CUTTING DEVICE

Abstract

Cutting device (1), comprising: a clamping table (8a) for holding a workpiece (W) on it, which has several components (D) containing electrodes formed in respective areas which are subdivided on a front side (Wa) of the workpiece (W) by several provided division lines (We); a cutting unit (9) comprising a rotatable cutting blade (93) for cutting the workpiece (W) held on the clamping table (8a); an X-axis feed mechanism for feeding the clamping table (8a) and the cutting unit (9) relative to each other along an X-axis; a Y-axis feed mechanism for indexing the clamping table (8a) and the cutting unit (9) relative to each other along a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis; a cutting fluid supply nozzle (95) arranged next to the cutting unit (9) for supplying a cutting fluid (L2) to a contact point between the cutting blade (93) and the workpiece (W); and a rust inhibitor supply nozzle (96) for supplying a rust inhibitor (L1) to the workpiece (W) on the clamping table (8a) to prevent the electrodes of the components (D) from rusting, wherein the rust inhibitor supply nozzle (96) has a length along the Y-axis which is greater than the width of the workpiece (W) along the Y-axis.

Description

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND Area of ​​the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting device for cutting a workpiece which has several components with electrodes arranged in respective areas which are subdivided on a front side by a grid of provided division lines arranged on the front side. Description of the related prior art

[0002] Wafers, on which several components such as integrated circuits (ICs) and large-scale integration (LSI) circuits are formed in respective areas, divided on one side of the wafer by a grid of predefined division lines, are cut into individual component chips by a cutting device with a rotating cutting blade. The component chips produced by cutting these wafers are used in electronic devices including mobile phones, personal computers, etc.

[0003] The cutting device comprises a clamping table for holding a wafer, a cutting unit with a rotatable cutting blade for cutting the wafer held on the clamping table, an X-axis feed mechanism for moving the clamping table and the cutting unit relative to each other along an X-axis, and a Y-axis feed mechanism for indexing the clamping table and the cutting unit relative to each other along a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis. The cutting device is capable of dividing the wafer into individual component chips with high precision.

[0004] When the wafer is sliced ​​by the cutting blade, debris—that is, contaminants cut off the wafer—is spread across the wafer's front surface and deposited there, tending to reduce the quality of the devices. A technology has been proposed in which cleaning water is fed to the front surface of a wafer to wash away debris, thus preventing it from depositing on device chips fabricated from the wafer (see, for example, JP 2014-121738A).

[0005] Further information helpful for understanding the present invention can be found in JP 2016-054182 A. This document relates to a wafer processing method for dividing a wafer without removing a low-k film. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] When a packing substrate such as a non-leaded quad flat non-leaded (QFN) package is cut into device chips, the electrode pads of the device chips will oxidize and rust over time, which tends to reduce the quality of the devices.

[0007] The problem can occur not only when cutting packing substrates such as QFNs, but also when cutting semiconductor wafers that have components with electrodes arranged on their front faces.

[0008] It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a cutting device that is able to inhibit the deposition of abrasion on components on a workpiece cut by the cutting device and also to prevent the electrodes of the components from oxidizing and rusting.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a cutting device is provided comprising a clamping table for holding a workpiece on it, the workpiece having several components containing electrodes formed in respective areas which are subdivided on a front face of the workpiece by several provided division lines, a cutting unit comprising a rotatable cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held on the clamping table, an X-axis feed mechanism for moving the clamping table and the cutting unit relative to each other along an X-axis, a Y-axis feed mechanism for moving the clamping table and the cutting unit relative to each other along a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis, and a cutting fluid supply nozzle arranged next to the cutting unit for supplying a cutting fluid to a contact point between the cutting blade and the workpiece.and a corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle for supplying a corrosion inhibitor to the workpiece on the clamping table to prevent the electrodes of the components from rusting, wherein the corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle has a length along the Y-axis that is greater than the width of the workpiece along the Y-axis.

[0010] Preferably, the cutting fluid supply nozzle supplies pure water or a mixture of an organic acid and an oxidizing agent as the cutting fluid.

[0011] The cutting device according to the present invention prevents electrodes of components from oxidizing and rusting, even if time has passed after a packed component with QFN components or the like has been cut by the cutting device, thereby eliminating a problem of component quality degradation.

[0012] The above and other aims, features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the manner of its implementation, will best become clearer by studying the following description and attached claims, with reference to the attached drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of the invention, and the invention itself will best be understood by this. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cutting device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a cutting unit of the in Fig. 1 cutting device shown; Fig. 3 is a top view of a Fig. 2 illustrated rust protection feed nozzle and a wafer; Fig. Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing how a cutting operation is performed on the cutting device; and Fig. Figure 5 is a top view showing how the cutting process is carried out on the cutting device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED VERSION

[0013] A cutting device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0014] The cutting device is in the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4 to Fig. Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings is shown with reference to an XYZ coordinate system with an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis extending perpendicular to each other. The X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are each labeled by the arrows X, Y, and Z, respectively.

[0015] Fig. Figure 1 shows the cutting device designated 1 according to the present embodiment in a perspective view. As in Fig. Figure 1 shows a workpiece to be processed, i.e., cut, by the cutting device 1, with several components D on the silicon (Si) wafer W, each component having several electrodes (not shown) on its front face. The wafer W is held on a ring frame F by an adhesive band T.

[0016] The cutting device 1 comprises a cassette 4, indicated by the two dashed lines, for storing several wafers W; a transfer support table 5 for temporarily supporting a wafer W removed from the cassette; an unloading and loading unit 6 for unloading a wafer W from the cassette 4 onto the transfer support table 5 and for loading a wafer W from the transfer support table 5 into the cassette 4; a feeding unit 7 for holding a wafer W unloaded onto the transfer support table 5 by suction and releasing the wafer W with a pivoting motion onto a holding surface 8b of a clamping table 8a of a holding unit 8; a cutting unit 9 for cutting a wafer W held on the holding surface 8b of the clamping table 8a; and a cleaning unit 10 (not shown) for cleaning a wafer W cut by the cutting unit 9.The device includes a further feed unit 11 for transferring a wafer W cut by the cutting unit 9 from the clamping table 8a to the cleaning unit 10, an image capture unit 12 for capturing an image of a wafer W on the clamping table 8a, and a control device (not shown). The cassette 4 is positioned on a cassette table 4a, which is vertically movable by a lifting and lowering unit (not shown). When a wafer W is to be removed from the cassette 4 by the unloading and loading unit 6, the cassette 4 is adjusted to a desired height by the lifting and lowering unit. The cutting device 1 has a device housing 2 that supports the device components described above. The device housing 2 contains an X-axis feed mechanism (not shown) for machining, i.e., for guiding the cutting process along an X-axis,and a Y-axis feed mechanism (not shown) for feeding the index to the cutting unit 9 along a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis.

[0017] The cutting unit 9 of the in Fig. The cutting device 1 shown in section 1 is described with reference to Fig. 2 described in detail. Fig. Figure 2 shows, in an enlarged perspective, essential parts of the cutting unit 9 and the holding unit 8, which has been brought into a position directly below the cutting unit 9. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the cutting unit 9 has a spindle housing 91 extending along the Y-axis, a spindle 92 rotatably mounted in the spindle housing 91, an annular cutting blade 93 detachably mounted at a front end of the spindle 92, a cover 94 attached to a distal end of the spindle housing 91 and covering the cutting blade 93, a cutting fluid supply nozzle 95, indicated by the dashed lines, for supplying a cutting fluid L2 to the contact point between the cutting blade 93 and a wafer W held on the holding unit 8, and a corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle 96 for supplying a corrosion inhibitor L1, which will be described in detail later, to prevent the electrodes of the components D from rusting on the wafer W. The spindle 92 is rotated about its central axis along the Y-axis by an electric motor (not shown) which is connected to a rear end of the spindle 92.The cutting device 1 according to the present embodiment has, in addition to the Y-axis feed mechanism, a Z-axis feed mechanism (not shown) for guiding the cutting unit 9 along the Z-axis to cause the cutting blade 93 to cut into the wafer W held on the holding unit 8.

[0018] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the cover 94 comprises a first cover element 94a, which is attached to the distal end of the spindle housing 91, a second cover element 94b, which is attached by a screw to a front surface of the first cover element 94a, and a cutting blade detection block 94c, which is attached by a screw to the first cover element 94a on an upper surface thereof. The cutting blade detection block 94c has a blade sensor (not shown) for detecting wear and chipping on an outer circumferential edge section of the cutting blade 93.

[0019] The corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle 96 is arranged adjacent to the cutting unit 9. According to the present embodiment, the corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle 96 has a hollow cylindrical body 96a extending along the Y-axis, several discharge openings 96b defined in the hollow cylindrical body 96a and directed obliquely downwards towards the wafer W on the holding unit 8 to discharge the corrosion inhibitor L1 towards the wafer W on the holding unit 8, and a corrosion inhibitor inlet 96c defined at a rear end of the hollow cylindrical body 96a. A corrosion inhibitor supply unit 13 for supplying the corrosion inhibitor L1 is fluidly connected to the corrosion inhibitor inlet 96c. The corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle 96 is attached to the cover 94 or the spindle housing 91 by a fastening element (not shown) for common movement with the cutting unit 9.

[0020] The rust inhibitor supply unit 13 comprises a rust inhibitor reservoir 13a for storing the rust inhibitor L1, a rust inhibitor line 13b connecting the rust inhibitor reservoir 13a and the rust inhibitor inlet 96c, and an on / off valve 13c for selectively opening and closing the rust inhibitor line 13b. The rust inhibitor reservoir 13a includes a pump (not shown) that delivers the rust inhibitor L1 from the rust inhibitor reservoir 13a into the rust inhibitor line 13b. When the pump is activated and the on / off valve 13c is opened, the rust inhibitor L1 is pumped from the rust inhibitor reservoir 13a via the rust inhibitor line 13b and the rust inhibitor inlet 96c into the rust inhibitor supply nozzle 96, from which the rust inhibitor L1 is expelled via the discharge openings 96b.

[0021] The cutting fluid feed nozzle 95, which is in Fig. The cutting unit 9, which is indicated by the dashed lines, is located in the cutting unit 9. According to the present embodiment, the cutting fluid supply nozzle 95 is formed in the first cover element 94a and supplies the cutting fluid L2, which is introduced from a cutting fluid inlet 95a through an outlet opening 95b, to the contact point between the cutting blade 93 and the wafer W to be cut. A cutting fluid supply unit 14 is fluidly connected to the cutting fluid inlet 95a. The cutting fluid supply unit 14 has a cutting fluid reservoir 14a for storing the cutting fluid L2, a cutting fluid line 14b that connects the cutting fluid reservoir 14a and the cutting fluid inlet 95a, and an on / off valve 14c for selectively opening and closing the cutting fluid line 14b.The cutting fluid reservoir 14a has a pump (not shown) for pumping the cutting fluid L2 from the reservoir 14a into the cutting fluid line 14b. When the pump is actuated and the on / off valve 14c is opened, the cutting fluid L2 is pumped from the reservoir 14a via the cutting fluid line 14b and the cutting fluid inlet 95a to the cutting fluid supply nozzle 95, from which the cutting fluid L2 is expelled via the discharge opening 95b.

[0022] The corrosion inhibitor L1 according to the present embodiment is described below. The corrosion inhibitor L1 contains a liquid that prevents the electrodes of the components D, which are made from a workpiece, e.g., a silicon wafer W, from oxidizing and rusting when the workpiece is cut. The corrosion inhibitor L1 could, for example, be made from one of the materials described below.

[0023] The rust inhibitor L1 could be produced from a 1,2,3-triazole derivative in which no substitute is present at the nitrogen atoms of a 1,2,3-triazole ring and a substitute selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, an amino group, a carbamoyl group, a carbonamide group, a sulfamoyl group and a sulfonamide group, or an alkyl group or an aryl group substituted with at least one substrate selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, an amino group, a carbamoyl group, a carbonamide group, a sulfamoyl group and a sulfonamide group, is introduced into the fourth and / or fifth position of the 1,2,3-triazole.

[0024] Alternatively, the rust inhibitor L1 could be produced from a 1,2,4-triazole derivative in which no substitute is present at the nitrogen atoms of a 1,2,4-triazole ring and a substitute is chosen from the group consisting of a sulfo group, a carbamoyl group, a carbonamide group, a sulfamoyl group and a sulfonamide group, or an alkyl group or an aryl group substituted with at least one substrate selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, an amino group, a carbamoyl group, a carbonamide group, a sulfamoyl group and a sulfonamide group, is introduced into the second and / or fifth position of the 1,2,4-triazole.

[0025] The corrosion inhibitor feed nozzle 96 supplies the corrosion inhibitor L1 in such a way that the electrodes of the components D on the wafer W, which is held on the clamping table 8a, do not rust during the cutting of the wafer W. The corrosion inhibitor feed nozzle 96 and the wafer W held on the clamping table 8a are dimensioned such that they comply with the following requirements with reference to Fig. fulfill the 3 described conditions. Fig. Figure 3 shows, in a top view, the wafer W held on the clamping table 8a of the holding unit 8 and the corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle 96 arranged on the cutting unit 9. For illustrative purposes, other components of the cutting unit 9, such as the cover 94, the spindle housing 91, etc., are shown in the illustration in Figure 3. Fig. 3 not taken into account. On the wafer W, the components D are arranged in corresponding areas, which are subdivided on a front face Wa of the wafer W by a grid of predetermined division lines We. The wafer W is held by the adhesive strip T on the ring frame F and is attached to the adhesive strip T in an opening Fa of the ring frame F. When the wafer W is held on the clamping table 8a of the holding unit 8, the ring frame F is clamped by several frame clamps 81 attached to the clamping table 8a and spaced at predetermined intervals around the clamping table 8a (see also Fig. 2) clamped. Each of the frame clamps 81 has a pivotable finger 81a for clamping engagement with an outer circumferential edge section of the ring frame F, as shown in Fig. 3 shown.

[0026] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle 96 extends along the Y-axis and has a length along the Y-axis that exceeds the width P1 of the wafer W along the Y-axis. The discharge openings 96b, formed in the hollow cylindrical body 96a of the corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle 96, have one discharge opening 96b at one end of the hollow cylindrical body 96a and one discharge opening 96b at the other end of the hollow cylindrical body 96a. The length P2 between these discharge openings 96b at the opposite ends of the hollow cylindrical body 96a is greater than the width P1 of the wafer W. The number of discharge openings 96b and the distances between them are chosen such that the corrosion inhibitor L1 is supplied from the discharge openings 96b into an entire area transverse to the width of the wafer W on the clamping table 8a.According to the present embodiment, the corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle 96 feeds the corrosion inhibitor L1 through the discharge openings 96b formed in the hollow cylindrical body 96a. However, according to the present invention, the corrosion inhibitor supply nozzle 96 could also feed the corrosion inhibitor L1 through a slot in the nozzle extending longitudinally. The slot has a length greater than the width P1 of the wafer W. The corrosion inhibitor supply unit 13, the cutting fluid supply unit 14, and the various other operating components of the cutting device 1 are controlled by the control unit mentioned above.

[0027] The cutting fluid L2 according to the present embodiment is described below. The cutting fluid L2 contains a liquid that is supplied from the cutting fluid supply nozzle 95 to the contact point between the cutting blade 93 and the wafer W. The cutting fluid L2 could be pure water or a mixture of an organic acid, which could be, for example, one of the materials described below, and an oxidizing agent.

[0028] The organic acid in the mixture, which is supplied as cutting fluid L2 from the cutting fluid supply nozzle 95, could be an amino acid such as glycine, dihydroxyethylglycine, glycylglycine, hydroxyethylglycine, N-methylglycine, β-alanine, L-alanine, L-2-aminobutyric acid, L-norvaline, L-valine, L-leucine, L-norleucine, L-alloisoleucine, L-isoleucine, L-phenylalanine, L-proline, sarcosine, L-ornithine, L-lysine, taurine, L-serine, L-threonine, L-allothreonine, L-homoserine, L-thyroxine, L-tyrosine, 3,5-diiodo-L-tyrosine, β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-L-alanine, 4-hydroxy-L-proline. L-cysteine, L-methionine, L-ethionine, L-lanthionine, L-cystathionine, L-cystine, L-cystic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid, S-(carboxymethyl)-L-cysteine, 4-aminobutyric acid, L-asparagine, L-glutamine, azaserine, L-canavanine, L-citrulline, L-Arginine, δ-Hydroxy-L-Lysine, Creatine, L-Kynurenine, L-Histidine, 1-Methyl-L-Histidine, 3-Methyl-L-Histidine, L-Tryptophan, Actinomycin C1, Ergothioneine, Apamin, Angiotensin I, Angiotensin II,Contains antipain or similar substances. Of these substances, glycine, L-alanine, L-proline, L-histidine, L-lysine, and dihydroxyethylglycine are preferred.

[0029] The organic acid in the mixture could contain an aminopolyacid such as iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid, nitrilotrismethylenephosphonic acid, ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'tetramethylenephosphonic acid, 1,2-diaminopropanetetraacetic acid, glycoletherdiaminetetraacetic acid, transcyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid, ethylenediamineorthohydroxyphenylacetic acid, ethylenediaminosuccinic acid (SS), β-alanidineacetic acid, N-(2-carboxylateethyl)-L-aspartic acid, N,N'-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-acetic acid, or the like.

[0030] Furthermore, the organic acid in the mixture could be a carboxylic acid such as a saturated carboxylic acid including formic acid, glycolic acid, propionic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, hexanoic acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, pimelic acid, mercaptoacetic acid, glyoxylic acid, chloroacetic acid, pyruvic acid, acetoacetic acid, glutaric acid or the like, or an unsaturated carboxylic acid such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, crotonic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, mesaconic acid, citraconic acid, aconitic acid or the like, or a cyclic unsaturated carboxylic acid such as benzoic acid, toluic acid, phthalic acid, naphthoic acid, pyromellitic acid, naphthalic acid or the like.

[0031] The oxidizing agent of the mixture supplied from the cutting fluid feed nozzle 95 could, for example, contain hydrogen peroxide, peroxide, nitrate, iodate, periodate, hypochlorite, chlorite, chlorate, perchlorate, persulfate, dichromate, permanganate, ceric acid salt, vanadate, ozonated water, silver(II) or iron(III) salt or an organic complex salt thereof or similar.

[0032] The mixture of an organic acid and an oxidizing agent, used as cutting fluid L2, prevents dispersed debris from accumulating on the front surface Wa of the wafer W held on the clamping table 8a during cutting, and removes burrs that form on the components D, which are individually separated from the wafer W during cutting. This prevents the quality of the components D from being compromised. The cutting fluid L2 could be mixed with the corrosion inhibitor L1.

[0033] The cutting device 1 according to the present embodiment essentially has the structure described above. The machining of a wafer W as a workpiece on the cutting device 1 is described below. As described above, the workpiece to be cut with the cutting device 1 is a plate-shaped wafer W made of silicon with components D formed in corresponding areas that are subdivided on a front face Wa by a grid of provided division lines We.

[0034] To cut the wafer W with the cutting unit 9 of the cutting device 1, a wafer W stored in the cassette 4 is unloaded from the cassette 4 to the transfer support table 5 by the unloading and loading unit 6. The wafer W is then moved by the feeding unit 7 to the clamping table 8a, which is in a Fig. The wafer W is positioned in the unloading and loading position shown in Figure 1. After the wafer W has been placed on the clamping table 8a and suctioned into place, the holding unit 8, and thus the wafer W, is moved by the X-axis feed mechanism (not shown) to the position directly below the cutting unit 9. The image acquisition unit 12 then captures an image of the wafer W and detects one of the parallel division lines We extending in a first direction from the captured image. The holding unit 8 is rotated to align the detected division line We with the X-axis. The division line We and the cutting blade 93 are then aligned with each other, and the cutting unit 9 is positioned in a designated starting position for processing.

[0035] Then, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the cutting blade 93 is rotated at high speed about its central axis in the direction indicated by arrow R1 and positioned over the designated parting line We, which extends in the first direction aligned with the X-axis. The corrosion inhibitor feed unit 13 and the cutting fluid feed unit 14 are actuated to eject the corrosion inhibitor L1 and the cutting fluid L2, respectively, from the corrosion inhibitor feed nozzle 96 and the cutting fluid feed nozzle 95. Then, the Z-axis feed mechanism (not shown) is actuated to lower the cutting blade 93 in the direction indicated by arrow Z along the Z-axis to cut into the wafer W from the front Wa, and simultaneously, the X-axis feed mechanism (not shown) is actuated to machine the wafer W in the direction indicated by arrow X along the X-axis, thereby forming a cutting groove 100 in the wafer W.According to the present invention, the cutting fluid L2 ejected from the cutting fluid supply nozzle 95 is a mixture of an organic acid and an oxidizing agent, as described above. However, the cutting fluid L2 could also be pure water.

[0036] Fig. Figure 5 shows, in a front view and partially in cross-section, the way in which the cutting operation is carried out to form the cutting groove 100. Fig. For illustrative purposes, the second cover element 94b and the cutting blade detection block 94c of the cover 94 are not shown, and the first cover element 94a, in which the cutting fluid supply nozzle 95 is arranged, is partially shown in cross-section.

[0037] After the cutting groove 100 has been formed in the wafer W, the Y-axis feed mechanism (not shown) guides the cutting blade 93 along the Y-axis to a position above the next intended parting line We, where the wafer W has not been processed and which is positioned adjacent to the intended parting line We along which the cutting groove 100 has been formed in the wafer W. The cutting unit 9 and the holding unit 8 repeat the processing described above until cutting grooves 100 have been formed in the wafer W along all intended parting lines We extending in the first direction in the X-axis direction. Then, the holding unit 8, and thus the wafer W, are rotated 90 degrees about their central axes to align the intended parting lines We, which extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first, with the X-axis.While the corrosion inhibitor L1 and the cutting fluid L2 are supplied to the contact point between the cutting blade 93 and the wafer W, the cutting unit 9 forms cutting grooves 100 in the wafer W along all designated division lines We extending in the second direction along the X-axis. In this way, the cutting grooves 100 are formed in the wafer W along all designated division lines We extending in the first and second directions on the wafer W. The areas of the wafer W in which the components D are formed are now divided into individual component chips along the cutting grooves 100.

[0038] As in the Fig. 4 and Fig.As shown in Figure 5, the supply of the rust inhibitor L1 through the rust inhibitor supply nozzle 96 to the front Wa of the wafer W prevents the electrodes of the components D from oxidizing and rusting. The problem of component quality reduction due to rust on the electrodes is thus eliminated. If the cutting fluid L2, which is supplied by the cutting fluid supply nozzle 95 to the contact point between the cutting blade 93 and the wafer W, is a mixture of an organic acid and an oxidizing agent, as described above, then the cutting fluid L2 prevents abrasion from being deposited on the front Wa of the wafer W and removes burrs that form on the components D, which are individually cut from the wafer W during the cutting process.

[0039] According to the present invention, the workpiece to be cut is not only the wafer W according to the embodiment described above. The workpiece could be a packing substrate containing several devices, for example, designated as QFNs. When such a packing substrate is cut along predetermined parting lines by the cutting device 1, the packing substrate is divided into several device chips, each containing devices with electrodes exposed on their outer surfaces. Since the cutting device 1 supplies the corrosion inhibitor L1 and the cutting fluid L2, the exposed electrodes of the devices are prevented from oxidizing and rusting, and the devices are prevented from losing quality.

Claims

[1] Cutting device (1) comprising: a clamping table (8a) for holding a workpiece (W) on it, which has several components (D) containing electrodes formed in respective areas which are subdivided on a front side (Wa) of the workpiece (W) by several provided division lines (We); a cutting unit (9) comprising a rotatable cutting blade (93) for cutting the workpiece (W) held on the clamping table (8a); an X-axis feed mechanism for feeding the clamping table (8a) and the cutting unit (9) relative to each other along an X-axis; a Y-axis feed mechanism for indexing the clamping table (8a) and the cutting unit (9) relative to each other along a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis; a cutting fluid supply nozzle (95) arranged next to the cutting unit (9) for supplying a cutting fluid (L2) to a contact point between the cutting blade (93) and the workpiece (W); and a rust inhibitor supply nozzle (96) for supplying a rust inhibitor (L1) to the workpiece (W) on the clamping table (8a) to prevent the electrodes of the components (D) from rusting, wherein the rust inhibitor supply nozzle (96) has a length along the Y-axis which is greater than the width of the workpiece (W) along the Y-axis. [2] Cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the cutting fluid supply nozzle (95) supplies pure water or a mixture of an organic acid and an oxidizing agent as the cutting fluid (L2).

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