JP2001230301A - Apparatus for picking up semiconductor chip - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for picking up a semiconductor chip in which the semiconductor chip is protected against damage due to inappropriate operation. SOLUTION: The apparatus for picking up a semiconductor chip attached to a wafer sheet using a pickup head comprises a table for moving a wafer sheet holding table in the horizontal direction, and an ejector for sticking up the semiconductor chip from below by moving up and down at the time of picking up. When the moving table is driven, a limit deciding section 22 decides whether movement is appropriate or not by comparing the position of the moving table after movement with allowable moving ranges defined, respectively, depending on a state where the ejector is located at an ascending position in the opening of the holding table and a state where the ejector is located at a descending position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor chip pickup device for picking up a semiconductor chip cut from a wafer and attached to a wafer sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a semiconductor device manufacturing process, a semiconductor chip is cut out from a wafer composed of a large number of individual chips. The individual chips are cut out with the wafer attached to an adhesive wafer sheet, and the cut individual chips are peeled off from the wafer sheet and picked up. In this pick-up step, the individual chips are picked up by the pick-up head while being pushed up by the ejector from the lower surface side of the wafer sheet. At this time, the wafer sheet horizontally moves while the inside is held by a holding table having a circular opening, and the ejector moves up and down inside the opening.

[0003]

Conventionally, the horizontal movement of the holding table and the vertical movement of the ejector have been driven independently of each other. For this reason, when the ejector is raised due to a mistake in input data or the like, that is, when the ejector is positioned within the opening of the holding table, and the holding table moves horizontally beyond the movement range that the holding table should not originally move. Had occurred. Such an improper operation due to an input error may lead to a serious problem such as breakage of the ejector in some cases. Therefore, measures against such a problem have been desired.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor chip pickup device which does not cause damage due to improper operation.

[0005]

A semiconductor chip pickup device according to the present invention is a semiconductor chip pickup device for picking up a semiconductor chip attached to a wafer sheet by a pickup head, wherein the holding device holds the wafer sheet. A table, a moving table that moves the holding table in the horizontal direction, an ejector that pushes up the semiconductor chip from below at the time of pick-up, and a propriety of the movement of the moving table with an allowable moving range defined according to the position of the ejector. And a limit judging unit for making judgment.

According to the present invention, there is provided a limit judging section for judging whether or not the moving amount of the moving table for moving the holding table for the wafer sheet is compared with an allowable moving range defined in accordance with the position of the ejector. Accordingly, positional interference between the ejector and the holding table can be prevented, and damage due to improper operation can be prevented.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a semiconductor chip pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a plan view of a moving table of the semiconductor chip pickup device, FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the semiconductor chip pickup device, FIG. 4 is a flow chart of XY movement of the semiconductor chip, and FIG. It is an explanatory view of an allowable movement range of the movement table of the pickup device of FIG.

First, the configuration of a semiconductor chip pickup device will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, the chip supply unit 1 is configured by connecting a holding table 4 on a bracket 3 erected on an XY table 2. The holding table 4 is provided with a wafer sheet 5 to which a number of semiconductor chips 6 (hereinafter simply referred to as “chips 6”) are attached. An ejector 7 is provided below the holding table 4.
Are arranged. The pin 7a of the ejector 7 is the tip 6
During pickup, the chips 6 on the wafer sheet 5 are pushed up by projecting the pins 7a upward.

Above the chip supply unit 1, a pickup head 8 mounted on a moving table 9 is disposed so as to be able to move horizontally. The chips 6 pushed up by pins 7a are evacuated by nozzles 8a of the pickup head 8. Picked up by suction. The picked-up chip 6 is moved by the moving table 9 and the holding table 1
The work 11 is mounted on the work 11 placed thereon.

Above the holding table 4, an image pickup section 12 having a camera 13 is provided. The imaging unit 12 captures an image of the chip 6 on the wafer sheet 5, and image data obtained by the imaging is transmitted to the image recognition unit 14. The image recognition unit 14 performs image processing on the image data and detects the position of the chip 6. The CPU 15 is an overall control unit that receives the recognition result of the image recognition unit 14 and controls each unit described below.

The storage unit 16 stores various data such as programs required for the operation of each unit, the size of the chip 6 to be recognized, and array data on the wafer sheet 5. The pickup head driving unit 17 drives the pickup head 8 and the moving table 9 for moving the pickup head. The ejector driving section 18 drives the ejector 7.
The XY table driving section 19 drives the XY table 2.
The display monitor 20 displays a captured image of the chip 6 and a screen for operation and input. The key input unit 35 is an input device such as a keyboard, and performs operation input and data input.

Next, the XY table 2 for moving the holding table 4 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the XY table 2 is configured by combining an X table 2X having a motor MX and a Y table 2Y having a motor MY. By driving the motors MX and MY, the holding table 4 to which the wafer sheet 5 is attached is attached.
Moves horizontally in the X and Y directions.

The fixed parts of the X table 2X are provided with photoelectric sensors SXa, S
Xb is provided. The photoelectric sensors SXa and SXb
When it is detected that the dog parts DXa and DXb provided in the moving unit have reached the positions of the photoelectric sensors SXa and SXb, X
It issues a limit signal indicating that it has reached the limit position of the movement allowable range in the direction. Similarly, the Y table 2Y is provided with photoelectric sensors SYa and SXb, and the dog part DY is provided.
Detecting that a and DYb have reached the positions of the respective photoelectric sensors SYa and SXb, it issues a limit signal indicating that it has reached the limit position of the movement allowable range in the Y direction. The relative positions of these light source sensors and the dog parts are fixed, and once set, the positions cannot be changed at any time.

Next, the processing function of the pickup device will be described with reference to FIG. Chip 6 on wafer sheet 5
Is imaged by the camera 13, and the position of the chip 6 is detected by recognizing the imaged data by the image recognition unit 14. Then, based on the position detection result and the control command from the control unit 15, the moving amount calculation unit 21
The X-axis movement amount and the Y-axis movement amount of the X and Y tables 2Y are calculated. This calculation result is sent to the limit determination unit 22. The limit determination unit 22 calculates the position of the holding table 4 after the movement based on the X-axis movement amount and the Y-axis movement amount, and compares this position with the allowable movement range to determine whether or not the movement is appropriate.

Hereinafter, the limit determination will be described. FIGS. 5A and 5B show the allowable movement range of the holding table 4 when the ejector 7 is raised, that is, when the ejector 7 is positioned inside the opening of the holding table 4. When the ejector 7 is at the lowered position and is out of the opening, the movement of the holding table 4 is not restricted by the ejector 7 and can be moved to the mechanical movement limit of the XY table 2 (see FIG. 2). is there.

However, when the ejector 7 is raised, the movable range of the holding table 4 is limited by the relative relationship with the ejector 7. That is, when the relative movement amount between the center and the holding table 4 of the ejector 7 is greater than the allowable moving distance Rw-R _E shown in FIG. 5 (a), the ejector 7 results in interference with the opening inner surface of the holding table 4. Where Rw
The radius of the opening, R _E denotes a radius of the ejector 7 (see Figure 5 (b)). That is, the holding table 4
The movable range of the XY table 2 for moving the XY table 2 relatively to the ejector 7 differs depending on the vertical position of the ejector 7, and the allowable range depends on the vertical position of the ejector 7 when the pickup device operates. It is necessary to use the moving range properly.

In FIG. 3, data indicating the above-described allowable movement range is stored in the storage unit 16, and these data are sent to the limit determination unit 22. Then, when the movement amount of the X-axis and the Y-axis is calculated by the movement amount calculating unit 21, the limit determining unit 22 determines whether the movement is appropriate.
Only when the position of the holding table 4 after the movement is within the allowable movement range, the control unit 15 controls the XY table driving unit 19 to move the holding table 4. In addition, when the movement is out of the allowable movement range, the notification unit 23 notifies the fact, and the pickup device stops.

Next, the above processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This process is always performed when the XY table 2 is driven to move the holding table 4. First, prior to the movement, the movement amount calculation unit 21 calculates the movement amounts on the X axis and the Y axis (ST1). Then
The position of the ejector 7 at the time of movement is confirmed (ST2). That is, whether the ejector 7 is in the raised position or the lowered position is detected,
If it is in the descending position, it is checked whether the calculated moving amount is within the allowable moving range by comparing it with the allowable moving range corresponding to the descending position (ST3). It is confirmed by comparing with the allowable movement range corresponding to the ascending position (ST4).

In any case, if the position of the holding table 4 after the movement is within the allowable movement range, it is determined to be OK, and the X-axis and the Y-axis are moved (ST5, S).
T6). If it is out of the range, an NG determination is made, an error process is performed (ST7), and the pickup device is stopped and a notification to that effect is made.

As described above, when the XY table for moving the holding table 4 is driven, whether the movement is possible or not is determined by using a different allowable movement range in accordance with the position of the ejector 7, whereby an erroneous drive command due to a data input error or the like is obtained. Is performed, troubles such as breakage due to interference between the ejector and the holding table can be prevented.

[0021]

According to the present invention, there is provided a limit judging unit for judging whether or not the movement of the moving table for moving the holding table of the wafer sheet is compared with an allowable movement range defined according to the position of the ejector. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a problem caused by interference between the ejector and the holding table.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a semiconductor chip pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a moving table of the semiconductor chip pickup device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a semiconductor chip pickup device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of XY-axis movement of a semiconductor chip according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an allowable movement range of a movement table of the semiconductor chip pickup device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 XY table 4 Holding table 5 Wafer sheet 6 Chip 7 Ejector 22 Limit judgment unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] An apparatus for picking up semiconductor chips attached to a wafer sheet by a pickup head, comprising: a holding table for holding the wafer sheet; and a moving table for moving the holding table in a horizontal direction. An ejector that pushes up the semiconductor chip from below at the time of pick-up, and a limit determination unit that determines whether or not the movement of the moving table is appropriate by comparing it with an allowable movement range defined according to the position of the ejector. Semiconductor chip pickup device.