JP2980237B1 - Wafer chamfering equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a wafer chamfering apparatus capable of sealing a moving mechanism of a wafer without gaps with a simple configuration. An oil pan (132) for collecting coolant has an opening (132A) so that a chuck table (100) can move. The lower end of a cover 134 formed in a cylindrical shape is attached to the opening 1.
32A, and is fixed so as to shield 32A.
The upper end of the mounting plate 12 is attached to the θ-axis motor 96.
4 is fixed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wafer chamfering apparatus, and more particularly to a wafer chamfering apparatus for chamfering a peripheral edge of a hard brittle material wafer such as silicon, glass or ceramic.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A wafer made of silicon or the like as a material of a semiconductor element is sliced thinly from a state of an ingot by a slicing machine or the like, and a peripheral edge is chamfered to prevent cracking or chipping. Wafer chamfering is performed by rotating the wafer close to a high-speed rotating grindstone and grinding the periphery of the wafer with a grindstone. During this processing, a grinding fluid is supplied to the contact portion between the wafer and the grindstone . If the supplied grinding fluid adheres to the mechanism that moves the wafer (guide rail, feed screw, motor, etc.), it may cause a failure of the device. Therefore, slide bellows are attached to both sides of the chuck table that holds the wafer. The grinding fluid was prevented from adhering to the moving mechanism of the chuck table.

[0003]

However, the slide-type bellows has a drawback that the mist-like grinding fluid cannot be completely prevented from entering due to a gap in the slide portion. Further, in a wafer chamfering apparatus in which the chuck table moves in two or more axes, it is necessary to install bellows for each moving axis, so that there is a disadvantage that the configuration of the apparatus becomes complicated and large.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to provide a wafer chamfering apparatus which can seal a wafer moving mechanism without a gap with a simple configuration.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a wafer chamfering apparatus for chamfering a rotating wafer by contacting a peripheral edge of a rotating wafer with a rotating grindstone. A chuck table that holds the wafer, a chuck table rotating unit that rotates the chuck table, a chuck table moving unit that moves the chuck table rotating unit to contact the periphery of the wafer with the grindstone,
A grinding fluid supply means for supplying a grinding fluid to a contact portion between the grinding wheel and the wafer, an oil pan having an opening at the bottom for recovering the grinding fluid and allowing the chuck table rotating means to move, and a cylindrical shape. And an elastic cover member having a lower end fixed to shield the opening of the oil pan and an upper end fixed to the chuck table rotating means.

According to the present invention, an opening is formed in the oil pan for collecting the grinding fluid so that the chuck table rotating means can move. A lower end of a cylindrical cover member is fixed to the oil pan so as to cover the opening, and an upper end of the cover member is fixed to chuck table rotating means. Thereby, the chuck table moving mechanism is sealed without gaps.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a wafer chamfering apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of an embodiment of a wafer chamfering apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the wafer chamfering apparatus 40 of the present embodiment mainly includes a wafer feed unit 42, an outer peripheral processing unit 44,
Notch processing unit 46 and coolant supply unit 4
8.

First, the configuration of the wafer feeding unit 42 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of Y-axis guide rails 52 are laid at predetermined intervals on a horizontally arranged base plate 50. A Y-axis table 56 is provided on the pair of Y-axis guide rails 52 via Y-axis linear guides 54, 54,.
Are slidably supported.

On the lower surface of the Y-axis table 56, a nut member 5 is provided.
The nut member 58 is fixed to the pair of Y members.
It is screwed to a Y-axis ball screw 60 disposed between the axis guide rails 52, 52. Both ends of the Y-axis ball screw 60 are rotatably supported by bearing members 62, 62 disposed on the base plate 50, and one end of the Y-axis ball screw 60 is provided on one of the bearing members 62. Motor 64
Output shafts are connected. The Y-axis ball screw 60 is rotated by driving the Y-axis motor 64. As a result, the Y-axis table 56
Slide horizontally along 2. In the following, this Y
The direction in which the axis table 56 slides is defined as the Y-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of X-axis guide rails 66 are laid on the Y-axis table 56 so as to be orthogonal to the pair of Y-axis guide rails 52. An X-axis table 70 is slidably supported on the pair of X-axis guide rails 66 via X-axis linear guides 68, 68,. A nut member 72 is fixed to the lower surface of the X-axis table 70, and the nut member 72 is attached to the pair of X-axis guide rails 66, 66.
Are screwed to an X-axis ball screw 74 disposed therebetween. Both ends of the X-axis ball screw 74 are rotatably supported by bearing members 76, 76 disposed on the X-axis table 70, and one end of one bearing member 76 is provided at one end thereof.
Is connected to the output shaft of the X-axis motor 78. The X-axis ball screw 74 is rotated by driving the X-axis motor 78. As a result, the X-axis table 7 is rotated.
0 slides horizontally along the X-axis guide rails 66,66. Hereinafter, the direction in which the X-axis table 70 slides is referred to as the X-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, a Z-axis base 80 is vertically provided on the X-axis table 70.
A pair of Z-axis guide rails 82 are laid on the shaft base 80 at predetermined intervals. Z-axis linear guides 84, 84 are provided on the pair of Z-axis guide rails 82, 82.
The Z-axis table 86 is slidably supported via the.

A nut member 8 is provided on the side of the Z-axis table 86.
The nut member 88 is fixed to the pair of Zs.
It is screwed into a Z-axis ball screw 90 provided between the axis guide rails 82,82. The Z-axis ball screw 90 has a bearing member 9 whose both ends are disposed on the Z-axis base 80.
2, 92, the lower end of which is connected to the output shaft of a Z-axis motor 94 provided on the lower bearing member 92. The Z-axis ball screw 90 is rotated by driving the Z-axis motor 94. As a result, the Z-axis table 86 slides vertically along the Z-axis guide rails 82. Hereinafter, the direction in which the Z-axis table 86 slides is referred to as a Z-axis direction.

On the Z-axis table 86, a .theta.-axis motor 96 is installed vertically as shown in FIG. A θ-axis shaft 98 is connected to the output shaft of the θ-axis motor 96, and a chuck table 100 is horizontally fixed to the upper end of the θ-axis shaft 98. The wafer W to be processed is held on the chuck table 100 by vacuum suction.

In the wafer feeding unit 42 configured as described above, the chuck table 100 slides horizontally along the Y-axis direction by driving the Y-axis motor 64, and drives the X-axis motor 78. To slide horizontally along the X-axis direction. And Z
When the shaft motor 94 is driven, it slides vertically along the Z-axis direction, and when the θ-axis motor 96 is driven, it rotates around the θ-axis.

Next, the configuration of the outer peripheral processing unit 44 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a gantry 102 is installed vertically on the base plate 50.
An outer peripheral motor 104 is installed vertically on the gantry 102, and an outer peripheral spindle 106 is connected to an output shaft of the outer peripheral motor 104. The outer peripheral processing grindstone 108 for chamfering the outer periphery of the wafer W
06. Then, the mounted outer peripheral grinding wheel 1
Reference numeral 08 rotates by driving the outer peripheral motor 104.

Here, grooves 108a and 108b having the same shape as the chamfered shape required for the wafer W are formed on the outer periphery of the outer peripheral grinding wheel 108 (total grinding wheel), and the grooves 108a and 108b are formed. By pressing the peripheral edge of the wafer W against the peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the wafer W is chamfered. Next, the configuration of the notch processing unit 46 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
A support column 110 is disposed along the rotation axis (Z axis) of the outer peripheral processing grindstone 108 on the side of. The lower end of the support 110 is supported by the side surface of the gantry 102, and a horizontal beam 110A is integrally formed at the upper end.
A pair of bearing members 112 and 11 are provided at the tip of the beam 102A.
The arm 116 is swingably supported by the bearing members 112, 112 via pins 114.

Notch motor 11 is provided at the tip of arm 116.
8 is supported, and a notch spindle 120 is connected to the output shaft of the notch motor 118. A notch grinding wheel 122 for chamfering a notch formed on the wafer W is mounted on the notch spindle 120.
Then, the mounted notch grinding wheel 122 is rotated by driving the notch motor 118.

The arm 116 is configured to be fixed at a horizontal position and a vertical position by a lock means (not shown). By fixing the arm 116 at the horizontal position, as shown in FIGS. The arranged notch grinding wheel 122 is located on the Y axis. Although not shown in detail, grooves having the same shape as the chamfered shape required for the wafer W are also formed on the outer periphery of the notch processing grindstone 122 similarly to the outer peripheral processing grindstone 108.

Next, the configuration of the coolant supply unit 48 will be described. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.
At the upper end of the shaft motor 96, a rectangular mounting plate 1 is provided.
Reference numeral 24 is fixed by a bolt (not shown). This mounting plate 124 has a hole 124A formed in the center,
The output shaft 98 of the θ-axis motor 96 is inserted into the hole 124A and is sealed by a V-ring 126.

A pair of coolant nozzles 13 is provided at the distal end of the mounting plate 124 via brackets 128,128.
0 and 130 are installed. The pair of coolant nozzles 130 are installed so as to face each other, and supply coolant (grinding fluid) toward the tip of the wafer W held on the chuck table 100.

Here, the chamfering of the wafer W is performed by bringing the tip of the wafer W held on the chuck table 100 into contact with the groove 108a of the outer peripheral grindstone 108.
By supplying the grinding wheel and wafer W
The coolant comes to be supplied to the contact portion. The coolant sprayed from the coolant nozzles 130, 130 is subjected to processing and then falls by its own weight to fall on the oil pan 13.
Collected in 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the oil pan 132 is arranged so as to surround the wafer feed unit 42, the outer peripheral processing unit 44, and the notch processing unit 46, and is installed on the gantry 102.

Here, the outer peripheral grinding wheel 108 and the notch grinding wheel 122 are fixed at fixed positions and do not move.
The chuck table 100 moves in three X-axis directions, a Y-axis direction, and a Z-axis direction. For this reason, a circular opening 132A is formed at the bottom of the oil pan 132, and the θ-axis motor 96 is configured to be able to move in the opening 132A.

However, when the opening 132A is formed in the oil pan 132 as described above, the coolant may leak from the opening 132A and may be caught by the moving mechanism of the chuck table 100. Therefore, the opening 132
A is attached to A to prevent the coolant from leaking. The cover 134 is made of rubber and is formed in a conical shape as shown in FIG. Cover 13
At the upper end and the lower end of the mounting ring 136, respectively,
A, 136B are fixed, and the upper mounting ring 13
6A is a mounting plate 1 surrounding the θ-axis motor 96.
24. Also, the lower mounting ring 136
B is fixed to the oil pan 132 so as to surround the opening 132A.

The cover 1 attached as described above
34 is made of rubber and has elasticity, and expands and contracts following the movement of the chuck table 100. Therefore, even if the chuck table 100 moves, no gap is generated, and the opening 132A can be completely sealed.
By making the cover 134 made of rubber, it is possible to expand and contract following the movement of the chuck table 100 as described above. On the other hand, if the wafer W is broken during processing, the broken wafer There is a possibility that fragments of W may be pierced and broken.

For this reason, the periphery of the cover 134 is
, 138,... So as not to hit the cover 134 even when the wafer W is broken. The protection plates 138, 138,... Are made of rubber and are fixed to the four sides around the mounting plate 124 as shown in FIGS. The four corners are connected by corner rubbers 140 formed in an L-shape.

The operation of the wafer chamfering apparatus 40 according to the present embodiment configured as described above is as follows. In the wafer chamfering device 40 of the present embodiment, while rotating the wafer W sucked and held by the chuck table 100,
The peripheral edge of the wafer W is chamfered by being pressed against the groove 108a of the peripheral processing grindstone 108 rotating at a high speed.

At this time, the wafer W and the outer peripheral grinding wheel 108
Of the coolant nozzle 13
Although the coolant is supplied from 0 and 130, the opening 132A of the oil pan 132 formed for moving the chuck table 100 is sealed without gaps by the cover 134, so that the coolant is applied to the moving mechanism of the chuck table 100. There is no such thing.

Although the cover 134 is made of rubber, the outer periphery of the cover 134 is protected by the protective plates 138 and 13 even when the wafer W is broken during processing and fragments thereof are scattered.
Since it is covered with 8,..., The fragments do not come into contact and break. Furthermore, since the cover 134 has a simple configuration, it can be completely sealed without increasing the size of the device.

The wafer chamfering apparatus 40 according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which the chuck table 100 moves back and forth, right and left, and up and down to bevel the wafer W. The present invention can also be applied to a wafer chamfering apparatus configured to move only left and right. Further, in the present embodiment, rubber is used as the material of the cover 134, but the material is not limited to this as long as the material has elasticity.

Further, in the present embodiment, the cover 134
Is fixed to the mounting plate 124.
It may be fixed directly to the θ-axis motor 96.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The wafer moving mechanism can be completely sealed with a simple configuration.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a wafer chamfering apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a configuration of an outer peripheral processing unit and a notch processing unit.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a configuration of a coolant supply unit and a cover.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a configuration of a coolant supply unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 40: Wafer chamfering device 42: Wafer feed unit 44: Outer peripheral processing unit 46: Notch processing unit 48: Coolant supply unit 64: Y-axis motor 78: X-axis motor 96: θ-axis motor 100: chuck table 104: outer peripheral motor 108 Outer peripheral grinding wheel 118 ... Notch motor 122 ... Notch grinding wheel 124 ... Mounting plate 130 ... Coolant nozzle 132 ... Oil pan 132A ... Opening 134 ... Cover 138 ... Protective plate W ... Wafer

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A wafer chamfering apparatus for chamfering a rotating wafer by contacting a peripheral edge of a rotating wafer with a rotating grinding stone, a grinding stone rotating means for rotating the grinding stone, a chuck table for holding the wafer, and rotating the chuck table. A chuck table rotating means for moving the chuck table rotating means, a chuck table moving means for moving the periphery of the wafer to the grinding wheel, and a grinding fluid supply for supplying a grinding fluid to a contact portion between the grinding wheel and the wafer. Means, an oil pan for collecting the grinding fluid and having an opening at the bottom through which the chuck table rotating means can move, and an oil pan formed in a cylindrical shape, with a lower end portion shielding the opening of the oil pan. And an elastic cover having an upper end fixed to the chuck table rotating means. Wafer chamfering apparatus comprising: the timber, in that it consists of. 2. The wafer chamfering device according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is provided with a protection member that surrounds and protects an outer periphery of the cover member.