System for peeling semiconductor chips from tape

A semiconductor system for peeling semiconductor chips from tape, comprising: providing an outer housing having an aperture on a top thereof; providing a magnet with a needle base extension; providing needles magnetically held to the magnet; applying a vacuum through the aperture to hold an adhesive material to the outer housing; and extending the needles through the aperture in the outer housing.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to semiconductors and more particularly to a system for semiconductor processing.

BACKGROUND ART

With virtually all electronic products, there has been a consistent if not increasing demand for new features, higher speed, more data, improved portability, etc. These demands have driven the development of electronic technology including reducing size, improving utility, or increasing performance of the integrated circuit devices contained within an ever-increasing range of electronic products such as cell phones, music players, televisions, or automobiles.

As electronic products have become an integral part of our daily lives, many electronic products with complex integrated circuits are commonly used often without end users' cognizance of the underlying electronic technology. Even for products that include obvious electronic technology, the technology itself is often taken for granted exacerbating the demands for improvements.

In the fabrication of semiconductor chips, multiple chips are commonly fabricated simultaneously together on a large wafer. When the wafer is completed, it is then necessary to separate, or “singulate”, the individual chips from one another. One typical process for singulating the chips is to cut the wafers with precision diamond saws that isolate the individual chips from one another by the width of the saw. To protect the chips and the wafer during this singulation process, an adhesive tape is commonly first applied to a surface of the wafer, generally to the bottom surface.

Following singulation, it is then necessary to remove the chips individually from the adhesive tape. Unfortunately, as technological advances have continuously reduced the dimensions and thicknesses of chips, they have become increasingly fragile and subject to cracking during removal from the adhesive tape. Thus, product losses have been continually increasing, whereas competitive pressures for lower prices and increased production efficiency have made such product losses ever increasingly intolerable.

Various solutions have been attempted to mitigate this problem. For example, careful adjustments have been made to the adhesive strength of the tape to reduce the tape holding force on the chip to just the minimum that is feasible. However, the tape holding force must be sufficient to secure the chips during the singulation sawing process. With the ever-accelerating reduction in chip sizes and thicknesses, it is ever more and more difficult to lift or pull the individual chips off the adhesive tape without cracking the chips, regardless of the adhesive strength. This is particularly true, for example, for conventional peeling methods such as those that use needles to push the chips off the adhesive tape.

Unfortunately, therefore, as the chips become ever thinner (for example, below 125 μm thickness), the chips become ever more vulnerable to random chip cracking during chip peeling from the tape. This renders the chips unavailable for subsequent bonding to upcoming production objects such as printed circuit boards, substrates, leadframes, and so forth. This makes production delays and losses even worse.

Despite the advantages of recent developments in integrated circuit manufacturing, there is a continuing need for improving fixed needle height mismatches and pickup level mismatches such as mismatches resulting from needle holder ruptures for singulation processes.

Thus, a need still remains for significant improvements in systems for peeling singulated semiconductor chips from tape during the fabrication thereof. In view of the ever-increasing commercial competitive pressures, along with growing consumer expectations and the diminishing opportunities for meaningful product differentiation in the marketplace, it is critical that answers be found for these problems.

Additionally, the need to save costs, improve efficiencies and performance, and meet competitive pressures, adds an even greater urgency to the critical necessity for finding answers to these problems.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an outer housing having an aperture on a top thereof; providing a magnet with a needle base extension; providing needles magnetically held to the magnet; applying a vacuum through the aperture to hold an adhesive material to the outer housing; and extending the needles through the aperture in the outer housing.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In order to avoid obscuring the present invention, some well-known circuits, system configurations, and process steps are not disclosed in detail. Likewise, the drawings showing embodiments of the system are semi-diagrammatic and not to scale and, particularly, some of the dimensions are for the clarity of presentation and are shown greatly exaggerated in the drawing FIGS.

The term “on” as used herein means and refers to direct contact among elements. The term “processing” as used herein includes deposition of material, patterning, exposure, development, etching, cleaning, and/or removal of the material or trimming as required in forming a described structure. The term “system” as used herein means and refers to the method and to the apparatus of the present invention in accordance with the context in which the term is used.

Referring now toFIG. 1, therein is shown an isometric view with a partial cutaway of a semiconductor system100for peeling semiconductor chips from tape in a first embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor system100for peeling semiconductor chips from tape preferably includes a magnetic needle base102such as a permanent magnetic holder. Needles104can be assembled over the magnetic needle base102in an array predetermined by a planar dimension of a device (not shown) such as an integrated circuit.

The magnetic needle base102can include a magnet106such as a permanent magnet over a magnet housing108. The magnet housing108with the magnet106can provide a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position as well as vertical movement of the needles104. The vertical movement of the needles104over the magnetic needle base102can provide lifting or stretching of an adhesive material (not shown) under the device resulting in peeling or removal of the adhesive material from the device.

The magnetic needle base102can be formed over a base housing110providing a substantially fixed base from which the magnetic needle base102can move vertically. The base housing110can provide guidance, registration, or a reference for the vertical movement of the magnetic needle base102. The base housing110can be formed to provide substantially vertical movement of the magnetic needle base102minimizing horizontal movement.

An outer housing112shown with a portion cutaway can be formed over the magnetic needle base102. The outer housing112preferably includes apertures114providing guidance, registration, or a reference for movement of the needles104. The needles104can move vertically through the apertures114formed substantially vertically providing an opening through a top of the outer housing112from an interior to an external surface of the outer housing112.

The top of the outer housing112can be formed having an outer housing top thickness116. The outer housing top thickness116can preferably be formed for guiding, registering, or referencing three-dimensional positions for the needles104. The apertures114formed with the outer housing top thickness116can provide guidance, registration, or a reference for predetermined movement of the needles104.

The outer housing112can also include an outer housing recess118formed in a top of the outer housing112. The apertures114can be formed in the outer housing recess118. Evacuation channels (not shown) can also be formed in the outer housing112to provide for evacuation of ambient gases such as air over the top of the outer housing112. The apertures114that are not populated with the needles104can also provide an evacuation path and server as evacuation channels.

The outer housing112can also include outer features120such as registration or alignment recesses or protrusions that can align or correspond to base features122such as registration or alignment recesses or protrusions of the base housing110. The base features112can protrude horizontally outward or away from sides of the base housing110. For example, one of the base features122can be formed as a protrusion substantially the same shape and smaller than one of the outer features120formed as a recess wherein the base features122can fit into the outer features120during assembly for substantially fixed positioning of and preventing rotational movement between the outer housing112and the base housing110.

Optionally, a pattern of the needles104or the outer housing112can be assembled having top horizontal planar dimensions predetermined to be smaller than planar dimensions of target devices. Another option provides multiple patterns for the needles104or the outer housing112for multiple device sizes. For this other option, the needles104can be assembled in one or more locations depending on device size or sizes.

It has been discovered that the semiconductor system100having the magnetic needle base102eliminates the need for a needle holder adjacent the magnet106as well as strengthens stability, flatness and alignment resulting in significantly improved needle set up or change as well as die pickup including eliminating die cracking. Further, the needles inserted in the outer housing112over the magnetic needle base102eliminate stress and unbalanced needle height providing significantly improved stability particularly with thin die.

Referring now toFIG. 2therein is shown an isometric view of a semiconductor system200for peeling semiconductor chips from tape in a needle assembly phase of a second embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor system200from tape preferably includes a magnetic needle base202such as a permanent magnetic holder. Needles204can be assembled over the magnetic needle base202in an array predetermined by a planar dimension of a device (not shown) such as an integrated circuit.

The magnetic needle base202can include a magnet206such as a permanent magnet over a magnet housing208. The magnet housing208with the magnet206can provide a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position as well as vertical movement of the needles204. The vertical movement of the needles204over the magnetic needle base202can provide lifting or stretching of an adhesive material (not shown) under the device resulting in peeling or removal of the adhesive material from the device.

The magnetic needle base202can be formed over a base housing210providing a substantially fixed base from which the magnetic needle base202can move vertically. The base housing210can provide guidance, registration, or a reference for the vertical movement of the magnetic needle base202. The base housing210can be formed to provide substantially vertical movement of the magnetic needle base202minimizing horizontal movement.

A needle block212can be formed over the magnetic needle base202. The needle block212preferably includes needle holes214providing guidance, registration, or a reference for placing the needles204. The needles204can move vertically through the needle holes214formed substantially vertically providing a hole through the needle block212from a surface adjacent the magnetic needle base202to an opposite surface of the needle block212. The needle block212provides a substantially fixed array for the needles204.

The needle block212can be formed having a predetermined thickness. The thickness can preferably be predetermined for guiding, registering, or referencing three-dimensional positions for the needles204. The needle holes214formed with the predetermined thickness of the needle block212can provide guidance, registration, or a reference for predetermined movement of the needles204without the need for a thick top housing such as the outer housing112ofFIG. 1having the outer housing top thickness116ofFIG. 1.

The needle block212with the magnetic needle base202can move wherein the base housing210is substantially fixed. A needle base extension216such as a connector to actuate movement of the magnetic needle base202can provide connection to a motion source through a base opening220of the base housing210. The base housing210can also include base features218such as registration or alignment recesses or protrusions of the base housing210.

Referring now toFIG. 3, therein is shown an isometric view of a semiconductor system300for peeling semiconductor chips from tape in a base housing assembly phase of a third embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the semiconductor system100, the semiconductor system300preferably includes a base housing310. The base housing310can provide a substantially fixed base from which components of the semiconductor system300can move vertically.

The base housing310can provide guidance, registration, or a reference for vertical movement of the components. The base housing310can be formed to provide substantially vertical movement and minimizing horizontal movement. The base housing310can also include base features320such as registration or alignment recesses or protrusions of the base housing310and a base opening322.

Referring now toFIG. 4, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 3in a magnet housing assembly phase. The semiconductor system300preferably includes a magnet housing408. The magnet housing408can provide a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position as well as vertical movement over the base housing310. The vertical movement of the magnet housing408can provide lifting or stretching of an adhesive material (not shown) resulting in peeling or removal of the adhesive material.

The magnet housing408can also include a needle base extension410such as a connector to actuate movement of the magnet housing408. The needle base extension410can provide connection to a motion source through the base opening322of the base housing310. The magnet housing408having the needle base extension410can move substantially vertically through the base housing310wherein the base housing310is substantially fixed.

Referring now toFIG. 5, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 4in a magnet mount phase. The semiconductor system300preferably includes a magnet506such as a permanent magnet over the magnet housing408. The magnet housing408can include a magnet recess510having predetermined dimension slightly larger than dimensions of the magnet506. The magnet housing408with the magnet506at least partially in the magnet recess510can provide a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position as well as vertical movement.

Referring now toFIG. 6, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 5in a needle base assembly phase. The semiconductor system300preferably includes a magnetic needle base602including the magnet506over the magnet housing408and the needle base extension410. The magnet housing408with the magnet506can provide a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position as well as vertical movement.

The magnetic needle base602can be formed over the base housing310providing a substantially fixed base from which the magnetic needle base602can move vertically. The base housing310can provide guidance, registration, or a reference for the vertical movement of the magnetic needle base602. The base housing310can be formed to provide substantially vertical movement of the magnetic needle base602minimizing horizontal movement.

Referring now toFIG. 7, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 6in a housing mount phase. The semiconductor system300preferably includes an outer housing712formed over the base housing310and the magnetic needle base602ofFIG. 6. The outer housing712preferably includes apertures714providing guidance, registration, or a reference for movement particularly substantially vertical movement.

The outer housing712can also include outer features718such as registration or alignment recesses or protrusions that can align or correspond to the base features320such as registration or alignment recesses or protrusions of the base housing310. For example, one of the base features320can be formed as a protrusion substantially the same shape and smaller than one of the outer features718formed as a recess wherein the base features320can fit into the outer features718during assembly for substantially fixed positioning of the outer housing712and the base housing310.

Referring now toFIG. 8, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 7in a housing assembly phase. The semiconductor system300preferably includes the outer housing712with the apertures714. The apertures714can be formed substantially vertically providing an opening through an outer housing top816from an interior to an external surface of the outer housing top816.

The outer housing top816can also include an outer housing recess818. The apertures714can also be formed in the outer housing recess818. The apertures714can be formed in the outer housing recess818. Evacuation channels (not shown) can also be formed in the outer housing712to provide for evacuation of ambient gases such as air over the outer housing top816. The apertures714that are not populated can also provide an evacuation path and server as evacuation channels.

The outer housing712can also include the outer housing recess818formed in a top of the outer housing712. The apertures714can be formed in the outer housing recess818. Evacuation channels (not shown) can also be formed in the outer housing712to provide for evacuation of ambient gases such as air over the top of the outer housing712. The apertures714that are not populated can also provide an evacuation path and server as evacuation channels.

Referring now toFIG. 9, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 8in a needle assembly phase. The semiconductor system300preferably includes needles904assembled over the magnetic needle base602ofFIG. 6in an array predetermined by a planar dimension of a device (not shown) such as an integrated circuit.

The magnetic needle base602including the magnet housing408ofFIG. 4and the magnet506ofFIG. 5can provide a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position. The vertical movement of the needles904over the magnetic needle base602can provide lifting or stretching of an adhesive material (not shown) under the device resulting in peeling or removal of the adhesive material from the device.

The apertures714provide guidance, registration, or a reference for movement of the needles904. The needles904can move vertically through the apertures714formed substantially vertically providing a channel through the outer housing top816from an interior to an external surface of the outer housing top816.

Referring now toFIG. 10, therein is shown a top plan view of the structure ofFIG. 9. The semiconductor system300preferably includes the outer housing712having the apertures714formed in the outer housing recess818of the outer housing top816. Any number or arrangement of the apertures714can be formed to provide guidance, registration, or a reference for movement of the needles904particularly in a substantially vertical direction.

The number or arrangement of the apertures714can also provide compatibility with planar dimensions of multiple target device sizes. Patterns of the apertures714can provide top horizontal planar dimensions predetermined to be smaller than planar dimensions of target devices. Alternatively, patterns for the apertures714can be assembled in one or more locations depending on device size or sizes.

Referring now toFIG. 11, therein is shown an isometric view of the semiconductor system200in a base housing assembly phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes the base housing210having the base opening220and providing a substantially fixed base from which components can move vertically.

The base housing210can provide guidance, registration, or a reference for vertical movement of the components. The base housing210can be formed to provide substantially vertical movement minimizing horizontal movement. The base housing210can also include the base features218such as registration or alignment recesses or protrusions of the base housing210.

Referring now toFIG. 12, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 11in a magnet housing assembly phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes the magnet housing208. The magnet housing208can provide a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position as well as vertical movement.

The magnetic needle base202can also include the needle base extension216such as a connector to actuate movement of the magnetic needle base202. The needle base extension216can provide connection to a motion source through the base opening220of the base housing210. The magnetic needle base202having the needle base extension216can move substantially vertically through the base housing210wherein the base housing210is substantially fixed.

Referring now toFIG. 13, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 12in a magnet mount phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes the magnetic needle base202can include the magnet206such as a permanent magnet over the magnet housing208. The magnet housing208with the magnet206can provide a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position as well as vertical movement.

Referring now toFIG. 14, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 13in a base assembly phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes the magnetic needle base202including the magnet206over the magnet housing208. The magnet housing208with the magnet206can provide a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position as well as vertical movement.

The magnetic needle base202can be formed over the base housing210providing a substantially fixed base from which the magnetic needle base202can move vertically. The base housing210can provide guidance, registration, or a reference for the vertical movement of the magnetic needle base202. The base housing210can be formed to provide substantially vertical movement of the magnetic needle base202minimizing horizontal movement.

Referring now toFIG. 15, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 14in a block assembly phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes the needle block212assembled over the magnet206of the magnetic needle base202and the base housing210. The needle block212preferably includes the needle holes214providing guidance, registration, or a reference.

Referring now toFIG. 16, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 15in a block mount phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes the needle holes214formed substantially vertically providing a hole through the needle block212from a surface adjacent the magnet206of the magnetic needle base202to an opposite surface of the needle block212.

The needle block212provides a substantially fixed array for the needle holes214over the magnet206. The needle block212, the magnet206, the magnet housing208, and the needle base extension216can move in a substantially vertical direction wherein the base housing210can be substantially fixed.

Referring now toFIG. 17, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 16in a needle insertion phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes the needles204assembled over the magnet206of the magnetic needle base202in an array predetermined by a planar dimension of a device (not shown) such as an integrated circuit.

Referring now toFIG. 18, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 17in a needle assembly phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes the magnet housing208with the magnet206providing a substantially fixed and substantially planar horizontal position for the needles204at least partially in the needle block212. The vertical movement of the needles204with the magnetic needle base202can provide lifting or stretching of an adhesive material (not shown) under the device resulting in peeling or removal of the adhesive material from the device.

Referring now toFIG. 19, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 18in a housing mount phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes an outer housing1902formed over the magnetic needle base202ofFIG. 2. The outer housing1902preferably includes apertures1904providing guidance, registration, or a reference for movement particularly substantially vertical movement.

The outer housing1902can also include outer features1918such as registration or alignment recesses or protrusions that can align or correspond to the base features218such as registration or alignment recesses or protrusions of the base housing210. For example, one of the base features218can be formed as a protrusion substantially the same shape and smaller than one of the outer features1918formed as a recess wherein the base features218can fit into the outer features1918during assembly for substantially fixed positioning of the outer housing1902and the base housing210.

Referring now toFIG. 20, therein is shown an isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 19in a housing assembly phase. The semiconductor system200preferably includes the outer housing1902with the apertures1904. The apertures1904can be formed substantially vertically providing an opening through an outer housing top2002from an interior to an external surface of the outer housing top2002.

The outer housing top2002can also include an outer housing recess2018. The apertures1904can also be formed in the outer housing recess2018. The apertures1904can be formed in the outer housing recess2018. Evacuation channels (not shown) can also be formed in the outer housing1902to provide for evacuation of ambient gases such as air over the outer housing top2002. The apertures1904that are not populated with the needles204can also provide an evacuation path and server as evacuation channels.

The outer housing1902can also include the outer housing recess2018formed in a top of the outer housing1902. The apertures1904can be formed in the outer housing recess2018. Evacuation channels (not shown) can also be formed in the outer housing1902to provide for evacuation of ambient gases such as air over the top of the outer housing1902. The apertures1904that are not populated can also provide an evacuation path and server as evacuation channels.

Referring now toFIG. 21, therein is shown a figurative, cross-sectional view2100, taken on line21-21inFIG. 22. The figurative, cross-sectional view2100includes a wafer2102that has been singulated into chips2104after attachment to an adhesive material2106such as an adhesive tape. The wafer2102can be attached to the adhesive material2106can be within a frame or carrier2108. Each of the chips2104can be singulated from one another to form individual, electrically isolated devices.

Referring now toFIG. 22, therein is shown a top plan view2200of the structure ofFIG. 21. The top plan view2200includes the carrier2108over the adhesive material2106wherein the chips2104can be attached to the adhesive material2106. The chips2104attached to the adhesive material2106can be singulated. The carrier2108can provide structural integrity to the adhesive material2106with the chips2104during processing.

Referring now toFIG. 23, therein is shown a partially broken-away isometric view of the structure ofFIG. 22beneath which a semiconductor system2300in a fourth embodiment of the present invention has been positioned. The semiconductor system2300has an outer housing top2302sometimes referred to as a nose that has been centered beneath a particular target chip2104′ (not shown inFIG. 23, but seeFIGS. 24 and 25) for separation of the target chip2104′ from the adhesive material2106.

Referring now toFIG. 24, therein is shown an enlarged view of the center portion ofFIG. 23that illustrates the semiconductor system2300. The outer housing top2302of an outer housing2402can extend or be raised by a modest height and is in contact with the adhesive material2106. In operation, the outer housing top2302will be centered beneath a chip, such as the target chip104′, that is to be separated from the adhesive material2106.

Referring now toFIG. 25, therein is shown a view similar toFIG. 21with the semiconductor system2300operationally positioned beneath the target chip2104′. The chips2104are shown after attachment to the adhesive material2106within the frame or the carrier2108. The outer housing2402of the semiconductor system2300is shown positioned adjacent the adhesive material2106beneath the target chip2104′. A portion ofFIG. 25is identified within an outline2600, which is described in greater detail below.

Referring now toFIG. 26, therein is shown an enlarged sectional view of the portion ofFIG. 25within the outline2600therein. InFIG. 26, some elements of the semiconductor system2300within the outline2600have been omitted for clarity of illustration.

As shown inFIG. 26, the outer housing2402of the semiconductor system2300has been centered beneath the target chip2104′. The outer housing top2302is adjacent and about to contact the adhesive material2106on a bottom side of the adhesive material2106opposite the target chip2104′. The outer housing top2302is smaller than the target chip2104′.

Within the outer housing2402is a magnet2602. The magnet2602supports needles2604that are beneath and aligned with apertures2608in the outer housing2402. In turn, the magnet2602is connected to and supported by a needle base extension2606that is configured in known fashion for controlled upward and downward movement. The controlled upward and downward movement of the needle base extension2606extends the needles2604correspondingly upwardly partly through the apertures2608and then retracts the needles2604back downwardly through the apertures2608into the interior of the outer housing2402.

A portion of the interior of the outer housing2402of the semiconductor system2300is hollow. To evacuate this portion of the interior of the semiconductor system2300, a vacuum source (not shown) is connected to the interior of the outer housing2402through a valve2610. In one embodiment, the valve2610is an integral part of the vacuum source. The valve2610can be actuated to evacuate the hollow interior of the outer housing2402and to apply vacuum to the apertures2608.

Referring now toFIG. 27, therein is shown a view similar toFIG. 26, illustrating another phase in the operation of the semiconductor system2300. The valve2610can be opened to connect the vacuum source (not shown) to the interior of the outer housing2402. The attraction of the vacuum has drawn the adhesive material2106down against the top surface of the outer housing top2302and thereby holding the adhesive material2106by means of the apertures2608. The vacuum also draws the adhesive material2106in like manner firmly down onto the top surface of the outer housing top2302, by virtue of the apertures2608.

As shown inFIG. 27, the semiconductor system2300has also been raised to elevate the target chip2104′. By virtue of the attraction of the vacuum on the adhesive material2106, portions of the adhesive material2106laterally beyond the outer housing top2302, around peripheral edges of the target chip2104′, have been peeled away from the peripheral edges of the target chip2104′. The adhesive material2106is thus held away from the peripheral edges over a normal contacting surface of the outer housing2402. At the same time, the outer housing top2302supports the adhesive material2106in the center of the target chip2104′, effectively resisting and preventing peeling of the adhesive material2106from the center of the target chip2104′ at this time.

Referring now toFIG. 28, therein is shown a view similar toFIG. 27, illustrating the final steps in separating the target chip2104′ from the adhesive material2106, just prior to lifting the target chip2104′ away therefrom. The needles2604have been actuated and raised by the needle base extension2606and extend partly through the apertures2608to lift the target chip2104′ away from a top surface of the outer housing top2302. The valve2610is maintained in an open condition so that vacuum continues to be applied beneath the adhesive material2106. This causes the portions of the adhesive material2106not contacted or supported by the needles2604to continue to be held against the outer housing top2302and thus to separate from the target chip2104′. The target chip2104′ is thus almost completely peeled from the adhesive material2106and can then be readily and easily removed in known fashion for subsequent bonding to any preferred target object, such as a printed circuit board, a leadframe, other substrate, and so forth.

Following removal of the target chip2104′, the needle base extension2606is returned downwardly, the valve2610is closed to release the vacuum, and the outer housing top2302and the semiconductor system2300are retracted downwardly away from the adhesive material2106. The semiconductor system2300is then ready to successfully separate another of the chips2104from the adhesive material2106and is accordingly centered beneath another of the chips2104, in the same manner as shown inFIG. 25. The process is then repeated.

Referring now toFIG. 29, therein is shown an enlarged sectional view of the portion ofFIG. 25within the outline2600therein in a fifth embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 29, some elements of the semiconductor system2300within the outline2600have been omitted for clarity of illustration.

As shown inFIG. 29, the outer housing top2302of the semiconductor system2300has been centered beneath the target chip2104′. The top surface of the outer housing top2302is adjacent and about to contact the adhesive material2106on the bottom side of the tape opposite the target chip2104′. The outer housing top2302is larger than the target chip2104′.

Within the outer housing top2302is the magnet2602. The magnet2602supports the needles2604that are beneath and aligned with the apertures2608in the outer housing2402. In turn, the magnet2602is connected to and supported by the needle base extension2606that is configured in known fashion for controlled upward and downward movement. The controlled upward and downward movement of the needle base extension2606extends the needles2604correspondingly upwardly partly through the apertures2608and then retracts the needles2604back downwardly through the apertures2608into the interior of the outer housing2402.

A portion of the interior of the outer housing2402of the semiconductor system2300is hollow. To evacuate this portion of the interior of the semiconductor system2300, a vacuum source (not shown) is connected to the interior of the outer housing2402through the valve2610. In one embodiment, the valve2610is an integral part of the vacuum source. The valve2610can be actuated to evacuate the hollow interior of the outer housing2402and to apply vacuum to the apertures2608.

Referring now toFIG. 30, therein is shown a view similar toFIG. 9, illustrating the final steps in separating the target chip2104′ from the adhesive material2106, just prior to lifting the target chip2104′ away therefrom. The needles2604have been actuated and raised by the needle base extension2606and extend partly through the apertures2608to lift the target chip2104′ away from a top surface of the outer housing top2302. The valve2610is maintained in an open condition so that vacuum continues to be applied beneath the adhesive material2106. This causes the portions of the adhesive material2106not contacted or supported by the needles2604to continue to be held against the outer housing2402and thus to separate from the target chip2104′. The target chip2104′ is thus almost completely peeled from the adhesive material2106and can then be readily and easily removed in known fashion for subsequent bonding to any preferred target object, such as a printed circuit board, a leadframe, other substrate, and so forth.

Following removal of the target chip2104′, the needle base extension2606is returned downwardly, the valve2610is closed to release the vacuum, and the outer housing2402and the semiconductor system2300are retracted downwardly away from the adhesive material2106. The semiconductor system2300is then ready to successfully separate another of the chips2104from the adhesive material2106and is accordingly centered beneath another of the chips2104, in the same manner as shown inFIG. 25. The process is then repeated

Based on this disclosure, it will now be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art that a system for peeling semiconductor chips from tape has been discovered that significantly reduces the incidences of chip damage and fracture. The random failure of chips due to the stress of being pried from the adhesive tape by prior needle ejector configurations has been very substantially improved. The improvement is due to the unobvious initial release of the adhesive tape from the peripheral edges of the chips prior to the actuation of the needle ejector mechanism.

The central peeling nose of the present invention provides physical and structural support for the major, central portion of the chip body. This protects it from undue stresses, particularly the leverage stresses that can occur from forces applied at the chip periphery or edge, that are then amplified through a centrally positioned fulcrum such as an ejection needle. Instead, the risk of such forces at the chip edges is eliminated by the present invention by the initial or preliminary peeling of the tape from the peripheral edges of the chip prior to actuation of the ejection needles.

Referring now toFIG. 31, therein is shown a flow chart of a semiconductor system3100for manufacturing the semiconductor system100in an embodiment of the present invention. The system3100includes providing an outer housing having an aperture on a top thereof in a block3102; providing a magnet with a needle base extension in a block3104; providing needles magnetically held to the magnet in a block3106; applying a vacuum through the aperture to hold an adhesive material to the outer housing in a block3108; and extending the needles through the aperture in the outer housing in a block3110.

In greater detail, a system to provide the method and apparatus of the semiconductor system100, in an embodiment of the present invention, is performed as follows:1. Providing an outer housing having an aperture through a top thereof.2. Providing a magnet in the outer housing driven by a needle base extension.3. Providing needles magnetically held to the magnet.4. Applying a vacuum through the aperture to hold an adhesive material and a chip to the outer housing.5. Extending the needles through the aperture in the outer housing for lifting the chip and portions of the adhesive material from the outer housing while peeling other portions of the adhesive material from the chip.

Thus, it has been discovered that the semiconductor system method and apparatus of the present invention furnish important and heretofore unknown and unavailable solutions, capabilities, and functional aspects. The resulting processes and configuration are straightforward, cost-effective, uncomplicated, highly versatile, accurate, sensitive, and effective, and can be implemented by adapting known components for ready, efficient, and economical manufacturing, application, and utilization.