Inline Detection and Repair System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026047395-A1
Application number	US-202418796803-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 7, 2024
Priority date	Aug 7, 2024
Publication date	Feb 12, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for performing an inline detection and repair of a defect on a substrate or interposer that does not destroy the substrate or interposer. The method is performed in the manufacturing area in separate platforms or a single platform. In some embodiments, the method may include detecting a defect on a panel in line to a panel level packaging process using an electron beam to image at least a portion of a surface of the panel, identifying a type of the defect, and repairing the defect on the panel based on the type of the defect in line with the panel level packaging process using a material removal process to remove material to fix a defect or using the electron beam in conjunction with a precursor gas to deposit material to fix a defect. The material removal process may include a plasma beam or an ion beam.

First claim

1 . A method for inline detection and repair of a defect on a substrate or interposer, comprising:
detecting the defect on the substrate or interposer in line with a packaging process; identifying a type of the defect; and repairing the defect on the substrate or interposer based on the type of the defect and in line with the packaging process.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein repairing the defect prevents loss of the substrate or interposer in a semiconductor packaging process.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein detection of the defect and repair of the defect are performed on a single platform that includes a defect detection process, a material removal process, and a material deposition process.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the type of the defect is an electrical short circuit or an electrical open circuit of an interconnect of a redistribution layer (RDL).

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the electrical short circuit is repaired using an ion beam or a plasma beam to remove metal material to open the electrical short circuit of the interconnect.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the electrical open circuit is repaired using an electron beam and a precursor gas to deposit metal material to close the electrical open circuit of the interconnect.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein repairing the defect includes using an electron beam and a precursor gas to deposit dielectric material on the substrate or interposer.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate or interposer is a rectangular panel and the packaging process is a panel level packaging process.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the rectangular panel is approximately 515 mm by 510 mm in length and width.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting defects, identifying defects, or repairing defects is assisted by an artificial intelligence process.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the artificial intelligence process uses a design file and prior defect data to infer possible defect locations to scan on the substrate or interposer to reduce defect scanning durations.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the artificial intelligence process uses a design file to infer repairs to defects on the substrate or interposer to maintain performance of structures on the substrate or interposer within a predetermined boundary limit of performance criterion of the design file.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the defect has a size that is in a sub-micron range.

14 . A method for inline detection and repair of a defect on a panel, comprising:
detecting the defect on the panel in line with a panel level packaging process using an electron beam to image at least a portion of a surface of the panel; identifying a type of the defect; and repairing the defect in-situ on the panel based on the type of the defect and in line with the panel level packaging process using a material removal process or using a material deposition process that includes the electron beam in conjunction with a precursor gas to deposit material.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the defect has a size that is in a sub-micron range.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein detection of the defect and repair of the defect are performed on a single platform that includes the material removal process and the material deposition process.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the type of the defect is an electrical short circuit of an interconnect of a redistribution layer (RDL) which is repaired by removal of a material by the material removal process or an electrical open circuit of the interconnect of the redistribution layer (RDL) which is repaired by deposition of a material by the material deposition process using the electron beam and the precursor gas.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the material removal process includes an ion beam or a plasma beam.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein detecting defects, identifying defects, or repairing defects is assisted by an artificial intelligence process and wherein the artificial intelligence process uses a design file and prior defect data to infer possible defect locations to scan on the panel to reduce defect scanning durations or wherein the artificial intelligence process uses a design file to infer repairs to defects on the panel to maintain performance of structures on the panel within a predetermined boundary limit of performance criterion of the design file.

20 . A non-transitory, computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a method for inline detection and repair of a defect on a substrate or interposer to be performed, the method comprising:
detecting the defect on the substrate or interposer in line with a packaging process; identifying a type of the defect; and repairing the defect on the substrate or interposer based on the type of the defect and in line with the packaging process.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Wozny Sarah
• Mueller Bernhard Gunter
• Knaub Nikolai

Classifications

• H10W20/067 Primary

  by modifying the pattern of conductive parts · CPC title

• H10P74/203 Primary

  Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects · CPC title

• H01L21/76892

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L22/12 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic