JP2004152923A - Processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cutting device capable of preventing processing water from being conducted to flow into the photographing region of a work to be processed, even when the processing water is supplied in the work of alignment. <P>SOLUTION: A processing device is provided on a stationary base table 2 with a chuck table 33 constituted so as to retain a work to be processed and movable to a working region as well as an alignment region neighbored to the working region, a processing means for processing while supplying the processing water to the work to be processed which is retained by the chuck table 33, a photographing means 6 for detecting a region of the work which is retained by the chuck table, and a chuck table moving means 37 for moving the chuck table 33 from the region of alignment to the working region in the feeding direction of processing. The stationary base table 2 is constituted so that the alignment region side of the same is slanted so as to become higher than the processing region side of the same table 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a processing device such as a cutting device for cutting a thin plate-shaped workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As is well known to those skilled in the art, in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, a plurality of regions are divided by streets (cutting lines) arranged in a grid on the surface of a substantially disk-shaped semiconductor wafer. Then, a circuit such as an IC or an LSI is formed. Then, the semiconductor wafer is cut along the streets to separate the region where the circuit is formed, thereby manufacturing individual semiconductor chips. Cutting along the streets of a semiconductor wafer is usually performed by a cutting device called a dicer. The cutting apparatus includes a chuck table configured to hold a workpiece and move to a cutting area and an alignment area adjacent to the cutting area; a workpiece disposed in the cutting area and held by the chuck table; Cutting means for cutting while supplying machining water to the workpiece, imaging means provided in the alignment area for detecting an area to be cut of the workpiece held on the chuck table, and the chuck table from the alignment area. Chuck table moving means for moving to the cutting area and moving in the cutting feed direction, and these are disposed on a stationary base. In such a cutting device, in order to maintain the cutting accuracy of the workpiece, the processing water is supplied even during the alignment operation so that the thermal expansion and contraction of the constituent members such as the cutting means due to heat fluctuation do not occur.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Thus, after cutting the workpiece, position the workpiece in the alignment area to check the cutting groove, and blow high-pressure air onto the surface of the workpiece to adhere to the surface of the workpiece. Although the cutting groove is imaged by the imaging unit after removing the water, the state of the cutting groove cannot be accurately confirmed because the remaining processing water flows into the imaging region of the workpiece and enters the cutting groove. . In addition, since the alignment area and the cutting area are provided adjacent to each other, when the area to be cut of the workpiece is imaged by the imaging means, machining water flows into the imaging area of the workpiece, causing an error in alignment. There is a problem that operation occurs.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and a main technical problem thereof is to provide a processing apparatus that prevents processing water from entering an imaging region of a workpiece during an alignment operation.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the main technical problem, according to the present invention, a chuck table configured to hold a workpiece and move to a processing area and an alignment area adjacent to the processing area, and a chuck table disposed in the processing area. Processing means for performing processing while supplying processing water to the workpiece held by the chuck table, and imaging means disposed in the alignment area and detecting an area to be processed of the workpiece held by the chuck table And a chuck table moving means for moving the chuck table from the alignment area to the processing area and moving the chuck table in a processing feed direction, wherein the processing apparatus is provided on a stationary base.
The stationary base is configured to be inclined so that the alignment area side is higher than the processing area side.
A processing device is provided.
[0006]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a processing apparatus configured according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0007]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cutting device as a processing device configured according to the present invention. The cutting device shown in FIG. 1 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped device housing 1. In the apparatus housing 1, a stationary base 2 shown in FIG. 2 and a chuck table mechanism movably disposed on the stationary base 2 in a direction indicated by an arrow X which is a cutting feed direction and holding a workpiece. A spindle support mechanism 4 movably disposed in the stationary base 2 in a direction indicated by an arrow Y which is an index feed direction (a direction perpendicular to a direction indicated by an arrow X which is a cutting feed direction); A spindle unit 5 as a cutting means is provided on the support mechanism 4 so as to be movable in a direction indicated by an arrow Z which is a cutting feed direction.
[0008]
The chuck table mechanism 3 includes two guide rails 31 and 32 disposed on the stationary base 2 in parallel along a direction indicated by an arrow X, and a direction indicated by an arrow X on the guide rails 31 and 32. And a chuck table 33 serving as a workpiece holding means movably disposed on the chuck table 33, and a chuck table support mechanism 34 for supporting the chuck table 33. The chuck table support mechanism 34 includes a chuck table support 341 movably disposed on the guide rails 31 and 32, a cylindrical member 342 disposed on the chuck table support 341, and a cylindrical member 342. And a waterproof cover 343 disposed at a predetermined height below the upper surface of the chuck table 33. The chuck table 33 is attached to the upper end of a rotating shaft (not shown) provided on the cylindrical member 342, and holds a workpiece, for example, a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer, by a suction means (not shown). I have.
[0009]
The chuck table mechanism 3 in the illustrated embodiment includes a driving unit 35 for moving the chuck table 33 along the two guide rails 31 and 32 in the cutting feed direction indicated by the arrow X. The driving means 35 includes a driving source such as a male screw rod 351 disposed in parallel between the two guide rails 31 and 32 and a servomotor 352 for driving the male screw rod 351 to rotate. One end of the male screw rod 351 is rotatably supported by a bearing block 353 fixed to the stationary base 2, and the other end is power-coupled to the output shaft of the servomotor 352 via a speed reducer (not shown). ing. The male screw rod 351 is screwed into a female screw hole (not shown) formed in a female screw block (not shown) protruding from the lower surface of the central part of the chuck table support 341 constituting the chuck table 33. Therefore, by driving the male screw rod 351 to rotate forward and reverse by the servomotor 352, the chuck table 33 is moved along the guide rails 31 and 32 in the cutting feed direction indicated by the arrow X. Accordingly, the servomotor 352, the male screw rod 351 and the bearing block 353 function as cutting feed means for relatively moving the chuck table and a spindle unit described later in the cutting feed direction indicated by the arrow X.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 1, bellows means 361 and 362 are provided on both sides of the waterproof cover 343 in the direction indicated by the arrow X, and each component other than the chuck table 33 and the waterproof cover 343 constituting the chuck table mechanism 3. The member is covered by bellows means 361 and 362. Opposing ends of the bellows means 361 and 362 are attached to the waterproof cover 343, respectively. Both end portions of the bellows means 361 and 362 are attached to the inner end walls 371 and 372 of the frame-shaped drain gutter means 37 disposed on the stationary base 2 while surrounding the workpiece holding mechanism 3. . A drain hose 373 is connected to the frame-shaped drain gutter means 37 at the upper left end in FIG.
[0011]
The spindle support mechanism 4 includes two guide rails 41 and 42 arranged on the stationary base 2 in parallel along the indexing feed direction indicated by the arrow Y, and an arrow Y on the guide rails 41 and 42. A movable support base 43 is provided so as to be movable in the direction shown. The movable support base 43 includes a movable support portion 431 movably disposed on the guide rails 41 and 42, and a mounting portion 432 attached to the movable support portion 431. The mounting portion 432 has two guide rails 432a and 432a extending in a direction indicated by an arrow Z on one side surface in parallel. The spindle support mechanism 4 in the illustrated embodiment includes a driving unit 44 for moving the movable support base 43 along the two guide rails 41 and 42 in the index feed direction indicated by the arrow Y. The driving means 44 includes a driving source such as a male screw rod 441 disposed in parallel between the two guide rails 41 and 42, and a pulse motor 442 for rotating the male screw rod 441. One end of the male screw rod 441 is rotatably supported by a bearing block (not shown) fixed to the stationary base 2, and the other end is power-coupled to the output shaft of the pulse motor 442 via a speed reducer (not shown). Have been. The male screw rod 441 is screwed into a female screw hole (not shown) formed in a female screw block (not shown) protruding from the lower surface of the central part of the movable support part 431 constituting the movable support base 43. Therefore, by driving the male screw rod 441 to rotate forward and reverse by the pulse motor 442, the movable support base 43 is moved along the guide rails 41 and 42 in the index feed direction indicated by the arrow Y. Therefore, the pulse motor 442, the male screw rod 441, and the like function as index feed means for relatively moving the chuck table and a spindle unit to be described later in an index feed direction indicated by an arrow Y perpendicular to the cutting feed direction (arrow X direction). I do.
[0012]
The spindle unit 5 in the illustrated embodiment includes a unit holder 51, a spindle housing 52 attached to the unit holder 51, and a rotating spindle 53 rotatably supported by the spindle housing 52. The unit holder 51 is provided with two guided rails 51a, 51a that are slidably fitted to two guide rails 432a, 432a provided on the mounting portion 432, and the guided rails 51a, By fitting the guide rail 51a to the guide rails 432a and 432a, the guide rail 432a is supported so as to be movable in the cutting feed direction indicated by the arrow Z. The rotating spindle 53 is provided so as to protrude from the tip of the spindle housing 52, and a cutting blade 54 is mounted on the tip of the rotating spindle 53. The cutting blade 54 is disposed in the cutting area B as shown in FIG. The rotary spindle 53 on which the cutting blade 54 is mounted is rotationally driven by a drive source such as a servomotor 55. In addition, on both sides of the cutting blade 54, a cutting water supply nozzle 57 for supplying cutting water to the workpiece at the time of cutting is provided (only one is shown in FIG. 2).
[0013]
The spindle unit 5 in the illustrated embodiment includes a drive unit 58 for moving the holder 51 along the two guide rails 432a and 432a in the direction indicated by the arrow Z. The driving means 58 includes a male screw rod (not shown) disposed between the guide rails 432a and 432a, like the driving means 35 and 44, and a driving means such as a pulse motor 582 for rotationally driving the male screw rod. The unit holder 51, the spindle housing 52, and the rotary spindle 53 are cut along the guide rails 432a and 432a by cutting the male screw rod (not shown) in the forward and reverse directions by the pulse motor 582. Move in the direction.
[0014]
An imaging means 6 is provided at a front end of a spindle housing 52 constituting the spindle unit 5. The image pickup means 6 is constituted by a microscope, a CCD camera, or the like for picking up an image of a street or the like formed on a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer, and sends a picked-up image signal to a control means (not shown). Note that the imaging means 6 is arranged in the alignment area A of the apparatus housing 1 as shown in FIG.
[0015]
In the stationary base 2 on which the chuck table mechanism 3, the spindle support mechanism 4, and the spindle unit 5 are arranged, the imaging unit 6 (alignment area side) is higher than the cutting blade 54 side (cutting area side). It is configured so as to be inclined. In the illustrated embodiment, the inclination angle θ is formed by arranging the support legs 21, 21, 21 of a predetermined height on the lower surface of the stationary base 2 on the side of the imaging means 6 (alignment area side). Note that the inclination angle θ of the stationary base 2 may be 1 to 2 degrees.
[0016]
Referring back to FIG. 1, the illustrated cutting apparatus includes a cassette 8 for storing a semiconductor wafer 7 as a workpiece. The semiconductor wafer 7 is mounted on an annular frame 71 by a tape 72, and is housed in the cassette 8 while being mounted on the frame 71. The cassette 8 is placed on a cassette table 81 that is vertically movable by an elevating means (not shown). The illustrated cutting device carries out the semiconductor wafer 7 stored in the cassette 8 to the workpiece mounting area 9 and carries the semiconductor wafer 7 after the cutting process into the cassette 8. 10, a workpiece transfer mechanism 11 for transferring the semiconductor wafer 7 carried out to the workpiece mounting area 9 onto the chuck table 33, and a cleaning for cleaning the semiconductor wafer 7 cut on the chuck table 33. The cleaning means 12 includes a means 12 and a cleaning and transport mechanism 13 for transporting the semiconductor wafer 7 cut on the chuck table 33 to the cleaning means 12. The illustrated cutting device further includes a display unit 14 that displays an image or the like captured by the imaging unit 6. In the illustrated cutting device, a hook 15 is attached to the front wall of the device housing 1, and the hook 15 supports a high-pressure air sprayer 16.
[0017]
Next, the cutting operation of the above-described cutting device will be briefly described.
The semiconductor wafer 7 mounted on the frame 71 accommodated in a predetermined position of the cassette 8 (hereinafter, the semiconductor wafer 7 mounted on the frame 71 is simply referred to as the semiconductor wafer 7) is moved by a cassette table (not shown) by elevating means (not shown). 81 is moved to the carry-out position by moving up and down. Next, the workpiece carrying-in / out mechanism 10 moves forward and backward to carry out the semiconductor wafer 7 positioned at the carrying-out position to the workpiece placing area 9. The semiconductor wafer 7 carried out to the workpiece mounting area 9 is transported onto the chuck table 33 by the turning operation of the workpiece transport mechanism 11, and is suction-held. The chuck table 33 holding the semiconductor wafer 7 by suction in this manner is moved to the alignment area A along the guide rails 31 and 32. When the chuck table 33 is positioned in the alignment area A, the street (cutting line) formed on the semiconductor wafer 7 is detected by the imaging means 6, and the spindle unit 5 is moved and adjusted in the direction of the arrow Y, which is the indexing direction, for precision. An alignment operation is performed. The alignment operation is performed in a state where the processing water is supplied. As a result, the processing water spouted from the processing water supply nozzle 57 scatters and adheres to the surface of the semiconductor wafer 7 held on the chuck table 33 positioned in the alignment area A, but the chuck table mechanism 3 and the spindle support mechanism Since the stationary base 2 on which the spindle unit 4 and the spindle unit 5 are disposed is inclined so that the imaging unit 6 side (alignment area side) is higher than the cutting blade 54 side (cutting area side), The processing water attached to the surface of the semiconductor wafer 7 flows down to the cutting blade 54 side (cutting area side). If necessary, a high-pressure air sprayer 16 supported by a hook 15 attached to the front wall of the apparatus housing 1 is gripped, and high-pressure air is blown onto the semiconductor wafer 7 transported to the alignment area A. The processing water attached to the surface of the semiconductor wafer 7 may be blown off. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the malfunction of the alignment operation due to the processing water adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer 7.
[0018]
Thereafter, the semiconductor wafer 7 held by the chuck table 33 is moved by moving the chuck table 33 holding the semiconductor wafer 7 by suction in a direction indicated by an arrow X (a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the cutting blade 54), which is a cutting feed direction. 7 is cut by a cutting blade 54 along a predetermined cutting line. That is, the cutting blade 54 is attached to the spindle unit 5 which is moved and adjusted in the direction indicated by the arrow Y which is the indexing direction and the direction indicated by the arrow Z which is the cutting direction, and is rotated at high speed (for example, , 000 rpm), the chuck table 33 is held by the chuck table 33 by moving the chuck table 33 along the lower side of the cutting blade 6 in a cutting feed direction indicated by an arrow X at a predetermined speed (for example, 50 mm / sec). The semiconductor wafer 7 is cut along a predetermined street (cut line) by the cutting blade 54. At this time, processing water is supplied to the cutting portion from the processing water supply nozzle 57. The processing water supplied to the cutting part flows down from the waterproof cover 343 and the bellows means 361 and 362 to the frame-shaped drain gutter means 37 and is discharged via the drain hose 373. Since the drain gutter means 37 is disposed on the stationary base 2 which is inclined as described above, the drainage hose 373 is inclined downward so that the drainage of processing water is drained. Is performed smoothly.
[0019]
As described above, when the semiconductor wafer 7 is cut along the street (cut line), the semiconductor wafer 7 is divided into semiconductor chips. The divided semiconductor chips do not fall apart due to the action of the tape 72, and the state of the semiconductor wafer 7 mounted on the frame 71 is maintained. After the cutting of the semiconductor wafer 7 is completed in this way, the chuck table 33 holding the semiconductor wafer 7 is first returned to the position where the semiconductor wafer 7 is sucked and held, and the suction holding of the semiconductor wafer 7 is released here. . Next, the semiconductor wafer 7 is transported to the cleaning means 12 by the cleaning transport mechanism 13, where the contaminants generated during the cutting are removed by cleaning. The semiconductor wafer 7 thus cleaned is transported to the workpiece mounting area 9 by the workpiece transport mechanism 11. Then, the semiconductor wafer 7 is stored at a predetermined position of the cassette 8 by the workpiece carrying-in / out mechanism 10.
[0020]
After the above-described cutting of the semiconductor wafer 7 is completed, the cut groove may be confirmed. In this case, the semiconductor wafer 7 that has been cut is transported to the alignment area A and positioned immediately below the imaging unit 6. Since the processing water supplied at the time of cutting adheres to the semiconductor wafer 7 conveyed to the alignment area A and enters the cutting groove, the operator is supported by the hook 15 attached to the front wall of the apparatus housing 1. The high-pressure air blower 16 is gripped, and high-pressure air is blown onto the semiconductor wafer 7 transferred to the alignment area A. At this time, the stationary base 2 on which the chuck table mechanism 3 is disposed is configured to be inclined such that the imaging unit 6 side (alignment area side) is higher than the cutting blade 54 side (cutting area side). Therefore, it is desirable to blow high-pressure air from the imaging means 6 side (alignment area side) toward the cutting blade 54 side (cutting area side). As a result, the processing water adhering to the semiconductor wafer 7 and entering the cutting groove is blown off by the high-pressure air. In addition, since the semiconductor wafer 7 is held on the chuck table 33 of the chuck table mechanism 3 disposed on the stationary base 2 that is inclined as described above, the remaining machining water is Do not invade. Therefore, the state of the cutting groove formed on the semiconductor wafer 7 can be accurately confirmed.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
The processing apparatus according to the present invention is configured as described above, and is provided with a chuck table for holding a workpiece, processing means for performing processing while supplying processing water to the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a chucking table. An imaging means for detecting an area to be processed of the workpiece and a chuck table moving means for moving the chuck table from the alignment area to the processing area and moving the chuck table in the processing feed direction are stationary bases, and the alignment area side is closer to the processing area side. Since it is configured to be inclined so as to be higher, the processing water attached to the surface of the semiconductor wafer flows down to the processing area side. Therefore, even when processing grooves and the like are confirmed after the processing of the semiconductor wafer is completed, if the processing water entering the processing grooves and the like is blown off by high-pressure air, the remaining processing water may enter the processing grooves and the like. Therefore, the state of the processing groove and the like formed on the workpiece can be accurately confirmed. Further, as described above, the processing water adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer flows down to the processing area side, so that an erroneous operation of the alignment work due to the processing water adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer can be prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cutting device configured according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the cutting device shown in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Device housing 2: Stationary base 3: Chuck table mechanisms 31, 32: Guide rail 33: Chuck table 34: Chuck table support mechanism 341: Chuck table support 342: Cylindrical member 343: Waterproof cover 35: Rotating shaft 36: Bellows means 37: drive means 4: spindle support mechanisms 41, 42: guide rail 43: movable support base 44: drive means 5: spindle unit 51: unit holder 52: spindle housing 53: rotating spindle 54: cutting blade 55: servo Motor 57: processing water supply nozzle 6: imaging means 7: semiconductor wafer 71: annular frame 72: tape 8: cassette 81: cassette table 10: workpiece carrying-out / in mechanism 11: workpiece carrying mechanism 12: cleaning means 13: Washing / conveying mechanism 14: Display means 15: Hook 16: High Air spray gun

Claims (1)

A chuck table configured to hold a workpiece and move to a processing area and an alignment area adjacent to the processing area; and supply processing water to the workpiece disposed in the processing area and held by the chuck table. Processing means for processing while processing, imaging means for detecting an area to be processed of the workpiece held in the chuck table, which is disposed in the alignment area, and moving the chuck table from the alignment area to the processing area. And a chuck table moving means for moving in the processing feed direction and a processing apparatus arranged on a stationary base,
The stationary base is configured to be inclined so that the alignment area side is higher than the processing area side.
A processing device characterized by the above-mentioned.

Images