US 12,334,369 B2
Cleave systems having spring members for cleaving a semiconductor structure and methods for cleaving such structures
Justin Scott Kayser, Wentzville, MO (US)
Assigned to GlobalWafers Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by GlobalWafers Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jun. 11, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/739,890.
Application 18/739,890 is a division of application No. 17/956,402, filed on Sep. 29, 2022, granted, now 12,148,635.
Application 17/956,402 is a continuation of application No. 17/017,319, filed on Sep. 10, 2020, granted, now 11,538,698, issued on Dec. 27, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/906,860, filed on Sep. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0332042 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01L 21/78 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/683 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67092 (2013.01) [H01L 21/6838 (2013.01); H01L 21/78 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for cleaving a semiconductor structure having a top surface and a bottom surface generally parallel to the top surface, the method comprising:
contacting the top surface of the semiconductor structure with a suction cup;
applying a vacuum in the suction cup to grasp the top surface of the semiconductor structure;
moving a cleave arm from a starting position to a raised position to cause a spring member to exert a cleave force on the semiconductor structure, the spring member storing spring energy when the cleave arm is raised, the suction cup being connected to a suction rod that extends through the cleave arm, the suction rod extending through the spring member, the cleave arm moving axially upward relative to the suction rod when the cleave arm is moved to the raised position;
contacting the semiconductor structure with a blade to initiate cleaving the semiconductor structure when the cleave arm is in the raised position; and
releasing the stored spring energy after contacting the semiconductor structure with the blade to separate the semiconductor structure along a cleave plane into two pieces, the suction rod moving axially downward relative to the cleave arm when the semiconductor structure is separated into two pieces.