Processing device that removes an inclined portion formed in an outer circumferential excess area from a wafer in a ring-like manner

Abstract

A processing device (2) which removes an inclined part (24) formed in an outer peripheral excess region (20) from a wafer (4) in a ring-like manner, the processing device (2) comprising: a wafer cassette table (8) on which a wafer cassette (6) in which a plurality of wafers (4) are accommodated is placed; a wafer removal unit (10) that removes the wafer (4) from the wafer cassette (6) placed on the wafer cassette table (8); a wafer table (12) supporting the wafer (4) conveyed out by the wafer conveying unit (10); a frame accommodating unit (66) accommodating a plurality of ring frames (64) in which an opening part (64a) accommodating the wafer (4) is formed; a frame-carrying-out unit (68) that carries the ring frame (64) out of the frame accommodating unit (66); a frame table (70) supporting the ring frame (64) conveyed out by the frame conveying-out unit (68); a tape adhering unit (98) disposed above the frame table (70) and adhering a tape (96) to the ring frame (64); a tape-attached frame (64') conveying unit (100) that conveys the ring frame (64) to which the tape (96) is adhered to the wafer table (12) and positions the opening part (64a) of the ring frame (64) on a surface of the wafer (4) carried by the wafer table (12) and places a tape-attached frame (64') on the wafer table (12); a tape pressure bonding unit (102) that performs pressure bonding of the tape of the frame (64') with attached tape (96) to the one surface of the wafer (4); a frame unit carrying-out means (192) for carrying a frame unit (U) in which the tape (96) of the frame (64') with the tape (96) attached and the one surface of the wafer (4) are pressure-bonded by the tape pressure-bonding unit (102) away from the wafer table (12); a tapered portion (24) removing unit (194) that cuts and removes the tapered portion (24) formed in the outer peripheral excess portion (20) in a ring-like manner from the wafer (4) of the frame unit (U) carried out by the frame unit carrying-out means (192); a unit without the inclined part (24) removal means (196) for removing a unit without the inclined part (24) resulting from the annular removal of the inclined part (24) from the inclined part (24) removal unit (194); and a frame cassette table (200) on which a frame cassette (198) is placed, which accommodates the unit without the inclined part (24) conveyed out by the unit without the inclined part (24) conveying out means (196).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus that removes a tapered part formed in an outer peripheral excess region from a wafer in a ring-like manner. Description of related technology

[0002] A wafer in which a device region in which a plurality of devices such as integrated circuits (ICs) and large-scale integrations (LSIs) are formed in such a manner as to be delimited by a plurality of planned dividing lines that intersect each other, and an outer peripheral excess region surrounding the device region are formed on a front surface, is ground to a desired thickness by grinding a back surface. Thereafter, the wafer is divided into individual device chips by a dividing device or a laser processing device, and the respective device chips obtained by the division are used for electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers.

[0003] A grinding apparatus that grinds the back surface of the wafer is configured from at least a chuck table that holds the wafer and a grinding means that rotatably has a grinding wheel on which ring-shaped abrasive stones are arranged, which grind the wafer held by the chuck table, and can process the wafer to a desired thickness.

[0004] Generally, chamfer machining has been performed on the outer periphery of the wafer. When the wafer is thinned to a thickness equal to or less than half, a knife edge is formed at the chamfered portion, which becomes a cause of wafer breakage. Therefore, the present applicant has proposed a method in which a chamfer formed on the outer periphery of a wafer is removed before grinding the wafer (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-109228 A). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] However, there is a problem that an automatic machine that automatically removes a slanted part of a wafer and arranges the wafer in a ring-shaped frame with a dividing belt interposed does not exist, and productivity is low.

[0006] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus with which it is easy to remove a slanted part of a wafer and it is easy to arrange the wafer in an annular frame with the interposition of a dividing band.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a processing apparatus is provided that removes a tapered portion formed in an outer peripheral excess area from a wafer in a ring-like manner. The processing apparatus comprises: a wafer cassette table on which a wafer cassette in which a plurality of wafers are housed is placed; a wafer-carrying-out unit that carries the wafer out from the wafer cassette placed on the wafer cassette table; a wafer table that supports the wafer carried out by the wafer-carrying-out unit; a frame housing unit that houses a plurality of ring frames in which an opening portion for accommodating the wafer is formed; a frame housing unit that carries the ring frame out from the frame housing unit; a frame table that supports the ring frame carried out by the frame housing unit; a tape-adhering unit;which is arranged above the frame table and adheres a tape to the ring frame, a tape-attached frame conveying unit which conveys the ring frame to which the tape is adhered to the wafer table and positions the opening part of the ring frame on a surface of the wafer carried by the wafer table and places a tape-attached frame on the wafer table, a tape pressure-bonding unit which pressure-bonds the tape of the tape-attached frame to one surface of the wafer, a frame unit carrying-out means which carries a frame unit in which the tape of the tape-attached frame and one surface of the wafer are pressure-bonded by the tape pressure-bonding unit away from the wafer table, a slant part removing unit,which cuts and removes the tapered part formed in the outer peripheral excess area in a ring-like manner from the wafer of the frame unit conveyed out by the frame unit conveying out means; a unit without the tapered part conveying out means which conveys out a unit without the tapered part resulting from the ring-like removal of the tapered part from the tapered part removing unit; and a frame cassette table on which a frame cassette is placed which accommodates the unit without the tapered part conveyed out by the unit without the tapered part conveying out means.

[0008] Preferably, the wafer removal unit comprises a transfer arm and a hand disposed at a tip of the transfer arm, which supports the wafer housed in the wafer cassette. Preferably, the hand is a Bernoulli pad, where negative pressure is generated by an air jet and which supports the wafer in a non-contact manner.

[0009] Preferably, the wafer table comprises an annular support part that supports the outer peripheral excess portion of the wafer and causes a part on an inner side to be non-contact relative to the outer peripheral excess portion, and a frame support part that is arranged around an outer periphery of the annular support part and supports the annular frame.

[0010] Preferably, the tape adhering unit comprises a roll tape supporting part that supports a roll tape in which the tape is wound before use, a tape receiving part that receives the used tape, a tape pulling out part that pulls out the tape from the roll tape, a pressure-connecting part that pressure-connects the pulled-out tape to the ring frame, and a cutting part that cuts the tape projecting toward the outer periphery of the ring frame along the ring frame.

[0011] Preferably, the tape pressure bonding unit comprises an upper chamber arranged above the wafer table, a lower chamber in which the wafer table is housed, a raising-lowering mechanism that raises and lowers the upper chamber and creates a closed state in which the upper chamber is brought into contact with the lower chamber and an open state in which the upper chamber is separated from the lower chamber, a vacuum part that places the upper chamber and the lower chamber in a vacuum state in the closed state, and an atmosphere opening part that opens the upper chamber and the lower chamber to the atmosphere, and in a state in which the tape of the frame with the tape attached is positioned on one surface of the wafer supported by the wafer table, the upper chamber and the lower chamber are placed in a vacuum state while the raising-lowering mechanism is operated,to maintain the closed state, and pressure bonding of the tape of the frame with the tape attached to one surface of the wafer is carried out by a roller arranged in the upper chamber.

[0012] Preferably, the frame unit carrying out means comprises a frame unit holding part including a wafer holding part holding the wafer and a frame holding part holding the ring frame, and a conveying part conveying the frame unit holding part to a transition placement table.

[0013] Preferably, the frame unit carrying out means comprises a two-dimensional moving mechanism that two-dimensionally moves the frame unit holding part in a horizontal direction, and an imaging part that images an outer circumference of the wafer of the frame unit held by the frame unit holding part, and the two-dimensional moving mechanism is operated to image at least three locations on the outer circumference of the wafer by the imaging part, and center coordinates of the wafer are obtained to cause a center of the wafer to coincide with a center of the transition placement table.

[0014] Preferably, the oblique part removal unit comprises a laser beam irradiation unit that irradiates a base part of the oblique part formed on the outer circumference of the wafer with a laser beam to form a cutting groove or a modified layer inside the wafer, a first elevating / lowering table that holds and elevates the frame unit temporarily placed on the temporary placement table and positions the frame unit to the laser beam irradiation unit, and a separating part that annularly separates the oblique part from the cutting groove or the modified layer, the separating part comprises an ultraviolet irradiation part that irradiates the tape corresponding to the oblique part with ultraviolet light to reduce an adhesive force of the tape, a second elevating / lowering table that sucks and holds the inside of the wafer such that the oblique part is exposed from the outer circumference, and supports the annular frame, a separating device,which acts on the inclined part and separates the inclined part in a ring-like manner, and a disposal part through which the separated inclined part is disposed of, and the first raising / lowering table temporarily places the frame unit in which the cutting groove or the modified layer is formed on the transition placement table, and the transition placement table is positioned to the separation part by a transition placement table conveying part, and the second raising / lowering table carries the frame unit temporarily placed on the transition placement table.

[0015] Preferably, the transition placement table has a heating device, and the first raising / lowering table holds the frame unit, in which the tape has been heated by the heating device and the tape is in close contact with an origin of the inclined part, from the transition placement table.

[0016] Preferably, the transition placement table comprises an annular support part that supports the outer peripheral excess portion of the wafer and causes a part on an inner side to be non-contact relative to the outer peripheral excess portion, and a frame support part that is arranged around an outer periphery of the annular support part and supports the annular frame.

[0017] Preferably, the unit without the inclined part carrying out means comprises a reversing mechanism including a frame holding part which faces the unit without the inclined part carried by the second raising-lowering table and holds the ring frame and moves toward the frame cassette table and reverses the frame holding part, a unit without the inclined part carrying part which supports the unit without the inclined part which is reversed by the reversing mechanism and in which the other surface of the wafer is directed upward, and a pressing part which causes the unit without the inclined part carried by the unit without the inclined part carrying part to enter the frame cassette placed on the frame cassette table and to be accommodated in the frame cassette.

[0018] Preferably, the oblique part removing unit comprises a removal detecting unit that detects whether the oblique part has been removed or not, and a cutting groove detecting unit that detects the cutting groove.

[0019] According to the processing apparatus of the present invention, it is easy to remove the inclined portion of the wafer and it is easy to arrange the wafer in the ring frame with the dividing belt interposed. Thus, productivity is favorable.

[0020] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the mode for carrying them into effect, will best become apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by studying the following description and appended claims with reference to the attached drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machining apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 2A is a perspective view of a wafer for which processing by the method shown in Fig. 1 shown processing device is executed; Fig. 2B is a sectional view of the Fig. 2A; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a wafer cassette table, etc., as shown in Fig. 1 shown; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a Fig. 1 depicted hand; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a Fig. 1 frame accommodation unit etc.; Fig. Fig. 6A is a perspective view of a tape adhesion unit, etc. in the state in which a Fig. 1 frame table shown is positioned at a lowering position; Fig. 6B is a perspective view of the tape adhesion unit, etc. in the state in which the Fig. 1 frame table is positioned at a lifting position; Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a Fig. 1 shown band pressure connection unit; Fig. 8 is a sectional view illustrating the state in which pressing of a tape by a pressing roller is started in a tape press-joining step; Fig. 9 is a sectional view illustrating the state in which the pressing of the tape by the pressing roller in the tape pressing joining step is completed; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a Fig. 1 shown distance unit for the oblique part; Fig. 11 is a schematic sectional view illustrating the state in which an origin of an oblique part is irradiated with a laser beam in an oblique part removing step; Fig. 12A is a perspective view of a first raising / lowering table of the Fig. 1 shown distance unit for the oblique part; Fig. 12B is a perspective view of a Fig. 12A shown holding part seen from a lower side; Fig. 12C is a schematic sectional view illustrating the state in which a cutting groove is detected; Fig. 13 is a graph showing an example of a relationship between an amount of light received by a light receiving part of a cutting groove detecting unit and a rotation angle of the wafer; Fig. 14A is a perspective view of a separation part of the Fig. 1 shown distance unit for the oblique part; Fig. 14B is a schematic diagram of a Fig. 14A shown distance detection unit; Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the slant part is separated from the wafer in the slant part removing step; Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a disposal part of the Fig. 1 shown distance unit for the oblique part; Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a reversing mechanism of a Fig. 1 illustrated removal means for the unit without the inclined part; Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a support part for the unit without the inclined part and a pressing part of the Fig. 1 shown removal means for the unit without the inclined part; and Fig. 19 is a perspective view showing the state in which an accommodation step for the unit without the inclined part is carried out. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] A machining apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0022] Referring to Fig. 1, a processing apparatus, designated as a whole by the numeral 2, comprises a wafer cassette table 8 on which a wafer cassette 6 in which a plurality of wafers are accommodated is placed, a wafer outfeed unit 10 that feeds out a wafer from the wafer cassette 6 placed on the wafer cassette table 8, and a wafer table 12 that supports a wafer fed out by the wafer outfeed unit 10.

[0023] In Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B shows a wafer 4 being processed by the processing apparatus 2. On a front surface 4a of the wafer 4, there is a component region 18 in which a plurality of components 14, such as an IC and LSI, are divided in a grid-like manner by planned dividing lines 16, and an outer peripheral excess region 20 surrounding the component region 18. In Fig. In Fig. 2A, a boundary 22 between the component region 18 and the outer peripheral excess region 20 is represented by a two-dot chain line for the sake of simplicity. However, the line indicating the boundary 22 does not actually exist. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 2B, a slanted portion 24 is formed in the outer peripheral excess region 20 of the wafer 4. Furthermore, a notch 26 indicating a crystal orientation is formed on a peripheral edge of the wafer 4.

[0024] As in Fig. As shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of wafers 4 are accommodated in the wafer cassette 6 in an up-down direction at intervals in the state where the front surfaces 4a are facing upward. The wafer cassette table 8 of the present embodiment includes an upper plate 28 on which the wafer cassette 6 is placed, and a support plate 30 that supports the upper plate 28. The upper plate 28 may be capable of raising and lowering, and a raising-lowering means may be arranged that raises and lowers the upper plate 28 and positions it at a desired height.

[0025] The description is made with reference to Fig. 3. The wafer removal unit 10 has a Y-axis movable component 32 which can move in a Y-axis direction which is Fig. 3, and a Y-axis feed mechanism 34 that moves the Y-axis movable component 32 in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis feed mechanism 34 includes a ball screw 36 coupled to a lower end of the Y-axis movable component 32 and extending in the Y-axis direction, and a motor 38 that rotates the ball screw 36. The Y-axis feed mechanism 34 converts a rotational motion of the motor 38 into a linear motion through the ball screw 36 and transmits the linear motion to the Y-axis movable component 32 to move the Y-axis movable component 32 in the Y-axis direction along a pair of guide rails 40 extending in the Y-axis direction. An X-axis direction that is Fig. 3 is represented by an arrow X, is a direction orthogonal to the Y-axis direction and a Z-axis direction which is in Fig. 3, the up-down direction is orthogonal to the X-axis and Y-axis directions. An XY plane defined by the X-axis and Y-axis directions is essentially horizontal.

[0026] As in Fig. As shown in Fig. 3, the wafer carrying-out unit 10 of the present embodiment includes a carrying arm 42 and a hand 44 disposed at a tip of the carrying arm 42, which supports the wafer 4 housed in the wafer cassette 6. The carrying arm 42 is disposed above an upper surface of the Y-axis movable component 32 and is driven by a suitable drive source (not shown), such as an air drive source or an electric drive source. This drive source drives the carrying arm 42 and positions the hand 44 to a selectable position in each of the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. In addition, the drive source rotates the hand 44 upside down.

[0027] With reference to Fig. 4, it is preferable that the hand 44 be a Bernoulli pad on which a negative pressure is created by an air jet and which supports the wafer 4 in a non-contact manner. The hand 44 of the present embodiment has a C-shape as a whole, and a plurality of air ejection ports 46 connected to an air supply source (not shown) are formed in a single surface of the hand 44. A plurality of guide pins 48 are attached to the outer peripheral edge of the hand 44 at intervals in the circumferential direction. Each guide pin 48 is configured to be movable in a radial direction of the hand 44.

[0028] The wafer removal unit 10 pushes, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, after positioning the hand 44 on the rear surface 4b side (lower side) of the wafer 4 in the wafer cassette 6 placed on the wafer cassette table 8, compressed air is discharged from the air ejection ports 46 of the hand 44 to generate a negative pressure on a single surface of the hand 44 by the Bernoulli effect, and the wafer 4 is sucked and carried by the hand 44 from the rear surface 4b side in a non-contact manner. Horizontal movement of the wafer 4 sucked and carried by the hand 44 is restricted by the corresponding guide pins 48. Then, the wafer carrying-out unit 10 carries the wafer 4 sucked and carried by the hand 44 out of the wafer cassette 6 by moving the Y-axis movable component 32 and the carrying arm 42.

[0029] As in Fig. As shown in FIG. 4, the wafer carrying-out unit 10 of the present embodiment includes a notch detection unit 50 that detects the position of the notch 26 of the wafer 4. The notch detection unit 50 has, for example, a configuration including a light emitting element 52 and a light receiving element 54 arranged at a distance from each other in the up-down direction, and a drive source (not shown) that rotates at least one of the guide pins 48 of the hand 44.

[0030] The light-emitting element 52 and the light-receiving element 54 can be suspended from the Y-axis movable component 32 or a conveying path through the interposition of a suitable support (not shown). Furthermore, the wafer 4, which is sucked and carried by the hand 44, rotates due to the rotation of the guide pin 48 when the guide pin 48 rotates by the drive source described above. It is preferable that the outer peripheral surface of the guide pin 48 rotated by the drive source be formed of a suitable synthetic resin to securely transmit the rotation of the guide pin 48 to the wafer 4.

[0031] The notch detection unit 50 can detect the position of the notch 26 by rotating the wafer 4 by the drive source via the guide pin 48 in the state where the wafer 4 is sucked and carried by the hand 44 and the outer periphery of the wafer 4 is positioned between the light-emitting element 52 and the light-receiving element 54. This makes it possible to adjust the orientation of the wafer 4 to a selectable orientation.

[0032] As in Fig. 3, the wafer table 12 is arranged next to the wafer carrying-out unit 10. The wafer table 12 of the present embodiment includes an annular support part 56 that supports the outer peripheral excess portion 20 of the wafer 4 and causes the part on the inner side to be non-contact relative to the outer peripheral excess portion 20, and a frame support part 58 that is arranged around the outer periphery of the annular support part 56 and supports a ring frame 64 to be described later (see Fig. 5). A plurality of suction holes 60 are formed on the upper surface of the annular support member 56, spaced at intervals in the circumferential direction, and each suction hole 60 is connected to suction means (not shown). The portion located on the inner side in the radial direction relative to the annular support member 56 in the wafer table 12 is a circular recess 62 that is hollow downwards.

[0033] When the hand 44 rotates 180° to flip the front and back sides of the wafer 4, and the wafer 4 is placed on the wafer table 12 in the state where the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 is facing downward, the outer peripheral excess portion 20 of the wafer 4 is supported by the annular support member 56, and the component portion 18 of the wafer 4 is disposed in the recess 62. Although the wafer 4 is placed on the wafer table 12 in the state where the front surface 4a on which the components 14 are formed is facing downward, the components 14 do not come into contact with the wafer table 12, and therefore, damage to the components 14 is prevented.Furthermore, the wafer table 12 prevents deviation of the position of the wafer 4 by operating the suction means and generating a suction force for each suction hole 60 to suck and hold the outer peripheral excess portion 20 after the outer peripheral excess portion 20 is supported by the annular support part 56.

[0034] Referring to Fig. 5, the processing apparatus 2 further includes a frame accommodation unit 66 that accommodates a plurality of annular ring frames 64 in which an opening part 64a that accommodates the wafer 4, a frame carrying-out unit 68 that carries out the ring frame 64 from the frame accommodation unit 66, and a frame table 70 that supports the ring frame 64 carried out by the frame carrying-out unit 68 are formed.

[0035] As in Fig. 5, the frame housing unit 66 of the present embodiment includes a housing 72, a raising / lowering plate 74 arranged to be raised and lowered within the housing 72, and a raising / lowering means (not shown) that raises and lowers the raising / lowering plate 74. A Z-axis guide component 78 extending in the Z-axis direction is provided on the side surface of the housing 72 on the side opposite in the X-axis direction. Fig. 5. The raising / lowering plate 74 is supported by the Z-axis guide component 78 so that it can rise and fall, and the raising / lowering means that raises and lowers the raising / lowering plate 74 is arranged within the Z-axis guide component 78. It is sufficient if the raising / lowering means is, for example, a configuration that includes a ball screw coupled to the raising / lowering plate 74 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor that rotates this ball screw. On the side surface of the housing 72 at the position in the X-axis direction in Fig. A door 76 is arranged on the side near the housing 72, to which a handle 76a is attached. In the frame housing unit 66, the ring frames 64 can be housed within the housing 72 by grasping the handle 76a and opening the door 76. Furthermore, an opening part 80 is provided at an upper end of the housing 72.

[0036] As in Fig. 5, the ring frames 64 are housed by being stacked above the upper surface of the raising / lowering plate 74 within the casing 72. The ring frame 64 at the uppermost level of the plurality of stacked ring frames 64 is carried out from the opening portion 80 of the casing 72 by the frame carrying-out unit 68. Moreover, when the ring frame 64 is carried out from the opening portion 80, the frame housing unit 66 appropriately lifts the raising / lowering plate 74 by the raising / lowering means and positions the ring frame 64 at the uppermost level at the position from which the ring frame 64 can be carried out by the frame carrying-out unit 68.

[0037] The description is made with reference to Fig. 5. The frame outfeed unit 68 includes an X-axis guide component 82 fixed to a suitable bracket (not shown) and extending in the X-axis direction, an X-axis movable component 84 movably supported in the X-axis direction by the X-axis guide component 82, an X-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the X-axis movable component 84 in the X-axis direction, a Z-axis movable component 86 movably supported in the Z-axis direction by the X-axis movable component 84, and a Z-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the Z-axis movable component 86 in the Z-axis direction.It is sufficient if the X-axis feed mechanism of the frame-outfeed unit 68 has a configuration such that it includes a ball screw coupled to the X-axis movable component 84 and extending in the X-axis direction, and a motor that rotates this ball screw. It is sufficient if the Z-axis feed means has a configuration such that it includes a ball screw coupled to the Z-axis movable component 86 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor that rotates this ball screw.

[0038] The Z-axis movable component 86 of the frame removal unit 68 includes a holding portion 88 that holds the ring frame 64. The holding portion 88 of the present embodiment includes a rectangular substrate 90 and a plurality of suction pads 92 disposed on the bottom surface of the substrate 90. Each suction pad 92 is connected to a suction means (not shown).

[0039] The frame carrying-out unit 68 sucks and holds the ring frame 64 at the top level accommodated in the frame accommodating unit 66 through the suction pads 92 of the holding part 88, and then moves the X-axis movable component 84 and the Z-axis movable component 86. Thereby, the frame carrying-out unit 68 carries out the sucked and held ring frame 64 at the top level out of the frame accommodating unit 66.

[0040] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the frame table 70 is supported by a Z-axis guide component 94 so that it can rise and fall between a lowering position indicated by solid lines and a lifting position indicated by two-dot chain lines. A suitable drive source (e.g., an air drive source or an electric drive source) is connected to the Z-axis guide component 94, which raises and lowers the frame table 70 between the lowering position and the lifting position. The frame table 70 accommodates the ring frame 64, which is discharged by the frame discharge unit 68, at the lowering position.

[0041] As in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5, the processing device 2 has a tape adhesion unit 98 (see Fig. 1), which is arranged above the frame table 70 and a belt 96 adheres to the ring frame 64, a conveyor unit 100 for a frame with attached belt (see Fig. 5) which conveys the ring frame 64 to which the tape 96 is adhered (hereinafter often referred to as “ring frame 64' with tape attached”) to the wafer table 12 and positions the opening part 64a of the ring frame 64 on one surface of the wafer 4 carried by the wafer table 12 and places the ring frame 64' with tape attached on the wafer table 12, and a tape pressure bonding unit 102 (see Fig. 1) which performs a pressure bonding of the tape 96 of the ring frame 64' with attached tape to one surface of the wafer 4.

[0042] With reference to Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, the tape adhering unit 98 of the present embodiment includes a roll tape support part 104 that supports a roll tape 96R in which the tape 96 is wound before use, a tape receiving part 106 that receives the used tape 96, a tape pull-out part 108 that pulls out the tape 96 from the roll tape 96R, a pressure-connecting part 110 that pressure-connects the pulled-out tape 96 to the ring frame 64, and a cutting part 112 that cuts the tape 96 projecting toward the outer periphery of the ring frame 64 along the ring frame 64.

[0043] As in Fig. 6A and Fig. As shown in Figure 6B, the roller belt support member 104 includes a support roller 114 rotatably supported about an axis extending in the X-axis direction by a corresponding bracket (not shown). Supported by the support roller 114 is the roller belt 96R, in which the release paper 116 for protecting an adhesive surface of the belt 96 is attached to the adhesive surface of the belt 96 and wound into a circular cylindrical shape.

[0044] The tape take-up part 106 has a take-up roller 118 which is supported by a corresponding bracket (not shown) for rotation about an axis line extending in the X-axis direction, and a motor (not shown) which rotates the take-up roller 118. As shown in Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, the tape take-up part 106 takes up the used tape 96 in which a circular opening part 120 is formed corresponding to the part adhered to the ring frame 64 by rotating the take-up roller 118 by the motor.

[0045] The description is made with reference to Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B. The tape pull-out part 108 includes a pull-out roller 122 disposed below the support roller 114 of the roller tape support part 104, a motor (not shown) that rotates the pull-out roller 122, and a driven roller 124 that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the pull-out roller 122. The tape pull-out part 108 pulls the tape 96, which is gripped by the pull-out roller 122 and the driven roller 124, from the roller tape 96R by rotating the driven roller 124 together with the pull-out roller 122 by the motor.

[0046] The release paper 116 is separated from the belt 96 that has passed between the discharge roller 122 and the driven roller 124, and the separated release paper 116 is received by a release paper receiving part 126. The release paper receiving part 126 of the present embodiment includes a released paper receiving roller 128 disposed above the driven roller 124 and a motor (not shown) that rotates the released paper receiving roller 128. Furthermore, the belt 96 from which the release paper 116 has been separated passes through a guide roller 130 disposed at a distance from the discharge roller 122 in the Y-axis direction and is guided to the receiving roller 118.

[0047] The pressure-connecting part 110 includes a pressing roller 132 movably arranged in the Y-axis direction and a Y-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the pressing roller 132 in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis feed mechanism of the pressure-connecting part 110 can be configured from a suitable drive source (e.g., an air drive source or an electric drive source).

[0048] As in Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, the cutting part 112 includes a Z-axis guide component 134 fixed to a suitable support (not shown) and extending in the Z-axis direction, a Z-axis movable component 136 supported by the Z-axis guide component 134 for movement in the Z-axis direction, and a Z-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the Z-axis movable component 136 in the Z-axis direction. It is sufficient for the Z-axis feed mechanism of the cutting part 112 to have a configuration including a ball screw coupled to the Z-axis movable component 136 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor that rotates this ball screw.

[0049] Furthermore, the cutting part 112 includes a motor 138 attached to the lower surface of the tip of the Z-axis movable component 136, and an arm piece 140 rotated by the motor 138 about an axis extending in the Z-axis direction. First and second depending pieces 142a and 142b are attached to the lower surface of the arm piece 140 at a distance from each other. A circular cutter 144 is supported by the first depending piece 142a for rotation about an axis orthogonal to the Z-axis direction. A hold-down roller 146 is supported by the second depending piece 142b for rotation about an axis orthogonal to the Z-axis direction.

[0050] The tape adhesion unit 98 draws out the tape 96 not used by the draw-out roller 122 and the driven roller 124 before the frame table 70, which has received the ring frame 64 from the frame carrying-out unit 68, is lowered from the lowering position (a position shown in Fig. 6A) into the lifting position (a position shown in Fig. 6B). Then, the frame table 70 is positioned at the lift position to such an extent that the tape 96 can be pressed against the ring frame 64 by the pressing roller 132 of the pressure-bonding part 110, and the ring frame 64 is brought into contact with the pressing roller 132 through the tape 96. Then, the pressing roller 132 is rolled in the Y-axis direction while the adhesive surface of the tape 96 is pressed against the ring frame 64 by the pressing roller 132. Thereby, the pressure-bonding of the tape 96, which has been drawn out from the roller tape 96R by the tape drawing-out part 108, to the ring frame 64 can be performed.

[0051] After the tape 96 is press-connected to the ring frame 64, the tape attachment unit 98 lowers the Z-axis movable component 136 of the cutting part 112 through the Z-axis feed mechanism to press the cutter 144 against the tape 96 on the ring frame 64 and hold the ring frame 64 down from above the tape 96 through the hold-down roller 146. Thereafter, the tape attachment unit 98 rotates the arm piece 140 through the motor 138 and causes the cutter 144 and the hold-down roller 146 to move to trace a circle along the ring frame 64. This allows the tape 96 projecting toward the outer periphery of the ring frame 64 to be cut along the ring frame 64. Furthermore, since the ring frame 64 is held down by the hold-down roller 146 from above the belt 96, a deviation of the position of the ring frame 64 and the belt 96 when cutting the belt 96 is prevented.Then, after the frame table 70 is lowered, the used tape 96 in which the circular opening part 120 corresponding to the part adhered to the ring frame 64 is formed is received by the tape receiving part 106.

[0052] As in Fig. 5, the belt-attached frame conveying unit 100 includes a Y-axis guide component 148 fixed to a suitable bracket (not shown) and extending in the Y-axis direction, a Y-axis movable component 150 movably supported in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis guide component 148, a Y-axis feed means (not shown) that moves the Y-axis movable component 150 in the Y-axis direction, a Z-axis movable component 152 movably supported in the Z-axis direction by the Y-axis movable component 150, and a Z-axis feed means (not shown) that moves the Z-axis movable component 152 in the Z-axis direction.It is sufficient if the Y-axis feed mechanism of the belt-attached frame conveying unit 100 has a configuration including a ball screw coupled to the Y-axis movable component 150 and extending in the Y-axis direction, and a motor that rotates this ball screw. It is sufficient if the Z-axis feed mechanism has a configuration including a ball screw coupled to the Z-axis movable component 152 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor that rotates this ball screw.

[0053] The Z-axis movable component 152 of the belt-attached frame conveying unit 100 includes a holding portion 154 that holds the belt-attached ring frame 64'. The holding portion 154 of the present embodiment includes a rectangular substrate 156 and a plurality of suction pads 158 disposed on the bottom surface of the substrate 156. Each suction pad 158 is connected to a suction means (not shown).

[0054] The tape-attached frame conveying unit 100 sucks and holds the upper surface of the tape-attached ring frame 64' supported by the frame table 70 in the state where the holding surface of the tape 96 is directed downward through the respective suction pads 158 of the holding part 154, and moves the Y-axis movable component 150 and the Z-axis movable component 152. Thereby, the tape-attached frame conveying unit 100 conveys the tape-attached ring frame 64' sucked and held by the holding part 154 from the frame table 70 to the wafer table 12, positions the opening part 64a of the tape-attached ring frame 64 on the one surface of the wafer 4 supported by the wafer table 12, and places the tape-attached ring frame 64' on the wafer table 12.

[0055] The tape pressure connection unit 102 will be described with reference to Fig. 7 to Fig. 9. As described in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, the tape pressure bonding unit 102 includes an upper chamber 160 disposed above the wafer table 12, a lower chamber 162 in which the wafer table 12 is housed, and a raising and lowering mechanism 164 that raises and lowers the upper chamber 160 and creates a closed state in which the upper chamber 160 is brought into contact with the lower chamber 162, and an open state in which the upper chamber 160 is separated from the lower chamber 162. The tape pressure bonding unit 102 further includes a vacuum part 166 that places the upper chamber 160 and the lower chamber 162 in a vacuum state when closed, and an atmosphere opening part 168 that opens the upper chamber 160 and the lower chamber 162 to the atmosphere.

[0056] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, the upper chamber 160 of the present embodiment includes a circular upper plate 170 and a circular cylindrical side wall 172 suspended from the peripheral edge of the upper plate 170. The elevating-lowering mechanism 164, which may be configured from a suitable actuator such as an air cylinder, is attached to the upper surface of the upper plate 170. In a space defined by the lower surface of the upper plate 170 and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 172, there are disposed a pressing roller 174 for pressing the belt 96 of the ring frame 64' with the belt attached against one surface of the wafer 4 supported by the wafer table 12, a support piece 176 that rotatably supports the pressing roller 174, and a Y-axis feed mechanism 178 that moves the support piece 176 in the Y-axis direction.

[0057] The Y-axis feed mechanism 178 includes a ball screw 180 coupled to the support piece 176 and extending in the Y-axis direction, and a motor 182 that rotates the ball screw 180. Furthermore, the Y-axis feed mechanism 178 converts a rotational motion of the motor 182 into a linear motion through the ball screw 180 and transmits the linear motion to the support piece 176 to move the support piece 176 along a pair of guide rails 184 extending in the Y-axis direction.

[0058] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, the lower chamber 162 has a circular cylindrical side wall 186. The upper part of the side wall 186 is open, and the lower part of the side wall 186 is closed. A connecting opening 188 is formed in the side wall 186. The vacuum part 166, which can be configured by a suitable vacuum pump, is connected to the connecting opening 188 via a flow path 190. The part 168 for opening to the atmosphere, which can be configured by a suitable valve that can open the flow path 190 to the atmosphere, is arranged on the flow path 190.

[0059] In the state where the tape 96 of the tape-attached ring frame 64' is positioned on one surface of the wafer 4 supported by the wafer table 12, the tape pressure-connecting unit 102 lowers the upper chamber 160 through the raising-lowering mechanism 164 and brings the lower end of the side wall 172 of the upper chamber 160 into contact with the upper end of the side wall 186 of the lower chamber 162 to close the upper chamber 160 and the lower chamber 162. In addition, the tape pressure-connecting unit 102 brings the pressing roller 174 into contact with the tape-attached ring frame 64'.

[0060] Thereafter, the strip pressure connection unit 102 operates the vacuum pump forming the vacuum part 166 in the state where the valve forming the part 168 for opening to the atmosphere is closed, to put the interior of the upper chamber 160 and the lower chamber 162 into a vacuum state. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, the tape pressure-bonding unit 102 presses the pressing roller 174 in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis feed mechanism 178 to thereby perform pressure-bonding of the tape 96 to the one surface of the wafer 4 and produce a frame unit U.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the pressure-bonding of the wafer 4 and the tape 96 is performed in the state where the interior of the upper chamber 160 and the lower chamber 162 is placed in a vacuum state. Therefore, when the atmosphere-opening portion 168 is opened after the tape 96 is pressure-bonded, the tape 96 is pressed against the wafer 4 by the atmospheric pressure. As a result, the tape 96 comes into close contact with one surface of the wafer 4.

[0062] As in Fig. 1 and Fig. 10, the processing apparatus 2 further includes a frame unit removal means 192 that removes the frame unit U from the wafer table 12, in which the tape 96 of the ring frame 64' with the tape attached and one surface of the wafer 4 are pressure-bonded by the tape pressure-bonding unit 102, and a tape-removal unit 194 that cuts and removes the tape-removal unit 24 formed in the outer peripheral excess area from the wafer 4 of the frame unit U removed by the frame unit removal means 192. The processing apparatus 2 also includes a tape-removal unit without the tape-removal unit 196 (see Fig. 1) which carries away from the inclined part removing unit 194 the unit without an inclined part resulting from the removal of the inclined part 24 in a ring-like manner, and a frame cassette table 200 on which a frame cassette 198 is placed which accommodates the unit without an inclined part carried out by the unit without an inclined part carrying out means 196.

[0063] As in Fig. 10, the frame unit carrying-out means 192 of the present embodiment includes a frame unit holding part 202 including a wafer holding part 202a holding the wafer 4 and a frame holding part 202b holding the ring frame 64, and a conveying part 206 conveying the frame unit holding part 202 to a transition placement table 204.

[0064] The wafer holding part 202a of the frame unit holding part 202 includes a circular substrate 208 and a circular suction-adhering piece 210 attached to the lower surface of the substrate 208. A plurality of suction holes (not shown) are formed in the lower surface of the suction-adhering piece 210, and each suction hole is connected to a suction means (not shown). The frame holding part 202b includes a plurality of (four in the present embodiment) protruding pieces 212 projecting outward in the radial direction from the peripheral edge of the substrate 208 of the wafer holding part 202a, with spaces arranged therebetween in the circumferential direction, and suction pads 214 are attached to the lower surfaces of the protruding pieces 212. Each suction pad 214 is connected to a suction means (not shown).

[0065] The conveying part 206 includes an X-axis guide component 216 fixed to a corresponding bracket (not shown) and extending in the X-axis direction, an X-axis movable component 218 movably supported in the X-axis direction by the X-axis guide component 216, and an X-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the X-axis movable component 218 in the X-axis direction.The conveying part 206 further includes a Z-axis movable component 220 movably supported in the Z-axis direction by the X-axis movable component 218, a Z-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the Z-axis movable component 220 in the Z-axis direction, a Y-axis movable component 222 movably supported in the Y-axis direction by the Z-axis movable component 220, and a Y-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the Y-axis movable component 222 in the Y-axis direction. The substrate 208 of the wafer holding part 202a is coupled to the tip of the Y-axis movable component 222.It is sufficient if each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis feeding mechanisms of the conveying part 206 each has a configuration including a ball screw and a motor that rotates the ball screw.

[0066] It is preferable that the frame unit outfeed means 192 includes a two-dimensional moving mechanism that two-dimensionally moves the frame unit holding part 202 in the horizontal direction, and an imaging part 224 that images the outer periphery of the wafer 4 of the frame unit U held by the frame unit holding part 202. In the present embodiment, the frame unit holding part 202 moves two-dimensionally in the horizontal direction on the XY plane by the X-axis feed mechanism and the Y-axis feed mechanism of the conveying part 206, and the two-dimensional moving mechanism is configured by the conveying part 206. Moreover, the imaging part 224 of the present embodiment is arranged between the wafer table 12 and the transfer placement table 204, and the outer periphery of the frame unit U held by the frame unit holding part 202 is imaged from the lower side of the wafer 4.

[0067] The frame unit removal means 192 actuates the removal part 206 in the state where the wafer 4 is sucked and held from the rear surface 4b side (belt 96 side) by the suction-adhering piece 210 of the wafer holding part 202a, and the ring frame 64 is sucked and held by the suction pads 214 of the frame holding part 202b. The frame unit removal means 192 thereby removes the frame unit U held by the frame unit holding part 202 from the wafer table 12.

[0068] Furthermore, the frame unit carrying-out means 192 of the present embodiment measures the coordinates of at least three points on the outer circumference of the wafer 4 by operating the carrying part 206, which constitutes the two-dimensional movement mechanism, and imaging by the imaging part 224 at at least three locations on the outer circumference of the wafer 4 of the frame unit U held by the frame unit holding part 202, and obtains the center coordinates of the wafer 4 based on the measured coordinates of the three points. Then, the frame unit carrying-out means 192 causes the center of the wafer 4 to coincide with the center of the temporary placement table 204 and temporarily places the frame unit U on the temporary placement table 204.

[0069] As in Fig. As shown in Fig. 10, the transition placement table 204 is arranged at a distance from the wafer table 12 in the X-axis direction. The transition placement table 204 of the present embodiment includes an annular support part 226 that supports the outer peripheral excess portion 20 of the wafer 4 of the frame unit U and causes the part on the inside to be non-contact relative to the outer peripheral excess portion 20, and a frame support part 228 that is arranged around the outer periphery of the annular support part 226 and supports the annular frame 64.

[0070] The part located on the inner side in the radial direction relative to the annular support part 226 is a circular recess 230 that is hollow downwards. It is preferable that the frame support part 228 of the temporary placement table 204 includes a heater (not shown), and the belt 96 of the frame unit U temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 204 is softened by heating the belt 96 by the heater, and the belt 96 is brought into closer contact with the origin of the inclined part 24.

[0071] The machining apparatus 2 of the present embodiment includes a transition placement table conveying part 232 that conveys the transition placement table 204 in the Y-axis direction. The transition placement table conveying part 232 includes a Y-axis guide component 234 extending in the Y-axis direction, a Y-axis movable component 236 movably supported by the Y-axis guide component 234 in the Y-axis direction, and a Y-axis feed mechanism 238 that moves the Y-axis movable component 236 in the Y-axis direction. The transition placement table 204 is attached to the upper part of the Y-axis movable component 236. The Y-axis feed mechanism 238 includes a ball screw 240 coupled to the Y-axis movable component 236 and extending in the Y-axis direction, and a motor 242 that rotates the ball screw 240.In addition, the transition placement table conveying part 232 converts a rotational movement of the motor 242 into a linear movement through the ball screw 240 and transmits the linear movement to the Y-axis movable component 236 to convey the transition placement table 204 together with the Y-axis movable component 236 in the Y-axis direction.

[0072] As in Fig. 1 and Fig. 10, the oblique part removing unit 194 includes a laser beam irradiation unit 244 that irradiates the base of the oblique part 24 formed on the outer periphery of the wafer 4 with a laser beam to form a cutting groove or a modified layer inside the wafer, a first raising / lowering table 246 (see Fig. 1) which holds and lifts the frame unit U temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 204 and moves in the X-axis direction to position the frame unit U to the laser beam irradiation unit 244, and a separating part 248 which annularly separates the inclined part 24 from the cutting groove or the modified layer.

[0073] As in Fig. As shown in FIG. 10, the laser beam irradiation unit 244 includes a casing 250 disposed adjacent to the transfer placement table 204 in the X-axis direction, a laser oscillator (not shown) housed in the casing 250 and emitting a laser beam, and a light collector 252 that collects the laser beam emitted by the laser oscillator and irradiates the base of the inclined part 24 formed on the outer periphery of the wafer 4 with the laser beam. The laser beam irradiation unit 244 further includes a suction nozzle 254 that sucks dirt particles generated when the wafer 4 is irradiated with the laser beam, and a suction means (not shown) connected to the suction nozzle 254.

[0074] The light collector 252 extends upward from the upper surface of the housing 250, with an inclination toward the side of the suction nozzle 254. This reduces the falling of dirt particles generated during laser beam irradiation onto the light collector 252. Furthermore, the suction nozzle 254 extends upward from the upper surface of the housing 250, with an inclination toward the side of the light collector 252.

[0075] As in Fig. As shown in Fig. 11, the laser beam irradiation unit 244 irradiates the base part (a part slightly closer to the inner side than the outer peripheral edge of the wafer 4) of the inclined part 24 formed on the outer periphery of the wafer 4 with a laser beam LB while rotating the frame unit U held by the first elevating / lowering table 246, to form an annular cutting groove 256 along the base part of the inclined part 24 by ablation processing or to form a modified layer in a ring shape along the base part of the inclined part 24. Moreover, in the case of forming the cutting groove 256, the laser beam irradiation unit 244 sucks dirt particles generated due to the ablation processing with the suction nozzle 254.

[0076] As in Fig. 1, the first raising / lowering table 246 is arranged above the transition placement table 204 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction and in the Z-axis direction. Referring to Fig. 12A to 12C, the first raising / lowering table 246 includes an X-axis guide component 258 fixed to a suitable bracket (not shown) and extending in the X-axis direction, an X-axis movable component 260 movably supported in the X-axis direction by the X-axis guide component 258, an X-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the X-axis movable component 260 in the X-axis direction, a Z-axis movable component 262 movably supported in the Z-axis direction by the X-axis movable component 260, and a Z-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the Z-axis movable component 262 in the Z-axis direction.It is sufficient if each of the X-axis and Z-axis feed mechanisms of the first raising / lowering table 246 each has a configuration including a ball screw and a motor that rotates the ball screw.

[0077] A downwardly extending support shaft 264 is rotatably supported by the lower surface of the tip of the Z-axis movable component. A motor 266 is mounted on the upper surface of the tip of the Z-axis movable component 262, which rotates the support shaft 264 about an axis extending in the Z-axis direction. A circular support member 268 is attached to the lower end of the support shaft 264.

[0078] As in Fig. As shown in Fig. 12B, a wafer suction-adhering chuck 400 having a circular shape and a plurality of frame suction-adhering chucks 402 arranged around the wafer suction-adhering chuck 400 are attached to the lower surface of the holding piece 268. A diameter of the wafer suction-adhering chuck 400 is slightly smaller than that of the device region 18 of the wafer 4. The plurality of frame suction-adhering chucks 402 are arranged on a circular periphery corresponding to a size of the ring frame 64 at intervals in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the wafer suction-adhering chuck 400 and the frame suction-adhering chucks 402 are formed of a porous material and connected to a suction means (not shown).

[0079] The first raising / lowering table 246 sucks and holds the wafer 4 of the frame unit U, in which the belt 96 has been heated by the heating device of the frame supporting part 228 of the transition placement table 204 and the belt 96 is in close contact with the origin of the inclined part 24, by the wafer suction-adhering chuck 400, and sucks and holds the ring frame 64 by the frame suction-adhering chucks 402. Thereafter, the first raising / lowering table 246 moves the Z-axis movable component 262 and the X-axis movable component 260 to raise the frame unit U sucked and held by the holding part 268 and move the frame unit U in the X-axis direction and position it to the laser beam irradiation unit 244.

[0080] Furthermore, when the wafer 4 is irradiated with the laser beam LB by the laser beam irradiation unit 244, the first elevating / lowering table 246 operates the motor 266 to rotate the frame unit U sucked and held by the holding part 268. Furthermore, the first elevating / lowering table 246 moves the frame unit U, in which the cutting groove 256 or the modified layer is formed at the base of the inclined part 24, in the X-axis direction and in the Z-axis direction and temporarily places it on the transition placement table 204.

[0081] As in Fig. As shown in FIGS. 12A to 12C, the inclined portion removing unit 194 of the present embodiment includes a cutting groove detecting unit 404 that detects the cutting groove 256 formed by irradiating the base of the inclined portion 24 formed on the outer periphery of the wafer 4 with the laser beam LB. The cutting groove detecting unit 404 includes an annular illumination part 406 disposed in the lower surface of the holding part 268 of the first raising and lowering table 246, and a light receiving part 408 disposed adjacent to the first raising and lowering table 246.

[0082] As in Fig. 12C, the diameter of the illumination part 406 is almost the same as that of the cutting groove 256, and the illumination part 406 is arranged above the cutting groove 256 when the frame unit U is held by the holding part 268. Moreover, the light-receiving part 408 is supported by the X-axis guide component 258 via a bracket 410, and the light-receiving part 408 is arranged below the cutting groove 256 when the frame unit U is held by the holding part 268.

[0083] Furthermore, in the cutting groove detection unit 404, the cutting groove 256 is detected by receiving light from the illumination element 406 by the light receiving part 408 while rotating the frame unit U held by the first raising / lowering table 246. More specifically, the cutting groove detection unit 404 detects whether the cutting groove 256 has reached the back surface 4b from the front surface 4a of the wafer 4, that is, whether the wafer 4 has been completely cut or not.

[0084] When the cutting groove 256 has reached the back surface 4b from the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 and the wafer 4 has been completely cut, the light from the illuminating part 406 passes through the cutting groove 256 and reaches the light-receiving part 408. Therefore, the amount of light received by the light-receiving part 408 becomes comparatively large. The light from the illuminating part 406 is transmitted through the tape 96, and therefore, the amount of light received by the light-receiving part 408 is not affected by the tape 96. On the other hand, when the cutting groove 256 has not reached the back surface 4b from the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 and an incompletely cut part that has not been completely cut exists in the wafer 4, the light from the illuminating part 406 is blocked by the incompletely cut part.Therefore, the amount of light received by the light receiving part 408 becomes comparatively small when the incompletely cut part is located above the light receiving part 408. Thus, the cutting groove detection unit 404 determines that the wafer 4 has been completely cut when the amount of light received by the light receiving part 408 over the entire circumference of the cutting groove 256 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. Conversely, the cutting groove detection unit 404 determines that the wafer 4 has not been completely cut when an area exists over which the amount of light received by the light receiving part 408 is less than the above-described threshold.

[0085] In a Fig. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the amount of light received by the light receiving part 408 is equal to or greater than a threshold value T1 in a range where the rotation angle of the wafer 4 is 0° to θ1 and a range where it is θ2 to 360°. However, the amount of light received by the light receiving part 408 is smaller than the threshold value T1 in a range where the rotation angle of the wafer 4 is θ1 to θ2. Therefore, it is determined that an incompletely cut part exists in the wafer 4.

[0086] The cutting groove detection unit 404 may include a camera that images the cutting groove 256 from the lower side when the frame unit U is held by the holding part 268 instead of the above-described light receiving part 408, and it is also possible to detect whether or not the cutting groove 256 has reached the back surface 4b from the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 based on an image of the cutting groove 256 imaged by the camera.

[0087] As in Fig. 1, the separation part 248 is arranged at a distance from the first raising / lowering table 246 in the Y-axis direction in the movable range of the transition placement table 204 in the Y-axis direction. Referring to Fig. 14A and Fig. 16, the separation part 248 has ultraviolet irradiation parts 270 (see Fig. 14A) which irradiate the tape 96 corresponding to the cutting groove 256 with ultraviolet light to reduce the adhesive force of the tape 96, and a second raising / lowering table 272 (see Fig. 14A) which sucks and holds the inside of the wafer 4 in such a way that the inclined part 24 is exposed from the outer circumference and supports the ring frame 64. The separating part 248 further comprises a separator 274 (see Fig. 14A), which acts on the inclined part 24 and separates the inclined part 24 in a ring-like manner, as well as a disposal part 276 (see Fig. 16) through which the separated oblique part 24 is disposed of.

[0088] As in Fig. 14A, the separation part 248 of the present embodiment includes a Z-axis guide component 278 fixed to a suitable bracket (not shown) and extending in the Z-axis direction, a Z-axis movable component 280 movably supported in the Z-axis direction by the Z-axis guide component 278, and a Z-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the Z-axis movable component 280 in the Z-axis direction. It is sufficient for the Z-axis feed mechanism to have a configuration including a ball screw coupled to the Z-axis movable component 280 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor that rotates this ball screw.

[0089] A support piece 282 is supported by the lower surface of the tip of the Z-axis movable component 280, and a support shaft 286 is rotatably supported. The above-described second raising / lowering table 272 is coupled to the support shaft 286. A motor 284 is attached to the upper surface of the tip of the Z-axis movable component 280, which rotates the second raising / lowering table 272 together with the support shaft 286. A pair of the above-described ultraviolet irradiation parts 270 are attached to the support piece 282 of the present embodiment at a distance in the Y-axis direction.

[0090] The second raising / lowering table 272 is circular, and the diameter of the second raising / lowering table 272 is slightly smaller than that of the device area 18 of the wafer 4. A plurality of suction holes (not shown) are formed in the lower surface of the second raising / lowering table 272, and each suction hole is connected to a suction means.

[0091] Furthermore, the above-described separator 274 is attached to the support piece 282. The separator 274 includes a pair of movable pieces 288 movably disposed on the lower surface of the support piece 282 at a distance in the longitudinal direction of the support piece 282, and a pair of feed means 290 that move the pair of movable pieces 288. Each of the pair of feed means 290 may be configured from a suitable actuator such as an air cylinder or an electric cylinder.

[0092] The separator 274 includes a pair of pinch rollers 292a and 292b supported by each movable piece 288 at a pitch in the up-down direction, and a Z-axis feed mechanism 294 that moves the upper pinch roller 292a in the Z-axis direction. The Z-axis feed mechanism 294 may be configured from a suitable actuator such as an air cylinder or an electric cylinder. The respective pinch rollers 292a and 292b are supported by the movable piece 288 for rotation about an axis extending in the X-axis direction. A pressing roller 298 is attached to the upper pinch roller 292a through a support shaft 296.

[0093] With reference to Fig. 16, the disposal part 276 comprises a belt conveyor 300 which conveys the separated inclined part 24, and a dust box 302 in which the inclined part 24 conveyed by the belt conveyor 300 is accommodated. The belt conveyor 300 is moved by a suitable actuator (not shown) to a collecting position (a position shown in Fig. 16 by solid lines) at which the belt conveyor 300 extends substantially horizontally, and at a standby position (a position shown in Fig. 16 by two-dot chain lines) where the belt conveyor 300 extends substantially vertically. On the side surface of the dust box 302, on the near side in the X-axis direction, Fig. 16, a door 304 is arranged, to which a handle 304a is attached. A crushing device (not shown) is mounted inside the dust box 302, which crushes the collected slanted part 24. From the dust box 302, the crushed waste of the collected slanted part 24, which is housed in the dust box 302, can be removed by grasping the handle 304a and opening the door 304.

[0094] When the transition placement table 204, on which the frame unit U in which the cutting groove 256 is formed at the base of the inclined part 24, is temporarily positioned under the separation part 248 by the transition placement table conveying part 232, sucks, as shown in Fig. 15, the separation part 248 engages and holds the rear surface 4b side of the wafer 4 of the frame unit U by the second elevating / lowering table 272, and clamps the ring frame 64 by the clamping rollers 292a and 292b of the separator 274. Then, the separation part 248 irradiates ultraviolet light from the pair of ultraviolet irradiation parts 270 and reduces the adhesive force of the tape 96 adhered to the inclined part 24. In addition, the separation part 248 rotates the frame unit U together with the support shaft 286 and the second elevating / lowering table 272 relative to the separator 274 by the motor 284 while pressing down the inclined part 24 by the pressing rollers 298. The separation part 248 thereby separates the inclined part 24 from the frame unit U. The separated inclined part 24 is conveyed by the belt conveyor 300 to the dust box 302 and collected there.When separating the inclined part 24, the separating device 274 could be rotated relative to the frame unit U.

[0095] As in Fig. 14 and Fig. As shown in Figure 15, the oblique portion removal unit 194 of the present embodiment includes a distance detection unit 412 that detects whether the oblique portion 24 has been removed or not. The distance detection unit 412 is disposed adjacent to the ultraviolet irradiation part 270. The distance detection unit 412 includes a main body 414 supported by the support piece 282, and a light emitting part 416 and a light receiving part 418, both of which are attached to the lower surface of the main body 414. As shown in Fig. As shown in Fig. 15, the light emitting part 416 irradiates light L1 toward the area where the inclined part 24 existed for the holding unit U held by the second raising / lowering table 272 and from which the inclined part 24 was removed. Furthermore, the light receiving part 418 receives reflected light L2 resulting from reflection of the light L1 from the light emitting part 416 by the inclined part 24 that remains unremoved.

[0096] Furthermore, in the removal detection unit 412, the area where the inclined part 24 has existed is irradiated with the light L1 from the light emitting part 416 while rotating the frame unit U held by the second raising / lowering table 272 and from which the inclined part 24 has been removed, and whether the inclined part 24 has been completely removed or not is detected depending on whether the amount of light received by the light receiving part 418 is less than a predetermined threshold or not.

[0097] When the slanted portion 24 has been removed, the tape 96 is irradiated with the light L1 from the light-emitting portion 416. Therefore, the reflected light L2 is scarce, and the amount of light received by the light-receiving portion 418 becomes comparatively small. On the other hand, if at least a portion of the slanted portion 24 remains without being removed, the light L1 from the light-emitting portion 416 is reflected by the remaining slanted portion 24, and therefore the amount of light received by the light-receiving portion 418 becomes comparatively large. Therefore, the removal detection unit 412 determines that the slanted portion 24 has been completely removed when the amount of light received by the light-receiving portion 418 is less than the predetermined threshold over the entire circumference of the wafer 4.Conversely, the distance detection unit 412 detects that at least a part of the oblique part 24 remains without being removed when there exists a range over which the amount of light received by the light receiving part 418 is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold.

[0098] As in Fig. 1, the removal means 196 for the unit without the slant part is arranged next to the removal unit 194 for the slant part. Referring to Fig. 17 and Fig. 18, the unit carrying out means 196 without the inclined part in the present embodiment has a reversing mechanism 308 (see Fig. 17), which has a frame holding part 306 facing the unit without the inclined part carried by the second raising / lowering table 272, and carries the ring frame 64, moves to the frame cassette table 200 and turns the frame holding part 306, a supporting part 310 for the unit without the inclined part (see Fig. 18) which supports the unit without a slant part, which is reversed by the reversing mechanism 308 and in which the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 is directed upwards, and a pressing part 312 (see Fig. 18) which causes the unit without the inclined part supported by the unit without the inclined part support member 310 to enter and be accommodated in the frame cassette 198 placed on the frame cassette table 200.

[0099] As in Fig. 17, the reversing mechanism 308 includes a Y-axis guide component 314 extending in the Y-axis direction, a Y-axis movable component 316 movably supported in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis guide component 314, a Y-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the Y-axis movable component 316 in the Y-axis direction, an arm 318 movably supported in the Z-axis direction by the Y-axis movable component 316, and a Z-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the arm 318 in the Z-axis direction. It is sufficient if each of the Y-axis and Z-axis feed mechanisms of the reversing mechanism 308 has a configuration including a ball screw and a motor that rotates the ball screw.

[0100] The frame holding part 306 described above is supported by the arm 318 in such a manner that it can be vertically inverted. In addition, a motor 320 is attached to the arm 318 to vertically invert the frame holding part 306. The frame holding part 306 of the present embodiment includes a substrate 324 rotatably supported by the arm 318 via a pair of rotary shafts 322, and a plurality of suction pads 326 attached to a single surface of the substrate 324. Each suction pad 326 is connected to a suction means (not shown). Furthermore, a rotary shaft 322 is coupled to the motor 320.

[0101] In the state where the suction pads 326 are directed upward, the reversing mechanism 308 sucks and holds the lower surface of the ring frame 64 of a unit U' without a slant part supported by the second raising / lowering table 272 through the suction pads 326, and picks up the unit U' without a slant part from the second raising / lowering table 272. Furthermore, the reversing mechanism 308 reverses the frame holding part 306 by the motor 320 to orient the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 upward, and then moves the unit U' without a slant part held by the frame holding part 306 to the frame cassette table 200 by moving the Y-axis movable component 316.

[0102] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 18, the support portion 310 for the unit without the inclined portion of the present embodiment includes a pair of support plates 328 movably supported in the X-axis direction by a suitable bracket (not shown), and a distance adjustment means (not shown) that adjusts the distance between the pair of support plates 328 in the X-axis direction. The distance adjustment means may be configured from a suitable actuator such as an air cylinder or an electric cylinder.

[0103] A heater (not shown) is attached to the pair of support plates 328 supporting the unit U' without a slant portion. In the state where the distance between the pair of support plates 328 is reduced, the pair of support plates 328 heats the belt 96 of the unit U' without a slant portion by the heater, thereby eliminating slack and wrinkles in the belt 96 caused by the removal of the slant portion 24.

[0104] The description is made with reference to Fig. 18. The pressing part 312 of the present embodiment includes a Y-axis guide component 330 extending in the Y-axis direction, a Y-axis movable component 332 movably supported by the Y-axis guide component 330 in the Y-axis direction, and a Y-axis feed mechanism (not shown) that moves the Y-axis movable component 332 in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis movable component 332 includes a base part 334 supported by the Y-axis guide component 330, a support column 336 extending upward from the upper surface of the base part 334, and a pressing part 338 fixed to the upper end of the support column 336.It is sufficient if the Y-axis feeding mechanism of the pressing part 312 has a configuration including a ball screw coupled to the Y-axis movable component 332 and extending in the Y-axis direction, and a motor that rotates this ball screw.

[0105] As in Fig. 19, the unit without the slant part support part 310 widens the distance between the pair of support plates 328 by the distance adjustment means before receiving the unit U' without the slant part, and then receives the unit U' without the slant part held by the suction pads 326. Then, when the unit without the slant part support part 310 has received the unit U' without the slant part, the pressing part 312 moves the Y-axis movable component 332 in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis feed mechanism and causes the unit U' without the slant part supported by the unit without the slant part support part 310 to enter and be received in the frame cassette 198 placed on the frame cassette table 200 by the pressing part 338.

[0106] In the Fig. 1 and Fig. In the frame cassette 198 shown in Figure 19, several units U' without a slant part are accommodated at intervals in the up-down direction. As shown in Fig. 18 and Fig. As shown in Figure 19, the frame cassette table 200 includes a placement part 340 on which the frame cassette 198 is placed, and a raising / lowering part 342 that raises and lowers the placement part 340 and positions it at a selectable height. It is sufficient if the raising / lowering part 342 has a configuration such that it includes a ball screw coupled to the placement part 340 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor that rotates this ball screw.

[0107] Next, a processing method will be described in which, using the processing apparatus 2 described above, the division tape 96 is adhered to the wafer 4 with the inclined part 24 formed in the outer peripheral excess region 20 to connect the wafer 4 to the ring frame 64, and the inclined part 24 is cut to be removed from the wafer 4 in a ring-like manner.

[0108] In the present embodiment, first, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, a wafer cassette placing step is performed in which the wafer cassette 6 in which a plurality of wafers 4 are accommodated is placed on the wafer cassette table 8. In the wafer cassette 6, a plurality of wafers 4 are accommodated at intervals in the up-down direction in the state where the front surfaces 4a are directed upward.

[0109] In addition, as in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5, a frame accommodating step is performed in which a plurality of annular ring frames 64 are accommodated, in which the opening part 64a for receiving the wafer 4 is formed in the frame accommodating unit 66. The frame accommodating step may be performed before the wafer cassette placing step, or it may be performed after the wafer cassette placing step.

[0110] In the frame accommodation step, after the raising / lowering plate 74 of the frame accommodation unit 66 is lowered to a selectable position, the handle 76a is grasped and the door 76 is opened, and the plurality of ring frames 64 are stacked over the upper surface of the raising / lowering plate 74 to be accommodated. Furthermore, the height of the raising / lowering plate 74 is appropriately adjusted, and the ring frame 64 at the uppermost level is positioned at a position from which the ring frame 64 can be transported out by the frame carrying-out unit 68.

[0111] After the wafer cassette placing step and the frame accommodating step are performed, a wafer carrying out step is performed in which the wafer 4 is carried out from the wafer cassette 6 placed on the wafer cassette table 8.

[0112] Referring to Fig. 3, in the wafer-carrying-out step, first, the Y-axis feed mechanism 34 of the wafer-carrying unit 10 is actuated, and the Y-axis movable component 32 is positioned near the wafer cassette table 8. Thereafter, the conveying arm 42 is driven, and the hand 44, with the air ejection ports 46 facing upward, is positioned toward the rear surface 4b (lower side) of the wafer 4 in the wafer cassette 6. When the hand 44 is positioned toward the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4, a gap is formed between the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4 and the hand 44, and each guide pin 48 is positioned outward in the radial direction.

[0113] Next, compressed air is discharged from the air discharge ports 46 of the hand 44 to create a negative pressure on a single surface side of the hand 44 by the Bernoulli effect, and the wafer 4 is non-contact sucked and carried from the rear surface 4b side by the hand 44. After that, each guide pin 48 is moved inward in the radial direction, and a horizontal movement of the wafer 4 sucked and carried by the hand 44 is restricted by the respective guide pins 48. Then, the Y-axis movable component 32 and the conveying arm 42 of the wafer carrying-out unit 10 are moved, and the wafer 4 sucked and carried by the hand 44 is carried out of the wafer cassette 6.

[0114] It is advantageous to perform a notch detection step in which the position of the notch 26 of the wafer 4 is detected after the wafer removal step has been performed. In the notch detection step, as shown in Fig. 4, the outer periphery of the wafer 4, which is sucked and carried by the hand 44, is positioned between the light-emitting element 52 and the light-receiving element 54 of the notch detection unit 50. Next, by rotating the wafer 4 by the drive source through the guide pin 48, the position of the notch 26 of the wafer 4 is detected. This makes it possible to adjust the orientation of the wafer 4 to a selectable orientation.

[0115] After the notch detection step is performed, a wafer carrying step of carrying the wafer 4 by the wafer carrying-out unit 10 through the wafer table 12 is performed.

[0116] Referring to Fig. 3, in the wafer carrying step, first, the hand 44 of the wafer carrying unit 10 is turned upside down to direct the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 downward. Thereafter, the Y-axis movable component 32 and the carrying arm 42 of the wafer carrying unit 10 are moved, and the outer peripheral excess portion 20 of the front surface 4a of the wafer 4, which is sucked and carried by the hand 44, is brought into contact with the annular support part 56 of the wafer table 12. At this time, the component portion 18 of the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 is disposed in the recess 62 of the wafer table 12.

[0117] Therefore, the components 14 do not come into contact with the wafer table 12 and damage to the components 14 is prevented.

[0118] Next, the outer peripheral excess portion 20 of the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 is sucked and held by operating the suction means of the wafer table 12 and generating a suction force for each suction hole 60. After that, the wafer 4 is released from being supported by the hand 44 under suction, and the hand 44 is separated from the wafer table 12. In this way, the wafer 4 is transferred from the wafer carrying unit 10 to the wafer table 12. Since the wafer 4 transferred to the wafer table 12 is sucked and held by each suction hole 60, the position of the wafer 4 does not deviate.

[0119] Moreover, after the wafer cassette placing step and the frame accommodating step are performed, a frame accommodating step of carrying out the ring frame 64 from the frame accommodating unit 66 is performed simultaneously with the wafer carrying step and the wafer carrying step.

[0120] Referring to Fig. 5, in the frame-carrying-out step, first, the X-axis movable component 84 and the Z-axis movable component 86 of the frame-carrying-out unit 68 are moved, and the suction pads 92 of the holding part 88 are brought into contact with the upper surface of the ring frame 64 at the top level, which is housed in the frame housing unit 66. Next, the ring frame 64 at the top level is sucked and held by the suction pads 92 by actuating the suction means of the frame-carrying-out unit 68 and generating a suction force for the suction pads 92. Then, the X-axis movable component 84 and the Z-axis movable component 86 of the frame carrying-out unit 68 are moved, and the ring frame 64 sucked and held at the uppermost level by the suction pads 92 of the holding part 88 is carried out of the frame accommodating unit 66.

[0121] After the frame carrying out step is performed, a frame carrying step of carrying the ring frame 64 carried out from the frame carrying out unit 68 by the frame table 70 is performed.

[0122] The description is made with reference to Fig. 5. In the frame carrying step, first, the X-axis movable component 84 and the Z-axis movable component 86 of the frame carrying-out unit 68 are moved, and the ring frame 64, which is sucked and held by the suction pads 92, is brought into contact with the upper surface of the frame table 70. At this time, the frame table 70 is positioned in advance at the lowering position (in Fig. 5 (position shown by solid lines). Thereafter, the suction force of the suction pads 92 of the frame-outfeed unit 68 is deactivated to place the ring frame 64 on the frame table 70. Then, the X-axis movable component 84 and the Z-axis movable component 86 of the frame-outfeed unit 68 are moved, and the holding part 88 is separated from the upper side of the frame table 70.

[0123] After the frame supporting step is performed, a tape adhering step of adhering the tape 96 to the ring frame 64 is performed.

[0124] With reference to Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B is in the tape adhesion step first, before the frame table 70 is lowered from the lowering position (a position shown in Fig. 6A) to the lifting position (a position shown in Fig. 6B), allowing the tape 96 to be attached to the ring frame 64, the tape 96 is pulled out from the roller tape 96R, and the tape 96 from which the discharge paper 116 has been separated is positioned above the frame table 70. The adhesive surface of the tape 96 arranged above the frame table 70 faces downward.

[0125] Next, the frame table 70 is raised to such an extent that the tape 96 can be pressed against the ring frame 64 from the upper side by the pressing roller 132 of the pressure-bonding part 110 of the tape adhesion unit 98. Then, the pressing roller 132 is rolled in the Y-axis direction while the adhesion surface of the tape 96 is pressed against the ring frame 64 by the pressing roller 132. Thus, the tape 96 pulled out from the roller tape 96R by the tape extraction part 108 can be pressure-bonded to the ring frame 64.

[0126] Thereafter, the cutter 144 and the hold-down roller 146 of the cutting part 112 of the tape adhering unit 98 are lowered to press the cutter 144 against the tape 96 on the ring frame 64 and to adhere the ring frame 64 by the hold-down roller 146 from above the tape 96. Next, the arm piece 140 is rotated by the motor 138, and the cutter 144 and the hold-down roller 146 are moved to draw a circle along the ring frame 64. This allows the tape 96 protruding toward the outer periphery of the ring frame 64 to be cut along the ring frame 64. Furthermore, since the ring frame 64 is held down by the hold-down roller 146 from above the tape 96, deviation in the position of the ring frame 64 and the tape 96 is prevented when the tape 96 is cut. The used tape 96, in which the circular opening part 120 is formed, is received by the tape receiving part 106.

[0127] After the tape adhering step is performed, a tape-attached frame conveying step is performed in which the ring frame 64 to which the tape 96 is adhered is conveyed to the wafer table 12, and the opening part 64a of the ring frame 64 is positioned on the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4 carried by the wafer table 12, and the tape-attached ring frame 64' is positioned on the wafer table 12.

[0128] In the belt-attached frame conveying step, first, the frame table 70 is moved from the lifting position to the lowering position. Thereafter, the Y-axis movable component 150 and the Z-axis movable component 152 of the belt-attached frame conveying unit 100 (see Fig. 5) and the respective suction pads 158 of the holding part 154 of the conveyor unit 100 for a frame with attached tape are brought into contact with the upper surface of the ring frame 64' with attached tape (see Fig. 7) which is supported by the frame table 70 in the state in which the adhesive surface of the belt 96 is directed downward.

[0129] Next, the upper surface of the tape-attached ring frame 64' is sucked and held by the suction pads 158 by actuating the suction means of the tape-attached frame conveying unit 100 and generating a suction force for the suction pads 158. Thereafter, the Y-axis movable component 150 and the Z-axis movable component 152 of the tape-attached frame conveying unit 100 are moved, and the tape-attached ring frame 64' sucked and held by the suction pads 158 is conveyed away from the frame table 70.

[0130] Next, the ring frame 64' with the tape attached, which is sucked and held by the suction pads 158 of the conveying unit 100 for the ring frame 64' with the tape attached, is conveyed to the wafer table 12. Then, as shown in Fig. 7, the opening portion 64a of the ring frame 64 is positioned on the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4 supported by the wafer table 12, and the tape-attached ring frame 64' is brought into contact with the frame support portion 58 of the wafer table 12. At this time, the adhesive surface of the tape 96 of the tape-attached ring frame 64' faces downward, and the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4 faces upward and faces the adhesive surface of the tape 96.

[0131] Thereafter, the suction force of the suction pads 158 of the belt-attached frame conveying unit 100 is deactivated to place the belt-attached ring frame 64' on the frame support part 58 of the wafer table 12. Then, the Y-axis movable component 150 and the Z-axis movable component 152 of the belt-attached frame conveying unit 100 are moved, and the holding part 154 is separated from the upper side of the wafer table 12.

[0132] After the tape-attached frame conveying step is performed, a tape pressure-bonding step of performing bonding of the tape 96 of the tape-attached ring frame 64' to the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4 under pressure is performed.

[0133] With reference to Fig. 7 to Fig. 9, in the tape pressure-bonding step, first, the upper chamber 160 is lowered by the raising-lowering mechanism 164 of the tape pressure-bonding unit 102, and the lower end of the side wall 172 of the upper chamber 160 is brought into contact with the upper end of the side wall 186 of the lower chamber 162. This places the upper chamber 160 and the lower chamber 162 in the closed state. In addition, the pressing roller 174 is brought into contact with the ring frame 64' with the tape attached. Then, as shown in Fig. 8, the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4 is brought into contact with the adhesive surface of the tape 96 of the tape-attached ring frame 64'.

[0134] Next, the vacuum part 166 of the tape pressure bonding unit 102 is operated in the state where the part 168 for opening to the atmosphere is closed, and the interior of the upper chamber 160 and the lower chamber 162 is placed in a vacuum state. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, pressure-bonding of the belt 96 to the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4 is performed by rolling the pressure roller 174 of the belt pressure-bonding unit 102 in the Y-axis direction. This allows the frame unit U in which the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4 and the belt 96 are pressure-bonded to be produced. Next, the atmosphere opening part 168 is opened, and the belt 96 is brought into close contact with the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4. Then, the upper chamber 160 is lifted by the elevating-lowering mechanism 164. Since the interiors of the upper chamber 160 and the lower chamber 162 are placed in a vacuum state, the suction force for the wafer 4 by the wafer table 12 is lost. However, when the upper chamber 160 and the lower chamber 162 are placed in the closed state, the rear surface 4b of the wafer 4 is brought into contact with the adhesive surface of the tape 96 of the tape-attached ring frame 64'.Thus, the position of the wafer 4 does not deviate in the tape pressure bonding step.

[0135] After the tape pressure-bonding step is performed, a frame unit carrying-out step of carrying away the frame unit U in which the tape 96 of the tape-attached ring frame 64' and the back surface 4b of the wafer 4 are pressure-bonded, from the wafer table 12 is performed.

[0136] Referring to Fig. 5, in the frame unit carrying-out step, first, the carrying part 206 of the frame unit carrying-out means 192 is actuated, and the lower surface of the suction-adhering piece 210 of the wafer holding part 202a of the frame unit holding part 202 is brought into contact with the belt 96 on the rear surface 4b side of the wafer 4. In addition, the suction pads 214 of the frame holding part 202b are brought into contact with the ring frame 64.

[0137] Thereafter, a suction force is generated for the suction adhesion piece 210 of the wafer holding part 202a and the suction pads 214 of the frame holding part 202b, and the wafer 4 is sucked and held by the suction adhesion piece 210 of the wafer holding part 202a from the rear surface 4b side (belt 96 side). In addition, the ring frame 64 is sucked and held by the suction pads 214 of the frame holding part 202b. Then, the holding of the wafer 4 under suction by the wafer table 12 is released. Then, the conveying part 206 is actuated, and the frame unit U held by the frame unit holding part 202 is conveyed away from the wafer table 12.

[0138] After the frame unit carrying out step is performed, a temporary placement step is performed in which the center of the wafer 4 is made to coincide with the center of the temporary placement table 204 and the frame unit U is temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 204.

[0139] Referring to Fig. 10, in the transition placement step, first, the frame unit U held by the frame unit holding part 202 is positioned above the imaging part 224. Thereafter, the conveying part 206, which constitutes the two-dimensional movement mechanism of the frame unit carrying-out means 192, is actuated, and at least three locations on the outer periphery of the wafer 4 of the frame unit U held by the frame unit holding part 202 are imaged by the imaging part 224. This measures the coordinates of at least three points on the outer periphery of the wafer 4. Next, the center coordinates of the wafer 4 are obtained based on the measured coordinates of the three points.

[0140] Thereafter, the conveying part 206 is actuated, and the center of the wafer 4 is positioned at the center of the annular support part 226 of the transition placement table 204, and the outer peripheral excess portion 20 of the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the annular support part 226 of the transition placement table 204. In addition, the lower surface of the ring frame 64 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the frame support part 228 of the transition placement table 204. At this time, the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 is directed downward. However, since the component region 18 is arranged in the recess 230 of the transition placement table 204, the components 14 do not come into contact with the transition placement table 204, and damage to the components 14 is prevented.

[0141] Next, the wafer 4 is released from the suction holding of the wafer holding part 202a, and the ring frame 64 is released from the suction holding of the frame holding part 202b, to transfer the frame unit U from the frame unit carrying-out means 192 to the temporary placement table 204. Thereafter, the heater of the frame supporting part 228 is actuated to heat the belt 96 of the frame unit U temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 204. This softens the belt 96 and brings it into close contact with the origin of the inclined part 24.

[0142] After the transition placement step is performed, a slant part removing step is performed in which the slant part 24 formed in the outer peripheral excess region 20 is cut off and removed in a ring-like manner from the wafer 4 of the frame unit U carried out by the frame unit carrying out means 192.

[0143] Referring to Fig. 1, Fig. 10 and Fig. 12A to 12C, in the inclined part removal step, first, the X-axis movable component 260 and the Z-axis movable component 262 of the first elevating / lowering table 246 of the inclined part removal unit 194 are moved. As a result, the lower surface of the wafer suction-adhering chuck 400 is brought into contact with the rear surface 4b side of the wafer 4 (the belt 96 side) of the frame unit U temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 204, and the lower surfaces of the frame suction-adhering chucks 402 are brought into contact with the upper surface of the ring frame 64. Next, an adhesive force is generated for the wafer suction-adhering chuck 400 and the frame suction-adhering chucks 402.Thereby, the wafer unit 4 of the frame unit U is sucked and held by the wafer suction-adhering chuck 400, and the ring frame 64 is sucked and held by the frame suction-adhering chuck 402.

[0144] Thereafter, the X-axis movable component 260 and the Z-axis movable component 262 of the first raising / lowering table 246 are actuated and, as shown in Fig. As shown in Fig. 11, the frame unit U, sucked and held by the holding part 268, is positioned above the laser beam irradiation unit 244. Next, the focal point of the laser beam LB is positioned at the base of the inclined part 24 of the wafer 4 of the frame unit U.

[0145] Next, the base of the inclined portion 24 of the wafer 4 is irradiated with the laser beam LB while the holding portion 268 and the frame unit U are rotated by the motor 266 of the first elevating / lowering table 246. This can perform ablation processing for the base of the inclined portion 24 of the wafer 4 and can form the annular cutting groove 256. Alternatively, a modified layer (not shown) inside the wafer 4 along the outer periphery of the wafer 4 may be formed in a ring shape by the irradiation of the laser beam. Furthermore, when the wafer 4 is irradiated with the laser beam LB, the suction means of the laser beam irradiation unit 244 is actuated to generate a suction force for the suction nozzle 254, and the debris generated due to the ablation processing is sucked into the suction nozzle 254.

[0146] After the annular cutting groove 256 is formed at the base of the inclined part 24 of the wafer 4, the cutting groove detection unit 404 detects whether or not the cutting groove 256 has reached the rear surface 4b from the front surface 4a of the wafer unit 4. Detection of the cutting groove 256 is performed by measuring the amount of light received by the light receiving part 408 while rotating the frame unit U held by the first raising / lowering table 246.

[0147] If there is an area where the amount of light received by the light receiving part 408 is less than the predetermined threshold, it is determined that there exists an area where the cutting groove 256 has not reached the back surface 4b from the front surface 4a of the wafer 4, that is, an incompletely cut area where the wafer 4 has not been completely cut. If it is determined that the incompletely cut part exists, the incompletely cut part of the wafer 4 is irradiated with the laser beam LB from the laser beam irradiation unit 244 to perform the ablation processing again.On the other hand, when the amount of light received by the light receiving part 408 over the entire circumference of the cutting groove 256 is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, it is determined that the entire circumference of the cutting groove 256 has reached the back surface 4b from the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 and the wafer 4 has been completely cut.

[0148] As described above, in the present embodiment, it is checked whether the wafer 4 has been completely cut by the cutting groove 256 after the cutting groove 256 is formed, and ablation processing is performed again if the wafer 4 has not been completely cut. Thus, conveyance of the frame unit U to the next step is prevented in the state where an incompletely cut part exists in the wafer 4.

[0149] Next, the X-axis movable component 260 and the Z-axis movable component 262 of the first elevating / lowering table 246 are moved, and the outer peripheral excess portion 20 of the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 of the frame unit U sucked and held by the holding part 268 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the annular support part 226 of the transitional placement table 204. In addition, the lower surface of the annular frame 64 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the frame support part 228 of the transitional placement table 204. Thereafter, the suction force of the holding part 268 of the first elevating / lowering table 246 is deactivated to transfer the frame unit U from the first elevating / lowering table 246 to the transitional placement table 204.

[0150] Next, the transition placement table 204 having received the frame unit U is positioned by the transition placement table conveying part 232 under the separation part 248 of the slant part removing unit 194 (see Fig. 10). At this time, the belt conveyor 300 of the disposal part 276 is positioned in the standby position. After that, the second elevating / lowering table 272 of the separation part 248 is lowered, and the lower surface of the second elevating / lowering table 272 is brought into contact with the belt 96 of the rear surface 4b part of the wafer 4. Next, a suction force is generated on the lower surface of the second elevating / lowering table 272, and the rear surface 4b side of the wafer 4 of the frame unit U is sucked and held by the second elevating / lowering table 272.

[0151] Thereafter, the second raising / lowering table 272, which sucks and holds the wafer 4 of the frame unit U, is raised to separate the frame unit U from the transition placement table 204. In addition, the transition placement table 204 is moved to the lower side of the first raising / lowering table 246. Next, as shown in Fig. 15, the pair of feed means 290 and the Z-axis feed mechanism 294 of the separator 274 are actuated, and the ring frame 64 is clamped in the up-down direction by the upper and lower pinch rollers 292a and 292b. Furthermore, the belt conveyor 300 of the disposal part 276 is moved from the standby position to the collection position.

[0152] Thereafter, ultraviolet light irradiation is performed by the pair of ultraviolet irradiation parts 270 to reduce the adhesive force of the tape 96 adhering to the inclined part 24. In addition, while the inclined part 24 is pressed down by the pressing rollers 298, the frame unit U, together with the support shaft 286 and the second raising / lowering table 272, is rotated relative to the separator 274 by the motor 284. This allows the inclined part 24 to be separated from the frame unit U. The inclined part 24 dropped from the frame unit U is conveyed to the dust box 302 by the tape conveying device 300 and is collected. When the inclined part 24 is separated, the separator 274 may be rotated relative to the frame unit U.

[0153] After the slant portion 24 is separated from the frame unit U, whether the slant portion 24 has been removed or not is detected by the removal detection unit 412. The removal detection of the slant portion 24 is performed by irradiating the area where the slant portion 24 existed with the light L1 from the light emitting portion 416 and measuring the amount of light received by the light receiving portion 418 while rotating the wafer 4 held by the second raising / lowering table 272 and from which the slant portion 24 has been removed.

[0154] If an area exists over which the amount of light received by the light receiving part 418 is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, it is determined that at least a part of the slant part 24 remains without being removed. In this case, a work of separating the slant part 24 from the frame unit U by the separating part 248 is performed again. On the other hand, if the amount of light received by the light receiving part 418 is less than the predetermined threshold over the entire circumference of the wafer 4, it is determined that the slant part 24 has been completely removed.

[0155] As above, in the present embodiment, after the oblique part 24 is removed by the separation part 248, it is checked whether the oblique part 24 has been completely removed, and the removal work of the oblique part 24 by the separation part 248 is performed again if the oblique part 24 has not been completely removed. Thus, conveyance of the frame unit U to the next step is prohibited in the state where the oblique part 24 remains in the frame unit U.

[0156] After the slant part removal step is performed, a slant part removal step is performed, in which the slant part-less unit U' resulting from the removal of the slant part 24 from the slant part removal unit 194 is removed.

[0157] In the unit without the slant part removal step, first, the belt conveyor 300 of the disposal part 276 of the slant part removal unit 194 is moved from the collection position to the standby position. Next, the frame holding part 306 of the reversing mechanism 308 (see Fig. 17) of the unit without the inclined part taking-out means 196 is positioned under the unit U' without the inclined part sucked and held by the second raising / lowering table 272.

[0158] Thereafter, the arm 318 is lifted in the state where the suction pads 326 of the frame holding part 306 are directed upward, and the suction pads 326 of the frame holding part 306 are brought into contact with the lower surface side of the ring frame 64 of the unit U' without the inclined part in the state where the unit U' without the inclined part is supported by the second raising / lowering table 272 and the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 is directed downward.

[0159] Next, suction force is generated by the suction pads 326 of the frame holding part 306, and the ring frame 64 of the unit U' without the slant part is sucked and held by the suction pads 326. Thereafter, the suction holding of the unit U' without the slant part is released by the second raising / lowering table 272. As a result, the unit U' without the slant part is transferred from the second raising / lowering table 272 of the slant part removing unit 194 to the frame holding part 306 of the unit without the slant part carrying-out means 196.

[0160] After the unit without the slant part carrying out step is performed, a unit without the slant part accommodating step of the unit U' without the slant part carried out by the unit without the slant part carrying out means 196 is carried out.

[0161] In the unit without the inclined part accommodation step, first, the reversing mechanism 308 of the unit without the inclined part carrying-out means 196 is turned upside down, and the unit U' without the inclined part sucked and held by the frame holding part 306 is turned upside down. Thus, the unit U' without the inclined part is arranged below the frame holding part 306, and the front surface 4a of the wafer 4 is directed upward.

[0162] Next, the Y-axis movable component 316 and the arm 318 of the reversing mechanism 308 are moved, and the unit U' without the inclined part is brought into contact with the upper surfaces of the pair of support plates 328 of the unit U' without the inclined part support part 310. At this time, the distance between the pair of support plates 328 is reduced by the distance adjusting means, and the pair of support plates 328 are in close contact with each other. Thereafter, the suction holding of the unit U' without the inclined part by the frame holding part 306 is released to place the unit U' without the inclined part on the pair of support plates 328. Next, slack and wrinkles of the belt 96 caused by the removal of the inclined part 24 are eliminated by operating the heater attached to each support plate 328 and heating the belt 96 of the unit U' without the inclined part.Then, the unit U' without the inclined part is sucked and held and lifted again by the frame holding part 306.

[0163] Next, after the distance between the pair of support plates 328 has been increased by the distance adjusting means, the unit U' without a slant part is placed on the upper surfaces of the support plates 328. Then, as shown in Fig. 19, the unit U' without the inclined part supported by the unit without the inclined part support part 310 is pressed by the pressing part 338 of the pressing part 312, and the unit U' without the inclined part is caused to enter the frame cassette 198 placed on the frame cassette table 200 and is housed therein.

[0164] The configuration of the embodiment is as described above. In the processing apparatus 2 of the present embodiment, the workload of adhering the dividing band 96 to the wafer 4, in which the tapered portion 24 is formed in the outer peripheral excess region 20 to integrate the wafer 4 with the ring frame 64, is simple. In addition, it is easy to cut off the tapered portion 24 and remove it from the wafer 4, and productivity becomes favorable.

Claims

[1] A processing device (2) which removes an inclined part (24) formed in an outer peripheral excess region (20) from a wafer (4) in a ring-like manner, the processing device (2) comprising: a wafer cassette table (8) on which a wafer cassette (6) in which a plurality of wafers (4) are accommodated is placed; a wafer removal unit (10) that removes the wafer (4) from the wafer cassette (6) placed on the wafer cassette table (8); a wafer table (12) supporting the wafer (4) conveyed out by the wafer conveying unit (10); a frame accommodating unit (66) accommodating a plurality of ring frames (64) in which an opening part (64a) accommodating the wafer (4) is formed; a frame-carrying-out unit (68) that carries the ring frame (64) out of the frame accommodating unit (66); a frame table (70) supporting the ring frame (64) conveyed out by the frame conveying-out unit (68); a tape adhering unit (98) disposed above the frame table (70) and adhering a tape (96) to the ring frame (64); a tape-attached frame (64') conveying unit (100) that conveys the ring frame (64) to which the tape (96) is adhered to the wafer table (12) and positions the opening part (64a) of the ring frame (64) on a surface of the wafer (4) carried by the wafer table (12) and places a tape-attached frame (64') on the wafer table (12); a tape pressure bonding unit (102) that performs pressure bonding of the tape of the frame (64') with attached tape (96) to the one surface of the wafer (4); a frame unit carrying-out means (192) for carrying a frame unit (U) in which the tape (96) of the frame (64') with the tape (96) attached and the one surface of the wafer (4) are pressure-bonded by the tape pressure-bonding unit (102) away from the wafer table (12); a tapered portion (24) removing unit (194) that cuts and removes the tapered portion (24) formed in the outer peripheral excess portion (20) in a ring-like manner from the wafer (4) of the frame unit (U) carried out by the frame unit carrying-out means (192); a unit without the inclined part (24) removal means (196) for removing a unit without the inclined part (24) resulting from the annular removal of the inclined part (24) from the inclined part (24) removal unit (194); and a frame cassette table (200) on which a frame cassette (198) is placed, which accommodates the unit without the inclined part (24) conveyed out by the unit without the inclined part (24) conveying out means (196). [2] The processing apparatus (2) according to claim 1, wherein the wafer carrying-out unit (10) includes a carrying arm (42) and a hand (44) disposed at a tip of the carrying arm (42) and supporting the wafer (4) accommodated in the wafer cassette (6). [3] Processing apparatus (2) according to claim 2, wherein the hand (44) is a Bernoulli pad on which a negative pressure is generated by an air jet and which supports the wafer (4) in a non-contact manner. [4] Processing apparatus (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wafer table (12) comprises an annular support part (56) which supports the outer peripheral excess portion (20) of the wafer (4) and causes a part on an inner side to be non-contact relative to the outer peripheral excess portion (20), and a frame support part (58) which is arranged around an outer periphery of the annular support part (56) and supports the annular frame (64). [5] The processing device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tape adhering unit (98) comprises a roll tape support part (104) that supports a roll tape (96R) into which the tape (96) is wound before use, a tape receiving part (106) that receives the used tape (96), a tape pulling out part (108) that pulls out the tape (96) from the roll tape (96R), a pressure-connecting part (110) that pressure-connects the pulled-out tape (96) to the ring frame (64), and a cutting part (112) that cuts the tape (96) projecting toward the outer periphery of the ring frame (64) along the ring frame (64). [6] Processing device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tape pressure bonding unit (102) has an upper chamber (160) arranged above the wafer table (12), a lower chamber (162) in which the wafer table (12) is accommodated, a raising-lowering mechanism (164) which raises and lowers the upper chamber (160) and creates a closed state in which the upper chamber (160) is brought into contact with the lower chamber (162) and an open state in which the upper chamber (160) is separated from the lower chamber (162), a vacuum part (166) which puts the upper chamber (160) and the lower chamber (162) in a vacuum state in the closed state, and an atmosphere opening part (168) which opens the upper chamber (160) and the lower chamber (162) to the atmosphere, and in a Condition,in which the belt (96) of the frame (64') with the belt (96) attached is positioned on one surface of the wafer (4) carried by the wafer table (12), the upper chamber (160) and the lower chamber (162) are placed in a vacuum state while the raising-lowering mechanism (164) is actuated to maintain the closed state, and pressure-bonding the belt of the frame (64') with the belt (96) attached to one surface of the wafer (4) is carried out by a roller arranged in the upper chamber (160). [7] The processing apparatus (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame unit carrying-out means (192) includes a frame unit holding part (202) including a wafer holding part (202a) holding the wafer (4) and a frame holding part (202b) holding the ring frame (64), and a conveying part that conveys the frame unit holding part (202) to a transition placement table (204). [8] Processing device (2) according to claim 7, wherein the frame unit removal means (192) comprises a two-dimensional moving mechanism (206) which two-dimensionally moves the frame unit holding part (202) in a horizontal direction, and an imaging part (224) which images an outer periphery of the wafer (4) of the frame unit (U) held by the frame unit holding part (202), and the two-dimensional moving mechanism (206) is operated to image at least three locations on the outer circumference of the wafer (4) by the imaging part (224), and center coordinates of the wafer (4) are obtained to cause a center of the wafer (4) to coincide with a center of the transition placement table (204). [9] Processing device (2) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the removal unit (194) for the inclined part (24) comprises a laser beam irradiation unit (244) that irradiates a base part of the inclined part (24) formed on the outer circumference of the wafer (4) with a laser beam to form a cutting groove (256) or a modified layer within the wafer (4), a first raising / lowering table (246) that holds and raises the frame unit (U) temporarily placed on the temporary placement table (204) and positions the frame unit (U) to the laser beam irradiation unit (244), and a separating part (248) that annularly separates the inclined part (24) from the cutting groove (256) or the modified layer, the separating part (248) has an ultraviolet irradiation part (270) which irradiates the tape (96) corresponding to the inclined part (24) with ultraviolet light in order to reduce an adhesive force of the tape (96), a second lifting / lowering table (272) which sucks and holds the inside of the wafer (4) such that the inclined part (24) is exposed from the outer circumference, and supports the ring frame (64), a separating device (274) which acts on the inclined part (24) and separates the inclined part (24) in a ring-like manner, and a disposal part (276) by which the separated inclined part (24) is disposed of, and the first raising / lowering table (246) temporarily places the frame unit (U) in which the cutting groove (256) or the modified layer is formed on the transitional placement table (204), and the transitional placement table (204) is positioned to the separating part (248) by a transitional placement table conveying part (232), and the second raising / lowering table (272) supports the frame unit (U) temporarily placed on the transitional placement table (204). [10] The machining apparatus (2) according to claim 9, wherein the transition placement table (204) has a heating device, and the first raising / lowering table (246) holds the frame unit (U), in which the belt (96) has been heated by the heating device and the belt (96) is in close contact with an origin of the inclined part (24), from the transition placement table (204). [11] The processing apparatus (2) according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the transition placement table (204) comprises an annular support part (56) that supports the outer peripheral excess portion (20) of the wafer (4) and causes a part on an inner side to be non-contact relative to the outer peripheral excess portion (20), and a frame support part (58) that is arranged around the outer periphery of the annular support part (56) and supports the annular frame (64). [12] The processing apparatus (2) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the unit without the inclined part (24) carrying-out means (196) comprises a reversing mechanism (308) having a frame holding part (202b) directed toward the unit without the inclined part (24) carried by the second raising-lowering table (272) and holding the ring frame (64) and moving toward the frame cassette table (200) and reversing the frame holding part (202b), a unit without the inclined part (24) carrying part that carries the unit without the inclined part (24) which is reversed by the reversing mechanism (308) and in which the other surface of the wafer (4) is directed upward, and a pressing part (312) that causes the unit without the inclined part carried by the unit without the inclined part carrying part (24) inclined part (24) enters the frame cassette (198) placed on the frame cassette table (200) and is accommodated in the frame cassette (198). [13] The machining apparatus (2) according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the oblique part (24) removing unit (194) comprises a removal detecting unit (412) that detects whether or not the oblique part (24) has been removed, and a cutting groove detecting unit (404) that detects the cutting groove (256).

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