Claims
- 1. Apparatus for mounting semiconductor components to substrates, comprising a support frame; placing means mounted on said frame for placing a semiconductor component on a substrate; and an oven mounted directly on said frame adjacent to said placing means for heating a plurality of substrates and semiconductor components placed thereon in a substantially single operation directly on said frame.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said oven is movable between a first position and a second position, which is different from said first position.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said oven is positioned in said first position during the performance of a heating operation.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said oven is positioned in said second position prior to and subsequent to the performance of a heating operation.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said oven includes a heating compartment, said oven being movable vertically downwardly from said second position to said first position so as to place a plurality of substrates and semiconductor components placed thereon in said compartment prior to the performance of a heating operation.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said oven is movable vertically upwardly from said first position to said second position so as to release a plurality of substrates bonded to semiconductor components from said compartment subsequent to the performance of a heating operation.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said oven includes a lower side, said compartment including at least one opening formed in said lower side for receiving a plurality of substrates and semiconductor components placed thereon.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said oven includes a base member defining said lower side of said oven, said at least one opening including a plurality of openings arranged linearly in said base member.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of openings is sized and shaped so as to receive a plurality of substrates and semiconductor components placed thereon.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said oven includes an outer housing shell, which has a lower end, and a base member positioned adjacent to said lower end.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said oven includes a heating compartment, which is formed in said outer housing shell and which has a plurality of openings formed in said base member, and supplying means for supplying a heated gas to said compartment and hence to said openings.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said supplying means includes a first perforated tube mounted in said compartment.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said oven includes removing means for removing a gas from said compartment.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said removing means includes a second perforated tube mounted in said compartment.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising conveying means mounted on said frame for conveying a heated gas to said supplying means, said conveying means including a gas source and a heater connected between said gas source and said first tube.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a pump mounted on said frame and connected to said second tube for applying suction to said second tube so as to withdraw a gas from said compartment.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said oven includes an insulating jacket mounted in said outer housing shell for insulating said compartment during the performance of a heating operation.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said outer housing shell has a pair of opposing ends, said insulating jacket including a plurality of tubes mounted in said outer housing shell and extending between said opposing ends of said outer housing shell, said tubes of said insulating jacket being arranged in said outer housing shell so as to surround said compartment and being sized and shaped so as to permit passage of water therethrough during the performance of a heating operation.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said insulating jacket includes a pair of hollow wall sections, one of said wall sections being positioned adjacent to one of said opposing ends of said outer housing shell, and the other of said wall sections being positioned adjacent to the other one of said opposing ends of said outer housing shell, said wall sections being attached to said tubes of said insulating jacket such that water can flow from said one of said wall sections to said other of said wall sections.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said oven includes an insulating layer, which is mounted in said insulating jacket, and an interior housing shell, which is at least partially surrounded by said insulating layer and which defines said compartment.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stage for supporting a plurality of substrates thereon, said stage being movably mounted on said frame so as to align a substrate positioned on said stage relative to a semiconductor component held by said placing means.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said placing means is positioned at a placing station; and said oven is positioned at a heating station, said stage being movable so as to move a plurality of substrates and semiconductor components placed thereon from said placing station to said heating station.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said stage includes suction-operated gripping means for gripping a plurality of substrates positioned on said stage.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said placing means includes a bonding head.
- 25. A device for carrying a plurality of substrates, comprising at least one plate having a plurality of openings, each of which is sized and shaped so as to receive a substrate, each of said openings being defined by a side wall and a bottom wall, each of said bottom walls having applying means for applying suction to a substrate received in a corresponding one of said openings, and each of said side walls cooperating with a corresponding one of said bottom walls so as to form a substantially sharp corner such that a substrate can lie substantially flat against a corresponding one of said bottom walls.
- 26. The device of claim 25, wherein said at least one plate having first and second plates attached to each other, said openings being formed in said first plate.
- 27. The device of claim 26, wherein said openings extend completely through said first plate.
- 28. The device of claim 27, wherein said side walls are defined by said first plate; and wherein said bottom walls are defined by said second plate, each of said side walls and said bottom walls being substantially straight.
- 29. The device of claim 28, wherein each of said side walls is substantially perpendicular to a corresponding one of said bottom walls.
- 30. The device of claim 29, wherein said first plate has substantially planar upper and lower sides, said side walls being oriented substantially perpendicular to said upper and lower sides.
- 31. The device of claim 30, wherein said second plate is attached to said lower side of said first plate and includes a plurality of platforms, each of which projects upwardly from said second plate and is received in a corresponding one of said openings.
- 32. The device of claim 31, wherein each of said platforms includes an upper surface positioned vertically below said upper side of said first plate and defining a corresponding one of said bottom walls of said openings.
- 33. The device of claim 32, wherein each of said upper surfaces of said platforms is oriented substantially horizontally; and wherein each of said side walls of said openings is oriented substantially vertically.
- 34. The device of claim 33, wherein said supplying means includes a plurality of holes, each of which is formed in a corresponding one of said upper surfaces of said platforms, said second plate including a plurality of channels formed in said second plate and communicating with each other, each of said channels communicating with a corresponding one of said holes.
- 35. The device of claim 34, wherein said second plate has a lower side positioned opposite to said lower side of said first plate and including at least one orifice communicating with at least one of said channels such that suction can be applied to substrates received in said openings through said orifice, said channels and said holes.
- 36. The device of claim 30, wherein said second plate includes a substantially planar upper side abutting said lower side of said first plate, said bottom walls of said openings being defined by said upper side of said second plate.
- 37. The device of claim 36, wherein said supplying means includes a plurality of holes formed in said upper side of said second plate, said second plate including a substantially planar lower side having a plurality of open channels, each of said channels communicating with at least one of said holes for applying suction to said holes.
- 38. The device of claim 37, wherein each of said openings includes a plurality of wells, each of which is sized and shaped so as to receive a substrate, said wells of each of said openings being arranged in a substantially linear manner.
- 39. The device of claim 38, wherein each of said openings includes a plurality of connecting channels, each of which is formed between an adjacent pair of said wells of a corresponding one of said openings.
- 40. The device of claim 26, wherein said bottom walls are defined by said second plate.
- 41. The device of claim 25, wherein each of said openings includes a plurality of secondary openings, each of which is positioned so as to receive a corner of a substrate received in a corresponding one of said openings.
- 42. A method for mounting semiconductor components to substrates, comprising the steps of placing each of said semiconductor components on a corresponding one of said substrates at a placing station, said placing station being positioned on a support frame; and heating said substrates and said semiconductor components placed on said substrates at a heating station, said heating station having an oven mounted directly on said frame adjacent to said placing station for performing said heating step directly on said frame.
- 43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of positioning said substrates on a supporting surface movably mounted on said frame prior to the performance of said placing step, said substrates being positioned on said surface until the completion of said heating step.
- 44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of moving said surface so as to position said substrates and said semiconductor components placed on said substrates from said placing station to said heating station subsequent to the performance of said placing step.
- 45. The method of claim 44, further comprising the step of applying suction to said substrates so as to releasably secure said substrates to said surface, said substrates being continuously secured to said surface from the beginning of the performance of said placing step until the completion of said heating step.
- 46. The method of claim 45, wherein said surface is located on a stage movably mounted on said frame and including a plurality of holes for applying suction to said substrates.
- 47. The method of claim 43, wherein said oven includes a heating compartment, said method further comprising the step of moving said oven from a first position to a second position prior to the performance of said heating step so as to place said substrates and said semiconductor components placed on said substrates in said compartment.
- 48. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising the step of moving said oven to said second position from said first position so as to release said substrates and said semiconductor components bonded to said substrates after the performance of said heating step.
- 49. The method of claim 43, wherein each of said semiconductor components and a corresponding one of said substrates have a solder positioned therebetween, said heating step being performed so as to reflow said solders.
- 50. The method of claim 49, further comprising the step of cooling said oven subsequent to the performance of said heating step so as to solidify said solders, thereby bonding said semiconductor components to said substrates.
- 51. A method for mounting semiconductor components to substrates, comprising the steps of positioning a substrate and a semiconductor component placed on said substrate in a substantially air-tight compartment, said substrate and said semiconductor component having an eutectic solder positioned therebetween; withdrawing air contained in said compartment; and heating said compartment by supplying a heated gas into said compartment for a predetermined period of time so as to reflow said eutectic solder positioned between said substrate and said semiconductor component, said heated gas being substantially free of oxygen so as to inhibit oxidation of said solder.
- 52. The method of claim 51, wherein said solder is made from an alloy having gold and tin.
- 53. The method of claim 52, wherein said alloy has about 80% gold and about 20% tin.
- 54. The method of claim 51, wherein said heated gas is supplied to said compartment so as to maintain said compartment at a predetermined pressure level.
- 55. The method of claim 54, wherein said compartment includes a baffle mounted therein so as to facilitate the circulation of said heated gas substantially evenly in said compartment.
- 56. The method of claim 55, wherein said pressure level ranges from an atmospheric pressure to about 30 psi.
- 57. The method of claim 56, wherein said gas applies a substantially even pressure against said semiconductor component.
- 58. The method of claim 57, wherein said compartment is maintained at said pressure level by supplying said heated gas at a rate ranging from about 1 cfm to about 3 cfm.
- 59. The method of claim 55, wherein said heated gas is heated to a reflow temperature ranging from about 200° C. to about 400° C.
- 60. The method of claim 59, wherein said reflow temperature is about 350° C.
- 61. The method of claim 59, wherein said substrate is supported on a platform throughout the performance of said heating step, said compartment being enclosed by said platform.
- 62. The method of claim 61, further comprising the step of heating said platform during the performance of said step of heating said compartment.
- 63. The method of claim 62, wherein said platform is heated to a second reflow temperature ranging from about 200° C. to about 400° C.
- 64. The method of claim 63, wherein said second reflow temperature is about 330° C.
- 65. The method of claim 51, wherein said withdrawing step is performed before the performance of said heating step.
- 66. The method of claim 51, wherein said withdrawing step is performed before and during the performance of said heating step.
- 67. The method of claim 51, wherein said heated gas is selected from a group consisting of inert gases and forming gases.
- 68. The method of claim 67, wherein said heated gas is nitrogen.
- 69. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of placing said semiconductor component on said substrate such that said solder is positioned between said semiconductor component and said substrate, said placing step being performed prior to said positioning step.
- 70. The method of claim 69, wherein said placing step includes the step of pressing said semiconductor component against said solder deposited on said substrate.
- 71. The method of claim 70, wherein said placing step includes the step of heating said substrate to a first tacking temperature and said semiconductor component to a second tacking temperature prior to the performance of said pressing step, said first and second temperatures being lower than a reflow temperature of said solder.
- 72. The method of claim 71, wherein said first tacking temperature ranges from about 100° C. to about 300° C.; and wherein said second tacking temperature is not greater than about 200° C.
- 73. The method of claim 72, wherein said first tacking temperature is about 200° C.; and wherein said second tacking temperature is about 100° C.
- 74. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of cooling said compartment subsequent to the performance of said heating step so as to bond said semiconductor component to said substrate.
- 75. The method of claim 74, wherein said cooling step is performed by supplying an unheated gas to said compartment.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a nonprovisional application relating to Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/309,313 filed Aug. 1, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60309313 |
Aug 2001 |
US |