Molding Chamber Apparatus and Curing Method

Abstract

An embodiment is a molding chamber. The molding chamber comprises a mold-conforming chase, a substrate-base chase, a first radiation permissive component, and a microwave generator coupled to a first waveguide. The mold-conforming chase is over the substrate-base chase, and the mold-conforming chase is moveable in relation to the substrate-base chase. The first radiation permissive component is in one of the mold-conforming chase or the substrate-base chase. The microwave generator and the first waveguide are together operable to direct microwave radiation through the first radiation permissive component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A molding chamber comprising:
 a mold-conforming chase and a substrate-base chase, the mold-conforming chase being over the substrate-base chase, the mold-conforming chase being moveable in relation to the substrate-base chase;   a first radiation permissive component in one of the mold-conforming chase or the substrate-base chase; and   a microwave generator coupled to a first waveguide, the microwave generator and the first waveguide together operable to direct microwave radiation through the first radiation permissive component.   
     
     
         2 . The molding chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the first radiation permissive component is in the mold-conforming chase, the first waveguide being over the mold-conforming chase. 
     
     
         3 . The molding chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the first radiation permissive component is in the substrate-base chase, the first waveguide being under the substrate-base chase. 
     
     
         4 . The molding chamber of  claim 1  further comprising a second radiation permissive component in the substrate-base chase, the first radiation permissive component being in the mold-conforming chase, wherein the microwave generator is coupled to a second waveguide, the microwave generator and the second waveguide together are operable to direct microwave radiation through the second permissive component. 
     
     
         5 . The molding chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the first radiation permissive component comprises quartz. 
     
     
         6 . The molding chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the microwave generator is operable to generate variable frequency microwave radiation. 
     
     
         7 . The molding chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the microwave generator is operable to oscillate the microwave radiation between 1 Gigahertz (GHz) and 8 GHz. 
     
     
         8 . A molding chamber comprising:
 a first chase;   a first radiation permissive component in the first chase;   a first waveguide; and   a microwave generator coupled to the waveguide, the microwave generator and the first waveguide being operable to direct microwave radiation through the first radiation permissive component.   
     
     
         9 . The molding chamber of  claim 8  further comprising a second chase over the first chase, the second chase being moveable with respect to the first chase, the first chase having a substrate support region, the first waveguide being under the first chase. 
     
     
         10 . The molding chamber of  claim 8  further comprising a second chase under the first chase, the first chase being moveable with respect to the second chase, the second chase having a substrate support region, the first waveguide being over the first chase. 
     
     
         11 . The molding chamber of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a second chase over the first chase, the second chase being moveable with respect to the first chase;   a second radiation permissive component in the second chase; and   a second waveguide coupled to the microwave generator, the microwave generator and the second waveguide being operable to direct microwave radiation through the second radiation permissive component.   
     
     
         12 . The molding chamber of  claim 11 , wherein the second waveguide is over the second chase, and the first waveguide is under the first chase. 
     
     
         13 . The molding chamber of  claim 8 , wherein the first radiation permissive component comprises quartz. 
     
     
         14 . The molding chamber of  claim 8 , wherein the microwave generator is operable to generate variable frequency microwave radiation. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 applying a molding compound to a semiconductor substrate;   conforming the molding compound to a surface of the semiconductor substrate; and   curing the molding compound, the curing comprising directing microwave radiation to the molding compound.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the conforming the molding compound comprises compressing the molding compound. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the curing comprises using a microwave generator to generate the microwave radiation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the microwave radiation is directed through a radiation permissive component used, at least in part, during the conforming the molding compound. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the microwave radiation has a variable frequency. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a frequency of the microwave radiation oscillates in a subset or all of a range between 1 Gigahertz (GHz) and 8 GHz.