Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0136500, filed on Oct. 21, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Example embodiments relate to an apparatus for measuring an adhesion force.
Processes for bonding two wafers with semiconductor chips may include a hybrid bonding process not using an adhesive.
Embodiments are directed to an apparatus for measuring an adhesion force. The apparatus may include a stage configured to support a specimen, and a sensor adhered to the specimen, wherein the sensor detects the adhesion force of the specimen, the adhesion force of the specimen being a force for detaching the sensor from the specimen.
Embodiments are also directed to an apparatus for measuring an adhesion force. The apparatus may include a stage configured to support a specimen, a first horizontal actuator configured to move the stage in a first horizontal direction, a second horizontal actuator configured to move the stage in a second horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, a sensor adhered to the specimen, and an imager configured to obtain an image of the specimen. The sensor may detect a force for detaching the sensor from the specimen as the adhesion force of the specimen. Embodiments are also directed to an apparatus for measuring an adhesion force. The apparatus may include a surface treatment apparatus configured to process surfaces of a plurality of wafers, an adhesion force measurement apparatus configured to measure an adhesion force of each of the wafers processed by the surface treatment apparatus, and a bonding apparatus configured to hybrid bond the wafers to each other.
Features will become apparent to those of skill in the art by describing in detail exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings in which:
Referring to
The surface treatment apparatus 100 may face the adhesion force measurement apparatus 200 and the bonding apparatus 300. The surface treatment apparatus 100 may be spaced apart from the adhesion force measurement apparatus 200 and the bonding apparatus 300 to allow for a transfer space between the surface treatment apparatus 100 and the adhesion force measurement apparatus 200 and the bonding apparatus 300. A second robot 610 may be in the transfer space. Further, the adhesion force measurement apparatus 200 and the bonding apparatus 300 may be sequentially arranged. Additionally, an alignment apparatus 400 may be positioned adjacent to the surface treatment apparatus 100.
The wafers W may be received in a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) 500. A first robot 600 may transfer the wafers W in the FOUP 500 to the second robot 610. The second robot 610 may load the wafers W into the alignment apparatus 400. The alignment apparatus 400 may align the wafers W for a surface treatment process. The surface treatment process may occur after the alignment process.
The surface treatment apparatus 100 may include a plasma-processor 110 and a cleaner 120. The plasma-processor 110 may process a surface of the wafer W using plasma. The cleaner 120 may clean the surface of the wafer W processed by the plasma using a rinse solution.
A specimen, e.g., the wafer W may be placed on an upper surface of the stage 210. A first horizontal actuator 220 may be configured to move the stage 210 in a first horizontal direction. A second horizontal actuator 230 may be configured to move the stage 210 in a second horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction. The first horizontal actuator 220 and the second horizontal actuator 230 may include a motor, or a cylinder.
The adhesion forces by regions of the wafer W on the stage 210 may be measured by moving the stage 210 in the first and second horizontal directions by the first and second horizontal actuators 220 and 230.
The imager 280 may be over the stage 210. The imager 280 may obtain an image of the wafer W on the stage 210. A position of the sensor and a position of the wafer W may be recognized based on the image. The imager 280 may include an optical microscope, or a camera.
The sensor may be adhered to the wafer W. The sensor may detect a force for detaching the sensor from the wafer W. In order to detach the sensor from the wafer W, it may be required to apply a force of no less than the adhesion force of the wafer to the sensor. Thus, the force for detaching the sensor from the wafer W may correspond to the adhesion force of the wafer W.
In an implementation, the sensor may include a cantilever 240, a probe 250 and an optical sensing portion. The cantilever 240 may be arranged over the stage 210. In an implementation, the cantilever 240 may be rotated with respect to a horizontal axis. The probe 250 may be arranged at a lower end of the cantilever 240. The probe 250 may selectively make contact with the surface of the wafer W on the stage 210 by rotations of the cantilever 240. Thus, the probe 250 may be adhered to the surface of the wafer W.
The optical sensing portion may detect a bending of the cantilever 240 by a force for detaching the probe 250 from the surface of the wafer W. The bending of the cantilever 240 may correspond to the force for detaching the probe 250 from the surface of the wafer W so that the bending of the cantilever 240 may be the adhesion force of the wafer W.
The optical sensing portion may include an emitter 260 and an optical detector 270. The emitter 260 may be arranged at a left upper region of the cantilever 240. The emitter 260 may irradiate a light to the cantilever 240. In an implementation, the light may include a laser. The optical detector 270 may be arranged at a right upper region of the cantilever 240. The optical detector 270 may detect a light reflected from the cantilever 240. The reflected light detected by the optical detector 270 may include information with respect to the bending of the cantilever 240 so that the bending of the cantilever 240 may be recognized based on the information of the reflected light.
Referring to
In contrast, referring to
Referring to
The vertical actuator 260a may move the force sensing portion 240a and the probe 250a in the vertical direction. Thus, the probe 250a may selectively make contact with the surface of the wafer W on the stage 210. In an implementation, the probe 250a may be adhered to the surface of the wafer W.
The force sensing portion 240a may measure a force for detaching the probe 250a from the surface of the wafer W. As mentioned above, the force for detaching the probe 250a from the surface of the wafer W may correspond to the adhesion force of the wafer W so that the force measured by the force sensing portion 240a may correspond to the adhesion force of the wafer W.
In an implementation, the bonding system may be applied to the bonding process of the wafers. In an implementation, the bonding system may also be applied to a process for bonding a semiconductor chip to a wafer, a process for bonding semiconductor chips to each other.
According to example embodiments, the sensor may measure the force for detaching a probe from the specimen such as the wafer. The force may correspond to the adhesion force of the specimen. Thus, before bonding the wafers, the adhesion force of the wafer may be accurately measured. Adhesion strength of the bonded wafer may be obtained from the adhesion force of the wafer, and a scrapping of the wafer may be prevented. Further, because it may not be required to manufacture a wafer specimen for measuring the adhesion force of the bonded wafers, a time for bonding the wafer may be reduced.
By way of summation and review, example embodiments relate to an apparatus for measuring an adhesion force of a wafer bonded by a hybrid bonding process and a wafer bonding system including the apparatus.
The wafers bonded by the hybrid bonding process may require strong bonding strength capable of preventing a delamination of the wafers by a force, a warpage, or a surface stress, in a following process. Thus, it may be required to measure the bonding strength of the wafers.
The bonding strength of the bonded wafers may be measured by a double cantilever beam way. The double cantilever beam way may insert a blade between the wafers to measure a gap between the wafers.
However, in order to insert the blade, the wafers may be splayed so that the wafers used for measuring the bonding strength may be scrapped. Further, it may be required to manufacture an additional wafer specimen for the double cantilever beam way. Example embodiments provide an apparatus for measuring an adhesion force of a specimen such as a wafer before a bonding process. Example embodiments also provide a wafer bonding system including the above-mentioned apparatus.
According to example embodiments, the sensor may measure the force for detaching a probe from the specimen such as the wafer. The force may correspond to the adhesion force of the specimen. Thus, before bonding the wafers, the adhesion force of the wafer may be accurately measured. Because adhesion strength of the bonded wafer may be obtained from the adhesion force of the wafer, a scrapping of the wafer may be prevented. Further, because it may not be required to manufacture a wafer specimen for measuring the adhesion force of the bonded wafers, a time for bonding the wafer may be reduced.
Example embodiments have been disclosed herein, and although specific terms are employed, they are used and are to be interpreted in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purpose of limitation. In some instances, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the filing of the present application, features, characteristics, and/or elements described in connection with a particular embodiment may be used singly or in combination with features, characteristics, and/or elements described in connection with other embodiments unless otherwise specifically indicated. Accordingly, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10-2022-0136500 | Oct 2022 | KR | national |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20240136231 A1 | Apr 2024 | US |