JP2660559B2 - Tray for semiconductor wafer - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer which is carried into a dicing apparatus for cutting along a so-called street arranged in a grid pattern, and is fixed to a chuck means of the dicing apparatus. The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer tray that is effectively used to carry out a semiconductor wafer from a dicing apparatus after cutting.

(Prior art)

As is well known to those skilled in the art, a semiconductor device manufacturing process includes a dicing process of cutting a substantially disk-shaped semiconductor wafer along so-called streets arranged in a grid. In the dicing process, a so-called half-cut method in which a semiconductor wafer is cut without leaving a small thickness without completely cutting the semiconductor wafer is widely used.

[Problems of the prior art]

Conventionally, when cutting a semiconductor wafer by the half-cut method, the semiconductor wafer has been handled alone without using a jig or the like for transportation or the like. That is, the semiconductor wafer is independently carried into the dicing machine, fixed on the chuck means of the dicing machine, and then unloaded from the dicing machine after cutting.

However, when the semiconductor wafer is unloaded from the dicing apparatus after cutting, the cutting line that is left with a slight thickness is accidentally broken, and it is rare that a part is partially separated. Occurred.

[Object of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned facts, and a main object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, particularly when the semiconductor wafer is cut in a half-cut manner. It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and excellent semiconductor wafer tray.

[Solution of the Invention]

As a semiconductor wafer tray that achieves the above object,
According to the present invention, the inner support plate includes a combination of an inner support plate on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted on an upper surface and an outer frame plate surrounding the inner support plate, and the inner support plate and the outer frame plate An ascending state in which the upper surface of the support plate substantially matches or projects above the upper surface of the outer frame plate, and a descending state in which the upper surface of the inner support plate recedes below the upper surface of the outer frame plate. There is provided a semiconductor wafer tray, wherein the trays are combined so as to be relatively movable vertically.

It is preferable that a suction hole extending through the inner support plate in the thickness direction thereof is formed. Preferably, the inner support plate has an outer shape substantially corresponding to the outer shape of the semiconductor wafer mounted thereon. An annular ridge is formed on one of the outer peripheral surface of the inner support plate and the inner peripheral surface of the outer frame plate, and an annular groove is formed on the other, and the width of the annular groove is larger than the thickness of the annular ridge. Setting, inserting the annular ridge into the annular groove,
Thus, the inner support plate and the outer frame plate can be combined to be relatively movable in the vertical direction. A positioning notch that can be used for positioning can be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the outer frame plate. In addition, it is preferable to form a concave portion extending over both the upper surface of the outer peripheral edge of the inner support plate and the upper surface of the inner peripheral edge of the outer frame plate.

[Function of the invention]

When using the semiconductor wafer tray of the present invention, the semiconductor wafer is placed on the inner support plate. When the semiconductor wafer is loaded into the dicing apparatus and when the semiconductor wafer is unloaded from the dicing apparatus, the outer frame plate is held and transported. As a result, the inner support plate is lowered with respect to the outer frame plate, so that the inner support plate is lowered, that is, the upper surface of the inner support plate retreats below the upper surface of the outer frame plate. The semiconductor wafer is restrained by the inner peripheral surface of the outer frame plate, and the semiconductor wafer is reliably prevented from sliding down from the inner support plate. Thus, without exerting any force on the semiconductor wafer itself, and without causing a problem such as accidentally breaking a cutting line in which a slight thickness remains even after cutting, the semiconductor wafer is not affected. The wafer can be reliably and stably transported as required. When the inner support plate on which the semiconductor wafer to be cut is mounted on the upper surface is mounted on the chuck means of the dicing apparatus, the outer frame plate is lowered with respect to the inner support plate, and the raised state, that is, the inner support plate Of the outer frame plate substantially coincides with or protrudes upward from the upper surface of the outer frame plate. Therefore, at the time of cutting the semiconductor wafer, the cutting tool does not act not only on the inner support plate but also on the outer frame plate, and thus, without being interfered with by the semiconductor wafer tray.
Further, the semiconductor wafer can be cut as required without damaging the semiconductor wafer tray.

(Preferred embodiment of the invention)

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the semiconductor wafer tray configured according to the present invention,
This will be described in more detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, the semiconductor wafer tray generally designated by the reference numeral 2 comprises an inner support plate 4 and an outer frame plate 6 surrounding the inner support plate. The inner support plate 4, which can be formed from an appropriate material such as a synthetic resin or a metal, has an outer shape corresponding to the outer shape of the semiconductor wafer 8 mounted thereon. That is, the semiconductor wafer 8 has a substantially disk shape,
Except for a chordal straight portion 10 called an orientation flat, the inner support plate 4 has a substantially circular shape except for a chordal straight portion 10. It is circular. As can be clearly understood with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 together with FIG.
Has a plurality of suction holes 14 extending therethrough in the thickness direction.
Are perforated at appropriate intervals. On the outer peripheral surface of the inner support plate 4, there is formed an annular ridge 16 which preferably extends continuously in the circumferential direction. A concave portion 18 is formed on the upper surface of the outer peripheral edge portion of the inner support plate 4, more specifically, on the upper surface of the middle portion of the chordal straight portion 12.

The outer frame plate 6, which can be formed of an appropriate material such as a synthetic resin or a metal like the inner support plate 4, has an outer shape that may be formed by cutting a substantially quadrangular quadrilateral into a triangular shape. An opening 20 is formed in the center of the outer frame plate 6. The opening 20 has a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the inner support plate 4, and is substantially circular except for the chordal straight portion 22 corresponding to the chordal straight portion 12. An annular groove 42, which preferably extends continuously in the circumferential direction, is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer frame plate 6. The width w of the groove 24 (FIG. 2)
Of the ridge 16 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the
(Fig.). Outer frame plate 6
Are formed with two notches 26 on the outer peripheral surface thereof. The notch 26, which may be in any suitable form, can be used for the so-called coarse positioning of the tray 2 and therefore for the so-called coarse positioning of the semiconductor wafer 8 placed on the tray 2 (as is well known to those skilled in the art). When the semiconductor wafer 8 is handled alone, the so-called rough positioning of the semiconductor wafer 8 can be performed using the chordal straight line 10). A concave portion 28 is formed on the upper surface of the inner peripheral edge portion of the outer frame plate 6, more specifically, the upper surface of the middle portion of the chordal straight portion 22. When the inner support plate 4 and the outer frame plate 6 are combined as required as described later, the recess 28 of the outer frame plate 6 is aligned with and follows the recess 18 of the inner support plate 6.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner support plate 4 and the outer frame plate 6 elastically deform the annular ridge 16 of the inner support plate 4 to form the annular groove 24 of the outer frame plate 6. They are combined with each other by being inserted into. As described above, the width w of the annular groove 24 is set to be sufficiently larger than the thickness t of the annular ridge 16, and therefore, in a state where the inner support plate 4 and the outer frame plate 6 are combined as required, , Can move relatively in the vertical direction. In FIG. 2, the inner support plate 6 is lowered with respect to the outer frame plate 6, and in this lowered state, the upper surface of the inner support plate 4 is lower than the upper surface of the outer frame plate 6. fall back. In FIG. 4, the inner support plate 4 is in an ascending state in which the inner support plate 4 is raised with respect to the outer frame plate 6. It is protruding. In the raised state, the upper surface of the inner support plate 4 does not necessarily need to protrude beyond the upper surface of the outer frame plate 6. If desired, the upper surface of the inner support plate 4 The upper surface of the frame plate 6 may substantially match.

When handling the semiconductor wafer 8 using the tray 2, the semiconductor wafer 8 is placed on the inner support plate 4.
At this time, the chordal straight portion 10 of the semiconductor wafer 8 is matched with the chordal straight portion 12 of the inner support plate 4. When the semiconductor wafer 8 placed on the inner support plate 4 is taken out therefrom, for example, the tip of tweezers (not shown) is inserted through the recess 28 of the outer frame plate 6 and the recess 18 of the inner support plate 4 is inserted. The semiconductor wafer 8 can be gripped at the position of.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a state in which the tray 2 is transported by a pair of transport belt mechanisms 30 arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction. Each of the transport belt mechanisms 30
The drawing has an upper running portion 32 extending in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface, and both side portions of the outer frame plate 6 of the tray 2 are supported on the upper running portion 32. In such a state, the inner support plate 4 and the semiconductor wafer 8 placed thereon are mounted.
Are lowered with respect to the outer frame plate 6 by their own weight, and the tray 2 is in the above-mentioned lowered state. Accordingly, the upper surface of the inner support plate 4 is lower than the upper surface of the outer frame plate 6, and the semiconductor wafer 8 mounted on the inner support plate 4
And is restrained on the inner support plate 4. Thus, the semiconductor wafer 8 can be transported while reliably preventing the semiconductor wafer 8 from slipping off the inner support plate 4. In this case, it is not necessary to apply any force to the semiconductor wafer 8, and therefore, even after the semiconductor wafer 8 is cut in a so-called half-cut manner, the semiconductor wafer 8 is required without causing any problem. It can be transported as it is.

FIG. 3 illustrates a state in which the tray 2 is transported while gripping both sides of the outer frame plate 6 of the tray 2 with a pair of gripping tools 34. Also in this case, the inner support plate 6 and the semiconductor wafer 8 placed thereon are lowered by their own weight with respect to the outer frame plate 6, and the tray 2 is in the above-mentioned lowered state. Thus, the semiconductor wafer 8 can be transported as required by reliably preventing the semiconductor wafer 8 from sliding down.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the tray 2 on which the semiconductor wafer 8 is mounted on the inner support plate 4 is mounted on a chuck means 36 of a dicing apparatus which may be a known form. The chuck means 36 may be a chuck member 38 which may be cylindrical.
Having. On the upper surface of the chuck member 38, a circular concave portion 40 is formed. Roughly, the concave portion 38 is provided in the chuck member 38.
A suction passage 42 extending downward from the suction passage 42 is formed. Tray 2
The inner support plate 4 is positioned on the chuck member 38. The outer frame plate 6 of the tray 2 is lowered by its own weight with respect to the inner support plate 4 and the semiconductor wafer 8 mounted thereon, so that the upper surface of the inner support plate 4 is placed on the outer frame plate 6. Is in the ascending state protruding above the upper surface of the. Therefore, when the semiconductor wafer 8 is cut with a small thickness remaining by a cutting means 44 which may be a rotary grindstone which is schematically shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
Not only the inner support plate 4 but also the outer frame plate 6 does not interfere with the cutting means 44, and the semiconductor wafer 8 can be cut as required without damaging the tray 2. When the semiconductor wafer 8 is cut, the suction path 42 of the chuck member 38 is connected to a vacuum source (not shown), and thus the suction path 42 and the recess 40 of the chuck member 38 and the inner support plate 4 of the tray 2 are connected. Air is sucked through a suction hole 14 formed in the semiconductor wafer 8, and the semiconductor wafer 8 is vacuum-suctioned.

As mentioned above, the specific example of the semiconductor wafer tray configured according to the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, of course, the present invention is not limited to such specific examples and deviates from the present invention. Various changes and modifications can be made without any change.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of a semiconductor wafer tray constructed according to the present invention together with a semiconductor wafer. FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a semiconductor wafer is transported by a pair of transport belt mechanisms using the tray in FIG. FIG. 3 is a simplified cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a semiconductor wafer is transported by a pair of grippers using the tray of FIG. FIG. 4 is a simplified cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a semiconductor wafer is placed on chuck means of a dicing apparatus using the tray of FIG. 2 ... Semiconductor wafer tray 4 ... Inner support plate 6 ... Outer frame plate 8 ... Semiconductor wafer 14 ... Suction hole 16 ... Circular ridge 18 ... Recess 24 ... Circular groove 26 ... Notch 28 ... recess

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. An inner support plate on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted on an upper surface, and an outer frame plate surrounding the inner support plate, wherein the inner support plate and the outer frame plate are attached to the inner support plate. Between a raised state in which the upper surface of the plate substantially matches or projects above the upper surface of the outer frame plate, and a lowered state in which the upper surface of the inner support plate retreats below the upper surface of the outer frame plate Characterized in that the trays are combined so as to be relatively movable in the vertical direction. 2. The semiconductor wafer tray according to claim 1, wherein a suction hole extending through the inner support plate in a thickness direction thereof is formed. 3. The inner support plate has an outer shape substantially corresponding to an outer shape of a semiconductor wafer mounted on an upper surface thereof.
Or a tray for a semiconductor wafer according to item 2. 4. An annular ridge is formed on one of an outer peripheral surface of the inner support plate and an inner peripheral surface of the outer frame plate, and an outer peripheral surface of the inner support plate and an inner peripheral surface of the outer frame plate. An annular groove is formed in the other of the surfaces, and the inner support plate and the outer frame plate are combined by inserting the annular ridge into the annular groove, and the width of the annular groove is equal to that of the annular groove. Larger than the thickness of the ridge,
4. The semiconductor wafer tray according to claim 1, wherein the inner support plate and the outer frame plate are allowed to move vertically relative to each other. 5. The semiconductor wafer tray according to claim 1, wherein a positioning notch which can be used for positioning is formed on an outer peripheral surface of said outer frame plate. 6. A concave portion extending over both the upper surface of the outer peripheral edge of the inner support plate and the upper surface of the inner peripheral edge of the outer frame plate. The semiconductor wafer tray as described in the above.