METHOD FOR NON-DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION OF A STRUCTURE AND CORRESPONDING SYSTEM

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for non-destructive inspection of a structure, preferably a through-glass via, TGV, of a substrate, preferably a glass substrate, comprising the steps of: applying a moldable mass onto a surface of the structure of the substrate; hardening of the moldable mass so that the mass is elastic; non-destructive removing of the elastic mass from the structure; and analyzing the removed elastic mass according to at least one parameter, preferably a quality parameter.

Claims

1. A method for non-destructive inspection of a through-glass via, TGV, of a substrate comprising the steps of: applying a moldable mass onto a surface of a structure of the substrate; hardening the moldable mass so that the mass is elastic; removing the elastic mass from the structure in a non-destructive manner; and analyzing the removed elastic mass according to at least one parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parameter is a quality parameter.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hardening step is performed by applying at least one of: chemical hardening; electromagnetic radiation; solidification and/or conglomeration from a solution by volatilization of a solvent; cooling; and heating.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hardening is performed within less than 5 minutes.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elastic mass has a shore hardness below 70 A after removal of the elastic mass from the surface.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elastic mass has a shore hardness between 50 A and 60 A after removal of the elastic mass from the surface.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the structure of the substrate is at least one of a groove, a cavity, a trench, a channel, an indentation, a via, a blind hole, an edge, a rim or a pillar.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elastic mass has a mold precision below 1 micrometer.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moldable mass is at least one of a thermoplastic, an elastomer, a rubber, a resin, an epoxy, and an adhesive.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter represents a surface roughness of the structure and/or a geometry of the structure.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter represents a geometry of the structure, and specifies at least one of surface area, volume, height, length, width, circularity, diameter, depression depth, taper angle, hour glass angle, waist size, perpendicularity and deviation from a theoretical structure.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the parameter representing geometry is determined using light microscopy, and/or wherein the parameter representing surface roughness is determined using light interference spectroscopy.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is determined using light microscopy, interference spectroscopy, computer tomography, electron microscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy.

14. A system for non-destructive inspection of a structure of a substrate, comprising: an applying entity adapted for applying a moldable mass onto a surface of the structure of the substrate; a hardening entity adapted for hardening of the moldable mass, so that the mass is elastic; a removing entity adapted for non-destructive removing of the elastic mass from the structure; and an analyzing entity adapted for analyzing the removed elastic mass according to at least one parameter.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the analyzing entity comprises at least one of a microscopy entity, a spectrometer entity, a tomography entity, and a magnetic resonance imaging entity.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the substrate is a glass substrate.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the system further comprises at least one of: a holding entity adapted for holding a substrate, the substrate comprising at least one structure; a feeder entity adapted to feed the substrate to at least one other entity; a supplying entity adapted to supply the moldable mass to the applying entity; and a display entity adapted to display at least one of a 2D and/or 3D image of the elastic mass, a result of the analysis, and a 2D and/or 3D image of the structure.

18. A method of manufacturing a structure, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; forming a structure in and/or on the substrate; and inspecting the structure by performing the method according to claim 1.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of, prior to inspecting the structure and/or after removing of the elastic mass from the structure, cleaning the surface of the structure by applying one or more cleaning procedures.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the cleaning procedures use at least one of: one or more intense alkaline cleaners; one or more acidic cleaners; one or more neutral cleaners; and one or more rinsing fluids.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein prior to performing the cleaning step the surface to be cleaned is measured to obtain a pollution indication parameter of the surface and wherein when the pollution indication parameter exceeds a threshold the cleaning procedure is performed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a microscope image of a microsection of a TGV of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a microscope image of an elastic mass removed from a TGV of the substrate of FIG. 1.

[0066] FIG. 3 shows a microscope image of a microsection of a TGV of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] FIG. 4 shows a microscope image of an elastic mass removed from a TGV of the substrate of FIG. 3.

[0068] FIG. 5 shows steps of a method for non-destructive inspection of a structure, of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] FIG. 6 shows schematically a system for non-destructive inspection of a structure, of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0070] FIG. 7 shows steps of a method for manufacturing of a structure of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0071] FIG. 1 shows a microscope image of a microsection of a TGV of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 shows a microscope image of an elastic mass removed from a TGV of the substrate of FIG. 1. FIG. 1 and also FIG. 3 show a plurality of same TGVs in the plane of projection and also behind one another perpendicular to the plane of projection, the latter shown in dashed lines.

[0072] In detail, FIG. 1 shows a microscopic image comprising a plurality of generally identical through-glass vias TGV 10, i.e. manufactured with the same manufacturing method. The TGV 10 is measured having the following properties: [0073] taper angle 60 at the top of about 85 degrees, [0074] taper angle 70 at the bottom of about 84.5 degrees, [0075] top diameter 20 of about 145 micrometers, [0076] bottom diameter 50 of about 111 micrometers, [0077] neck diameter 40 of about 76 micrometers, and [0078] length 30 of about 560 micrometers.

[0079] FIG. 2 shows an elastic mass 1 in form of silicone, filled into the TGV 10, hardened and then removed from the TGV 10. The elastic mass 1 is measured having the following properties: [0080] taper angle 6 at the top of about 87 degrees, [0081] taper angle 7 at the bottom of about 86 degrees, [0082] top diameter 2 of about 151 micrometers, [0083] bottom diameter 5 of about 110 micrometers, [0084] neck diameter 4 of about 79 micrometers, and [0085] length 3 of about 542 micrometers.

[0086] As can be observed through comparison of the measured properties of the TGV 10 and its “negative image” in form of the elastic mass 1, the properties are in good agreement with each other.

[0087] FIG. 3 shows a microscope image of a microsection of a TGV of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 shows a microscope image of an elastic mass removed from a TGV of the substrate of FIG. 3.

[0088] In detail, FIG. 3 shows a microscopic image comprising a plurality of the same through-glass via TGV 10. The TGV 10 is measured having the following properties: [0089] taper angle 60 at the top of about 89 degree, [0090] top diameter 20 of about 149 micrometers, and [0091] neck diameter 40 of about 138 micrometers.

[0092] These values have been obtained by measuring 10 TGV L1-L10:

TABLE-US-00001 Microsection Diameter Top Taper Angle Diameter neck VIA # [μm] Top [°] [μm] L1 148.5 89.3 137.8 L2 150.1 88.9 138.2 L3 151.2 89.3 139.9 L4 150.1 88.7 139.4 L5 147.4 89.1 138.3 L6 149.6 88.7 139.4 L7 149.1 88.9 135.6 L8 148.5 88.8 134.6 L9 147.5 89.5 138.9 L10 150.7 88.8 140.5 MEAN 149 89 138 StDev. 1 0 2

[0093] FIG. 4 shows an elastic mass 1 in form of silicone, filled into the TGV 10, hardened and then removed from the TGV 10. The elastic mass 1 is measured having the following properties: [0094] taper angle 60 at the top of about 89 degree, [0095] top diameter 20 of about 149 micrometers, and [0096] neck diameter 40 of about 141 micrometers.

[0097] These values have been obtained by measuring 18 elastic masses in the form of silicone.

TABLE-US-00002 Silicone Diameter Top Taper Angle Diameter neck stamp # [μm] Top [°] [μm] S1 152 89.6 144 S2 150 89.6 141 S3 151 89.6 140 S4 149 89.1 139 S5 144 89.5 137 S6 148 88.9 138 S7 148 88.8 138 S8 143 88.7 136 S9 148 88.9 138 S10 148 88.6 137 S11 148 88.6 143 S12 148 88.1 142 S13 148 88.3 145 S14 152 87.8 142 S15 147 88.6 139 S16 152 88 148 S17 151 88.1 142 S18 152 88.5 140 MEAN 149 89 141 StDev. 3 1 3

[0098] FIG. 5 shows steps of a method for non-destructive inspection of a structure, of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0099] In detail, FIG. 5 shows steps of a method for non-destructive inspection of a structure, preferably a through-glass via, TGV, of a substrate, preferably a glass substrate.

[0100] The method comprises the steps of: [0101] applying (S1) a moldable mass onto a surface of the structure of the substrate, [0102] hardening (S2) of the moldable mass such that the mass is elastic, [0103] non-destructive removing (S3) of the elastic mass from the structure, and [0104] analyzing (S4) the removed elastic mass according to at least one parameter, preferably a quality parameter.

[0105] FIG. 6 schematically shows a system for non-destructive inspection of a structure, of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] In detail, FIG. 6 schematically shows a system for non-destructive inspection of a structure, preferably a through-glass via, TGV, of a substrate, preferably a glass substrate. The system 100 comprises an applying entity 101 adapted for: [0107] applying a moldable mass onto a surface of the structure of the substrate, [0108] a hardening entity 102 adapted for hardening of the moldable mass, such that the mass is elastic, [0109] a removing entity 103 adapted for non-destructive removing of the elastic mass from the structure, and [0110] an analyzing entity 104 adapted for analyzing the removed elastic mass according to at least one parameter, preferably a quality parameter.

[0111] FIG. 7 shows steps of a method for manufacturing of a structure of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0112] In detail, FIG. 7 shows steps of a method for manufacturing a structure preferably a through-glass via, TGV, of a substrate, preferably a glass substrate.

[0113] The method comprises the steps of: [0114] providing T1 a substrate, [0115] forming T2 a structure in and/or on the substrate, and [0116] inspecting T3 the structure by performing a previously-described method.

[0117] In summary, the present disclosure can provide and/or enable the following features and/or advantages: [0118] easy implementation, [0119] precise measurement of properties of structures of substrates, [0120] cost-effective manufacturing and further processing of substrates with structures, [0121] easy handling and processing, [0122] high flexibility in terms of quality parameters, [0123] high flexibility in terms of measuring methods for quality parameters, and [0124] non-destructive inspection of structures in and/or on substrates.

[0125] Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure set forth herein will come to mind to the one skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains, having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0126] 1 Elastic mass [0127] 2 Top diameter [0128] 3 Length [0129] 4 Neck diameter [0130] 5 Bottom diameter [0131] 6 Taper angle [0132] 7 Taper angle [0133] 10 TGV [0134] 20 Top diameter [0135] 30 Length [0136] 40 Neck diameter [0137] 50 Bottom diameter [0138] 60 Taper angle [0139] 70 Taper angle [0140] 100 System [0141] 101 Applying entity [0142] 102 Hardening entity [0143] 103 Removing entity [0144] 104 Analyzing entity [0145] S1-S4 Steps according to the method of the present disclosure [0146] T1-T3 Steps according to the method of the present disclosure