JP2016152303A - Delivery device and method of wafer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a delivery device and method of a wafer which allow for reliable delivery of the wafer to a wafer receiving member.SOLUTION: A delivery device of a wafer includes: a wafer transport holding member 16 having a flat suction surface 17 to which a wafer W is vacuum sucked; a chuck table 51 receiving the wafer W transported by the wafer transport holding member 16; a negative pressure generating section 55 generating a negative pressure for sucking the wafer W to the suction surface 17 of the wafer transport holding member 16; an exfoliation water supply section 22 for generating a water flow supplied between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W and discharged from the outer peripheral side of the wafer W; and a control section 26 for controlling generation and stop of the negative pressure by the negative pressure generating section 55, and discharge and stop of the exfoliation water by the exfoliation water supply section 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a wafer delivery apparatus and method, and more particularly to a wafer held by suction on a suction surface of a carrier holding member with a negative pressure and conveyed to a predetermined position. The present invention relates to a wafer delivery apparatus and method for delivery.

  In the field of semiconductor manufacturing, semiconductor wafers such as silicon wafers (hereinafter simply referred to as “wafers”) are sequentially transferred to a plurality of process locations and subjected to various types of processing. In recent years, wafers have become larger and thinner, and the wafer is likely to warp or bend. For this reason, various ideas have been proposed for reliably transporting a wafer that is warped or bent.

  For example, when transporting a wafer to each process, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-64152 (Patent Document 1) discloses that a peripheral portion of a wafer is sucked and held by a plurality of suction cups by a transport holding member and transported to a predetermined position. Then, a technique is known in which the suction holding is released and the delivery is transferred to the delivery member side. In this delivery technique, the wafer is pinpointed and held by a plurality of suction cups, which causes a problem of damage in the case of a thin wafer.

  Therefore, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-209247 (Patent Document 2), a negative pressure is generated on the suction surface provided on the conveyance holding member, and the entire surface of the wafer is suction-held on the suction surface, A technique is known in which, after being transported to a predetermined position, the suction holding is released and the material is delivered to the delivery member side. In this method, when the negative pressure is removed at a predetermined position and the suction holding is released, the wafer is firmly attached to the suction surface of the transport holding member by the surface tension, and the wafer is smoothly removed from the suction surface. There is a problem that the wafer cannot be delivered to the delivery member without being peeled off. In order to solve this problem, at a predetermined position, the suction holding on the transport holding member side is released, and at the same time, air is blown from the suction surface side of the transport holding member toward one surface of the wafer, forcing the wafer from the suction surface. There is also known a technique that peels it off.

JP-A-9-64152. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-209247.

  However, in the technique in which air is blown from the suction surface side of the transport holding member to one surface of the wafer at the position where the transport is finished, and the wafer is forcibly separated from the suction surface by the spray force, There is a possibility that the dust mixed in the air is directly sprayed on and adhered to the wafer, or the dust around the transfer member is wound up and adhered to contaminate the wafer.

  Therefore, the wafer is sucked and held on the suction surface of the carrier holding member with a negative pressure and transported to a predetermined position. At the predetermined position, the wafer is securely placed on the receiving member side without adhering dust or the like to the wafer. There is a technical problem to be solved in order to provide a wafer transfer apparatus and method which can be transferred, and the present invention aims to solve this problem.

  The present invention has been proposed in order to achieve the above object, and the invention according to claim 1 is a wafer transfer device used for transporting a wafer, and is a flat surface on which the wafer is sucked and held. A wafer carrying / holding member having an attractive suction surface, a wafer receiving member for receiving the wafer carried by the wafer carrying / holding member, and the wafer held by suction on the suction surface of the wafer carrying / holding member A negative pressure generating section for generating a negative pressure, a stripping water supply section for supplying stripping water between the suction surface and the wafer to generate a flow of water discharged from the outer peripheral side of the wafer, and the negative pressure There is provided a wafer delivery apparatus comprising: control means for controlling generation / stop of the negative pressure by a pressure generation unit and discharge / stop of the release water by the release water supply unit.

  According to this configuration, the entire surface of the wafer can be adsorbed and conveyed by the negative pressure generated on the adsorption surface of the wafer conveyance holding member, so that breakage due to cracking of the wafer can be prevented. Further, the negative pressure on the suction surface side is cut off at a predetermined position after the transfer, and peeling water is discharged from the suction surface side of the wafer transfer holding member to the wafer, and the peeling water is discharged between the suction surface and the wafer. , The surface tension generated between the suction surface and the wafer is cut off, the wafer is easily peeled off from the suction surface of the wafer transfer holding member, and the peeled wafer is surely attached to the wafer receiving member side. Can be passed to.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the configuration according to claim 1, wherein the suction surface has a hole or an annular groove for sucking the wafer and a hole or a groove for discharging peeling water to the wafer. Provided is a wafer transfer device.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to alternately perform the suction of the wafer and the discharge of the peeling water by using the hole or the annular groove provided on the suction surface of the wafer conveyance holding member.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to the first or second aspect, the hole or annular groove for sucking the wafer and the hole or annular groove for discharging peeling water to the wafer are a common hole or Provided is a wafer transfer device which is a groove.

  According to this configuration, the number of holes or grooves is reduced by making the hole or annular groove for sucking the wafer and the hole or annular groove for discharging the peeling water to the wafer a common hole or groove. Therefore, the cost can be reduced.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wafer transfer apparatus according to the first, second, or third aspect, wherein a plurality of the annular grooves are provided substantially concentrically.

  According to this configuration, since the suction holding force of the wafer on the suction surface is applied to the whole disk on average without being biased, the wafer can be sucked and held on the suction surface in a stable state. On the other hand, when the peeling water is discharged to the wafer, the water is discharged from the suction surface in a circumferential shape and flows uniformly from the center side toward the outer peripheral side, so that the surface tension on the wafer is evenly eliminated. The wafer can be smoothly peeled off from the suction surface.

  The invention according to claim 5 is a wafer delivery method in which the wafer is sucked and held on the suction surface by a negative pressure generated on the suction surface of the wafer transport and holding member, transported to a predetermined position, and delivered to the wafer receiving member. There is provided a wafer delivery method in which the suction holding force due to the negative pressure is removed at the predetermined position, and then the peeling water is discharged from the suction surface toward the wafer.

  According to this method, the negative pressure on the suction surface side of the wafer that has been transported by attracting the entire surface of the wafer to the suction surface of the wafer transport holding member is cut off, and then the suction surface side of the wafer transport holding member When the release water is discharged from one side to the other side of the wafer, the surface tension generated between the suction surface of the wafer transfer holding member and the wafer is removed, and the wafer is smoothly peeled off from the suction surface of the wafer transfer holding member. Thus, the wafer can be reliably delivered to the wafer receiving member side.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the method according to the fifth aspect, a step of generating a negative pressure on the suction surface of the wafer conveyance holding member to convey the wafer to the vicinity of the predetermined position; A step of generating a negative pressure on the suction surface on the member side, a step of cutting off the negative pressure generated on the suction surface on the wafer transfer holding member side, and a direction from the suction surface on the wafer transfer holding member side toward the wafer A method of delivering a wafer by discharging the peeling water, allowing the peeling water to flow between the adsorption surface and the wafer and discharging from the outer periphery of the wafer.

  According to this method, when the wafer is sucked and held on the suction surface of the wafer transport holding member and transported to the vicinity of a predetermined position, a negative pressure is generated on the suction surface on the wafer receiving member side, and the wafer transport holding member side Cut off the negative pressure (suction holding force) by the suction surface. Thereafter, peeling water is discharged toward the wafer from the suction surface on the wafer transfer holding member side, and the peeling water flows between the suction surface and the wafer to be discharged from the outer periphery of the wafer. Then, when peeling water flows between the suction surface and the wafer, the surface tension generated between the suction surface and the wafer is cut off, and the wafer is easily peeled off from the suction surface on the wafer transfer holding member side. The peeled wafer can be reliably transferred to the wafer receiving member side.

  A seventh aspect of the invention provides a method for transferring a wafer according to the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein the peeling water is discharged substantially concentrically with the wafer.

  According to this method, since the peeling water flows uniformly from the center of the wafer toward the outer peripheral side, the surface tension between the suction surface on the wafer transfer holding member side and the wafer is uniformly eliminated, The wafer can be smoothly peeled off from the suction surface.

  According to the present invention, the negative pressure on the suction surface side of the wafer that has been transported by attracting the entire surface of the wafer to the suction surface of the wafer transport holding member is cut off, and then the suction surface side of the wafer transport holding member The release water is discharged from one side to the other side of the wafer, the surface tension generated between the suction surface of the wafer transfer holding member and the wafer is removed, and the wafer is transferred to the wafer receiving part. Therefore, the wafer can be transferred smoothly and reliably to the wafer receiving member side.

FIG. 2 is a schematic arrangement view of main components constituting a wafer transfer apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic side view which shows the delivery apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the state before making a chuck plate approach a chuck table. It is a schematic side view which shows the delivery apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the state after making a chuck plate approach a chuck table. It is a top view of the adsorption | suction surface in the wafer conveyance holding member of a delivery apparatus same as the above. It is an AA line schematic sectional drawing of FIG. It is a top view of the adsorption | suction surface in the wafer receiving member of a delivery apparatus same as the above. It is a BB schematic sectional drawing of FIG. It is a figure explaining the wafer delivery operation | movement procedure of a delivery apparatus same as the above. It is a top view which shows the modification of the attraction | suction surface in the wafer conveyance holding member of a delivery apparatus same as the above. It is CC sectional schematic sectional drawing of FIG.

  In the present invention, the wafer is sucked and held on the suction surface of the carrier holding member with a negative pressure and conveyed to a predetermined position, and the wafer is reliably received by the wafer receiving member without adhering dust or the like at the predetermined position. In order to achieve the object of providing a wafer delivery apparatus and method that can be delivered, a wafer delivery apparatus used for transporting a wafer, wherein the wafer is attracted and held flat A wafer transfer holding member having a surface, a wafer receiving member for receiving the wafer transferred by the wafer transfer holding member, and a negative pressure at which the wafer is sucked and held on the suction surface of the wafer transfer holding member A negative pressure generating unit that generates a separation water supply unit that generates a flow of water discharged from the outer peripheral side of the wafer by supplying separation water between the adsorption surface and the wafer; Serial was realized as and a control device which controls the ejection-stop of the release water by the negative pressure generated or stop and of the release water supply unit due to the negative pressure generating portion.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a wafer transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic arrangement view of main components constituting a delivery device in a semiconductor manufacturing process shown as an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the delivery device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing the same delivery apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a state after the chuck plate is brought close to the chuck table. FIG. 4 is a wafer conveyance holding member of the delivery apparatus. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the suction face in the wafer receiving member of the delivery apparatus, and FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. It is.

  1 to 7, the delivery apparatus 10 finish-grinds a thinly sliced substantially disk-shaped wafer W that has undergone roughing processing at the roughing process location 101 in a grinding process location within the semiconductor manufacturing process. Although the case where it conveys on the chuck | zipper table 51 of the process location 102 is shown as an example, this invention is not limited to this.

  The delivery device 10 mainly includes a transport unit 11 and a receiving unit 12.

  The transfer unit 11 includes a spindle shaft 13 and a wafer transfer holding member 16 having one end attached to the spindle shaft 13 and a chuck plate 15 attached to a lower surface on the other end side via a pivot 14.

  The wafer carrying / holding member 16 can be horizontally rotated about the spindle shaft 13 as a fulcrum, and can be moved vertically in the vertical direction together with the chuck plate 15 and the spindle shaft 13. Then, the wafer transfer holding member 16 rotates horizontally with the spindle shaft 13 as a fulcrum, thereby moving the chuck plate 15 from the position of the roughing process location 101 to the finish grinding process location 102, in the opposite direction. It is possible to reciprocate approximately 90 degrees from the grinding process location 102 to the roughing process location 101, respectively. In the state where the chuck plate 15 is arranged at the position of the finish grinding step 102, the chuck plate 15 is arranged almost directly above the chuck table 51 of the receiving unit 12, as shown in FIG. It has become.

  Further, the wafer transfer holding member 16 can be moved vertically in the vertical direction at the roughing process location 101 and the finish grinding process location 102, respectively. Then, by moving the wafer transfer holding member 16 up and down in the vertical direction at the position of the finish grinding step 102, the distance between the chuck plate 13 and the chuck table 51 (the vertical distance) is as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the state can be switched between two states, that is, a state of being far apart and a state of being very close as shown in FIG.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the chuck plate 15 is formed as a disk-like block body, and a flat suction surface 17 is provided on the lower surface side. As shown in FIG. 5, the inside of the chuck plate 15 is formed in a cavity 18 (hereinafter referred to as “cavity 18”), and the suction surface 17 is opened on the lower surface side as shown in FIG. A plurality of (in this embodiment, nine) annular grooves 19 are provided concentrically. Each of the grooves 19 has a width of about 2 mm and is connected to the cavity 18 through the through hole 20 as shown in FIG. The adsorbing surface 17 is preferably formed of a water-repellent material with good water repellency, such as engineering plastic, ceramics, peak material or the like, or formed by lapping engineering plastic and attaching it to the surface. Good.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transfer unit 11 includes a negative pressure generating unit 21 that generates a negative pressure for vacuum-sucking the wafer W onto the suction surface 17, and the suction surface 17 to the wafer W. A stripping water supply unit 22 that discharges stripping water is connected to the cavity 18 through a pipe 23. An electromagnetic on-off valve 24 that is controlled to open and close by a control unit 26 is connected between the transfer unit 11 and the negative pressure generating unit 21, and the pipe 23 is connected between the transfer unit 11 and the peeling water supply unit 22. An electromagnetic on-off valve 25 that is controlled to be opened and closed by the control unit 26 is connected to the motor. These electromagnetic on-off valves 24 and 25 are biased to a normally closed state by springs 24a and 25a, respectively. When the electromagnets 24b and 25b are energized and excited under the control of the control unit 26, the electromagnets 24b and 25b are switched from the closed state to the open state against the bias of the springs 24a and 25a. On the contrary, when energization is cut off, each is de-energized and switched to the closed state by the urging of the springs 24a and 25a. The control unit 26 is a control unit having a program for controlling the entire apparatus according to a predetermined procedure, and is a computer, for example. In this embodiment, the control unit 26 performs switching operation of the electromagnetic on / off valves 24 and 25 and an electromagnetic on / off valve 57 to be described later based on the program.

  The negative pressure generator 21 has a negative pressure source such as a vacuum pump. When the electromagnetic on / off valve 24 is switched from the closed state to the open state under the control of the control unit 26, the cavity 18 of the chuck plate 15 is passed through the pipe 23. The inside air is sucked to make the inside of the hollow portion 18 have a negative pressure, and the air in the groove 19 is drawn through the through hole 20 to make the suction surface 17 negative, and the wafer W is vacuumed on the suction surface 17. It can be adsorbed.

  The stripping water supply unit 22 includes a stripping water storage tank that stores stripping water, a pump that feeds the stripping water in the stripping water storage tank, and the like, and a cavity portion of the chuck plate 15 through the electromagnetic on-off valve 25. The peeling water can be forcibly supplied into the interior 18. As the peeling water, pure water is used in this embodiment. Further, the electromagnetic on-off valve 25 can finely adjust the flow rate supplied into the hollow portion 18 from the peeling water supply portion 22 side.

  The separation water supply unit 22 can supply the separation water into the cavity 18 of the chuck plate 15 through the pipe 23 when the electromagnetic on-off valve 25 is switched from the closed state to the open state under the control of the control unit 26. Further, the peeling water supplied into the cavity 18 is further discharged from the cavity 18 through the through hole 20 and into the groove 19, and is further discharged between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W. 17 flows between the wafer 17 and the wafer W, and gently flows between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W to be discharged from the outer periphery of the wafer W. Then, when the peeling water flows between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W, the wafer W is lifted from the suction surface 17 and the surface tension generated between the suction surface and the wafer is cut off. It can be smoothly peeled off from the suction surface 17. Therefore, the supply of the stripping water here is sufficient as long as the amount of water can cut off the surface tension generated between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the chuck table 51 as a wafer receiving member is formed as a disk-shaped block, and a flat suction surface 52 is provided on the upper surface. 7, the inside of the chuck plate 51 is formed in a cavity 53 (hereinafter referred to as “cavity portion 53”), and the upper surface side (side on which the wafer W is sent) is formed on the suction surface 52. A plurality of holes 54 are provided radially from the approximate center of the suction portion 52 toward the outer peripheral side. Each of these holes 54 is connected in the cavity 53. Also, the adsorption surface 52 here is preferably formed of a water-repellent material having good water drainage, for example, engineering plastic, ceramics, peak material, etc., or engineering plastic is lapped and attached to the surface. It is good to form.

  A negative pressure generating portion 55 that generates a negative pressure for vacuum-sucking the wafer W to the suction surface 52 is connected to the cavity portion 53 via the pipe 56 in the chuck table 51. An electromagnetic on-off valve 57 that is controlled to open and close by the control unit 26 is connected to the pipe 56 between the chuck table 51 (receiving unit 12) and the negative pressure generating unit 55. The electromagnetic open / close valve 57 is biased to a normally closed state by a spring 57a. When the electromagnet 57b is energized by the control of the control unit 26 and the electromagnet 57b is excited, the electromagnetic on / off valve 57 resists the bias of the spring 57a. When the electromagnet 57b is deenergized by switching from the closed state to the open state, the spring 57a is biased to switch from the open state to the closed state.

  The negative pressure generator 51 has a negative pressure source such as a vacuum pump. Then, when the electromagnetic on-off valve 57 is switched to the open state by the control of the control unit 26, the air in the cavity 53 of the chuck table 51 is sucked through the pipe 56, and the inside of the cavity 53 is made negative pressure. The suction surface 52 is set to a negative pressure through the through hole 54 so that the wafer W can be vacuum-sucked to the suction surface 52.

  Next, the operation of the delivery apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described in the order of steps (a) to (d) of the flow with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, the transport unit 11 holds the wafer W on the chuck table (not shown) at the roughing process location 101 shown in FIG. 1 by vacuum suction holding with the center of the wafer W aligned with the approximate center of the suction surface 17 of the chuck plate 15. Then lift. In this case, under the control of the control unit 26, the electromagnetic on-off valve 24 for operating the negative pressure generating unit 21 is opened, and the electromagnetic on-off valve 25 for operating the stripping water supply unit 22 is closed. Therefore, the inside of the cavity 18 of the chuck plate 15 is in a negative pressure state, the wafer W is vacuum-sucked and held by the suction surface 17, and the release water from the release water supply unit 22 is blocked.

  Next, the wafer transfer holding member 16 is horizontally rotated approximately 90 degrees from the position of the roughing process place 101 with the spindle shaft 13 as a fulcrum, and the wafer W is placed on the chuck table 51 in the finish grinding process place 102. . Step (a) in FIG. 8 and FIG. 2 show this state. In this state, the electromagnetic on-off valve 57 of the receiving unit 12 at the finishing process location 102 is closed by the control of the control unit 26, and the cavity 53 and the negative pressure generating unit 55 are shut off. The inside of the cavity 53 of the chuck table 51 is in a positive pressure state.

  Next, in step (b) of FIG. 8, under the control of the control unit 26, the wafer conveyance holding member 16 is lowered together with the chuck plate 15 to a position where the wafer W substantially contacts the suction surface 52 of the chuck table 51. At the same time, the electromagnetic opening / closing valve 57 of the receiving unit 12 is opened by the control of the control unit 26. As a result, the cavity 53 of the chuck table 51 and the negative pressure generating part 55 communicate with each other, the inside of the cavity 53 of the chuck table 51 becomes negative pressure, and the wafer W can be held by vacuum suction on the suction surface 17. However, in this state, since the electromagnetic on-off valve 24 on the chuck plate 15 side is still opened, the inside of the cavity 18 of the chuck plate 15 is in a negative pressure state, and the wafer W is held by vacuum suction on the suction surface 17. It is in the state that was done.

  Next, in step (c) of FIG. 8, the electromagnetic on-off valve 24 on the chuck plate 15 side is switched to close under the control of the control unit 26. As a result, the communication between the negative pressure generator 24 and the chuck plate 15 is cut off, and the inside of the cavity 18 of the chuck plate 15 becomes positive pressure. And the negative pressure on the suction surface 17 of the chuck plate 15 is eliminated. However, the wafer W may remain attached to the suction surface 17 due to surface tension generated between the wafer W and the wafer W, and the wafer W may not be delivered to the chuck surface 51 side. Therefore, in the structure of the present embodiment, the electromagnetic switching valve 25 is switched to the open state almost simultaneously with the switching of the electromagnetic switching valve 24 under the control of the control unit 26, and the cavity 18 of the chuck plate 15 is passed through the pipe 23. Stripping water is supplied inside. The peeling water supplied into the cavity 18 is discharged from the cavity 18 through the through-hole 20 into the groove 19 and further between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W, and the suction surface 17 and the wafer. Separation water flows between W. Then, the peeling water gently and uniformly flows between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W from the center side to the outer peripheral side of the wafer W and is discharged from the outer periphery of the wafer W. Further, when the peeling water flows between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W, the surface tension generated between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W is cut off, and the wafer W is peeled off from the suction surface 17 smoothly. . Further, the peeled wafer W is attracted to the negative pressure on the suction surface 52 side and smoothly passed to the chuck table 51 side, and thereafter is vacuum-sucked on the suction surface 52. Thus, when the delivery of the wafer W is finished, the electromagnetic opening / closing valve 25 is switched from the open state to the closed state under the control of the control unit 26, and the peeling water discharged from the suction surface 17 is cut off. Further, in this embodiment, the adsorption surface 17 is formed of a material having water repellency with good drainage, so that when the separation water is cut off, the separation water remaining on the adsorption surface 17 is the adsorption surface 17. It flows away from the top instantly and disappears.

  Next, in step (d), the wafer conveyance holding member 16 is lifted together with the chuck plate 15. After the ascent, the wafer transfer holding member 16 is horizontally rotated approximately 90 degrees toward the roughing process location 101 with the spindle shaft 13 as a fulcrum, and is returned to the roughing process location 101. On the other hand, the wafer W set on the chuck table 51 is subjected to finish grinding on the chuck table 51 and then transferred by means not shown. By performing this series of operations, the wafer W can be vacuum-sucked and held at the roughing process location 101 and can be reliably delivered to the chuck table 51 side at the finish grinding process location 102.

  Therefore, in the wafer delivery apparatus 10 configured as described above, the wafer transfer holding member 16 provided with the chuck plate 15 having the flat suction surface 17 on which the wafer W is vacuum-sucked, and the wafer transfer holding member 16 The wafer W is held on the wafer receiving member (chuck table 51 of the receiving unit 12) that receives the wafer W that has been transferred by vacuum chucking and holding on the chuck plate 15, and the suction surface 17 provided on the wafer transfer holding member 16 side. A negative pressure generating unit 21 that generates a negative pressure to be adsorbed, a stripping water supply unit 22 that discharges stripping water from the suction surface 17 provided on the wafer transfer holding member 16 side toward the wafer W, and a negative pressure generating unit Control means (control unit) for controlling generation / stop of negative pressure by 21 and discharge / stop of stripping water by stripping water supply unit 22 respectively. Thus, the entire surface of the wafer W can be attracted to the suction surface 17 and transported by the negative pressure generated on the suction surface 17 on the wafer transport holding member 16 side. For this reason, since the whole surface of the wafer W is held and transported, it is possible to prevent damage due to cracking of the wafer W. In addition, the negative pressure on the suction surface 17 side is cut off at the position where the transfer is completed, and peeling water is discharged from the suction surface 17 toward one surface of the wafer W, and the peeling water is discharged between the suction surface 17 and the wafer W. The wafer W can be lifted from the suction surface 17 by the flow of the discharged peeling water, and the surface tension generated between the suction surface 17 and the wafer can be cut off. As a result, the wafer W can be smoothly peeled off from the suction surface 17 on the wafer transfer holding member 16 side and can be reliably transferred to the wafer receiving member (chuck table 51 of the receiving unit 12) side.

  The suction surface 17 on the wafer transfer holding member 16 side is provided with a common groove 19 for sucking the wafer W and discharging peeling water to the wafer W, so that the wafer 19 is sucked using the groove 19. And exfoliation water can be discharged alternately. Thus, by combining the groove for sucking the wafer W and the groove for discharging the peeling water, the number of grooves 19 is reduced, and the structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

  Further, since a plurality of annular grooves 19 are provided concentrically on the suction surface 17 on the wafer transfer holding member 16 side, the wafer W is disposed substantially in alignment with the center of the annular groove 19. On the suction surface 17, a negative pressure can be circumferentially applied and averaged. For this reason, the entire surface of the wafer W can be vacuum-sucked and held on the suction surface 17 while the wafer W is not tilted and remains substantially horizontal. On the other hand, when the peeling water is discharged onto the wafer W, water is discharged from the center side of the suction surface 17 in a circumferential shape, and as shown by arrows in FIG. It flows evenly and uniformly. For this reason, the surface tension with respect to the wafer W between the wafer W and the suction surface 17 can be cut evenly. Thereby, the wafer W can be smoothly transferred onto the chuck table 51 which is a wafer receiving member without causing a bias with respect to the wafer W.

  It should be noted that the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally extends to the modified ones. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a structure in which the annular groove 19 is provided on the suction surface 17 on the wafer transfer holding member 16 side is disclosed, but a plurality of grooves as shown in FIGS. The through holes 20a, 20a,... May be annularly arranged, and the annular through hole rows may be concentrically arranged. That is, FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a modification of the suction surface of the wafer conveyance holding member 16, and FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 9, and the wafer conveyance and holding shown in FIGS. The members denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the member 16 are the same members as the wafer transfer holding member 16 shown in FIGS.

  The delivery apparatus 10 of the present invention has disclosed an example in the case where the wafer W is transferred from the roughing process place 101 to the chuck table 51 at the finish grinding process place 102 in the grinding process place of semiconductor manufacturing. It can also be applied.

13 Spindle shaft 14 Axis 15 Chuck plate 16 Wafer transfer holding member 17 Suction surface 18 Cavity (cavity)
19 Groove 20 Through-hole 20a Through-hole 21 Negative pressure generating part 22 Stripping water supply part 23 Pipe 24 Electromagnetic on-off valve 24a Spring 24b Electromagnet 25 Electromagnetic on-off valve 25a Spring 25b Electromagnet 26 Control part (control means)
51 Chuck table (wafer receiving member)
52 Adsorption surface 53 Cavity part 54 Hole 55 Negative pressure generation part 56 Piping 57 Electromagnetic switching valve 57a Spring 57b Electromagnet 101 Roughing process part 102 Finish grinding process part W Wafer

Claims (7)

A wafer transfer device used for transferring a wafer,
A wafer transfer holding member having a flat suction surface on which the wafer is sucked and held;
A wafer receiving member for receiving the wafer transferred by the wafer transfer holding member;
A negative pressure generating section for generating a negative pressure at which the wafer is sucked and held on the suction surface of the wafer transfer holding member;
A stripping water supply unit that supplies stripping water between the adsorption surface and the wafer to generate a flow of water discharged from the outer peripheral side of the wafer;
Control means for controlling generation / stop of the negative pressure by the negative pressure generation unit and discharge / stop of the stripping water by the stripping water supply unit;
A wafer transfer apparatus comprising:   The wafer transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the suction surface includes a hole or an annular groove for sucking the wafer and a hole or a groove for discharging peeling water to the wafer.   3. The wafer according to claim 1, wherein the hole or annular groove for sucking the wafer and the hole or annular groove for discharging the peeling water to the wafer are a common hole or groove. Delivery device.   4. The wafer transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the annular grooves are provided substantially concentrically. A wafer transfer method for transferring a wafer onto a wafer receiving member by sucking and holding the wafer on the suction surface with a negative pressure generated on the suction surface of the wafer transfer holding member,
The wafer delivery method, wherein the suction holding force due to the negative pressure is removed at the predetermined position, and then the peeling water is discharged from the suction surface toward the wafer.   Generating negative pressure on the suction surface of the wafer transport holding member to transport the wafer to the vicinity of the predetermined position; generating negative pressure on the suction surface on the wafer receiving member side; and wafer transport Cutting off the negative pressure generated on the holding surface on the holding member side, discharging peeling water from the suction surface on the wafer transport holding member side toward the wafer, and removing the peeling water from the suction surface and the wafer 6. The wafer delivery method according to claim 5, wherein the wafer is passed through and discharged from the outer periphery of the wafer.   7. The wafer transfer method according to claim 5, wherein the peeling water is discharged substantially concentrically with the wafer.

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