Apparatus for applying semiconductor chip to substrates comprising a moveable curing device and method of use thereof

• US 7,895,739 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2003
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Muehlbauer GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Muehlbauer AG
• Inventors: Timm, Uwe, Niklas, Sigmund, Weckerle, Ewald
• Primary Examiner(s): Tugbang; A. Dexter
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAZAN, LIVIUS RADU
• Application Number:
  US10/528,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20060043584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,712 Days
• Field of Search: 298/32, 298/34, 298/36, 298/54, 297/39, 297/40, 297/45, 297/57, 297/59, 297/42, 156/578, 156/499, 156/726, 156/727, 198/867.02, 198/867.14, 198/867.15, 198/465.1
• US Class Current: 29/832
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67132 Apparatus for placing on an insulating substrate, e.g. tape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2919 with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83191 wherein the layer connectors are disposed only on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83192 wherein the layer connectors are disposed only on another item or body to be connected to the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83855 Hardening the adhesive by curing, i.e. thermosetting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/743 Apparatus for manufacturing layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/75 Apparatus for connecting with bump connectors or layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/83 using a layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/90 Methods for connecting semiconductor or solid state bodies using means for bonding not being attached to, or not being formed on, the body surface to be connected, e.g. pressure contacts using springs or clips
• 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 2924/01004 Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01032 Germanium [Ge]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01039 Yttrium [Y]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01084 Polonium [Po]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0665 Epoxy resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1798 with liquid adhesive or adhesive activator applying means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53178 : Chip component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53187 : Multiple station assembly apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for applying semiconductor chips (5) to a plurality of carriers (4), especially smart card modules or flexboards. According to the invention, an adhesive application device (1) is used to apply an adhesive to pre-defined positions on the carrier (4), a fitting device (2) is used to apply the semiconductor chips (5) to the positions on the carrier (4), and a hardening device (3) is used to harden the adhesive. The hardening device (3) and/or another device can be connected to a conveyor belt (6) for transporting the carrier (4) along the devices, by means of a clamping device (13, 14), and can be displaced in the transport direction at the speed of the conveyor belt (6), by means of a lifting device (15).

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying semiconductor chips to a plurality of substrates, wherein at an adhesive application device adhesive is applied to the substrates at predefined substrate positions, at a fitting device the substrates are fitted in a defined fitting time with the semiconductor chips at the substrate positions, and in a curing device the adhesive is cured in a process time substantially exceeding the fitting time, wherein the curing device is connectable by a clamping device to a conveyor belt which transports the substrates in a transport direction along the adhesive application and fitting devices, and wherein the curing device is movable in the transport direction, at a transport speed of the conveyor belt, by a lifting device,

wherein, in the curing device which is connectable to the conveyor belt, a plurality of processing units are arranged in the transport direction of the conveyor belt, which processing units carry out simultaneous processing of the substrates fitted with the semiconductor chips as they are transported, or a plurality of control units are arranged in the transport direction of the conveyor belt, which control units carry out simultaneous control of the substrates fitted with the semiconductor chips as they are transported;

further comprising a timer device for setting a time duration,

wherein, if the plurality of processing units are arranged in the transport direction of the conveyor belt, the time duration corresponds to the sum of a processing time of a processing unit and a time period which is required to return the curing device to a starting position in a direction counter to the transport direction, and

wherein, if the plurality of control units are arranged in the transport direction of the conveyor belt, the time duration corresponds to the sum of a control time of a control unit and a time period which is required to return the curing device to a starting position in a direction counter to the transport direction.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein arranged in the curing device are the same number of processing units as the number of substrates moving in the transport direction which can be fitted by the fitting device at a predefined fitting speed within the processing time.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable curing device comprises a thermode array arranged above the conveyor belt, said thermode array comprising a plurality of thermodes assigned to the substrate positions of the substrates, and at least one heating plate arranged below the conveyor belt.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the thermode array and the heating plate are movable by a slide device in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor belt in such a way that, with the clamping device closed, they are movable toward the conveyor belt and away from the conveyor belt.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting device is connected to a conveyor belt drive for moving the conveyor belt in a step-wise manner in the transport direction.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a further clamping device, fixed to the apparatus, for keeping said conveyor belt stationary while the curing device is being returned in the direction counter to the transport direction.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, arranged in the curing device are the same number of control units as the number of substrates moving in the transport direction which can be fitted by the fitting device at a predefined fitting speed within the control time.

8. A method for applying semiconductor chips to a plurality of substrates, wherein at an adhesive application device adhesive is applied to the substrates at predefined substrate positions, at a fitting device the substrates are fitted in a defined fitting time with the semiconductor chips at the substrate positions, and in a curing device the adhesive is cured, the method comprising:

connecting the curing device, which has a process time for curing the adhesive that substantially exceeds the fitting time, to a conveyor belt which transports the substrates in a transport direction along the adhesive application and fitting devices, by closing a first clamping device;

wherein units are arranged in the curing device, and wherein the units are one of processing units and control units;

opening a second clamping device, fixed to the apparatus, so as to release the conveyor belt which is moving in the transport direction;

moving the units into a closed position in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor belt, wherein, if the units are processing units, moving the curing device at a transport speed of the conveyor belt in the transport direction during a simultaneous processing of a plurality of substrates fitted with the semiconductor chips for a predefined processing time by means of the processing units and the processing units are moved into an open position away from the plane of the conveyor belt following expiry of the processing time and wherein, if the units are control units, the curing device is moved at a transport speed of the conveyor belt in the transport direction during a simultaneous control of a plurality of substrates fitted with the semiconductor chips for a predefined control time by means of the control units and

the control units are moved into an open position away from the plane of the conveyor belt following expiry of the control time;

closing the second clamping device which is fixed to the apparatus;

opening the first clamping device; and

returning the curing device to a starting position in a direction counter to the transport direction.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of moving the units into an open position can be carried out independently of a movement of the conveyor belt in the transport direction.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transport speed corresponds to a fitting speed at which the substrates on the conveyor belt are fitted, said conveyor belt moving in a step-wise manner.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transport speed corresponds to a fitting speed at which the substrates on the conveyor belt are fitted, said conveyor belt moving in a step-wise manner.

12. An apparatus for applying semiconductor chips to a plurality of substrates, wherein at an adhesive application device adhesive is applied to the substrates at predefined substrate positions, at a fitting device the substrates are fitted in a defined fitting time with the semiconductor chips at the substrate positions, and in a curing device the adhesive is cured, wherein the curing device, which has a process time for curing the adhesive that substantially exceeds the fitting time, is connectable by a clamping device to a conveyor belt which transports the substrates in a transport direction along the adhesive application and fitting devices, and wherein the curing device is movable in the transport direction, at a transport speed of the conveyor belt, by a lifting device;

wherein the clamping device comprises at least two clamping jaw units which are arranged at end regions of the movable curing device, each of the clamping jaw units comprising upper and lower clamping jaws which are guidable toward the conveyor belt from above and below.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein, in the curing device which is connectable to the conveyor belt, a plurality of processing units are arranged in the transport direction of the conveyor belt, which processing units carry out simultaneous processing of the substrates fitted with the semiconductor chips as they are transported.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein, in the curing device which is connectable to the conveyor belt, a plurality of control units are arranged in the transport direction of the conveyor belt, which control units carry out simultaneous control of the substrates fitted with the semiconductor chips as they are transported.