Sheet fixing device and sheet fixing method

Abstract

To fix a sheet to a workpiece while efficiency and effectively preventing the contamination of a foreign material to between the sheet and the workpiece.SOLUTION: A sheet fixing device for fixing a sheet to a workpiece, comprises: a chuck table that holds the workpiece; a sheet fixing unit that includes a roller that can be moved along an upper surface of the chuck table while pressing the sheet directed to the workpiece held by the chuck table; and a water supply unit that supplies water to between the workpiece held by the chuck table and the sheet distributed to the workpiece. When fixing the sheet to the workpiece, the sheet is pressed against the workpiece with the roller while supplying water to between the workpiece and the sheet by the water supply unit. More preferably, when fixing the sheet to the workpiece, a water film is formed on the workpiece by the water supplied from the water supply unit, and the water film is removed when pressing the sheet against the workpiece by the roller next.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet fixing device and a sheet fixing method for fixing a sheet such as an adhesive tape to a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. [Background technology]

[0002] Device chips to be mounted on electronic devices are formed, for example, by dividing a wafer made of semiconductors. Individual device chips can be produced by setting multiple dividing lines that intersect with each other on the surface of the wafer, forming devices such as ICs in each area defined by the dividing lines, and dividing the wafer along the dividing lines.

[0003] For example, a cutting device equipped with an annular cutting blade is used to divide the wafer. The cutting device cuts the wafer along the planned division lines with the cutting blade to divide the wafer. Alternatively, a laser processing device that irradiates the wafer with a laser beam is used to divide the wafer. The laser processing device irradiates the wafer with a laser beam along the planned division lines to laser-machine the wafer.

[0004] In recent years, there has been a remarkable trend toward miniaturization of electronic devices, and there is also an increasing demand for miniaturization and thinning of device chips mounted on electronic devices. Therefore, in order to manufacture thin device chips, the semiconductor wafer is ground by a grinding device to be thinned to a predetermined thickness before being divided.

[0005] Processing devices such as cutting devices, laser processing devices, and grinding devices include a holding table (chuck table) that can hold a wafer by suction, and a processing unit disposed above the holding table. The main upper surface of the holding table is a holding surface, and the holding table can apply negative pressure to the holding surface. When a wafer is placed on the holding surface of the holding table and negative pressure is applied to the wafer from the holding surface, the wafer can be held by suction on the holding table. A sheet such as an adhesive tape is fixed in advance to one surface of the wafer to be processed by the processing device.

[0006] For example, a sheet with the same diameter as the wafer is fixed in advance to the front surface of the wafer opposite to the back surface, which is the surface to be ground by the grinding device. If a sheet is fixed to the front surface of the wafer, the front surface of the wafer does not directly contact the holding surface of the holding table when the wafer is held by the holding table. Therefore, devices formed on the front surface of the wafer are protected.

[0007] In addition, a sheet having a diameter larger than that of the wafer is fixed to one side of the wafer to be processed by the cutting device or laser processing device. The outer periphery of the sheet is then fixed to a ring frame, and the opening of the ring frame is closed by the sheet. In this way, the wafer, the sheet, and the ring frame are integrated to form a frame unit. When the wafer is divided in this state, the individual chips formed from the wafer continue to be supported by the sheet, making it easy to handle the chips.

[0008] The process of fixing a sheet such as an adhesive tape to a workpiece such as a wafer is carried out, for example, by a sheet fixing device (tape application device) that places the sheet on the workpiece and presses the sheet toward the workpiece with a roller (see Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-41916 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-75437 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2019-87633 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] When a sheet is fixed to a workpiece by a sheet fixing device, foreign matter may get caught between the sheet and the workpiece. If the sheet is fixed to the workpiece with a foreign matter caught between the sheet and the workpiece, the sheet may not be properly fixed to the workpiece near the foreign matter, and the workpiece may not be properly processed after that. In addition, unevenness caused by the foreign matter may occur on the sheet or the workpiece, and the desired processing results may not be obtained.

[0011] Therefore, in order to prevent foreign matter from getting between the sheet and the workpiece, it is possible to remove dust from the inside of the sheet fixing device to achieve the same level of cleanliness as a clean room, or to inspect in advance with a camera or the like whether foreign matter is attached to the sheet and the workpiece. It is also possible to wash the sheet to be fixed to the workpiece with an ionizer or the like inside the sheet fixing device.

[0012] However, these measures complicate the configuration of the sheet fixing device, which increases the cost of the sheet fixing device. They also complicate the process of fixing the sheet to the workpiece, which increases the time required for the process and reduces processing efficiency. In addition, these measures have limitations on the amount and size of foreign matter that can be removed, and it cannot be said that they can fully avoid problems caused by foreign matter.

[0013] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and its object is to provide a sheet fixing device and a sheet fixing method that can fix a sheet to a workpiece while efficiently and effectively preventing the intrusion of foreign matter between the sheet and the workpiece. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet fixing device for fixing a sheet to a workpiece, comprising: a chuck table for holding a workpiece; a sheet fixing unit including a roller that can move along the upper surface of the chuck table while pressing the sheet toward the workpiece held by the chuck table; and a water supply unit that supplies water between the workpiece held on the chuck table and the sheet placed on the workpiece, wherein when fixing the sheet to the workpiece, the water supply unit supplies water between the workpiece and the sheet while the roller presses the sheet against the workpiece.

[0015] Preferably, when the sheet is fixed to the workpiece, the water supplied by the water supply unit forms a water film on the workpiece, and then the water film is removed when the sheet is pressed against the workpiece by the roller.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet fixing method for fixing a sheet to a workpiece, comprising a holding step of placing the workpiece on a chuck table and holding the workpiece on the chuck table, and a fixing step of fixing a sheet to the workpiece held on the chuck table, characterized in that in the fixing step, the sheet is pressed against the workpiece with a roller while supplying water between the workpiece and the sheet.

[0017] Preferably, in the fixing step, a water film is formed on the workpiece by the water, and then the water film is removed by pressing the sheet against the workpiece by the roller. Effect of the Invention

[0018] In a sheet fixing device and a sheet fixing method according to one aspect of the present invention, water is supplied between the workpiece and the sheet when the sheet is fixed to the workpiece. The supplied water comes into contact with the workpiece and the sheet to wash them, and foreign matter attached to the workpiece and the sheet is removed by the water. In addition, the water attached to the workpiece and the sheet prevents new foreign matter from adhering to them. Then, when the sheet is pressed against the workpiece with a roller, the sheet is fixed to the workpiece while the water remaining between the workpiece and the sheet is removed.

[0019] In the sheet fixing device and the sheet fixing method according to one aspect of the present invention, the inclusion of foreign matter can be prevented by a simple configuration of supplying water to the sheet or the like. Furthermore, the supply of water does not increase the time required for the process, and does not reduce the processing efficiency. Furthermore, the effect of removing foreign matter by water is sufficiently large, and more foreign matter can be removed than by conventional methods, including large foreign matter. Therefore, problems caused by foreign matter can be sufficiently solved.

[0020] Therefore, the present invention provides a sheet fixing device and a sheet fixing method that can fix a sheet to a workpiece while efficiently and effectively preventing foreign matter from getting between the sheet and the workpiece. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a portion of the seat fixing device; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a portion of the seat fixing device; [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is an enlarged schematic plan view of the workpiece in the fixing step; [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating the sheet fixing device in a cutting step. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of each step of a seat fixing method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In a sheet fixing device and a sheet fixing method according to the present embodiment, a sheet is fixed to a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. First, the workpiece will be described. FIG. 1 includes a side view that typically shows the workpiece 1, and FIG. 2 includes a plan view that typically shows the workpiece 1.

[0023] The workpiece 1 is, for example, a wafer made of a material such as Si (silicon), SiC (silicon carbide), GaN (gallium nitride), GaAs (gallium arsenide), or other semiconductor material. Alternatively, it is a substantially disk-shaped substrate or a rectangular substrate made of a material such as sapphire, glass, or quartz. The glass is, for example, alkali glass, non-alkali glass, soda-lime glass, lead glass, borosilicate glass, quartz glass, or the like.

[0024] A plurality of devices (not shown), such as ICs (Integrated Circuits) and LSIs (Large Scale Integration), are formed on the surface 1a of the work 1. Then, by dividing the work 1 into individual devices, individual device chips can be formed. If the work 1 is ground to thin it before being divided, thin device chips can be formed by dividing the work 1 thereafter. However, it is not necessary for devices to be formed on the surface 1a of the work 1.

[0025] Before the workpiece 1 is carried into a processing device such as a cutting device or a laser processing device that divides the workpiece 1, a sheet larger than the workpiece 1 is fixed to one side of the workpiece 1. Then, a ring frame having an opening is prepared, and the sheet is fixed to the ring frame so as to close the opening of the ring frame, thereby forming a frame unit in which the workpiece 1, the sheet, and the ring frame are integrated.

[0026] When the work 1, which is now part of the frame unit, is divided into individual devices, the individual chips formed continue to be supported by the sheet. That is, when the frame unit is formed, the chips become easier to handle. Then, when the sheet is expanded radially outward inside the opening of the ring frame, the intervals between the individual chips formed increase, making it easier to pick up the chips.

[0027] In addition, before the workpiece 1 is loaded into a processing device such as a grinding device that grinds and thins the workpiece 1, a sheet having the same diameter as the workpiece 1 is fixed to the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 opposite the surface to be processed.

[0028] In the grinding device, the workpiece 1 is supported and held on a holding table with the back surface 1b, which is the surface to be ground, facing upward. When the back surface 1b of the workpiece 1 is ground, a large downward force is applied to the workpiece 1. If the front surface 1a of the workpiece 1 is in direct contact with the upper surface of the holding table at this time, a large load is applied to devices formed on the front surface 1a of the workpiece 1, causing damage. In contrast, if a sheet is fixed to the front surface 1a of the workpiece 1 in advance, the front surface 1a of the workpiece 1 is protected by the sheet.

[0029] Next, the sheet fixed to the workpiece 1 will be described. Fig. 1 includes a side view showing the sheet 7 in a schematic manner, and Fig. 3 includes a cross-sectional view showing the sheet 7 in an enlarged manner. The sheet 7 is, for example, an adhesive tape called a dicing tape having a base layer and a glue layer (adhesive layer) disposed on one side of the base layer.

[0030] For example, the base layer is made of a resin such as polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, or polyethylene terephthalate. The adhesive layer is made of an epoxy-based, acrylic-based, or rubber-based adhesive. The adhesive layer may be made of an ultraviolet-curable resin that is cured by exposure to ultraviolet light. When the sheet 7 is an adhesive tape, the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1 by the adhesive force caused by the adhesive layer. That is, the sheet 7 is adhered to the workpiece 1 and fixed thereto.

[0031] Alternatively, the sheet 7 may be a resin sheet such as a polyolefin-based sheet or a polyester-based sheet that does not have a glue layer (adhesive layer). The polyolefin-based sheet is a sheet of a polymer synthesized using an alkene as a monomer, such as a polyethylene sheet, a polypropylene sheet, or a polystyrene sheet. The polyester-based sheet is a sheet of a polymer synthesized using a dicarboxylic acid (a compound having two carboxyl groups) and a diol (a compound having two hydroxyl groups) as monomers. For example, it is a polyethylene terephthalate sheet or a polyethylene naphthalate sheet.

[0032] If the sheet 7 is a resin sheet without an adhesive layer, the sheet 7 cannot be attached to the workpiece 1. However, if a resin sheet having thermoplastic properties is heated to a temperature close to its melting point while being in contact with the workpiece 1 and a predetermined pressure is applied, the sheet 7 can be partially melted and thermocompressed to the rear surface 1b of the workpiece 1. In other words, if the sheet 7 is a resin sheet without an adhesive layer, the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1 by thermocompression.

[0033] Next, the seat fastening device according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a portion of the seat fastening device 2, and Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a portion of the seat fastening device 2.

[0034] An overview of the sheet fixing device 2 will be given. An original roll 14 formed by winding a long strip-shaped sheet 7 into a roll is carried into the sheet fixing device 2. Then, the sheet 7 is pulled out from the original roll 14 and fixed to the workpiece 1. After that, the sheet 7 is cut along the outer periphery of the workpiece 1 while leaving the necessary portion, and the sheet 7 is disposed on the workpiece 1. Then, the strip-shaped surplus portion 9 with the necessary portion cut out is wound into a roll, and a recovery roll 18 is formed and recovered.

[0035] Next, the main components of the sheet fixing device 2 will be described in detail. As described later, in the sheet fixing device 2, water is supplied to the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7. The sheet fixing device 2 is equipped with a water case 4 for receiving water supplied to the workpiece 1, etc. and discharging it to the outside of the sheet fixing device 2. The water case 4 has an opening 6 that opens upward, and the inside forms a working space. The water case 4 houses several components of the sheet fixing device 2.

[0036] The sheet fixing device 2 includes a chuck table 8 inside the water case 4, which holds the workpiece 1 to which the sheet 7 is fixed. The workpiece 1 is placed on an upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8. A major portion of the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8 is formed of a porous member (not shown) having a planar shape similar to that of the workpiece 1. This porous member is connected to a suction source such as a pump through a suction path formed inside the chuck table 8.

[0037] When the workpiece 1 is placed at a predetermined position on the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8 and a suction source connected to the chuck table 8 is activated, negative pressure acts on the workpiece 1 through the suction path and the porous member, and the workpiece 1 is sucked and held on the chuck table 8. Therefore, the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8 functions as a holding surface.

[0038] The sheet fixing device 2 includes a sheet fixing unit 12 including a roller 20 that can move along an upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8 while pressing the sheet 7 toward the workpiece 1 held by the chuck table 8. The sheet fixing unit 12 has a function of supplying the sheet 7 to the upper surface of the workpiece 1 and fixing the sheet 7 to the workpiece 1.

[0039] The sheet fixing unit 12 includes a core 56 that rotatably supports the original fabric roll 14 around which the strip-shaped sheet 7 is wound. The core 56 is inserted into a through hole in the center of the original fabric roll 14. A strip-shaped release sheet 5 that protects the sheet 7 is disposed on the strip-shaped sheet 7 wound around the original fabric roll 14. In other words, the original fabric roll 14 is formed by winding an integrated sheet 3 composed of the sheet 7 and the release sheet 5.

[0040] Rollers 20, 24 that press the sheet 7 from above are provided above the chuck table 8. The rollers 20, 24 are movable up and down and are movable in a direction along the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8. The rollers 20, 24 have the function of pressing the sheet 7 against the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 from above. The roller 24 may be fixed.

[0041] Alternatively, both rollers 20 and 24 may be fixed. In this case, chuck table 8, instead of roller 20, is made movable along a direction parallel to upper surface 10. The moving direction of chuck table 8 is parallel to the traveling direction of sheet 7 between roller 20 and roller 24.

[0042] The integral sheet 3 is pulled out from the original roll 14, the release sheet 5 is peeled off from the sheet 7, and the sheet 7 is guided by rollers 20, 22, 24, etc. to proceed through the sheet fixing device 2. The release sheet 5 is removed from the integral sheet 3 before the sheet 7 is supplied to the workpiece 1. The sheet fixing unit 12 includes a core 60 that winds up the release sheet 5 in a roll and collects it, and the release sheet 5 peeled off from the sheet 7 is wound around the core 60 to form a release sheet roll 16.

[0043] Further, a core 58 for winding up an excess portion 9 of the strip-shaped sheet 7 is provided on the opposite side of the core 56 with the chuck table 8 interposed therebetween. The excess portion 9 of the sheet 7 is wound around the core 58 to form the recovery roll 18.

[0044] The cores 56, 58, 60 and the rollers 20, 22, 24 are each connected to a rotation drive source (not shown), and the rotation drive sources operate in conjunction with each other to pull out the strip-shaped sheet 7 above the workpiece 1 supported by the chuck table 8. However, it is not necessary for all of the cores 56, 58, 60 and the rollers 20, 22, 24 to be connected to a rotation drive source.

[0045] The sheet fixing device 2 according to this embodiment further includes a water supply unit 26 that supplies water between the workpiece 1 held on the chuck table 8 and the sheet 7 placed on the workpiece 1. The water supply unit 26 moves above the chuck table 8 to supply water to the sheet 7 placed on the workpiece 1 and the workpiece 1 held on the chuck table 8.

[0046] Fig. 1 includes a side view that typically shows the water supply unit 26. Fig. 2 includes a plan view that typically shows the water supply unit 26. In Fig. 2, the sheet fixing unit 12 is omitted. Fig. 3 includes a side view that typically shows an enlarged portion of the water supply unit 26.

[0047] The water supply unit 26 includes an arm 28 that is movable toward and away from the chuck table 8 outside the chuck table 8. The arm 28 has, for example, a portion that stands upright outside the chuck table 8 and a portion that extends from the outside of the chuck table 8 toward above the chuck table 8. The arm 28 is movable along the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8 by a drive mechanism (not shown). In other words, the tip of the arm 28 is movable toward and away from the space above the chuck table 8.

[0048] A supply head 30 is provided at the tip of the arm portion 28. The supply head 30 is, for example, a rod-shaped member that is parallel to the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8 and extends along a direction perpendicular to the advancing and retracting direction of the arm portion 28 as shown in Fig. 2. When the arm portion 28 is moved along the advancing and retracting direction, the supply head 30 advances and retreats above the chuck table 8.

[0049] The supply head 30 includes a plurality of first supply nozzles 32 facing forward in the advancing / retracting direction, and a plurality of second supply nozzles 34 facing downward. The plurality of first supply nozzles 32 are arranged on the supply head 30 side by side along a direction perpendicular to the advancing / retracting direction of the arm portion 28. The plurality of second supply nozzles 34 are also arranged on the supply head 30 side by side along a direction perpendicular to the advancing / retracting direction.

[0050] A water supply passage (not shown) connected to the first supply nozzle 32 and the second supply nozzle 34 passes through the inside of the supply head 30. The water supply passage may pass through the arm portion 28. A water supply source (not shown) is connected to the base end of this supply passage. The water supply source supplies, for example, pure water or water mixed with high-pressure gas (mixed fluid) to the supply passage. When the water supply source of the water supply unit 26 is operated, water 36 is sprayed forward in the forward and backward direction from the first supply nozzle 32. Also, water 38 is sprayed downward from the second supply nozzle 34.

[0051] It is noted that the supply head 30 does not need to be provided with both the first supply nozzle 32 and the second supply nozzle 34; it is sufficient that at least one of the first supply nozzle 32 and the second supply nozzle 34 is provided in the supply head 30.

[0052] The water 36, 38 supplied from the supply head 30 finally falls outside the chuck table 8 and is received in the water case 4. A drain pipe 40 is connected to the bottom surface of the water case 4, and the water 36, 38 that falls into the water case 4 is drained from the sheet fastening device 2 through the drain pipe 40.

[0053] Here, the sheet fixing device 2 may include a drying mechanism for drying the workpiece 1 inside or outside the water supply unit 26. The drying mechanism can dry the workpiece 1 by, for example, spraying high-pressure gas onto the workpiece 1 to remove water 36, 38 remaining on the workpiece 1, etc.

[0054] For example, a gas supply source in addition to a water supply source may be connected to the supply head 30 of the water supply unit 26 of the sheet fixing device 2 through a supply path, and the supply head 30 may be capable of spraying high-pressure gas from the first supply nozzle 32 and the second supply nozzle 34. For example, after the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1, high-pressure gas may be sprayed from the supply head 30 onto the workpiece 1, etc. In this case, the water supply unit 26 also functions as a drying mechanism.

[0055] The sheet fixing device 2 may include a drying mechanism separate from the water supply unit 26. The drying mechanism may spray high-pressure gas onto the workpiece 1, etc., to dry the workpiece 1, etc., after the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1 and cut by the cutting unit 46, which will be described next. Here, the high-pressure gas sprayed onto the workpiece 1 by the drying mechanism is, for example, air, dry air, or nitrogen gas.

[0056] 4, the sheet fixing device 2 according to this embodiment further includes a cutting unit 46 that can be raised and lowered and that cuts off unnecessary portions of the strip-shaped sheet 7 fixed to the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 above the chuck table 8. The cutting unit 46 includes a spindle 48 aligned in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8, a disk-shaped cutter wheel 52 connected to the lower end of the spindle 48, and a cutter 54 attached to the lower surface of the outer periphery of the cutter wheel 52.

[0057] A rotary drive source (not shown) is connected to the upper end of the spindle 48. When this rotary drive source is operated, the cutter wheel 52 rotates around a rotation axis 50 formed by the spindle 48, and the cutter 54 moves on a circular orbit. Note that a handle for an operator to rotate the spindle 48 may be attached to the upper end of the spindle 48 instead of the rotary drive source, or the operator may rotate the cutter wheel 52 manually.

[0058] When fixing the sheet 7 to the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 in the sheet fixing device 2 according to this embodiment, first, the strip-shaped sheet 7 is pulled out above the chuck table 8. Then, the rollers 20, 24 press the sheet 7 from above to fix the sheet 7 to the surface 1a of the workpiece 1. Thereafter, the cutter 54 is moved along the circular orbit while the cutting unit 46 is lowered to cut the sheet 7 along the outer periphery of the workpiece 1. Then, the workpiece 1 with the sheet 7 fixed to the surface 1a is obtained.

[0059] Here, if the sheet 7 is an adhesive tape with an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer of the sheet 7 is brought into contact with the surface 1a of the workpiece 1. Then, the sheet 7 is pressed from above by the rollers 20, 24 to adhere to the workpiece 1. If the sheet 7 is a resin sheet without an adhesive layer, the sheet 7 is heated when the sheet 7 is pressed from above against the workpiece 1 by the rollers 20, 24. As a result, the sheet 7 is thermocompression-bonded to the workpiece 1.

[0060] When a resin sheet without an adhesive layer is used as the sheet 7 to be fixed to the workpiece 1, the sheet fixing device 2 includes a heating mechanism (not shown) that heats the sheet 7 in contact with the workpiece 1. For example, the rollers 20, 24 that press the sheet 7 against the workpiece 1 include a heat source such as an electric heating wire. The rollers 20, 24 are then rolled on the sheet 7 while pressing the sheet 7 with the rollers 20, 24 heated by the heat source. The sheet 7 is then heated while being pressed by the rollers 20, 24.

[0061] However, the heating mechanism by which the sheet fixing device 2 heats the sheet 7 is not limited to this. For example, the chuck table 8 of the sheet fixing device 2 may have a built-in heat source such as an electric heating wire. In this case, after the workpiece 1 is sucked and held by the chuck table 8, the heat source is activated to heat the workpiece 1 to a predetermined temperature. Then, when the sheet 7 is brought into contact with the workpiece 1, the sheet 7 is heated through the workpiece 1.

[0062] Furthermore, the sheet fixing device 2 may include a heat gun that blows hot air toward the sheet 7 as a heating mechanism for heating the sheet 7. The heat gun has a built-in heat source such as an electric heating wire and a blower, and has a function of spraying air that is sent to the heat source by the blower and heated by the heat source. Then, after the sheet 7 is placed on the workpiece 1 held by the chuck table 8, the sheet 7 can be heated by blowing hot air onto the sheet 7 with the heat gun.

[0063] In addition, if the chuck table 8 is movable, the sheet 7 may be pressed against the workpiece 1 sequentially from the end by moving the chuck table 8 instead of the rollers 20. More specifically, the chuck table 8 is moved so that the rollers 20 are positioned above one end of the workpiece 1, and the chuck table 8 and the rollers 20 are brought relatively close to each other in the vertical direction. As a result, the rollers 20 press the sheet 7 at one end of the workpiece 1. Then, the chuck table 8 is moved in a direction parallel to the upper surface 10. As a result, the sheet 7 is fixed to the entire surface 1a of the workpiece 1.

[0064] Furthermore, when the chuck table 8 moves instead of the rollers 20, the supply head 30 of the water supply unit 26 does not need to move. That is, the supply head 30 may be fixed. In this case, the movement mechanism for moving the arm portion 28 of the water supply unit 26 can be omitted, and the configuration of the sheet fastening device 2 can be further simplified.

[0065] The sheet fixing device 2 according to the present embodiment described above, when fixing the sheet 7 to the workpiece 1, can press the sheet 7 against the workpiece 1 with the rollers 20, 24 while the water supply unit 26 supplies water 36, 38 between the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7. Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the water supply unit 26 supplying water 36, 38 between the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7 while the roller 20 presses the sheet 7 against the workpiece 1.

[0066] The water 36, 38 supplied between the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7 washes away foreign matter such as dust adhering to the workpiece 1 or the sheet 7. More specifically, the water 36 jetted from the first supply nozzle 32 of the supply head 30 of the water supply unit 26 collides with the sheet 7, and water 42 flows on the surface of the sheet 7, removing foreign matter such as debris adhering to the sheet 7. In addition, the water 38 jetted from the second supply nozzle 34 of the supply head 30 of the water supply unit 26 collides with the surface 1a of the workpiece 1, washing away foreign matter adhering to the workpiece 1.

[0067] Furthermore, when the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1, a water film 44 can be formed on the workpiece 1 by the water supplied by the water supply unit 26. This water film 44 prevents foreign matter such as dust from adhering to the workpiece 1 or the sheet 7. Next, when the sheet 7 is pressed against the workpiece 1 by the rollers 20, 24, the foreign matter and the like that has been taken in by the water film 44 is expelled from between the sheet 7 and the workpiece 1 together with the water film 44, and the sheet 7 comes into contact with the workpiece 1. Therefore, the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1 with no foreign matter present between the sheet 7 and the workpiece 1.

[0068] Next, as a more detailed method of using the sheet fixing device 2, the procedure of the sheet fixing method according to this embodiment for fixing the sheet 7 to the workpiece 1 will be described. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of each step of the sheet fixing method. Each step of the sheet fixing method according to this embodiment for fixing the sheet 7 to the workpiece 1 will be described below.

[0069] In the sheet fixing method according to this embodiment, first, a holding step S1 is performed in which the workpiece 1 is placed on the chuck table 8 and held by the chuck table 8. Fig. 1 includes a side view that shows a schematic view of the workpiece 1 placed on the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8 and held by suction on the chuck table 8. Fig. 2 also includes a plan view that shows a schematic view of the workpiece 1 held by suction on the chuck table 8.

[0070] The holding step S1 will be described in detail. First, the rollers 20, 24 of the sheet fixing unit 12 and the cutting unit 46 are moved to positions where they do not interfere with the work of carrying the work 1 onto the chuck table 8. In addition, the supply head 30 of the water supply unit 26 is retracted from the space above the chuck table 8.

[0071] Next, the workpiece 1 is placed on the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8. At this time, the orientation of the workpiece 1 is adjusted so that the front surface 1a to which the sheet 7 is fixed faces upward and the back surface 1b faces the upper surface 10. In addition, the position of the workpiece 1 is adjusted so that the center of the workpiece 1 overlaps with the center of the upper surface 10. Thereafter, the suction source of the chuck table 8 is operated to apply negative pressure to the workpiece 1 through the upper surface 10, and the chuck table 8 holds the workpiece 1 by suction.

[0072] In the sheet fixing method according to this embodiment, next, a fixing step S2 is performed in which the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1 held by the chuck table 8. Fig. 1 is a side view diagrammatically showing the sheet fixing device 2 in the fixing step S2.

[0073] In the fixing step S2, first, the rollers 20, 24 are lowered to the vicinity of the workpiece 1 held by the chuck table 8. Then, one roller 20 is moved toward the other roller 24 and positioned above one end of the workpiece 1. In addition, the arm 28 of the water supply unit 26 is moved, and the supply head 30 is advanced above the chuck table 8.

[0074] Next, the supply of water 36, 38 is started from the supply head 30 of the water supply unit 26. This causes water to be supplied between the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7. More specifically, the first supply nozzle 32 starts spraying the water 36, and the second supply nozzle 34 starts spraying the water 38.

[0075] 3 shows a schematic diagram of water 36 being sprayed from first supply nozzle 32. Water 36 sprayed from first supply nozzle 32 collides with the underside of sheet 7. This underside of sheet 7 is the surface that comes into contact with front surface 1a of workpiece 1 when sheet 7 is fixed to workpiece 1. When water 36 collides with the underside of sheet 7, the underside of sheet 7 is cleaned, and foreign matter attached to the underside of sheet 7 is removed. Water 42 also adheres to the underside of sheet 7, and the adhered water 42 prevents new foreign matter from adhering to the underside of sheet 7.

[0076] 3 is a schematic diagram showing how water 38 is sprayed from the second supply nozzle 34. As shown in FIG. 3, the water 38 sprayed from the second supply nozzle 34 collides with the surface 1a of the workpiece 1. The surface 1a of the workpiece 1 is the surface that comes into contact with the lower surface of the sheet 7 when the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1. When the water 38 collides with the surface 1a of the workpiece 1, the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 is cleaned, and foreign matter attached to the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 is removed.

[0077] Then, the water 36, 38 supplied from the supply head 30 flows over the surface 1a of the workpiece 1, reaches the outer edge of the workpiece 1, proceeds outside the workpiece 1, and drops from the chuck table 8 into the water case 4. Then, the water is discharged from the sheet fixing device 2 through a drain pipe 40 connected to the water case 4.

[0078] Here, as the water 36, 38 continues to be sprayed from the supply head 30, the water 36, 38 that reaches the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 forms a water film 44 on the surface 1a of the workpiece 1. Therefore, even if a foreign object falls from the air toward the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 while the water film 44 is covering the surface 1a of the workpiece 1, the foreign object is taken in by the water film 44 and does not adhere to the surface 1a of the workpiece 1.

[0079] In the fixing step S2, the supply head 30 of the water supply unit 26 is moved in the same direction as the movement direction of the roller 20 so as to correspond to the movement of the roller 20. That is, in the fixing step S2, the sheet 7 is pressed against the workpiece 1 by the roller 20 while water is supplied between the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7.

[0080] Then, in the fixing step S2, a water film 44 is formed on the workpiece 1 by the water 36, 38, while the sheet 7 is pressed against the workpiece 1 by the roller 20 to remove the water film 44. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, the roller 20 moves, so that the sheet 7 comes into contact with the workpiece 1 successively from one end to the other end of the workpiece 1, and the water film 44 sandwiched between the sheet 7 and the workpiece 1 is pushed out successively from one end to the other end. As a result, any foreign matter caught in the water film 44 is removed together with the water film 44.

[0081] When the sheet 7 is an adhesive tape having a glue layer (adhesive layer), pressing the sheet 7 against the workpiece 1 causes the sheet 7 to be attached to the workpiece 1 by the adhesive force (bonding force) caused by the glue layer. That is, the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1. When the sheet 7 is a resin sheet having no adhesive layer, the sheet 7 can be thermocompression-bonded to the workpiece 1 by pressing the sheet 7 against the workpiece 1 while heating the sheet 7 to a temperature near its softening point or melting point.

[0082] In the sheet fixing method according to the present embodiment, next, a cutting step S3 is performed. Fig. 4 is a side view that shows a schematic view of the sheet fixing device 2 in the cutting step S3. In the cutting step S3, the sheet 7 fixed to the workpiece 1 is cut along the outer periphery of the workpiece 1.

[0083] More specifically, first, the spindle 48 of the cutting unit 46 is positioned above the center of the upper surface 10 of the chuck table 8. Then, the spindle 48 of the cutting unit 46 is rotated to rotate the cutter wheel 52 around the rotation axis 50 formed by the spindle 48, and the cutter 54 is moved on a circular orbit. In this state, the cutter wheel 52 is lowered to cause the cutter 54 to cut into the sheet 7. As a result, the sheet 7 is cut by the cutter 54.

[0084] When the belt-shaped sheet 7 is cut along the outer periphery of the workpiece 1, the workpiece 1 having the sheet 7 fixed to the surface 1a is obtained. Here, the excess portion 9 of the belt-shaped sheet 7 cut off from the portion fixed to the workpiece 1 is wound up by the core portion 58 of the sheet fixing unit 12, and a recovery roll 18 is formed.

[0085] Incidentally, when cutting step S3 is performed to cut the sheet 7 with the cutter 54, fragments and waste of the sheet 7 scatter inside the sheet fixing device 2. Then, when the workpiece 1 is removed from the sheet fixing device 2 and the sheet 7 is fixed to the next workpiece 1, the fragments and waste generated in cutting step S3 may become foreign matter between the next workpiece 1 and the sheet 7, causing a problem. However, water is also supplied from the water supply unit 26 when fixing the sheet 7 to the next workpiece 1, and the foreign matter is removed, so that the problem is avoided.

[0086] After the cutting step S3 is performed, the carrying-out step S4 is performed. In the carrying-out step S4, the suction holding of the workpiece 1 by the chuck table 8 is released, and the workpiece 1 to which the sheet 7 is fixed is carried out from the chuck table 8. That is, the workpiece 1 to which the sheet 7 is fixed is carried out from the sheet fixing device 2. The workpiece 1 carried out from the sheet fixing device 2 is ground from the back surface 1b side. Or, it is cut along the planned division line.

[0087] In the sheet fixing method according to the present embodiment, a drying step for drying the workpiece 1 may be performed after the fixing step S2 and before the carrying-out step S4. The drying step is performed before or after the cutting step S3. The workpiece 1 is dried by the above-mentioned drying mechanism. That is, in the drying step, high-pressure gas is sprayed onto the workpiece 1, and the water 36, 38 adhering to the workpiece 1, etc. is removed.

[0088] As described above, in the sheet fixing device 2 and the sheet fixing method according to this embodiment, water is supplied between the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7 when the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1. The water 36, 38 cleans the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7, and foreign matter attached to the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7 is removed by the water 36, 38. In addition, the water 36, 38 attached to the workpiece 1 and the sheet 7 prevents new foreign matter from adhering to them. Then, when the sheet 7 is pressed against the workpiece 1 by the roller 20, the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1 while the water 36, 38 remaining between the sheet 7 and the workpiece 1 is removed.

[0089] The sheet fixing device 2 and the sheet fixing method according to this embodiment can prevent the inclusion of foreign matter by a simple configuration of supplying water 36, 38 to the sheet 7, etc. Furthermore, the supply of water 36, 38 when the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1 does not increase the time required for the process, and does not reduce the processing efficiency. Furthermore, the foreign matter removing effect of the water 36, 38 is sufficiently large, and more foreign matter, including larger foreign matter, can be removed than with conventional methods. Therefore, problems caused by foreign matter can be sufficiently solved.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1, and then the sheet 7 is cut along the outer periphery of the workpiece 1 to obtain a workpiece 1 to which a sheet 7 having a diameter equivalent to that of the workpiece 1 is fixed. However, one aspect of the present invention is not limited to this. That is, in the sheet fixing device 2 and the sheet fixing method according to one aspect of the present invention, a sheet 7 having a diameter larger than that of the workpiece 1 may be fixed to the workpiece 1, and the sheet 7 may be fixed to a ring frame to form a frame unit.

[0091] In this case, in the sheet fixing device 2, first, the ring frame is placed on the table together with the workpiece 1. At this time, the workpiece 1 is positioned inside the opening of the ring frame.

[0092] Next, the sheet 7 is fixed to the upper surface of the ring frame and the workpiece 1. More specifically, the rollers 20 press the sheet 7 from above to bring the sheet 7 into contact with one end of the ring frame, and the rollers 20 are moved in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the table to sequentially bring the sheet 7 into contact with the other end of the ring frame. At this time, the sheet 7 comes into contact with the workpiece 1 inside the opening of the ring frame. As a result, the sheet 7 is fixed to the workpiece 1 and the ring frame, and the workpiece 1, the sheet 7, and the ring frame are integrated.

[0093] Thereafter, the sheet 7 is cut by a cutting unit 46 in the area overlapping with the ring frame. As a result, a frame unit consisting of the workpiece 1, the sheet 7, and the ring frame is formed. Even in this case, by supplying water 36, 38 between the sheet 7, the workpiece 1, and the ring frame when the sheet 7 is brought into contact with the workpiece 1 and the ring frame, the sheet 7 can be fixed to the workpiece 1 and the ring frame without introducing foreign matter therein.

[0094] The structures, methods, and the like according to the above-described embodiments can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1 Work 1a surface 1b back side 3 Integrated sheet 5 Release sheet 7 Sheets 9. Excess 2 Seat fixing device 4 Water Case 6 Openings 8 Chuck table 10 Top side 12 Seat fixing unit 14 Original roll 18 Collection Roll 20,22,24 Roller 26 Water Supply Unit 28 Arm 30 Supply Head 32 First supply nozzle 34 Second supply nozzle 36,38,42 water 40 Drain pipe 44 Water film 46 Cutting Unit 48 Spindle 50 Rotational Axis 52 Cutter Wheel 54 Cutter 56,58,60 Core

Claims

1. A sheet fixing device for fixing a sheet to a workpiece, A chuck table for holding the workpiece; a sheet fixing unit including a roller that can move along an upper surface of the chuck table while pressing the sheet against the workpiece held by the chuck table; a water supply unit that supplies water between the workpiece held on the chuck table and the sheet placed on the workpiece, A sheet fixing device characterized in that, when fixing the sheet to the workpiece, the sheet is pressed against the workpiece by the roller while the water supply unit supplies water between the workpiece and the sheet.

2. The sheet fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that when the sheet is fixed to the workpiece, the water supplied by the water supply unit forms a water film on the workpiece, and the water film is then removed when the sheet is pressed against the workpiece by the roller.

3. A sheet fixing method for fixing a sheet to a workpiece, comprising the steps of: a holding step of placing a workpiece on a chuck table and holding the workpiece on the chuck table; A fixing step of fixing a sheet to the workpiece held by the chuck table, The method for fixing a sheet is characterized in that in the fixing step, the sheet is pressed against the workpiece by a roller while supplying water between the workpiece and the sheet.

4. 4. The sheet fixing method according to claim 3, wherein in the fixing step, a water film is formed on the workpiece by the water, and then the sheet is pressed against the workpiece by the roller to remove the water film.

Images