Cleaning device and cleaning method

Abstract

The present application relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning method, which clean a workpiece having a plurality of chips arranged at intervals on a surface of a sheet-shaped carrier. The cleaning device includes a holding section that holds the workpiece in a posture in which a main surface of the chips is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane; a positioning mechanism that rotates the workpiece held by the holding section about a rotation axis in a direction along a normal line of the main surface, and positions the workpiece in a predetermined posture; and a nozzle that is disposed above the workpiece and sprays a cleaning liquid toward the workpiece. A workpiece having a structure in which a plurality of chips are arranged at intervals on a carrier can be effectively cleaned.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a technique for cleaning workpieces, such as those holding diced semiconductor chips on a sheet-like carrier. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor equipment, there is a dicing process that cuts individual chips (chips) from a semiconductor wafer on which multiple devices are formed. Chip separation is achieved by attaching the wafer to a flexible, sheet-like carrier, stretching the carrier to create gaps between the chips (expansion processing). Particles such as cutting chips can sometimes enter these gaps (grooves), thus requiring cleaning.

[0003] For example, in the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-178867 (Patent Document 1), a workpiece is cleaned using a so-called rotary cleaning method. In this method, a cleaning fluid is supplied to the upper surface of the workpiece while it is rotated in a horizontal position, and centrifugal force is used to distribute the cleaning fluid throughout the entire workpiece, thereby performing cleaning.

[0004] Typically, chips are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on a wafer, so the slots separating the chips in the workpiece are arranged, for example, in a two-dimensional lattice. On the other hand, in rotary cleaning, the cleaning fluid supplied to the workpiece flows radially from the center of rotation towards the periphery under the action of centrifugal force. Therefore, the sweeping effect of the cleaning fluid may not be fully effective against particles adhering to the inside of the tank. Thus, the rotary cleaning method described above has the problem of sometimes leaving particles inside the tank, and there is room for improvement in terms of more efficient cleaning. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a technique for effectively cleaning a workpiece having a structure in which multiple chips are arranged at intervals on a carrier.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a cleaning apparatus for cleaning a workpiece having a plurality of chips arranged at intervals on the surface of a sheet-like carrier. The cleaning apparatus includes: a holding portion that holds the workpiece in a position where the main surface of the chips is inclined relative to a horizontal plane; a positioning mechanism that rotates the workpiece held in the holding portion about a rotation axis along the normal direction of the main surface and positions the workpiece in a predetermined position; and a nozzle disposed above the workpiece and spraying cleaning fluid toward the workpiece.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention is a cleaning method for cleaning a workpiece in which multiple chips are arranged with gaps on the surface of a sheet-like carrier. The workpiece is held with the main surface of the chips inclined relative to a horizontal plane and with grooves formed between the chips in the gaps extending along a plane parallel to the normal direction and the vertical direction of the main surface. A nozzle is disposed above the workpiece, and cleaning fluid is sprayed from the nozzle toward the workpiece.

[0008] In this invention, the cleaning fluid supplied to the workpiece, which is held in an inclined state, flows along the surface of the workpiece under the influence of gravity. Grooves are formed in the workpiece between the arranged chips. By rotating the workpiece about a rotation axis along the normal direction of the chip's main surface, the workpiece can be positioned so that the flow direction of the cleaning fluid on the workpiece surface aligns with the extension direction of the grooves. If the cleaning fluid is sprayed from a nozzle in this positioned state, the cleaning fluid flows downwards along the grooves. Particles adhering to the grooves also flow down with the cleaning fluid and are discharged. As a result, in this invention, a workpiece having a structure in which multiple chips are arranged at intervals on a carrier can be effectively cleaned.

[0009] The effects of this invention are as follows.

[0010] As described above, according to the present invention, when the cleaning fluid sprayed from the nozzle flows down the surface of the workpiece, its flow direction is aligned with the direction of the grooves formed in the gaps between the chips. Therefore, it is possible to suppress particle residue in the grooves and effectively clean the workpiece.

[0011] The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become more fully clear when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figures 1A to 1C It is a diagram that schematically represents an example of the structure of a workpiece.

[0013] Figure 2A and Figure 2B This is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of the cleaning apparatus of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 3 It is a graph showing the change in the rotation angle of the workpiece.

[0015] Figure 4A and Figure 4B This is a diagram illustrating how cleaning fluid is sprayed from a nozzle.

[0016] Figure 5A and Figure 5B This is a diagram illustrating how cleaning fluid is sprayed from a nozzle.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the cleaning process in this embodiment.

[0018] In the diagram: 1—cleaning device, 2—holding part, 3—nozzle, 21—workpiece base (holding component), 23—rotary actuator (positioning mechanism), 25—rotary actuator (tilt adjustment mechanism), 211—chuck mechanism, Cp—chip, D1, D2—grooves, W1—cutting frame, W2—cutting belt (carrier), Wk—workpiece. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the cleaning apparatus according to the embodiments of the present invention will be described. First, the workpiece to be cleaned and the principle of the cleaning process will be explained.

[0020] <Workpiece Description>

[0021] Figures 1A to 1C This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the structure of a workpiece. More specifically, Figure 1A This is a diagram showing the appearance of workpiece Wk. Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the dicing process of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "wafer") Wf. Additionally, Figure 1C This is a schematic diagram illustrating the expansion process of a wafer Wf after dicing.

[0022] like Figure 1A As shown, in the embodiments described later, the workpiece Wk that is processed is a workpiece in which multiple chips Cp cut from a wafer Wf are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on the upper surface of a sheet-like cutting strip W2 mounted on the hollow part of a flat ring-shaped cutting frame W1. Each chip Cp eventually becomes a semiconductor device such as an integrated circuit.

[0023] The dicing process of cutting multiple chips Cp formed together on wafer Wf from wafer Wf is well known, and therefore will be briefly explained here. For example... Figure 1B As shown, a roughly circular wafer Wf is divided into multiple chips Di along the dicing line shown by the dashed line by a suitable dicing unit, such as a diamond blade or a laser cutter.

[0024] At this point, to prevent the diced chip Di from being lost, the wafer Wf is mounted on the dicing tape W2. That is, the dicing tape W2 is pre-attached to the back of the wafer Wf. The dicing tape W2 is a sheet material with elasticity, such as resin, which holds the wafer Wf in place by an adhesive applied to its surface. The dicing tape is also known as DAF (Die Attach Film).

[0025] After the wafer is cut, as Figure 1CAs shown, the dicing tape W2 is stretched outward in the face direction (expansion process). This widens the spacing between the separated chips Di. Consequently, it becomes easier to remove each chip Di (chip Cp) from the dicing tape W2. Furthermore, here, the small piece cut from the wafer Wf is referred to as chip Di, and the chip in which circuitry is intended to be formed and function as a semiconductor device is referred to as chip Cp.

[0026] The cutting strip W2 is made of a soft material; therefore, for ease of handling, its periphery is fixed by a ring-shaped cutting frame W1. This forms the workpiece Wk. It should be noted that the workpiece Wk to be cleaned can be either a workpiece with a relatively narrow spacing between the chips Cp after cutting and before expansion, or a workpiece with a wider spacing between the chips Cp after expansion.

[0027] <Principles of Cleaning Process>

[0028] In the workpiece Wk constructed as described above, chips Cp are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, with gaps between each chip Cp. Therefore, slots are formed between adjacent chips Cp. When each chip Cp is rectangular and their arrangement is one-dimensional, the chip arrangement direction intersects with the extension direction of the slots formed between these chips. On the other hand, when the chips Cp are arranged in a two-dimensional configuration along two arrangement directions, the slots extending along their respective arrangement directions are formed in a lattice pattern.

[0029] These grooves contain particles such as cutting chips generated during cutting, requiring a cleaning process to remove them. However, in rotary cleaning methods where the workpiece is rotated while the cleaning fluid is supplied, as in existing techniques, the radial flow of the cleaning fluid due to centrifugal force may not align with the direction of the grooves between the chips. Consequently, the sides of the chip Cp become barriers, preventing particle discharge, and resulting in particle residue within the grooves. This hinders the improvement of cleaning efficiency.

[0030] In view of this problem, in the embodiment described later, the workpiece Wk is held in an inclined state from a horizontal position, and the orientation of the workpiece Wk is maintained such that the extension direction of the groove between the chips is aligned with the direction of the cleaning fluid flow. Therefore, the cleaning fluid flows rapidly down the groove, avoiding stagnation inside the groove. This creates a flow of cleaning fluid along the groove, promoting the removal of particles remaining attached to the inside of the groove, thus improving the cleaning effect.

[0031] Furthermore, as described above, the workpiece Wk is an integrated assembly of the cutting frame W1, the cutting strip W2, and the chip Di (chip Cp). However, the cutting frame W1 and the cutting strip W2 are auxiliary tools used to maintain the orientation of the chip Di. Therefore, in the following description, the workpiece Wk is sometimes illustrated as an assembly of the chip Di (chip Cp) with the cutting frame W1 and the cutting strip W2 omitted.

[0032] <Structure and Operation of Cleaning Device>

[0033] Figure 2A and Figure 2B This is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of the cleaning apparatus according to the present invention. More specifically, Figure 2A This is a perspective view showing the main structure of the cleaning apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2B It is a side view. Furthermore, in Figure 2A The image shows the state in which the workpiece Wk is held in the cleaning apparatus 1. On the other hand, in Figure 2B The workpiece Wk is omitted here. To represent the orientation within the apparatus, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is introduced. This is a coordinate system where the XY plane represents the horizontal plane and the Z-axis represents the vertical axis.

[0034] The cleaning device 1 has a workpiece holding unit 2, a nozzle 3, and a control unit 4 as its main structures. The workpiece holding unit 2 has a workpiece base 21 capable of holding the workpiece Wk. That is, the workpiece base 21 is a circular plate-shaped component with a diameter slightly larger than that of the workpiece Wk, and a chuck mechanism 211 for fixing the workpiece Wk is arranged on its main surface Sb. In this example, four chuck mechanisms 211 are arranged at equal angular intervals, but the number and position are not limited to this.

[0035] The chuck mechanism 211 is controlled by the chuck control unit 42 provided in the control unit 4. Specifically, each chuck mechanism 211 switches between the holding state and the release state of the workpiece Wk fixedly placed on the workpiece base 21 according to the control command from the chuck control unit 42.

[0036] The workpiece base 21 is rotatably mounted relative to the inclined plate 22. That is, a rotary actuator 23 is fixed on the flat inclined plate 22, and the workpiece base 21 is mounted on the rotary actuator 23. The rotary actuator 23 has a rotation angle of 90 degrees or more, preferably 180 degrees or more. It can also be a motor such as a rotary motor that can rotate continuously by 360 degrees or more.

[0037] The rotary actuator 23 is controlled by the rotation control unit 43 of the control unit 4. Specifically, the rotary actuator 23 operates according to control commands from the rotation control unit 43. As a result, the workpiece base 21 rotates about an axis orthogonal to its main surface Sb (in... Figure 2B (Represented by a single-dot dashed line) AX1 rotates. With the workpiece Wk held on the workpiece base 21, the rotation axis AX1 is also orthogonal to the cutting strip W2 of the workpiece Wk and the main surface of the chip Cp.

[0038] The tilting plate 22 is supported by the base portion 24 to allow for free swinging. Specifically, the tilting plate 22 is mounted to the base portion 24 via a suitable hinge (not shown), and a rotary actuator 25 is integrated into the tilting plate 22. The rotary actuator 25 is controlled by the tilt control unit 44 of the control unit 4. Specifically, the rotary actuator 25 operates according to control commands from the tilt control unit 44, thereby causing the tilting plate 22 to swing about a swing axis AX2 parallel to the X-axis. As a result, as Figure 2B As shown by the dashed arrow, the orientation of the inclined plate 22 is... Figure 2B The change between the horizontal posture shown by the dashed line and the tilted posture shown by the solid line.

[0039] The workpiece base 21, along with the tilting plate 22, also changes between a horizontal and tilted state on its main surface Sb. The maximum tilt angle θ of the main surface Sb relative to the horizontal plane can be set to any value, for example, greater than 45 degrees and less than 90 degrees. When the workpiece Wk is held on the workpiece base 21, the cutting strip W2 and the chip Cp of the workpiece Wk also change between a horizontal and tilted posture.

[0040] In this way, the workpiece Wk held by the workpiece base 21 can change its posture from a horizontal to an inclined posture based on the operation of the rotary actuator 25 and change its rotation angle based on the operation of the rotary actuator 23.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the change in the rotation angle of the workpiece. Here, to clearly represent the angle of the workpiece Wk, it is assumed that an orientation plane F is provided on the wafer Wf before dicing. As explained previously, in the workpiece Wk after dicing, grooves are formed between the two-dimensionally arranged chips Cp. As a specific example, here we assume there is a groove D1 orthogonal to the orientation plane F and a groove D2 parallel to the orientation plane F.

[0042] The workpiece base 21 is rotated by the rotary actuator 23, and the posture of the workpiece Wk is... Figure 3 The first posture shown in the image above is... Figure 3 The second pose is shown in the figure below. Here, the first pose is the one in which the slot D1, orthogonal to the orientation plane F, extends longitudinally when the workpiece Wk is viewed along the Y-axis. More precisely, the workpiece Wk is positioned such that the plane containing both the normal vector of the principal surface of each chip Cp and the direction vector in the Z direction is parallel to the direction vector of the extension direction of the slot D1.

[0043] In other words, the direction in which objects on groove D1 roll or slide under the influence of gravity is the same as the direction of extension of groove D1. That is to say, when workpiece Wk is tilted, particles attached to groove D1 have a tendency to fall down along groove D1 due to gravity.

[0044] On the other hand, the second posture corresponds to the state where the workpiece base 21 has rotated 90 degrees from the first posture, and is the posture in which the groove D2, which is parallel to the orientation plane F, extends longitudinally when the workpiece Wk is viewed along the Y-axis. Thus, the first posture and the second posture are determined in such a way that the grooves D1 and D2, which are orthogonal to each other in the workpiece Wk, are respectively in the state of extending longitudinally when viewed along the Y-axis.

[0045] return Figure 2A A nozzle 3 for spraying cleaning fluid is disposed above the workpiece Wk, which is held on the workpiece base 21. A cleaning fluid with a suitable composition is supplied to the nozzle 3 from the cleaning fluid supply unit 41 of the control unit 4. There are no particular limitations on the composition of the cleaning fluid; for example, pure water or deionized water (DIW) can be used.

[0046] Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 5A and Figure 5B This diagram illustrates an example of how cleaning fluid is ejected from a nozzle. Several variations can be considered as the method of cleaning fluid ejection. Figure 4A In the example shown, a slit-shaped nozzle 311 with the X-direction as its length is provided at the lower part of the nozzle 3 (31). Therefore, the cleaning fluid L is sprayed from the nozzle 31 in a curtain-like manner, wider in the X-direction and narrower in the Y-direction. The opening length of the nozzle 311 in the X-direction is set to cover the entire range of the chip Di distribution in the X-direction. Additionally, as... Figure 4B As shown, nozzle 31 is positioned in the Y direction to supply cleaning fluid L to the uppermost chip Di.

[0047] When the workpiece Wk is positioned in the first posture, the cleaning fluid supplied to the workpiece Wk flows downwards along the surface of the chip Di and the groove D1. Since the downward flow direction of the cleaning fluid is the same as the extension direction of the groove D1, particles adhering to the groove D1 can be effectively removed.

[0048] Furthermore, if the rotary actuator 23 rotates the workpiece base 21 to position the workpiece Wk in the second posture, the direction of the groove D2 is aligned with the downward flow direction of the cleaning fluid. At this time, particles adhering to the groove D2 can be effectively removed. In this way, by positioning the workpiece Wk in such a way that the extension direction of the groove is aligned with the downward flow direction of the cleaning fluid, and by performing this positioning separately for grooves in different directions, these grooves can be effectively cleaned.

[0049] exist Figure 5AIn the example shown, multiple nozzles 321 are arranged along the X direction at the lower part of nozzle 3 (32), with the same spacing as the spacing of grooves D1 in workpiece Wk. Then, the nozzles 32 are positioned so that the position of groove D1 is aligned with the position of the nozzles 321 in the X direction. In this structure, the cleaning fluid sprayed from each nozzle 321 adheres directly to groove D1 and flows directly down groove D1. Therefore, for the purpose of cleaning groove D1, it can be said that the cleaning effect is maximized with the amount of cleaning fluid used.

[0050] However, if the size of the chip Cp formed on the wafer Wf varies, the arrangement spacing of the ejector nozzles also needs to be changed. Therefore, in terms of versatility to handle various chip sizes, Figure 4A The curtain-shaped spray pattern shown is advantageous.

[0051] In addition, Figure 5B In the example shown, multiple nozzles 331 are arranged along the X direction at the lower part of nozzle 3 (33). Cleaning fluid is ejected from each nozzle 331. In this manner, it is also possible to obtain... Figure 4A The first example shown achieves the same effect. In the cleaning apparatus 1 of this embodiment, any of the above-described methods can be employed. Furthermore, the cleaning liquid is not limited to a continuous flow; for example, it can drip.

[0052] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the cleaning process in this embodiment. First, the workpiece base 21 is brought into a horizontal position by the rotary actuator 25 (step S101). The workpiece Wk, which is the object to be cleaned after cutting or expansion processing, is moved into the cleaning device 1 by an external transport device (step S102). The workpiece Wk is placed on the workpiece base 21 in a horizontal position and fixed by the chuck mechanism 22.

[0053] Then, the rotary actuator 25 operates, tilting the workpiece base 21 to a predetermined tilt angle (step S103). Next, the rotary actuator 23 operates, positioning the workpiece Wk in a first posture ( Figure 3 (See above figure) (step S104). Furthermore, if positioning is achieved when the workpiece Wk is placed on the workpiece base 21, this step can be omitted.

[0054] Thus, if the workpiece Wk is positioned at the predetermined position, cleaning fluid begins to be sprayed from nozzle 3 (step S105). Since the workpiece Wk is in the first posture, the cleaning fluid flows down the tank D1. After a predetermined time, the workpiece base 21 is rotated 90 degrees clockwise (CW) by the rotary actuator 23 (step S106). As a result, the workpiece Wk is switched to the second posture (step S106). Figure 3 (See the image below) The cleaning fluid flows down along tank D2.

[0055] After a predetermined time has elapsed in this state, the workpiece base 21 is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise (CCW) (step S107). This returns the workpiece Wk to its first position. In this way, the grooves D1 and D2 extending in different directions are cleaned respectively. The switching between the first and second positions can be repeated multiple times as needed. In this case, the rotation direction of the workpiece base 21 can also be unidirectional. That is, the workpiece base 21 can be rotated 90 degrees in the same direction multiple times.

[0056] Then, the spraying of the cleaning fluid is stopped (step S108), and the workpiece base 21 is returned to a horizontal position using the rotary actuator 25 (step S109). Next, the workpiece Wk is removed (step S110), and the series of processes ends. The above process is repeated if there is a workpiece Wk that needs further processing. In this case, the workpiece base 21 is in a horizontal position when the workpiece Wk is removed, so step S101 can be omitted.

[0057] In this embodiment, the cleaning fluid continues to be sprayed even while the orientation of the workpiece Wk is being changed. This is expected to improve the cleaning effect on the surface of the chip Cp. However, for purposes such as cleaning tanks D1 and D2, the spraying of the cleaning fluid can also be stopped during the orientation change.

[0058] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the workpiece base 21 switches between a horizontal and an inclined position via the rotary actuator 25. This facilitates the loading and unloading of the workpiece. On the other hand, if the workpiece Wk can be handed over to the outside while the workpiece base 21 is in an inclined state, the workpiece base 21 can also maintain the inclined position.

[0059] As described above, in this embodiment, a workpiece Wk obtained by dicing (and expanding) a wafer Wf adhered to a dicing tape is cleaned. During this process, the workpiece Wk is tilted to supply cleaning fluid, and it is positioned such that the extension direction of the grooves formed between the arranged chips aligns with the flow direction of the cleaning fluid. Therefore, the cleaning fluid does not stagnate but flows smoothly down the grooves. This allows particles adhering to the grooves to be efficiently discharged along with the cleaning fluid. Thus, in this embodiment, workpieces with grooves formed between the arranged chips can be effectively cleaned.

[0060] <Other>

[0061] As explained above, in the various embodiments described, the cleaning device 1 corresponds to the "cleaning device" of the present invention. Furthermore, the holding part 2 and the nozzle 3 function as the "holding part" and "nozzle" of the present invention, respectively. Additionally, the rotary actuator 23 functions as the "positioning mechanism" of the present invention. Furthermore, in the holding part 2, the workpiece base 21, the chuck mechanism 211, and the rotary actuator 25 function as the "holding member," "chuck mechanism," and "tilt adjustment mechanism" of the present invention, respectively. Additionally, the cutting belt W2 corresponds to the "carrier" of the present invention.

[0062] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications can be made beyond the above descriptions as long as the main idea remains unchanged. For example, in the descriptions of the above embodiments, the shape of the cutting frame W1 is set to be annular and the workpiece base 21 is set to be circular plate for the purpose of explaining the principle. However, the cutting frame used in actual manufacturing sites, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, has a more complex shape. Therefore, the shape of the workpiece base can also be appropriately changed according to the shape and structure of the cutting frame.

[0063] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in order to clean the multiple grooves of the workpiece Wk simultaneously, a nozzle 3 with the X direction as its long side is used, and the spray range of the cleaning fluid also extends relatively long along the X direction. However, in principle, multiple grooves can also be cleaned one by one. That is, the entire workpiece can also be cleaned by scanning and moving a nozzle with a single spray outlet along the X direction.

[0064] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, the workpiece Wk is fixed to the workpiece base 21 by mechanically pressing the chuck mechanism 22 of the workpiece Wk. However, the method of holding the workpiece Wk is not limited to this and can be arbitrary. For example, by providing suction holes with negative pressure on the upper surface of the workpiece base, the workpiece Wk can be held in place by vacuum suction of the lower surface of the cutting frame W1 of the workpiece Wk.

[0065] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, only one cleaning solution is used for cleaning, but multiple cleaning solutions, such as chemical solutions and rinsing solutions, can also be used. In this case, after treating the entire tank or the entire workpiece with one cleaning solution, other cleaning solutions can be used for cleaning.

[0066] As illustrated above with specific embodiments, in the cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the following structure is preferred: the positioning mechanism is configured to position the workpiece by means of a groove formed between the chips in the gap extending along a plane parallel to the normal direction and the vertical direction. In this way, the cleaning fluid will not flow down the groove rapidly and remain there, thus further improving the cleaning effect.

[0067] Furthermore, for example, when cleaning a workpiece in which multiple chips are arranged two-dimensionally in two intersecting directions, after positioning the workpiece in a first posture along a plane formed by a groove in a first direction of the two arrangement directions, the workpiece is rotated to a second posture along a plane formed by a groove in a second direction of the two arrangement directions. Cleaning fluid is then sprayed from a nozzle in both the first and second postures. This allows for the aforementioned excellent cleaning effect to be obtained for each groove extending in two different directions.

[0068] In this case, the nozzle can continuously spray cleaning fluid during the transition of the workpiece from the first posture to the second posture. For the purpose of cleaning the tank, it is sufficient to supply cleaning fluid for both the first and second postures. However, if cleaning fluid is continuously supplied during this transition period, it can achieve a cleaning effect not only on the inside of the tank but also on the chip surface.

[0069] Alternatively, multiple nozzles can be provided on the nozzle, each corresponding to a different tank. With this structure, cleaning fluid can be supplied to multiple tanks simultaneously, reducing the time required to clean the workpiece.

[0070] Alternatively, the holding part may include: a holding member having a workpiece mounting surface for placing the workpiece; a chuck mechanism for fixing the workpiece to the workpiece mounting surface; and a tilt adjustment mechanism for displacing the holding member between a horizontal and a tilted position. Handling the workpiece while it is tilted during loading and unloading is not easy. If the holding member can change its position between a horizontal and a tilted position, existing handling devices can be used, for example, by keeping the holding member in a horizontal position during workpiece loading and unloading.

[0071] The invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, but this description is not intended to be interpreted in a limiting sense. Referring to the description of the invention, as with other embodiments of the invention, various modifications of the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, without departing from the true scope of the invention, the scope of the appended solutions can be considered to include these modifications or embodiments.

[0072] Industrial utilization potential

[0073] This invention can be applied to all processes involving dicing semiconductor wafers into chip units, and is particularly suitable for cleaning workpieces after dicing.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a workpiece in which a plurality of chips are arranged at intervals on the surface of a sheet-like carrier, the cleaning apparatus being characterized by comprising: A holding part that holds the workpiece in an orientation in which the main surface of the chip is tilted relative to the horizontal plane; A positioning mechanism that rotates the workpiece held in the holding portion about a rotation axis along the normal direction of the main surface and positions the workpiece in a predetermined posture; and A nozzle is positioned above the workpiece and sprays cleaning fluid toward the workpiece.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning mechanism positions the workpiece by extending the slot formed between the chips in the gap along a plane parallel to the normal direction and the vertical direction.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cleaning device cleans the workpiece in which multiple chips are arranged in two dimensions in two intersecting directions. After positioning the workpiece in a first posture along the plane with the groove formed by the first of the two arrangement directions, the positioning mechanism rotates the workpiece to position it in a second posture along the plane with the groove formed by the second of the two arrangement directions. The nozzle sprays the cleaning fluid when the workpiece is positioned in the first posture and when it is positioned in the second posture.

4. The cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that, During the transition of the workpiece from the first posture to the second posture, the nozzle continuously sprays the cleaning fluid.

5. The cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The nozzle is provided with multiple nozzles that correspond to the multiple slots and spray out the cleaning liquid respectively.

6. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The retaining part has: A retaining component having a workpiece mounting surface for mounting the workpiece; A chuck mechanism that fixes the workpiece to the workpiece mounting surface; and A tilt adjustment mechanism that allows the holding member to shift between a horizontal and a tilted position.

7. A cleaning method for cleaning a workpiece in which multiple chips are arranged at intervals on the surface of a sheet-like carrier, characterized in that, The workpiece is held with the main surface of the chip tilted relative to the horizontal plane and with the slots formed between the chips in the gap extending along a plane parallel to the normal direction and the vertical direction of the main surface. A nozzle is positioned above the workpiece, and cleaning fluid is sprayed from the nozzle toward the workpiece.

8. The cleaning method according to claim 7, characterized in that, This cleaning method cleans the workpiece in which multiple chips are arranged in a two-dimensional configuration along two intersecting directions. After positioning the workpiece in a first posture along the plane of the groove formed in the first of the two arrangement directions and spraying the cleaning fluid from the nozzle, the workpiece is rotated to position it in a second posture along the plane of the groove formed in the second of the two arrangement directions, and the cleaning fluid is sprayed from the nozzle.

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