JP2001110756A - Cutter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To carry a work to a temporary reception area by catching a frame without fail, even in a case there is a warp in a frame united with a work such as a semiconductor wafer or the like through a tape. SOLUTION: In a cutter which carries out a work, for example, a semiconductor wafer W united with a frame F through a tape T from a cassette 21 and cuts that semiconductor wafer W, a frame catcher 12 to catch both ends of the center 28 of the front of the frame F is made in at a frame carrying-out means 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cutting apparatus for cutting a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer, and more particularly, to a method for reliably transporting a workpiece from a cassette containing a workpiece before cutting. The present invention relates to a cutting device that can be used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A cutting apparatus, for example, a dicing apparatus 30 shown in FIG. 4 is an apparatus for dicing a semiconductor wafer into individual chips, and a semiconductor wafer W before dicing is formed by opening an opening of a ring-shaped frame F. By being stuck to the tape T stuck from the back side so as to close, it is held integrally with the frame F. Then, a plurality of semiconductor wafers W integrated with the frame F via the tape T in this manner are accommodated in the cassette 21 and placed on the cassette placing area 22.

The cassette mounting area 22 can be moved up and down in the Z-axis direction. When the cassette mounting area 22 is moved up and down, the cassette 21 is positioned at an appropriate height.
The semiconductor wafer W integrated with the frame F is unloaded to the temporary receiving area 24 by the frame unloading means 23.

Here, as shown in FIG. 5A, the frame discharging means 23 is movable in the Y-axis direction along the guide groove 25, and has a rectangular upper end at the tip in the + Y direction. A frame holding portion 27 capable of holding the frame F in the vertical direction is formed by the plate 26a and the lower plate 26b.

When the frame F is carried out, as shown in FIG. 6A, the frame carrying means 23 at a position away from the cassette 21 moves in the + Y direction, and as shown in FIG. The central portion 28 on the front side of the frame F is held by the portion 27. Then, in that state, the unloading means 2
6 moves in the −Y direction, the semiconductor wafer W integrated with the frame F is carried out of the cassette 21 via the tape T, and the holding by the frame holding portion 27 is released, thereby obtaining the state shown in FIG. The semiconductor wafer W integrated with the frame F as shown in FIG.
4.

Next, the pair of positioning members 29 move in a direction approaching each other, and the both sides 31a, 31a of the frame F are moved.
By pressing b, the frame F is positioned at a fixed position as shown in FIG. And furthermore, frame F
Is attracted to the transfer means 32 and the transfer means 32 pivots, whereby the semiconductor wafer W integrated with the frame F
Is transported to the chuck table 33, and the dicing is performed under the action of the cutting means 34 while the chuck table 33 reciprocates in the X-axis direction.

[0007]

However, the frame F integrated with the semiconductor wafer W via the tape T
As shown in FIG. 7, both sides 31a, 31b are formed by supporting grooves 35 formed in a plurality of steps on the inner wall in the cassette 21.
Are held in a supported state, so that if the central portion 28a is bent as in the frame F2, for example, the central portion 28a may not be able to be held by the frame holding portion 27. In this case, The semiconductor wafer integrated with the frame F2 cannot be carried out to the temporary receiving area 24. For this reason, the throughput may be reduced, and, for example, the cutting unit 34 may be operated in a state where the semiconductor wafer is not placed on the chuck table 33, thereby causing a problem that each part of the dicing apparatus may be damaged.

As described above, the cutting device has a problem in that the workpiece is transported to the temporary receiving area by securely holding the frame even when the frame is bent.

[0009]

According to the present invention, as a specific means for solving the above-mentioned problems, a cassette accommodating a plurality of workpieces integrated with a frame via a tape, and the cassette is mounted thereon. Frame mounting means for holding a frame integrated with the workpiece accommodated in the cassette, and carrying out the workpiece to the temporary receiving area; A cutting device configured to include at least a conveying unit that conveys the workpiece to the chuck table, and a cutting unit that cuts the workpiece held by the chuck table. Provided is a cutting device in which a frame holding portion for holding both sides is formed.

In this cutting apparatus, a plurality of support grooves for supporting the side portions of the frame are formed in the cassette, and the frame holding portions are formed on both sides of the front portion of the frame near the side portions supported by the support grooves. , The frame carrying means is provided with frame detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a frame, the frame detecting means is an optical sensor, the workpiece is a semiconductor wafer,
An additional requirement is that the cutting device be a dicing device and the frame be made of plastic.

[0011] According to the cutting device configured as described above,
Since the frame holding portion is configured to hold both sides of the front center portion of the frame accommodated in the cassette, even if the frame is bent, both sides of the center portion where the bending is slight can be held. .

Further, by providing a frame detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a frame in the frame discharging means, when the frame is not stored in a predetermined position or when the frame is not stored horizontally, it is detected. It can be detected before unloading.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As a preferred embodiment of a cutting device according to the present invention, a dicing device 20 shown in FIG. 1 will be described as an example. In addition, in this dicing apparatus 20,
Parts other than the frame discharging means 10 are configured in the same manner as the conventional dicing apparatus 30 shown in FIG. 4, and thus common parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the frame discharging means 10 is movable along a guide groove 25 provided in the Y-axis direction, unlike the conventional frame discharging means shown in FIG. Although the configuration is the same, the configuration of the frame holding portion 12 is different from the conventional one.

An upper plate 12a constituting the frame holding portion 12
The lower plate 12b is formed in a U-shape, and when the frame F integrated with the semiconductor wafer W is carried out from the cassette 21, the frame carrying means 10 moves in the + Y direction, and the upper plate 12a The frame F can be held between the action portions 13a and 13b formed of two ends of the lower plate 12b.

A workpiece integrated with the frame F from the cassette 21 by using such a frame discharging means 10,
For example, when unloading a semiconductor wafer W, first, FIG.
Frame unloading means 1 at an initial position as shown in FIG.
0 is moved in the + Y direction.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, the frame F is held between the action portions 13a and 13b. At this time, the action portions 13a and 13b sandwich the front side of the frame F not on the center portion 28 on the front side of the frame F but on both sides of the center portion 28. Therefore, even when the front central portion 28a is bent as in the frame F2 shown in FIG. 7, the frame F can be securely clamped because the bending is slight on both sides. In this case, the support groove 3
If a position closer to the support groove 35 inside the space 5, for example, the clamped portion 40 in FIG. 7 is clamped, the clamp can be more reliably clamped.

When the frame F is held in this manner, the semiconductor wafer W integrated with the frame is positioned in the temporary receiving area 24 by moving the frame unloading means 10 in the -Y direction while maintaining the holding state. 2B and 3C by releasing the state.
Is placed in the temporary receiving area 24 as shown in FIG. And
The positioning is performed at a fixed position by the positioning member 29.

The frame carrying means 10 can be provided with a frame detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a frame. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, if a pair of optical sensors 14a and 14b are provided at the same
It is possible to detect the presence or absence of a frame in the frame.

For example, when the side portions 31a and 31b of the frame F are misaligned and stored in a plurality of steps, when the frame carrying-out means 10 approaches the cassette 21, one of the optical sensors 14a and 14b is used. Cannot detect the presence of the frame F, it can be recognized that the frame F is not stored horizontally. In such a case, the operator can be notified by displaying the fact on the monitor 36 shown in FIG. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the subsequent work from being hindered,
Failure of the cutting device can be avoided.

The frame F is made of various materials such as plastic and stainless steel. Particularly, when the frame F is made of plastic, the frame F is relatively easily bent, so that the present invention can be effectively used.

As described above, when the semiconductor wafer W integrated with the frame F is placed in the temporary receiving area 24, the semiconductor wafer W is transported to the chuck table 33 by the transport means 32 and is suction-held.

When the semiconductor wafer W is sucked and held by the chuck table 33, the chuck table 33 moves in the -X direction, so that the street to be cut is positioned immediately below the alignment means 37, and the street to be cut is detected. 34 and the cutting blade 34a constituting Y
Axial alignment is performed. Then, when the chuck table 33 further moves in the -X direction after this alignment, the street detected by the cutting blade 34a rotating at a high speed is cut.

Also, every time one street is cut, the chuck means 33 is reciprocated in the X-axis direction while sending the cutting means 34 in the Y-axis direction by the street interval, so that all streets in the same direction are cut. You. When the chuck table 33 is further rotated by 90 degrees and the same cutting as described above is performed, all the streets are cut vertically and horizontally (diced), and individual chips are formed.

When the semiconductor wafer W is diced in this manner, the semiconductor wafer W is transported to the cleaning area 39 by the cleaning / transporting means 38, where the cutting chips and the like are removed.
Transported to Then, the frame unloading means 10 is moved in the + Y direction and the frame is pushed, so that the frame is stored in the cassette 21.

As described above, when the semiconductor wafer W is unloaded from the cassette 21 and diced, and the diced semiconductor wafer W is stored in the cassette 21, according to the present invention, the semiconductor wafer W from the cassette 21 is Since the unloading of W is performed reliably, the apparatus does not operate as if it were unloaded when the semiconductor wafer was not actually unloaded. Therefore, each part of the dicing apparatus is not damaged, and the throughput is not reduced.

[0027]

As described above, in the cutting device according to the present invention, since the frame holding portion is configured to hold both sides of the front center portion of the frame accommodated in the cassette, the frame is bent. Even if it is bent, it is possible to hold both sides of the central portion where the bending is slight. Therefore, it is possible to securely carry out the workpiece integrated with the frame by holding the frame to the temporary receiving area and smoothly perform cutting.

Further, by disposing a frame detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a frame in the frame discharging means, when the frame is not stored at a predetermined position or when the frame is not stored horizontally, it is detected. By detecting before carrying out, it is possible to prevent the subsequent work from being hindered, and to avoid the failure of the cutting device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a dicing apparatus as an example of an embodiment of a cutting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how a semiconductor wafer integrated with a frame is carried out of a cassette in the dicing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing how a semiconductor wafer integrated with a frame is unloaded from a cassette in the dicing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional dicing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing how a semiconductor wafer integrated with a frame is carried out of a cassette in a conventional dicing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing how a semiconductor wafer integrated with a frame is carried out of a cassette in a conventional dicing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a flexible frame is accommodated in a cassette provided in the dicing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Frame unloading means 12 ... Frame holding part 12a ... Upper plate 12b ... Lower plate 13a, 13b ... Working part 14a, 14b ... Optical sensor 20 ... Dicing device 21 ... Cassette 22 ... Cassette mounting area 23 ... Frame unloading means 24 ... Temporary receiving area 25 Guide groove 26a Upper plate 26b Lower plate 27 Frame holding parts 28 and 28a Central part 29 Alignment member 30 Dicing devices 31a and 31b Side parts 32 Transport means 33 Chuck table 34 ... cutting means 34a ... cutting blade 36 ... monitor 37 ... alignment means 38 ... cleaning and conveying means 39 ... cleaning area W ... semiconductor wafer T ... tape F ... frame

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cassette accommodating a plurality of workpieces integrated with a frame via a tape, a cassette mounting area on which the cassette is mounted, and a workpiece accommodated in the cassette. A frame discharging means for holding the frame, and discharging the workpiece to the temporary receiving area, a transport means for transporting the workpiece transported to the temporary receiving area to the chuck table, and holding the workpiece on the chuck table A cutting device configured to cut the processed workpiece, wherein the frame carrying-out means includes a frame holding portion for holding both sides of the front side of the frame. . 2. A plurality of support grooves for supporting side portions of a frame are formed in the cassette, and the frame holding portion includes
The cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the vicinity of a side portion supported by the support groove is held on both sides of a front side of the frame. 3. The frame carrying means is provided with a frame detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a frame.
Or the cutting device according to 2. 4. The cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the frame detecting means is an optical sensor. 5. The cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece is a semiconductor wafer, and the cutting device is a dicing device. 6. The cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the frame is made of plastic.