Wafer debonding and cleaning apparatus and method of use

• US 9,390,949 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chiou, Wen-Chih, Lin, Yu-Liang, Tu, Hung-Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): Blan, Nicole
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Natasha
• Application Number:
  US13/306,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20130133688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 134/18, 134/902
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02057 Cleaning during device manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67173 in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67207 comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process

Abstract

This description relates to a wafer debonding and cleaning apparatus including an automatic wafer handling module. The automatic wafer handling module loads a semiconductor wafer into a wafer debonding module for a debonding process. The automatic wafer handling module removes the semiconductor wafer from the debonding module and loads the semiconductor wafer into a wafer cleaning module for a cleaning process.

Claims

1. A method of debonding and cleaning a wafer, the method comprising:

separating a semiconductor wafer from a carrier wafer using a wafer debonding module;

cleaning a surface of the semiconductor wafer using one wafer cleaning module of two wafer cleaning modules; and

transferring the semiconductor wafer to/from the wafer debonding module and the wafer cleaning module used to clean the surface of the semiconductor wafer using an automatic wafer handling module;

transferring the semiconductor wafer to a storage unit using the automatic wafer handling module if the wafer cleaning modules are determined as not available; and

monitoring the availability of the wafer cleaning modules,

wherein the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the storage unit to the wafer cleaning module used to clean the surface of the semiconductor wafer when the wafer cleaning module used to clean the surface of the semiconductor wafer is determined to be available, and a quantity of the wafer cleaning modules is greater than a quantity of wafer debonding modules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a thickness ranging from about 350 μ

m to about 1500 μ

m.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising supporting the semiconductor wafer, by the automatic wafer handling module using a robotic arm configured to support the semiconductor wafer without the use of a film frame.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the semiconductor wafer from the carrier wafer comprises exposing an adhesive bonding the semiconductor wafer to the carrier wafer to ultraviolet radiation or laser light.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cleaning a surface of the wafer comprises washing the surface of the wafer with a solution including dimethyl sulfoxide and deionized water.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the semiconductor wafer in a storage unit, by the automatic wafer handling module, after removing the semiconductor wafer from the wafer debonding module or the wafer cleaning module used to clean the surface of the wafer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the semiconductor wafer from a storage unit, by the automatic wafer handling module, prior to loading the semiconductor wafer into the wafer debonding module or the wafer cleaning used to clean the surface of the wafer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning a barcode associated with the semiconductor wafer and transmitting the scanned barcode to a computer system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring the semiconductor wafer to different locations, by a movable storage unit.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the movable storage unit is configured to accommodate a plurality of semiconductor wafers, the semiconductor wafer cleaned by the wafer cleaning module of the two wafer cleaning modules is a semiconductor wafer of the plurality of semiconductor wafers, and the method further comprises:

cleaning at least one other semiconductor wafer of the plurality of semiconductor wafers using a second wafer cleaning module of the two wafer cleaning modules.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining, by a control system, which semiconductor wafer of the plurality of semiconductor wafers is cleaned by the wafer cleaning module or the other wafer cleaning module.

12. A method of debonding and cleaning a wafer, the method comprising:

loading a wafer assembly into a debonding tool using an automatic wafer handling module having a control system, the wafer assembly comprising a wafer bonded to a carrier by an adhesive;

debonding the carrier from the wafer;

transferring the debonded wafer to one cleaning tool of two cleaning tools using the automatic wafer handling module;

transferring the debonded wafer to a storage unit using the automatic wafer handling module if the cleaning tools are determined as not available;

monitoring the availability of the cleaning tools; and

removing the adhesive from the debonded wafer using the one cleaning tool of the two cleaning tools,

wherein the debonded wafer is transferred from the storage unit to the cleaning tool used to remove the adhesive from the debonded wafer when the cleaning tool used to clean the surface of the wafer is determined to be available, and a quantity of the cleaning tools is greater than a quantity of wafer debonding modules.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein removing the adhesive comprises exposing the adhesive to a solvent solution, the solvent solution being a mixture of deionized water, tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), methylpyrrolidone (NMP), isopropanol (IPA), ethanol, acetone, hydrogen peroxide, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising tracking a location of the wafer by scanning a barcode attached to the wafer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein debonding the carrier from the wafer comprises irradiating the adhesive with electromagnetic radiation.

16. A method of debonding and cleaning a wafer, the method comprising:

loading a first wafer assembly into a debonding tool using an automatic wafer handling module having a control system, the first wafer assembly comprising a first wafer bonded to a first carrier by a first adhesive;

performing a debonding process on the first wafer assembly using the debonding tool;

transferring the debonded first wafer to one of a first cleaning tool or a second cleaning tool of two cleaning tools using the automatic wafer handling module;

performing a first cleaning process on the debonded first wafer using the first cleaning tool or the second cleaning tool to remove the first adhesive;

loading a second wafer assembly into the debonding tool using the automatic wafer handling module, the second wafer assembly comprising a second wafer bonded to a second carrier by a second adhesive;

performing the debonding process on the second wafer assembly using the debonding tool;

transferring the debonded second wafer to the first cleaning tool or the second cleaning tool of the two cleaning tools using the automatic wafer handling module;

performing a second cleaning process on the debonded second wafer using the first cleaning tool or the second cleaning tool to remove the second adhesive;

transferring the debonded first wafer or the debonded second wafer to a storage unit using the automatic wafer handling module if the first cleaning tool and the second cleaning tool are determined as not available;

monitoring the availability of the first cleaning tool and the second cleaning tool; and

transferring the debonded first wafer or the debonded second wafer from the storage unit to the first cleaning tool or the second cleaning tool when the first cleaning tool or the second cleaning tool is determined to be available,

wherein a quantity of the cleaning tools is greater than a quantity of wafer debonding modules.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein performing the debonding process comprises performing the debonding process for a first duration, and performing the first cleaning process comprises performing the first cleaning process for a second duration longer than the first duration.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein transferring the debonded second wafer to the second cleaning tool comprises:

determining an availability of the first cleaning tool and the second cleaning tool; and

transferring the debonded second wafer to the second cleaning tool if the first cleaning tool is not available and the second cleaning tool is available.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein transferring the debonded first wafer or the debonded second wafer to a storage unit comprises:

transferring the debonded first wafer to a first storage unit that corresponds with the first cleaning tool; and

transferring the debonded second wafer to a second storage unit different from the first storage unit,

wherein the second storage unit corresponds to the second cleaning tool.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first storage unit and the second storage unit are movable between the debonding tool and the first cleaning tool or the second cleaning tool.