WO2001095386A2

WO2001095386A2 - Apparatus and method for correcting warp of semiconductor carrier tape

Info

Publication number: WO2001095386A2
Application number: PCT/US2001/013760
Authority: WO
Inventors: Takayuki Kawai; Yoshiyuki Ohkura
Original assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
Priority date: 2000-06-08
Filing date: 2001-04-26
Publication date: 2001-12-13
Also published as: JP2001351951A; WO2001095386A3

Abstract

An apparatus and method for correcting a warped semiconductor carrier tape, where the warp is caused by the application of a solder resist. The apparatus includes a heating apparatus, a bend correcting apparatus and a transfer apparatus. A semiconductor carrier tape in an inverse warp state is intermittently transferred through the apparatus, is heated, and the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse warp state is brought in tight contact with a mold for correction of the warp.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CORRECTING WARP OF SEMICONDUCTOR CARRIER TAPE

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for correcting a warp in a semiconductor carrier tape used in Tape Automated Bonding (TAB), and a method for correcting a warp of the semiconductor carrier tape which is carried out by the correcting apparatus.

There is a semiconductor carrier tape 1 for setting semiconductor chips as shown in Fig. 10 to be used in the above-mentioned TAB system, to which a solder resist is applied thereon. The semiconductor carrier tape 1 is a tape-shaped member with openings 5, in which thin lead lines, that is, inner leads 6 are formed in a film-shaped strip of a base 2 to be directly connected with conductor portions of semiconductor chips. As shown in Fig. 11, the carrier tape 1 has a circuit layer 3 formed on the film-shaped base 2. Base 2 is an insulating resin material, e.g., polyimide or the like and includes a conductive material such as copper or the like to form the inner leads 6; and a solder resist 4 applied on the circuit layer 3 for preventing adhesion of the solder to unnecessary portions of the circuit layer 3 and for protecting the circuit layer 3.

The solder resist 4 is required to endure heat with which the inner leads 6 and conductor portions of the semiconductor chips are soldered, and therefore an epoxy resin having a thermal resistance is primarily used for the solder resist. The carrier tape 1 is heated to, for example, 160°C and dried in a hot-air oven to harden the applied solder resist 4.

The above epoxy resins or the like material used for solder resist 4 have a high thermal coefficient of shrinkage. As such, when the carrier tape 1 is heated and then cooled to harden the solder resist 4, the carrier tape 1 becomes bent in a width-direction as shown in Fig. 12 with an applied face 4a on which the solder resist 4 is applied turned inwardly because of shrinkage of the solder resist 4 itself when the solder resist 4 is hardened and because of a difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the solder resist 4 and the base 2. The curvature of the carrier tape 1 makes it difficult to correctly position the conductor portions of semiconductor chips to the inner leads 6 and consequently causes connection failures between the inner leads 6 and the conductor portions.

The present invention is devised to solve the above-described problem and has as its object to provide an apparatus and a method for correcting the warp of a semiconductor carrier tape to correctly position both a semiconductor carrier tape having a solder resist applied and semiconductor chips, and to effectuate good electrical connection there between.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a warp correcting apparatus for a semiconductor carrier tape with a solder resist applied to leads formed on a base of a film-shaped strip to be electrically connected to a semiconductor chip, said apparatus comprising: a transfer apparatus for inversely warping the semiconductor carrier tape having a solder resist applied face bent inside in a width-direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the semiconductor carrier tape to turn the solder resist applied face outside, and intermittently transferring the semiconductor carrier tape in the extension direction; a heating apparatus for heating the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse warp state which has been intermittently transferred to be into a halt state by the transfer apparatus to a temperature exceeding a glass transition point of the solder resist; and a bend correcting apparatus disposed to a position equal to an arranged place of the heating apparatus in a transfer direction of the semiconductor carrier tape and opposite to the heating apparatus in a thickness-direction of the semiconductor carrier tape with respect to the semiconductor carrier tape, the bend correcting apparatus having a semi cylindrical mold for correction with a correction surface which is configured in such a shape and a curvature that the correction surface comes in contact with a solder resist non- applied face of the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse warp state so as to correct the bend of the tape, and for correcting the bend of the semiconductor carrier tape by bringing the solder resist non-applied face of the semiconductor carrier tape in the halt state in tight contact with the correction surface and cooling the semiconductor carrier tape to a temperature not higher than the glass transition point of the solder resist in the tight contact state.

The above bend correcting apparatus may further comprise a holding apparatus for catching along the extension direction both edge portions in a width-direction of the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse warp state which has been intermittently transferred to be in a halt state by the transfer apparatus, and for holding the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse warp state with the solder resist non-applied face to be brought in tight contact with the correction surface.

The bend correcting apparatus may also comprise a cooling apparatus for forcibly cooling the correction surface to a temperature not higher than the glass transition point so as to cool the semiconductor carrier tape.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for correcting a warp of semiconductor carrier tape with a solder resist applied to leads formed on a base of a film-shaped strip to be electrically connected to a semiconductor chip, said method comprising: inversely warping a solder resist applied face of the semiconductor carrier tape having the applied face bent inside in a width-direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the semiconductor carrier tape to turn the applied face outside; heating the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse warp state; and bringing a solder resist non-applied face of the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse warp state into tight contact with a correction surface of a mold for correction having a shape and a curvature in which the surface comes in contact with the solder resist non-applied face so as to correct the warp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the construction of a warp correcting apparatus for a semiconductor carrier tape in one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a casing part arranged in the semiconductor carrier tape warp correcting apparatus of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a bend correcting apparatus arranged in the semiconductor carrier tape warp correcting apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view of a holding apparatus arranged in the bend correcting apparatus of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagram of the bend correcting apparatus of Fig. 3 seen from a transfer direction of the semiconductor carrier tape in a state where movable members of the bend correcting apparatus are disposed to a non-hold position.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the bend correcting apparatus of Fig. 3 seen from the transfer direction of the semiconductor carrier tape in a state where the movable members are disposed to a hold position. Fig. 7 is a diagram of the bend correcting apparatus of Fig. 3 seen from the transfer direction of the semiconductor carrier tape in a state where the mold for correction is disposed at a correction position and the movable members are disposed to the non-hold position.

Fig. 8 is a graph showing a warp amount of the semiconductor carrier tape before and after the semiconductor carrier tape warp correcting apparatus of Fig. 1 carries out a correction operation.

Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating measurement of the warp amount of the semiconductor carrier tape of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the semiconductor carrier tape.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the semiconductor carrier tape along line I-I of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a bent state of the semiconductor carrier tape of Fig. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An apparatus for correcting a warp of a semiconductor carrier tape, and a method for correcting a warp of a semiconductor carrier tape carried out by the correcting apparatus will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the drawings.

A semiconductor carrier tape 1 discussed earlier with reference to Figs. 10-12 is to be corrected by the apparatus and the method, and also to be produced by a manufacturing apparatus for semiconductor carrier tape. That is, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 has a solder resist 4 applied on a circuit layer 3 formed on a film-shaped strip of a base 2. In some cases, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 may have considerably thin leads set to an inner peripheral part to extend from the circuit layer for electric connection to semiconductor chips. In a state, for instance, when the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is taken out from a reel where the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is wound, and no external force acts on the semiconductor carrier tape 1, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 enters a state in which the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is bent or warped in a width-direction orthogonal to an extension direction thereof with a solder resist applied face 4a directed inside, as indicated in Fig. 12 and discussed before.

Fig. 1 shows a total structure of an apparatus 101 for correcting the warp of the semiconductor carrier tape in the embodiment. The warp correcting apparatus 101 roughly comprises a transfer apparatus 111, a heating apparatus 121, and a bend correcting apparatus 131. The warp correcting apparatus 101 may further include a blower apparatus 141. In addition, a control apparatus 180 is provided for controlling operations of the transfer apparatus 111, the heating apparatus 121, the bend correcting apparatus 131, and blower apparatus 141.

The transfer apparatus 111 is an apparatus for intermittently transferring the semiconductor carrier tape 1 from a feed part 112 to a take-up part 113 along a linear transfer path in a transfer direction 119. The heating apparatus 121 and the bend correcting apparatus 131 are provided along the transfer path. The feed part 112 has a feed reel 1121 where the semiconductor carrier tape 1 with an interleaf 11 put on the applied face 4a is wound, an interleaf take-up reel 1122 for removing and taking up the interleaf 11 when the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is taken out from the feed reel 1121, and various transfer rollers 1123 for transferring the semiconductor carrier tape 1 taken out from the feed reel 1121. The take-up part 113 is equipped with a take-up reel 1131 for taking up a corrected semiconductor carrier tape 10 of which the bent state is corrected by passing through the heating apparatus 121 and the bend correcting apparatus 131 arranged on the transfer path. An interleaf 12 is disposed onto the applied face 4a of the corrected semiconductor carrier tape 10. An interleaf feed reel 1132 is provided for winding the interleaf 12 and supplying the interleaf 12. The take-up reel 1131 is intermittently driven by a driving device 1133 controlled by the control apparatus 180 in the embodiment, so that an appropriate tension acts to the semiconductor carrier tape 1 between the feed reel 1121 and the take-up reel 1131.

The driving device 1133 intermittently transfers the semiconductor carrier tape 1 present in the transfer path to the transfer direction 119. Specifically, according to the embodiment, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is transferred by approximately 50cm in the transfer direction 119, and then the tape 1 is halted. In the halted condition, the tape 1 is heated and the bent state is corrected as described later. After the correcting operation, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is transferred by approximately 50cm in the transfer direction 119 again. The semiconductor carrier tape 1 sent out from the feed reel 1121 is transferred in the transfer path with the solder resist applied face 4a directed upward.

As shown in Fig. 1, the heating apparatus 121 and the bend correcting apparatus 131 are arranged to an equal position at a nearly middle part of the transfer path in the transfer direction 119, and disposed to be opposite to each other in a thickness-direction of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 via the semiconductor carrier tape 1. The heating apparatus 121 is arranged opposite to the applied face 4a of the solder resist 4, while the bend correcting apparatus 131 is arranged opposite to a non-applied face 4b without the solder resist 4 (which is the opposite side to the applied face 4a). That is, the bend correcting apparatus is arranged opposite to the base 2. The heating apparatus 121 and the bend correcting apparatus 131 are installed in one casing 122 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The heating apparatus 121 has a heating unit 1211 formed of a nichrome wire or the like in the embodiment which heats by an electric resistance and is controlled in temperature by the control apparatus 180. The heating unit 1211 is not limited to the above-mentioned resistance heating unit and any known heating source can be used.

The heating unit 1211 extends in the transfer direction 119 to meet the semiconductor carrier tape 1 at a ceiling part of the casing 122 to confront the solder resist applied face 4a of the semiconductor carrier tape 1. More specifically, the heating unit extends by approximately 50cm along the transfer direction 119 because the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is moved by approximately 50cm in one transfer operation as described above.

A heating temperature of the heating unit 1211 is such that the solder resist 4 applied on the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is softened. Therefore, the heating temperature is determined on the basis of material of the solder resist 4. More specifically, the heating temperature is a temperature exceeding a glass transition point of the applied solder resist 4. Specifically, the temperature is higher by approximately 10-50°C than the glass transition point. The heating unit 1211 heats so that the solder resist 4 is heated to the desired temperature. According to the embodiment, as the solder resist 4 including an epoxy resin is used, and the epoxy resin has the glass transition point of approximately 120°C, the heating unit 1211 is controlled to heat so that the solder resist 4 becomes approximately 150°C.

The bend correcting apparatus 131 includes a holding apparatus for pinching both edge portions la of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 transferred in an inverse warp state, a mold 133 to which the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in the inverse waφ state is brought in close contact for correcting the bent state in which the solder resist applied face 4a is disposed inside, and a mold driving apparatus 134 for moving up and down the mold 133 for correction. The bend correcting apparatus 131 of the embodiment further has a cooling apparatus 135 for forcibly cooling the mold 1311 and a suction apparatus 136 for bringing the semiconductor carrier tape 1 into tight contact with the mold 133.

As indicated, e.g., in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, the holding apparatus 132 is arranged on a frame 1321 in the casing 122 to be positioned adjustably in the width-direction of the semiconductor carrier tape 1. For catching and holding both edge portions la of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 transferred in the inverse warp state into the casing 122, a set of fixing members 1322, a movable member 1323 for catching the edge portion la cooperatively with the fixing member 1322, and a member driving device 1324 for moving the movable member 1323 up and down is disposed corresponding to each edge portion la. The fixing members 1322, the movable members 1323, and the member driving devices 1324 constituting the sets are respectively constructed in an equal constitution and drive in an equal manner, and therefore one set among the sets will be described herein below.

The fixing member 1322 has, as indicated in Fig. 5, an arc part 13221 extending in conformity with a curvature of the edge portion la of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in the inverse warp state, and an engagement part 13222 to be engaged with an end part lb of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in the width-direction, thereby maintaining the inverse warp state in cooperation with the arc part 13221. As is clear in Figs. 3 and 4, the fixing member 1322 extends over a nearly total length of the casing 122 in the transfer direction 119. Furthermore, the fixing member 1322 is mounted to the frame 1321 slidably in the width-direction orthogonal to the extension direction of the semiconductor carrier tape 1, in accordance with a breadth in the width-direction of the semiconductor carrier tape 1, a curvature of the inverse warp and a breadth of the mold 133 to be depicted later. A range where the fixing member can slide is indicated by an arrow 13223 in Fig. 5. The movable member 1323 has a leading end part 13231 which is opposite to the arc part 13221 of the fixing member 1322, shaped in a nearly equal arc to the arc part 13221 for holding the edge portion la of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 between the leading end part 13231 and the arc part 13221. The movable member 1323 is moved up and down between a non-hold position 13241 and a hold position 13242 by the member driving device 1324 while being guided by the fixing member 1322. Since the movable member 1323 is mounted to the fixing member 1322, the movable member 1323 slides together with the fixing member 1322 when the fixing member 1322 slides as above. The movable member 1323 is moved up and down while being kept in contact with a width- direction side face 1334 of the mold 133 for correction to be described later, as shown in Fig. 5. The holding apparatus 132 constituted as above operates in the following manner.

At the time when the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in the inverse warp state is introduced in the casing 122, the right and left movable members 1323 are both positioned to the non- hold position 13241. The introduced semiconductor carrier tape 1 is held by each of the fixing members 1322 in a state with the inverse warp state maintained by the arc parts 13221 and the engagement parts 13222 of the right and left fixing members 1322 as shown in Fig. 5.

Thereafter, as indicated in Fig. 6, the movable members 13223 are moved by the operation of the member driving devices 1324 from the non-hold position 13241 to the hold position 13242, whereby the edge portions la of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 are held between the arc parts 13221 of the fixing members 1322 and leading end parts 13231 of the movable members 1323. The semiconductor carrier tape 1 is thus held by the right and left holding apparatuses 132 in the inverse warp state.

In the hold state, the mold 133 for correction to be described later is moved from a standby position 1341 into a state wherein the mold can be in tight contact with the semiconductor carrier tape 1 , as shown in Fig. 7.

Then, the movable members 1323 are moved by the driving of the member driving devices 1324 from the hold position 13242 to the non-hold position 13241, and a state in which the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is in tight contact with a correction surface 1331 of the mold 133 for correction is maintained. The above-referred mold 133 for correction will be described now. As indicated in

Figs. 3 and 5, the mold 133 for correction has the correction surface 1331 of a curvature and a shape correcting the bent state whereby the correction surface comes in contact with the solder resist non-applied face 4b of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in a stationary state during the intermittent transfer and also in the inverse warp state as discussed above. The mold 133 for correction is a semi cylindrical member extending in the transfer direction 119, bringing the solder resist non-applied face 4b of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in the halt state into tight contact with the correction surface 1331 by the action of the suction apparatus 136, cooling the semiconductor carrier tape 1 to a temperature not higher than the glass transition point of the solder resist 4 of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in the tight contact state by the action of the cooling apparatus 135, and eventually correcting the bent state of the semiconductor carrier tape 1.

Since a transfer distance of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is approximately 50cm at each time as described before, the mold 133 for correction according to the embodiment has a length of about 50cm in the transfer direction 119. In the embodiment, the correction surface 1331 is symmetric with respect to a center of a circumferential direction thereof, that is, has symmetric curves at right and left sides in an axis direction of the mold

133, i.e., in the transfer direction 119. However, the correction surface 1331 is not limited to this shape, and can be in any shape so that the bent state can be corrected. In other words, since one reason for making the semiconductor carrier tape 1 bend is the application of the solder resist 4 as described earlier, in the case where a pattern of a circuit layer 3 of a semiconductor carrier tape is different between the right and left sides in the extension direction of the semiconductor carrier tape with respect to a central portion in the width-direction of the semiconductor carrier tape, an application area of the solder resist 4 becomes different between the right and left sides, and consequently the bent state with the applied face 4a of the semiconductor carrier tape turned inside may be rendered not symmetric at the right and left sides in some cases. Therefore, the shape of the correction surface 1331 must be selected to cope with the bent state of the semiconductor carrier tape. In the meantime, the bent state of the semiconductor carrier tape to be corrected can be decided in advance on the basis of the application area of the solder resist 4, etc., thus enabling to select a mold which has a correction surface 1331 capable of correcting the bent state. With the use of the mold 133 which has the correction surface 1331 formed in the shape and with the curvature conforming to the bent state in which the applied face 4a of the semiconductor carrier tape to be corrected is turned inside, and moreover, by bringing the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse warp state into tight contact with the correction surface 1331, the bent state of the semiconductor carrier tape can be corrected irrespective of a type of the bent state.

Since the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is made to trace the shape of the correction surface 1331 so as to be corrected, a plurality of suction holes 1332 are formed to the correction surface 1331 to bring the semiconductor carrier tape 1 into intimate contact with the correction surface 1331 through suction. The suction apparatus 136 connected to the mold 133 for correction and controlled in operation by the control apparatus 180 provides suction to the suction holes 1332. In the embodiment, each suction hole 1332 has a diameter of 1.5mm. Approximately 25-50 suction holes 1332 are arranged corresponding to an area on the semiconductor carrier tape 1 where one semiconductor chip is to be mounted, namely, an area designated by a reference numeral 7 in Fig. 10. Fig. 3 illustrates the concept of the correction surface 1331 , in which a size, the number and a layout of the suction holes 1332 are different from actual ones. The suction apparatus 136 has an efficiency of sucking approximately 50-200 liters/min. of the air at an ordinary temperature according to the embodiment.

An array of lead interference prevention recesses 1333 is formed to the central portion of the correction surface 1331 in the axis direction of the mold 133 as indicated in

Fig. 3. The solder resist non-applied face 4b of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is sucked and brought into tight contact with the correction surface 1331 as described above, and in consequence of this the inner leads 6 present at the openings 5 of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 tend to press to the correction surface 1331 and may be deformed. For preventing this deformation, the lead interference prevention recesses 1333 are formed at the central portion of the correction surface 1331 correspondingly to inner lead areas where the inner leads 6 are present, each having an area slightly larger than the inner lead area and a depth so that the inner lead 6 is prevented from being deformed through direct contact with the correction surface 1331 even when the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is held in tight contact with the correction surface 1331, i.e., approximately l-2mm in the embodiment. Even in the arrangement in which the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is brought in close contact with the correction surface 1331 with the use of the mold 133 for correction to correct the bent state, such troubles as deforming the inner leads 6 of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 and the like can thus be avoided.

As described above, since one reason for the bend of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is physical properties of the solder resist 4, and the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is heated to the temperature exceeding the glass transition point of the solder resist 4 and then cooled, a shape of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is determined by a temperature of the semiconductor carrier tape 1, more specifically, when the temperature of the solder resist 4 is turned to not higher than the glass transition point. Therefore, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is shaped following the correction surface 1331 by lowering the temperature of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 to not higher than the glass transition point with the semiconductor carrier tape 1 of the inverse warp state coming into intimate contact with the correction surface 1331 of the mold 133. Accordingly, when the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is separated from the mold 133, the bent state with the solder resist applied face 4a inside and the inverse warp state along the correction surface 1331 cancel each other out, and then the semiconductor carrier tape 10 can be produced with no warps in any of the applied face 4a and the non-applied face 4b

According to the embodiment, the cooling apparatus 135 for forcibly cooling the mold 133, and particularly for cooling the correction surface 1331 to not higher than the glass transition point is connected to the mold 133. The non-applied face 4b is controlled to be brought in tight contact with the correction surface 1331 before the heating to exceed the glass transition point by the heating apparatus 121 is completed.

Water of approximately 20°C is used as a coolant for the mold 133 in the embodiment. The cooling apparatus 135 is controlled in operation by the control apparatus 180 to supply the cooling water to the mold 133, to circulate the cooling water between the cooling apparatus 135 and the mold 133, and to control the temperature in approximately 20°C of the cooling water. The correction surface 1331 is maintained by the cooling apparatus 135 to not higher than the glass transition point.

The mold 133 constituted as above is moved up and down by the mold driving apparatus 134 between the standby position 1341 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and a correction position 1342 shown in Fig. 7.

Operation in the warp correcting apparatus of the above constitution, and the method for correcting a warp of the semiconductor carrier tape which is performed by the correcting apparatus will be discussed hereinbelow. The operation in the warp correcting apparatus is totally controlled by the control apparatus 180. The heating unit 1211 of the heating apparatus 121 is always turned on and heats.

When the take-up reel 1131 of the take-up part 113 of the transfer apparatus 111 is intermittently driven for taking-up by the driving device 1133, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is unreeled from the feed reel 1121 of the feed part 112. The unreeled semiconductor carrier tape 1 is inversely bent with the solder resist applied face 4a outside, and carried into the casing 122 while gradually increasing the inverse warp state in accordance with the movement along the transfer direction 119. The semiconductor carrier tape 1 is moved by approximately 50cm in the transfer direction 119 in one transfer operation according to the embodiment as described before. The one transfer operation takes approximately one second. Thus, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is generally carried into the casing 122 from the feed reel 1121 by the transfer operation in a plurality of steps.

The semiconductor carrier tape 1 carried and stopped in the casing 122 is disposed between the holding apparatuses 132 arranged right and left as indicated in Fig. 5 and described before. Both edge portions la of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 are positioned to the arc parts 13221 and the engagement parts 13222 of the fixing members 1322 of the holding apparatuses 132, so that the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is held by the fixing members 1322 with the inverse warp state maintained.

Then, the heat generated by the heating unit 1211 acts on the semiconductor carrier tape 1, and particularly to the solder resist applied face 4a, thereby heating especially the solder resist applied face 4a to a temperature near a temperature where the solder resist 4 is softened. Preferably the solder resist 4 is heated to a temperature exceeding the glass transition point of the solder resist 4.

Before the heating is complete, the movable members 1323 of the holding apparatuses 132 are moved from the non-hold position 13241 to the hold position 13242 by the operation of the member driving devices 1324 as indicated in Fig. 6. The edge portions la of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 are caught between the arc parts 13221 of the fixing members 1322 and the leading end parts 13231 of the movable members 1323.

After the above holding and immediately before the heating is complete, the mold driving apparatus 134 is driven to move the mold 133 into a state of tight contact with the semiconductor carrier tape 1 as shown in Fig. 7. When the mold 133 comes into contact with the semiconductor carrier tape 1 , in some cases, the mold 133 may slightly press the semiconductor carrier tape 1. The mold 133 is cooled by the cooling apparatus 135. Immediately after the correction surface 1331 comes in contact with the solder resist non-applied face 4b of the semiconductor carrier tape 1, the suction apparatus 136 of the bend correcting apparatus 131 is operated to make the solder resist non-applied face 4b of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 strongly contact the correction surface 1331 of the mold 133.

The member driving devices 1324 are operated at a time point when the contact is carried out, thereby moving the movable members 1323 from the hold position 13242 to the non-hold position 13241 to release the semiconductor carrier tape 1 from a hold state. The above contact operation causes the semiconductor carrier tape 1 to be cooled by the mold 133. The semiconductor carrier tape 1 is thus corrected to conform to the correction surface 1331 through the contact and cooling operation.

Since the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is brought in tight contact with the correction surface 1331 immediately before the heating of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is completed, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is prevented from being cooled to a temperature not higher than the glass transition point of the solder resist 4 at which the shape of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is determined. Thus, the shape of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is prevented from being determined before the semiconductor carrier tape 1 comes in tight contact with the correction surface 1331. In other words, when the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is cooled to the temperature not higher than the glass transition point at which the shape of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is determined, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 has been already kept in tight contact with the correction surface 1331, and therefore can be corrected in conformity with the correction surface 1331.

As is made clear from the above description, according to the described embodiment the heating and the cooling operations overlap both immediately before the heating by the heating apparatus 121 finishes, and at a start of the cooling by the mold 133. After the cooling operation is finished, the mold driving apparatus 134 is driven to move the mold 133 from the correction position 1342 to the standby position 1341, the bend correcting operation to the semiconductor carrier tape 1 by the bend correcting apparatus 131 is terminated. The bent state of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 deflecting in an arc in which the solder resist applied face 4a is directed inside is corrected, effectuating the corrected semiconductor carrier tape 10.

Next, the take-up reel 1131 is intermittently driven again by the driving device 1133 to carry the corrected semiconductor carrier tape 10 out of the casing 122 in the transfer direction 119. A cooling gas is blown by the blower apparatus 141 to the corrected semiconductor carrier tape 10 so as to further cool the corrected semiconductor carrier tape 10. Then the corrected semiconductor carrier tape 10 is taken up by the take- up reel 1131.

The semiconductor carrier tape 1 is repeatedly intermittently transferred afterwards and sequentially corrected from the bent state. In other words, the warp correction operation is repeated.

A timing in operation in the warp correcting apparatus, i.e., a timing of each operation in the warp correction method, particularly, timings for finishing the heating in the heating apparatus 121, for holding the semiconductor carrier tape by the holding apparatus 132, and for coming the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in tight contact with the mold 133 are not limited to those described above.

The waφ correcting apparatus, and the waφ correction method for the semiconductor carrier tape according to the embodiment can obtain effects as follows.

Since the mold 133 for correction is used to correct the waφ, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 can be in the inverse waφ state tracing the correction surface 1331 of the mold 133. The bent state with the solder resist applied face 4a directed inside and the inverse waφ state tracing the correction surface 1331 cancel each other out, so that the corrected semiconductor carrier tape 10 is produced without any waφ to the applied face 4a and to the non-applied face 4b.

As above, the corrected semiconductor carrier tape 10 is corrected to have a sufficient flatness, which enables the conductor portions of semiconductor chips to be correctly positioned to the inner leads 6. An electric connection between the inner leads 6 and the conductor portions is ensured, and generation of connection failures or the like can be reduced.

In addition, since after both edge portions la of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 are caught by the holding apparatuses 132, the correction surface 1331 of the mold 133 is pressed to the semiconductor carrier tape 1 and, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is brought in tight contact with the correction surface 1331 through suction operation, the inverse waφ state conforming to the correction surface 1331 is surely obtained.

Using the mold 133 enables the inverse waφ state to conform to the correction surface 1331 as described above. Therefore, in comparison with a case where the edge portions la of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 are simply supported to maintain the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in the inverse waφ state and then correct the tape, the inverse waφ state in which the bent state with the solder resist applied face 4a directed inside can be corrected and can be positively formed.

If various kinds of molds 133 having correction surfaces 1331 corresponding to various kinds of semiconductor carrier tapes 1 of different bent states are prepared, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 can be corrected in accordance with its kind of the bent state by selecting the appropriate mold 133 then performing the canceling operation.

Since the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is halted when the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is brought in tight contact with the mold 133 to correct the waφ as above, the semiconductor carrier tape 1 is protected from damage or wrinkles due to rubbing against the correction surface 1331, thus eliminating deterioration in quality of the semiconductor carrier tape 1.

Fig. 8 shows an example of a relationship of a warp amount before and after the waφ correction by the apparatus and method described herein, relative to the breadth of the semiconductor carrier tape. The waφ amount corresponds to a height difference 118 between a lowest end and an uppermost end of the semiconductor carrier tape in the width-direction as shown in Fig. 9. As is apparent from Fig. 8, the waφ amount of approximately 2.2mm in the semiconductor carrier tape before corrected can be reduced to the waφ amount of approximately 0.1 -0.3mm through the correction irrespective of the breadth of the tape. Although the solder resist 4 is applied to only one face of the semiconductor carrier tape 1 in the foregoing description, the present embodiment is not limited to the form, and is applicable to semiconductor carrier tapes having the solder resist 4 applied to both faces. It will be recognized that the bent state is generated when an application amount or application area of the solder resist 4 is different between both faces. According to the waφ correcting apparatus for the semiconductor carrier tape in the first aspect of the present invention, and according to the waφ correction method for the semiconductor carrier tape in the second aspect of the present invention as is fully described hereinabove, the heating apparatus and the bend correcting apparatus are installed, whereby the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse waφ state is heated and brought into tight contact to the correction surface of the mold included in the bend correcting apparatus. The inverse waφ state conforming to the correction surface can be obtained in the semiconductor carrier tape. Since the bent state with the solder resist applied face of the semiconductor carrier tape turned inside and the inverse waφ state tracing the correction surface cancel each other out, the semiconductor carrier tape in which the waφ is corrected sufficiently can be produced.

Since the corrected semiconductor carrier tape hardly includes the waφ, conductor portions of a semiconductor chip can be correctly positioned to the inner leads of the corrected semiconductor carrier tape, and the inner leads and the conductor portions can be reliably electrically connected, thereby greatly decreasing connection failures or the like. ι By providing the bend correcting apparatus with the holding apparatus, the semiconductor canier tape in the inverse waφ state can be held when the semiconductor carrier tape is brought in contact with the correction surface. Thus, the operation for the contact is made sure. The inverse waφ state conforming to the conection surface can be reliably formed to the semiconductor carrier tape, and therefore the corrected semiconductor carrier tape which is hardly bent can be obtained.

The bend correcting apparatus is provided also with the cooling apparatus. After the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse waφ state is brought in tight contact with the correction surface, the semiconductor carrier tape can be speedily cooled to the temperature not higher than the glass transition point which determines the shape of the semiconductor carrier tape. So, a necessary time for the waφ correcting process can be shortened.

Further, since the semiconductor carrier tape is brought in tight contact with the correction surface immediately before the heating to the semiconductor carrier tape is completed, the semiconductor carrier tape can be prevented from being cooled to the temperature not higher than the glass transition point of the solder resist. The semiconductor carrier tape can be accordingly prevented from being determined in shape before coming in tight contact with the correction surface. EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 ... semiconductor carrier tape, la ... edge portion,

2 ... base 4 ... solder resist, 4a ... solder resist applied face

4b ... solder resist non-applied face, 101 ... waφ correcting apparatus, 111 .... transfer apparatus, 121 ... heating apparatus, 131 ... bend correcting apparatus,

132 ... holding apparatus,

133 ... mold for correction, 135 ... cooling apparatus, 180 ... control apparatus, 1331 ... correction surface .

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

1. A waφ correcting apparatus for a semiconductor carrier tape (1) with a solder resist (4) applied to leads formed on a base (2) of a film-shaped strip to be electrically connected to a semiconductor chip, said apparatus comprising: a transfer apparatus (111) for inversely waφing the semiconductor carrier tape having a solder resist applied face (4a) bent inside in a width-direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the semiconductor carrier tape to turn the solder resist applied face outside, and intermittently transferring the semiconductor carrier tape in the extension direction; a heating apparatus ( 121 ) for heating the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse waφ state which has been intermittently transferred to be into a halt state by the transfer apparatus to a temperature exceeding a glass transition point of the solder resist; and a bend correcting apparatus (131) disposed to a position equal to an arranged place of the heating apparatus in a transfer direction of the semiconductor carrier tape and opposite to the heating apparatus in a thickness-direction of the semiconductor carrier tape with respect to the semiconductor carrier tape, the bend correcting apparatus having a semicylindrical mold (133) for correction with a correction surface (1331) which is configured in such a shape and a curvature that the correction surface comes in contact with a solder resist non-applied face (4b) of the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse waφ state so as to correct the bend of the tape, and for correcting the bend of the semiconductor carrier tape by bringing the solder resist non-applied face of the semiconductor carrier tape in the halt state in tight contact with the correction surface and cooling the semiconductor carrier tape to a temperature not higher than the glass transition point of the solder resist in the tight contact state.

2. The semiconductor carrier tape waφ correcting apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the bend correcting apparatus further comprises a holding apparatus (131) for catching along the extension direction both edge portions (1 a) in a width- direction of the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse waφ state which has been intermittently transferred to be in a halt state by the transfer apparatus, and for holding the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse waφ state with the solder resist non-applied face to be brought in tight contact with the correction surface.

3. The semiconductor carrier tape waφ correcting apparatus according to Claim 1 , wherein the bend conecting apparatus further comprises a cooling apparatus

(135) for forcibly cooling the correction surface to a temperature not higher than the glass transition point so as to cool the semiconductor carrier tape.

4. A method for correcting a waφ of a semiconductor carrier tape (1) with a solder resist (4) applied to leads formed on a base (2) of a film-shaped strip to be electrically connected to a semiconductor chip, said method comprising: inversely waφing a solder resist applied face (4a) of the semiconductor carrier tape having the applied face bent inside in a width-direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the semiconductor carrier tape to turn the applied face outside; heating the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse waφ state; and bringing a solder resist non-applied face (4b) of the semiconductor carrier tape in the inverse waφ state into tight contact with a correction surface (1331) of a mold (133) for correction having a shape and a curvature in which the surface comes in contact with the solder resist non-applied face so as to correct the waφ.

The semiconductor carrier tape waφ correction method according to Claim 4, wherein the semiconductor carrier tape is intermittently transferred in the extension direction, and the heating and the waφ correction to the semiconductor carrier tape are carried out in a halt state.

6. The semiconductor carrier tape waφ correction method according to Claim

4, wherein the heating is terminated after the solder resist non-applied face is brought in tight contact with the conection surface, and then the conection surface is forcibly cooled.