JP2008168413A - Holding device and holding method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simplified holding device which certainly holds a sheet-like member such as a semiconductor wafer, etc. in a non-contact state and being manufactured at low cost, and also to provide a holding method. <P>SOLUTION: The holding device is furnished with a holding body 13 opposing to a large number of chips W supported by a protective sheet S, and a gas supplying means 14 to supply gas to this holding body 13. This holding body 13 is furnished with a plurality of jetting holes 25 and is also furnished with a cylinder part 23 to exhaust the gas jetted from the jetting holes 25 upward. The heated gas jetted from the jetting holes 25 works to correct a warpage, etc. even when the protective sheet S has the warpage, etc. and holds the chips W in the non-contact state by a Bernoulli's effect. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a holding device and a holding method, and more particularly to a holding device and a holding method capable of holding a plate-like member such as a semiconductor wafer or a chip in a non-contact state.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter simply referred to as “wafer”) has a protective sheet attached to the circuit surface side, and includes a holding device when the wafer is transferred between various processing steps. A transfer device is adopted. The holding device is generally configured to include a suction hole that holds the wafer in contact with the wafer surface.
Further, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, a negative pressure region is formed between the plate-like member using the flow of gas ejected from the holding surface, and the wafer is held as a non-contact type by the Bernoulli effect. A holding device has also been proposed.

JP 2006-156692 A

However, in the contact-type holding device, when the wafer is warped or deformed, or as shown in FIG. 5A, the wafer is separated into pieces by tip dicing and the protective sheet is deformed in a wave shape. If it is, it becomes difficult to sufficiently apply the suction force, and there is a disadvantage that a suction failure occurs.
That is, when a protective sheet is applied to the wafer, the application is performed with a certain tension applied to the protective sheet in order to avoid air bubbles and the like between the protective sheet and the wafer. Yes. Therefore, there is an inherent problem that the wafer tends to warp due to the reaction of the tension applied at the time of sticking. In particular, such a problem becomes more apparent after a wafer that has been extremely thinned by back grinding or after dicing so as to form a large number of chips.

  Further, even in the non-contact type holding device described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to secure a negative pressure state sufficient to attract and hold the wafer when the warp deformation described above occurs. As a result, it is difficult to hold the wafer. Furthermore, the holding device of the document 1 has an extremely complicated structure and the device manufacturing cost increases.

[Object of invention]
The present invention has been devised by paying attention to such inconveniences. The purpose of the present invention is to secure the plate-like member in a substantially non-contact state even if the plate-like member such as a wafer is warped. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple holding device and a holding method that can be held at a low cost and can be manufactured at low cost.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a holding body having a holding surface facing the plate-like member, and gas supply means for ejecting gas from the holding surface, and controlling the flow direction of the gas. In a holding device that forms a negative pressure region between the holding surface and the plate-like member and holds the plate-like member in a substantially non-contact state,
The gas supply means is configured to supply a heated or cooled gas.

  In the present invention, the temperature of the gas can be adjusted.

  Furthermore, the gas may be an inert gas.

  The holding body is supported by a transfer arm, and a plate-like member held on the holding surface is provided so as to be able to be transferred between tables.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that an exhaust unit that exhausts the gas ejected from the holding surface upward in the holding surface is provided.

  The holding surface may be provided with a stopper that restricts movement along the surface direction of the plate-like member.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for holding the plate member in a substantially non-contact state on a holding surface facing the plate member.
While jetting heated or cooled gas from the holding surface, the flow direction of the gas is controlled to form a negative pressure region between the holding surface and the plate-like member to hold the plate-like member. The method is taken.

  In the holding method, it is preferable to take a method in which the plate-like member is partially brought into contact with the holding surface to restrict movement along the surface direction of the plate-like member.

  In the present specification, the “plate-like member” includes an individual semiconductor chip, and further includes other plate-like members such as a glass, a steel plate, or a resin plate to which a sheet is attached. Used as a concept.

  According to the present invention, since the gas supply means for ejecting gas from the holding surface is configured to supply heated or cooled gas, even if the plate-like member is deformed such as warpage, the sheet by heat or cooling is used. Therefore, it is possible to hold the plate-like member by forming the negative pressure region with certainty and correcting the warpage.

  Also, by making the temperature of the gas variable, the temperature can be adjusted according to the material of the plate-like member, the degree of warpage, the plate thickness, etc., and the plate-like member does not cause a change in the properties of the plate-like member. Can be held.

  Furthermore, the structure provided with the exhaust part allows the gas ejected from the holding surface to smoothly escape to the outside, and a sufficient negative pressure state can be formed.

  Moreover, in the structure which provided the stopper, the positional accuracy after a transfer in the case of transferring the plate member aligned previously can be kept favorable.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view in which the holding device according to the present invention is applied to a transport device. In this figure, the holding device 11 supported by the transport device 10 includes a holding body 13 having a substantially circular shape in plan view, and a gas supply means 14 connected to the holding body 13. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, in the present embodiment, the holding body 13 is provided between a lower case 15 having a substantially bottomed plate shape having a holding surface 15 </ b> A on the lower surface side, and the lower case 15. The upper case 16 is fixed so as to form a chamber C (see FIG. 3A).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the lower case 15 includes a bottom wall 20 that is substantially circular in plan view, a peripheral wall 21 that rises from the periphery of the bottom wall 20, and passes through the bottom wall 20 in the vertical direction, and has an upper end. A cylindrical portion 23 serving as an exhaust portion whose position is set to a height substantially coincident with the upper end position of the peripheral wall 21, and an ejection hole 25 for ejecting the gas supplied through the gas supply means 14 to the holding surface 15A side. (Refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3A). Although the cylindrical part 23 is not specifically limited, it is provided in the four places which approach the said surrounding wall 21, and is arrange | positioned in the position which mutually spaced apart about 90 degree | times along the circumferential direction of the bottom wall 20. Has been. Further, on the holding surface 15A, stoppers 26 made of a soft material such as rubber are fixed at positions outside the ejection holes 25 at a distance of approximately 90 degrees from each other.

  As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 3B, the ejection hole 25 is connected to the small-diameter hole portion 25A located on the upper half side of the bottom wall 20 and the small-diameter hole portion 25A, and on the holding surface 15A side. It is provided in the shape provided with the taper hole part 25B which expands gradually as it goes to. The ejection holes 25 are formed at a total of five locations, which are provided at approximately 90 degree intervals in the circumferential direction between the central portion of the bottom wall 20 and the cylindrical portion 23. A rectifying body 27 is arranged in the tapered hole portion 25B via a support member (not shown). By the rectifying body 27, the gas ejected from the small-diameter hole portion 25A and the inclined surface of the tapered hole portion 25B. , And flows along the holding surface 15A.

  The upper case 16 has a substantially disk shape in plan view, and has an opening 30 communicating with each of the cylindrical portions 23 and two supply holes 31 for supplying gas into the chamber C (FIG. 3). (See (A)).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the gas supply means 14 includes a gas supply pump P, a temperature controller 32 connected to the gas supply pump P, and between the temperature controller 32 and the supply hole 31. The hose 33 is provided. The gas supplied from the gas supply pump P is heated or cooled to a predetermined temperature by the temperature controller 32 and then supplied into the chamber C via the hose 33. The gas supplied into the chamber C is: It ejects from the ejection hole 25. Here, the temperature of the gas by the temperature controller 32 is variably set to an arbitrary temperature.

  In addition, the object by the holding | maintenance apparatus 11 in this embodiment, ie, a plate-shaped member, is an assembly of the dicing chip | tip W supported by the surface of the protection sheet S, as FIG.1 and FIG.3 (A) shows. However, it may be a single wafer before dicing.

  The transfer device 10 includes a transfer arm 40 connected to the central portion of the upper case 16 in the holding device 11 and a single-axis robot 41 that moves the transfer arm 40 in the X-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the transport device 10 is configured to transfer an assembly of chips W supported by a first table 42 having an alignment function onto a second table 43. The first table 42 is provided with a sensor 44 that detects a V notch (not shown) formed on the outer peripheral portion of the chip W, and the horizontal portion of the sensor 44 extends laterally from above the first table 42. The holding device 11 is configured to be allowed to move up and down by retracting in the direction.

  The single-axis robot 41 extends in the X-axis direction in FIG. 1. The single-axis robot 41 includes an air cylinder 45 extending in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and a lift slider that can be moved up and down via the air cylinder 45. 46 is provided, and a base end side of the transfer arm 40 is connected to the lift slider 46 via an air cylinder 47.

  Next, a holding method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 1, it is assumed that a large number of chips W supported by the protective sheet S are aligned on the first table 42, and the chips W are placed on the second table 43. Shall be transported. Further, the chip W is deformed into a wave shape under the influence of the tension of the protective sheet S.

  The holding device 11 moves onto the first table 42 via the transfer device 10 and the air cylinder 45 is operated to perform a predetermined operation so that the holding surface 15A of the holding device 11 is positioned immediately above the chip W. Here, the gas maintained at a constant pressure is supplied from the pump P of the gas supply means 14, and the gas that has passed through the temperature controller 32 is temperature-controlled (heated in this embodiment) to a preset temperature. The heated gas is ejected from the ejection hole 25 through the chamber C (see FIG. 5A).

  The gas passing through the ejection hole 25 becomes a flow along the inclined surface of the tapered hole portion 25 </ b> B by the rectifier 27. And this flow turns into the flow which goes to the radial direction from the outer peripheral side of 15 A of holding surfaces, and the flow which goes upwards from the cylinder part 23 in the surface of 15 A of holding surfaces, along 15 A of holding surfaces. This gas flow creates a negative pressure in the recessed region formed by the tapered hole portion 25B, and the negative pressure causes an action to attract the chip W, and the chip W is brought into a non-contact state by the Bernoulli effect. It will be a holding force.

  When the holding body 13 approaches the chip W in this manner, the chip W deformed in a wave shape due to the influence of the protective sheet S is deformed by the heated gas. That is, the chip W together with the protective sheet S becomes substantially flat following the first table 42 due to the influence of the heated gas (see FIG. 5B).

  When the holder 13 reaches a predetermined position, the chip W supported by the protective sheet S can be attracted and held by the Bernoulli effect and transported (see FIG. 5C).

  When the chip W is held on the holding surface 15 in this way, a part of the outer side of the chip W comes into substantially contact with the stopper 26. This contact restricts movement or displacement of the protective sheet S in the surface direction, and as a result, movement of the chip W in the surface direction is restricted. Accordingly, in this state, the chip W is positioned on the second table 43 by moving the chip W to the second table 43 side via the transfer device 10 and stopping the gas supply described above. It will be conveyed in a state.

  Therefore, according to such an embodiment, since the gas supplied from the gas supply means 14 is heated, the warped and deformed protective sheet S is corrected to be flat and attracted and held by the Bernoulli effect. By ensuring a sufficient negative pressure state, it is possible to reliably hold the chip W.

As described above, the best configuration, method and the like for carrying out the present invention have been disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited to this.
In other words, the present invention has been illustrated and described mainly with respect to specific embodiments, but without departing from the scope of the technical idea and object of the present invention, the shape, position, or With respect to the arrangement and the like, those skilled in the art can make various changes as necessary.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the number of the ejection holes 25 for ejecting the gas, the hose 33 for supplying the gas into the chamber C, and the number of the cylindrical portions 23 for allowing the gas to pass above the holding body 13 are limited to the illustrated configuration example. It can be increased or decreased as needed. At this time, it is only necessary that the negative pressure for attracting and holding the plate-like member is arranged on the holding surface 15 </ b> A so as to be balanced.

  In addition, depending on the type of the protective sheet S, when the cooling can correct the deformation, the gas ejected by the temperature controller 32 may be cooled.

  Furthermore, the protective sheet S is an ultraviolet curable adhesive sheet, an ultraviolet irradiation device is provided between the first table 42 and the second table 43, and the adhesive strength is increased in the previous stage of placing on the second table. In the case of a weakening configuration, the gas to be ejected can be an inert gas such as nitrogen. In this case, at the stage of irradiating ultraviolet rays, the adhesive exposed to the dicing line can be prevented from being hardened by oxygen and placed on the second table. No pick-up failure due to uncured material.

  The inert gas is not limited to nitrogen gas, and may be other inert gas such as argon gas or carbon dioxide gas.

  Further, the stopper 26 may be configured to contact the outer periphery of the wafer W.

The schematic perspective view which shows embodiment with which the holding | maintenance apparatus was applied to the conveying apparatus. The schematic plan view of a holding | maintenance apparatus. (A) is arrow sectional drawing which follows the AA line of FIG. 2, (B) is the B section enlarged view of FIG. 3 (A). The disassembled perspective view of a holding | maintenance apparatus. Operation | movement explanatory drawing which shows embodiment with which the holding | maintenance apparatus was applied to the conveying apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Conveyance apparatus 11 Holding apparatus 13 Holding body 14 Gas supply means 15A Holding surface 23 Cylinder part (exhaust part)
26 Stopper 32 Temperature controller 40 Transfer arm 42 First table 43 Second table W Chip (plate-like member)

Claims (8)

A holding body having a holding surface facing the plate-like member; and a gas supply means for ejecting a gas from the holding surface, and controlling the gas flow direction between the holding surface and the plate-like member. In the holding device that forms the negative pressure region and holds the plate-like member in a substantially non-contact state,
The holding device characterized in that the gas supply means supplies heated or cooled gas. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the gas is adjustable. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the gas is an inert gas. 4. The holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding body is supported by a transfer arm, and a plate-like member held on the holding surface is provided so as to be able to transfer between tables. The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an exhaust unit that exhausts the gas ejected from the holding surface upward in the holding surface. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the holding surface is provided with a stopper that restricts movement along the surface direction of the plate-like member. In the method of holding the plate-like member in a substantially non-contact state on the holding surface facing the plate-like member,
The heated or cooled gas is ejected from the holding surface, and a negative pressure region is formed between the holding surface and the plate member by controlling the flow direction of the gas to hold the plate member. A holding method characterized by the above. The holding method according to claim 7, wherein the plate member is partially brought into contact with the holding surface to restrict movement along the surface direction of the plate member.

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