Cleaning apparatus and cleaning method

Abstract

To provide a cleaning apparatus that forcibly dislodges dust inside a processing apparatus, thereby facilitating cleaning within the processing apparatus.SOLUTION: A cleaning device 2 includes a high-pressure air source 4, dusting means 6 that uses a jet of air to remove dust adhering to the interior walls, ceiling, beams, etc., of the processing device, a communication passage 8 through which the high-pressure air source 4 and the dusting means 6 communicate with each other, and pressure adjustment means 10 and a solenoid valve 12 that are both arranged in the communication passage 8.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning method.

Background Art

[0002] A wafer on which a plurality of devices such as ICs and LSIs are formed on the surface and partitioned by a planned division line is ground on the back surface by a grinding device to form a desired thickness, and then divided into individual device chips by a dicing device or a laser processing device. Each of the divided device chips is used in electrical devices such as mobile phones and personal computers (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Processing devices including a grinding device, a dicing device, a laser processing device, etc. are usually installed in a clean room where there is no dust. However, dust may adhere to the inner walls, ceiling, beams, etc. of the processing device. In this case, over time, the dust may fall randomly, and the dust may adhere to the upper surface of the chuck table of the processing device. Then, when a wafer is placed on the upper surface of the chuck table, dust may be sandwiched between the chuck table and the wafer, resulting in a problem that high-precision processing cannot be performed.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device and a cleaning method that forcibly drop dust inside the processing device and facilitate cleaning inside the processing device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, the following cleaning device is provided to solve the above problems. That is, "A cleaning device comprising: A high-pressure air source; A flapping means for dislodging dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the processing device by jetting air; A communication path connecting the high-pressure air source and the flapping means; Pressure adjusting means and solenoid valves both disposed in the communication path; is provided."

[0007] Preferably, the flapping means is constituted by a sprinkler. The solenoid valve is controlled by a control means, and it is preferable that the control means opens and closes the solenoid valve at an appropriate timing.

[0008] Also, according to the present invention, the following cleaning method is provided to solve the above problems. That is, "A cleaning method for a processing device including a chuck table for holding a workpiece, a processing means for processing the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a positioning means for positioning the chuck table in a loading area for loading the workpiece onto the chuck table and a processing area for processing the workpiece, the cleaning method comprising: A flapping means arranging step of arranging the flapping means of the cleaning device as described above on the ceiling corresponding to the loading area; A flapping step of operating the cleaning device before loading the workpiece onto the chuck table to dislodge dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the processing device by the air jetted by the flapping means; A cleaning step of cleaning the upper surface of the chuck table after the time for the dust to settle has elapsed; is provided."

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] The cleaning device of the present invention comprises a high-pressure air source; a flapping means for dislodging dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the processing device by jetting air; A communication path that communicates the high-pressure air source and the striking means, both a pressure adjusting means and a solenoid valve disposed in the communication path, Since it includes, it is possible to forcibly drop dust in the processing device and facilitate cleaning in the processing device.

[0010] The cleaning method of the present invention is a chuck table for holding a workpiece, a processing means for processing the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a positioning means for positioning the chuck table in a loading area for loading the workpiece onto the chuck table and a processing area for processing the workpiece, a cleaning method for a processing device including: a striking means arranging step of arranging the striking means of the cleaning device as described above on the ceiling corresponding to the loading area, a striking step of operating the cleaning device before loading the workpiece onto the chuck table to strike off dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the processing device by the air jetted by the striking means, a cleaning step of cleaning the upper surface of the chuck table after the time for the dust to settle has elapsed, Since it includes, it is possible to forcibly drop dust in the processing device and facilitate cleaning in the processing device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the cleaning device and the cleaning method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] (Cleaning device 2) The cleaning device 2 shown in FIG. 1 includes a high-pressure air source 4, a flapping means 6 for flapping off dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the processing device by jetting air, a communication path 8 communicating the high-pressure air source 4 and the flapping means 6, and a pressure adjusting means 10 and a solenoid valve 12 both disposed in the communication path 8.

[0014] (High-pressure air source 4) As the high-pressure air source 4, a high-pressure tank for storing high-pressure air compressed by a compressor having a known configuration such as a positive displacement type or a turbo type is preferable.

[0015] (Flapping means 6) Referring to FIG. 2 for explanation, the flapping means 6 includes a support substrate 14, a fixed shaft 16 fixed to the lower surface of the support substrate 14, a rotating shaft 18 attached to the lower end of the fixed shaft 16, and a plurality of injection shafts 20 fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 18.

[0016] The upper surface of the support substrate 14 of the flapping means 6 is fixed to the lower surface of the ceiling of the processing device. A pipeline 22 through which the high-pressure air supplied from the high-pressure air source 4 passes is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the fixed shaft 16. The fixed shaft 16 is hollow, and the inside of the fixed shaft 16 communicates with the inside of the pipeline 22. Therefore, the high-pressure air supplied from the high-pressure air source 4 is supplied to the fixed shaft 16 through the pipeline 22.

[0017] The rotating shaft 18 of the flapping means 6 is rotatably attached to the lower end of the fixed shaft 16 in the direction indicated by the arrow R. The rotating shaft 18 is hollow, and the inside of the rotating shaft 18 communicates with the inside of the fixed shaft 16. Therefore, the high-pressure air supplied to the fixed shaft 16 is sent to the rotating shaft 18.

[0018] The plurality of injection shafts 20 of the striking means 6 extend radially outward at intervals in the circumferential direction from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 18. The injection shafts 20 are fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 18. The injection shafts 20 are hollow, and the inside of the injection shafts 20 communicates with the inside of the rotating shaft 18. Further, a plurality of injection ports 20a are formed facing upward at the upper part of the injection shaft 20, and a plurality of injection ports 20b are formed facing sideways in one direction at one side portion in the width direction of the injection shaft 20 (the right side portion in FIG. 2(b)). Then, the high-pressure air that has passed through the rotating shaft 18 is sent to the injection shafts 20, and the high-pressure air is injected from each of the injection ports 20a and 20b. Mainly, the dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the processing apparatus is struck off by the high-pressure air injected from the injection ports 20a. Further, the rotating shaft 18 together with the injection shaft 20 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow R by the high-pressure air injected from the injection ports 20b. That is, the striking means 6 of the present embodiment is configured as a sprinkler that injects air around while rotating. Although not shown, an injection port facing obliquely upward may be formed between the injection port 20a and the injection port 20b.

[0019] (Communication passage 8, pressure adjusting means 10, solenoid valve 12) A pressure adjusting means 10 and a solenoid valve 12 are disposed in a communication passage 8 that communicates the high-pressure air source 4 and the striking means 6. The pressure adjusting means 10 reduces the pressure of the high-pressure air sent out from the high-pressure air source 4 to a predetermined pressure and sends the air at the predetermined pressure to the striking means 6. The solenoid valve 12 is controlled by a control means 24 to an open state in which the communication passage 8 is opened and a closed state in which the communication passage 8 is closed. The control means 24 is composed of a computer having a processor and a memory. Further, the control means 24 has a timer 26, and based on the time counted by the timer 26, the solenoid valve 12 is opened and closed at an appropriate timing (for example, once a day) to remove the dust in the processing apparatus. Note that the control means 24 can change the opening and closing timing of the solenoid valve 12 in response to an input instruction from an operator.

[0020] (Processing apparatus: dicing apparatus 28) FIG. 3 shows a dicing device 28 as an example of a processing device that can be cleaned by the cleaning device 2. However, the processing device that can be cleaned by the cleaning device 2 is not limited to the dicing device 28, and may be a grinding device, a laser processing device, or the like.

[0021] The dicing device 28 includes a chuck table 30 that holds a workpiece such as a wafer W, a processing means (cutting means) 32 that processes the workpiece held on the chuck table 30, and a positioning means (not shown) that positions the chuck table 30 in a loading area for loading the workpiece onto the chuck table 30 and a processing area for processing the workpiece. Note that the wafer W shown in FIG. 1 is attached to an adhesive tape T whose periphery is fixed to an annular frame F.

[0022] (Chuck table 30) A circular suction chuck 34 is disposed at the upper end of the chuck table 30. The suction chuck 34 is formed of a porous member such as porous ceramics. The suction chuck 34 is also connected to a suction means (not shown). In the chuck table 30, a suction force is generated on the upper surface of the suction chuck 34 by the suction means, and a workpiece such as the wafer W placed on the upper surface of the suction chuck 34 is suction-held. Further, the chuck table 30 is rotated by a chuck table motor (not shown) about the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) indicated by an arrow Z in FIG. 3.

[0023] Note that the X-axis direction indicated by an arrow X in FIG. 1 is a direction orthogonal to the Z-axis direction, and the direction indicated by an arrow Y in FIG. 1 is a direction orthogonal to both the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. The XY plane defined by the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is substantially horizontal.

[0024] (Processing means 32) The processing means 32 of this embodiment is configured as a cutting means for performing cutting on the workpiece held by the chuck table 30. The processing means 32 includes a spindle housing 36 movably arranged in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, a spindle 38 rotatably supported by the spindle housing 36 with the Y-axis direction as the axis, and an annular cutting blade 40 attached to the tip of the spindle 38. Although not shown, the processing means 32 of this embodiment is indexed and fed in the Y-axis direction by an indexing feed means and fed in the Z-axis direction by a cutting feed means.

[0025] When the processing device is a grinding device, the processing means is configured as a grinding means for performing grinding on the workpiece held by the chuck table 30. When the processing device is a laser processing device, the processing means is configured as a laser beam irradiation means for performing laser processing on the workpiece held by the chuck table 30.

[0026] (Positioning means) Although not shown, the positioning means has a ball screw connected to the chuck table 30 and extending in the X-axis direction, and a motor for rotating the ball screw. The positioning means converts the rotational motion of the motor into a linear motion by the ball screw and transmits it to the chuck table 30 to move the chuck table 30 in the X-axis direction. Thereby, the chuck table 30 is positioned in a loading area (the area where the chuck table 30 is located in FIG. 3) for loading the workpiece and a processing area (the area where the processing means 32 is located) for processing the workpiece.

[0027] (Processing chamber 42) As shown in FIG. 3, the dicing apparatus 28 includes a chuck table 30, a processing means 32, and a processing chamber 42 that covers the positioning means. The ceiling and side walls that partition the processing chamber 42 include a transparent cover 46 that is attached to the upper part of the dicing apparatus 28 via a hinge 44 so as to be openable and closable. The transparent cover 46 has a top surface portion 48 that extends in the Y-axis direction from the upper part of the dicing apparatus 28 and a side surface portion 50 that extends downward from the tip of the top surface portion 48 in the Y-axis direction. In the dicing apparatus 28, by opening the transparent cover 46, it becomes possible to access the chuck table 30, the processing means 32, etc. arranged in the processing chamber 42.

[0028] In the dicing apparatus 28, a cassette 52 that houses a plurality of wafers W (workpieces) supported by an annular frame F via an adhesive tape T is placed on a cassette stage 54 that can move up and down. The cassette stage 54 is moved up and down by lifting means (not shown) having a ball screw and a motor.

[0029] The dicing apparatus 28 further includes a loading / unloading means 58 that pulls out the wafer W before cutting from the cassette 52, carries it out to a temporary placement table 56, and carries the cut wafer W positioned on the temporary placement table 56 into the cassette 52, a first transfer means 60 that transfers the wafer W before cutting carried out from the cassette 52 to the temporary placement table 56 to the chuck table 30, an imaging means 62 that images the wafer W held by the chuck table 30, a display means 64 that displays the image of the wafer W imaged by the imaging means 62, a cleaning means 66 that cleans the cut wafer W, and a second transfer means 68 that transfers the cut wafer W from the chuck table 30 to the cleaning means 66.

[0030] (Cleaning method) Next, a cleaning method for cleaning the dicing apparatus 28 using the cleaning apparatus 2 will be described.

[0031] (Vibrating means arrangement step) In this embodiment, first, a step of disposing the striking means 6 of the cleaning device 2 on the ceiling corresponding to the loading area is performed. As described above, the loading area is the area where the chuck table 30 is located in FIG. 3. Therefore, in the step of disposing the striking means, the support substrate 14 of the striking means 6 is disposed on the ceiling corresponding to the area where the chuck table 30 is located in FIG. 3 (in the form shown in FIG. 3, the top surface portion 48 of the transparent cover 46). Although the striking means 6 is not shown in FIG. 3, the location where the support substrate 14 of the striking means 6 is disposed is indicated by reference numeral 70.

[0032] (Striking step) After performing the step of disposing the striking means, before loading the workpiece onto the chuck table 30, the cleaning device 2 is operated, and a striking step is performed in which the dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the dicing device 28 (processing device) is struck off by the air jetted by the striking means 6.

[0033] In the striking step, by opening the solenoid valve 12, the high-pressure air supplied from the high-pressure air source 4 is adjusted to an appropriate pressure by the pressure adjusting means 10, and then the air is supplied to the fixed shaft 16 of the striking means 6 through the communication passage 8. The air supplied to the fixed shaft 16 of the striking means 6 passes through the inside of the rotating shaft 18 and the injection shaft 20, and is jetted from the injection ports 20a, 20b of the injection shaft 20. The air jetted from the injection ports 20a, 20b is indicated by reference numeral 72 in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the rotating shaft 18 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow R together with the injection shaft 20 by the high-pressure air jetted from the injection port 20b. Then, the dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the dicing device 28 is struck off by the high-pressure air jetted from the injection ports 20a, 20b (mainly the injection port 20a) of the rotating striking means 6. The struck-off dust slowly falls onto the lower surface of the processing chamber 42. In FIG. 5, the dust that has fallen onto the upper surface of the chuck table 30 located in the loading area is indicated by reference numeral 74.

[0034] (Cleaning step) After performing the tapping process, after the time for the dust 74 to settle has elapsed, a cleaning process for cleaning the upper surface of the chuck table 30 is performed. In the cleaning process, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, an adhesive roller 76 with an adhesive surface of an adhesive tape disposed on the outer periphery can be used. Then, by reciprocating the adhesive roller 76 on the upper surface of the chuck table 30 an appropriate number of times, the dust 74 can be removed from the upper surface of the chuck table 30.

[0035] As described above, in the illustrated embodiment, since the dust 74 that falls disorderly over time is forcibly dropped in advance, the upper surface of the chuck table 30 can always be cleaned. Therefore, when dust 74 adheres to the upper surface of the chuck table 30 and a workpiece such as a wafer W is placed on the chuck table 30, the problem that the dust 74 is sandwiched between the chuck table 30 and the workpiece and high-precision processing cannot be performed on the workpiece can be solved.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0036] 2: Cleaning device 4: High-pressure air source 6: Tapping means 8: Communication path 10: Pressure adjustment means 12: Solenoid valve 24: Control means 28: Dicing device (processing device) 30: Chuck table 32: Processing means

Claims

1. A cleaning device, a high-pressure air source, a flapping means for flapping off dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the processing device by jetting air, a communication path communicating the high-pressure air source and the flapping means, a pressure adjusting means and a solenoid valve both disposed in the communication path, and a cleaning device including the same.

2. The cleaning device according to Claim 1, wherein the flapping means is constituted by a sprinkler.

3. The solenoid valve is controlled by a control means, and the control means opens and closes the solenoid valve at an appropriate timing. The cleaning device according to Claim 1.

4. A cleaning method for a processing device, including a chuck table for holding a workpiece, a processing means for performing a process on the workpiece held by the chuck table, and a positioning means for positioning the chuck table in a loading area for loading the workpiece onto the chuck table and a processing area for performing a process on the workpiece, a step of disposing the flapping means of the cleaning device according to Claim 1 on the ceiling corresponding to the loading area, a flapping step of operating the cleaning device before loading the workpiece onto the chuck table to flap off dust adhering to the inner wall, ceiling, beam, etc. of the processing device by air jetted by the flapping means, and a cleaning step of cleaning the upper surface of the chuck table after the time for the dust to settle has elapsed, and a cleaning method including the same.

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