Reduction of edge chipping during wafer handling
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for reinforcing the periphery of a semiconductor wafer bonded to a carrier are disclosed. In one embodiment, additional adhesive is applied to the semiconductor wafer prior to bonding. The additional adhesive seeps into a crevice between the carrier and wafer and provides reinforcement. In another embodiment, adhesive is applied to the crevice by a dispenser after the wafer is bonded to the glass carrier.
1. A method for reducing edge chipping of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
dispensing adhesive in a center zone on a top surface of the semiconductor wafer;
disposing a glass carrier onto the top surface of the semiconductor wafer, thereby forming a glass-wafer structure comprising a crevice between the glass carrier and the semiconductor wafer;
applying a fill material in the crevice by dispensing adhesive along an outermost edge of the semiconductor wafer and parallel to the crevice with a brush dispenser; and
wherein disposing a glass carrier onto the top surface of the semiconductor wafer comprises applying a compressive force on the glass carrier and semiconductor wafer in the range of 6 to 95 kilo-Newtons.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressive force is applied in an environment having a temperature in the range of about 110 to about 390 degrees Celsius.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the compressive force is applied for a time period ranging from 10 to 600 seconds.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a fill material in the crevice comprises applying a polyimide adhesive.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising grinding the semiconductor wafer to a thickness in the range of about 32 to about 495 micrometers.