Patent Application
20150035184
This U.S. non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0091678, filed on Aug. 1, 2013, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The inventive concepts relate to a substrate manufacturing facility and a method of manufacturing a substrate and, more particularly, to a substrate manufacturing facility for molding a substrate and a method of manufacturing a substrate.
A semiconductor device may be sealed by a mold package. The package may protect a semiconductor device from external physical environments or damage. Semiconductor molding facilities may include an extrusion molder and a compression molder. The extrusion molder may be an extruding machine. The extrusion molder may provide a melted epoxy molding compound onto a top surface and a bottom surface of a semiconductor device to mold the semiconductor device.
The compression molder provides an epoxy molding compound onto a top surface of a semiconductor device mounted on a printed circuit board. More recently, extrusion molders are being replaced with compression molders in semiconductor production lines.
Embodiments of the inventive concepts may provide a substrate manufacturing facility capable of improving a production yield and a method of manufacturing a substrate using the same.
Embodiments of the inventive concepts may also provide a substrate manufacturing facility capable of improving productivity and a method of manufacturing a substrate using the same.
In one aspect, a substrate manufacturing facility may include: a lower molding plate including a plurality of grooves, a resin supply tray configured to provide resin powder for molding a substrate to the lower molding plate, and an upper molding plate configured to move the substrate over the lower molding plate, and to compress the substrate to the resin powder. The upper molding plate includes multiple apertures that may be densely formed on a side of the upper molding plate that contacts the substrate. The apertures may have diameters that are smaller than diameters of the resin powder.
In some embodiments, the resin powder may include minute particles having diameters of about 5 micrometers (μm) or more, and the diameters of the apertures may be about 3 μm or less.
In some embodiments, the upper molding plate may include: a first upper plate configured to contact the substrate, and a second upper plate fixed to the first upper plate. The first upper plate may include porous ceramic including the apertures. In some embodiments, the second upper plate may include nonporous ceramic.
In some embodiments, the first upper plate and the second upper plate may provide an air path connected to the apertures.
In some embodiments, the substrate manufacturing facility may further include a vacuum pump configured to provide adsorption pressure to the apertures through a conduit connected to the upper molding plate, and a ventilator configured to provide exhaust pressure to the apertures through the conduit.
In some embodiments, the substrate manufacturing facility may further include a film supply module configured to provide a film between the lower molding plate and the upper molding plate. The film supply module may be configured to provide the film to a top surface of the lower molding plate when the exhaust pressure is provided to the apertures by the ventilator.
In some embodiments, the substrate manufacturing facility may further include a first valve connected to or disposed within the conduit between the vacuum pump and the upper molding plate to switch the adsorption pressure, a second valve connected to or disposed within the conduit between the ventilator and the upper molding plate to switch the exhaust pressure, and a controller configured to control the switching of the adsorption pressure of the first valve and the switching of the exhaust pressure of the second valve.
In some embodiments, the controller is configured to close the first valve and to open the second valve when the upper molding plate is cleaned.
In some embodiments, the first valve may be closed and the second valve may be opened when the upper molding plate is cleaned.
In some embodiments, the controller is configured to close the first and second valves when the film is provided to the top surface of the lower molding plate in order to clean the upper molding plate
In some embodiments, the first and second valves may be closed when the film is provided to the top surface of the upper molding plate in order to clean the upper molding plate.
In some embodiments, the controller is configured to open the first valve and to close the second valve when the substrate is compressed and molded.
In some embodiments, the first valve may be opened and the second valve may be closed when the substrate is compressed and molded.
In another aspect, a method of manufacturing a substrate may include providing adsorption pressure to apertures of an upper molding plate to adsorb a substrate to the upper molding plate, providing resin powder into grooves of a lower molding plate,
In some embodiments, cleaning the upper molding plate may include providing a film to a top surface of the lower molding plate, and providing the exhaust pressure to the apertures of the upper molding plate.
In some embodiments, the method may further include: removing the film after cleaning the upper molding plate.
In some embodiments, the resin powder may include minute particles having diameters of about 5 μm or more, and the apertures may have diameters of about 3 μm or less.
In yet another aspect of the inventive concepts, an apparatus may include a conduit, a vacuum pump coupled to the conduit, a ventilator coupled to the conduit, an upper molding plate including a first upper plate having apertures therein and a second upper plate connected to the conduit, wherein the second upper plate is connected to the first upper plate, and wherein the vacuum pump is configured to adsorb a printed circuit board to the first upper plate through adsorption pressure applied through the apertures, a lower molding plate including grooves therein, and a resin supply tray configured to provide resin powder into the grooves of the lower molding plate. In some embodiments, the lower molding plate may be configured to melt the resin powder. In some embodiments, the upper molding plate may be configured to compression-mold the printed circuit board with the melted resin powder using the lower molding plate. In some embodiments, the ventilator may be configured to clean residue particles of the resin powder from the upper molding plate by exhaust pressure applied through the apertures.
The inventive concepts will become more apparent in view of the attached drawings and accompanying detailed description.
The inventive concepts will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts are shown. The advantages and features of the inventive concepts and methods of achieving them will be apparent from the following exemplary embodiments that will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that the inventive concepts are not limited to the following exemplary embodiments, and may be implemented in various forms. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments are provided only to disclose the inventive concepts and let those skilled in the art know the category of the inventive concepts. In the drawings, embodiments of the inventive concepts are not limited to the specific examples provided herein and are exaggerated for clarity.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular terms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present.
Similarly, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region or substrate is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, the term “directly” means that there are no intervening elements. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
In the following embodiments, a substrate manufacturing facility may perform a process on the printed circuit board 110. However, the inventive concepts are not limited thereto. The substrate manufacturing facility may perform a corresponding process on another kind of a printed circuit board. Alternatively or in addition, the substrate manufacturing facility may perform a corresponding process on different kinds of printed circuit boards at the same time.
Referring to
The first apparatus 200 performs a first process on the printed circuit board 110. The molding apparatus 400 performs a compression-molding process on the unit substrates 111 of the printed circuit board 110. The second apparatus 600 performs a second process on the printed circuit board 110. The first process, the compression-molding process, and the second process may be sequentially performed on the printed circuit board 110. The first process may include a preheating process of the printed circuit board 110 and a chip recognizing process. The second process may include a process of cooling and unloading the printed circuit board 110.
According to some embodiments, the first apparatus 200 may include a loader 220, a heating module 240, and a camera module 260. The camera module 260 is disposed to be adjacent to the molding apparatus 400. The loader 200 takes the printed circuit board 110 out of a magazine (not shown). The printed circuit board 110 may be transferred along a first conveyer member 250 of the loader 220. The heating module 240 preheats the printed circuit board 110. The camera module 260 obtains one or more images of the printed circuit board 110 and the unit substrate 111. The images of the unit substrate 110 may provide information about the number, positions, and sizes of the unit substrates 111 of the printed circuit board 110.
A first robot arm 230 may be provided to the loader 220, the heating module 240 and the camera module 260. The first robot arm 230 and/or the first conveyer member 250 sequentially transfer the printed circuit board 110 within the first apparatus 200. Additionally, after the recognizing process of the unit substrate 111 is completed, the first robot arm 230 and/or the first conveyer member 250 transfer the printed circuit board 110 having the recognized unit substrates 111 into the molding apparatus 400.
The second apparatus 600 may include a cooling module 620 and an unloader module 640. The cooling module 620 may be disposed to be adjacent to the molding apparatus 400. The cooling module 620 cools the printed circuit board 110 transferred from the molding apparatus 400. The unloader module 640 transfers the printed circuit board 110 into the magazine. The printed circuit board 110 may be moved along a second conveyer member 650 of the unloader module 640. A second robot arm 630 is provided inside or outside the cooling module 620 and the unloader module 640. The second robot arm 630 and/or the second conveyer member 650 may receive the printed circuit board 110 from the molding apparatus 400 and then may transfer the printed circuit board 110 to the cooling module 620 and the unloader module 640.
The molding apparatus 400 may include a molding module 300, a resin supply module 410, and a film supply module 420. The resin supply module 410 and the film supply module 420 may be disposed at both sides of a space between the first apparatus 200 and the second apparatus 600. The resin supply module 410 may provide epoxy molding compound (EMC) powder into the molding module 300. The film supply module 420 may provide a thin film into the molding module 300.
Referring to
The upper molding plate 320 may adsorb, or otherwise make contact with, the printed circuit board 110 using a vacuum. The upper molding plate 320 may include a first upper plate 322 and a second upper plate 324. The first upper plate 322 may include porous ceramic. The porous ceramic may include apertures 323 having diameters of 3 μm, or about 3 μm or less. In some embodiments, the apertures 323 may be densely formed in the porous ceramic with intervals of about 3 μm to about 10 μm therebetween. In some embodiments, the apertures 323 may be densely formed in the porous ceramic with intervals of 3 μm to 10 μm therebetween. When the molding process of the printed circuit board 110 and the unit substrate 111 is performed, the resin powder 413 may be adsorbed on, or otherwise make contact with, the first upper plate 322 formed of the porous ceramic.
As the thickness 114 of the printed circuit board 110 becomes thinner, the diameters of the apertures 323 of the upper molding plate 320 may become reduced. If the diameters of the apertures 323 are greater than the thickness 114 of the printed circuit board 110, the printed circuit board 110 may be partially damaged or bent. Additionally, the apertures 323 may be blocked by the resin powder 413. The resin powder 413 may not pass through the apertures 323 and may remain on a surface of the first upper plate 322. The second upper plate 324 surrounds an edge of the first upper plate 322. The first upper plate 322 may be fixed to the second upper plate 324. The second upper plate 324 may include nonporous ceramic. An air path 326 is provided between the first upper plate 322 and the second upper plate 324. The air path 326 may be connected to the apertures 323. Air of the vacuum pump 330 and/or the ventilator 340 may be moved through the apertures 323. The upper molding plate 320 may transfer the printed circuit board 110 from the heating module 240 (of
The vacuum pump 330 and/or the ventilator 340 may be connected to the second upper plate 324 through a pipe or other suitable conduit 360. A first valve 352 may be connected to or otherwise disposed within the conduit 360 between the vacuum pump 330 and the upper molding plate 320. A second valve 354 may be connected to or otherwise disposed within the conduit 360 between the ventilator 340 and the upper molding plate 320. The vacuum pump 330 may provide adsorption pressure to the first upper plate 322. The vacuum pump 330 may include a dry pump. The ventilator 340 may provide exhaust pressure or ventilation pressure to the first upper plate 322. The controller 350 may control ON/OFF operation of each of the first valves 352 and 354.
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During the molding process, a large quantity of the resin powder 413 may be adsorbed on the apertures 323 of the upper molding plate 320. The printed circuit board 110 may sag on the upper molding plate 320 due to the resin powder 413 being adsorbed by the apertures 323. If the printed circuit board 110 sags, molding errors of the unit substrates 111 and the printed circuit board 110 may be caused. Thus, residue resin powder 413 may be removed by cleaning the apertures 323, thereby preventing sag.
Referring to
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After the cleaning process of the upper molding plate 320 is completed, the controller 350 may close each of the first and second valves 352 and 354. The film 422 may be removed along with the resin powder 413 from the lower molding plate 310. Thereafter, the upper molding plate 320 may perform the process of molding the printed circuit board 110 and the unit substrates 111. In some embodiments, the cleaning process of the upper molding plate 320 may be periodically performed every unit of time. In some embodiments, the cleaning process of the upper molding plate 320 may be periodically performed every predetermined number of the molding process of the printed circuit board 110. In some embodiments, the cleaning process may be performed once at an interval of two days or five days. The cleaning process increases a lifetime of the upper molding plate 320. Thus, the substrate manufacturing facility 10 and the substrate manufacturing method according to embodiments of the inventive concepts may improve production yield and productivity.
In the aforementioned embodiments, the substrate is described as the printed circuit board. However, the inventive concepts are not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the substrate may be the unit substrate. The unit substrate is described as the semiconductor chip in the aforementioned embodiments. However, the inventive concepts are not limited thereto. The unit substrate may be a printed circuit board, a light emitting device, a light receiving device, a switching device, a resistor, or a capacitor.
The substrate manufacturing facility according to embodiments of the inventive concepts may include the upper molding plate having the apertures of the diameters smaller than those of the resin powder. The resin powder may not be inputted into the apertures and may be adsorbed on the surface of the upper molding plate. The resin powder may be removed by the ventilation cleaning process. Thus, the substrate manufacturing facility prevents lifetime reduction of the upper molding plate caused by blocking of the resin powder. If a large quantity of resin powder occurs on the upper molding plate, sagging fail of the printed circuit board may be caused. The resin powder may be removed from the apertures by the ventilation cleaning process as disclosed herein. The apertures may prevent molding fail caused by the sagging fail of the printed circuit board.
As a result, the substrate manufacturing facility and the substrate manufacturing method according to the inventive concepts improve the production yield and the productivity.
While the inventive concepts have been described with reference to example embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirits and scopes of the inventive concepts. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are not limiting, but illustrative. Thus, the scopes of the inventive concepts are to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing description.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2013-0091678 | Aug 2013 | KR | national |
