Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Bonding of plural semiconductor substrates
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-15
2002-05-07
Nguyen, Tuan H. (Department: 2813)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Bonding of plural semiconductor substrates
C269S021000, C100S295000, C438S458000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06383890
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for overlaying and contacting two substrates with each other, a substrate support apparatus, and a substrate processing method, and a substrate manufacturing method using the apparatus or method.
The present invention also relates to a substrate support table consisting of a silicon material, a substrate processing apparatus including the substrate support table, methods of manufacturing and handling the substrate support table, and a substrate processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a method of bringing two wafers (substrates) into contact and bonding them by anode bonding, pressing, or heat treatment. This method is suitable to manufacture a wafer having, e.g., an SOI structure.
FIGS. 14A and 14B
are schematic views showing the step of bonding wafers. In this bonding step, first, a first wafer
1
with its bonding surface facing up is set on a wafer support jig
201
, and a second wafer
2
with its bonding surface facing down is softly placed on the first wafer
1
, as shown in FIG.
14
A. At this time, the upper wafer
2
floats on the gas (e.g., air or an inert gas) between the wafers, as shown in FIG.
14
A.
As shown in
FIG. 14B
, when a press pin
202
presses the upper wafer
2
near its central portion before the gas between the wafers
1
and
2
is completely removed, the air at the central portion of the wafers moves to the periphery. The wafers
1
and
2
come into contact with each other at the central portion first. As the gas between the wafers gradually moves outward, the contact area expands, and finally, the entire wafers come into contact with each other.
Although the above method is applicable to bring two wafers into contact by simple operation, it has the following problems.
One of the problems is associated with wafer contamination due to alignment of two wafers. Since the upper wafer
2
floats on the gas between the wafers, friction in moving the upper wafer
2
in the horizontal plane is very small. The upper wafer
2
slides even when the jig
201
slightly tilts. Therefore, to properly align the two wafers
1
and
2
, a means for limiting movement of the wafer
2
in the horizontal plane is required.
The jig
201
shown in
FIGS. 14A and 14B
has a recessed portion conforming to the shape of the wafers
1
and
2
. The wafers
1
and
2
are aligned while being limited in their movement in the horizontal direction by the side walls of the recessed portion.
FIG. 15
is a view showing another jig for overlaying the wafers
1
and
2
while aligning them. A jig
205
has a plurality of alignment pins
204
and a press pin
203
. The wafers
1
and
2
are pressed against the plurality of alignment pins
204
by the press pin
203
, thereby limiting movement of the wafers
1
and
2
in the horizontal plane.
The method of overlaying two wafers using the jig shown in
FIGS. 14A and 14B
or
FIG. 15
has factors that generate particles, inflict damage to the peripheral portions of the wafers, or lower the yield because the peripheral portions of the wafers are in contact with the jig.
As another problem, no constant condition can be obtained in pressing the wafers. More specifically, the time after the two wafers are overlaid until they are pressed by the press pin is not constant, and the gap between the wafers in pressing them by the press pin is not constant. Therefore, the quality of the wafer obtained by bringing two wafers into contact can be lowered by the resulting lack of uniformity. In addition, the gas between the wafers sometimes escapes before the wafers are pressed by the press pin. In this case, since the wafers cannot be brought into contact while gradually removing the gas outward from the central portion, some gas may remain entrapped between the wafers.
As an apparatus for supporting a substrate to be processed in the manufacture of a semiconductor device, a substrate support apparatus for supporting a substrate by vacuum chucking is used. As a substrate support table, i.e., a unit of the substrate support apparatus, normally, a plate consisting of a metal or ceramic material with high rigidity and having a chuck groove is used.
However, the conventional substrate support table is expensive in general, and a demand for a more inexpensive substrate support table has arisen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has as its object to increase the quality of a substrate obtained by bringing two substrates into contact with each other.
According to the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus for overlaying two substrates and bringing the substrates into contact with each other, characterized by comprising support means for supporting the first substrate; and pressing means for pressing the second substrate against the first substrate, the second substrate opposing the first substrate supported by the support means, wherein the support means has a support member contacting a peripheral portion of one surface of the first substrate to support the first substrate.
In the substrate processing apparatus, the support means preferably has chuck means for chucking the first substrate on the support member.
In the substrate processing apparatus, preferably, the chuck means has an annular groove on a surface of the support member, and the first substrate is chucked by the support member by reducing a pressure in the groove.
In the substrate processing apparatus, the support member preferably has an annular shape.
In the substrate processing apparatus, the support member preferably supports an outermost portion of one surface of the first substrate.
In the substrate processing apparatus, the pressing means preferably presses the second substrate substantially at a central portion thereof.
In the substrate processing apparatus, the support means preferably has, inside the support member, a deflection prevention member for preventing deflection of the first substrate.
In the substrate processing apparatus, the deflection prevention member preferably supports the first substrate substantially at a central portion thereof, thereby preventing deflection of the first substrate.
In the substrate processing apparatus, a portion where the support member is in contact with the first substrate and a portion where the deflection prevention member is in contact with the first substrate are preferably positioned substantially in the same plane.
Preferably, the substrate processing apparatus further comprises substrate manipulation means for canceling support of the second substrate after the second substrate is supported to oppose the first substrate supported by the support means, and the pressing means presses the second substrate in synchronism with cancel of support of the second substrate by the substrate manipulation means.
In the substrate processing apparatus, preferably, the support means substantially horizontally supports the first substrate, and the substrate manipulation means substantially horizontally supports the second substrate above the first substrate and then cancels support of the second substrate.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a substrate support apparatus for supporting one of two substrates to be overlaid and brought into contact with each other, characterized by comprising a support member contacting a peripheral portion of one surface of a substrate to support the substrate.
The substrate support apparatus preferably further comprises chuck means for chucking the substrate on the support member.
In the substrate support apparatus, preferably, the chuck means has an annular groove on a surface of the support member, and the substrate is chucked by the support member by reducing a pressure in the groove.
In the substrate support apparatus, the support member preferably has an annular shape.
The substrate support apparatus preferably further comprises, inside the support me
Takisawa Toru
Yamagata Kenji
Yonehara Takao
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Morgan & Finnegan L.L.P.
Nguyen Tuan H.
Pert Evan
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