Method of detaching semiconductor material from a carrier and device for performing the method

• US 10,460,972 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Koller, Adolf, Sedlmeier, Florian
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Charles D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Xiaoming
• Application Number:
  US15/137,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20160315012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67092 Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting, see the relevant groups in subclasses B24B or B28D
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67132 Apparatus for placing on an insulating substrate, e.g. tape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6836 Wafer tapes, e.g. grinding or dicing support tapes adhesive tapes in general C09J7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/78 with subsequent division of the substrate into plural individual devices cutting to change the surface-physical characteristics or shape of semiconductor bodies H01L21/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68327 used during dicing or grinding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68336 involving stretching of the auxiliary support post dicing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68381 Details of chemical or physical process used for separating the auxiliary support from a device or wafer

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a method of detaching semiconductor material from a carrier, wherein the method comprises providing a carrier having attached thereto a layer of semiconductor material, wherein the layer comprises an edge portion; and guiding an air stream onto the edge portion of the layer of semiconductor material.

Claims

1. A method of detaching semiconductor material from a carrier, the method comprising:

providing a carrier having attached thereto a layer of semiconductor material, wherein the layer comprises an edge portion;

deflecting the carrier in an area of the carrier, on which the edge portion of the layer of semiconductor material is attached, in a direction having an angle greater than zero with respect to a surface of the layer of semiconductor material; and

guiding an air stream onto the edge portion of the layer of semiconductor material, wherein the air stream impacts on a deflected portion of the carrier, thereby removing only the edge portion of the semiconductor material from the carrier.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is mounted in a ring frame.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the layer of semiconductor material is separated in a plurality of semiconductor portions.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising performing a separating step to form the separated semiconductor portions.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the air stream impacts on the edge portion of the semiconductor layer on a point rotating around an axis.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the rotating of the point is caused by at least one of the group consisting of:

rotating the carrier; and

rotating a source of the air stream.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the deflecting of the carrier is performed by pressing a chuck onto the carrier.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the deflecting of the carrier is performed by pressing a roller onto the carrier.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising irradiating portions of the carrier corresponding to the edge portion of the semiconductor layer by light.

10. A device for detaching a semiconductor layer from a carrier, the device comprising:

a frame configured to mount a carrier having attached thereto the layer of semiconductor material, wherein the layer comprises an edge portion;

a deflection unit configured to deflect the carrier in an area of the carrier, on which the edge portion of the layer of semiconductor material is attached, in a direction having an angle greater than zero with respect to a surface of the layer of semiconductor material; and

an air stream unit configured to guide an air stream on edge portions of the mounted elastic carrier, wherein the air stream impacts on a deflected portion of the carrier, thereby removing only the edge portion of the semiconductor material from the carrier.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the air stream unit comprises at least one element out of the group consisting of:

a nozzle,

an air tube;

an air pump;

a pressurized air reservoir;

a moving unit; and

the deflection unit.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the deflection unit is selected out of the group consisting of:

a roller;

a chuck;

a wheel;

a solid cylinder; and

a hollow cylinder.

13. The device according to claim 10, further comprising:

an irradiation unit configured to irradiate a carrier when mounted to the frame.