English

Samsung and SK Hynix Explore Laser Debonding Technology

91
2024-07-16 14:45:46
See translation

According to South Korean media etnews, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have started the process technology conversion of high bandwidth memory (HBM) wafers, with the introduction of new technologies to prevent wafer warping as the core, which is considered to be aimed at the next generation HBM. It is expected that with the process transformation, the material and equipment supply chain will also undergo changes.

It is reported that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are currently working with partners to develop a laser method to replace HBM with wafer exfoliation (debonding) technology.

Wafer debonding is the process of separating a thinned wafer from a temporary carrier during the manufacturing process. In the semiconductor manufacturing process, the main wafer and the carrier wafer are bonded together with adhesive and then peeled off with a blade, hence it is called mechanical debonding.

As the number of layers in HBM increases, such as 12 or 16 layers, the wafer becomes thinner, and the use of blade separation methods faces limits. When the wafer thickness is less than 30 microns, there is a concern about damaging the wafer, so the process steps of etching, polishing, wiring, etc. are increased. At the same time, new adhesives that are suitable for ultra-high temperature environments need to be used. This is also the reason why the two companies chose to use lasers instead of traditional mechanical methods.

Industry insiders familiar with the issue explained that "in order to cope with extreme process environments, stronger adhesives are needed, which cannot be separated by mechanical means. Therefore, the new technology of laser has been introduced," and stated that "this is an attempt to stably separate the main wafer and the carrier wafer.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are considering using various methods such as extreme ultraviolet (EUV) laser and ultraviolet (UV) laser.
Laser debonding is believed to be introduced first into the 16 layer HBM4. HBM4 uses a system semiconductor based "base chip" at the bottom of stacked DRAM memory, requiring finer processes and thinner wafers, so laser technology is considered appropriate.

When using lasers, changes in the supply chain of related materials and equipment are inevitable. The existing mechanical methods are dominated by Tokyo Electric of Japan and S Ü SS MicroTec of Germany, which occupy the top two positions in the market. Laser technology may attract more equipment companies and is expected to engage in fierce competition.

The wafer debonding adhesive is mainly supplied by 3M in the United States, Shin Etsu Chemical in Japan, Nissan Chemical, TOK, and others. It is reported that these companies are also developing new adhesive materials that can be used for laser methods instead of existing mechanical methods.

Source: Yangtze River Delta Laser Alliance

Related Recommendations
  • Brother launches a series of color LED laser printers for homes and offices

    Brother is an innovative global company that proudly launches its latest series of color LED laser printers. The new printer series is colorful and seamlessly connected, designed specifically for home and small office environments.The company's latest product aims to improve productivity in home and small business environments, combining excellent printing quality with excellent printing speed. Ea...

    2024-03-20
    See translation
  • Blue Laser Fusion plans to commercialize nuclear fusion reactors using laser technology by 2030

    Recently, a start-up company co founded by Nobel laureate Hideyoshi Nakamura in San Francisco plans to commercialize nuclear fusion reactors using laser technology around 2030.Hideyoshi Nakamura won the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for inventing blue light-emitting diodes. He founded Blue Laser Fusion in Palo Alto, California in November 2022. Partners include Hiroaki Ohta, former CEO of drone manu...

    2023-08-21
    See translation
  • Dr. Gu Bo, a renowned expert in the laser industry, has been elected as a member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering

    On May 7, 2024, the official website of the Canadian Academy of Engineering announced that Dr. Gu Bo, a renowned expert in the laser industry, has been elected as a member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.Dr. Gu BoAcademician of the Canadian Academy of EngineeringFounder/President of Bose Photonics, USADr. Gu Bo is recognized as a pioneer and academic leader in the global field of fiber lase...

    2024-05-07
    See translation
  • A new approach to 3D printing has been published in a Nature journal

    In the last century, the improvement of mechanical properties of structural metals was mainly achieved through the creation of increasingly complex chemical compositions. The complexity of this ingredient increases costs, creates supply fragility, and makes recycling more complex.As a relatively new metal processing technology, metal 3D printing provides the possibility to re-examine and simplify ...

    2024-11-29
    See translation
  • Breakthrough in Light Manipulation: Revealing New Finite Barrier Bound States

    Exploring the propagation and localization of waves in various media has always been a core focus of optics and acoustics. Specifically, in photonics and phononics, scientists have been dedicated to understanding and controlling the behavior of light and sound waves in periodic media.Photonic crystals have unique bandgap characteristics, providing an excellent platform for studying wave propagatio...

    2024-03-25
    See translation