Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for the automatic detection and measurement of chipping defects on diced wafers includes receiving an image of at least a portion of a diced wafer, aligning the received image of the at least the portion of the diced wafer, determining edges of the at least the portion of the diced wafer depicted in the aligned, received image, automatically determining at least one baseline from which to measure chipping defects on the at least the portion of the diced wafer from the determined edges, and measuring chipping defects on the at least the portion of the diced wafer using at least one determined, respective baseline. In some embodiments, the method, apparatus and system can further include applying a machine learning model to measured chipping defects to determine if a critical failure exists on the diced wafer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for training a learning model for the automatic detection and classification of defects on wafers includes receiving labeled images of wafer defects having multiple defect classifications, creating a first training set including the received labeled images of wafer defects, training the machine learning model to automatically detect and classify wafer defects in a first stage using the first training set, blending at least one set of at least two labeled images having different classifications to generate additional labeled image data, creating a second training set including the blended, additional labeled image data, and training the machine learning model to automatically detect and classify wafer defects in a second stage using the second training set. The trained machine learning model can then be applied to at least one unlabeled wafer image to determine at least one defect classification for the at least one unlabeled wafer image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for training a learning model for automatic defect detection and classification of at least a portion of a processed wafer include receiving labeled images having defect classification types and features for portions of a post-processed wafer, creating a first training set comprising the received labeled images, training the machine learning model to automatically classify wafer portions based on at least one detected defect in respective wafer portions using the first training set, receiving labeled wafer profiles having respective downstream yield data, creating a second training set comprising the labeled wafer profiles and training the machine learning model, using the second training set, to automatically determine a respective downstream yield of a wafer based on a respective wafer profile. The machine learning model can be applied to at least one unlabeled wafer image to determine at least one defect classification for at least one portion of a wafer.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate is disclosed which includes depositing a layer in a processing chamber on a field region, a sidewall region, and a fill region of a feature of the substrate, wherein a hardness of a portion of the layer deposited on the sidewall region is lower than a hardness of a portion of the layer deposited on the field region, and lower than a hardness of a portion of the layer deposited on the fill region.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to through-via structures with dielectric shielding of interconnections for advanced wafer level semiconductor packaging. The methods described herein enable the formation of high thickness dielectric shielding layers within low aspect ratio through-via structures, thus facilitating thin and small-form-factor package structures having high I/O density with improved bandwidth and power.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to through-via structures with dielectric shielding of interconnections for advanced wafer level semiconductor packaging. The methods described herein enable the formation of high thickness dielectric shielding layers within low aspect ratio through-via structures, thus facilitating thin and small-form-factor package structures having high I/O density with improved bandwidth and power.

Abstract: A method of forming a magnetic core on a substrate having a stacked inductor coil includes etching a plurality of polymer layers to form at least one feature through the plurality of polymer layers, wherein the at least one feature is disposed within a central region of a stacked inductor coil formed on the substrate; and depositing a magnetic material within the at least one feature.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to through-via structures with dielectric shielding of interconnections for advanced wafer level semiconductor packaging. The methods described herein enable the formation of high thickness dielectric shielding layers within low aspect ratio through-via structures, thus facilitating thin and small-form-factor package structures having high I/O density with improved bandwidth and power.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to through-via structures with dielectric shielding of interconnections for advanced wafer level semiconductor packaging. The methods described herein enable the formation of high thickness dielectric shielding layers within low aspect ratio through-via structures, thus facilitating thin and small-form-factor package structures having high I/O density with improved bandwidth and power.

Abstract: A method of forming a magnetic core on a substrate having a stacked inductor coil includes etching a plurality of polymer layers to form at least one feature through the plurality of polymer layers, wherein the at least one feature is disposed within a central region of a stacked inductor coil formed on the substrate; and depositing a magnetic material within the at least one feature.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to through-via structures with dielectric shielding of interconnections for advanced wafer level semiconductor packaging. The methods described herein enable the formation of high thickness dielectric shielding layers within low aspect ratio through-via structures, thus facilitating thin and small-form-factor package structures having high I/O density with improved bandwidth and power.

Abstract: A method of forming a magnetic core on a substrate having a stacked inductor coil includes etching a plurality of polymer layers to form at least one feature through the plurality of polymer layers, wherein the at least one feature is disposed within a central region of a stacked inductor coil formed on the substrate; and depositing a magnetic material within the at least one feature.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure on a wafer includes depositing a polymer layer on the wafer in a wafer-level packaging process, forming at least one wafer-level packaging structure in the polymer layer using a direct writing process that alters a chemical property of portions of the polymer layer that have been directly written to, and removing portions of the polymer layer that have not been written to by the direct writing process revealing the at least one wafer-level packaging structure. In some embodiments, the direct writing process is a two-photon polymerization process that uses a femtosecond laser in combination with a pair of galvanometric laser scanners to solidify portions of the polymer layer to form the wafer-level packaging structure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for removing particles from a substrate surface after a chemical mechanical polish. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a manifold configured to receive and atomize a fluid and at least one spray nozzle mounted to the manifold and configured to spray the atomized fluid in a divergent spray pattern such that the substrate surface is cleansed when impinged by spray from the at least one spray nozzle, wherein the at least one spray nozzle sprays the atomized fluid at a pressure of approximately 30 psi to approximately 2500 psi.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes depositing a layer of uncured polymer material atop a substrate to cover an exposed conductive layer on the substrate, exposing at least one area of the layer using a photolithography process, developing the layer in the photolithography process to remove a first portion of uncured polymer material from the at least one area, etching the layer with a dry etch process to remove a second portion of uncured polymer material from the at least one area to expose a top surface of the conductive layer and form a via in the layer, and curing the layer to form a cured polymer material.

Abstract: Methods of processing a substrate include: providing a substrate with a first polymer dielectric layer; forming a first RDL on the first polymer dielectric layer; constructing a 3D MIM capacitive stack on the first RDL in at least one opening in a top surface of a second polymer dielectric layer, the 3D MIM capacitive stack having a top electrode, a bottom electrode, and a capacitive dielectric layer interposed between the top electrode and the bottom electrode; depositing a dielectric layer on the 3D MIM capacitive stack and on the second polymer dielectric layer; and removing a portion of the dielectric layer to expose at least a portion of the top electrode at a bottom of at least one opening of the 3D MIM capacitive stack and to expose at least a portion of the metal layer at a bottom of at least one opening of the second polymer dielectric layer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming an embedded antifuse in a wafer-level packaging compatible process. In some embodiments, a method for forming an embedded antifuse includes forming a first redistribution layer on a first polymer layer, depositing an antifuse dielectric layer on the first redistribution layer, forming a second polymer layer on the antifuse dielectric layer, creating at least one first via through the second polymer layer to the antifuse dielectric layer using a lithography process with, for example, a dielectric etch, and forming a second redistribution layer on the second polymer layer and contacting the antifuse dielectric layer at a bottom of the at least one first via.

Abstract: Methods of processing a substrate include providing a substrate having a polymer dielectric layer and a metal layer formed atop the polymer dielectric layer; depositing a plurality of polymer layers atop the substrate; patterning the plurality of polymer layers to form at least one via that extends from a top surface of an uppermost polymer layer to a top surface of the metal layer; and forming a three-dimensional metal-insulator-metal (3D MIM) capacitance stack in the at least one via and over a portion of the metal layer and the plurality of polymer layers.

Abstract: A method of forming a magnetic core on a substrate having a stacked inductor coil includes etching a plurality of polymer layers to form at least one feature through the plurality of polymer layers, wherein the at least one feature is disposed within a central region of a stacked inductor coil formed on the substrate; and depositing a magnetic material within the at least one feature.

Abstract: Methods of processing a substrate include: providing a substrate with a first polymer dielectric layer; forming a first RDL on the first polymer dielectric layer; constructing a 3D MIM capacitive stack on the first RDL in at least one opening in a top surface of a second polymer dielectric layer, the 3D MIM capacitive stack having a top electrode, a bottom electrode, and a capacitive dielectric layer interposed between the top electrode and the bottom electrode; depositing a dielectric layer on the 3D MIM capacitive stack and on the second polymer dielectric layer; and removing a portion of the dielectric layer to expose at least a portion of the top electrode at a bottom of at least one opening of the 3D MIM capacitive stack and to expose at least a portion of the metal layer at a bottom of at least one opening of the second polymer dielectric layer.