As technology is rapidly moving forward, developers are aiming to implement as many chips and sensors as possible in the smallest spaces. The reduction of device and chip size plays an important role in enabling this implementation. For this reason, thickness reduction of the semiconductor wafers is requested in industrial or scientific applications like MEMs or optics. Thin semiconductor wafers are flexible and fragile. A temporary mechanical stabilization is needed in order to enable processing of the wafer and to further decrease device wafer thickness. 

For this purpose, PLANOPTIK provides Carrier Wafers.

Carrier & tools for Thin Wafer Handling

The wafer manufacturer produces Carrier Wafers, which can be debonded by various processes. Made of specific materials, different carriers fit to different wafer materials to provide stability during processing. This is what distinguishes the PLANOPTIK range of Carrier Wafers:

The advantages of glass for the production of Carrier Wafers

Glass is used as a carrier wafer material due to its mechanical stability and chemical resistance. All PLANOPTIK Carrier Wafers can be reused up to 30 times (depending on the details of the use process). In order to reduce the risk of bow or warp, the cte-match between semiconductor device wafers from e.g. Si, GaAs, InP or SiC can be adjusted by using different types of glass. The transparency of glass is not only used for the laser debonding process but furthermore for in-process inspection. Also, laser markings or QR-codes can be implemented for process traceability.

Carrier Wafers for different debonding applications

During processing, the Carrier Wafer is used as a mechanical and handling support. It can be detached after processing. In doing so, different debonding technologies are used depending on the adhesive technique chosen. PLANOPTIK offers the plain carrier (excluding the adhesives) but closely cooperates with adhesive and equipment makers. These are the different possibilities of debonding Carrier Wafers:

• Carriers for chemical release

Using a chemical release process, a solvent gets in contact with the adhesive and releases it. For this type of debonding, thousands of holes through the Carrier Wafer enable consistent contact and fast decomposition of the adhesive.

• Carrier for laser release

After processing, the adhesive interlayer will be exposed by using a laser. After exposure, the interlayer will lose its adhesion and the device and Carrier Wafers can be separated.

• Carriers for thermal release

By heating up the processed wafer stack, the adhesive interlayer will lose its adhesion and the device wafer can be released from the carrier by a so-called shear or slide-off debond.

Request a quote to include Carrier Wafers in your process

If you are interested to learn more about carriers for temporary bonding and debonding as well as how these carriers can be applied to your thin wafer handling process make sure to contact us!