JP2015050402A - Cutting device including cleaning means - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cutting device including cleaning means which may properly remove foreign objects adhering to a workpiece.SOLUTION: A cutting device (2) includes: a chuck table (14) which holds a workpiece (11); cutting means (18) including a cutting blade (40) which cuts the workpiece held by the chuck table; and cleaning means (42) which cleans a surface of the workpiece cut by the cutting means. The cleaning means includes: a cleaning table (44) which holds the workpiece; and a cleaning nozzle (50) which jets powder type dry ice (62) to the workpiece held by the cleaning table.

Description

  The present invention relates to a cutting apparatus that cuts a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer, and more particularly to a cutting apparatus that includes a cleaning unit that cleans a workpiece after cutting.

  A workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer is cut by, for example, a cutting device including a rotatable cutting blade and divided into a plurality of chips. When a workpiece is cut, foreign matter (contamination) such as cutting dust and adhesive material adheres to the surface, and therefore a cleaning mechanism (cleaning means) for removing the foreign matter is provided in the cutting apparatus.

  This cleaning mechanism includes, for example, a spinner table that rotates while holding a workpiece, and a nozzle that is disposed above the spinner table and jets a cleaning fluid downward (for example, Patent Document 1). reference). The work piece is cleaned by rotating the spinner table holding the work piece and spraying a cleaning fluid while the nozzle is swung in the radial direction of the spinner table.

JP 2008-80180 A

  In the cleaning mechanism described above, the workpiece is cleaned by spraying water (cleaning water) or two fluids in which water and air (compressed air) are mixed. However, even if such a cleaning mechanism is used, the foreign matter adhering to the workpiece cannot be completely removed. Therefore, for example, in a device including an image sensor such as a CCD or a CMOS in which the adhesion of foreign matters causes a failure, there has been a problem that the failure cannot always be sufficiently reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting apparatus including a cleaning unit that can appropriately remove foreign matters attached to a workpiece.

  According to the present invention, a chuck table for holding a workpiece, a cutting means including a cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a surface of the workpiece cut by the cutting means. And a cleaning device for cleaning the workpiece, wherein the cleaning device sprays powdery dry ice onto the workpiece held on the workpiece and the workpiece held on the washing table. There is provided a cutting device provided with a cleaning means comprising a cleaning nozzle.

  In this invention, it is preferable that the said washing | cleaning means is equipped with the antistatic means which prevents electrification of the powdery dry ice injected from the said washing nozzle.

  Since the cutting device provided with the cleaning means of the present invention includes a cleaning means having a cleaning nozzle for injecting powdery dry ice onto the work piece, water can be obtained by injecting powdery dry ice onto the work piece. It is possible to remove foreign substances that cannot be removed by fluid such as. In other words, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cutting device including a cleaning unit that can appropriately remove foreign matter adhering to a workpiece.

It is a perspective view showing typically an example of composition of a cutting device provided with a washing mechanism concerning this embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the structural example of the washing | cleaning mechanism which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a partial cross section side view which shows typically the washing | cleaning step implemented with the cutting device which concerns on this Embodiment.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration example of a cutting apparatus including a cleaning mechanism (cleaning unit) according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting device 2 includes a base 4 that supports each component. In the base 4, a rectangular opening 4a is provided at a corner portion on one side of the front end, and a cassette mounting table 6 is installed in the opening 4a so as to be movable up and down. On the upper surface of the cassette mounting table 6, a rectangular parallelepiped cassette 8 that houses a plurality of wafers (workpieces) 11 is placed. In FIG. 1, only the outline of the cassette 8 is shown for convenience of explanation.

  The wafer 11 is, for example, a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer, and the surface side is divided into a central device region and an outer peripheral surplus region surrounding the device region. The device region is further divided into a plurality of regions by streets (scheduled division lines) arranged in a lattice pattern, and a device 13 such as an IC is formed in each region.

  On the back side of the wafer 11, a dicing tape 15 having a diameter larger than that of the wafer 11 is attached. An outer peripheral portion of the dicing tape 15 is fixed to an annular frame 17. That is, the wafer 11 is supported by the frame 17 via the dicing tape 15.

  A rectangular opening 4b that is long in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) is formed at a position close to the cassette mounting table 6. Within this opening 4b, an X-axis moving table 10, an X-axis moving mechanism (not shown) for moving the X-axis moving table 10 in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction, machining feed direction), and a waterproof covering the X-axis moving mechanism. A cover 12 is provided.

  The X-axis movement mechanism includes a pair of X-axis guide rails (not shown) parallel to the X-axis direction, and the X-axis movement table 10 is slidably installed on the X-axis guide rails. A nut (not shown) is fixed to the lower surface side of the X-axis moving table 10, and an X-axis ball screw (not shown) parallel to the X-axis guide rail is screwed to the nut.

  An X-axis pulse motor (not shown) is connected to one end of the X-axis ball screw. By rotating the X-axis ball screw with the X-axis pulse motor, the X-axis moving table 10 moves in the X-axis direction along the X-axis guide rail.

  A chuck table 14 that sucks and holds the wafer 11 is provided on the X-axis moving table 10. Around the chuck table 14, four clamps 16 for holding and fixing an annular frame 17 that supports the wafer 11 from four directions are installed.

  The chuck table 14 is connected to a rotation mechanism (not shown) such as a motor, and rotates around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). Further, the chuck table 14 is moved in the X-axis direction by the above-described X-axis moving mechanism.

  The upper surface of the chuck table 14 is a holding surface 14 a that holds the wafer 11 by suction. The holding surface 14 a is connected to a suction source (not shown) through a flow path (not shown) formed inside the chuck table 14.

  A transfer mechanism (not shown) for transferring the wafer 11 is provided at a position close to the opening 4b. The wafer 11 carried into the chuck table 14 by the transport mechanism is sucked and held on the chuck table 14 by the negative pressure of the suction source acting on the holding surface 14a.

  Above the base 4, a gate-shaped support portion 20 that supports two sets of cutting units (cutting means) 18 is disposed so as to straddle the opening 4b. Two sets of cutting unit moving mechanisms 22 for moving each cutting unit 18 in the Y-axis direction (index feed direction) and the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) are provided on the upper front surface of the support portion 20.

  The cutting unit moving mechanism 22 includes a pair of Y-axis guide rails 24 arranged in front of the support portion 20 and parallel to the Y-axis direction. On the Y-axis guide rail 24, a Y-axis moving table 26 constituting each cutting unit moving mechanism 22 is slidably installed.

  A nut (not shown) is fixed to the back side (rear side) of each Y-axis moving table 26, and a Y-axis ball screw 28 parallel to the Y-axis guide rail 24 is screwed to the nut. Yes. A Y-axis pulse motor 30 is connected to one end of each Y-axis ball screw 28. If the Y-axis ball screw 28 is rotated by the Y-axis pulse motor 30, the Y-axis moving table 26 moves in the Y-axis direction along the Y-axis guide rail 24.

  A pair of Z-axis guide rails 32 parallel to the Z-axis direction are provided on the front surface (front surface) of each Y-axis moving table 26. A Z-axis moving table 34 is slidably installed on the Z-axis guide rail 32.

  A nut (not shown) is fixed to the back side (rear side) of each Z-axis moving table 34, and a Z-axis ball screw 36 parallel to the Z-axis guide rail 32 is screwed to the nut. Yes. A Z-axis pulse motor 38 is connected to one end of each Z-axis ball screw 36. When the Z-axis ball screw 36 is rotated by the Z-axis pulse motor 38, the Z-axis moving table 34 moves in the Z-axis direction along the Z-axis guide rail 32.

  A cutting unit 18 for cutting the wafer 11 is provided below each Z-axis moving table 34. Further, a camera (not shown) for imaging the wafer 11 is installed at a position adjacent to each cutting unit 18. By moving the Y-axis movement table 26 and the Z-axis movement table 34 as described above, each cutting unit 18 and each camera move in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction.

  Each cutting unit 18 includes an annular cutting blade 40 attached to one end of a spindle (not shown) that rotates about the Y axis. A motor (not shown) is connected to the other end side of each spindle, and rotates the cutting blade 40 mounted on the spindle. The wafer 11 is cut by rotating the cutting blade 40 into the wafer 11.

  A circular opening 4c is formed at a position opposite to the opening 4a with respect to the opening 4b. A cleaning mechanism (cleaning means) 42 for cleaning the surface of the wafer 11 after cutting is provided in the opening 4c.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of the cleaning mechanism 42 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning mechanism 42 includes a spinner table (cleaning table) 44 that sucks and holds the wafer 11 in the opening 4c. Around the spinner table 44, four clamps 46 for holding and fixing the annular frame 17 supporting the wafer 11 from four directions are installed.

  A suction groove 44 b is formed on the upper surface 44 a of the spinner table 44, and the suction groove 44 b is connected to a suction source (not shown) through a flow path (not shown) formed in the spinner table 44. . The spinner table 44 is connected to a rotation mechanism (not shown) such as a motor via a rotation shaft 48 provided at the lower portion, and rotates by a rotational force transmitted from the rotation mechanism.

  Above the spinner table 44, a nozzle (cleaning nozzle) 50 for injecting powdered dry ice (solid oxygen dioxide) is disposed. The nozzle 50 is connected to a drive mechanism (not shown) via an L-shaped support arm 52 and is oscillated in the radial direction of the spinner table 44.

  The nozzle 50 is connected to a carbon dioxide supply source 56 that supplies liquid carbon dioxide via a pipe 54a and a pipe 54b. The nozzle 50 is connected to an air supply source 58 that supplies compressed air (compressed air) via a pipe 54a and a pipe 54c. The pipe 54 a is provided with an ionizer (antistatic means) 60 that ionizes the air supplied from the air supply source 58.

  After the cut wafer 11 is transported by the transport mechanism and sucked and held on the spinner table 44, the spinner table 44 is rotated, and powdery dry ice is sprayed while the nozzle 50 is swung in the radial direction of the spinner table 44. To do. Thereby, the wafer 11 is cleaned. In the cutting apparatus 2 provided with the cleaning mechanism 42 according to the present embodiment, foreign matter that cannot be removed by a fluid such as water can be removed by spraying powdery dry ice onto the wafer 11.

  Next, the cleaning step of the wafer 11 performed in the cutting device 2 described above will be described. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional side view schematically showing a cleaning step performed by the cutting apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment. In the cleaning step, first, liquid carbon dioxide is supplied from the carbon dioxide supply source 56 and air is supplied from the air supply source 58.

  When the liquid carbon dioxide supplied from the carbon dioxide supply source 56 and the air supplied from the air supply source 58 are mixed, a part of the liquid carbon dioxide vaporizes and takes heat (vaporization heat). As a result, the temperature of liquid carbon dioxide falls below the freezing point, and dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) 62 is generated. Thus, the dry ice 62 obtained by releasing liquid carbon dioxide into the atmosphere becomes a very fine powder.

  When the powdery dry ice 62 is sprayed from the nozzle 50 and collides with the wafer 11, the dry ice 62 is deformed, crushed and sublimated. Foreign matter adhering to the surface of the wafer 11 and the like is removed by the energy of expansion generated by sublimation of the dry ice 62. Note that the supply amounts of liquid carbon dioxide and air are adjusted such that an amount of dry ice 62 suitable for cleaning the wafer 11 is ejected from the nozzle 50.

  Since the dry ice 62 described above has a low hardness and is fine, the wafer 11 is not damaged in this cleaning step. Further, since the cleaning mechanism 42 of the present embodiment includes an ionizer 60 in the pipe 54a that appropriately ionizes the compressed air supplied from the air supply source 58, the powdery dry ice 62 is prevented from being charged. Thus, damage to the device 13 can be prevented.

  As described above, the cutting apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment includes the cleaning mechanism (cleaning means) 42 having the nozzle (cleaning nozzle) 50 that sprays the powdery dry ice 62 onto the wafer (workpiece) 11. Therefore, by spraying the powdery dry ice 62 onto the wafer 11, foreign substances that cannot be removed by a fluid such as water can be removed. That is, according to the cutting device 2 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide the cutting device 2 including the cleaning mechanism 42 that can appropriately remove the foreign matter adhering to the wafer 11.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to description of the said embodiment, A various change can be implemented. For example, in the above embodiment, the wafer 11 is used as the workpiece, but a resin substrate, a glass substrate, or the like may be used as the workpiece. When the resin substrate is a workpiece, burrs and the like can be removed by the cleaning mechanism of the present embodiment.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the ionizer 60 is provided in the piping 54a, the arrangement position of the ionizer 60 is not limited to this. For example, the ionizer 60 may be provided around the spinner table 44.

  Further, an antistatic mechanism (antistatic means) other than the ionizer 60 may be provided. Of course, when damage to the device 13 due to charging is not a problem, an antistatic mechanism such as an ionizer can be omitted.

  In addition, the configurations, methods, and the like according to the above-described embodiments can be changed as appropriate without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention.

2 Cutting device 4 Base 4a, 4b, 4c Opening 6 Cassette mounting table 8 Cassette 10 X axis moving table 12 Waterproof cover 14 Chuck table 14a Holding surface 16 Clamp 18 Cutting unit (cutting means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Support part 22 Cutting unit moving mechanism 24 Y-axis guide rail 26 Y-axis moving table 28 Y-axis ball screw 30 Y-axis pulse motor 32 Z-axis guide rail 34 Z-axis moving table 36 Z-axis ball screw 38 Z-axis pulse motor 40 Cutting blade 42 Cleaning mechanism (cleaning means)
44 Spinner table (washing table)
44a Upper surface 44b Suction groove 46 Clamp 48 Rotating shaft 50 Nozzle (cleaning nozzle)
52 Support arm 54a, 54b, 54c Piping 56 Carbon dioxide supply source 58 Air supply source 60 Ionizer (antistatic means)
62 Dry ice (solid carbon dioxide)
11 Wafer (Workpiece)
13 devices 15 dicing tape 17 frames

Claims (2)

A chuck table for holding a workpiece, a cutting means having a cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a cleaning means for cleaning the surface of the workpiece cut by the cutting means A cutting device comprising:
The cleaning means includes a cleaning means having a cleaning table for holding a workpiece, and a cleaning nozzle for injecting powdered dry ice onto the workpiece held on the cleaning table. Cutting equipment.   2. The cutting apparatus provided with the cleaning means according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning means includes an antistatic means for preventing charging of the powdery dry ice sprayed from the cleaning nozzle.

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