Plate-like workpiece dividing apparatus

Abstract

A dividing apparatus for dividing a plate-like workpiece, which is put on the top surface of a protective tape affixed to an annular frame and has reduced strength along dividing lines, along the dividing lines, comprising: a frame holding means for holding the annular frame; a tape expansion means for expanding the protective tape affixed to the annular frame held on the frame holding means; a detection means for detecting the plate-like workpiece put on the protective tape; a dividing mean for pressing the dividing lines detected by the detection means, of the plate-like workpiece, via the protective tape to divide the plate-like workpiece into chips along the dividing lines; a pushing-up means for pushing up the divided chips through the protective tape; and a pick-up means for picking up the chips pushed up by the pushing-up means.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a device for dividing a disk-shaped workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, along predetermined dividing lines. Background technique [0002] In the production process of semiconductor devices, a generally disk-shaped semiconductor wafer is divided into a plurality of regions by grid-shaped dicing lines formed on the front surface, and circuits such as ICs or LSIs are formed in each divided region . The semiconductor wafer is diced along dicing lines to divide it into regions where circuits are formed, thereby manufacturing individual semiconductor chips. Optical device wafers having gallium nitride compound semiconductors and the like laminated on the front side of a sapphire substrate are also diced along dicing lines to separate them into individual optical devices such as light emitting diodes, laser diodes, etc., which are widely used in electrical equipment. [0003] The above-mentioned semiconductor wafer or optical ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0006] However, since the dividing method disclosed in the above publication requires a dividing step of dividing the disc-shaped workpiece by applying an external force to the disc-shaped workpiece, there is a problem in that compared with the dividing method using a cutter for cutting, an additional Split steps, reducing productivity

Also, there is another problem in the above-mentioned dividing method: since the dividing step is performed in a state where the disc-shaped workpiece is placed on a protective tape fixed to a ring-shaped frame, there are almost no gaps between the chips so that the chips gradually come into contact with each other. , are easily damaged when proceeding to the pick-up step where they are picked up from the protective tape affixed to the ring frame and bonded to the die

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