Method of and apparatus for abrading outer peripheral parts of a semiconductor wafer

Abstract

The invention provides a method of and an apparatus for abrading outer peripheral parts of a semiconductor wafer having a protective sheet adhesively attached to its surface where semiconductor elements are formed. The semiconductor wafer is held horizontally and an abrading tape held inside an abrading head is run and pressed against the outer peripheral part of the semiconductor wafer. The abrading tape has abrading particles attached to a base sheet by electrostatic spraying.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT / JP2009 / 52717, filed Feb. 17, 2009 which claims priority on Japanese Patent Application 2008-42174 filed Feb. 22, 2008.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to a method of abrading outer peripheral parts of a semiconductor wafer and an apparatus therefor, and more particularly to a method of abrading outer peripheral parts of a semiconductor wafer to be carried out prior to the so-called back-grinding process in which the front surface of a semiconductor wafer having semiconductor elements and electronic components formed on its front surface is abraded for reducing its thickness and an apparatus therefor.[0003]Semiconductor wafers go through each of many processes such as the film forming process, the surface fabricating process and the washing process during their production process for forming semiconductor elements and electronic components. During this process, outer peripheral parts ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0037]Since the rotary position of the abrading tape pressed against the holding guide is adjusted as the rotary position of the rotary arm having the holding guide attached thereto is varied, the contact position, the angle of contact and the pressure between the outer peripheral part of the semiconductor wafer and the abrading tape can be corrected and hence the accuracy of the abrading process can be improved.

[0038]The present invention makes it possible to reduce damages and cracks generated on the outer peripheral parts in the back-grinding process on a semiconductor wafer, as well as damages and cracks after the working on the back surface.

[0039]Unlike the abrading process by means of a grindstone, furthermore, the present invention makes it possible to carry out an abrading process with a high level of accuracy because a fresh abrading past is constantly being supplied and hence there

Problems solved by technology

Such defects and chipping may tend to serve as a trigger to make the semiconductor wafer easily breakable.

If the resin material of the protective sheet becomes attached to the abrading particles of the grindstone and the grindstone becomes clogged, the work efficiency and the quality of the product are adversely affected and the semiconductor wafer may become damaged.

These prior art methods, however, require complicated steps of detecting and adjusting the accuracy i

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