JP2003163178A - Dicing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dicing apparatus capable of aligning the other piece of work while machining a piece of work and also capable of not only improving the availability factor of an expensive alignment means but also improving the availability factor of the apparatus as a whole, while minimizing a rise in cost of the apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: This dicing apparatus is provided with a plurality of work tables 23 that mount works W and constituted so as to be able to move in the X direction independently from each other and a microscope 80 to observe the work W constituted so as to be able to move to a position over each work table 23 by means of a microscope driving means 70, so that it is possible to perform alignment of the other piece of work W while machining a piece of work W. By this construction, it is possible to improve the availability factor of both the expensive alignment means and the entire dicing apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dicing device, and more particularly to a dicing device for performing groove processing and cutting processing on a work such as a semiconductor or an electronic component material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows a conventional dicing apparatus for performing groove processing and cutting processing (hereinafter referred to as processing) on a work such as a semiconductor or electronic component material. This conventional dicing device 1
10, a thin grindstone 121 called a blade that rotates a work placed on the work table 123 at high speed.
Process the work while applying the grinding water with. In this dicing device 110, the spindle 122 holding the blade is index-feeded in the Y-axis direction and cut-feeded in the Z-axis direction, and the work table 1 on which the work is placed.
23 is fed by grinding in the X-axis direction. A microscope 180 for observing the upper surface of the work is fixed to a spindle 122 holding the blade via a holder arm 181. The microscope 180 is used to observe the upper surface of the work to align the work or to evaluate the kerf after processing. A CCD camera is connected to the microscope 180, and an image picked up by the CCD camera is subjected to image processing by a pattern matching means or the like to align a work.

However, this conventional dicing apparatus 11
0 is one work table 123 on which a work is placed,
Microscope 180 with built-in CCD camera for imaging work
Since only one is provided, the work cannot be aligned while the work is being processed, and the operation rate of the expensive alignment means such as the microscope 180, the CCD camera, and the image processing means is poor, In addition, the operating rate of the entire dicing device 110 was also reduced. As a solution to such a problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-53804 discloses a dicing device provided with two work tables and two microscopes. According to this dicing device, while the work placed on one work table is processed, the work on the other work table can be aligned, and the operating rate of the entire dicing device is improved.

[0004]

However, the dicing device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-53804 requires two microscopes, two CCD cameras, one illuminating device, and two driving means for driving them. However, there is a big problem that the cost of the entire dicing device increases, and it cannot be put to practical use.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is possible to perform alignment of another work during machining of the work while suppressing an increase in the cost of the apparatus, and an expensive alignment means is provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide a dicing device capable of improving the operating rate of the entire device as well as increasing the operating rate.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention as set forth in claim 1 is a dicing apparatus for performing a groove processing and a cutting processing of a work placed on a work table by a rotating blade. A plurality of work tables are provided, and microscope driving means for moving the microscope for observing the work above the plurality of work tables are provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the dicing apparatus according to the first aspect, the work placed on one of the plurality of work tables is processed by the rotary blade. While the microscope is in operation, the microscope is moved onto another work table, and the work on the other work table is observed and aligned.

According to the present invention, a plurality of work tables on which the work is placed are provided, and the microscope for observing the work is moved onto each work table by the microscope driving means. The other works can be aligned, and the operation rate of the expensive alignment means and the operation rate of the entire dicing apparatus can be improved.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of a dicing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same members are given the same numbers or symbols.

First, the structure of the dicing apparatus will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of a dicing apparatus according to the present invention. The dicing device 10 includes a load port 60 for transferring a cassette containing a plurality of works to and from an external device, a transfer unit 50 having a suction unit 51 for transferring the works to each part of the device, and observing the upper surface of the works. The microscope 80, the processing unit 20, and the processed workpiece are cleaned,
It is composed of a spinner 40 for drying, a controller 100 for controlling the operation of each part of the apparatus, and the like. The processing unit 20 is provided with two high-frequency motor-incorporated air-bearing spindles 22 and 22, which are arranged facing each other and to which a rotary blade 21 is attached.
It is rotated at high speed from rpm to 60,000 rpm, and index feed in the Y direction and Z in the figure are independent of each other.
Directional cutting feed. Further, two work tables 23, 23 for picking up and mounting a work are provided, and are configured to be ground and fed in the X direction in the drawing by the movement of the X tables 25, 25, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining the main part of the dicing apparatus 10. Further, FIG. 3 is a perspective view thereof.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the dicing device 10 includes
Two pairs of guide rails 2 on the machine base 11.
Two sets 6 and 26 are provided in the direction of the arrow X in the figure. The two X tables 2 are guided by the guide rails 26 and 26 of the respective sets and driven in the X direction by the linear motors 27 and 27.
5, 25 are provided. These two X tables 2
5 and 25 are provided with a work table 2 via a θ table 24 that rotates by θ about the Z direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2).
3 is attached. With such a mechanism, the two works W, W respectively placed on the two work tables 23, 23 are independently rotated by θ and moved in the X direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a gate-shaped guide base 12 is erected on the machine base 11. On the left side surface 12A of the guide base 12, a spindle Y guide 31 is attached horizontally in the direction of the arrow Y in the drawing, guided by the spindle Y guide 31, and indexed in the Y direction by a drive mechanism (not shown). Two tables 32, 32 are provided. Each spindle Y table 32 is provided with a spindle Z table 33 which is notched and fed in an arrow Z direction in the drawing by a guide rail and a drive mechanism (not shown), and each spindle Z table 33 has a spindle 34 via a holder 34. 22 is attached. The two spindles 22, 22 are arranged so as to face each other, and a rotary blade 21 is attached to the tip of each spindle 22. The rotary blade 21 has a thin disk shape, and an electrodeposition blade in which diamond abrasive grains or CBN abrasive grains are electrodeposited with nickel or a resin blade in which resin is bonded is used.
The rotary blades 21, 21 are covered with a flange cover (not shown) whose front and bottom surfaces are open, and the flange cover is provided with two cooling nozzles for supplying cooling water such that the rotary blade 21 is sandwiched in front and back. Has been. With such a mechanism, the two rotary blades 21 and 21 are independently feed-cut in the Z direction and index feed in the Y direction. A linear motor may be used for the drive mechanism of the spindle Y tables 32, 32 and the spindle Z table 33, or a servomotor and a lead screw may be used.

A microscope drive means 70 is provided on the right side surface 12B of the guide base 12. Microscope driving means 7
Reference numeral 0 is a microscope Y guide 71 that is attached to the right side surface 12B of the guide base 12 and is horizontally arranged in the direction of the arrow Y in the figure, and is guided by the microscope Y guide 71 and moved in the Y direction by a drive mechanism (not shown). And a guide rail (not shown) provided on the microscope Y table 72 and a microscope Z table 73 which is fed in the direction of arrow Z in the drawing by a drive mechanism. A microscope 80 for observing the upper surface of the work W is attached to the microscope Z table 73. With the microscope driving means 70 configured in this way, the microscope 80 can move the microscope 80 in the Y direction and Z
Sent with directions. As the driving mechanism for the microscope Y guide 71 and the microscope Z table 73, known driving means such as a linear motor or a servo motor and a lead screw is used. A CCD camera (not shown) is incorporated in the microscope 80, and an image processing device provided in the controller 100 performs pattern patching processing on the image of the work W captured by the CCD camera so that the work W is aligned. It has become. The control of the driving means of each of these parts, the control of the alignment operation, the control of the processing part 20, the control of the transfer means 50, etc. are all performed by the controller 100 stored inside the main body of the dicing device.

Next, the operation of the dicing apparatus 10 thus constructed will be described. First, a cassette containing a plurality of works W attached to a frame via a dicing tape is delivered to the load port 60 of the dicing device 10 by the external transport means. Next work W
Are taken out of the cassette one by one by the conveyance means 50 of the dicing device 10 and adsorbed on the work table 23. After that, the work table 23 moves below the microscope Y guide 71, and the microscope 80 moves the microscope Y table 7
It is conveyed onto the work W by 2. Here microscope Z
The table 73 focuses the microscope 80.
Next, the pattern portion formed on the upper surface of the work W is imaged by the CCD camera incorporated in the microscope 80 and aligned by using a known pattern matching method. When this work W is aligned,
The next work W is placed on the other work table 23.

The aligned work W is conveyed to the processing section 20 by the work table 23. Here, the two rotary blades 21 and 21 are respectively fed with the necessary cutting feed, and the two processing regions (streets) are simultaneously processed by the X direction grinding feed of the X table. Next, the rotary blades 21 and 21 are index-fed by the required pitch in the Y direction to be positioned on the next street, and these two lines are also processed by the X-direction grinding feed of the work table 23. This operation is repeated and the work W 1
All streets in the direction are processed. When all the lines in one direction are machined, the work W is rotated by 90 degrees by the rotation of the θ table 24, and the streets that are orthogonal to the streets described above are machined. While the first work W is being processed by the processing unit 20, the next work W is being processed by the microscope Y guide 71.
Then, the microscope 80 is conveyed above the work W by the microscope Y table 72. Here, similarly, the microscope 80 is focused by the microscope Z table 73, and the pattern portion formed on the upper surface of the next work W is imaged by the CCD camera incorporated in the microscope 80 for alignment. When the processing of the first work W is completed, the next work W of which the alignment is completed is carried into the processing unit 20 and processed in the same manner.

If necessary, the shape of the processing groove and the chipping condition of the first work W after the completion of all processing are measured and evaluated under the microscope 80. Once the machining groove has been evaluated, the workpiece W
Are transported to the spinner 40 by the transport means 50, and spin cleaning and spin drying are performed therein. The work W, which has been cleaned and dried, is stored in the original cassette by the transporting means 50 again. Similarly, the next work W is processed, washed, and dried, and then stored in the original cassette. The above-described operation is repeated one after another to process all the works W in the cassette. The above is the flow of processing the work W by the dicing apparatus according to the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, 2
One microscope 8 for each work table 23, 23
Since 0 moves and the work W sucked and placed on each work table 23 can be accessed, the alignment of the other work W can be performed while one work W is being processed, and the work W can be efficiently processed. .

The work table 23 is used in this embodiment.
Although two are provided, the invention is not limited to this, and two or more may be provided.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of work tables for mounting works are provided, and the microscope for observing the works is moved onto each work table by the microscope driving means. It is possible to perform alignment of other workpieces during machining, and improve the operating rate of expensive alignment means and the operating rate of the entire dicing device while minimizing the cost increase of the device. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of a dicing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a main part of the dicing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of a dicing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Dicing device, 21 ... Rotating blade, 22 ... Spindle, 23 ... Work table, 70 ... Microscope driving means, 80 ... Microscope, 100 ... Controller, W ... Work

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Noriaki Ebisu             9-7 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka City, Tokyo Stocks             Company Tokyo Seimitsu (72) Inventor Takayuki Asano             9-7 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka City, Tokyo Stocks             Company Tokyo Seimitsu

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A dicing device for grooving or cutting a work placed on a work table with a rotary blade, wherein a plurality of work tables are provided, and a microscope for observing the work is provided with the plurality of work. A dicing device, characterized in that microscope driving means for moving respectively above the table are provided. 2. The microscope is moved to another work table while the work placed on one work table among the plurality of work tables is being processed by the rotary blade, The dicing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece on the workpiece table is observed and aligned.