JPS62106642A - Wafer ring feed/return method and unit therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent adhesion of sheets attributable to the slack in a used wafer ring by a method wherein a used wafer ring is returned to a housing located lower than a housing accommodating an unused wafer ring. CONSTITUTION:When wafer ring 24 are in storage, at least one of housings 22 positioned at the lowest in a wafer ring cassette 21 is kept unoccupied. In a process of feeding a wafer ring, an unused wafer ring 24 is supplied from a low-side housing 22 in the wafer ring cassette 21 one after the other. In a process of the return of the wafer ring 24, the wafer ring 24 is sent into a housing 22 located lower than the housing 22 in which the wafer ring 24 used to be stored prior to use.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for supplying and returning a wafer ring to which a group of semiconductor elements such as ICs and LSIs are attached.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a device for supplying and returning a wafer ring to which a group of semiconductor elements is attached between a storage position and a semiconductor element extraction position is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-54500. There are some things listed. This device consists of a wafer ring cassette comprising a plurality of storage sections spaced at a constant pitch for storing a ring to which a group of semiconductor elements is attached, and a wafer ring cassette that is stored in the storage section of the wafer ring cassette. At the same time, the wafer rings are fed one by one toward the extraction position of the 4-1 element outside the cassette, and the Uni IX ring after the conductor element has been extracted is fed into the empty storage of the Uni IX ring cassette. and a transport means for returning it to the department. Here, each wafer ring housed in the cassette is equipped with an adhesive sheet with the h side as the adhesion surface. The 4-conductor element group is stuck in a constant alignment on the sticking surface of the adhesive sheet, and the wafer ring is stored in each storage section of the cassette in this state. On the other hand, in the wafer ring supplied to the extraction position of the semiconductor elements 7, the adhesive sheet is stretched so that a sufficient distance is formed between the aligned semiconductor elements. Stretching the adhesive sheet is
The lower surface of the seat is supported on a ring support frame, and in this state, the periphery of the seat is pushed down. As a result, the sheet is stretched in the circumferential direction, a sufficient distance is formed between each semiconductor element, and each element can be extracted smoothly without affecting adjacent semiconductor elements. The used sea urchin IX ring from which five semiconductor devices have been wedlocked as described in L is returned to the empty storage unit from which the wafer ring was taken.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, conventionally, when returning a used wafer ring to an empty storage unit, the following problems have occurred.

That is, conventionally, as shown in FIG.
The wafer rings 10 are stored in each storage section 12 of the wafer ring cassette 11, and the supply and return of the wafer rings 10 to the extraction position is performed in order from the lower storage section 2 to the upper storage section 12. . At this time, the adhesive sheet 13 held on the used wafer ring IOA is stretched upward during the extraction operation. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the used wafer ring IOA is
When the wafer ring 10 is returned to
niF,! 2〈Due to a problem, the supply of rings to the sea urchin
It was determined that this would hinder the return process.

The present invention prevents a sagging sheet of a used wafer ring from sticking to an unused wafer ring adjacent to the upper side of the cassette, and improves the operation of supplying and returning wafer rings to and from the wafer ring cassette. The purpose is to facilitate this.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the wafer ring supply/return method according to the first invention of the present application is such that when storing the Uni I At least one storage section is kept empty, and when supplying wafer rings, unused wafer rings are sequentially supplied from the storage section on the lower side of the wafer ring cassette, and when returning wafer rings, used wafer rings to be returned are kept. The wafer ring is returned to a lower storage section than the storage section in which it was stored when it was not used.

Further, in the wafer ring supply/return device according to the second invention of the present application, the lowermost storage section of the wafer ring cassette is
Unused wafer rings to which semiconductor device groups are attached are not stored, and only used uni-rings after semiconductor devices have been extracted at the extraction position can be stored. , unused wafer rings are sequentially supplied from the storage section on the lower side of the wafer ring cassette, and when returning the wafer ring, the used wafer ring to be returned is supplied to the storage section on the lower side than the storage section where the used wafer ring was stored when unused. Then, the wafer ring is raised and lowered to return it.

[Operation] According to each invention of the present application, the used wafer ring always
The cassette will be returned with one or more empty storage sections interposed between it and the unused wafer ring adjacent to the upper side of the cassette. Therefore, ensure sufficient air gap between used and unused wafer rings,
To prevent a sagging sheet of a used wafer ring from adhering to an unused wafer ring adjacent to an upper stage in a cassette, and to smoothen the operation of supplying and returning wafer rings to a wafer ring cassette. becomes possible.

Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a wafer ring supply and return device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an open plan view, and Fig. 3 is an arrow taken along the line ■-m in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 (A) and Fig. 4 CB) are front views showing the supply and return status of each wafer ring stored in the cassette ring, and Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the process of supplying and returning wafer rings. be.

The wafer ring supply and return device 20 includes a wafer ring cassette 21 that is moved up and down in the vertical direction (Z direction). The wafer ring cassette 21 is placed in the vertical direction (Z direction)
is equipped with a plurality of storage sections 22 at a predetermined pitch, and each storage section 22 has a wafer ring 2 holding an adhesive sheet 23.
4 can be stored and used. That is, each storage section 2
2 is formed with a groove 25 that can hold each end of the wafer ring 24 in the Y direction. The wafer ring 24 is stored in each storage section 22 from the storage port 26 side of the cassette 21, with each end of the wafer ring 24 being inserted into the groove 25.

The wafer ring cassette 21 is moved up and down in the Z direction by driving a lifting device 27. That is, the elevating device 27 includes a screw shaft 28 that is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A, and the screw shaft 28 is connected to the wafer ring cassette 21.
It is screwed into a shaft support 29 fixed to the side of the shaft. As a result, the entire wafer ring cassette 21 can be moved up and down by rotating the screw shaft 28 in the direction of arrow A. As a result, by raising and lowering the cassette 21, multiple stages of the storage section 2 can be created.
2, move the corresponding storage section 22 to the wafer ring supply position 3.
0 (see FIG. 1).

Adhesive sheet 2 held on wafer ring 24 to be stored
3 has its upper surface as an adhesion surface, and the holding of the sheet 23 to the wafer ring 24 is also carried out by using the circumferential portion of the adhesion surface on the ring 24.
This is done by attaching it to the bottom of the . A semiconductor element group 31 is attached to the center of the adhesive surface of the adhesive sheet 23 . The semiconductor element group 31 is configured by arranging semiconductor elements 32 used as IC chips in the X and Y directions.

At a position facing the storage opening 26 of the wafer ring cassette 21 in the X direction, a semiconductor element extraction device 33 is disposed. A means 34 for transporting the wafer ring 24 is disposed between the semiconductor element extraction device 33 and the wafer ring cassette 21 . The transfer means 34 is the wafer ring cassette 2
The wafer ring 24 stored in the storage section 22 of 1
Device 33 for extracting semiconductor elements 32 from outside the cassette 21 one by one
At the same time, the used wafer ring 24 (hereinafter simply referred to as a used wafer ring) from which the semiconductor elements 33 have been removed is returned to the empty storage section 22 of the wafer ring assembly 21. It is possible. Transport means 3
4 includes a slider 35 that is movable in the direction of arrow X by a drive means (not shown). That is, the slider 35 is movable in the direction of the arrow X along a guide rod 36 disposed between the wafer ring cassette 21 and the extraction device 33. The slider 35 is provided with respective holding claws 37A and 37B that are driven to open and close in the direction of arrow B, and the end portion of the wafer ring 24 can be held between these holding claws 37A and 37B that are driven to close. In order to supply the wafer ring 24 to the extraction device 33, the slider 35 is first slid to the left end of the movement indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, and the holding claws 37A and 37B are opened. As a result, the wafer ring supply position 30 of the wafer ring cassette 21 and the holding claws 37A and 3 which are in the open state.
7B are located opposite to each other in the X direction. Further, in this state, the unused wafer ring 24 (wafer ring to which the semiconductor element group 31 is attached) positioned at the wafer ring supply position 30 is supplied between each holding claw 37A and 37B. The unused wafer ring 24 is supplied by driving a cylinder device 39 disposed on the opening 38 side of the wafer ring force set 21. This cylinder device 3
9 includes a bushing rod 40 that is driven in the direction of arrow X. The bushing rod 40 moves the wafer ring 24, which is positioned at the wafer ring supply position 30 by driving in the direction of the arrow X, between the holding claws 37A and 37B in the direction of the arrow C.
It can be extruded and fed in the direction. Each holding claw 37A
When the sea urchin/belling 24 is pushed out between and 37B, each holding claw 37A, 37B is then driven in the closing direction. As a result, the end portion of the wafer ring 24 is held by each of the holding claws 37A and 37B.

When the wafer ring 24 is held by the holding claws 37A and 37B, the slider 35 is driven to the right in FIG. Thereby, the wafer ring 24 is attached to the semiconductor element picking device 33.
will be transported towards. At this time, the wafer ring 24 is
Both ends in the Y direction are connected to a pair of guide rails 4LA, 4
1B, and is transferred while being guided by the guide rail 41.
A and 41B are the wafer ring cassette 21 and the extraction device 3
3. The wafer ring 24, which is moved to the right in FIG. 1 by the drive of the slider 35, is stopped and positioned in the semiconductor element extraction device 33.

The semiconductor element extracting device 33 is equipped with an XY table 42 that is driven in plane XY directions, and further includes an
2 North, a support frame 43 is fixedly observed. The support frame 43 is provided with a support ring 44 on which the unused wafer ring 24 to be transferred can be supported. The support ring 44 is an annular body smaller than the wafer ring 24, and the wafer ring 24 being transferred is released when its center reaches a center position 45 (see FIG. 1) of the support ring 44. The release of the wafer ring 24 is
This is done by driving the holding claws 37A and 37B in the opening direction, and the holding claw 37 which releases the wafer ring 24
A and 37B are positioned at the right moving end as shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 by driving the slider 35.

The wafer ring 24 released on the support ring 44 is supported with the back surface of the adhesive sheet 23 in contact with the support surface 46 of the support ring 44 . A chuck ring 47 that can be driven in the vertical direction (Z direction) is disposed above the support ring 44 . The chuck ring 47 is driven downward with the wafer ring 24 released on the support ring 44, and pushes down the wafer ring 24 of the support ring 44-J-. As a result, the wafer ring 24 is in a state where it is chucked between the chuck ring 47 and the support ring 44 as shown in FIG. 1, and the adhesive sheet 23 covering the wafer ring 24 is stretched downward. becomes. As a result, the adhesive sheet 23 is stretched in the circumferential direction (D direction), and therefore, a certain interval is formed between the semiconductor elements 32 that are adhered to the adhesive surface of the sheet 23 and aligned. becomes.

Each semiconductor element 32 aligned in the XY direction on the support ring 44 can be sequentially positioned at a semiconductor element extraction position 48 by pitch driving the XY table 42 in the X or Y direction. A suction nozzle 49 is disposed above the extraction position 48, and the suction nozzle 49 is attached to the tip of the swing arm 50. On the other hand, a needle 51 is disposed on the back side of the adhesive sheet 23 that is supported by the support ring 44 below the extraction position 48 . needle 51
is driven in the Z direction, thereby making it possible to push up the semiconductor element 3z positioned at the extraction position 48 from the back side of the adhesive sheet 23. The semiconductor element 32 pushed up by the needle 51 is peeled off from the adhesive surface, and the suction nozzle 49 is driven downward at the same time. As a result, the semiconductor element 32 located at the extraction position 48 is attracted to the suction nozzle 49 and extracted, and at the same time, the suction nozzle 49 is driven upward again. The semiconductor element 32 held by the suction nozzle 49 is transferred to a mount storage (not shown) by the swing of the swing arm 50. After completing the transfer, the suction nozzle 49 returns to the extraction position 4 by the swinging of the swinging arm 50.
It will be positioned at 8.

” When the semiconductor element 32 positioned like two legs at the extraction position 48 is extracted, the semiconductor element 32 to be extracted next is positioned at the extraction position 4B through the pitch drive of the XY table 42. That will happen. In this way, the semiconductor elements 32 that are aligned 5 are sequentially extracted by the suction nozzle 49, and the wafer ring 24 from which all the semiconductor elements 32 that are aligned have been extracted is returned to the wafer ring as a used wafer ring. It is returned to the cassette 21.

To return the used wafer ring 24, first remove each holding claw 37A.
, 37B is opened, and in this state the slider 35 is moved to the first position.
This is done by moving it to the left in the figure. When the end of the used wafer ring 24 is positioned between the two moving holding claws 37A and 37B, the holding claws 37A and 37B are driven in the closing direction.

As a result, the used wafer ring 24 is held by each of the holding claws 37A and 37B, and by moving the slider 35 to the left in FIG. It will be transported to At this time, the used wafer ring 24 is placed on the guide rail 41A in the same way as the unused wafer ring 24.
, 41B.

The used wafer ring 24 is the wafer ring 6 e -/)
21, the corresponding empty storage section 22 is positioned at the wafer ring supply position 30 of the cassette 21 by the lifting/lowering operation of the lifting device 27. As a result, the used wafer ring 2 is transferred to the left in FIG.
4 is transferred into the storage 22 which is positioned at the supply position 30. The used wafer ring 24 to be transferred is released into the storage section 22 by driving the holding claws 37A and 37B in the opening direction, whereby the wafer ring 24 is moved into the storage section 22.
It will be stored in 2.

When the supply and return of one wafer ring 24 is completed in this manner, the wafer ring holder 1-21 is raised and lowered by the raising and lowering operation of the raising and lowering device 27. Therefore, supply position 3
0, the unused wafer ring 24 to be supplied next is positioned, and the supplied hot water of the wafer ring 24 is returned by the series of operations described above. Such a series of operations is sequentially repeated for each wafer ring z4 stored in each stage of the wafer ring cassette 21. A new unused wafer ring 24 is supplied to each storage section 22 in place of the used wafer ring 24 in a state in which all the stored wafer rings 24 are used wafer rings.

Therefore, the unused wafer rings 24 stored in each stage of the wafer ring cassette 21 are supplied to and returned to the extracting device 33 from the unused wafer rings 24 stored in the lower storage part 22 to the upper storage part. The wafer ring 22 is sequentially moved to the unused wafer ring 24 stored in the wafer ring 22 . At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the lowermost storage section 22A of the wafer ring cassette 21 is kept empty in advance. Therefore, the supply and return of unused wafer rings 24 must first be made to the fourth
The process is performed 1 m from the unused wafer ring stored in one storage section 22B from the bottom row shown in FIG.

For this reason, first, the wafer ring cassette 21 is moved downward by the lifting device 27 so that the storage section 22B is positioned at the supply position 30. In this way, when the storage section 22B is positioned at the supply position, the storage section 22B
The wafer ring 24 in B is supplied to the extraction device 33 (FIG. 5). Next, the wafer ring cassette 21 is moved up one step by the driving of the lifting device 27 (Fig. 5 ■).
, this moves the empty storage section 22A at the bottom to the supply position 30.
It will be positioned at The wafer ring 24 supplied to the extracting device 33 is sequentially extracted with the semiconductor elements 32 by the suction nozzle 49, and when the extracting operation is completed (
The J wafer ring 24 in FIG. 5(3) is returned to the cassette 21 as a used wafer ring. As a result, the used wafer ring 24 is stored in the empty storage section 22A positioned at the supply position 30 (Fig. 5 ■). At this time, the used wafer ring 24 is stored in the storage section 22A and returned. The used wafer ring 24 holds the adhesive sheet 23 which is stretched in the circumferential direction and sagged upward, as shown in FIG. 4(B). Next, the wafer ring cassette 21 is moved down by two steps by the driving of the lifting device 27 (FIG. 5 (■)), whereby the third storage section 22C from the bottom is positioned at the supply position 30. The unused wafer ring 24 in the storage section 22C positioned in this state is supplied to the extraction device 30 (Fig.
The storage section 22B is moved up one step by the drive of the storage section 22B (FIG. 5), whereby the second storage section 22B from the bottom is positioned at the supply position 30. The semiconductor element 32 is extracted from the wafer ring 24 stored in the storage section 22C supplied to the extraction device 33 in the same manner as in the above case. When the extraction operation is completed (FIG. 5), the wafer ring 24 is returned to the cassette 21. As a result, the used wafer ring 24 is stored in the storage section 22B positioned at the supply position 30 (FIG. 5).

At this time, the adhesive sheet 23 of the wafer ring 24 stored in the storage section 22A will shrink due to changes over time, and the adhesive surface of the sheet 23 will not stick to the wafer ring 24 stored in the storage section 22B. can be prevented. Next, the wafer ring cassette 21 is moved up and down by the lifting device 27.
The storage section 22D is moved downward (FIG. 5), and the fourth storage section 22D from the bottom is thereby positioned at the supply position 30. Therefore, the unused wafer rings 24 in the storage section 22D are supplied and returned in the above order.

By repeating these operations as shown in the flowchart (FIG. 5), the wafer rings 24 stored in the lower storage section 22 and the upper storage section 22 are sequentially supplied and returned. At this time, a gap of one stage is always formed between the used wafer ring 24 stored in the cassette 21 and the adjacent unused wafer ring 24 on the upper stage side.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

According to the above embodiment, one empty storage section 22 is always interposed between the used wafer ring 24 and the unused wafer ring 24 adjacent to the upper stage in the cassette 21. It will be returned in the same condition. Therefore, a sufficient gap is ensured between the used wafer ring 24 and the unused wafer ring 24 so that the adhesive surface of the sheet 23 where the used wafer ring 24 has sagged is adjacent to the upper side in the cassette 21. It is possible to prevent the wafer ring 24 from sticking to an unused wafer ring 24, and to facilitate the supply and return operation of the wafer ring 24 to the wafer ring cassette 21.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the method for supplying and returning wafer rings according to the first invention of the present application maintains at least one storage section at the lowest position of the wafer ring cassette in an empty state when storing wafer rings. When supplying wafer rings, unused wafer rings are supplied sequentially from the storage section on the lower side of the wafer ring cassette, and when returning wafer rings, the used wafer rings to be returned are stored in the unused wafer ring. The wafer ring is returned to the storage section on the lower side of the storage section.

Further, in the wafer ring supply/return device according to the second invention of Kijun, the storage section on the lowermost side of the wafer ring cassette is
Unused wafer rings to which semiconductor device groups are attached are not stored, and only used wafer rings after semiconductor devices have been extracted at the extraction position can be stored. , unused wafer rings are sequentially supplied from the storage section on the lower side of the wafer ring cassette, and when returning the wafer ring, the used wafer ring to be returned is supplied to the storage section on the lower side than the storage section where the used wafer ring was stored when unused. At the same time, the wafer puffer is raised and lowered to return the wafer puffer. This prevents the sagging sheet of the used wafer ring from sticking to the unused wafer ring adjacent to the upper side of the cassette, and facilitates the supply and return operation of the wafer ring to the wafer ring cassette. This has the effect of being able to.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a wafer ring supply and return device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same, and FIG. 3 is an arrow taken along the line 4(A) and 4(B) are front views showing the supply and return status of each wafer ring stored in the cassette ring, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the wafer ring supply and return process. , 6th
The figure relates to a conventional example and is a front view showing a state in which each wafer ring stored in a cassette ring is supplied and returned. 20...Wafer ring supply/return device, 21...
Wafer ring cassette, 22... storage section, 27...
Lifting device, 3l... Semiconductor element group, 32... Semiconductor element, 33... Semiconductor element extraction device, 34... Transfer means. Agent Patent Attorney Osamu Shiokawa 3rd 4th (B) Figure 5 Figure 6 IC) A

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) After storing the wafer rings to which semiconductor element groups are attached in each of the multiple storage sections provided in the wafer ring cassette, place one unused wafer ring stored in the wafer ring cassette. A feeding operation in which the semiconductor elements are fed to the extraction position outside the cassette, and a return operation in which the used wafer ring is returned to the empty storage section of the wafer ring cassette after the semiconductor elements have been extracted. In the wafer ring supply/return method that is repeated for each wafer ring, when storing the wafer ring, at least one storage section at the lowest position of the wafer ring cassette is kept empty; Unused wafer rings are supplied one after another from the storage section on the side, and when the wafer ring is returned, the used wafer ring to be returned is placed in a storage section on the lower side of the storage section where the used wafer ring was stored when unused. A method for supplying and returning wafer rings characterized by returning them. (2) A wafer ring cassette comprising a plurality of storage sections arranged at a constant pitch for storing a wafer ring to which a group of semiconductor elements is attached, a lifting device for raising and lowering the wafer ring cassette, and a wafer ring. The wafer rings stored in the storage section of the cassette are fed one by one toward the semiconductor element extraction position outside the cassette, and the wafer rings after the semiconductor elements have been extracted are fed into the empty wafer ring cassette. In a wafer ring supply/return device that is equipped with a transfer means for returning the wafer ring to a storage section, the storage section on the lowest side of the wafer ring cassette stores unused wafer rings to which semiconductor device groups are attached. In addition, when supplying wafer rings, the lifting device supplies unused wafer rings one after another from the storage section on the lower side of the wafer ring cassette. However, when returning a wafer ring, the used wafer ring to be returned shall be lifted and lowered so as to be returned to a lower storage section than the storage section in which it was stored when not in use. A wafer ring supply/return device featuring: