A defect inspection and repairing method is disclosed. The method includes: providing a wafer including a semiconductor chip disposed on a surface of the wafer; disposing a layer over the semiconductor chip; obtaining a scanned image of the disposed layer; performing an image analysis upon the scanned image to obtain a defect information; and generating a recipe of a beam according to the defect information, wherein the beam is configured to apply on the disposed layer. Associated system and non-transitory computer-readable medium are also disclosed.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a tungsten layer over a semiconductor substrate in a first chamber, transferring the substrate over which the tungsten layer is formed from the first chamber to a second chamber without exposing into an atmosphere including oxygen, and forming a silicon nitride layer on the tungsten layer in the second chamber.

An apparatus configured to temporarily support a Ball Grid Array (BGA) component against a printed circuit board (PCB) during a manufacturing reflow operation, the apparatus including a support plate sized to fit over the BGA and having one or more mounting holes external to the periphery of the Ball Grid Array component, a retaining member for each mounting hole, passing through said mounting hole, a resilient biasing member for each retaining member, wherein the resilient biasing member urges the support plate against the BGA component from below the BGA component such that the BGA component is urged against the PCB.

A method and an apparatus for processing a peripheral portion of a substrate, such as a wafer, are disclosed. The substrate processing method includes: holding a substrate on a substrate stage; rotating the substrate stage and the substrate about an axis of the substrate stage; directing a laser beam to an edge portion of the rotating substrate to form an annular crack in the substrate; and pressing a polishing tool against the edge portion of the rotating substrate to form a stepped recess in a peripheral portion of the substrate.

Disclosed are pre-wetting apparatus designs and methods. In some embodiments, a pre-wetting apparatus includes a degasser, a process chamber, and a controller. The process chamber includes a wafer holder configured to hold a wafer substrate, a vacuum port configured to allow formation of a subatmospheric pressure in the process chamber, and a fluid inlet coupled to the degasser and configured to deliver a degassed pre-wetting fluid onto the wafer substrate at a velocity of at least about 7 meters per second whereby particles on the wafer substrate are dislodged and at a flow rate whereby dislodged particles are removed from the wafer substrate. The controller includes program instructions for forming a wetting layer on the wafer substrate in the process chamber by contacting the wafer substrate with the degassed pre-wetting fluid admitted through the fluid inlet at a flow rate of at least about 0.4 liters per minute.

A defect inspection and repairing method is disclosed. The method includes: providing a wafer including a semiconductor chip disposed on a surface of the wafer; disposing a layer over the semiconductor chip; obtaining a scanned image of the disposed layer; performing an image analysis upon the scanned image to obtain a defect information; and generating a recipe of a beam according to the defect information, wherein the beam is configured to apply on the disposed layer. Associated system and non-transitory computer-readable medium are also disclosed.

Provided is a wire tension adjuster (60) that adjusts tension (T) applied to a wire (18) of a wire bonding apparatus (100). In the wire tension adjuster (60), in a state in which the wire (18) is gripped by a wire clamper (17), air is supplied to a wire tensioner (40) and a height position (H) of a tip (14f) of a bonding arm (14) is detected, and a flow rate (G) of the air supplied to the wire tensioner (40) is adjusted based on the height position (H) detected, thereby adjusting the tension (T) applied to the wire (18).

The disclosure is and includes at least an apparatus, system and method for a ramped electrical interconnection for use in semiconductor fabrications. The apparatus, system and method includes at least a first semiconductor substrate having thereon a first electrical circuit comprising first electrical components; a second semiconductor substrate at least partially covering the first electrical circuit, and having thereon a second electrical circuit comprising second electrical components; a ramp formed through the second semiconductor substrate between at least one of the first electrical components and at least one of the second electrical components; and an additively manufactured conductive trace formed on the ramp to electrically connect the at least one first electrical component and the at least one second electrical component.

A method for filling a through hole with solder includes mounting a substrate having a through hole formed therein on a permeable barrier layer having pores that enable gas to flow through the permeable barrier. A solder source is positioned over the through hole. Molten solder is delivered in the through hole with a positive pressure from the solder source such that gas in the through holes passes the permeable barrier while the molten solder remains in the through hole.

An apparatus for substrate metallization from electrolyte is provided. The apparatus comprises: an immersion cell containing metal salt electrolyte; at least one electrode connecting to at least one power supply; an substrate holder holding at least one substrate to expose a conductive side of the substrate to face the at least one electrode, the substrate holder being electricity conducting; an oscillating actuator oscillating the substrate holder with an amplitude and a frequency; at least one ultrasonic device with an operating frequency and an intensity, disposed in the metallization apparatus; at least one ultrasonic power generator connecting to the ultrasonic device; at least one inlet for metal salt electrolyte feed; and at least one outlet for metal salt electrolyte drain.