JP2020092205A - Wafer processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To form a device chip without deteriorating quality.SOLUTION: A wafer processing method for dividing a wafer in which a plurality of devices are formed on a surface into individual device chips comprises a polyester-based sheet arranging step, an integrating step, a frame supporting step, a dividing step, and a picking-up step. The polyester-based sheet arranging step arranges a polyester-based sheet on a rear surface of the wafer. The integrating step heats the polyester-based sheet by applying hot air to the sheet, and integrates the wafer and the polyester-based sheet. The frame supporting step supports the polyester-based sheet by a frame composed of a first frame including an opening and a plurality of magnets and a second frame including an opening by holding an outer periphery of the polyester-based sheet between the first frame and the second frame by a magnetic force using the frame. The dividing step forms a division groove along division schedule lines and divides the wafer into individual device chips. The picking-up step heats the polyester-based sheet and pushes up the device chips.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a wafer processing method for dividing a wafer, which is formed in each region of a surface in which a plurality of devices are divided by dividing lines, into individual device chips.

In the manufacturing process of device chips used for electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers, first, a plurality of planned dividing lines (streets) are set on the surface of a wafer made of a material such as a semiconductor. Then, devices such as ICs (Integrated Circuits), LSIs (Large-Scale Integrated circuits), and LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are formed in the respective areas divided by the planned dividing lines.

After that, an adhesive tape called a dicing tape attached so as to close the opening in an annular frame having an opening is attached to the back surface of the wafer, and the wafer, the adhesive tape, and the annular frame are integrated. Forming a frame unit. Then, when the wafer included in the frame unit is processed and divided along the dividing lines, individual device chips are formed.

For example, a laser processing device is used for dividing the wafer (see Patent Document 1). The laser processing apparatus includes a chuck table that holds the wafer via an adhesive tape, and a laser processing unit that irradiates the wafer with a laser beam having a wavelength that is absorptive to the wafer.

When dividing the wafer, a frame unit is placed on the chuck table and the wafer is held on the chuck table via an adhesive tape. Then, while the chuck table and the laser processing unit are relatively moved in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the chuck table, the laser processing unit irradiates the wafer with the laser beam. When the laser beam is irradiated, a division groove is formed in the wafer along each division line by ablation, and the wafer is divided.

After that, the frame unit is carried out from the laser processing apparatus, the adhesive tape is subjected to a treatment such as irradiation with ultraviolet rays to reduce the adhesive force of the adhesive tape, and the device chip is picked up. As a processing device with high device chip production efficiency, there is known a processing device capable of continuously dividing a wafer and irradiating the adhesive tape with ultraviolet rays by one device (see Patent Document 2). The device chip picked up from the adhesive tape is mounted on a predetermined wiring board or the like.

JP, 10-305420, A Japanese Patent No. 3076179

The adhesive tape includes, for example, a base material layer formed of a vinyl chloride sheet or the like and a glue layer disposed on the base material layer. In the laser processing apparatus, in order to surely divide the wafer by ablation processing, the wafer is irradiated with the laser beam under the condition that the dividing groove from the front surface to the back surface of the wafer can be surely formed. Therefore, below or around the formed dividing groove, the glue layer of the adhesive tape is melted by the thermal effect of the laser beam irradiation, and a part of the glue layer is formed on the back surface side of the device chip formed from the wafer. It sticks.

In this case, when the device tape is picked up from the adhesive tape, even if a treatment such as irradiating the adhesive tape with ultraviolet rays is performed, the part of the glue layer remains on the back surface side of the picked-up device chip. .. Therefore, the deterioration of the quality of the device chip becomes a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is that a glue layer does not adhere to the back surface side of a device chip to be formed, and a quality derived from the adhesion of the glue layer to the device chip is obtained. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wafer processing method that does not cause a decrease.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of devices is a wafer processing method for dividing a wafer formed in each region of the front surface partitioned by a dividing line into individual device chips, and A polyester sheet arranging step of arranging the polyester sheet, and an integration step of heating the polyester sheet by applying hot air to the polyester sheet to integrate the wafer and the polyester sheet. A first frame having an opening sized to accommodate the wafer and having a plurality of magnets before or after the integration step, and a second frame having an opening sized to accommodate the wafer And the outer peripheral portion of the polyester sheet is sandwiched between the first frame and the second frame by the magnetic force generated by the magnet. And a frame supporting step of supporting the wafer with the frame, and irradiating the wafer with a laser beam having a wavelength having an absorptivity for the wafer along the dividing line to form dividing grooves to form the individual devices on the wafer. In the dividing step of dividing into chips, and in each area of the polyester sheet corresponding to each device chip, the polyester sheet is heated, the device chip is pushed up from the polyester sheet side, and the polyester sheet is removed from the polyester sheet. A pickup method for picking up a device chip is provided, and a wafer processing method is provided.

Further, preferably, in the pick-up step, the polyester sheet is expanded to widen the intervals between the device chips.

Further, preferably, the polyester sheet is either a polyethylene terephthalate sheet or a polyethylene naphthalate sheet.

Further preferably, in the integration step, the heating temperature is 250° C. to 270° C. when the polyester sheet is the polyethylene terephthalate sheet, and the heating temperature is when the polyester sheet is the polyethylene naphthalate sheet. The temperature is 160°C to 180°C.

Also, preferably, the wafer is made of any one of Si, GaN, GaAs, and glass.

In the wafer processing method according to one aspect of the present invention, the frame and the wafer are integrated with each other by using a polyester-based sheet having no adhesive layer, without using an adhesive tape having an adhesive layer in the frame unit. The integration step of integrating the polyester sheet and the wafer is realized by applying hot air to the polyester sheet.

A wafer processing method according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first frame having an opening having a size capable of accommodating a wafer and a second frame having an opening having a size capable of accommodating a wafer. Frame is used. The first frame includes a plurality of magnets, and the first frame and the second frame are attracted to each other by the magnetic force generated by the magnets.

Then, in the frame supporting step, a polyester sheet is arranged between the first frame and the second frame, and the polyester sheet is sandwiched between the first frame and the second frame and the polyester sheet is sandwiched between the first frame and the second frame. The polyester sheet can be supported by the frame.

That is, even if the polyester-based sheet does not have a glue layer, the wafer, the polyester-based sheet, and the frame can be integrated to form a frame unit by performing the integration step and the frame supporting step. ..

After that, the wafer is divided by irradiating the wafer with a laser beam having a wavelength having an absorptivity with respect to the wafer and forming a dividing groove along the dividing line by ablation. Then, in each area|region corresponding to each device chip of a polyester sheet, this polyester sheet is heated, this device chip is pushed up from the said polyester sheet side, and a device chip is picked up from a polyester sheet. The picked-up device chips are respectively mounted on predetermined mounting targets. When the polyester sheet is heated during pickup, the adhesive force of the polyester sheet is reduced and the load on the device chip can be reduced.

When the ablation process is performed on the wafer, the heat generated by the irradiation of the laser beam is transferred to the polyester sheet below and in the vicinity of the dividing groove. However, since the polyester sheet does not have a glue layer, the glue layer does not melt and stick to the back surface side of the device chip.

That is, according to one aspect of the present invention, since the frame unit can be formed by using the polyester-based sheet that does not have a glue layer, an adhesive tape having a glue layer is unnecessary, and as a result, a device caused by the adhesion of the glue layer No deterioration of chip quality occurs.

Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wafer processing method in which the glue layer does not adhere to the back surface side of the device chip to be formed and the deterioration of quality due to the adhesion of the glue layer to the device chip does not occur. ..

It is a perspective view which shows a wafer typically. It is a perspective view which shows typically a mode that a wafer is positioned on the holding surface of a chuck table. It is a perspective view which shows the polyester sheet|seat arrangement process typically. It is a perspective view which shows an example of an integrated process typically. FIG. 5A is a perspective view schematically showing the frame supporting step, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view schematically showing the formed frame unit. It is a perspective view which shows a dividing process typically. It is a perspective view which shows typically the carrying in of the frame unit to a pickup device. FIG. 8A is a sectional view schematically showing the frame unit fixed on the frame support base, and FIG. 8B is a sectional view schematically showing the pickup step.

An embodiment according to an aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a wafer processed by the wafer processing method according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the wafer 1.

The wafer 1 is made of, for example, Si (silicon), SiC (silicon carbide), GaN (gallium nitride), GaAs (gallium arsenide), or other semiconductor or other material, or sapphire, glass, quartz, or other material. It is a substantially disk-shaped substrate or the like. The glass is, for example, alkali glass, non-alkali glass, soda-lime glass, lead glass, borosilicate glass, quartz glass, or the like.

The front surface 1a of the wafer 1 is partitioned by a plurality of planned dividing lines 3 arranged in a grid pattern. In addition, devices 5 such as ICs, LSIs, and LEDs are formed in each area of the front surface 1a of the wafer 1 which is divided by the planned dividing line 3. In the method of processing the wafer 1 according to the present embodiment, a dividing groove is formed in the wafer 1 along the planned dividing line 3 by ablation processing, the wafer 1 is divided, and individual device chips are formed.

Before loading the wafer 1 into the laser processing apparatus 6 (see FIG. 6) in which the ablation process is performed, the wafer 1, the polyester sheet, and the frame are integrated to form a frame unit. The wafer 1 is carried into the laser processing apparatus and processed in the state of the frame unit. The formed individual device chips are supported by a polyester sheet. After that, the polyester sheet is expanded to widen the space between the device chips, and the device chips are picked up by the pickup device.

The annular frame 7 (see FIGS. 5A and 5B, etc.) is formed of, for example, a material such as metal and has a first frame 7a having an opening 7b having a size capable of accommodating the wafer 1. , A second frame 7f having an opening 7g having a size capable of accommodating the wafer 1, and a second frame 7f. For example, the first frame 7a and the second frame 7f have substantially the same shape.

The first frame 7a includes a plurality of pins 7d on the upper surface 7c. Further, a plurality of magnets 7e are embedded and arranged on the upper surface 7c of the first frame 7a. The second frame 7f is provided with a plurality of through holes 7i penetrating in the thickness direction. When the first frame 7a and the second frame 7f are overlapped with each other, the pin 7d of the first frame 7a is fitted into the through hole 7i so that the through hole of the second frame 7f is inserted. 7i are formed in the number, position and size corresponding to the pins 7d of the first frame 7a.

The polyester-based sheet 9 (see FIG. 3 and the like) is a flexible resin-based sheet and has flat front and back surfaces. The polyester sheet 9 has a diameter larger than the diameter of the opening 7b of the first frame 7a and the opening 7g of the second frame 7f that form the frame 7, and does not include a glue layer. The polyester sheet 9 is a polymer sheet synthesized by using dicarboxylic acid (compound having two carboxyl groups) and diol (compound having two hydroxyl groups) as monomers, for example, polyethylene terephthalate sheet, or , A sheet such as a polyethylene naphthalate sheet that is transparent or translucent to visible light. However, the polyester sheet 9 is not limited to this, and may be opaque.

Since the polyester sheet 9 does not have adhesiveness, it cannot be attached to the wafer 1 at room temperature. However, since the polyester-based sheet 9 has thermoplasticity, it can be partially melted and adhered to the wafer 1 when heated to a temperature near the melting point while being bonded to the wafer 1 while applying a predetermined pressure.

In the method for processing the wafer 1 according to the present embodiment, the polyester sheet 9 is adhered to the back surface 1b side of the wafer 1 by heating, and the outer peripheral portion of the polyester sheet 9 is divided into the first frame 7a and the second frame 7f. , And form a frame unit.

Next, each step of the method for processing the wafer 1 according to this embodiment will be described. First, in order to prepare the wafer 1 and the polyester sheet 9 to be integrated with each other, a polyester sheet arranging step is performed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing how the wafer 1 is positioned on the holding surface 2 a of the chuck table 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the polyester sheet arranging step is performed on the chuck table 2 having the holding surface 2a on the upper portion.

The chuck table 2 includes a porous member having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the wafer 1 at the center of the upper portion. The upper surface of the porous member becomes the holding surface 2a of the chuck table 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the chuck table 2 has an exhaust passage inside which one end communicates with the porous member, and a suction source 2b is arranged on the other end side of the exhaust passage. A switching unit 2c for switching between a communication state and a disconnection state is arranged in the exhaust passage, and when the switching unit 2c is in the communication state, a negative force generated by the suction source 2b is generated on the held object placed on the holding surface 2a. The pressure acts and the held object is suction-held on the chuck table 2.

In the polyester sheet arranging step, first, as shown in FIG. 2, the wafer 1 is placed on the holding surface 2 a of the chuck table 2. At this time, the front surface 1a side of the wafer 1 is turned downward. Next, the polyester sheet 9 is provided on the back surface 1b of the wafer 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the polyester sheet arranging step. As shown in FIG. 3, a polyester sheet 9 is provided on the wafer 1 so as to cover the wafer 1.

In the polyester sheet arranging step, the chuck table 2 including the holding surface 2a having a diameter smaller than that of the polyester sheet 9 is used. When the negative pressure by the chuck table 2 is applied to the polyester sheet 9 in the integration step to be performed later, the negative pressure will leak from the gap unless the entire holding surface 2a is covered with the polyester sheet 9. This is because the pressure cannot be properly applied to the polyester sheet 9.

In the method for processing the wafer 1 according to the present embodiment, next, an integrated step of applying hot air to the polyester sheet 9 to heat the polyester sheet 9 to integrate the wafer 1 with the polyester sheet 9 Carry out. FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the integration process. In FIG. 4, what is visible through the polyester sheet 9 that is transparent or translucent to visible light is indicated by a broken line.

In the integration step, first, the switching unit 2c of the chuck table 2 is operated to establish a communication state in which the suction source 2b is connected to the porous member above the chuck table 2, and the negative pressure by the suction source 2b is applied to the polyester sheet 9. Let it work. Then, the polyester sheet 9 is brought into close contact with the wafer 1 by the atmospheric pressure.

Next, the polyester sheet 9 is heated while sucking the polyester sheet 9 by the suction source 2b. The polyester sheet 9 is heated by, for example, a heat gun 4 arranged above the chuck table 2 as shown in FIG.

The heat gun 4 has a heating unit such as a heating wire and a blowing mechanism such as a fan inside, and can heat and inject air. While the negative pressure from the suction source 2b is applied to the polyester-based sheet 9, the heat gun 4 supplies the hot air 4a from the upper surface to the polyester-based sheet 9, and the polyester-based sheet 9 is heated to a predetermined temperature. It is thermocompression bonded to.

After thermocompression-bonding the polyester-based sheet 9, the switching portion 2c is operated to release the communication state between the porous member of the chuck table 2 and the suction source 2b, and the suction by the chuck table 2 is released.

When the thermocompression bonding is performed, the polyester sheet 9 is preferably heated to a temperature below its melting point. This is because if the heating temperature exceeds the melting point, the polyester sheet 9 may melt and the sheet shape may not be maintained. Further, the polyester sheet 9 is preferably heated to a temperature equal to or higher than its softening point. This is because thermocompression bonding cannot be properly performed unless the heating temperature reaches the softening point. That is, the polyester sheet 9 is preferably heated to a temperature equal to or higher than its softening point and equal to or lower than its melting point.

Furthermore, some polyester-based sheets 9 may not have a clear softening point. Therefore, when the thermocompression bonding is performed, the polyester sheet 9 is preferably heated to a temperature that is 20° C. lower than the melting point and is lower than the melting point.

When the polyester sheet 9 is a polyethylene terephthalate sheet, the heating temperature is preferably 250°C to 270°C. When the polyester sheet 9 is a polyethylene naphthalate sheet, the heating temperature is preferably 160°C to 180°C.

Here, the heating temperature refers to the temperature of the polyester sheet 9 when the integration step is performed. For example, although a model capable of setting the output temperature is practically used as a heat source such as the heat gun 4, even if the polyester sheet 9 is heated using the heat source, the temperature of the polyester sheet 9 is set. The output temperature may not be reached. Therefore, in order to heat the polyester sheet 9 to a predetermined temperature, the output temperature of the heat source may be set higher than the melting point of the polyester sheet 9.

In the method for processing the wafer 1 according to this embodiment, a frame supporting step of supporting the polyester sheet 9 with the frame 7 is performed before or after the integration step. FIG. 5A is a perspective view schematically showing the frame supporting step. In the frame supporting step, the polyester sheet 9 is supported by the frame 7 by sandwiching the outer peripheral portion of the polyester sheet 9 between the first frame 7a and the second frame 7f.

First, the polyester sheet 9 is placed on the upper surface 7c of the first frame 7a. At this time, the position of the polyester sheet 9 is determined so as to block all the openings 7b of the first frame 7a. Next, the second frame 7f is placed on the polyester sheet 9 with the lower surface 7h facing downward. At this time, the position of the second frame 7f is determined so that the through hole 7i of the second frame 7f is fitted into the pin 7d of the first frame 7a.

When the first frame 7a and the second frame 7f are overlapped with each other, the magnetic forces generated by the plurality of magnets 7e included in the first frame 7a act to draw the two frames toward each other, and the outer peripheral portion of the polyester sheet 9 is It is sandwiched between both frames. Therefore, the polyester sheet 9 is supported by the frame 7. At this time, since the pin 7d of the first frame 7a is fitted in the through hole 7i of the second frame 7f, the first frame 7a and the second frame 7f do not shift in the horizontal direction.

Although the case where the frame supporting step is performed after the integration step has been described, the wafer processing method according to the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the integration step may be performed after the frame supporting step. In this case, the outer peripheral portion of the polyester sheet 9 is adhered to the first frame 7a and the second frame 7f by heating in the integration step, and the polyester sheet 9 is supported by the frame 7 with a stronger force.

Next, in the method of processing a wafer 1 according to the present embodiment, the wafer 1 in the state of the frame unit 11 is ablated to form a dividing groove along the dividing line 3 to divide the wafer 1. Carry out the dividing step. The dividing step is performed by, for example, the laser processing apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing the dividing step.

The laser processing device 6 includes a laser processing unit 8 that ablates the wafer 1, and a chuck table (not shown) that holds the wafer 1. The laser processing unit 8 includes a laser oscillator (not shown) that can oscillate a laser, and can emit a laser beam 10 having a wavelength that has an absorptivity for the wafer 1 (a wavelength that the wafer 1 can absorb). The chuck table can be moved (working feed) along a direction parallel to the upper surface.

The laser processing unit 8 irradiates the laser beam 10 emitted from the laser oscillator onto the wafer 1 held on the chuck table. The processing head 8 a included in the laser processing unit 8 has a mechanism that focuses the laser beam 10 on the wafer 1 at a predetermined height position.

When the wafer 1 is ablated, the frame unit 11 is placed on the chuck table, and the wafer 1 is held on the chuck table via the polyester sheet 9. Then, the chuck table is rotated to align the planned dividing line 3 of the wafer 1 with the processing feed direction of the laser processing device 6. Further, the relative positions of the chuck table and the laser processing unit 8 are adjusted so that the processing head 8a is arranged above the extension line of the planned dividing line 3.

Next, while irradiating the wafer 1 with the laser beam 10 from the laser processing unit 8, the chuck table and the laser processing unit 8 are relatively moved along a processing feed direction parallel to the upper surface of the chuck table. Then, the wafer 1 is irradiated with the laser beam 10 along the dividing line 3 and the dividing groove 3a along the dividing line 3 is formed in the wafer 1 by ablation.

The irradiation conditions of the laser beam 10 in the division step are set as follows, for example. However, the irradiation condition of the laser beam 10 is not limited to this.
Wavelength: 355nm
Repetition frequency: 50kHz
Average output: 5W
Feed rate: 200 mm/sec

After performing the ablation process along one dividing line 3, the chuck table and the laser processing unit 8 are moved relatively in the indexing feeding direction perpendicular to the machining feeding direction, and along the other dividing line 3 Similarly, the ablation process of the wafer 1 is performed. After forming the dividing grooves 3a along all the dividing lines 3 along one direction, the chuck table is rotated around an axis perpendicular to the holding surface, and along the dividing lines 3 along the other direction. Similarly, the wafer 1 is ablated.

When the wafer 1 is ablated along all the planned dividing lines 3 of the wafer 1, the dividing step is completed. When the dividing step is completed and the dividing grooves 3a extending from the front surface 1a to the back surface 1b along all the planned dividing lines 3 are formed in the wafer 1, the wafer 1 is divided and individual device chips are formed.

When the ablation process is performed on the wafer 1 by the laser processing unit 8, processing waste originating from the wafer 1 is generated from the irradiation target portion of the laser beam 10, and the processing scrap is scattered around the irradiation target portion and the wafer 1 Adheres to the surface 1a. Even if the surface 1a of the wafer 1 is cleaned by the cleaning unit described below after the ablation process is performed on the wafer 1, it is not easy to completely remove the attached processing waste. If the processing waste remains on the device chip formed from the wafer 1, the quality of the device chip deteriorates.

Therefore, the surface 1a of the wafer 1 that is ablated by the laser processing apparatus 6 may be previously coated with a water-soluble liquid resin that functions as a protective film that protects the surface 1a of the wafer 1. When the liquid resin is applied to the front surface 1a of the wafer 1, the processing scraps scattered during the ablation process adhere to the upper surface of the liquid resin, so that the processing wastes do not directly adhere to the front surface 1a of the wafer 1. .. Then, the processing waste is removed together with the liquid resin by the cleaning unit described next.

The laser processing device 6 may include a cleaning unit (not shown). In this case, the wafer 1 ablated by the laser processing unit 8 is transferred to the cleaning unit and cleaned by the cleaning unit. For example, the cleaning unit includes a cleaning table that holds the frame unit 11, and a cleaning water supply nozzle that can reciprocate above the frame unit 11.

The cleaning table is rotated about an axis perpendicular to the holding surface, and while supplying a cleaning liquid such as pure water from the cleaning water supply nozzle to the wafer 1, the cleaning water supply nozzle is horizontally moved along a path passing above the center of the holding surface. By reciprocating in the direction, the front surface 1a side of the wafer 1 can be cleaned.

In the method for processing the wafer 1 according to this embodiment, next, a pickup step of picking up the individual device chips from the polyester sheet 9 is carried out. In the pickup process, the pickup device 12 shown in the lower part of FIG. 7 is used. FIG. 7 is a perspective view schematically showing the loading of the frame unit 11 into the pickup device 12.

The pickup device 12 includes a cylindrical drum 14 having a diameter larger than that of the wafer 1, and a frame holding unit 16 including a frame support 18. The frame support base 18 of the frame holding unit 16 is provided with an opening having a diameter larger than that of the drum 14, and is arranged at the same height as the upper end portion of the drum 14, and the upper end portion of the drum 14 is located on the outer peripheral side. Surround from.

A clamp 20 is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the frame support base 18. When the frame unit 11 is placed on the frame support base 18 and the frame 20 of the frame unit 11 is gripped by the clamp 20, the frame unit 11 is fixed to the frame support base 18.

The frame support base 18 is supported by a plurality of rods 22 extending in the vertical direction, and an air cylinder 24 for raising and lowering the rods 22 is arranged at the lower end of each rod 22. The plurality of air cylinders 24 are supported by a disc-shaped base 26. When each air cylinder 24 is operated, the frame support 18 is pulled down with respect to the drum 14.

Inside the drum 14, a push-up mechanism 28 that pushes up the device chip supported by the polyester sheet 9 from below is disposed. The push-up mechanism 28 includes a heating unit 28a including a heat source such as a Peltier element and a heating wire at the upper end. Further, a collet 30 (see FIG. 8B) capable of suction-holding the device chip is arranged above the drum 14. The push-up mechanism 28 and the collet 30 are movable in the horizontal direction along the upper surface of the frame support base 18. Further, the collet 30 is connected to the suction source 30a (see FIG. 8B) via the switching unit 30b (see FIG. 8B).

In the pickup process, first, the height of the frame support base 18 is activated by operating the air cylinder 24 so that the height of the upper end of the drum 14 of the pickup device 12 and the height of the upper surface of the frame support base 18 are substantially matched. Adjust. For example, the height position of the upper surface of the frame support base 18 may be positioned at a height position lower than the upper end of the drum 14 by the thickness of the first frame 7a. Next, the frame unit 11 delivered from the laser processing device 6 is placed on the drum 14 of the pickup device 12.

Then, the frame 7 of the frame unit 11 is fixed on the frame support 18 by the clamp 20. FIG. 8A is a sectional view schematically showing the frame unit 11 fixed on the frame support base 18. The wafer 1 is divided by forming a dividing groove 3a in the dividing step.

Next, the air cylinder 24 is operated to pull down the frame support base 18 of the frame holding unit 16 with respect to the drum 14. Then, as shown in FIG. 8B, the polyester sheet 9 is expanded in the outer peripheral direction. FIG. 8B is a sectional view schematically showing the pickup step.

When the polyester sheet 9 is expanded in the outer peripheral direction, the intervals between the device chips 1c supported by the polyester sheet 9 are widened. Then, the device chips 1c are less likely to come into contact with each other, and the individual device chips 1c can be easily picked up. Then, the device chip 1c to be picked up is determined, the push-up mechanism 28 is moved below the device chip 1c, and the collet 30 is moved above the device chip 1c.

Then, the heating part 28a is operated to raise the temperature, and the heating part 28a is brought into contact with the region of the polyester sheet 9 corresponding to the device chip 1c to heat the region. Further, the push-up mechanism 28 is operated to push up the device chip 1c from the polyester sheet 9 side. Then, the switching unit 30b is operated to communicate the collet 30 with the suction source 30a. Then, the device chip 1c is suction-held by the collet 30, and the device chip 1c is picked up from the polyester sheet 9. The individual device chips 1c thus picked up are then mounted on a predetermined wiring board or the like for use.

When the area of the polyester sheet 9 is heated by the heating unit 28a, for example, the area is heated to a temperature near the melting point of the polyester sheet 9. Since the adhesive force of the polyester-based sheet 9 decreases while the temperature is near the melting point, the load applied to the device chip when peeled from the polyester-based sheet 9 is reduced.

For example, when the frame unit 11 is formed using an adhesive tape, the heat generated by the irradiation of the laser beam 10 in the dividing step is transferred to the adhesive tape, and the glue layer of the adhesive tape is melted and fixed to the back surface side of the device chip. To do. Then, the deterioration of the quality of the device chip due to the adhesion of the glue layer becomes a problem.

On the other hand, according to the wafer processing method of the present embodiment, it is possible to form a frame unit using a polyester-based sheet that does not have a glue layer by thermocompression bonding, and thus an adhesive tape having a glue layer is unnecessary. Is. As a result, the quality of the device chip does not deteriorate due to the adhesion of the glue layer on the back surface side.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the description of the above embodiment and can be implemented with various modifications. For example, although the case where the polyester sheet 9 is, for example, a polyethylene terephthalate sheet or a polyethylene naphthalate sheet has been described in the above embodiment, one aspect of the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the polyester-based sheet may be made of another material, and may be a polytrimethylene terephthalate sheet, a polybutylene terephthalate sheet, a polybutylene naphthalate sheet, or the like.

In addition, the structures, methods, and the like according to the above-described embodiments can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention.

1 wafer 1a front surface 1b back surface 3 planned dividing line 3a dividing groove 5 device 7, 7a, 7f frame 7b, 7g opening 7c upper surface 7d pin 7e magnet 7h lower surface 7i through hole 9 polyester sheet 11 frame unit 2 chuck table 2a holding surface 2b, 30a Suction source 2c, 30b Switching section 4 Heat gun 4a Hot air 6 Laser processing device 8 Laser processing unit 8a Processing head 10 Laser beam 12 Pickup device 14 Drum 16 Frame holding unit 18 Frame support 20 Clamp 22 Rod 24 Air cylinder 26 Base 28 Push-up mechanism 28a Heating part 30 Collet

Claims (5)

A method for processing a wafer, wherein a plurality of devices divides a wafer formed in each region of the surface partitioned by a planned dividing line into individual device chips,
A polyester sheet arranging step of arranging a polyester sheet on the back surface of the wafer,
An integrated step of heating the polyester sheet by applying hot air to the polyester sheet to integrate the wafer and the polyester sheet,
Before or after the integration step, a first frame having an opening sized to accommodate the wafer and having a plurality of magnets, and a second frame having an opening sized to accommodate the wafer. And the outer peripheral portion of the polyester sheet is sandwiched between the first frame and the second frame by the magnetic force generated by the magnet to form the polyester sheet. A frame supporting step of supporting the frame,
A dividing step of irradiating the wafer with a laser beam having a wavelength having an absorptivity for the wafer along the dividing line to form dividing grooves and dividing the wafer into individual device chips;
A pickup step of heating the polyester sheet in each area corresponding to each device chip of the polyester sheet, pushing up the device chip from the polyester sheet side, and picking up the device chip from the polyester sheet; ,
A method of processing a wafer, comprising: 2. The wafer processing method according to claim 1, wherein, in the pick-up step, the polyester sheet is expanded to widen a space between the device chips. 2. The method for processing a wafer according to claim 1, wherein the polyester sheet is either a polyethylene terephthalate sheet or a polyethylene naphthalate sheet. In the integration step, the heating temperature is 250° C. to 270° C. when the polyester sheet is the polyethylene terephthalate sheet, and the heating temperature is 160° C. when the polyester sheet is the polyethylene naphthalate sheet. The method for processing a wafer according to claim 3, wherein the temperature is 180°C. The wafer processing method according to claim 1, wherein the wafer is made of any one of Si, GaN, GaAs, and glass.