JP5129002B2 - Processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for processing various workpieces such as a semiconductor wafer, glass, metal, and plastic.

  For example, in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, a large number of circuits such as IC (integrated circuit) or LSI (large-scale integration) are formed on the surface of a substantially disc-shaped semiconductor wafer, Each semiconductor chip is manufactured by dicing each region in which these circuits are formed along a predetermined street (cutting line) in a lattice pattern.

  Generally, a cutting device is used as a device for dicing a semiconductor wafer. Such a cutting apparatus for dicing a semiconductor wafer usually includes a chuck table that sucks and holds a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer using a negative pressure, and a cutting blade that cuts the workpiece held on the chuck table. A cutting mechanism is provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Further, when dicing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer, it is necessary to position the workpiece in advance in order to improve positioning accuracy when holding the workpiece on the chuck table. In view of this, the present applicant has conventionally proposed a frame positioning device that can accurately position a workpiece (see Patent Document 2). In the positioning device described in Patent Document 2, before or after dicing, a frame guide rail that is positioned in an open state and a sandwiched state in a region where a work held by a ring frame is temporarily placed, that is, a frame temporary placement region. Is arranged.

  In this positioning apparatus, first, the frame guide rail is opened, and the ring frame holding the workpiece is taken out from the cassette to the frame temporary placement region. Thereafter, the frame guide rail is held, and the workpiece is positioned by moving the frame guide rail to the cassette side by a predetermined amount while maintaining the state. This apparatus is for positioning the work held by the frame guide, and a separate transfer means is required when the positioned work is transferred to the next process area.

  In a conventional dicing apparatus, generally, a work is conveyed to the next process area using an arm (see, for example, Patent Document 3). Conventionally, there is also a wafer ring supply method in which a transfer arm is movable along a rail (see Patent Document 4).

JP-A-8-25209 JP-A-11-204461 JP 2007-281094 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-67670

  However, as in the apparatuses described in Patent Documents 3 and 4, when a conveying means such as an arm is provided for each processing region, the space in the apparatus is compressed and the mechanism in the apparatus is complicated. There is a point.

  Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a processing apparatus that can secure a space in the apparatus and simplify the mechanism in the apparatus.

  A processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a holding means for holding a work supported by an opening of a ring frame via an adhesive tape, a processing means for processing the work held by the holding means, and a cassette stage. An unloading means for unloading the ring frame from the cassette to the frame temporary placement area where the ring frame is temporarily placed, and unloading the frame to the frame temporary placement area by the unloading means. A frame guide rail on which the ring frame is placed, and a guide for positioning the frame guide rail at a position where the ring frame is opened and a holding position where the ring frame is positioned, and conveying the frame guide rail to the next process area And a positioning device including rail driving means.

  In the processing apparatus of the present invention, the positioning device performs both the positioning of the workpiece and the conveyance of the workpiece to the next process area. That is, the positioning device also serves as a conveying unit.

  Further, in this processing apparatus, the guide rail driving means includes a first drive unit that positions the frame guide rail at the open position and the clamping position, and a second drive unit that transfers the frame guide rail to the next process area. And a drive unit.

  According to the present invention, since the positioning device also serves as a conveying means, and an arm for conveying the workpiece from the frame temporary placement area to the next process area is not required, a space can be secured in this portion, and the mechanism in the apparatus Can be simplified.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a processing apparatus according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a layout of each processing region provided in the processing apparatus shown in FIG. A processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is an apparatus for processing a work supported by an opening of a ring frame via an adhesive tape. As shown in FIG. The frame temporary placement region 3 and the processing region 4 are provided, and a protective film formation region and / or a cleaning region are further provided as necessary.

  The cassette placement region 2 in the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is provided with a cassette stage provided with a lifting mechanism such as an elevator, and one or a plurality of rings in which a workpiece is supported by an opening on the cassette stage. A cassette containing the frame is placed. The vertical position of the cassette placed thereon is adjusted by the lifting mechanism so that a predetermined ring frame can be taken out.

  The frame temporary placement area 3 is an area in which the ring frame taken out from the cassette is temporarily placed. In the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, in this area, the outer shape of the ring frame is used. Position the workpiece. The temporary frame placement area 3 may be provided between the cassette placement area 2 and the processing area 4, but is usually provided at a position adjacent to the cassette placement area 2.

  Further, the processing region 4 is a region where the work is subjected to processing such as cutting, cutting and drilling, and is held by at least a holding means for holding the work supported by the ring frame and the holding means. And machining means for machining the workpiece. Examples of the holding means used in the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment include a chuck table that holds a workpiece by suction using a negative pressure. Alternatively, examples of the processing means include a blade and a laser, and can be appropriately selected according to the type of workpiece and processing.

  And in the processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the positioning apparatus 10 provided with the function of both positioning and conveyance is provided. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the positioning device 10, and FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the relationship between the guide rail and the conveying means. As shown in FIG. 3, the positioning device 10 is taken out from the cassette 6 placed in the cassette placement region 2 and unloading means 11 for taking out the ring frame 8 on which the workpiece 7 to be processed is supported. A pair of frame guide rails 12a and 12b on which the ring frame 8 is placed, a guide rail driving unit 13 that moves the frame guide rails 12a and 12b toward or away from each other, and frame guide rails 12a and 12b, Guide rail transfer means 14 for moving from the frame temporary placement area 3 to the next process area is provided.

  The unloading means 11 in the positioning device 10 includes a grip portion for gripping the end portion of the ring frame 8 and an abutment for pushing the ring frame 8, for example, a guide groove extending toward the cassette 6 (see FIG. It is possible to move within a predetermined range, for example, by being guided by (not shown).

  The frame guide rails 12a and 12b have a substantially L-shaped cross section and are arranged in parallel to each other with a predetermined interval. As described above, the frame guide rails 12a and 12b are configured to support the ring frame 8 on the bottom surface and sandwich the ring frame 8 on the side surface. Further, it is desirable that the frame guide rails 12a and 12b are made of a material having a small coefficient of friction resistance and excellent wear resistance, such as fluorine resin.

  Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the guide rail driving means 13 attaches the frame guide rails 12 a and 12 b to the belt 15 and rotates the belt 15 with the motor 16, so that the frame guide rails 12 a and 12 b are simultaneously moved. It can be set as the structure moved only the same distance.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the guide rail transfer means 14 includes a ball screw 17 disposed from the frame temporary placement region 3 to the next process region 5, and a drive unit 18 that rotates the ball screw 17. It has. For example, a motor or the like can be used for the drive unit 18. The frame guide rails 12a and 12b are attached to the ball screw 17 of the guide rail transfer means 14 via an attachment jig 19, and the drive unit 18 rotates the ball screw 17 to thereby provide the frame guide rail. 12 a and 12 b move between the respective regions along the screw axis of the ball screw 17. That is, in the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the positioning apparatus 10 itself transfers the workpiece after positioning, which has been conventionally performed by the arm.

  Next, a workpiece machining method using the machining apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process of machining a workpiece by the machining apparatus 1 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, in the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, first, the ring frame 8 on which the workpiece 7 to be processed is supported is unloaded from the cassette 6 placed in the cassette placement region 2 (steps). S <b> 1) After positioning the work 7 (step S <b> 2), the work 7 is transported to the next process area 5.

  Hereinafter, the positioning method and the workpiece transfer method in the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described in detail. 6A to 6F are plan views showing the operation of the positioning device 10 in the order of steps. As shown in FIG. 6 (a), in the initial state before the start of operation, the frame guide rails 12a and 12b are in a state (open state) that is separated to the extent that the ring frame 8 can be placed. In this case, it is arranged at a position away from the cassette 6 and not in contact with the frame guide rails 12a and 12b.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6B, the carry-out means 11 is moved in a direction approaching the cassette 6, and the end of the ring frame 8 housed in the cassette 6 is gripped by the gripping portion. Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, the carry-out means 11 is moved away from the cassette 6 while holding the ring frame 8, and the ring frame 8 on which the workpiece 7 to be processed is supported is temporarily attached to the frame. It is carried out to the placement area 3. Thereafter, the gripping state of the gripping portion of the carry-out means 11 is released, and the ring frame 8 is placed on the frame guide rails 12a and 12b.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (d), the frame guide rails 12a and 12b are moved toward each other to a predetermined position so that the ring frame 21 is sandwiched between the frame guide rails 12a and 12b (a sandwiched state). To do. As a result, the ring frame 21 (work 20) is positioned in the x direction.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6E, the carry-out means 11 is again moved by a predetermined distance in the direction approaching the cassette 6 while maintaining the clamping state by the frame guide rails 12a and 12b. And the edge part of the ring frame 8 is pushed by the butting, and the ring frame 8 is moved a little to the cassette 6 side. As a result, the ring frame 8 (work 7) is positioned in the y direction. At this time, since the frame guide rails 12a and 12b are sandwiched, even if the ring frame 8 is moved in the y-axis direction, it does not swing.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6 (f), the frame guide rails 12 a and 12 b are transferred to the next process region 5 by the guide rail transfer means 14 while maintaining the clamping state by the frame guide rails 12 a and 12 b.

  As the next process region 5 in the present embodiment, a protective film forming region for forming a protective film on the processed surface of the workpiece before processing, a cleaning region for cleaning the processed surface of the workpiece after processing, the processing region 4 and the like can be cited. However, it is not limited to these. Further, the next process area 5 does not have to be one area, for example, two areas adjacent to the frame temporary placement area 3, two areas adjacent to the frame temporary placement area 3, and other areas adjacent to that area. A ball screw may be disposed over the regions and transferred between these regions.

  Next, processing such as cutting, cutting and drilling is performed on the workpiece 7 in the processing region 4 (step S3). Hereinafter, a case where dicing is performed using a laser will be described as an example. First, the chuck table is rotated to make each division line extending in one direction parallel to the x direction, and the y direction position of one division line extending in the x direction is determined as the laser beam irradiation position. When the movable table is moved in the x direction from this state and the division planned line reaches the laser beam irradiation region, the laser beam is irradiated from the laser irradiation unit. Laser light is irradiated to one of the planned division lines of the wafer moving in the x direction together with the moving table, and the irradiation of the laser light is stopped immediately after the planned division line deviates from the laser beam irradiation region. Such a laser beam irradiation operation is performed for all the planned division lines extending in the x direction.

  Subsequently, the chuck table is rotated by 90 ° so that each division line extending in multiple directions orthogonal to the division line irradiated with the laser beam is parallel to the x direction. Then, in the same manner as described above, the laser beam is irradiated to all the division planned lines extending in the x direction where the laser beam is not irradiated. Thereby, the workpiece | work 7 is divided | segmented in a predetermined position and a some chip | tip is obtained.

  Then, the ring frame 8 on which the workpiece 7 after processing is supported is placed again on the guide rails 12a and 12b, and is carried into the cassette 6 or a new cassette stored before processing by the unloading means 11. (Step S4). In that case, you may wash | clean the process surface of the workpiece | work 7 before cassette carrying in.

  As described above, in the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, since the positioning device 10 has both the positioning function and the transfer function, the transfer arm for transferring the workpiece from the frame temporary placement area 3 to the next process area 5. Is no longer necessary. Thereby, as compared with the conventional processing apparatus, a space in the apparatus, in particular, a space above the frame temporary placement region 3 can be secured, and the mechanism in the apparatus can be simplified. As a result, the degree of freedom in device design becomes higher than in the prior art.

  Moreover, in the processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, since the frame guide rails 12a and 12b are moved in a sandwiched state, the workpiece 7 can be transferred to the next process region 5 while maintaining the positioned state. For this reason, positioning accuracy does not fall by transfer.

  The workpiece processed by the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a semiconductor wafer, an adhesive tape such as DAF (Die Attach Film), various substrates made of inorganic materials such as glass and silicon, metal materials or plastics, and semiconductors. Product packages and various processing materials that require micron-order accuracy are included.

  Further, if the unloading means can be moved in conjunction with the frame guide rail, positioning can be performed while conveying the workpiece. FIGS. 7A to 7F are plan views showing the operation of the positioning device of the machining apparatus according to the modification of the present embodiment in the order of steps. In the positioning device shown in FIG. 7, the same components as those of the positioning device shown in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C, in the machining apparatus according to the present modification, a ring in which the workpiece 7 is supported from the cassette 6 by the same method as the machining apparatus according to the first embodiment described above. Unload the frame 8.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 7 (d) and 7 (e), the ring frame 8 is held by the frame guide rails 12a and 12b during the transfer to the next process region 5 (a holding state), and While maintaining this state, the end of the ring frame 8 is pushed by the abutment of the carry-out means 21, and the ring frame 8 is moved slightly to the cassette 6 side. Then, as shown in FIG. 7F, the positioning in the x direction and the y direction is completed until the next process area 5 is reached. The configuration other than the carry-out means in the processing apparatus of this modification is the same as that of the processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment described above.

  In the processing apparatus according to this modification, since the workpiece can be positioned while being conveyed, the effect that the time required for processing one workpiece can be shortened in addition to the above-described effect. As a result, it is possible to improve the tact time compared with the conventional apparatus.

  Next, the processing apparatus of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the positioning device in the processing apparatus of this embodiment of the present invention. In the positioning device 20 shown in FIG. 8, the same components as those of the positioning device 10 shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The processing apparatus of this embodiment is the same as the processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 except that the guide rail driving means and the guide rail transfer means in the positioning device are integrated. . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, two ball screws 27a and 27b are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, and drive units 28a and 28b such as motors are provided respectively. The pair of frame guide rails 22a and 22b are attached to different ball screws 27a or 28b, respectively.

  In this processing apparatus, when the drive unit 28a and / or the drive unit 28b rotate the ball screws 27a and 27b, the frame guide rails 22a and 22b are in an open state or a sandwiched state and move between the regions.

  Also in the processing apparatus of the present embodiment, as in the processing apparatus of the first embodiment described above, the positioning device 20 has both the positioning function and the transport function, so that the positioning accuracy is not lowered without reducing the positioning accuracy. The space in the apparatus can be secured, and the mechanism in the apparatus can be simplified.

It is a perspective view which shows the processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the layout of each process area | region provided in the processing apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the positioning device shown in FIG. 2. It is a figure which shows typically the relationship between the guide rail and conveying means in the positioning device shown in FIG. It is a flowchart figure which shows the process of processing a workpiece | work with the processing apparatus of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. (A)-(f) is a top view which shows operation | movement of the positioning apparatus shown in FIG. 3 in order of a process. (A)-(f) is a top view which shows operation | movement of the positioning apparatus of the processing apparatus of the modification of the 1st Embodiment of this invention in order of a process. It is a figure which shows typically the structure of the positioning device in the processing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Processing apparatus 2 Cassette mounting area 3 Frame temporary placement area 4 Processing area 5 Next process area 6 Cassette 7 Work piece 8 Ring frame 10, 20 Positioning device 11, 21 Unloading means 12a, 12b, 22a, 22b Frame guide rail 13 Guide rail Driving means 14 Guide rail transferring means 15 Belt 16 Motor 17, 27a, 27b Ball screw 18, 28a, 28b Driving part 19 Mounting jig

Claims (2)

Is ring frame is stored to workpiece opening is supported through an adhesive tape, a cassette placed on the cassette stage, and holding means for holding a pre-Symbol supported workpiece to a ring frame, held in the holding means A processing device for processing the workpiece,
Unloading means for unloading the ring frame in the cassette to a frame temporary placement area for temporarily placing the ring frame;
A frame guide rail on which the ring frame carried out by the carrying-out means is placed;
Guide rail driving means for positioning the frame guide rail at a position where the ring frame is opened and a holding position where the ring frame is positioned, and for transferring the ring frame from the frame temporary placement area to a next process area; , have a positioning device comprising a,
The said carrying-out means positions in the carrying-out direction by abutting the said ring frame clamped by the said frame guide rail in the said clamping position, The processing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned . The guide rail driving means is
A first drive unit that positions the frame guide rail at the open position and the clamping position;
A second drive unit for transferring the frame guide rail to the next process area;
The processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: