Alignment Systems and Wafer Bonding Systems and Methods

• US 20150044786A1
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Huang, Xin-Hua, Chen, Xiaomeng, Liu, Ping-Yin, Chao, Lan-Lin
• Granted Patent: US 9,646,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/14
• 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 21/681 using optical controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/08145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/74 Apparatus for manufacturing arrangements for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies and for methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/7501 Means for cleaning, e.g. brushes, for hydro blasting, for ultrasonic cleaning, for dry ice blasting, using gas-flow, by etching, by applying flux or plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75251 in the lower part of the bonding apparatus, e.g. in the apparatus chuck
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75252 in the upper part of the bonding apparatus, e.g. in the bonding head
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/753 by means of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75702 in the upper part of the bonding apparatus, e.g. in the bonding head
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75744 in the lower part of the bonding apparatus, e.g. in the apparatus chuck
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75745 in the upper part of the bonding apparatus, e.g. in the bonding head
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75802 Rotational mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75804 Translational mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75822 Rotational mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75824 Translational mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/759 Means for monitoring the connection process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80 Methods for connecting semiconductor or other solid state bodies using means for bonding being attached to, or being formed on, the surface to be connected
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80011 Chemical cleaning, e.g. etching, flux
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80013 Plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80019 Combinations of two or more cleaning methods provided for in at least two different groups from H01L2224/8001 - H01L2224/80014
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80121 : Active alignment, i.e. by apparatus steering, e.g. optical alignment using marks or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8013 : using marks formed on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80132 : using marks formed outside the semiconductor or solid-state body, i.e. "off-chip"
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80201 : Compression bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80203 : Thermocompression bonding, e.g. diffusion bonding, pressure joining, thermocompression welding or solid-state welding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80986 : Specific sequence of steps, e.g. repetition of manufacturing steps, time sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/94 : at wafer-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a wafer comprising a plurality of undiced individual devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/08 : of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/74 : Apparatus for manufacturing arrangements for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/80 : Methods for connecting semiconductor or other solid state bodies using means for bonding being attached to, or being formed on, the surface to be connected
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/94 : at wafer-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a wafer comprising a plurality of undiced individual devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00015 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed as prior art
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01322 : Eutectic Alloys, i.e. obtained by a liquid transforming into two solid phases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER

Abstract

Alignment systems, and wafer bonding alignment systems and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, an alignment system for a wafer bonding system includes means for monitoring an alignment of a first wafer and a second wafer, and means for adjusting a position of the second wafer. The alignment system includes means for feeding back a relative position of the first wafer and the second wafer to the means for adjusting the position of the second wafer before and during a bonding process for the first wafer and the second wafer.

Claims

1. An alignment system for a wafer bonding system, the alignment system comprising:

means for monitoring an alignment of a first wafer and a second wafer;

means for adjusting a position of the second wafer; and

means for feeding back a relative position of the first wafer and the second wafer to the means for adjusting the position of the second wafer before and during a bonding process for the first wafer and the second wafer.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a means for thermally controlling the first wafer or the second wafer.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for adjusting the position of the second wafer is adapted to adjust an x position, a y position, a z position, and an angular position of the second wafer.

4. A wafer bonding system, comprising:

a first support for a first wafer;

a second support for a second wafer;

an alignment monitor module proximate the first support or the second support;

a motor coupled to the first support or the second support;

an alignment feedback module coupled to the first support or the second support and in communication with the alignment monitor module and the motor; and

a thermal control module coupled to the first support or the second support.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first support or the second support comprises a chuck coupled to a stage.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the chuck is substantially transparent.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the chuck comprises glass or quartz.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein a surface of the chuck includes a tessellation pattern disposed thereon.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein the chuck includes an aperture proximate a substantially central region thereof and a pin disposed within the aperture, and wherein during a bonding process for the first wafer and the second wafer, pressure is applicable using the pin to the first wafer or the second wafer.

10. The system according to claim 4, wherein the alignment feedback module comprises a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT), a laser interferometer, or an optical linear encoder and decoder.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the alignment feedback module is embedded in the first support or the second support or attached to the first support or the second support.

12. The system according to claim 4, wherein the thermal control module comprises a thermal couple or a thermal plate.

13. The system according to claim 4, wherein the alignment monitor module comprises an infrared (IR) charge coupled device (CCD) scope.

14. The system according to claim 4, wherein the motor comprises a piezoelectric motor or a linear motor.

15. A method of bonding wafers, comprising:

coupling a first wafer to a first support;

coupling a second wafer to a second support;

aligning the second wafer to the first wafer using an infrared (IR) scope, a motor, and an alignment feedback module;

bonding the second wafer and the first wafer together by pressing the second wafer against the first wafer while continuing to align the second wafer to the first wafer using the IR scope, the motor, and the alignment feedback module; and

discontinuing pressing the second wafer against the first wafer.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising cleaning the first wafer and the second wafer, before placing the first wafer on the first support and placing the second wafer on the second support.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising exposing the first wafer and the second wafer to a plasma process, before cleaning the first wafer and the second wafer.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein pressing the second wafer against the first wafer comprises using a pressure of about 50 mN to about 1,000 mN for a duration of about 30 seconds to about 120 seconds.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising controlling a temperature of the first wafer or the second wafer to a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius (C) to about 25 degrees C.+/−

about 2.0 degrees C. with about a 0.05 degrees C. resolution while pressing the second wafer against the first wafer.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein continuing to align the second wafer to the first wafer using the IR scope, the motor, and the alignment feedback module comprises an in-situ and real-time alignment compensation process.