second surface which is exposed, and the rigid submount has a plurality of holes formed therein allowing liquid to pass from the back surface to the front surface; a vacuum chuck for holding the second surface of the wafer; a solvent chamber including a cavity for holding a pool of solvent, an annular portion surrounding the cavity, and an inlet coupled to the cavity for filling the cavity with solvent; and an annular seal on the annular portion of the solvent chamber, wherein the annular seal is shaped to provide a solvent-tight seal against the back surface of the rigid submount such that the plurality of holes in the rigid submount are over the cavity of the solvent chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for circulating the solvent in the cavity of the solvent chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an enclosure surrounding the vacuum chuck, the solvent chamber, and the rigid submount, wherein the enclosure is filled with an inert gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a heater thermally coupled to the solvent chamber for heating the pool of solvent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for clamping the rigid submount against the annular seal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
218 words
An apparatus for handling a fragile semiconductor wafer, comprising: a rigid submount having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a first surface mounted to the front surface of the rigid submount by a high temperature adhesive, the wafer has a second surface which is exposed, and the rigid submount has a plurality of holes formed therein allowing liquid to pass from the back surface to the front surface; a vacuum chuck for holding the second surface of the wafer; a solvent chamber including a cavity for holding a pool of solvent, an annular portion surrounding the cavity, and an inlet coupled to the cavity for filling the cavity with solvent; an annular seal on the annular portion of the solvent chamber, wherein the annular seal is shaped to provide a solvent-tight seal against the back surface of the rigid submount such that the plurality of holes in the rigid submount are over the cavity of the solvent chamber; means for clamping the rigid submount against the annular seal; means for remounting the wafer onto the rigid submount using a low temperature adhesive wax; means for removing the remounted wafer from the vacuum chuck; and means for attaching the second surface of the remounted wafer onto an adhesive tape.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
218 words
An apparatus for handling a fragile semiconductor wafer, comprising: a rigid submount having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a first surface mounted to the front surface of the rigid submount by a high temperature adhesive, the wafer has a second surface which is exposed, and the rigid submount has a plurality of holes formed therein allowing liquid to pass from the back surface to the front surface; a vacuum chuck for holding the second surface of the wafer; a solvent chamber including a cavity for holding a pool of solvent, an annular portion surrounding the cavity, and an inlet coupled to the cavity for filling the cavity with solvent; an annular seal on the annular portion of the solvent chamber, wherein the annular seal is shaped to provide a solvent-tight seal against the back surface of the rigid submount such that the plurality of holes in the rigid submount are over the cavity of the solvent chamber; means for clamping the rigid submount against the annular seal; means for remounting the wafer onto the rigid submount using a low temperature adhesive wax; means for removing the remounted wafer from the vacuum chuck; and means for attaching the second surface of the remounted wafer onto an adhesive tape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a means for dissolving the low temperature wax to separate the wafer from the submount.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the high temperature wax comprises glycol phthalate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 7, further including means for circulating the solvent in the cavity of the solvent chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for circulating the solvent in the cavity of the solvent chamber comprises a solvent outlet extending from the annular portion of the solvent chamber to a solvent well surrounding the solvent chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an enclosure surrounding the vacuum chuck, the solvent chamber, and the rigid submount, wherein the enclosure is filled with an inert gas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a heater thermally coupled to the solvent chamber for heating the pool of solvent.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3988196A
Cited
US3740900A
Cited
US3851758A
Cited
US3847697A
Cited
US3989566A
Cited
US4138304A
Cited
US4316757A
Cited
US4466852A
Cited
US4603867A
Cited
US4747608A
Cited
US5171398A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-12-27 | 1997-06-28 | 1997-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-12-27 | 2001-06-28 | 2001-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-12-27 | 2005-06-28 | 2005-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |