Processing device and processing method

Abstract

To provide a new technique capable of expanding a seat of a frame unit.SOLUTION: A processing device 100 processes a frame unit 1 in which a wafer is held through a sheet 3 in an opening of a ring frame 2. The processing device 100 includes: a holding part 10 that holds a surface on the sheet 3 side, of the frame unit 1; and a processing unit that processes the wafer held by the holding part 10. The holding part 10 includes: a first holding part 11 having a holding surface 111 for holding a region corresponding to the wafer; and a second holding part 12 for holding a region located outside the holding surface 111 and between the ring frame 2 and the wafer. The second holding part 12 includes a ring 14 that is a concave-convex part which is concave or convex with respect to the holding surface 111 in a direction intersecting the holding surface 111.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing device and a processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, processing equipment has been known that handles processing objects such as wafers in the form of a frame unit that is integrated with a ring frame via a sheet. In processing equipment that handles a frame unit, it is sometimes desired to process the processing object with the sheet in an expanded state. For example, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a typical example is when processing chipped processing objects, such as cleaning. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-078249 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-015998 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a large force is likely to be applied to the clamp that clamps the ring frame when the seat is expanded. Therefore, the clamp must be structured to be able to hold the ring frame with sufficient force, but depending on the structure of the clamp, it may be difficult to continue holding the ring frame when a large force is applied.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has an object to provide a new technique that enables the seat of a frame unit to be extended. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a processing device for processing a frame unit in which an object to be processed is held in an opening of a frame via a sheet, and comprises: a holding portion for holding the surface of the frame unit facing the sheet; and a processing unit for processing the object to be processed held in the holding portion; the holding portion has a first holding portion having a first holding surface for holding an area corresponding to the object to be processed; and a second holding portion for holding an area located outside the first holding surface, between the frame and the object to be processed; and the second holding portion includes an uneven portion that is concave or convex from the first holding surface in a direction intersecting the first holding surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a new technique can be provided that allows the seat of a frame unit to be extended. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a frame unit. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a placement step in the processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an extension step in the processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing processing steps in the processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a view showing a placement step in the processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an extension step in the processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a placement step in the processing apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an extension step in the processing apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state of a holding step in the processing apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing processing steps in a processing apparatus according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a view showing a state of a carrying-out step in the processing apparatus according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Processing apparatuses according to each embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The processing apparatus is an apparatus that handles processing objects in the form of a frame unit 1. The processing object is, for example, any wafer formed in a roughly plate shape, such as silicon, sapphire, or a compound semiconductor. In the following, an example will be described in which the processing object is a wafer 4 that has been chipped and divided into a plurality of chips 5, as shown in FIG.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the frame unit 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the frame unit 1 is configured by attaching a wafer 4, which is an object to be processed, to a sheet 3 that covers the opening of an annular ring frame 2, thereby integrating the ring frame 2 and the wafer 4.

[0011] The processing apparatuses according to the respective embodiments are configured to process a frame unit 1 in which a wafer 4 is held via a sheet 3 in the opening of a ring frame 2. More specifically, these processing apparatuses are configured so that a processing unit included in the processing apparatus processes the wafer 4 in a state in which the sheet 3 is stretched and expanded to widen the gap between the chips 5 that make up the wafer 4.

[0012] In each embodiment, the processing unit is exemplified as a cleaning unit that cleans the wafer 4 with cleaning liquid 41. In the processing apparatus, the cleaning unit cleans the wafer 4 with cleaning liquid while the chips 5 are spaced apart, so that the bottom of the kerf formed when the wafer 4 is divided and the side surfaces of the chips 5 can also be cleaned, thereby achieving a high level of cleanliness.

[0013] However, the cleaning unit serving as a processing unit is not limited to a cleaning unit that cleans with a cleaning liquid. Furthermore, the processing unit is not limited to a cleaning unit as long as it processes the processing object while the sheet 3 is stretched and expanded. The processing unit may be a coating unit that forms a protective film, a grinding unit that grinds the processing object, a plasma processing unit that processes the processing object with plasma, a tape application unit, an imaging unit, an inspection unit, or the like. For example, by performing plasma processing with the sheet 3 stretched and expanded, the plasma processing unit can easily allow plasma gas to enter between the chips 5, thereby removing processing strain on the side surfaces of the chips 5.

[0014] First Embodiment 2, 3, and 4 are diagrams showing the placement step, expansion step, and processing step, respectively, of the processing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. The processing apparatus 100 is a cleaning apparatus equipped with a cleaning unit that cleans chipped wafers 4. The processing apparatus 100 expands the sheet 3 of the frame unit 1 placed in the placement step in the expansion step, thereby cleaning the wafer 4 while widening the gaps between the chips 5 in the processing step. However, in addition to or instead of cleaning, the processing apparatus 100 may also perform processing such as grinding, polishing, and cutting, imaging, inspection, tape application, tape peeling, and film formation on the wafer 4, or may be a processing apparatus that performs a combination of multiple types of processing on the wafer 4.

[0015] 2 to 4, the configuration of processing apparatus 100 will be described. Processing apparatus 100 is a cleaning apparatus equipped with spinner table 101 and cleaning nozzle 40. Spinner table 101 is a table that holds and rotates frame unit 1, and is equipped with holding section 10, clamp section 15, rotation mechanism 20, and suction source 30.

[0016] The holding portion 10 includes a first holding portion 11 and a second holding portion 12, and holds the surface of the frame unit 1 facing the sheet 3. More specifically, the holding portion 10 is configured to suction-hold the surface of the frame unit 1 facing the sheet.

[0017] The first holding part 11 is, for example, a porous plate fitted into the second holding part 12. The first holding part 11 is a circular flat plate, but may also be a rectangular flat plate. The first holding part 11 has a holding surface 111 that holds an area of the surface of the frame unit 1 facing the sheet 3, which corresponds to the wafer 4 including the divided chips 5. The holding surface 111 is the surface (exposed surface) of the porous plate.

[0018] The second holding part 12 includes a frame 13 that surrounds the first holding part 11, which is a porous plate, and a ring 14 fixed on the frame 13. The second holding part 12 is an area located outside the holding surface 111, and holds the area between the ring frame 2 and the wafer 4 (a collection of multiple chips 5) on the surface of the frame unit 1 facing the sheet 3.

[0019] The frame 13 is formed with a recess into which the first holding part 11 is fitted, and a suction path 31 is formed to connect the bottom surface of the recess with the suction source 30. The suction path 31 connects the suction source 30 with the holding surface 111 via the first holding part 11. When the suction source 30 performs a suction operation, a suction force is generated on the holding surface 111 of the first holding part 11 through the suction path 31.

[0020] The ring 14 is placed on and fixed to the frame 13 so as to surround the first holding portion 11. The ring 14 has a circular ring shape, but may also have a rectangular ring shape. The upper surface of the frame 13 is formed to be approximately flush with the holding surface 111 of the first holding portion 11. Therefore, the ring 14 fixed to the frame 13 is a protruding portion that protrudes from the holding surface 111. The ring 14 is an example of an uneven portion that is convex from the holding surface 111 in a direction intersecting with the holding surface 111, and is an example of an uneven portion formed on the frame 13. The tip of the protruding portion of the ring 14 is chamfered to prevent damage to the tape. Furthermore, the ring 14, which is an example of an uneven portion, does not have to be formed in an annular shape, but may be divided into multiple pieces and formed at intervals on the frame 13.

[0021] The clamp section 15 includes a frame support section 16 and a frame pressing section 17, and holds the ring frame 2 of the frame unit 1. More specifically, the clamp section 15 is configured to sandwich and hold the ring frame 2 between the frame support section 16 and the frame pressing section 17 by utilizing the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the spinner table 101.

[0022] The frame support part 16 is a member provided outside the second holding part 12 and supports the ring frame 2, and has an upper surface that is approximately flush with the holding surface 111. The frame support part 16 is fixed to the holding part 10. The ring frame 2 is placed on the upper surface of the frame support part 16.

[0023] The frame retainer 17 is a pendulum body that is attached to the frame support 16 so that it can swing freely. When centrifugal force is applied to the frame retainer 17, the relatively heavy weight portion is pulled outward, and as a result, the relatively light claw portion at the tip comes into contact with the upper surface of the frame support 16. Therefore, when centrifugal force is applied with the ring frame 2 placed on the frame support 16, the frame retainer 17 comes into contact with the ring frame 2 on the frame support 16 so as to press it down from above.

[0024] The rotation mechanism 20 is a mechanism that connects a motor (not shown) to the spinner table 101, and may include a motor. With the spinner table 101 connected to the motor by the rotation mechanism 20, the motor rotates, causing the spinner table 101 to rotate.

[0025] The suction source 30 is a vacuum device that sucks in air. When the vacuum device, which is the suction source 30, is operated, air above the holding surface 111 is sucked in through the suction path 31, and a suction force is generated on the holding surface 111.

[0026] The cleaning nozzle 40 is a nozzle that supplies a cleaning liquid 41. The cleaning nozzle 40 is an example of a processing unit that processes the wafer 4, which is the processing object held by the holder 10, and more specifically, is an example of a cleaning unit that cleans the wafer 4.

[0027] The processing apparatus 100 configured as described above is configured to rotate the frame unit 1 placed on the spinner table 101 while cleaning the wafer 4 constituting the frame unit 1 with cleaning liquid 41 supplied from the cleaning nozzle 40.

[0028] 2 to 4, a processing method for a processing object (wafer 4) performed by processing apparatus 100 will be described. In processing apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 2, frame unit 1 including chipped wafer 4 is placed on spinner table 101. Frame unit 1 may be transported by a transport unit (not shown) and placed on spinner table 101, or may be manually placed on spinner table 101. That is, the step of placing wafer 4 on holder 10 may be performed by processing apparatus 100 or by an operator.

[0029] When the frame unit 1 is placed on the spinner table 101, a gap G is created between the holding surface 111 and the sheet 3, as shown in Fig. 2. This is because the ring frame 2 is supported by a frame support portion 16 that is approximately flush with the holding surface 111 and the frame body 13, while the sheet 3 is raised to a level higher than the holding surface 111 by a ring 14 that protrudes from the holding surface 111 and is provided between the frame support portion 16 and the holding surface 111. Note that this gap G is formed by a closed space sealed by the holding surface 111, the ring 14, and the sheet 3, but it does not necessarily have to be formed by a closed space.

[0030] Next, the suction source 30 is operated to generate a suction force on the holding surface 111, and the air in the closed space is sucked in. As a result, the sheet 3 is sucked onto the holding surface 111, and the gap G disappears, and the wafer 4 is held by the first holding part 11 via the sheet 3, as shown in FIG.

[0031] The suction source 30 sucks in the air in the closed space, eliminating the gap G, so that the sheet 3 tightly adheres to the ring 14 and the holding surface 111. In this process, the sheet 3 is stretched and expanded according to the height of the ring 14, and as a result, the spacing between the multiple chips 5 attached to the sheet 3 is increased. That is, in the method for processing an object performed by the processing device 100, an expansion step in which the ring 14 expands the sheet 3 in association with the suction operation is followed by a holding step in which the first holding unit 11 holds the sheet 3 by suction. Note that in the processing device 100, the suction source 30 is an example of an expansion unit that expands the sheet 3 so that the sheet 3 tightly adheres to the ring 14.

[0032] Furthermore, the rotation mechanism 20 rotates the spinner table 101, whereby the clamp unit 15 holds the ring frame 2, as shown in Fig. 3. Either the holding of the wafer 4 by suction or the holding of the ring frame 2 by rotation may be performed first, or they may be performed simultaneously.

[0033] Thereafter, while maintaining the frame unit 1 held by suction and rotation, the processing apparatus 100 moves the cleaning nozzle 40 above the wafer 4, and as shown in Fig. 4, sprays a cleaning liquid 41 from the cleaning nozzle 40 toward the wafer 4, cleaning the wafer 4 with the cleaning liquid 41. That is, in the method for processing the object performed by the processing apparatus 100, after the above-mentioned expanding step and holding step, a processing step for processing the wafer 4, more specifically, a cleaning step for cleaning the wafer 4, is performed. As a result, the cleaning nozzle 40 cleans the wafer 4 with the sheet 3 expanded and the spacing between the chips 5 widened.

[0034] According to the above-described processing method and processing apparatus 100, cleaning is performed while the sheet 3 is expanded, allowing cleaning of the bottom of the kerf and the sides of the chip 5. Furthermore, the processing method and processing apparatus 100 allow the sheet 3 to expand simply by performing the normal suction operation required to hold the wafer 4. Therefore, there is no need to perform the holding and expanding processes separately, thereby reducing the overall processing time. Furthermore, in the processing apparatus 100, the expansion of the sheet 3 is limited to approximately the height of the ring 14. Therefore, by using a ring 14 with a height previously adjusted to the minimum required, the expansion of the sheet 3 naturally disappears and the sheet 3 returns to its original state simply by stopping the suction operation. Therefore, there is no need to perform a process of contracting the sheet 3 after expanding the sheet 3 and processing the wafer 4, which also contributes to reducing processing time. Furthermore, because the expansion amount is limited to a relatively small amount, a large force is not applied to the ring frame 2 against the expansion of the sheet 3 during the expansion process. Therefore, a clamping structure with a relatively low holding force, such as the pendulum-type clamp 15, can be used. Furthermore, processing apparatus 100 can be configured by simply providing ring 14 on the frame of the spinner table of an existing cleaning apparatus, eliminating the need for an additional drive mechanism, etc. Therefore, the above-described effects can be achieved with a relatively simple configuration without requiring major design changes to the existing apparatus.

[0035] <Second embodiment> 5 and 6 are diagrams showing the placement step and expansion step, respectively, in processing apparatus 200 according to this embodiment. Similar to processing apparatus 100, processing apparatus 200 is a cleaning apparatus equipped with a cleaning unit for cleaning chipped wafer 4, and after going through the placement step and expansion step, cleans wafer 4 in a state in which the spacing between chips 5 is widened in the processing step. However, processing apparatus 200 may also perform processing such as grinding, polishing, and cutting, imaging, inspection, tape application, tape peeling, and film formation in addition to or instead of cleaning, or may be a processing apparatus that performs a combination of multiple types of processing.

[0036] 5 and 6, the configuration of the processing device 200 will be described, focusing on the differences from the configuration of the processing device 100. The same components as those in the processing device 100 will be assigned the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted.

[0037] Processing apparatus 200 differs from processing apparatus 100 in that processing apparatus 200 includes spinner table 201 instead of spinner table 101. Spinner table 201 differs from spinner table 101 in that processing apparatus 200 includes holding unit 50 instead of holding unit 10.

[0038] The holding part 50 includes a first holding part 11 and a frame body 51 having a recess 52 formed outside the first holding part 11, and holds the surface of the frame unit 1 facing the sheet 3. The frame body 51 having the recess 52 formed therein is an area located outside the holding surface 111, and is an example of a second holding part that holds the area of the surface of the frame unit 1 facing the sheet 3 between the ring frame 2 and the wafer 4 (a collection of multiple chips 5).

[0039] The second holding unit of the processing device 200 differs from the second holding unit 12 in that it includes a recess 52. The recess 52 is an example of an uneven portion that is recessed from the holding surface 111 in a direction intersecting with the holding surface 111, and is an example of an uneven portion formed on the frame 51. The recess 52 does not have to be formed in a ring shape, and may be formed at multiple locations on the frame 51 at intervals.

[0040] Furthermore, the holding unit 50 is formed with suction paths 31 and 32 connected to the suction source 30. The suction path 31 is an example of a first suction path that connects the holding surface 111 and the suction source 30, and the suction path 32 is an example of a second suction path that connects the recess 52 and the suction source 30. That is, the holding unit 50 differs from the holding unit 10 in that it has a frame body 51 in which the recess 52 is formed instead of the second holding unit 12, and in that it has the suction path 32.

[0041] It is desirable that suction source 30 be able to independently switch between a suction operation on suction path 31 and a suction operation on suction path 32. For example, suction source 30 may be provided with a first suction source and a second suction source (not shown) whose operations can be independently controlled, and the first suction source may suck air above holding surface 111 via suction path 31, and the second suction source may suck air within recess 52 via suction path 32. Furthermore, suction path 31 and suction path 32 may each be provided with a valve (not shown), and suction source 30 may selectively suck air above holding surface 111 or air within recess 52 by opening and closing the valve.

[0042] The processing apparatus 200 configured as described above is configured to rotate the frame unit 1 placed on the spinner table 201 while cleaning the wafer 4 constituting the frame unit 1 with cleaning liquid 41 supplied from the cleaning nozzle 40.

[0043] 5 and 6, a method for processing an object (wafer 4) performed by processing apparatus 200 will be described. In processing apparatus 200, as shown in Fig. 5, frame unit 1 including chipped wafer 4 is placed on spinner table 201. Frame unit 1 may be transported by a transport unit (not shown) and placed on spinner table 201, or may be placed on spinner table 201 manually.

[0044] When the frame unit 1 is placed on the spinner table 201, a gap G is formed between the sheet 3 and the recess 52, as shown in Fig. 5. This is because the ring frame 2 is supported by the frame support part 16, which is approximately flush with the holding surface 111 and the frame body 13, so that the sheet 3 extends at the same level as the holding surface 111, while the recess 52 is recessed relative to the holding surface 111. Note that this gap G is formed by a closed space sealed by the sheet 3 and the recess 52.

[0045] Next, the suction source 30 is operated to generate a negative pressure (suction force) in the recess 52 through the suction path 32, and the air in the closed space is sucked in. As a result, the sheet 3 is sucked onto the surface of the recess 52, and the gap G disappears, and the region of the sheet 3 between the ring frame 2 and the wafer 4 is tightly attached to the recess 52 without any gaps, and is held by the frame body 51, as shown in FIG.

[0046] As the suction source 30 sucks in the air in the closed space and the gap G disappears, the sheet 3 is stretched and expanded in accordance with the depth of the recesses 52. As a result, the spacing between the multiple chips 5 attached to the sheet 3 is increased. Note that, in order not to inhibit the expansion of the areas of the sheet 3 corresponding to the chips 5, when negative pressure is generated in the recesses 52, no negative pressure is generated on the holding surface 111, making the sheet 3 more likely to deform. In other words, the suction source 30 expands the sheet 3 by generating negative pressure in the recesses 52 through the suction path 32, without generating negative pressure on the holding surface 111 through the suction path 31.

[0047] When the sheet 3 is expanded, the suction source 30 generates a negative pressure (suction force) on the holding surface 111 via the suction path 31, and the wafer 4 is sucked and held on the holding surface 111 via the sheet 3. At this time, the suction source 30 may or may not generate a negative pressure in the recess 52 via the suction path 32.

[0048] Furthermore, the rotation mechanism 20 rotates the spinner table 201, so that the clamp unit 15 holds the ring frame 2, as shown in Fig. 6. Either the holding of the sheet 3 and the wafer 4 by suction or the holding of the ring frame 2 by rotation may be performed first, or they may be performed simultaneously.

[0049] Thereafter, while maintaining the state in which the frame unit 1 is held by suction and rotation, the processing device 200 moves the cleaning nozzle 40 above the wafer 4 and sprays the cleaning liquid 41 from the cleaning nozzle 40 toward the wafer 4 to clean the wafer 4 with the cleaning liquid 41. As a result, the cleaning nozzle 40 cleans the wafer 4 with the sheet 3 expanded and the gaps between the chips 5 widened.

[0050] The above-described processing method and processing apparatus 200 also performs cleaning while the sheet 3 is in an expanded state, making it possible to clean the bottom of the kerf and the sides of the tip 5. Furthermore, the sheet 3 can be expanded simply by performing a normal suction operation, eliminating the need to perform the holding and expanding processes separately, thereby shortening the overall processing time, similar to the processing method and processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. Furthermore, similar to the processing method and processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, stopping the suction operation naturally releases the expansion of the sheet 3, allowing the sheet 3 to return to its original state, allowing a clamping structure with a relatively small holding force, such as the pendulum-type clamp unit 15, to be employed, and no additional drive mechanism or the like is required.

[0051] <Third embodiment> 7 to 11 are diagrams showing the placement step, expansion step, holding step, processing step, and carry-out step, respectively, in processing apparatus 300 according to this embodiment. Similar to processing apparatus 100 and processing apparatus 200, processing apparatus 300 is a cleaning apparatus equipped with a cleaning unit that cleans chipped wafer 4, and after going through the placement step and expansion step, cleans wafer 4 in a state in which the spacing between chips 5 is widened in the processing step. However, processing apparatus 300 may also perform processing such as grinding, polishing, and cutting, imaging, inspection, tape application, tape peeling, and film formation in addition to or instead of cleaning, or may be a processing apparatus that performs a combination of multiple types of processing.

[0052] 7 to 11, the configuration of the processing device 300 will be described, focusing on the differences from the configuration of the processing device 200. The same components as those in the processing device 200 will be assigned the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted.

[0053] Processing apparatus 300 differs from processing apparatus 200 in that processing apparatus 300 includes spinner table 301 instead of spinner table 201 and in the configuration of transport unit 60 that transports wafer 4 to holder 50. Spinner table 301 differs from spinner table 201 in that suction path 32 that connects recess 52 and suction source 30 is not formed.

[0054] The transport unit 60 holds and transports the frame unit 1, thereby transporting the wafer 4 to the holding part 50. As shown in Fig. 7 , the transport unit 60 includes a transport pad 61 (holding pad) that holds the frame unit 1, a pressing part 62 (insertion part) that is inserted into the recess 52 in the expansion step, and a lifting unit 63 that raises and lowers the pressing part 62.

[0055] The processing apparatus 300 configured as described above is configured to rotate the frame unit 1 placed on the spinner table 301 while cleaning the wafer 4 constituting the frame unit 1 with cleaning liquid 41 supplied from the cleaning nozzle 40.

[0056] 7 to 11, a method for processing an object (wafer 4) performed by processing apparatus 300 will be described. In processing apparatus 300, as shown in FIG. 7, frame unit 1 including chipped wafer 4 is transported by transport unit 60 and placed on spinner table 301.

[0057] More specifically, the transport unit 60 holds the frame unit 1 by using the transport pad 61 to suction-hold the ring frame 2 of the frame unit 1, and transports the held frame unit 1 to the spinner table 301. At this time, the position of the pressing part 62 in the transport unit 60 is adjusted by the lifting unit 63 so that the tip of the pressing part 62 does not protrude from the underside of the ring frame 2. This prevents the pressing part 62 from coming into contact with the sheet 3 when holding the frame unit 1, and from applying force in a direction that would peel the sheet 3 from the ring frame 2. Note that the lifting unit 63 is not essential.

[0058] When the frame unit 1 is placed on the spinner table 301, a gap G is created between the sheet 3 and the recessed portion 52, as shown in Fig. 7. Thereafter, the transport unit 60 inserts the pressing portion 62 into the recessed portion 52 by lowering the pressing portion 62 using the lifting unit 63, as shown in Fig. 8. At this time, the sheet 3 in the region between the ring frame 2 and the wafer 4 is pressed into the recessed portion 52 together with the pressing portion 62, and the sheet 3 is stretched and expanded according to the depth of the recessed portion 52. That is, the transport unit 60 expands the sheet 3 by pressing the sheet 3 into the recessed portion 52 with the pressing portion 62.

[0059] When the sheet 3 is expanded, the suction source 30 generates a negative pressure (suction force) on the holding surface 111 via the suction path 31 while keeping the sheet 3 pressed against the recess 52 by the pressing portion 62, thereby suction-holding the wafer 4 on the holding surface 111 via the sheet 3. The transport unit 60 then retracts. Specifically, the lifting unit 63 raises the pressing portion 62, separating the pressing portion 62 from the sheet 3, and the transport unit 60 then retracts from above the spinner table 301. In this way, the suction source 30 suction-holds the sheet 3 while the sheet 3 is expanded by the pressing portion 62, making it easier to maintain the expanded state of the sheet 3 even after the transport unit 60 retracts.

[0060] When the transport unit 60 moves out of the way, the spinner table 301 is rotated by the rotation mechanism 20, and the clamp unit 15 holds the ring frame 2, as shown in Fig. 9. Furthermore, while maintaining the state in which the frame unit 1 is held by rotation and suction, the processing device 300 moves the cleaning nozzle 40 above the wafer 4, as shown in Fig. 10, and sprays a cleaning liquid 41 from the cleaning nozzle 40 toward the wafer 4, cleaning the wafer 4 with the cleaning liquid 41. As a result, the cleaning nozzle 40 cleans the wafer 4 with the sheet 3 expanded and the spacing between the chips 5 widened.

[0061] When cleaning is completed, the processing device 300 reduces the rotation speed of the rotation mechanism 20. This releases the clamping of the ring frame 2 by the clamping unit 15. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 11 , the processing device 300 moves the transfer unit 60 again onto the spinner table 301, and removes the frame unit 1 including the cleaned wafer 4 from the spinner table 301.

[0062] The above-described processing method and processing apparatus 300 also clean the sheet 3 in an expanded state, allowing cleaning of the bottom of the kerf and the side of the tip 5. Furthermore, because the sheet 3 is expanded without the clamp 15 holding the ring frame 2, the clamp 15 does not need to hold the ring frame 2 with a large force during the expansion step. Therefore, a clamp structure with a relatively small holding force, such as a pendulum-type clamp 15, can be used. Furthermore, in the processing apparatus 300, the pressing unit 62 of the transport unit 60 functions as an expansion unit that expands the sheet 3 so that it adheres closely to the recess 52. This allows the expansion step to be performed consecutively following the placement step by the transport unit 60, thereby avoiding unnecessary time loss between the placement step and the expansion step. The expansion amount of the sheet 3 is approximately the depth of the recess 52. By adjusting the depth of the recess 52 in advance, the required expansion amount can be ensured. Stopping the suction operation allows the sheet 3 to naturally recover from the expansion, similar to the processing method and processing apparatus 200 of the second embodiment. Furthermore, compared to the processing methods and processing apparatus according to the first and second embodiments, the configuration and control of the processing apparatus 300 can be simplified in that there is no need to form a suction path 32 and there is no need to perform suction control using multiple suction paths (suction path 31 and suction path 32).

[0063] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be variously modified, substituted, or altered without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Furthermore, if the technical idea of the present invention can be realized in a different way due to technological advances or other derived technologies, it may be implemented using that method. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that may fall within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, an example was shown in which uneven portions such as the ring 14 and the recessed portions 52 were formed to surround the holding surface 111, but uneven portions do not have to be provided in all 360-degree directions relative to the holding surface 111, and they do not necessarily have to be formed in a ring shape. As long as the required amount of expansion of the sheet 3 can be ensured, uneven portions may be formed at any position around the holding surface 111.

[0065] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the expansion step is performed after the placement step is shown, but the placement step and the expansion step may be performed simultaneously, i.e., the placement step and the expansion step may be performed in parallel.

[0066] In the third embodiment, an example is shown in which an extension section is provided in a transport unit that transports the frame unit 1 to the spinner table 301, but the extension section is not limited to the transport unit and may be provided in any unit other than the spinner table 301, and after the transport unit transports the frame unit 1 to the spinner table 301, any unit may expand the sheet 3 of the frame unit 1 placed on the spinner table 301.

[0067] In the third embodiment, an example is shown in which the sheet 3 is expanded by inserting the pressing portion 62 itself into the recess 52, but the sheet 3 may also be expanded by being tightly attached to the recess 52 by fluid ejected from the pressing portion 62. [Industrial Applicability]

[0068] As described above, the processing apparatus and processing method of the present invention can easily expand the sheet of the frame unit holding the object to be processed, which is useful because it allows the object to be processed in a state suitable for processing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1: Frame unit 2: Ring frame 3: Sheet 4: Wafer 5: Tip 10, 50: Holding part 11:First holding part 12:Second holding part 13, 51: Frame 14: Ring 15: Clamp section 30: Suction source 31, 32: Suction path 40: Cleaning nozzle 52: Recess 60: Transport unit 62: Pressing part 63: Lifting unit 100, 200, 300: Processing equipment 101, 201, 301: Spinner table 111: Holding surface G: Gap

Claims

1. A processing apparatus for processing a frame unit in which an object to be processed is held in an opening of a frame via a sheet, a holding portion that holds the surface of the frame unit facing the seat; a processing unit that processes the processing object held in the holding section, The holding portion is a first holding portion having a first holding surface that holds an area corresponding to the processing object; a second holding portion that holds an area located outside the first holding surface and between the frame and the object to be processed, The second holding portion is The first holding surface includes an uneven portion that is concave or convex from the first holding surface in a direction intersecting the first holding surface. A processing device characterized by:

2. the second holding portion includes a frame body surrounding the first holding portion, The uneven portion is formed on the frame body.

2. The processing device according to claim 1.

3. the processing object has a plurality of chips, The processing device further includes an expansion unit that expands the sheet so that the sheet comes into close contact with the uneven portion, The processing unit processes the processing object in a state in which the spacing between the plurality of chips is widened by the expansion portion expanding the sheet.

2. The processing device according to claim 1.

4. The processing unit A cleaning unit for cleaning the object to be treated.

3. The processing device according to claim 2.

5. The processing device comprises: further comprising a transport unit that transports the object to be processed to the holding section; The transport unit includes: a holding pad for holding the frame unit; an insertion portion to be inserted into the recess of the concave / convex portion, The sheet is expanded by pressing the sheet into the recess with the insertion portion.

2. The processing device according to claim 1.

6. The processing device comprises: The frame support portion is further provided outside the second holding portion to support the frame.

2. The processing device according to claim 1.

7. The treatment device further comprises a suction source; The holding portion is a first suction path connecting the first holding surface and the suction source; a second suction path connecting the uneven portion and the suction source, The suction source comprises: The sheet is expanded by generating a negative pressure on the concave-convex portion through the second suction path without generating a negative pressure on the first holding surface through the first suction path, and thereafter A negative pressure is generated on the first holding surface through the first suction path, and the object to be processed is sucked and held on the first holding surface.

2. The processing device according to claim 1.

8. A processing method for processing a processing object performed by the processing device according to claim 1, comprising: a placing step of placing the object to be processed on the holder; an expanding step of expanding the sheet at the concave-convex portion; a holding step of suction-holding the sheet with the first holding portion after the expanding step; a processing step of processing the object to be processed after the holding step. A method for treating an object to be treated, comprising:

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