JP4023525B2 - Electroformed blade - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cutting blade mounted on a precision cutting device such as a dicing device, and more specifically, by forming a plating layer on the surface of the blade so that abrasive grains protruding from the surface of the blade are embedded, The present invention relates to an electroformed blade that achieves reliable electrical continuity with a flange that supports the blade.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When a workpiece, for example, a wafer is cut by a precision cutting apparatus for cutting the workpiece, for example, the dicing apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 3, the wafer 23 held by the frame 22 via the holding tape 21 is stored in the cassette 24. Then, after the wafer 23 is taken out from the cassette 24 by the carry-in / out means 25, it is carried and placed on the chuck table 27 by the carrying means 26. Then, when the chuck table 27 moves in the X-axis direction and is positioned immediately below the alignment means 28 and a region to be cut is detected through processing such as pattern matching, the chuck table 27 further moves in the X-axis direction. Then, a desired area is cut by the cutting means 29.
[0003]
As shown in FIG. 4, the cutting means 29 has a fixed flange 32, a blade 33, a holding flange 34, a blade support nut 35, and a fixed nut 36 mounted on a spindle 31 that is rotatably supported in the spindle housing 30. Composed. In the state where these are mounted, the blade 33 is sandwiched between the fixing flange 32 and the pressing flange 34 as shown in FIG.
[0004]
When the wafer 23 is cut by the cutting means 29 configured as described above, a work of setting up a reference position for controlling the vertical movement (Z-axis control) of the cutting means 29 is required prior to cutting. It becomes.
[0005]
When performing the setup, the cutting means 29 is first lowered gradually as shown in FIG. When the blade 33 comes into contact with the metal part 27a of the chuck table 27, an electrical signal is transmitted to the detection part 37 through the fixed flange 32 at that moment, and the detection part 37 detects this and The position of the blade 33 on the Z axis is stored, and the lowering of the cutting means 29 is immediately stopped. Here, when the Z axis control of the cutting means 29 is performed by a pulse motor, the position on the Z axis is stored by the number of pulses, and when it is performed by the linear scale, the position on the Z axis is measured by the linear scale. Remember.
[0006]
When the position on the Z axis where the blade 33 and the metal part 27a of the chuck table 27 are in contact is stored in this way, this position becomes the reference position for the Z axis control of the cutting means 29.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, as shown in FIG. 5, since the abrasive grains 33a made of an insulator such as diamond protrude from the surface of the blade 33, the electrical continuity between the blade 33 and the fixed flange 32 becomes unstable. Even when the blade 33 and the metal part 27a come into contact with each other during setup, an electrical signal may not be transmitted to the fixed flange 32. Therefore, in such a case, the detection unit 37 may not be able to detect contact between the blade 33 and the metal part 27a.
[0008]
In order to avoid such an inconvenience, it is conceivable that a protrusion 32a is provided on the fixing flange 32 as shown in FIG. 7A and this protrusion 32a is brought into contact with the blade 33 to obtain electrical conduction. As shown in B), the tip of the protrusion 32a may come into contact with the abrasive grains 33a, and the blade 33 is not sure of contact with the base metal, and the tip of the protrusion 32a is worn by friction with the abrasive grains 33a. There is also a drawback of doing.
[0009]
In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, a method is also conceivable in which a conductive fiber 38 is disposed in the flange and electrical conduction is obtained via the fiber 38. However, the fiber 38 becomes unstable when the spindle 31 rotates, and the blade 33 There is a problem that the support state becomes unstable.
[0010]
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a contact portion 39 made of conductive rubber, a resin layer, or the like is formed at the end of the flange, and the base metal of the blade 33 is generated by a force for clamping the blade 33 between the fixing flange 32 and the holding flange 34. A method of obtaining electrical conductivity by closely contacting with each other is also conceivable, but when the abrasive grains 33a are made of diamond or the like having a large particle diameter, the rubber or the like must be made of a soft material that bends accordingly. Further, in cutting or the like that requires a high load, deformation or breakage of rubber or the like may occur.
[0011]
As described above, any inconvenience occurs in any of the methods shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, and it is difficult to reliably obtain electrical continuity between the blade 33 and the fixed flange 32 without such inconvenience. When such electrical continuity cannot be obtained, the detection unit 37 cannot accurately detect the contact between the blade 33 and the metal part 27a during setup, and the cutting means 29 is further lowered after the contact. Bite into the metal part 27a more than necessary, and the blade 33, spindle 31, chuck table 27, etc. may be damaged. In addition, since the reference position for Z-axis control cannot be accurately determined, there arises a problem that the cutting depth cannot be precisely controlled.
[0012]
Therefore, in the conventional blade, by obtaining stable electrical continuity between the flange and the contact between the blade and the metal part of the chuck table, it is possible to reliably detect the setup and perform the setup reliably. There is a problem that must be solved to accurately determine the control reference position and prevent damage to the blade, spindle, chuck table, and the like.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a specific means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an electroformed blade that is sandwiched and attached to a spindle of a cutting device by a flange, and is provided in a flanged sandwiched portion of a base metal constituting the electroformed blade. The present invention provides an electroforming blade characterized in that a plating layer is formed to such an extent that protruding abrasive grains are embedded.
[0014]
As described above, the plating layer is formed to such an extent that the protruding abrasive grains are embedded in the flange sandwiched portion of the electroformed blade, thereby ensuring electrical continuity between the electroformed blade and the flange. Can do.
[0015]
Moreover, this invention makes it an additional requirement that a plating layer is formed by electroless plating.
[0016]
By forming the plating layer by electroless plating, it can be grown on the surface of abrasive grains made of an insulator such as diamond. Further, since the base metal and the plating layer are the same metal, the difference in physical properties is reduced, and an electric signal can be transmitted reliably.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the same code | symbol shall be attached | subjected about the site | part which is common in a prior art example.
[0018]
The electroformed blade 10 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on a fixed flange 32 mounted on a spindle 31 and supported and fixed by a pressing flange 34, a blade support nut 35, and a fixed nut 36, as in the prior art.
[0019]
Abrasive grains 11 made of diamond or the like protrude from the surface of the electroformed blade 10, and a conductive plating layer 12 of nickel or the like is formed so that the abrasive grains 11 are embedded. As shown in FIG. 2, the plated layer 12 is formed on the flange sandwiched portion 13 that comes into contact with the fixed flange 32, and is formed by electroless plating having a thickness of less than 5 μm, for example.
[0020]
As described above, since the plating layer 12 is formed so that the abrasive grains 11 are embedded, the electric signal that flows when the electroformed blade 10 and the metal portion 27a of the chuck table 27 come into contact with each other during setup is plated. It is reliably transmitted to the fixed flange 32 through the flange sandwiched portion 13 in which the layer 12 is formed. Accordingly, the electroformed blade 10 does not bite into the metal portion 27a of the chuck table 27 more than necessary and the electroformed blade 10, the spindle 31 and the like are not damaged as in the prior art. Moreover, it can be made to grow also on the surface of the abrasive grain 11 which consists of an insulator by setting it as electroless plating.
[0021]
In addition, if the base metal and the plating layer 12 constituting the electroformed blade 10 are made of the same metal, the difference in physical properties is small, the reliability of electrical conduction is increased, and the setup is performed more accurately. Can do.
[0022]
Further, the plating layer may be formed only on one surface of the flange sandwiched portion 13 on the fixed flange 32 side.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, an electric conduction between the electroformed blade and the flange is achieved by forming a plating layer in the flange sandwiched portion of the electroformed blade so that the protruding abrasive grains are embedded. Therefore, setup can be performed reliably, and damage to the blade, chuck table, spindle, etc. can be prevented. Moreover, since the reference position of the Z-axis control of the blade can be accurately determined by performing the setup reliably, the cutting depth of the workpiece can be adjusted precisely.
[0024]
Further, since the plating layer is formed by electroless plating, it can be grown on the surface of an abrasive grain made of an insulator such as diamond, and a plating layer having a uniform thickness can be formed.
[0025]
Furthermore, since the base metal and the plating layer are the same metal, the difference in physical properties is reduced, and electrical signals can be transmitted reliably. Therefore, the Z-axis control reference position can be set more during setup. It can be determined accurately.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of cutting means including an electroformed blade according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a contact state between the electroformed blade and the flange.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a dicing apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a cutting means including a conventional blade.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a contact state between the blade and the flange.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a setup method.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a contact state between a conventional blade and a flange provided with a protrusion.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a contact state between a conventional blade and a flange having a conductive fiber disposed therein.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a contact state between a conventional blade and a flange having conductive rubber or the like disposed at an end thereof.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Electroforming blade 11: Abrasive grain 12: Plated layer 13: Flange clamping part 20: Dicing apparatus 21: Holding tape 22: Frame 23: Wafer 24: Cassette 25: Loading / unloading means 26: Transfer means 27: Chuck table 27a : Metal part 28: Alignment means 29: Cutting means 30: Spindle housing 31: Spindle 32: Fixing flange 32a: Protrusion 33: Blade 33a: Abrasive grain 34: Pressing flange 35: Blade support nut 36: Fixing nut 37: Detection part 38 : Fiber 39: Contact part

Claims (2)

An electroformed blade that is sandwiched and attached to a spindle of a cutting device by a flange,
The electroformed blade is characterized in that a plating layer is formed on the base metal flanged portion constituting the electroformed blade to such an extent that abrasive grains are embedded. The electroformed blade according to claim 1, wherein the plating layer is formed by electroless plating.

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