Menu
The Glass Fiber Transferable Electrostatic Carrier enables temporary bonded wafer thinning without the need of adhesives, starting from a thick wafer grinding down to ultra-thin wafer thickness. This mobile rigid wafer support helps to generate high yield even when going to the ultra-thin wafer thicknesses. Furthermore, this mobile electrostatic carrier can be used in process applications such as handling and probing.

SEMICONDUCTOR

GLASS FIBER T-ESC®

back to the overview

The Polymer Transfer ElectroStatic Carrier (Polymer T-ESC®) is a low cost carrier solution for processes without high heat impact where only handling is in focus. Additionally, it can be used for wafer flipping applications. As an option there is a modified version of this mobile electrostatic carrier which is suited for spin etching in SEZ-Tools with Bernoulli Chucks. The special shape of the Polymer T-ESC® enables carrying a thin substrate through the process without creating residuals between the carrier and the thin wafer during the etching process.

SEMICONDUCTOR 

POLYMER T-ESC®

back to the overview

 

The Lithography High-Temperature Transfer ElectroStatic Carrier (Litho HT T-ESC®) is our specifically designed solution for thin wafer handling support during whole lithography processes containing the different steps. It is based on our HT T-ESC®, due to a special design liquid between T-ESC® and wafer is avoided which enables lithography processing with high yields. There is also an adapted version available for the so called slide off debonding process mainly used for compound semiconductors such as GaAs, InP, etc.

Semiconductor

LITHO HT T-ESC®

back to the overview

The standard High Temperature Transfer Electrostatic Carrier (HT T-ESC®) is an adapted solution for thin wafer handling support during processes involving high temperature impact (up to 400 °C) and vacuum.

SEMICONDUCTOR

HT T-ESC®

back to the overview

The Plasma-Resistant High-Temperature Transfer Electrostatic Carrier (Litho HT T-ESC®) is our specifically designed solution for thin wafer handling support during plasma and ion implantation processing. It is based on our HT T-ESC®. Due to a special design interaction between T-ESC® and plasma/ion bombardment is avoided. Therefore, the wafer is always securely chucked on top of the PR HT T-ESC. In addition, the HT T-ESC family is compatible with existing stationary electrostatic chuck solutions inside the process chambers and has a very high heat transfer rate, so that the cooling during processing is still present for the device wafer.

SEMICONDUCTOR

PR HT T-ESC®

back to the overview

T-ESC®

Transferable Electrostatic Carriers

The Transferable Electrostatic Carrier (T-ESC®) is an adhesive-free temporary bonding method that enables the safe and reliable processing of fragile substrates and various materials such as ultra-thin substrates, GaAs, InP, LN, LT, thin silicon, thin MEMS wafers and many more. The basic concept behind this sustainable temporary bonding technology involves the use of electrostatic forces to chuck device wafers onto mobile rigid Carriers (T-ESC®).

These wafer-carrier packages can then be handled and securely processed like wafers of standard thickness through existing machines within the customer facility. Therefore, existing cassettes, handling tools and fabrication equipment can be used without modifications. Additionally, the warping and bowing of thin and ultra-thin substrates are eliminated. The Transferable Electrostatic Carriers are available in the standard sizes from 2" to 12" and in customized shapes adapted to the intended application.

Adapter Carrier

The Adapter Carrier

Each T-ESC® type is offered as an adapter version that allow machines to process device wafers of different diameters and forms. The smaller device wafer can be temporarily bonded to an Adapter Carrier and is held in position by electrostatic forces. For example, a 4”/8” Adapter T-ESC is suited to fixate a 4” wafer on an 8” Adapter T-ESC.

The package of a 4” wafer and an 8” Adapter Carrier can now be used in the intended equipment, e.g. an 8” Stepper. The Stepper tool recognizes a standard 8” substrate and can now process the smaller 4” wafer sizes.

(MEMBER OF THE T-ESC® FAMILY)

HT T-ESC®

The standard High Temperature Transfer Electrostatic Carrier (HT T-ESC®) is an adapted solution for thin wafer handling support during processes involving high temperature impact (up to 400 °C) and vacuum.

back to the overview

HT T-ESC®

Typical Applications

  • Thin wafer handling support during processes involving high temperature impact (up to 400 °C), vacuum-suited

  • Compatibility with existing handling systems (transport cassettes, vacuum, Bernoulli or mechanical end effectors, etc.)

  • Ultra low contamination

  • High flatness

  • Outgassing free

  • Reusable

  • Sizes from 2" to 12", customized shapes and features possible

SEMI conform package after chucking mounted wafer ready for application

  • Thickness of package ~750 μm

  • Package can be handled and processed by standard equipment

 

Recommended Processes

  • Electroplating

  • Annealing

  • DIE Handling

  • Handling

VIEW VIDEO

Standard High-Temperature Transfer ElectroStatic Carrier Technology

Handling

During the wafer processing the wafer needs to be transferred back and forth from the cassettes to the tools and also inside the tools from one station to the other. For fragile substrates this is already challenging, because they tend to break or get cracks, which can lead to future breakage. Also the bowing of thinned substrates brings a lot of trouble for all tooling because they are usually not designed for this very special operation. Temporary bonding with our T-ESC® is a great help here as the processing tools only see a standard wafer and trouble with handling. Therefore, the wafer breakage is eliminated.

Electro Plating

Electro Plating is a method for forming layers out of a liquid phase onto a substrate. The desired regions are masked and the substrate is dipped into the bath. Usually the backside is covered and by applying an electrical field between the substrate and the liquid a layer is formed on the uncovered surface of the substrate.

Annealing

The substrate is heated up to a specific temperature, e.g. after ion implantation to heal the damage from the process.

DIE Handling

Multiple substrate operations are often required when already diced DIEs need further processing in an economical way. Multiple of them can be temporarily bonded to our Mobile Electrostatic Carrier (T-ESC®) and processed as a standard wafer size. After that they can be transferred to the final substrate and bonded with releasing the T-ESC® afterwards.

Our Machines

ACU 3000

A fully automated electrostatic chucking/dechucking unit with up to 120 wafers and/or T-ESC® packages per hour, guaranteeing the highest yield during handling and many diagnostics features.

Learn More

MCU 3000

A manual chucking / dechucking unit of thin and ultra-thin substrates on carriers (T-ESC®s) for flexible sizes from 4”/6” to 8”/12” with a high flexible mobile handling tool and diagnostics features.

Learn More