Abstract: An improved apparatus and a method for semiconductor wafer bumping, that utilizes the injection molded solder process. The apparatus is designed for high volume manufacturing and includes equipment for filling patterned mold cavities formed on a first surface of a mold structure with solder, equipment for positioning and aligning a patterned first surface of a semiconductor structure directly opposite to the solder filled patterned mold cavities of the mold structure, a fixture tool for holding and transferring the aligned mold and semiconductor structures together, and equipment for receiving the fixture tool and transferring the solder from the aligned patterned mold cavities to the aligned patterned semiconductor first surface. The fixture tool includes a frame having a central aperture dimensioned to support a substrate and one or more clamp/spacer assemblies arranged symmetrically around the frame.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for positioning and aligning a patterned surface of a semiconductor structure directly opposite to solder filled patterned mold cavities of a mold structure includes a pattern based alignment too including means for identifying a mold training pattern image and a semiconductor training pattern image on a training mold structure and a training semiconductor structure, respectively, means for training the alignment tool with the training pattern images, means for storing the alignment tool trained position, means for identifying a mold pattern image and a semiconductor pattern image on the mold structure and the semiconductor structure matching the mold training pattern image and the semiconductor training pattern image, respectively, and means for aligning the identified mold pattern image with the semiconductor pattern image.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for semiconductor wafer bumping utilizes the injection molded solder process and is designed for high volume manufacturing. The apparatus includes equipment for filling patterned mold cavities on a mold structure with solder, equipment for positioning and aligning a patterned surface of a semiconductor structure directly opposite to the solder filled patterned mold cavities of the mold structure, a fixture tool for holding and transferring the aligned mold and semiconductor structures together, and equipment for receiving the fixture tool and transferring the solder from the aligned patterned mold cavities to the aligned patterned semiconductor first surface. The solder transfer equipment include a wafer heater stack configured to heat the semiconductor structure and a mold heater stack configured to heat the mold structure to a process temperature slightly above the solder's melting point.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for filling patterned mold cavities formed on a surface of a mold structure with solder includes an injector head assembly comprising a solder reservoir having a bottom surface with an elongated slot for injecting solder into the mold cavities and a carriage assembly configured to carry and scan the mold structure under the injector head assembly. The mold structure is brought into contact with the solder reservoir bottom surface and a seal is formed between an area of the solder reservoir bottom surface surrounding the elongated slot and the mold structure surface and then the mold structure is scanned under the injector head assembly in a first direction from a starting position to a finish position for filling the mold cavities and in a second direction opposite to the first direction for returning back from the finish position to the starting position.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for semiconductor wafer bonding provide in-situ and real time monitoring of semiconductor wafer bonding time. Deflection of the wafer edges during the last phase of the direct bonding process indicates the end of the bonding process. The apparatus utilizes a distance sensor to measure the deflection of the wafer edges and the bonding time is measured as the time between applying the force (bonding initiation) and completion of the bonding process. The bonding time is used as a real-time quality control parameter for the wafer bonding process.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for filling patterned mold cavities formed on a surface of a mold structure with solder includes an injector head assembly comprising a solder reservoir having a bottom surface with an elongated slot for injecting solder into the mold cavities and a carriage assembly configured to carry and scan the mold structure under the injector head assembly. The mold structure is brought into contact with the solder reservoir bottom surface and a seal is formed between an area of the solder reservoir bottom surface surrounding the elongated slot and the mold structure surface and then the mold structure is scanned under the injector head assembly in a first direction from a starting position to a finish position for filling the mold cavities and in a second direction opposite to the first direction for returning back from the finish position to the starting position.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for positioning and aligning a patterned surface of a semiconductor structure directly opposite to solder filled patterned mold cavities of a mold structure includes a pattern based alignment too including means for identifying a mold training pattern image and a semiconductor training pattern image on a training mold structure and a training semiconductor structure, respectively, means for training the alignment tool with the training pattern images, means for storing the alignment tool trained position, means for identifying a mold pattern image and a semiconductor pattern image on the mold structure and the semiconductor structure matching the mold training pattern image and the semiconductor training pattern image, respectively, and means for aligning the identified mold pattern image with the semiconductor pattern image

Abstract: An improved apparatus for semiconductor wafer bumping utilizes the injection molded solder process and is designed for high volume manufacturing. The apparatus includes equipment for filling patterned mold cavities on a mold structure with solder, equipment for positioning and aligning a patterned surface of a semiconductor structure directly opposite to the solder filled patterned mold cavities of the mold structure, a fixture tool for holding and transferring the aligned mold and semiconductor structures together, and equipment for receiving the fixture tool and transferring the solder from the aligned patterned mold cavities to the aligned patterned semiconductor first surface. The solder transfer equipment include a wafer heater stack configured to heat the semiconductor structure and a mold heater stack configured to heat the mold structure to a process temperature slightly above the solder's melting point.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and a method for semiconductor wafer bumping, that utilizes the injection molded solder process. The apparatus is designed for high volume manufacturing and includes equipment for filling patterned mold cavities formed on a first surface of a mold structure with solder, equipment for positioning and aligning a patterned first surface of a semiconductor structure directly opposite to the solder filled patterned mold cavities of the mold structure, a fixture tool for holding and transferring the aligned mold and semiconductor structures together, and equipment for receiving the fixture tool and transferring the solder from the aligned patterned mold cavities to the aligned patterned semiconductor first surface. The fixture tool includes a frame having a central aperture dimensioned to support a substrate and one or more clamp/spacer assemblies arranged symmetrically around the frame.