JP2002299287A - Dicing device with bar-code reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dicing device which can automatically update the type information of a work without making an operation rate lower. SOLUTION: A bar-code B indicating the type information of a wafer W is provided on a flame F to which the wafer W is stuck and a bar-code reader 80 which reads the bar-code B is provided at a waiting position D in the middle of the conveying route of the wafer W.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dicing apparatus for cutting a work in a grid pattern, and more particularly to a dicing apparatus with a bar code reader for reading type information of a work such as a semiconductor wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art After a large number of semiconductor chips such as LSIs are formed on the surface of a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer is bonded to a frame via a dicing sheet coated with an adhesive on one side, and is individually bonded to a frame. Divided. A conventional dicing apparatus that cuts a semiconductor wafer into individual chips includes a cutting unit having a cutting blade, a cleaning unit for cleaning and drying the cut wafer, a cassette storage unit, and a transport unit. The cassette storage section stores a cassette in which a large number of wafers are stored. The wafers stored in the cassette are pulled out one by one by the transfer means and transferred to the cutting section. In this cutting section, the wafer is positioned at a predetermined cutting position, and then cut in a grid pattern by the cutting blade of the cutting section.
Then, the cut wafer is transported to the cleaning section by a transport unit, and is washed and dried. Next, the dried wafer is transported to the cassette storage section and stored in a predetermined shelf of the cassette. The above is the flow of the process of processing one wafer W by the conventional dicing apparatus.

In this conventional dicing process, the type information, such as the type number, diameter, thickness, and alignment information of the wafer to be cut, which is necessary for dicing, is manually input by an operator from an operation panel of a dicing apparatus. For this reason, it is necessary to re-enter the kind information every time the kind of wafer to be put into the dicing process changes,
It was complicated and troubles caused by input mistakes were not lost.

In order to solve this problem, a bar code on which the type information is written is written on a frame or a dicing sheet on which the wafer is attached, and an operator manually operates a bar code reader to operate the bar code. Has been attempted, and the read type information is loaded into the storage unit of the dicing apparatus.

[0005]

However, even in this conventional improvement plan, although the complexity due to manual input is somewhat improved and the trouble due to an input error is eliminated, the operator manually operates the bar code reader every time the type is changed. Has to be read to read the barcode, which is also complicated and lowers the operating rate of the dicing apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has been developed in consideration of the type number, diameter and thickness of wafers to be cut, and the type required for dicing such as alignment information without lowering the operation rate. An object of the present invention is to provide a dicing apparatus that can automatically update information.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, as described in claim 1, it is integrally attached to a frame via a dicing sheet having an adhesive on one surface. In a dicing machine that cuts workpieces,
A cutting section having a suction table on which the work is placed and a cutting means for cutting the work; a cassette storage section for storing a cassette containing a large number of works; and a cassette storage section and the suction table. And a barcode reader for reading a barcode provided on the frame or the dicing sheet is provided in the middle of a workpiece transport path between the cassette storage unit and the suction table. It is characterized by being.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the type information of the work can be read in the middle of the work transfer path of the dicing apparatus, the type information can be automatically updated. In addition, it is possible to automatically check for mixing of different types. Further, the read data is sent to a host computer, and can be used as data for production management such as progress data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the bar code reader is provided at a standby position before a workpiece is placed on the suction table.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the barcode reader is installed at the standby position before the work is placed on the suction table, the waiting time during dicing the previous work is reduced. , The type information of the next wafer can be read.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a dicing apparatus with a bar code reader according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same members are given the same numbers or symbols.

First, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a semiconductor wafer to be diced by the dicing apparatus with a bar code reader according to the present invention is provided with an adhesive on the back surface of the wafer W and the back surface of the rigid frame F. The wafer W and the frame F are integrated via the dicing sheet S. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a bar code B representing the type information of the wafer W is provided on the upper surface of the frame F. The barcode B may be provided on the adhesive surface of the dicing sheet S as shown in FIG.

Thereafter, the wafer W and the frame F are put into a dicing apparatus in an integrated state,
After being washed and dried, it is processed in this state until a chip mounting step.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a dicing apparatus with a bar code reader for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the cassette storage unit and the frame clamper of the transport means. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the frame clamper horizontal moving mechanism, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the frame clamper vertical moving mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 1, a dicing apparatus 10 with a bar code reader according to the present invention mainly comprises a wafer W
A work cutting unit 20 including a suction table 21 for mounting the suction and a blade 23 for cutting the wafer W;
A cleaning unit 40 for supplying a cleaning liquid while rotating the cut wafer W at a high speed for cleaning, and then supplying dry air for drying, and a cassette for storing a cassette C containing a large number of frames F on which the wafer W is mounted. Storage unit 30
And the wafer W into the cassette storage unit 30 and the suction table 2
1 and a bar code reader 80 for reading a bar code B describing the type data of the wafer W.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting section 20 has a suction table 21 on which a wafer W is mounted by suction and moved in the X direction.
And high-frequency motor built-in spindles 22, 22 facing each other in the Y direction, and blades 23, 23 mounted on the tips of the spindles 22, 22, respectively. The spindles 22, 22 are independently moved in the Y direction and the Z direction, which is a vertical direction, by a moving mechanism in each direction. In the present embodiment, X of the suction table 21
A linear motor is used as the direction moving mechanism and the Y direction moving mechanism of the spindles 22, 22, and a stepping motor and a ball screw are used as the Z direction moving mechanism of the spindles 22, 22. The principle of the stepping motor, the ball screw and the linear motor, and the detailed structure are well known and will not be described here.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cassette storage section 30 can store two cassettes C, C in two upper and lower tiers. Each stage is provided with a door 31.
The cassette C is opened and removed from the front of the apparatus. The upper surface of the cassette storage unit 30
It is in the standby position D. In the standby position D, as shown in FIG. 1, the wafer W is pulled out from the cassette C, pre-aligned, placed at this position, and transported to the suction table 21 positioned at the load / unload position E. It is the position to wait for. In this standby position D,
A barcode reader 80 is provided on the frame F or the dicing sheet S, and reads a barcode B describing the type information of the wafer W. The bar code reader 80 may be a commonly used bar code reader.

The transport means 50 includes a frame clamper 52 for horizontally or vertically moving the wafer W out of the cassette C or storing the wafer W, a standby position D, a load / unload position E, and a standby position D for the drawn wafer W. Cleaning unit 40
And a rotary arm 51 for transporting the rotating arm 51.

The frame clamper 52 includes upper and lower two clamp claws 69 for clamping the frame F on which the wafer W is integrally bonded by the dicing sheet S.
69. The clamp claws 69 are driven by an air cylinder (not shown) to clamp and unclam the frame F. The frame clamper 52 is horizontally and vertically moved by a frame clamper horizontal moving mechanism 60 shown in FIG. 3 and a frame clamper vertical moving mechanism 70 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the frame clamper horizontal moving mechanism 60 includes a guide rail 61 for guiding the horizontal movement of the frame clamper 52 and a linear bearing 6.
2, the frame clamper 52 is fixed on the linear bearing 62. The frame clamper horizontal movement mechanism 60 is provided with a timing belt 66 stretched between a driving pulley 64 fixed to a shaft of a stepping motor 63 and a driven pulley 65, and one end is fixed to the frame clamper 52. A connecting member 67 having a multi-end fixed to the timing belt 66 connects the two. Since the frame clamper horizontal moving mechanism 60 is configured as described above, the frame clamper 52 reciprocates in the horizontal direction by the reciprocating rotation of the stepping motor 63 by a certain angle. The mounting rail 6 on which the frame F is mounted when the frame F is pulled out from the cassette C.
8 and 68 are arranged on both sides of the guide rail 61.

As shown in FIG. 4, the frame clamper vertical movement mechanism 70 has a lift 71, a vertical guide rail 72, and linear bearings 73, 73.
The ball screw 7 supported at both ends by 8, 78 and connected to the stepping motor 74 by a coupling 75
6 and a nut 77 screwed into the ball screw 76. These linear bearings 73, 73 and nut 7
7 are fixed to the side surfaces of the elevator 71, respectively, so that the elevator 71 moves up and down by driving the stepping motor 74. Since the frame clamper horizontal moving mechanism 60 shown in FIG. 3 is installed on the upper surface of the lift 71, the frame clamper horizontal moving mechanism 60 is used.
By driving the stepping motor 63 and the stepping motor 74 of the frame clamper vertical movement mechanism 70, the frame clamper 52 moves horizontally and vertically.

This dicing apparatus 1 with a bar code reader
The step of cutting the wafer W by 0 will be described. First, the cassette C containing a large number of frames F on which the wafers W are mounted is loaded into the cassette storage sections 31 and 3 by the operator.
Set to 1. Next, the wafer W is pulled out by the frame clamper 52 positioned at the pulling-out position by the frame clamper vertical movement mechanism 70 and the frame clamper horizontal movement mechanism 60, pre-aligned, and mounted on the mounting rails 68, 68. Rise to the edge. Next, it is transported to the standby position D by the rotating arm 51. Here, while waiting for the cutting of the previous wafer W to be completed, the kind information required for dicing such as the kind number, diameter, thickness and alignment information of the wafer W provided on the frame F or the dicing sheet S. Is read by the barcode reader 80. The read type information is sent to a controller (not shown) of the dicing apparatus, where it is checked whether or not the work type is specified in advance, and information necessary for dicing is set. Further, the kind number, production number, and the like read here are sent to a host computer for process management and used as data for production management such as progress management. Next, when the dicing of the previous wafer W is completed and the wafer W is conveyed to the cleaning unit 40, the wafer W waiting at the standby position D is moved by the rotary arm 51 at the load / unload position E shown in FIG. 2
1 and held by suction. The wafer W held by suction is conveyed toward the cutting section 20, and a pattern on the wafer W is imaged by a CCD camera (not shown) on the way, and is aligned at a predetermined cutting position by an alignment device using image recognition means. . In the aligned wafer W, two streets are cut at the same time by the blades 23, 23 positioned in the Y-axis direction and the movement of the suction table 21 in the X-axis direction. When the first two streets are cut, the spindles 22, 22 of the cutting section 20 are moved in the Y-axis direction by the pitch of the streets, and the suction table is again moved in the X-axis direction. This cuts the next two streets.
This cutting operation is repeated, and when the cutting of all the streets in one direction (X direction) is completed, the suction table 21 is set to 90
゜ By rotating, the streets in the other direction (Y direction) that are perpendicular to the cut streets are sequentially cut. Thereby, the wafer W is finally cut in a grid pattern.

After the cut wafer W is returned to the load / unload position E by the suction table 21,
The wafer is conveyed to the spinner table of the cleaning unit 40 by the rotating arm 51 of the conveying unit 50. Here, the wafer W is washed by washing water and then dried by air blow. The dried wafer W is stored on a predetermined shelf of the cassette C by the rotating arm 51 of the transfer means 50 and the frame clamper 52.

The above is the process of cutting one wafer W by the dicing apparatus 10 with a bar code reader.

According to the dicing apparatus 10 with a bar code reader of the present invention, the type information of the wafer W can be automatically read without lowering the operation rate of the dicing apparatus.

In the dicing apparatus 10 with a bar code reader according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the cassette C stored in the cassette storage does not move in the vertical direction.
Although the configuration in which the frame clamper 52 moves up and down has been described, the invention is not limited thereto, and the frame C may be fixed vertically and the cassette C may move up and down. Further, the barcode reader 80 is provided at the standby position D, but is not limited to this, and may be in the transport path of the wafer W.
Reading the bar code B after placing the wafer W on the suction table 21 is not preferable because it leads to a decrease in the operating rate. For example, the wafer W is pulled out of the cassette C by the frame clamper 52 and is moved by the frame clamper vertical movement mechanism 70. The reading may be performed at the position positioned at the rising end.

[0027]

As described above, according to the dicing apparatus with the bar code reader of the present invention, the type information of the work can be read in the middle of the work transfer path of the dicing apparatus, so that the type information is automatically updated. It can be carried out. In addition, it is possible to automatically check for mixing of different types. Further, the read data is sent to a host computer, and can be used as data for production management such as progress data.

Further, according to the present invention, since the barcode reader is installed at the standby position before the work is placed on the suction table, the waiting time during the dicing of the previous work is utilized. Since the type information of the next work can be read, the operation rate of the dicing apparatus does not decrease.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a dicing apparatus with a bar code reader for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship between a cassette storage part of a dicing apparatus with a bar code reader and a frame clamper of a conveying means for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating details of a frame clamper horizontal movement mechanism of the dicing apparatus with a bar code reader for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating details of a frame clamper vertical movement mechanism of the dicing apparatus with a bar code reader according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state of a wafer attached to a frame and a writing position of a bar code.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state of the wafer attached to the frame and another writing position of the bar code.

[Explanation of symbols]

B: bar code, C: cassette, D: standby position, F: frame, S: dicing sheet, W: wafer, 10 ...
Dicing device, 20: cutting unit, 21: suction table,
23: blade, 30: cassette storage unit, 50: transport means, 80: bar code reader

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takayuki Kaneko 9-7-1, Shimorenjaku, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo F-term (reference) 5B072 BB00 CC24 DD02

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A dicing apparatus for cutting a work integrally adhered to a frame via a dicing sheet having an adhesive on one surface, comprising: a suction table on which the work is placed; and a cutting means for cutting the work. The cassette storage unit, comprising: a cutting unit provided with the cassette storage unit for storing a cassette in which a large number of works are stored; and transport means for transporting the work between the cassette storage unit and the suction table. A dicing apparatus is provided with a bar code reader for reading a bar code provided on the frame or the dicing sheet, in the middle of a work transfer path between the dicing sheet and the suction table. 2. The dicing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bar code reader is provided at a standby position before a work is placed on the suction table.