Large glass substrate inspection system for advanced semiconductor packaging

TASMIT Inc. has released a new inspection system for glass substrates as part of its INSPECTRA series of semiconductor wafer visual inspection systems, which has received attention for its high efficiency in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

The system detects pattern defects and foreign particles, cracks, and other defects specific to glass substrates. It is compatible with glass core interposers and rewiring glass carriers used in panel-level packaging (PLP) and other applications.

Semiconductor manufacturers have previously introduced inspection systems for detecting surface defects on glass substrates, but this is the industry's first system to inspect the front and back surfaces and the internal structure.

Currently, in 2.5D packaging, a next-generation semiconductor manufacturing technology, the growing performance of semiconductors has led to larger semiconductor chips and a higher number of chips per package due to greater integration. Consequently, interposers, which serve as intermediate components that electrically connect the chips to the substrate, are also being scaled up.

Traditionally, silicon interposers made from 12" silicon wafers have been used, but since wafers are circular, the number of chips that can be produced from a single wafer is limited, making it difficult to meet growing demand. As an alternative, glass substrates are gaining attention as they can be manufactured in large substrate sizes and are appropriate for high-density packaging, this new system is compatible with industry-standard 650mm square glass substrates.

As glass is prone to microscopic cracks, semiconductors employing glass substrates may experience operational stability issues, needing their removal during processing. Traditionally, surface inspection has relied on optical technology, but due to the design of the inspection equipment, only surface defects could be detected, and no equipment could identify backside or internal defects.

Building on the core specifications of the conventional INSPECTRA series, a newly developed glass substrate defect detection and analysis algorithm and an optical inspection mechanism using polarised light have been installed, allowing the industry's first-ever double-sided and internal defect inspection. It also retains the high inspection speed, 40 seconds per panel, of the series, which allows 100% inspection and helps prevent defective products from reaching the market.