JP6029334B2 - Splitting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a dividing device that divides a plate-like object on which a division start point is formed along the division start point.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various plate-like objects made of semiconductor wafers, optical device wafers, ceramics, glass, resins, and the like are divided along a scheduled division line and divided into individual products such as chips.

  About this division, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, an expansion sheet (heat-shrinkable adhesive tape) on which a plate-like material is pasted after forming a division starting point along the planned division line for the plate-like material is used. It is known that by expanding radially, an external force is applied to the plate-like object and the fracture is caused at the division starting point.

  As for the method for forming the division starting point, a modified layer or laser groove is formed by irradiating a laser beam along the planned division line and then fractured (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3), high-speed rotation A form in which a cutting groove is formed by a cutting blade is known (for example, see Patent Document 4).

JP 2007-123658 A Japanese Patent No. 3408805 JP 2004-188475 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-083613

  However, when the chip size formed after the division is small, for example, 1 mm or less, in the method of radially expanding the expanded sheet as disclosed in Patent Document 1 to divide the plate-like object, There is a possibility that an undivided area is generated in the plate-like object and a division failure occurs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to reliably divide the entire area of the plate-like object on which the division start point is formed regardless of the size of the chip. It is to provide a dividing device.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plate-like unit composed of a plate-like object on which a division starting point is formed, an expanded sheet to which the plate-like object is attached, and an annular frame to which the outer periphery of the expanded sheet is attached. A dividing device that divides a plate-like object along a division starting point with a plate-like object side as a front surface side and an expanded sheet side as a back surface side, on which an annular frame of the plate-like object unit is placed A mounting table that supports the expanded sheet in the region where the plate-like object is adhered, a frame fixing means that fixes the annular frame mounted on the mounting table, and an annular frame mounted on the mounting table. A housing for defining a plate-like object unit plate-like space together with an expanded sheet of the plate-like object unit on the surface side of the plate-like object unit, and supplying gas to the sealed space to supply the plate-like object unit. A gas supply source that expands the expanded sheet to the back side of the plate unit, and a back side of the plate unit in a state where gas is supplied from the gas supply source to the sealed space and the expanded sheet is expanded to the back side a convex member which divides by pressing the plate-like material through the expanded sheet in comprising a convex member moving means for moving in a region corresponding to at least the platelet a convex member, a convex member There is provided a dividing apparatus having a plurality of protruding end portions each having a line-shaped pointed tip, and each protruding end portion has a function of pressing the plate-like object .

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the convex member moving means moves the convex member in one direction, and the housing is a plate of a plate-like object unit including an annular frame mounted on the mounting table. The dividing device includes an imaging unit that images the plate-like object via the transparent part of the housing, and a mounting table rotation moving unit that rotates and moves the mounting table. The dividing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dividing start point of the plate-like object unit is aligned with the convex member.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the dividing device which can divide | segment the whole area | region of the plate-shaped object in which the division | segmentation starting point was formed irrespective of the size of a chip | tip is provided reliably. Specifically, the expanded sheet is expanded to the back side (expanded sheet side) of the plate unit by ejecting gas to the plate housed in the sealed space. The plate-like object is supported by the convex member via the expanded sheet from the back side of the plate-like object unit. Then, by moving the convex member on the back side of the plate-like object, even if the chip size is as small as 1 mm or less, the entire region of the plate-like object can be reliably divided.

It is a perspective view shown about a plate-shaped object unit. It is a disassembled perspective view of a dividing device. It is a disassembled perspective view of a dividing device. It is a perspective view of a dividing device. It is a sectional side view of a dividing device. It is a perspective view of a convex member. It is a perspective view explaining the relationship between the projection part of a convex-shaped member, and a division | segmentation schedule line. It is a perspective view of the convex member of other embodiments. It is a sectional side view of a division | segmentation apparatus provided with the convex-shaped member of other embodiment. It is a perspective view of the convex member of other embodiments. It is a sectional side view of a division | segmentation apparatus provided with the convex-shaped member of other embodiment.

  The present invention relates to a dividing device used for manufacturing individual chips (parts of small pieces, products) by dividing a plate-like object on which division starting points are formed. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. This will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a semiconductor wafer 11 (hereinafter also simply referred to as “wafer 11”) which is an embodiment of a plate-like object to be processed. The wafer 11 is made of, for example, a silicon wafer having a thickness of 700 μm, and a plurality of scheduled dividing lines (streets) 13a and 13b are formed in a lattice shape on the surface 11a. Devices 15 are respectively formed in a plurality of regions partitioned by 13b.

  The wafer 11 configured as described above includes a device region 17 where the device 15 is formed, and an outer peripheral surplus region 19 surrounding the device region 17. A notch 12 is formed on the outer periphery of the wafer 11 as a mark indicating the crystal orientation of the silicon wafer.

  Note that the shape of the wafer 11 to be processed is not limited to a disk shape as shown in FIG. 1, and a rectangular shape such as a quadrangular shape (regular square or rectangular shape) is also assumed. In addition to semiconductor wafers, various plate-like objects made of optical device wafers, ceramics, glass, resins, etc. are assumed to be processed.

  The wafer 11 is fixed to the annular frame F whose inner penetrating portion is closed by the expanded sheet T. The front surface Ta of the expanded sheet T is composed of an adhesive surface, and the back surface 11 b of the wafer 11 is attached to the expanded sheet T. The outer periphery of the surface Ta of the expanded sheet T is stuck to the back side of the annular frame F, and the expanded sheet T and the annular frame F are integrated.

  As described above, a plate-like object unit U including the wafer 11 that is a plate-like object, the expanded sheet T to which the wafer 11 is attached, and the annular frame F to which the outer periphery of the expanded sheet T is attached is configured. . In this plate-like object unit U, the side on which the wafer 11 is arranged is the front side, and the opposite side, that is, the expanded sheet T side is the back side.

  The wafer 11 adhered to the plate unit U is divided into individual chips (small piece parts, products) by a dividing device which will be described in detail later. In the previous stage of the division, a division starting point is formed.

  With respect to the method of forming the division starting point, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a modified layer is formed by irradiating a laser beam along the planned division lines 13 and 13b using a known laser irradiation unit 20. Conceivable. In addition, it is conceivable to form a laser groove (laser machining groove) as a division starting point, or to use a cutting groove formed by a high-speed rotating cutting blade as a division base point.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the division starting point is formed by alternately repeating the processing feed of the wafer 11 in the X-axis direction and the index feed in the Y-axis direction of the wafer 11 with respect to the laser irradiation unit 20 whose position is fixed. 1, the modified layer is formed for all the planned division lines 13a in the first direction parallel to the X-axis direction, and then the wafer 11 is rotated by 90 degrees, and the division planned lines 13b in the second direction are similarly formed. This is done by forming a modified layer.

  With respect to the wafer 11 in which the division starting points are formed in a lattice shape as described above, the wafer 11 is divided into individual chips starting from the division starting point by using the dividing apparatus 30 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, the dividing device 30 of the present embodiment is an expanded sheet T in an area where the annular frame F of the plate-like object unit U is placed and the wafer 11 that is a plate-like object is attached. And a clamp (frame fixing means) 34 and 34 for fixing the annular frame F placed on the placement table 32, and the annular frame F placed on the placement table 32. A closed space 42 (FIG. 5) for accommodating the wafer 11 of the plate unit U together with the expanded sheet T of the plate unit U is defined on the surface side of the plate unit U, and a gas is supplied to the closed space 42. To expand the expanded sheet T of the plate unit U to the back side of the plate unit U, and gas is supplied from the gas supply source 44 to the sealed space 42 to expand. In a state where the sheet T is expanded on the back surface side, a convex member 50 that presses and divides the wafer 11 via the expanded sheet T on the back surface side of the plate-like object unit U, and the convex member 50 is at least on the wafer 11. And a convex member moving mechanism (convex member moving means) 60 that moves in a corresponding region.

  More specifically, the mounting table 32 is formed of a cylindrical member. The upper circular opening 32a in the figure, the lower circular opening 32b in the figure, and a wall surface that is continuous in the circumferential direction. 32c and a mounting surface 32d surrounding the opening 32a.

  The mounting table 32 is mounted on a support table 61 having a diameter larger than that of the mounting table 32. The peripheral portion 32 f constituting the end of the wall surface 32 c of the mounting table 32 is inserted into an annular groove 61 m formed in the support table 61, whereby the mounting table 32 and the support table 61 are positioned. As will be described later, the mounting table 32 is angle-adjusted, and the peripheral edge portion 32f is configured to slide in the annular groove portion 61m.

  A plurality of clamps 34 are disposed on the mounting surface 32d of the mounting table 32 so as to surround the opening 32a. By holding the annular frame F of the plate-like object unit U placed on the placement surface 32d by the clamps 34, the plate-like object unit U is supported by the placement table 32.

  In a state where the plate-like object unit U is supported by the mounting table 32, the opening 32 a of the mounting table 32 is closed by the expanded sheet T. Moreover, the diameter of this opening part 32a is formed larger than the diameter of the wafer 11, and the state where the wafer 11 is adhered to the expanded sheet T is exposed to the convex member 50 side through the opening part 32a. Is formed.

  A housing 36 is attached to the mounting table 32 configured as described above so as to accommodate the plate-like object unit U. The housing 36 is constituted by a cylindrical member having a wall surface 36c continuous in the circumferential direction, one end side in the tube axis direction is constituted by an open portion 36b (FIG. 5), and the other end side is a closed portion 35d. Consists of.

  The peripheral portion 36f constituting the end of the wall surface 36c of the housing 36 is in close contact with the mounting surface 32d of the mounting table 32 so that the open portion 36b of the housing 36 is in contact with the mounting surface 32d. Closed by the expanded sheet T of the plate unit U, a sealed space 42 is formed inside the housing 36 as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the sealed space 42 is defined on the surface side of the plate-like object unit U that is the surface side of the expanded sheet T, that is, on the side on which the wafer 11 is disposed. In this state, the wafer 11 is accommodated.

  The housing 36 is formed with ports 36m and 36n that allow communication between the inner and outer spaces of the housing 36. One port 36m is connected to an external gas supply source 44 (FIG. 4), and the other port 36n is an exhaust path 45. Connected to.

  By supplying the high-pressure gas from the gas supply source 44 into the sealed space 42, the sealed space 42 becomes a high-pressure atmosphere, and the wafer 11 and the expanded sheet T are pressed from the upper side to the lower side in FIG. 5. Thereby, a load (a load pressed downward) is applied to the expanded sheet T so that the expanded sheet T expands to the back side of the plate-like object unit U, that is, the opposite side of the wafer 11 across the expanded sheet T. Is done.

  A convex member 50 is positioned on the opposite side of the expanded sheet T from the wafer 11. The convex member 50 divides the wafer 11 into individual chips by pressing the wafer 11 via the expanded sheet T.

  In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the projecting end portion 52 of the convex member 50 is pushed into the opening 32a of the mounting table 32, so that the back side of the expanded sheet T is pushed upward from below, The load which presses the wafer 11 from the lower side acts, and the wafer 11 is divided | segmented in the division | segmentation starting point.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the convex member 50 has a width dimension W1 that is substantially the same as or larger than the diameter 11L of the wafer 11, and the protruding end 52 is a linear protrusion having a width dimension W1. It is configured. Thereby, the load which presses locally from the lower side about the whole range of the wafer 11 in the Y-axis direction of FIG. 6 can be made to act.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the convex member 50 is moved by the convex member moving mechanism 60 in a range substantially equal to or larger than the diameter 11 </ b> L of the wafer 11, that is, at least in a region M corresponding to the wafer 11. It has come to be. Thereby, the load which presses locally from the lower side about the whole range of the wafer 11 in the X-axis direction of FIG. 6 can be made to act.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the convex member moving mechanism 60 according to the present embodiment is configured so that a ball screw 62 provided in a horizontal direction on a support base 61 is rotationally driven by a motor 64 and screwed into the ball screw 62. The member 50 is configured to move in the X-axis direction in FIG.

  In the above configuration, when the wafer 11 is divided, first, a high-pressure gas is supplied from the gas supply source 44 into the sealed space 42 to make the sealed space 42 a high-pressure atmosphere. Thereby, the expanded sheet T will be in the state pressed (expanded) below in FIG.

  In this state, when the region covering the length of the diameter 11L (FIG. 6) of the wafer 11, that is, the region Mx extending from the end point M1 to the end point M2 is moved in the X-axis direction, the protruding portion 52 is formed. As a result, the expand sheet T is pushed up at any time, so that a load acts on the wafer 11 and the wafer 11 is divided at the division starting point.

  Further, when the convex member 50 in the X-axis direction is moved, the expanded sheet T is pushed up in the area covering the diameter 11L of the wafer 11 in the Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 6, that is, in the area My.

  The division of the wafer 11 performed as described above is performed not only by pushing up by the convex member 50 but also in a state where the expanded sheet T (wafer 11) is pressed by the high-pressure gas. In this case, a load from above (high pressure gas) and a load from below (convex member 50) act, and the fracture at the division starting point is more reliably performed.

  In addition to the movement of the convex member 50 in the X-axis direction, the entire convex member 50 or the protruding end 52 of the convex member 50 is moved in the vertical direction by a lifting mechanism such as an air cylinder (not shown). The load applied to the wafer 11 by this movement may be increased so that the breakage of the wafer 11 is more reliably performed.

  As described above, the wafer 11 is divided from the lower side by the convex member 50 as needed while being held from the upper side by the high-pressure atmosphere, so that the wafer 11 is divided at the division starting point.

  In order to perform this division reliably, as shown in FIG. 7, the direction of the straight line to be divided 13a and the angle (direction) of the straight virtual line 52a of the projecting end portion 52 are made to coincide with each other. It is preferable to apply a load that presses the dividing starting point from the side.

  For this reason, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the convex member moving mechanism (convex member moving means) 60 moves the convex member 50 in one direction (X-axis direction). The housing 36 has a transparent portion 37 facing the wafer 11 of the plate-like object unit U including the annular frame F mounted on the mounting table 32, and the dividing device 30 is interposed via the transparent portion 37 of the housing 36. In this way, the image forming unit (imaging unit) 70 that images the wafer 11 and the mounting table rotating / moving mechanism (mounting table rotating / moving unit) 80 that rotates the mounting table 32 are provided. And the convex member 50 are to be aligned.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the convex member moving mechanism 60 is a convex member that is rotated by a motor 64 with a ball screw 62 provided in a horizontal direction on a support base 61 and screwed into the ball screw 62. 50 is configured to move in the X-axis direction in a horizontal plane.

  In the housing 36, an opening 35k is formed in a closing portion 35d disposed at a position facing the plate-like object unit U, and a transparent portion 37 made of a transparent member such as glass is disposed in the opening 35k. Is done. The blocking portion 35d and the transparent portion 37 also function as a wall portion for configuring the sealed space 42.

  An imaging unit 70 that images the wafer 11 through the transparent portion 37 is provided outside the housing 36 at a position facing the transparent portion 37. In the imaging unit 70, a pattern formed on the surface of the wafer 11 is imaged, and a linear division planned line 13a (FIG. 7) is detected based on this pattern, and the angle of the wafer 11 is determined from the angle of the division planned line 13a. The direction (angle) can be recognized.

  The imaging unit 70 is connected to a control device (not shown), and the control device changes the angle of the mounting table 32 by the mounting table rotation moving mechanism 80, so that the orientation of the wafer 11 mounted on the mounting table 32 is changed. Correct. This correction is performed so that the angle of the straight virtual line 52 a (FIG. 7) of the protrusion 52 stored in the control device in advance and the scheduled division line 13 a recognized by the imaging unit 70 coincide. In addition, you may correct | amend so that the angle of the division line 13b orthogonal to the division line 13a and the virtual line 52a may correspond.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting table rotation moving mechanism 80 that rotates the mounting table 32 includes a motor 81, an output shaft 81 a of the motor 81, and a belt wound around the wall surface 32 c of the mounting table 32. The member 82 can be used. It is preferable that the output shaft 81a has a smaller diameter than the mounting table 32 and is configured to be rotated in the forward and reverse directions so that the angle of the mounting table 32 can be finely adjusted.

  And after making the virtual line 52a of the protrusion 52 and the division | segmentation scheduled line 13a correspond as mentioned above, as shown in FIG. 5, high pressure gas is supplied from the gas supply source 44, and the inside of the sealed space 42 is high-pressure atmosphere. And

  Next, the convex member 50 is moved from the end point M1 to the end point M2 in the X-axis direction that is a direction orthogonal to the virtual line 52a. At this time, the planned division line 13a which is the first direction is surely pressed without leaving the entire range, and the division starting point formed in the planned division line 13a is reliably broken by the load applied at that time. .

  After the convex member 50 reaches the end point M2, the supply of the high-pressure gas from the gas supply source 44 is stopped, and the exhaust path 45 is opened. Thereby, the inside of the sealed space 42 becomes atmospheric pressure, and the expansion of the expanded sheet T by the high-pressure gas is released.

  Next, by rotating the mounting table 32 by 90 degrees, the angles of the imaginary line 52a of the projecting end portion 52 in FIG. 7 and the scheduled division line 13b are matched, and then high-pressure gas is supplied again from the gas supply source 44 to provide a sealed space. The inside of 42 is a high pressure atmosphere.

  Next, by moving the convex member 50 from the end point M2 to the end point M1, the planned division line 13b that is the second direction is reliably pressed over the entire range, and the load applied at that time The division start point formed on the division line 13b is reliably broken.

  As described above, with respect to the division planned lines 13a and 13b in the first and second directions, the division starting points are broken, and the wafer 11 can be divided reliably as a whole.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a convex member 55 according to another embodiment. In the configuration of the convex member 55, a plurality of rows (five rows in this embodiment) of protruding end portions 56, 56 are provided, and the protruding portions 56, 56 are pressed from the lower side of the wafer 11. I am going to do that.

  Accordingly, in the configuration shown in FIG. 9, the projecting end portion 56 of the endmost row of the convex member 55 reaches the end point M2 earlier, so that the convex member 55 is divided from the end point M1 to the end point M2. Time can be shortened compared with the case where the convex-shaped member 50 which has the protruding part 52 of the one line mentioned above is used, and it becomes possible to implement division | segmentation in a shorter time.

  FIG.10 and FIG.11 is a figure shown about the convex-shaped member 90 of other embodiment. The convex member 90 is configured to have a rotary table 91 having a large number of protrusions 92, 92 on its upper surface, and the rotary table 91 is rotationally driven by a motor 93.

  The shaft 94 that connects the rotary table 91 and the motor 93 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction by an elevating mechanism such as an air cylinder (not shown), whereby the rotary table 91 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction. It is preferable.

  The shape and arrangement of the protrusions 92 and 92 are not particularly limited, but according to the size of the chip (interval of the lines to be divided) so that the pointed portion can press the dividing starting point with a point. It is preferable to design appropriately.

  In the convex member 90 configured as described above, by rotating the convex member 90, the protrusions 92 and 92 are intermittently pressed (pushed up) from the lower side via the expanded sheet T, and the division starting point Will be broken.

  At the same time, by causing the convex member 90 to move up and down to expand the expanded sheet T, a load spreading in the in-plane direction of the wafer 11 is generated, so that the break at the division starting point can be more reliably performed.

  Further, the diameter of the turntable 91 is at least equal to or larger than the device area of the wafer 11, but the diameter of the turntable 91 is assumed to be the same as the diameter of the wafer 11. Accordingly, the installation area of the convex member 90 including the rotary table 91 can be made the same as the area of the wafer 11.

  Thereby, it can comprise compactly as the convex-shaped member 90 whole, and by extension, the magnitude | size of the whole dividing | segmentation apparatus can be made compact.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Wafer 13a Scheduled division line 13b Scheduled division line 20 Laser irradiation unit 30 Dividing device 32 Mounting table 36 Housing 37 Transparent part 42 Sealed space 44 Gas supply source 45 Exhaust path 50 Convex member 52 Protruding end part 60 Convex member moving mechanism 70 Imaging Unit 80 Rotation mechanism for mounting table F Ring frame T Expand sheet U Plate unit

Claims (2)

The plate-like object side of a plate-like object unit comprising a plate-like object on which a division starting point is formed, an expanded sheet to which the plate-like object is attached, and an annular frame to which the outer periphery of the expanded sheet is attached is the surface side. The expanding sheet side is a back side, and the dividing unit divides the plate-like product of the plate-like product unit along the division starting point,
A mounting table for supporting the expanded sheet in the region where the annular frame of the plate-like object unit is placed and the plate-like object is attached; and
Frame fixing means for fixing the annular frame mounted on the mounting table;
A closed space for accommodating the plate-like object of the plate-like object unit together with the expanded sheet of the plate-like object unit including the annular frame placed on the mounting table is defined on the surface side of the plate-like object unit. A housing formed;
A gas supply source for supplying a gas to the sealed space to expand the expanded sheet of the plate unit to the back side of the plate unit;
In a state where gas is supplied from the gas supply source to the sealed space and the expanded sheet is expanded to the back surface side, the plate material is pressed through the expanded sheet on the back surface side of the plate material unit. And a convex member to be divided,
A convex member moving means for moving the convex member at least in a region corresponding to the plate-like object ,
The convex member has a plurality of protruding end portions each having a row of pointed ends, and each protruding end portion has a function of pressing the plate-like object.
A dividing apparatus characterized by that . The convex member moving means moves the convex member in one direction,
The housing has a transparent portion facing the plate-like object of the plate-like object unit including the annular frame placed on the mounting table.
The dividing device includes:
Imaging means for imaging the plate-like object through the transparent portion of the housing;
By providing a mounting table rotation moving means for rotating the mounting table,
Aligning the division starting point of the plate-like object unit and the convex member,
The dividing apparatus according to claim 1.

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