Method And System For Transferring Alignment Marks Between Substrate Systems

Abstract

A method for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems includes providing a substrate having semiconductor devices and alignment marks in precise alignment with the semiconductor devices; and physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to a temporary substrate of a first substrate system. The method can also include physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to a mass transfer substrate of a second substrate system; and physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to a circuitry substrate of a third substrate system. A system for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems includes the substrate having the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks in precise alignment with the semiconductor devices. The system also includes the first substrate system, and can include the second substrate system and the third substrate system.

Claims

1. A method for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems comprising: providing a substrate comprising a plurality of semiconductor devices and a plurality of alignment marks in precise alignment; providing a first substrate system comprising a temporary substrate; physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to the temporary substrate of the first substrate system while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks; and separating the substrate from the first substrate system leaving the semiconductor devices and alignment marks on the temporary substrate while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a second substrate system and physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to the second substrate system while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing a third substrate system, and physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to the third substrate system while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate having epitaxial structures that form the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a carrier substrate configured for holding the semiconductor devices.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the alignment marks comprise portions of an epitaxial structure, a deposited material, or a combination thereof formed on the substrate as physical transferrable structures.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the transferring and bonding step is performed using thermal energy, optical energy, mechanical energy, electrical energy, adhesive energy or combinations thereof.

8. A method for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems comprising: providing a substrate comprising a plurality of semiconductor devices and a plurality of alignment marks in precise alignment, the alignment marks comprising transferrable physical structures; providing a first substrate system comprising a temporary substrate; physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to the temporary substrate of the first substrate system while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks; separating the substrate from the first substrate system leaving the semiconductor devices and alignment marks on the temporary substrate while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks; providing a second substrate system comprising a mass transfer substrate; and physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to the second substrate system while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing a third substrate system comprising a circuitry substrate and circuits on the circuitry substrate, and physically transferring the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks from the mass transfer substrate and bonding to the circuitry substrate while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising separating the mass transfer substrate of the second substrate system leaving the circuitry substrate and the semiconductor devices on the circuitry substrate.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising further processing the semiconductor devices on the third substrate system using at least one semiconductor fabrication process.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the semiconductor fabrication process comprises forming of conductors in electrical communication with the semiconductor devices.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate having epitaxial structures that form the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

14. A system for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems comprising: a substrate comprising a plurality of semiconductor devices and a plurality of alignment marks in precise alignment with the semiconductor devices, the alignment marks comprising physical structures that can be physically transferred between substrate systems; and a first substrate system comprising a temporary substrate having an adhesive layer thereon, the temporary substrate configured to support and bond with the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a second substrate system comprising a mass transfer substrate having an adhesive layer thereon, the mass transfer substrate configured to support and bond with the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a third substrate system comprising a circuitry substrate having a plurality of circuits and a plurality of circuitry alignment marks in alignment with the circuits, the circuitry substrate configured to support and bond with the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate having epitaxial structures that form the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the alignment marks comprise portions of an epitaxial structure, a deposited material, or a combination thereof formed on the substrate as physical transferrable structures.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the alignment marks comprise stickers.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the semiconductor devices include contacts co-planar to surfaces of the alignment marks.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a prior art alignment system;

[0018] FIGS. 2A-2D are schematic views illustrating prior art alignment marks;

[0019] FIGS. 3A-3C are schematic views illustrating a prior art mask alignment system in operation;

[0020] FIGS. 4A-4C are schematic cross sectional views illustrating mask alignment marks and substrate alignment marks during operation of the prior art mask alignment system;

[0021] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of a step in a method for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems of providing a substrate having semiconductor devices and alignment marks;

[0022] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross sectional view of a step in the method of placing the substrate proximate to a first substrate system having a temporary substrate;

[0023] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross sectional view of a step in the method of bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to the temporary substrate of the first substrate system;

[0024] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross sectional view of a step in the method of separating the substrate leaving the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks on the temporary substrate of the first substrate system;

[0025] FIGS. 9-12 are schematic cross sectional views of further steps in the method wherein the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks are transferred from the temporary substrate to a second substrate system having a mass transfer substrate;

[0026] FIGS. 13-17 are schematic cross sectional views of further steps in the method wherein the semiconductor devices and alignment marks on the mass transfer substrate are transferred to a third substrate system having a circuitry substrate;

[0027] FIGS. 18-19 are schematic cross sectional views of further steps in the method wherein the third substrate system is further processed by etching and depositing of conductors in electrical communication with the semiconductor devices; and

[0028] FIG. 20 is a schematic cross sectional view of a system for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Referring to FIG. 5, a first step in a method for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems is illustrated. The first step comprises providing a substrate 40 having a plurality of semiconductor devices 42 and a plurality of alignment marks 48 formed thereon. In the illustrative embodiment, the substrate 40 comprises a semiconductor substrate having epitaxial structures 44 that form the semiconductor devices 42. For illustrative purposes the semiconductor devices 42 can also include metal contacts 46 that are co-planar to the surfaces of the alignment marks 48. Alternately, the substrate 40 can comprise a carrier substrate for holding the semiconductor devices 42.

[0030] The alignment marks 48 can comprise portions of the epitaxial structures 44 or a deposited material 50, or as shown in FIG. 5, a combination thereof. In an illustrative embodiment, the alignment marks 48 are formed during fabrication of the semiconductor devices 42 out of the same epitaxial structures 44 using semiconductor fabrication techniques. This allows precise fab shop alignment of the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 to one another or to other features on the substrate 40. In addition, the alignment marks 48 are physical structures that can be transferred between different substrate systems using different bonding techniques, such as adhesive bonding. Still further, the alignment marks 48 can also be configured as a sticker 52 (FIG. 5), or similar structure, which can be placed on and bonded to the substrate 40 after fabrication of the semiconductor devices 44.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 6, the method also includes the step of placing the substrate 40 proximate to a first substrate system 54. In an illustrative embodiment, the first substrate system 54 includes a temporary substrate 56 and an adhesive layer 58 for making temporary adhesive connections with the semiconductor devices 42 and with the alignment marks 48.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 7, the method also includes the step of physically transferring the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 from the substrate and bonding to the first substrate system 54. The transferring and bonding step can be performed using an energy system 60 that uses an energy such as thermal energy, optical energy, mechanical energy, electrical energy, or adhesive energy to bond the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 to the temporary substrate 56 of the first substrate system 54. In an illustrative embodiment, the adhesive layer 58 on the temporary substrate 56 facilitates bonding of the semiconductor devices 42 and alignment marks 48 using adhesive forces.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 8, the method also includes the step of separating the substrate 40 from the first substrate system 54 leaving the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 on the temporary substrate 56 while maintaining the precise alignment. The separating step can be performed during or separate from the bonding step using a lift-off method such as a thermal method, an optical method, a mechanical method, an electrical method, or an adhesive method. In an illustrative embodiment, the adhesive layer 58 on the temporary substrate 56 facilitates the separating step by applying adhesive forces to the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 9-12, further steps in the method are illustrated wherein the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 are physically transferred from the first substrate system 54 and bonded to a second substrate system 62 in the form of a mass transfer system. As shown in FIG. 9, the second substrate system 62 includes a mass transfer substrate 64 having an adhesive layer 66 thereon. As shown in FIG. 10, the second substrate system 62 is placed proximate to the first substrate system 54 with the semiconductor devices in physical contact with the adhesive layer 66 on the mass transfer substrate 64. As shown in FIG. 11, the first substrate system 54 and the second substrate system 62 are separated, with the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 transferring to the mass transfer substrate 64. This separating step can be performed using a lift off process such as a thermal method, an optical method, a mechanical method, an electrical method, or an adhesive method. FIG. 12 illustrates the semiconductor devices 42 on the mass transfer substrate 64 of the second substrate system 62 ready for mass transfer as required for other fabrication or packaging processes.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 13-17, further steps in the method are illustrated wherein the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 are physically transferred from the second substrate system 62 and bonded to a third substrate system 68. As shown in FIG. 13, the third substrate system 68 includes a circuitry substrate 70 (e.g., PCB, MCPCB, or other circuitry related elements) having a plurality of circuits 72 and a plurality of front side circuitry alignment marks 74A and back side circuitry alignment marks 74B on either side of the circuitry substrate 70 in alignment with the circuits 72. As shown in FIG. 14, the method can further include the step of depositing a deposited material 76 on the circuits 72 and on the circuitry alignment marks 74A. Depending on the application, exemplary materials for the deposited material 76 include metals, adhesives, and insulators.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 15, the method can further include the step of aligning the mass transfer substrate 64 of the second substrate system 62 with the circuitry substrate 70 of the third substrate system 68 using the alignment marks 48 on the mass transfer substrate 64 and the circuitry alignment marks 74A on the circuitry substrate 70. As shown in FIG. 16, the method can further include the step of placing the mass transfer substrate 64 of the second substrate system 62 in physical contact with the circuitry substrate 70 of the third substrate system 68. As shown in FIG. 17, the method can further include the step of transferring the alignment marks 48 from the mass transfer substrate 64 to the circuitry substrate 70 and bonding alignment marks 48 to the circuitry substrate 70, and the step of separating the mass transfer substrate 64 leaving the circuitry substrate 70 with the alignment marks 48 and the circuitry alignment marks 74A, 74B thereon.

[0037] Referring to FIGS. 18-19, further steps in the method wherein the third substrate system 68 is further processed using semiconductor fabrication processes are illustrated. In FIG. 18, openings 78 are etched in the deposited material 76 that covers the circuits 72 on the circuitry substrate 70. In FIG. 19, conductors 80 are formed in the openings 78 in electrical communication with the contacts 46 on the semiconductor devices 42 and with the circuits 72 on the circuitry substrate 70. During these fabrication processes, the transferred alignment marks 48 on the circuitry substrate 70 maintain the precise alignment with the semiconductor devices 42 formed during the initial stages of the method.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 20, a system 82 for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems includes the substrate 40 comprising the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 in precise alignment with the semiconductor devices 42. As previously explained, the alignment marks 48 comprise physical structures that can be physically transferred between substrate systems. The system 82 also includes a first substrate system 54 comprising the temporary substrate 56 having the adhesive layer 58. As previously explained, the temporary substrate 56 is configured to support and bond with the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48.

[0039] The system 82 can also include the second substrate system 62 comprising the mass transfer substrate 64 having the adhesive layer 66 thereon. The mass transfer substrate 64 is configured to support and bond with the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48 while maintaining the precise alignment between the semiconductor devices 42 and the alignment marks 48. The system 82 can also include a third substrate system 68 comprising the circuitry substrate 70 having the circuits 72 and the circuitry alignment marks 74A, 74B in alignment with the circuits 72.

[0040] In general, the method and system are insensitive to the type of substrate be it opaque or transparent. In addition, the method and system are cheaper than repeating lithography several times since the same alignment marks formed during the frontend process are used in the backend processes. The method and system also facilitate usage in backend processes that require extremely high precision such as stamping, pick and placement, and precision bonding.

[0041] While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and subcombinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.