JPWO2009028365A1 - Dicing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The dicing device (1) includes a plurality of work tables (12, 14), a plurality of alignment devices (5, 5), and a plurality of processing devices (10, 10), and the plurality of alignment devices (5, 5). Is provided so as to be independently movable so as to image each of the workpieces placed on the plurality of workpiece tables (12, 14). Accordingly, the plurality of alignment devices (5, 5) separately align the plurality of workpieces placed on the plurality of work tables (12, 14), or align one workpiece in cooperation. It becomes possible. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operating rate of the expensive alignment apparatus, and hence the operating rate of the entire dicing apparatus.

Description

  The present invention relates to a dicing apparatus, and more particularly to a dicing apparatus that performs grooving or cutting on a workpiece such as a semiconductor or electronic component material.

  In a conventional dicing apparatus that performs grooving or cutting (hereinafter referred to as processing) on a workpiece such as a semiconductor or electronic component material, the workpiece placed on the work table is ground by a thin grindstone called a blade that rotates at high speed. Process with water. In this dicing apparatus, a spindle holding a thin grindstone performs index feed in the Y-axis direction and infeed feed in the Z-axis direction, and a work table on which a workpiece is placed is ground and fed in the X-axis direction. Has been. A microscope (alignment device) for observing the upper surface of the work is fixed to a spindle holding a thin grindstone via a holder arm. Using this microscope, the upper surface of the workpiece is observed to align the workpiece or to evaluate the cut groove after processing. A CCD camera is connected to the microscope, and an image picked up by the CCD camera is subjected to image processing by a pattern matching device or the like to perform workpiece alignment.

  However, this dicing apparatus is provided with only one work table on which a work is placed and one microscope incorporating a CCD camera for picking up the work. Could not be aligned. For this reason, the operation rate of expensive alignment apparatuses such as a microscope, a CCD camera, and an image processing apparatus is poor, and the operation rate of the entire dicing apparatus is also reduced.

As a solution to such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-156809 (Patent Document 1) discloses a dicing apparatus provided with two blades, a work table, and two microscopes. According to this dicing apparatus, the work placed on one work table is aligned with one microscope, and the work on the other work table is aligned with the other microscope. Then, the work placed on one work table is processed with one blade, and the work placed on the other work table is processed with the other blade, or placed on one or the other work table. The formed workpiece is processed with one and the other blade. As described above, the work rate of the dicing apparatus is improved by individually aligning two workpieces with two microscopes and processing one workpiece with two blades.
JP 2006-156809 A

  As described above, the dicing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-156809 is an apparatus that individually aligns two workpieces with two microscopes. Therefore, this dicing apparatus also corresponds to the dicing apparatus described above in which only one work table on which a work is placed and one microscope for imaging the work are provided in terms of alignment. Therefore, even in the dicing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-156809, the operation rate of expensive alignment apparatuses such as a microscope, a CCD camera, and an image processing apparatus is bad, and the operation rate of the entire dicing apparatus is also dramatically increased. It could not be improved.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a dicing apparatus capable of improving the operating rate of the alignment apparatus and the movable rate of machining quality confirmation and improving the operating rate of the entire apparatus. It is an object.

  In order to achieve the above object, the dicing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention detects a machining area by imaging a plurality of work tables on which workpieces are placed and the workpieces placed on the plurality of work tables. A plurality of alignment devices, and a plurality of processing devices for processing the workpieces placed on the plurality of work tables with a rotary blade, wherein the plurality of alignment devices are placed on the plurality of work tables. It is provided so as to be movable independently so as to image each workpiece.

  A dicing apparatus according to a second aspect is the dicing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the plurality of alignment apparatuses cooperatively image one workpiece placed on one work table and detect a processing region. .

  According to the first aspect, the dicing device includes a plurality of work tables, alignment devices, and processing devices, and the plurality of alignment devices are independently movable so as to individually image the workpieces placed on the plurality of work tables. Provided. Therefore, the plurality of alignment apparatuses can align any workpiece (any one or more of the plurality of workpieces) placed on the plurality of workpiece tables.

  According to the second aspect, the plurality of alignment apparatuses detect a processing region by cooperatively imaging a single workpiece placed on one workpiece table. When detecting a processing region, a conventional dicing apparatus measures, for example, 10 points with a single alignment apparatus. In this embodiment, when two alignment apparatuses are provided, for example, both alignment apparatuses are Since it is sufficient to measure five points each, the processing time spent for alignment can be reduced to about half. In addition, the quality check (kerf check) of the workpiece to be processed during alignment can be performed independently, and the workpiece processing time can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operating rate of the expensive alignment apparatus and the operating rate of the entire dicing apparatus.

  Further, even if one alignment device fails, the workpieces placed on the plurality of work tables can be aligned by the remaining alignment devices, so that production can be continued.

  According to the third aspect, in the dicing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the plurality of alignment apparatuses detect a machining area of the workpiece, and check the machining quality of the workpiece in the middle of machining. It is carried out in cooperation with a plurality of workpieces above or with a workpiece on one workpiece table. Thereby, the movable rate of a kerf check can also be raised.

  According to the aspect of the present invention, a plurality of alignment devices are provided so as to be independently movable so that a plurality of work tables, alignment devices, and processing devices are provided, and each of the workpieces placed on the plurality of work tables can be imaged. . As a result, it is possible to improve the operating rate of the expensive alignment apparatus, improve the operating rate of the machining quality confirmation, and improve the operating rate of the entire dicing apparatus.

The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the dicing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention The perspective view which showed the structure of the process part of the dicing apparatus shown in FIG. Sectional drawing which showed the principal part structure of the process part shown in FIG. The perspective view of the process part shown in FIG. Plan view of the processing section shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Dicing apparatus 5 ... Microscope 9 ... Rotary blade 10 ... Spindle 12, 14 ... Work table 16, 18 ... X table 20 ... Oil pan 22 ... Guide rail 24 ... Ball screw 26 ... Servo motor 28 ... Ball nut 30 ... Slider 32 ... θ table 34 ... bellows 36 ... guide rail 38 ... ball screw 40 ... servo motor 44 ... θ table 46 ... bellows 48 ... guide base 50 ... spindle Y guide 52 ... spindle Y table 54 ... spindle Z table 56 ... holders 58, 60 ... Microscope drive device 62 ... Microscope Y guide 64 ... Microscope Y table 66 ... Microscope Z tables 70 and 74 ... Ball screws 72 and 76 ... Servo motors

  A preferred embodiment of a dicing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  The dicing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has a load port 2 for transferring a cassette storing a plurality of workpieces to and from an external device, a suction unit 3, and transports a workpiece W to each part of the device. A device 4, a pair of microscopes (alignment devices) 5 and 5 for observing the upper surface of the workpiece W, a processing unit 6, a spinner 7 for cleaning and drying the processed workpiece W, and a controller 8 for controlling the operation of each unit of the device Prepare. The processing unit 6 is provided with air bearing spindles (or spindles of mechanical bearings) 10 and 10 with a built-in high-frequency motor and two rotating blades (processing devices) 9 that are arranged opposite to each other. The spindles 10 and 10 are rotated at a high speed, and index feed in the Y direction and cut feed in the Z direction are performed independently of each other. The blade 9 is surrounded by a flange cover (not shown) having an opening on the front side and the lower side, and grinding water is supplied from a grinding nozzle provided on the flange cover toward a processing point. The flange cover is provided with a cleaning nozzle (not shown), and cleaning water is supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the processing point. The blade 9 is a thin disk-shaped grindstone, and an electrodeposition blade in which diamond abrasive grains or CBN abrasive grains are electrodeposited with nickel, or a resin blade bonded with resin is used. Further, the processing unit 6 is provided with two identical work tables 12 and 14 on which the work W is sucked and placed, and these are moved in the X direction of FIG. It is comprised so that it may be ground and fed.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of the processing unit 6 of the dicing apparatus 1.

  As shown in the figure, a box-shaped oil pan 20 is horizontally disposed below the work tables 12 and 14 of the processing unit 6. A pair of guide rails 22, 22 are arranged on the left side surface of the oil pan 20 along the arrow X direction in the figure, and a drive mechanism is provided between the guide rails 22, 22. A ball screw 24 is provided in parallel to the guide rails 22 and 22 and along the left side surface of the oil pan 20.

  A servo motor (which may be a linear motor) 26 that rotationally drives the ball screw 24 is disposed on the back side in the depth direction of the oil pan 20. Further, an X table 16 guided in the guide rails 22 and 22 and driven in the X direction by the rotation of the ball screw 24 by the servo motor 26 is arranged in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the X table 16 is provided with a ball nut 28 that engages with the ball screw 24, and sliders 30, 30 that slidably engage with the guide rails 22, 22. Further, a θ table 32 that rotates θ about the Z direction (see FIG. 1) is mounted on the X table 16, and the work table 12 is attached to the θ table 32. The side surface of the rotation axis of the θ table 32 is fixed to the X table 16 so that the work table 12 rotates in the θ direction on a horizontal plane.

  Furthermore, a pair of bellows 34, 34 that are extended and contracted as the X table 16 moves in the X direction and covers the guide rails 22, 22 and the ball screw 24 are disposed on the left side surface of the oil pan 20. One bellows 34 has one end fixed to the front side in the depth direction of the oil pan 20 and the other end fixed to the front side edge in the depth direction of the X table 16. The other bellows 34 has one end fixed to the depth side of the oil pan 20 and the other end fixed to the depth side edge of the X table 16. In FIG. 2, the other bellows 34 is omitted.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of guide rails 36, 36 are also provided on the right side surface of the oil pan 20 along the direction of the arrow X in FIG. Also in the middle, a ball screw 38 constituting a driving mechanism is disposed in parallel with the guide rails 36 and 36 and along the right side surface of the oil pan 20.

  In addition, a servo motor 40 that rotationally drives the ball screw 38 is disposed on the back side in the depth direction of the oil pan 20. Further, an X table 18 guided by the guide rails 36 and 36 and driven in the X direction by the rotation of the ball screw 38 by the servo motor 40 is disposed. The X table 18 is provided with a ball nut (not shown) that is screwed with the ball screw 38, and a slider (not shown) that is slidably engaged with the guide rails 36, 36, and in the Z direction (see FIG. 1). ) Is mounted on a θ table 44 that rotates θ. Further, the work table 14 is attached to the θ table 44. The side surface of the rotation axis of the θ table 44 is fixed to the X table 18 so that the work table 14 rotates in the θ direction on a horizontal plane.

  Furthermore, a pair of bellows 46 and 46 that are extended and contracted as the X table 18 moves in the X direction and covers the guide rails 36 and 36 and the ball screw 38 are disposed on the right side surface of the oil pan 20. One bellows 46 has one end fixed to the front side in the depth direction of the oil pan 20 and the other end fixed to the front side edge in the depth direction of the X table 18. The other bellows 46 has one end fixed to the depth side of the oil pan 20 and the other end fixed to the depth direction Okugawa side edge of the X table 18. In FIG. 2, the other bellows 46 is omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a gate-shaped guide base 48 is erected on the processing portion 6. A spindle Y guide 50 is attached horizontally to the left side surface of the guide base 48 in FIG. Further, two spindle Y tables 52, 52 guided by a spindle Y guide 50 and index-fed in the Y direction by a driving mechanism (not shown) are provided on the left side surface of the guide base 48 in FIG. Each spindle Y table 52 is provided with a spindle Z table 54 which is cut and fed in the direction of arrow Z in the figure by a guide rail (not shown) and a driving mechanism. Each spindle Z table 54 is connected to a spindle via a holder 56. 10 is attached. The two spindles 10 and 10 are disposed so as to face each other, and a rotating blade 9 is attached to the tip of each spindle 10. By such a mechanism, the two rotary blades 9 and 9 are independently fed in the Z direction by cutting and in the Y direction by index feed. Further, the drive mechanism of the spindle Y tables 16 and 18 and the spindle Z table 54 may use a linear motor, or may use a servo motor and a lead screw.

  Two microscope driving devices 58 and 60 are provided on the right side of the guide base 48 in FIG. These microscope driving devices 58 and 60 are attached to the right side surface of the guide base 48 and supported so as to be movable in the arrow Y direction along the microscope Y guides 62 and 62 disposed horizontally in the arrow Y direction in the figure. Is done. The microscope moving devices 58 and 60 may be movably supported by another guide other than the microscope Y guides 62 and 62.

  The microscope driving devices 58 and 60 include a microscope Y table 64 guided by microscope Y guides 62 and 62, respectively. The microscope Y table 64 of the microscope driving device 58 has a ball nud (not shown) screwed into the ball screw 70 shown in FIG. 4 arranged in parallel with the microscope Y guides 62 and 62, and rotates the ball screw 70. It is moved in the Y direction by the rotational force of the motor 72. Similarly, the microscope Y table 64 of the microscope driving device 60 has a ball nud (not shown) screwed into a ball screw 74 disposed in parallel with the microscope Y guides 62, 62, and rotates the ball screw 74. It is moved in the Y direction by the rotational force of 76. These ball screws 70 and 74 are provided over the work tables 12 and 14 as shown in FIG. 5, whereby the microscope driving devices 58 and 60 are arranged above both the work tables 12 and 14. The position can be moved independently.

  On the other hand, each microscope Y table 64 is provided with a microscope Z table 66 that is sent in the direction of arrow Z in the figure, and the microscope 5 that observes the upper surface of the workpiece W is attached to each microscope Z table 66. Yes. The microscopes 5 and 5 are sent in the Y direction and Z direction in the figure by the microscope driving devices 58 and 60 configured as described above, and both the microscopes 5 and 5 are mounted on the work tables 12 and 14, respectively. The workpiece W can be imaged.

  The microscope 5 incorporates a CCD camera (not shown). An image of the workpiece W picked up by the CCD camera is subjected to pattern patching by an image processing apparatus provided in the controller 8 of FIG. The controller 8 controls all of these units, controls the alignment operation, controls the processing unit 6, controls the transfer device 4, and so on.

  Next, the operation of the dicing apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described.

  First, the cassette in which the workpiece W is stored is delivered to the load port 2 of the dicing apparatus 1 by the external transfer device. In this cassette, a plurality of workpieces W attached to the frame via dicing tape are stored. Next, the workpieces W are pulled out from the cassette one by one by the conveying device 4 of the dicing device 1 and are attracted to the workpiece table 12. Thereafter, the work table 12 moves below the microscope Y guide 62, and the two microscopes 5 and 5 are conveyed directly above the work W by the microscope Y table 64. Here, the two microscopes 5 and 5 are focused by the microscope Z table 66. Next, the pattern portion formed on the upper surface of the workpiece W is imaged by a CCD camera incorporated in the two microscopes 5 and 5, and is aligned using a known pattern matching technique. Note that the next workpiece W is placed on the workpiece table 14 when the workpiece is aligned.

  The aligned workpiece W is conveyed to the processing unit 6 by the work table 12. Here, the two rotary blades 10 and 10 are respectively cut and fed as necessary, and the two machining areas (streets) are simultaneously machined by the X-direction grinding feed of the work table 12. Next, the rotary blades 10 and 10 are indexed by a necessary pitch in the Y direction and positioned on the next street, and these two lines are also processed by the X direction grinding feed of the work table 12. This operation is repeated to process all streets in one direction of the workpiece W. When all the lines in one direction are processed, the workpiece W is rotated 90 degrees by the rotation of the θ table 32, and the street that is orthogonal to the previous street is processed.

  While the first workpiece W is being processed by the processing unit 6, the next workpiece W is moved under the microscope Y guide 62, and the two microscopes 5, 5 are directly above the workpiece W by the microscope Y table 64. It is conveyed to. Here again, the two microscopes 5 and 5 are focused by the microscope Z table 66, and the pattern portion formed on the upper surface of the next workpiece W is incorporated in the two microscopes 5 and 5. The image is captured by the camera and alignment is performed. When the processing of the first workpiece W is completed, the next workpiece W after the alignment is carried into the processing unit 6 and processed in the same manner. During processing by the blades 9 and 9, when alignment is performed by the two microscopes 5 and 5, the same street is imaged by the microscopes 5 and 5, and the accuracy of the camera axis of each microscope is confirmed, or calibration is performed. Can be reflected (accuracy check by temperature change or calibration value between cameras when two cameras are mounted). This is an effect due to the separation of the movement axis of the microscope 5 and the movement axis of the spindle 10.

  The first workpiece W that has been completely processed is evaluated by measuring the shape of the processing groove and the chipping state under the two microscopes 5 and 5 as necessary. When the evaluation of the machining groove is completed, the workpiece W is transferred to the spinner 7 by the transfer device 4, where spin cleaning and spin drying are performed. The workpiece W that has been cleaned and dried is again stored in the original cassette by the transport device 4. Similarly, the next workpiece W is processed, washed, and dried, and stored in the original cassette. The above operations are repeated one after another to process all the workpieces W in the cassette. The above is the flow when the workpiece W is processed by the dicing apparatus according to the present invention. During the alignment of the workpiece W by the microscopes 5 and 5, the wear amount of the blade 9 can be confirmed or the blade 9 can be replaced. This is also an effect due to the separation of the movement axis of the microscope 5 and the movement axis of the spindle 10.

  By the way, the dicing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment includes two work tables 12 and 14, microscopes 5 and 5, and two blades 9 and 9, and two microscopes 5 and 5. It is provided so as to be independently movable so as to pick up images of the workpieces W placed on each. Thus, the two microscopes 5 and 5 can align the two workpieces W placed on the two workpiece tables 12 and 14. As shown in FIG. 5, the two microscopes 5 and 5 cooperatively pick up an image of one workpiece W placed on one workpiece table 14 (12) and detect a processing region. When detecting the processing region, the conventional dicing apparatus measures, for example, 10 points with one microscope, whereas the dicing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment can measure both the microscopes 5 and 5 respectively. As a result, the processing time spent for alignment can be reduced to about half. Moreover, it becomes possible to carry out the kerf check of the workpiece W during alignment independently, and the workpiece processing time can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operating rate of the expensive alignment apparatus and the operating rate of the entire dicing apparatus.

  Further, even if one microscope 5 breaks down, the work W placed on the two work tables 12 and 14 can be aligned by the other microscope 5, so that the production can be continued.

  Furthermore, according to the dicing apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the two microscopes 5 and 5 detect the machining area of the workpiece W, and also check the machining quality (kerf check) of the workpiece in the middle of machining. It can also be carried out in cooperation with two workpieces W on the tables 12, 14 or with one workpiece W on one workpiece table 12 (14). That is, the machining is temporarily stopped and the workpiece W is moved under the two microscopes 5 and 5, and the workpiece W in the middle of machining is kerf checked by the two microscopes 5 and 5. Thereby, the movable rate of a kerf check can also be raised.

  In this embodiment, two microscopes 5, blades 9, and work tables 12 are provided. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more microscopes may be provided. Further, the mechanism contents of the processing unit 6 can be applied to the dicing mechanism of only the processing unit (cutting unit) 6 from which the load port 2 is removed.

Claims (3)

A plurality of work tables on which the work is placed;
A plurality of alignment devices for imaging a workpiece placed on the plurality of workpiece tables and detecting a machining area;
A plurality of processing devices for processing the workpieces placed on the plurality of work tables with a rotary blade,
The plurality of alignment devices are provided so as to be independently movable so as to respectively image the workpieces placed on the plurality of workpiece tables.
Dicing equipment. The plurality of alignment apparatuses detect a processing region by imaging a single workpiece placed on one work table in cooperation with each other,
The dicing apparatus according to claim 1. In addition to detecting the machining area of the workpiece, the plurality of alignment devices can check the machining quality of a workpiece in the middle of machining on a plurality of workpieces on the plurality of work tables or on one workpiece table. To collaborate on work,
The dicing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

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