Expanding device and dividing method

Abstract

To suppress scattering of an adhesive film while suppressing a decrease in production efficiency.SOLUTION: An expanding device 1 comprises: a frame holding unit 20 for holding an annular frame in a state in which a tabular object pasted to an expanding sheet faces downward in a vertical direction; a pressure table 30 having a contact face 31 corresponding to the tabular object and coming into contact with the expanding sheet; an expansion unit 40 for moving the frame holding unit 20 and the pressure table 30 relative to each other and expanding the expanding sheet; a heating unit for heating the expanding sheet between an outer circumferential side of the tabular object and an inner circumferential edge of the annular frame; and a plate including a plurality of exhaust nozzles 61 for ejecting a gas toward the tabular object and an opening 62 for making warm air 300 from the heating unit 50 pass through.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an expanding apparatus and a dividing method for dividing a plate-like object such as a wafer. [Background technology]

[0002] In the manufacture of semiconductor devices and the like, an expanding apparatus is used for dividing a plate-like object such as a wafer along a predetermined division line. As an expanding apparatus of this kind, there is known an expanding apparatus that constitutes a plate-like object unit in the form of a plate-like object having a division starting point formed therein and attached to an expanding sheet, and divides the plate-like object from the division starting point by expanding the expanding sheet.

[0003] When a plate-shaped object is divided by the above-mentioned expanding device, the divided debris is generated from the broken parts along the planned dividing lines. If the divided debris adheres to the surface of the plate-shaped object, it adversely affects the performance and quality of the product after division. Therefore, a technology has been proposed in which the plate-shaped object is divided while being held face-down on a support table, and the divided debris is allowed to fall naturally, thereby effectively reducing the adhesion of the divided debris to chips, etc. after division (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] In addition, a technique has been proposed for improving the dividing technique in dividing a plate-like object having an adhesive film called DAF (Die Attachment Film) attached to the back surface by sufficiently cooling the expandable sheet and the adhesive on the film to reduce the elasticity of the adhesive film and make it easier to break (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-34397 [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-4832 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the technique shown in Patent Document 2 has a problem that if the adhesive film is expanded excessively while it is sufficiently cooled, the adhesive film will scatter and scatter inside the expanding device. For this reason, a method has been proposed in which the cooled adhesive film is divided, and then the film is allowed to return to room temperature, and then the expand sheet is sufficiently expanded. However, this method takes a long time to process, which creates another problem of reduced production efficiency.

[0007] Therefore, there has been a demand for a dividing method that can prevent the adhesive film from scattering without increasing the processing time.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an expanding apparatus and a dividing method capable of suppressing scattering of an adhesive film while suppressing a decrease in production efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the expanding device of the present invention is an expanding device that expands an expanding sheet to which a plate-shaped object and an annular frame are attached, and is characterized in that it comprises a frame holding means that holds the annular frame with the plate-shaped object attached to the expanding sheet facing vertically downward, a pressing means that has an abutment surface corresponding to the plate-shaped object and abuts the expanding sheet attached to the annular frame held by the frame holding means, an expanding means that expands the expanding sheet by moving the frame holding means and the pressing means relatively, a heating means that heats the expanding sheet between the outer periphery of the plate-shaped object and the inner periphery of the annular frame, and a plate that is arranged vertically between the plate-shaped object and the heating means and has a plurality of nozzles that spray gas toward the plate-shaped object and an opening for passing heat from the heating means.

[0010] In the expanding device, the plate is rotatable about an axis, and may rotate so that the opening is positioned above the heating means when passing heat from the heating means.

[0011] The dividing method of the present invention is a dividing method for dividing a plate-like object having a dividing starting point formed thereon and an adhesive film attached to its back surface along the dividing starting point, and includes the steps of: preparing a plate-like object unit including a plate-like object having a dividing starting point formed thereon, an adhesive film attached to the back surface of the plate-like object, an expandable sheet to which the plate-like object is attached via the adhesive film, and an annular frame to which the outer periphery of the expandable sheet is attached; after the preparing step, holding the annular frame with a frame holding means in a state in which the plate-like object attached to the expandable sheet faces vertically downward; and after the holding step, holding a frame corresponding to the plate-like object. the first expansion step being abutting a pressing means having a contact surface cooled against the expanding sheet and moving the frame holding means and the pressing means relatively a first distance to expand the expanding sheet, a gas injection step being performed after the first expansion step injecting gas toward the plate-like object, and a second expansion step being performed after the gas injection step in bringing the pressing means into contact with the expanding sheet in an uncooled state and moving the frame holding means and the pressing means relatively a second distance longer than the first distance to expand the expanding sheet. Effect of the Invention

[0012] The present invention has an effect of suppressing scattering of the adhesive film while suppressing a decrease in production efficiency. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a configuration example of an expanding device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic example of a plate-like object unit to be processed by the expanding device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view that typically shows the plate-like unit shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing plates and the like of the expanding device shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the division method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a holding step of the dividing method illustrated in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a first expanding step of the division method illustrated in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a gas injection step of the dividing method illustrated in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a second expanding step of the division method illustrated in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view that typically shows a heat shrink step of the dividing method shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The form (embodiment) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiment. Furthermore, the components described below include those that a person skilled in the art can easily imagine and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the configurations described below can be appropriately combined. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the configurations can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0015] [Embodiment 1] An expanding device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a typical configuration example of the expanding device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a typical example of a plate-like material unit to be processed by the expanding device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a typical example of the plate-like material unit shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing plates and the like of the expanding device shown in Fig. 1.

[0016] The expanding device 1 according to the embodiment 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a device that divides a plate-like material 201 of a plate-like material unit 200 shown in Fig. 2 into individual chips 202. In the embodiment 1, the plate-like material unit 200 to be processed is composed of a plate-like material 201, a DAF (Die Attachment Film) 212 which is an adhesive film attached to the plate-like material 201, an expanding sheet 210 to which the plate-like material 201 is attached via the DAF 212, and an annular frame 211 to which the outer periphery of the expanding sheet 210 is attached, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

[0017] In the first embodiment, the plate-like object 201 is a wafer such as a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer or an optical device wafer, with silicon, sapphire, gallium arsenide, SiC (silicon carbide), or the like as the substrate 203. As shown in Fig. 2, the plate-like object 201 has a surface 204 divided by a plurality of mutually intersecting planned division lines 205, and devices 206 are formed in each of the regions.

[0018] The device 206 is, for example, an integrated circuit such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), an optical element such as an LED (Light-Emitting Diode), a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) or a semiconductor memory (semiconductor memory device).

[0019] In addition, the plate-like object 201 is irradiated along the planned division lines 205 with a laser beam having a wavelength that is transparent to the substrate 203 from the back surface 207 side behind the front surface 204, and a modified layer 208 that is a division starting point along the planned division lines 205 is formed inside the substrate 203. The modified layer 208 means a region where the density, refractive index, mechanical strength, and other physical properties are different from those of the surrounding area, and examples of the modified layer 208 include a melting treatment region, a crack region, an insulation breakdown region, a refractive index change region, and a region where these regions are mixed.

[0020] The DAF 212 is attached to the back surface 207 of the plate-like object 201. The DAF 212 is an adhesive film for die bonding to fix the chip 202 to another chip or a substrate, etc. In the first embodiment, the DAF 212 is formed in a disk shape having the same diameter as the plate-like object 201.

[0021] The expand sheet 210 is attached to the DAF 212, and the plate-like object 201 is attached via the DAF 212. In the first embodiment, the expand sheet 210 is formed in a disk shape larger than the plate-like object 201, and an annular frame 211 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the plate-like object 201 is attached to the outer periphery of the expand sheet 210. The expand sheet 210 is formed in a disk shape larger than the outer diameter of the plate-like object 201, is made of an elastic resin, and has heat shrinkability, that is, shrinks when heated.

[0022] The plate-like object 201 is divided into individual chips 202 along division lines 205, with the modified layer 208 as the division starting point. Each chip 202 includes a part of the substrate 203 and a device 206 formed on the surface of the substrate 203. The DAF 212 is divided into each individual chip 202 when the plate-like object 201 is divided into the individual chips 202. In each divided chip 202, the DAF 212 is attached to the back surface 207 of the substrate 203 of the chip 202.

[0023] The expanding device 1 according to the first embodiment is a device that expands (expands) an expanding sheet 210 to which a plate-like material 201 and an annular frame 211 of a plate-like material unit 200 are attached, and divides the plate-like material 201 into individual chips 202, and divides a DAF 212 into each chip 202. As shown in Fig. 1, the expanding device 1 includes a chamber 10, a frame holding unit 20 which is a frame holding means, a pressing table 30 which is a pressing means, an expansion unit 40 which is an expansion means, a heating unit 50 which is a heating means, a plate 60, and a control unit 100.

[0024] The chamber 10 is formed in a box shape, and houses a frame holding unit 20, a pressing table 30, an expansion unit 40, a heating unit 50, and a plate 60. The chamber 10 has an opening (not shown) in a side wall 11, through which a plate-like object 201 is inserted and removed. The opening is opened and closed by an opening / closing door.

[0025] The frame holding unit 20 holds the annular frame 211 in a state where the surface 204 of the plate-like object 201 attached to the expand sheet 210 of the plate-like object unit 200 faces vertically downward. The frame holding unit 20 includes a frame mounting plate 21 and a frame pressing plate (not shown). The frame mounting plate 21 is formed in an annular shape with an inner diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the annular frame 211 and larger than the outer diameters of the plate-like object 201 and the DAF 212, and an outer diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the annular frame 211, and an upper surface 23 is formed flat parallel to the horizontal direction. The annular frame 211 of the plate-like object 201 is mounted on the upper surface 23 of the frame mounting plate 21.

[0026] The frame mounting plate 21 is provided so as to be movable up and down by a lifting cylinder 42 of the expansion unit 40. The frame mounting plate 21 is attached to the tip of a rod 45 of the lifting cylinder 42, and moves up and down within the chamber 10 as the rod 45 extends and retracts.

[0027] The frame pressing plate is formed in an annular shape with an inner diameter smaller than that of the frame mounting plate 21 and larger than the outer diameters of the plate-like object 201 and the DAF 212, and an outer diameter slightly larger than that of the annular frame 211, and has a flat lower surface formed parallel to the horizontal direction. The frame pressing plate is provided at a position coaxial with the frame mounting plate 21, and in the first embodiment, is disposed above the frame mounting plate 21. In the first embodiment, the frame pressing plate is supported within the chamber 10 so as to be able to freely rise and fall.

[0028] In the frame holding unit 20, an annular frame 211 attached to a plate-like object 201 via an expandable sheet 210 of a plate-like object unit 200 inserted into the chamber 10 through an opening on an upper surface 23 of a frame mounting plate 21 positioned downward by a lifting cylinder 42 is mounted. The frame holding unit 20 holds the annular frame 211, i.e., the plate-like object unit 200, by sandwiching the outer edge of the annular frame 211 and the expandable sheet 210 between the frame mounting plate 21 and the frame pressing plate.

[0029] The pressing table 30 has a contact surface 31 whose size corresponds to the plate-like object 201, and contacts the expanding sheet 210 attached to the annular frame 211 of the plate-like object unit 200 held by the frame holding unit 20. The pressing table 30 is formed in a thick disk shape, and in the first embodiment, is located above the expanding sheet 210 attached to the annular frame 211 held by the frame holding unit 20. The pressing table 30 is attached to the center and cooled by a cooling unit 33, and is raised and lowered within the chamber 10 by a table lifting unit 34.

[0030] In the first embodiment, the pressing table 30 is made of an aluminum alloy, has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameters of the frame mounting plate 21 and the frame pressing plate, and is disposed at a position coaxial with the inner circumferences of the frame mounting plate 21 and the frame pressing plate. The pressing table 30 is larger than the outer diameter of the plate-like object 201, and has a flat lower surface parallel to the horizontal direction.

[0031] The lower surface of the pressing table 30 is a contact surface 31 that contacts the expand sheet 210 attached to the annular frame 211 corresponding to the plate-like object 201 and held by the frame holding unit 20. The contact surface 31 of the pressing table 30 faces the back surface 207 of the plate-like object 201 via the expand sheet 210 and the DAF 212 attached to the annular frame 211 of the plate-like object unit 200 held by the frame holding unit 20.

[0032] Further, a plurality of suction holes (not shown) connected to a suction source 35 such as an ejector are opened in the contact surface 31 of the pressing table 30. When the suction holes are sucked by the suction source 35, the pressing table 30 can suck and hold the back surface 207 side of the plate-like object 201 on the contact surface 31 via the expanding sheet 210 and the DAF 212.

[0033] In the first embodiment, the cooling unit 33 is provided in the center of the upper surface of the pressing table 30, and cools the pressing table 30, i.e., the contact surface 31, to a temperature lower than room temperature. In the first embodiment, the cooling unit 33 is a piston cooler capable of cooling the pressing table 30, but the present invention is not limited to a piston cooler.

[0034] The table lifting unit 34 is composed of a motor (not shown), a ball screw rotated by the motor, and the like, and lifts and lowers the pressing table 30 and the cooling unit 33 within the chamber 10 .

[0035] The expansion unit 40 expands the expand sheet 210 attached to the annular frame 211 held by the frame holding unit 20 by moving the frame holding unit 20 and the pressing table 30 relatively to each other. The expansion unit 40 includes a lifting cylinder 42 for lifting and lowering the frame mounting plate 21. That is, in the first embodiment, the frame holding unit 20 and the pressing table 30 are moved relatively in the vertical direction by lifting and lowering the frame mounting plate 21. The lifting cylinder 42 is fixed to the bottom wall 12 of the chamber 10, and the frame mounting plate 21 is attached to the upper end of a rod 45.

[0036] With the pressing table 30 lowered by the table lifting unit 34, the expansion unit 40 raises the frame mounting plate 21 of the frame holding unit 20 holding the annular frame 211, thereby abutting the expand sheet 210 attached to the annular frame 211 against the abutment surface 31 of the pressing table 30, and raises the frame mounting plate 21 above the position where the expand sheet 210 abuts against the abutment surface 31, thereby expanding the expand sheet 210.

[0037] The heating unit 50 heats and shrinks the expandable sheet 210 between the outer peripheral side of the plate-like object 201 of the expandable sheet 210 attached to the annular frame 211 held by the frame holding unit 20 and expanded by the expansion unit 40 and the inner peripheral edge of the annular frame 211. The heating unit 50 includes a heater plate 51 and a plurality of hot air ejecting units 52.

[0038] The heater plate 51 is formed in a disk shape with an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameters of the frame mounting plate 21 and the frame pressing plate, and is disposed on the inner periphery of the frame mounting plate 21 and coaxially with the frame holding unit 20, the press table 30, and the cooling unit 33. The heater plate 51 is disposed below the upper surface 23 of the frame mounting plate 21, the upper surface of which is parallel to the horizontal direction and positioned below. The heater plate 51 is rotated about its axis by a heater plate rotating motor 54 attached to the bottom wall 12 of the chamber 10.

[0039] The multiple hot air ejection units 52 eject hot air 300 (shown in FIG. 10 ) facing the expanding sheet 210 between the outer periphery of the plate-like object 201 of the plate-like object unit 200 held by the frame holding unit 20 and expanded with the expanding sheet 210, and the inner periphery of the annular frame 211. The multiple hot air ejection units 52 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the heater plate 51, and face the area between the outer periphery of the plate-like object 201 of the expanding sheet 210 attached to and expanded by the annular frame 211 of the plate-like object unit 200 held by the frame holding unit 20 and the inner periphery of the annular frame 211.

[0040] The hot air ejection unit 52 includes a cylindrical ejection unit body 521 with a bottom and an opening at the top, a coil heater (not shown) housed in the ejection unit body 521, and an air supply source (not shown) that supplies air into the ejection unit body 521. The coil heater generates heat when power is supplied from a power source. In the hot air ejection unit 52, the air supply source supplies air into the ejection unit body 521, the supplied air is heated by the coil heater, and hot air 300 is ejected from the opening onto the expanded sheet 210 between the outer periphery of the plate-like object 201 of the plate-like object unit 200 and the inner periphery of the annular frame 211.

[0041] The plate 60 is disposed vertically between the plate-like object 201 of the plate-like object unit 200 held by the frame holding unit 20 and the heating unit 50. As shown in Fig. 4, the plate 60 has a plurality of outlets 61 for ejecting gas 400 (shown in Fig. 8) toward the plate-like object 201 and an opening 62 for passing hot air 300, which is heat from the hot air ejection section 52 of the heating unit 50.

[0042] The plate 60 is formed in a disk shape with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the frame mounting plate 21, and is disposed above the hot air ejection section 52 and on the inner peripheral side of the frame mounting plate 21 coaxially with the frame holding unit 20, the pressing table 30, and the cooling unit 33. The plate 60 is disposed below the upper surface 23 of the frame mounting plate 21, the upper surface of which is lowered. The plate 60 can be rotated around its axis by a plate rotation motor 63 attached to the heater plate 51.

[0043] Moreover, the plate 60 has an opening 62 on its outer edge and a plurality of ejection ports 61 in its center. The opening 62 and the ejection port 61 penetrate the plate 60. The opening 62 is formed by cutting out the outer edge of the plate 60, and can expose the hot air ejection part 52. The ejection port 61 is supplied with gas 400 from a compressed air supply source 64, and ejects the supplied gas 400 toward the plate-like object 201 of the plate-like object unit 200 held by the frame holding unit 20. In the first embodiment, the compressed air supply source 64 supplies the gas 400 at room temperature (20° C. or higher and 25° C. or lower) to the ejection port 61.

[0044] Thus, in the expanding device 1 according to the first embodiment, the pressing table 30 is disposed above the plate-like object 201 of the plate-like object unit 200 held by the frame holding unit 20, and the heating unit 50 is disposed below the plate-like object 201.

[0045] The control unit 100 controls each of the components of the expanding device 1 to cause the expanding device 1 to perform processing operations on the plate-like object 201. The control unit 100 is a computer having an arithmetic processing device having a microprocessor such as a CPU (central processing unit), a storage device having a memory such as a ROM (read only memory) or a RAM (random access memory), and an input / output interface device. The arithmetic processing device of the control unit 100 performs arithmetic processing according to a computer program stored in the storage device, and outputs control signals for controlling the expanding device 1 to the components of the expanding device 1 via the input / output interface device.

[0046] The control unit 100 is connected to a display unit (not shown) configured with a liquid crystal display device or the like for displaying the status of the machining operation, images, etc., and an input unit (not shown) used by an operator to register machining conditions, etc. The input unit is configured with at least one of a touch panel provided on the display unit and an external input device such as a keyboard.

[0047] (Dividing method) Next, a dividing method according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the flow of the dividing method according to the first embodiment. At least a part of the dividing method according to the first embodiment is also a processing operation of the expanding device 1 described above. The dividing method according to the first embodiment is a method for dividing a plate-like object 201 having a modified layer 208, which is a dividing starting point, and a DAF 212 attached to a back surface 207, along the modified layer 208. As shown in FIG. 5, the dividing method according to the first embodiment includes a preparation step 1001, a holding step 1002, a first expanding step 1003, a gas injection step 1004, a second expanding step 1005, and a heat shrink step 1006.

[0048] (Preparation step) The preparation step 1001 is a step of preparing a plate-like article unit 200 consisting of a plate-like article 201 on which a modified layer 208 has been formed, a DAF 212 attached to the back surface 207 of the plate-like article 201, an expand sheet 210 to which the plate-like article 201 is attached via the DAF 212, and an annular frame 211 to which the outer periphery of the expand sheet 210 is attached. In the first embodiment, the preparation step 1001 prepares the plate-like article unit 200 having the above-mentioned configuration.

[0049] (holding step) Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a holding step of the dividing method shown in Fig. 5. The holding step 1002 is a step of holding the annular frame 211 by the frame holding unit 20 in a state in which the plate-like object 201 attached to the expanding sheet 210 faces vertically downward after the preparation step 1001. In the first embodiment, in the holding step 1002, the expanding device 1 starts a processing operation when the processing conditions are registered in the control unit 100 and a processing start instruction is received.

[0050] In the embodiment 1, in the holding step 1002, the expanding device 1 lowers the frame mounting plate 21 and raises the pressing table 30. In the embodiment 1, in the holding step 1002, the expanding device 1 cools the pressing table 30 with the cooling unit 33 without sucking the contact surface 31 with the suction source 35 and without supplying gas to the nozzle 61 with the compressed air supply source 64, and supplies power from the power source to the coil heater of the hot air ejection part 52 to cause the coil heater to generate heat. Also, in the embodiment 1, in the holding step 1002, the expanding device 1 opens the opening of the chamber 10 with the opening / closing door in a state in which the opening 62 of the plate 60 is retracted from above the hot air ejection part 52 by the plate rotation motor 63.

[0051] In the holding step 1002 of the first embodiment, the expanding device 1 inserts the plate-like object unit 200 into the chamber 10 through the opening, and as shown in Fig. 6, the annular frame 211 of the plate-like object unit 200 inserted into the chamber 10 is placed on the upper surface 23 of the frame mounting plate 21. In the holding step 1002 of the first embodiment, the expanding device 1 closes the opening of the chamber 10 with the opening / closing door, and holds the annular frame 211 and the outer circumferential side of the expanding sheet 210 by sandwiching them between the lowered frame mounting plate 21 and the frame pressing plate.

[0052] (First expansion step) Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a first expanding step of the dividing method shown in Fig. 5. The first expanding step 1003 is a step of expanding the expanding sheet 210 by relatively moving the frame holding unit 20 and the pressing table 30 having the contact surface 31 corresponding to the plate-like object 201 in a cooled state after the holding step 1002, and by relatively moving the frame holding unit 20 and the pressing table by a first distance.

[0053] In the first embodiment, in the first expansion step 1003, the expanding device 1 lowers the pressing table 30 cooled by the cooling unit 33 by the table lifting unit 34, and brings the contact surface 31 into contact with the expanding sheet 210 of the plate-like object unit 200 held by the frame holding unit 20. When the expanding sheet 210 comes into contact with the contact surface 31, the DAF 212 is cooled to a temperature lower than room temperature by the cooling unit 33 via the expanding sheet 210 and the pressing table 30.

[0054] In the first embodiment, in the first expansion step 1003, the expanding device 1 extends the rod 45 of the lifting cylinder 42 as shown in Fig. 7 to raise the frame mounting plate 21 by a first distance, and relatively moves the frame holding unit 20 and the pressing table 30 by the first distance in the vertical direction. In the first embodiment, the first distance is 8 mm. Then, as shown in Fig. 7, the expanding sheet 210 is expanded in the planar direction. As a result of the expansion, a tensile force acts radially on the expanding sheet 210.

[0055] When a radial tensile force acts on the expanding sheet 210 attached to the back surface 207 of the plate-like object 201 in this manner, the plate-like object 201 is divided into individual chips 202 along the intended division lines 205, starting from the modified layer 208, because the modified layer 208 is formed along the intended division lines 205. Also, when the plate-like object 201 is divided into individual chips 202, the DAF 212 attached to the back surface 207 of the plate-like object 201 is divided into each individual chip 202, as the force in the expansion direction acting from the expanding sheet 210 is concentrated between the chips 202. Thus, in the first expansion step 1003, the plate-like object 201 is divided into individual chips 202, and a first gap 221 is generated between the chips 202.

[0056] (Gas injection step) Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of the gas injection step of the dividing method shown in Fig. 5. The gas injection step 1004 is a step of injecting gas 400 toward the plate-like object 201 after the first expansion step 1003. In the gas injection step 1004 of the first embodiment, the expanding device 1 stops cooling the pressing table 30 of the cooling unit 33, and raises the pressing table 30 by the table lifting unit 34 to separate the contact surface 31 from the expanding sheet 210.

[0057] In the first embodiment, in the gas injection step 1004, the expanding device 1 contracts the rod 45 of the lifting cylinder 42 to lower the frame mounting plate 21 to the position of the holding step 1002. In the first embodiment, in the gas injection step 1004, the expanding device 1 supplies the gas 400 from the compressed air supply source 64 to the injection port 61 for a predetermined time, and injects the room temperature gas 400 from the injection port 61 toward the plate-like object 201, as shown in Fig. 8. Then, the temperature of the plate-like object 201 rises to room temperature, and the temperature of the DAF 212 also rises to room temperature via the plate-like object 201.

[0058] (Second expansion step) Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a second expanding step of the dividing method shown in Fig. 5. The second expanding step 1005 is a step of expanding the expanding sheet 210 by bringing the pressing table 30 into contact with the expanding sheet 210 in an uncooled state after the gas injection step 1004 and relatively moving the frame holding unit 20 and the pressing table 30 by a second distance longer than the first distance.

[0059] In the first embodiment, in the second expansion step 1005, the expanding device 1 lowers the uncooled pressing table 30 by the table lifting unit 34, and the contact surface 31 is brought into contact with the expanding sheet 210 of the plate-like unit 200 held by the frame holding unit 20. In the first embodiment, in the second expansion step 1005, as shown in FIG. 9, the expanding device 1 extends the rod 45 of the lifting cylinder 42 to raise the frame mounting plate 21 by a second distance longer than the first distance, and moves the frame holding unit 20 and the pressing table 30 relatively by the second distance in the vertical direction. In the first embodiment, the second distance is 15 mm. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the expanding sheet 210 is expanded in the surface direction, and a second interval 222 wider than the first interval 221 is generated between the chips 202.

[0060] (Heat shrink step) Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a heat shrink step of the division method shown in Fig. 5. The heat shrink step 1006 is a step of heating and shrinking the expand sheet 210 between the outer periphery of the plate-like object 201 of the plate-like object unit 200 and the inner periphery of the annular frame 211.

[0061] In the embodiment 1, in the heat shrink step 1006, the expanding device 1 sucks the contact surface 31 by the suction source 35, and sucks and holds the plate-like object 201, i.e., the individually divided chips 202, on the contact surface 31 of the pressing table 30 via the expand sheet 210. In the embodiment 1, in the heat shrink step 1006, the expanding device 1 contracts the rod 45 of the lifting cylinder 42 and lowers the frame mounting plate 21 to the position of the holding step 1002. Then, since the plate-like object 201, i.e., the chips 202, is sucked and held on the contact surface 31 via the expand sheet 210, a slack portion 214 (so-called loose portion) is generated in the expand sheet 210 between the outer periphery of the plate-like object 201 of the plate-like object unit 200 and the inner periphery of the annular frame 211.

[0062] In the first embodiment, in the heat shrink step 1006, the expanding device 1 uses the plate rotation motor 63 to position the opening 62 of the plate 60 above the hot air ejection section 52. Thus, when passing hot air 300, which is heat from the heating unit 50, the expanding device 1 rotates the plate 60 from the positions of the holding step 1002, the first expansion step 1003, the gas ejection step 1004, and the second expansion step 1005 so that the opening 62 is positioned above the hot air ejection section 52.

[0063] In the first embodiment, in the heat shrink step 1006, the expanding device 1 rotates the heater plate 51 by the heater plate rotating motor 54 while supplying air from the air supply source into the ejection part main body 521 for a predetermined time. Thus, in the heat shrink step 1006, the expanding device 1 ejects hot air 300 from the hot air ejection part 52 as shown in FIG. 10 while rotating the heater plate 51 together with the plate 60 by the heater plate rotating motor 54.

[0064] Then, the expanding device 1 blows hot air 300 over the entire periphery of the slack portion 214 of the expanding sheet 210 between the outer periphery of the plate-like object 201 and the inner periphery of the annular frame 211, thereby heating and shrinking the slack portion 214. In the first embodiment, in the heat shrink step 1006, when the expanding device 1 finishes rotating the heater plate 51 and spraying the hot air 300, it stops suction and holding the plate-like object 201, i.e., the chip 202, on the contact surface 31 by the suction source 35, and raises the pressing table 30 by the table lifting unit 34.

[0065] Then, the slack 214 in the expanding sheet 210 between the outer periphery of the plate-like object 201 and the inner periphery of the annular frame 211 is heated and contracted, so that the gap between the chips 202 is maintained at the second gap 222. The expanding device 1 releases the frame holding unit 20 from holding the annular frame 211, etc., and opens the opening of the chamber 10 with the opening and closing door, and the plate-like object unit 200 is carried out of the chamber 10, completing the dividing method.

[0066] If the DAF 212 is cooled to a temperature lower than room temperature in the second expansion step 1005, the DAF 212 will crack and scatter within the chamber 10. However, as described above, in the expansion device 1 and division method of embodiment 1, in the gas injection step 1004 before the second expansion step 1005, room temperature gas 400 is injected onto the plate-like object 201 to raise the temperature of the DAF 212 to room temperature.

[0067] For this reason, the expanding apparatus 1 and the dividing method according to the first embodiment can suppress scattering of the DAF 212 in the chamber 10 in the second expansion step 1005.

[0068] Furthermore, in the expanding apparatus 1 and dividing method according to embodiment 1, in the gas injection step 1004, room temperature gas 400 is injected onto the plate-like material 201 to raise the temperature of the DAF 212 to room temperature, so that the time required for the temperature of the DAF 212 to reach room temperature by leaving the plate-like material 201 after the first expansion step 1003 in an atmosphere at room temperature can be reduced.

[0069] As a result, the expanding apparatus 1 and the dividing method according to the first embodiment have the effect of suppressing scattering of the DAF 212 while suppressing a decrease in production efficiency.

[0070] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. That is, various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. In the first embodiment, an example was described in which the reformed layer 208, which is the division starting point, is formed along the division planned line 205 on the plate-like object 201. However, in the present invention, the division starting point is not limited to the reformed layer 208. In the present invention, before the expansion by the expanding device 1, the plate-like object 201 may be divided into individual chips 202 along the division planned line 205 by cutting or laser ablation processing, or the plate-like object 201 may be cut or laser ablation processed to form recessed processed grooves from the surface 204 along the division planned line 205 as division starting points. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1 Expanding device 20 Frame holding unit (frame holding means) 30 Pressing table (pressing means) 31 Contact surface 40 Expansion unit (expansion means) 50 Heating unit (heating means) 52 Hot air injection section 60 Plates 61 spout 62 Opening 200 Plate units 201 Plate-shaped objects 207 Back side 208 Modified layer (starting point of division) 210 Expanded Sheet 211 Annular Frame 212 DAF (Adhesive Film) 300 Warm air (heat) 400 Gas 1001 Preparation Steps 1002 Retention Step 1003 First expansion step 1004 Gas injection step 1005 2nd expansion step

Claims

1. An expanding device that expands an expanding sheet to which a plate-like object and an annular frame are attached, A frame holding means for holding the annular frame in a state in which the plate-like object attached to the expand sheet faces vertically downward; A pressing means having a contact surface corresponding to the plate-like object and contacting the expand sheet attached to the annular frame held by the frame holding means; an expansion means for expanding the expandable sheet by moving the frame holding means and the pressing means relative to each other; A heating means for heating the expand sheet between the outer peripheral side of the plate-like object and the inner peripheral edge of the annular frame; a plate disposed between the plate-like object and the heating means in the vertical direction, the plate having a plurality of outlets for ejecting gas toward the plate-like object and an opening for transmitting heat from the heating means; An expanding device comprising:

2. 2. The expanding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plate is rotatable about an axis, and rotates so that the opening is positioned above the heating means when passing heat from the heating means.

3. A method for dividing a plate-shaped object having a dividing starting point and an adhesive film attached to a back surface thereof along the dividing starting point, comprising the steps of: A preparation step of preparing a plate-like unit including a plate-like object having a division starting point formed thereon, an adhesive film attached to the back surface of the plate-like object, an expandable sheet to which the plate-like object is attached via the adhesive film, and an annular frame to which the outer periphery of the expandable sheet is attached; After the preparation step, a holding step of holding the annular frame with a frame holding means in a state in which the plate-like object attached to the expand sheet faces vertically downward; a first expansion step in which, after the holding step, a pressing means having an abutment surface corresponding to the plate-like object is brought into contact with the expanding sheet in a cooled state, and the frame holding means and the pressing means are moved relatively by a first distance to expand the expanding sheet; a gas injection step of injecting gas toward the plate-like object after the first expansion step; a second expansion step in which, after the gas injection step, the pressing means is brought into contact with the expanding sheet in an uncooled state, and the frame holding means and the pressing means are moved relatively a second distance longer than the first distance to expand the expanding sheet; A division method comprising:

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