Substrate machining apparatus and method for manufacturing machined substrate

Abstract

To provide a substrate machining apparatus and a method for manufacturing a machined substrate, which can make the thickness of a ground substrate uniform within a permissible range irrespective of a type or a structure of the substrate.SOLUTION: A substrate machining apparatus 1 comprises: a suction chuck 112 that sucks and holds a substrate W in a plurality of divided suction regions; grinding means 30 for grinding the substrate W held by the suction chuck 112; and a control device 50 that controls a negative pressure generator 20 which generates suction forces for sucking and holding the substrate W so as to be able to individually adjust the suction forces for sucking the substrate W in the divided suction regions. The method for manufacturing the machined substrate provides the substrate W to be machined, sucks and holds the substrate W by the suction force determined for each of the divided regions, and machines the surface of the sucked and held substrate W opposite to the sucked and held surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a method for manufacturing a processed substrate. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for thinner substrates in the semiconductor manufacturing field. To meet this demand, there is a method for performing backgrinding, in which the substrate is placed on a suction table with its backside facing up, and the backside is ground with a backgrinding grindstone while the substrate is held in place to thin the substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-170313 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When backgrinding a substrate, it is necessary to make the thickness of the substrate after grinding uniform within a tolerance range. However, depending on the type and structure of the substrate being ground, the thickness after grinding may not be uniform.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present disclosure relates to providing a substrate processing device and a method for manufacturing a processed substrate that make the thickness of a substrate after grinding uniform within an acceptable range regardless of the type or structure of the substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A substrate processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes an adsorption chuck that adsorbs and holds a substrate in a plurality of divided adsorption areas, a grinding means that grinds the substrate held by the adsorption chuck, and a control device that controls a negative pressure generator that generates a suction force for adsorbing and holding the substrate so that the suction force for adsorbing the substrate in the plurality of divided adsorption areas can be individually adjusted.

[0007] With this configuration, the distance between the suction chuck and the surface of the substrate to be ground can be adjusted by adjusting the suction force in each suction area. For example, by reducing the suction force in areas that would become thicker if the suction force was not adjusted, the thickness of the substrate after grinding can be made uniform.

[0008] Furthermore, a substrate processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the suction chuck includes a first suction chuck having a first suction area corresponding to a central portion of the substrate, and a second suction chuck having a second suction area corresponding to an outer portion of the central portion.

[0009] With this configuration, it is possible to adjust the suction force at the outer portion of the central portion of the substrate, which tends to have an uneven thickness, and to make the thickness of the substrate uniform after grinding.

[0010] In addition, a substrate processing apparatus according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is the substrate processing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, which is provided with a dense body that holds the first suction chuck and the second suction chuck, and the upper surface of a table including the first suction chuck, the second suction chuck, and the dense body is configured as a support surface on which the substrate is placed.

[0011] With this configuration, the substrate placed on the placement surface of the table can be sucked and held by the first suction chuck and the second suction chuck.

[0012] In addition, a substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present disclosure, which is provided with a negative pressure generator that is fluidly connected individually to the multiple divided adsorption areas.

[0013] With this configuration, the suction chuck can generate a suction force for suctioning and holding the substrate.

[0014] In addition, a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present disclosure, which is provided with a sensor that measures the shape of the substrate, and the control device adjusts the suction force in each of the multiple divided adsorption areas based on the shape of the substrate measured by the sensor.

[0015] With this configuration, it is possible to adjust the suction force taking into account the individual differences in the substrates to be ground, and to make the thickness of the substrates after grinding uniform.

[0016] Furthermore, a substrate processing apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present disclosure, wherein the grinding means has a back-grinding grindstone.

[0017] With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the substrate on which the circuit pattern is formed.

[0018] Furthermore, a method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a processed substrate using a substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects of the present disclosure, and includes the steps of placing the substrate on the suction chuck, adsorbing and holding the substrate placed on the suction chuck with a determined suction force in each of the multiple divided adsorption areas, and grinding the substrate held on the suction chuck with the grinding means.

[0019] With this configuration, it is possible to obtain a processed substrate with a uniform thickness after grinding.

[0020] In addition, a method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure includes the steps of providing a substrate to be processed, suction-holding the substrate with a suction force determined for each of a plurality of divided regions, and processing the surface of the substrate opposite to the surface that has been suction-held.

[0021] By configuring it in this manner, the position of the substrate's surface to be processed can be adjusted by adjusting the suction force in each of the multiple divided areas, thereby making it possible to uniformize the thickness of the substrate after processing.

[0022] Furthermore, a method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure is the same as the method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, except that it includes a step of measuring the shape of the substrate, and the step of adsorbing and holding the substrate with a suction force determined for each of the multiple divided regions includes a step of determining the suction force in each of the multiple divided regions based on the shape of the substrate measured in the step of measuring the shape of the substrate.

[0023] With this configuration, the suction force can be adjusted taking into account the individual differences in the substrate to be processed, and the thickness of the processed substrate can be made uniform. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the present disclosure, the position of the substrate's surface to be processed can be adjusted by adjusting the suction force in each of the multiple divided areas, thereby making it possible to uniformize the thickness of the substrate after processing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a general configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic plan view of a table included in a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] 2 is a block diagram of a hardware configuration of a control device provided in the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment; FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to a modified example of an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the periphery of a table provided in a substrate processing apparatus according to a modified example of an embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to a modified example of an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or similar reference numerals are used to designate identical or corresponding components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0027] First, a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a table 10 provided in the substrate processing apparatus 1. In this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described as an apparatus that grinds the surface of the substrate W in order to adjust the thickness of the substrate W. In addition, in this embodiment, the top and bottom of the paper surface of Figure 1 correspond to the actual top and bottom.

[0028] The substrate W to be ground in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is typically a silicon substrate used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, also known as a silicon wafer. The structure of the substrate W to be ground by the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes, for example, a wafer on which devices, such as circuits, are patterned and to which a protective substrate or BG tape is attached, or a mirror wafer on which no devices are formed. Therefore, grinding the surface of the substrate W includes not only grinding the surface of the mirror wafer but also backgrinding of the wafer on which devices are formed (or to which a protective substrate or BG tape is attached). Here, backgrinding is typically a process of thinning the substrate by grinding the entire back surface of the substrate after a circuit pattern is formed on the front surface. In this way, the substrate processing apparatus 1 can function as a backgrinder. Conventionally, when substrates W with different structures are ground in the same manner, it is possible to achieve a uniform thickness for one substrate W, but it may not be possible to achieve a uniform thickness for another substrate W with a different structure. The substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment adjusts the grinding method according to the substrate W, and can uniformize the thickness of the substrate W to be ground. The uniform thickness mentioned here does not mean that the thickness must be strictly uniform, but rather that the thickness variation (sometimes referred to as TTV) at various points on the substrate W is within an allowable range. The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a table 10, a negative pressure generator 20, a grinding means 30, and a control device 50.

[0029] The table 10 is a component on which the substrate W is placed. In this embodiment, the table 10 is described as having a size suitable for grinding a substrate W having a diameter of 300 mm. The table 10 has an absorption chuck 112 for suction-holding the substrate W, and the absorption chuck 112 in this embodiment is composed of a first absorption chuck 11 and a second absorption chuck 12. The first absorption chuck 11 and the second absorption chuck 12 are both typically porous chucks, and are composed of an absorption body made of a porous material such as alumina.

[0030] In this embodiment, the first suction chuck 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a relatively low height, in other words, in the shape of a disk with a relatively large thickness, and is circular in plan view as shown in FIG. 2. The outer diameter of the first suction chuck 11 in plan view may be 0.6 to 0.9 times, or may be 0.7 to 0.8 times, the diameter of the substrate W to be ground (300 mm in this embodiment). In this embodiment, the second suction chuck 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a relatively low height, in other words, in the shape of a ring with a relatively large thickness, and is disposed on the outer periphery of the first suction chuck 11 so as to surround the first suction chuck 11 in plan view as shown in FIG. 2. The outer diameter of the second suction chuck 12 in plan view is typically slightly smaller than the diameter of the substrate W to be ground (300 mm in this embodiment). Here, the outer diameter of the second suction chuck 12 being slightly smaller than the diameter of the substrate W typically means that the second suction chuck 12 is as close as possible to the outer diameter of the substrate W within a range that allows the second suction chuck 12 to be completely covered by the substrate W that has been transported and placed on it. The first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 are embedded in the dense body 13.

[0031] The dense body 13 is typically formed of a dense, substantially porosity-free sintered body, and ceramics, for example, can be used. The first suction chuck 11, the second suction chuck 12, and the dense body 13 holding them are formed as a relatively thick disk overall, and will be referred to as the disk 14 hereinafter. The disk 14 is typically thicker than the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12, and has a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the second suction chuck 12. In other words, the dense body 13 is typically located below the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12, and the dense body 13 is located outside the second suction chuck 12. In this embodiment, the disk 14 has a cylindrical appearance with a diameter slightly larger than 300 mm. 2, in this embodiment, the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 are exposed on the upper surface of the disk body 14, and the dense body 13 is exposed between the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 and on the outer periphery of the second suction chuck 12. The outer periphery of the first suction chuck 11, the inner and outer periphery of the second suction chuck 12, and the outer periphery of the dense body 13 located outside the second suction chuck 12 are typically concentric circles.

[0032] The upper surface of the disk body 14, on which the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 are exposed, serves as a mounting surface 15 on which the substrate W is placed. The mounting surface 15 is formed flat. As shown in FIG. 1 , a rotation shaft 16 is provided on the lower surface of the disk body 14 (i.e., the surface opposite to the surface on which the first suction chuck 11 and the like are exposed). The rotation shaft 16 is attached to the lower surface at the circular center of the lower surface so that its axis extends downward and perpendicular to the lower surface. The rotation shaft 16 is rotated about its axis by a motor (not shown). As the rotation shaft 16 rotates, the disk body 14 of the table 10 rotates within the plane of the mounting surface 15, with the circular center of the mounting surface 15 serving as the center of rotation. The rotation shaft 16 may be applied with a direct rotational force by the motor, or may be applied with a rotational force indirectly via a pulley and a transmission belt. A rotary joint 17 is connected to the end face of the rotary shaft 16 opposite to the end face to which the disk body 14 is connected.

[0033] The table 10 has a first flow path 18 and a second flow path 19 formed therein. The first flow path 18 is a flow path fluidly connected to the first suction chuck 11, connected to the first suction chuck 11 inside the dense body 13, and formed continuously from the inside of the dense body 13 to the rotary joint 17 via the rotation shaft 16. Here, "fluidly connected" refers to a state in which a fluid, such as a gas or a liquid, can pass between the two paths. The second flow path 19 is a flow path fluidly connected to the second suction chuck 12, connected to the second suction chuck 12 inside the dense body 13, and formed continuously from the inside of the dense body 13 to the rotary joint 17 via the rotation shaft 16. The first flow path 18 and the second flow path 19 do not connect or merge with each other on the table 10, but instead open individually at the rotary joint 17. In addition, the dense body 13, the rotating shaft 16, and the rotary joint 17 are formed of materials that do not allow fluids to pass through, so fluids do not flow in any parts other than the first flow path 18 and the second flow path 19. In Figure 1, the table 10 is shown in cross section to show the internal structure, but hatching has been omitted from the dense body 13, the rotating shaft 16, and the rotary joint 17 to ensure visibility of the first flow path 18 and the second flow path 19.

[0034] The table 10 is configured to suck gas from within the porous portions of the first suction chuck 11 via the first flow path 18, thereby suctioning and holding the region of the substrate W placed on the mounting surface 15 with which the first suction chuck 11 makes contact. The table 10 is also configured to suck gas from within the porous portions of the second suction chuck 12 via the second flow path 19, thereby suctioning and holding the region of the substrate W placed on the mounting surface 15 with which the second suction chuck 12 makes contact. The first suction chuck 11 and the first flow path 18, and the second suction chuck 12 and the second flow path 19 are not fluidically connected within the table 10, so that the presence or absence of suction in the first suction chuck 11 and the presence or absence of suction in the second suction chuck 12 can be individually adjusted. In this manner, the table 10 has a suction region on the mounting surface 15 divided into a plurality of regions (two in this embodiment). In this embodiment, when the substrate W is placed on the placement surface 15, the region of the placement surface 15 where the first suction chuck 11 that suctions the central portion of the substrate W appears corresponds to the first suction region, and the region where the second suction chuck 12 that suctions the portion outside the central portion appears corresponds to the second suction region. Note that the central portion of the substrate W is typically a circular area centered on the centroid of the circular substrate and having a radius smaller than the radius of the substrate W. The suction region is typically divided into multiple areas (two in this embodiment) from the center of the substrate W to its outer edge.

[0035] The negative pressure generator 20 generates a suction force for sucking and holding the substrate W placed on the mounting surface 15. The suction force for sucking and holding the substrate W placed on the mounting surface 15 is obtained by sucking gas from the porous portions of the first suction chuck 11 and / or the second suction chuck 12. Therefore, the negative pressure generator 20 in this embodiment draws a vacuum from the inside of the first flow path 18 and / or the second flow path 19. In this embodiment, the negative pressure generator 20 has a pipe for sucking gas from inside the table 10 and a vacuum pump 28. The pipe for sucking gas from inside the table 10 includes a first pipe 21 and a second pipe 22. One end of the first pipe 21 is connected to the first flow path 18, which opens to the rotary joint 17, and one end of the second pipe 22 is connected to the second flow path 19, which opens to the rotary joint 17. The other end of the first pipe 21 and the other end of the second pipe 22 join together and are connected to one end of a common pipe 23. A vacuum pump 28 is installed in the common pipe 23. The vacuum pump 28 can be started and stopped remotely using a control signal. The first pipe 21 is provided with a first valve 25 that can open and close an internal flow path. The second pipe 22 is provided with a second valve 26 that can open and close an internal flow path. The first valve 25 and the second valve 26 can be individually opened and closed remotely using a control signal.

[0036] The grinding means 30 grinds the surface of the substrate W held by suction on the table 10, and a grinder can be used. In this embodiment, the grinding means 30 is disposed above the table 10. The grinding means 30 includes a grinding wheel 31, a spindle 32, and a spindle feed mechanism 33. The grinding wheel 31 is disposed continuously or intermittently around the entire circumferential direction on the surface of the annular member facing the mounting surface 15 (in this embodiment, on the lower end surface of the annular member). The grinding wheel 31 can be a grinding wheel with a grit size suitable for the grinding purpose. When the grinding means 30 is used for rough grinding, for example, a #600 cup-shaped grinding wheel can be used as the grinding wheel 31. When the grinding means 30 is used for fine grinding, for example, a #4000 cup-shaped grinding wheel can be used. When back-grinding the substrate W, a back-grinding wheel suitable for back-grinding can be used as the grinding wheel 31. The spindle 32 is indirectly attached to the grinding wheel 31 so that the axis of the spindle 32 passes through the center of the annular member to which the grinding wheel 31 is attached. The spindle 32 is rotated about its axis by a motor (not shown), thereby rotating the grinding wheel 31 in the circumferential direction of the annular shape. The spindle feed mechanism 33 raises and lowers the spindle 32 (and thus the grinding wheel 31) in the vertical direction. Although not shown, the spindle feed mechanism 33 may include a linear guide that guides the movement direction of the spindle 32 and a ball screw slider mechanism that raises and lowers the spindle 32.

[0037] The control device 50 is a device that controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1. The control device 50 is connected to the first valve 25 and the second valve 26 individually via control signal lines (wired or wireless; the same applies below) and is configured to individually open and close the first valve 25 and the second valve 26 by transmitting a control signal. The control device 50 is also connected to the vacuum pump 28 via a control signal line and is configured to individually control the start and stop of the vacuum pump 28 by transmitting a control signal. With this configuration, the control device 50 opens and closes the first valve 25 and the second valve 26 while the vacuum pump 28 is operating, thereby individually adjusting the suction force in the suction region on the mounting surface 15. For example, if the first valve 25 is opened and the second valve 26 is closed in response to a command from the control device 50 while the vacuum pump 28 is operating, the substrate W placed on the mounting surface 15 will be suction-held by the first suction chuck 11 but will not be suction-held by the second suction chuck 12. On the other hand, when the first valve 25 and the second valve 26 are both opened while the vacuum pump 28 is operating, the substrate W placed on the mounting surface 15 is adsorbed and held by both the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12.

[0038] The control device 50 is also connected to a motor (not shown) that rotates the spindle 32 via a control signal line, and is configured to be able to control whether or not the spindle 32 (and therefore the grinding wheel 31) rotates by sending a control signal. The control device 50 may be configured not only to control whether or not the spindle 32 rotates, but also to control the rotation speed of the spindle 32. The control device 50 is also connected to the spindle feed mechanism 33 via a control signal line, and is configured to be able to adjust the vertical feed amount and / or feed speed of the spindle 32 (and therefore the grinding wheel 31) by sending a control signal.

[0039] The hardware configuration of the control device 50 will now be described with reference to the block diagram shown in Fig. 3. The block diagram shown in Fig. 3 shows a concept of the physical configuration of the control device 50. The control device 50 has a processor 55, a memory 56, a storage 57, and a communication interface 58. The control device 50 may be a computer.

[0040] The processor 55 processes various types of information in the control device 50. The various types of information processed by the processor 55 include the content and transmission timing of control signals to be sent to each component of the substrate processing apparatus 1. The processor 55 may be a single processor or two or more processors. The processor 55 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, a circuit board, or other electrical circuits. The processor 55 can execute programs and manipulate data to perform the operations of the control device 50, including operations using any algorithms, methods, functions, processes, flows, and procedures described in this disclosure.

[0041] The memory 56 temporarily or permanently records programs and / or data used for information processing in the control device 50. The memory 56 may store programs used by the control device 50 to make various judgments and decisions. These programs can be added or changed later (i.e., after the control device 50 is manufactured). The memory 56 may be a single memory or two or more memories. The memory 56 may include volatile memory such as RAM or cache, and non-volatile memory such as ROM.

[0042] The storage 57 may store, as necessary, measurement values ​​of the state of the substrate W ground by the grinding means 30, etc. The storage 57 may store programs used by the control device 50 to make various judgments and decisions. The storage 57 may hold other programs, including an operating system, that can be executed by the control device 50 or other devices. The storage 57 may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), and / or a flash memory, etc.

[0043] The communication interface 58 communicates with the first valve 25, the second valve 26, and the vacuum pump 28. The communication interface 58 can send control signals related to opening and closing the valves to the first valve 25 and the second valve 26. The communication interface 58 can send control signals related to starting and stopping the vacuum pump 28. The communication interface 58 also communicates with the motor (not shown) of the spindle 32 and the spindle feed mechanism 33. The communication interface 58 can send control signals related to starting and stopping the motor (not shown) of the spindle 32 to the motor (not shown). The communication interface 58 can also send control signals related to the feed amount and / or feed speed of the spindle 32 to the spindle feed mechanism 33.

[0044] The components of the control device 50 (including the processor 55, memory 56, storage 57, and communication interface 58) are connected to one another by buses such as a system bus or a control bus, and can communicate with one another. The control device 50 also has a power supply 59. The power supply 59 typically includes a power plug that draws in power from a commercial power source or other power source. The power supply 59 may include a replaceable or non-replaceable battery, and the battery may be capable of being charged by receiving power from the commercial power source or other power source.

[0045] In the above description of the hardware configuration of the control device 50, the programs and / or data stored in the memory 56 and / or storage 57 may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable medium stores computer-readable instructions for executing a computer-implemented method and / or data used therein. Computer-readable media may include magneto-optical disks and optical memory devices, as well as digital video disks (DVDs), CD-ROMs, DVD+ / -Rs, DVD-RAMs, DVD-ROMs, HD-DVDs, and Bluray® media. Computer-readable media may also include magnetic devices such as tapes, cartridges, cassettes, and removable disks. Each program may include one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium for execution by an information processing device, including a computer (the control device 50 in this embodiment), or for controlling the operation of the information processing device. The programs and / or data may also be downloaded from an external device via a network.

[0046] Next, a method for manufacturing a processed substrate, which is a substrate W whose surface has been ground, will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the steps of manufacturing a processed substrate according to one embodiment. The method for manufacturing a processed substrate described below is performed using the substrate processing apparatus 1 described above. In other words, the following description of the method for manufacturing a processed substrate using the substrate processing apparatus 1 also describes the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1. It should be noted that the manufacturing of this processed substrate can also be performed using an apparatus separate from the substrate processing apparatus 1. In the following description, when referring to the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1, reference will be made to FIGS. 1 to 3 as appropriate. The method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to this embodiment can be provided in the form of a program for causing a processor 55 of a control device 50 that controls each component of the substrate processing apparatus 1 to perform a predetermined operation, or in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing this program.

[0047] When starting the production of processed substrates, the characteristics of the substrate W to be ground are first determined (S1). The characteristics of the substrate W may be determined by measuring the shape (typically, the thickness) of another ground substrate W having the same structure as the substrate W to be ground. The reasons for first determining the characteristics of the substrate W include the following: For example, if the substrate W is a mirror wafer with a diameter of 300 mm, and the substrate W is ground while being held by suction with both the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 in the substrate processing apparatus 1, the thickness of the substrate W after grinding may be uniform within an allowable range. On the other hand, if the substrate W is a wafer with a diameter of 300 mm on which a device is formed and a protective substrate is bonded, grinding the substrate W under the same conditions as the mirror wafer described above may result in the outer peripheral portion of the ground substrate W being thicker than the allowable range. Therefore, suppose that if a substrate W, which is a wafer on which the above-described device is formed and a protective substrate bonded thereto, is ground by suction and holding only by the first suction chuck 11 without being suction-held by the second suction chuck 12, the thickness of the substrate W after grinding becomes uniform within the tolerance range. If, on the other hand, a mirror wafer substrate W is ground by suction and holding only by the first suction chuck 11 without being suction-held by the second suction chuck 12, the thickness of the peripheral portion of the substrate W after grinding may become too thin and exceed the tolerance range. In such a case, if the substrate W is the mirror wafer described above, it is preferable to suction and hold the substrate W by both the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12. If the substrate W is a wafer on which the above-described device is formed and a protective substrate bonded thereto, it is preferable to suction and hold the substrate W by only the first suction chuck 11. Thus, understanding the characteristics (or structure) of the substrate W contributes to improving the yield of processed substrates with uniform thickness. The understood characteristics of the substrate W are input to the control device 50 via an input device (not shown) or the like, either wired or wirelessly.

[0048] Once the characteristics of the substrate W to be ground are determined (S1), the substrate W is placed on the placing surface 15 of the table 10 (S2). At this time, a robot hand (not shown) controlled by the control device 50 typically picks up one substrate W from a plurality of substrates W stored in a cassette (not shown) and places it on the placing surface 15. The substrate W is placed on the placing surface 15 with the surface to be ground (in the case of a wafer on which devices are formed, the surface opposite to the surface on which the devices are formed) facing up, and so that the center of the substrate W coincides with the center of rotation of the table 10. Note that placing the substrate W on the placing surface 15 is one form of providing the substrate W.

[0049] Once the substrate W is placed on the placement surface 15 (S2), the substrate W is sucked and held (S3). The controller 50 controls the negative pressure generator 20 based on the characteristics of the substrate W input to the controller 50 to suck and hold the substrate W. More specifically, the controller 50 operates the vacuum pump 28, opens the first valve 25, and, if necessary, also opens the second valve 26. For example, if the substrate W whose characteristics are input to the controller 50 is a mirror wafer, both the first valve 25 and the second valve 26 are opened, and the substrate W is sucked and held by both the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12. At this time, the suction force determined for the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 is typically the rated suction force when the vacuum pump 28 is operated. On the other hand, if the substrate W whose characteristics have been input to the control device 50 is a wafer on which a device is formed and a protection substrate is bonded, the first valve 25 is opened while the second valve 26 is closed, and the substrate W is suction-held only by the first suction chuck 11. At this time, the suction force determined for the first suction chuck 11 is typically the rated suction force when the vacuum pump 28 is operated. Also, the suction force determined for the second suction chuck 12 is zero (no suction).

[0050] Once the substrate W is held by suction (S3), grinding of the substrate W begins (S4). Grinding of the substrate W is performed by a command from the control device 50, which causes the table 10 to rotate, the spindle 32 to rotate, and the spindle feed mechanism 33 to descend, so that the grinding wheel 31, which descends appropriately while rotating, comes into contact with the upper surface of the rotating substrate W. Once grinding of the substrate W begins (S4), it is determined whether grinding of the substrate W is complete (S10). Whether grinding of the substrate W is complete is typically determined by the control device 50 determining whether grinding has been completed to a predetermined thickness. If grinding of the substrate W is not complete (NO in step S10), the process returns to the step of determining whether grinding of the substrate W is complete (S10). On the other hand, if grinding of the substrate W is complete (YES in step S10), grinding of the substrate W is terminated (S11). Grinding of the substrate W is completed by a command from the control device 50, which causes the spindle feed mechanism 33 to rise, stopping the rotation of the spindle 32 and the rotation of the table 10.

[0051] When grinding of the substrate W is completed (S11), the suction and holding of the substrate W on the mounting surface 15 is released (S12). The suction and holding of the substrate W is typically released by closing both the first valve 25 and the second valve 26 in response to a command from the control device 50. At this time, the inside of the first pipe 21 between the first valve 25 and the first suction chuck 11 and the inside of the second pipe 22 between the second valve 26 and the second suction chuck 12 may be opened to the atmosphere to break the vacuum. The vacuum pump 28 may also be stopped in conjunction with closing the first valve 25 and the second valve 26. When the suction and holding is released (S12), the substrate W for which grinding has been completed (i.e., the processed substrate) is removed from the table 10 (S13). This removal of the processed substrate is typically performed by a robot hand (not shown) controlled by the control device 50 gripping the processed substrate placed on the table 10 and storing it in a processed substrate cassette (not shown). The processed substrate is removed from the table 10, completing the manufacturing of the processed substrate.

[0052] As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus 1 and the method for manufacturing a processed substrate of this embodiment, the suction force in multiple areas that adsorb and hold the substrate W can be individually adjusted according to the characteristics of the substrate W to be ground, thereby making it possible to make the thickness of the substrate uniform after grinding.

[0053] Next, a substrate processing apparatus 1A according to a modified example of one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1A. Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of the periphery of a table 10 provided in the substrate processing apparatus 1A. The substrate processing apparatus 1A differs from the substrate processing apparatus 1 (see Figure 1) in that a sensor unit 40 is provided in addition to the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 (see Figure 1). The sensor unit 40 includes a sensor 41 that measures the shape of the substrate W.

[0054] In this embodiment, the sensor 41 is an optical sensor capable of detecting the thickness of the substrate W in a non-contact manner. In this embodiment, the sensor 41 is connected to the control device 50 via a control signal line. The sensor 41 receives commands from the control device 50 to control the operation of the sensor 41 and transmits detected thickness data of the substrate W to the control device 50. The thickness data of the substrate W transmitted from the sensor 41 to the control device 50 is typically stored temporarily in a memory 56 (see FIG. 3 ) or for a relatively long period in a storage device 57. The sensor 41 is attached to one end of an arm-shaped sensor moving mechanism 43. The other end of the sensor moving mechanism 43 is attached to a drive shaft 45. The drive shaft 45 is an elongated member that extends vertically up and down beside the table 10 in a plan view. The drive shaft 45 is directly or indirectly connected to a motor (not shown) and is configured to rotate forward and reverse around its axis by the operation of the motor (not shown). As the drive shaft 45 is rotated about its axis by a motor (not shown), the sensor 41 attached to one end of the sensor moving mechanism 43 moves on an arc centered on the drive shaft 45 in a plan view, parallel to the placement surface 15. At this time, the sensor moving mechanism 43 is typically configured with dimensions such that the arc that is the movement trajectory of the sensor 41 passes through the center of the substrate W that is held by suction on the placement surface 15 and rotates in a horizontal plane.

[0055] In the sensor unit 40 configured as described above, as the drive shaft 45 rotates about its axis in response to a command from the control device 50, the sensor 41 moves above the rotating substrate W from the outer periphery to the center of the substrate W to scan the shape of the substrate W. By scanning the substrate W, the sensor 41 measures the shape of the substrate W and transmits the measurement data to the control device 50. The measurement data transmitted from the sensor 41 to the control device 50 includes the thickness of the substrate W at a position from the center of the substrate W, in other words, the relationship between the position from the center of the substrate W and the thickness of the substrate W. The configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1A other than the sensor unit 40 is the same as that of the substrate processing apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1), so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0056] Next, a method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to a modified example of the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7. The method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to the modified example described below is performed using the substrate processing apparatus 1A. In other words, the following description of the method for manufacturing a processed substrate using the substrate processing apparatus 1A also describes the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1A. Note that the method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to this modified example can also be performed using an apparatus other than the substrate processing apparatus 1A. The method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to this modified example will be described below, focusing on differences from the method for manufacturing a processed substrate shown in FIG. 4. In the following description, when referring to the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1A and the substrate processing apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1) used therein, reference will be made to FIGS. 5, 6, and 1 to 3 as appropriate. The method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to this modified example can be provided in the form of a program for causing a processor 55 of a control device 50 that controls each component of the substrate processing apparatus 1A to execute a predetermined operation, or in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing this program.

[0057] When the manufacturing method of a processed substrate according to this modified example is started, first, the substrate W is placed on the mounting surface 15 of the table 10 (S2). As such, in this modified example, the step of determining the characteristics of the substrate W to be ground (step S1 in FIG. 4), which is performed in the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 4, is not performed. The step (S2) of placing the substrate W on the mounting surface 15 of the table 10 in this modified example is performed in the same manner as the same step (S2) in the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 4. In this modified example, after the substrate W is placed on the mounting surface 15 of the table 10 (S2), the substrate W is sucked and held (S3) in substantially the same manner as in the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 4. Here, one point that may differ from the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 4 is that whether the substrate W is sucked and held by both the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 or by one of them is registered in advance in the program executed by the control device 50. This is because, in this modified example, the step of grasping the characteristics of the substrate W (step S1 in FIG. 4) is not performed, and the suction chuck that will suction and hold the substrate W cannot be determined at this point. In this modified example, the explanation will continue assuming that the manner in which the substrate W is suction-held by both the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 is pre-registered in a program executed by the control device 50. Once the substrate W is suction-held in the pre-determined manner (S3), grinding of the substrate W begins (S4) in the same manner as in the manufacturing method shown in FIG.

[0058] Once grinding of the substrate W begins (S4), the preliminary grinding of the substrate W is completed when the top surface of the substrate W has been ground by a predetermined thickness (S5). The predetermined thickness to which the substrate W is preliminary ground is typically smaller than the grinding thickness (in other words, the grinding amount) required to produce a processed substrate, which is a finished product, and is a thickness that allows the characteristics of the substrate W to be ascertained. The preliminary grinding of the substrate W is performed to determine whether the suction state of the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 is acceptable as it is or whether adjustment is required.

[0059] Once the preliminary grinding of the substrate W is completed (S5), the shape of the substrate W is measured (S6). The shape measurement of the substrate W is performed by having the spindle feed mechanism 33 rise once in response to a command from the control device 50, and then having the sensor 41 move from the outer periphery of the substrate W to the center position and scan the shape of the substrate W after preliminary grinding. The data on the shape of the substrate W after preliminary grinding acquired by the sensor 41 is transmitted to the control device 50 as appropriate. After completing the scan of the shape of the substrate W after preliminary grinding, the sensor 41 retreats from the center position of the substrate W to a position outside the substrate W and waits for the next scan.

[0060] After measuring the shape of the substrate W after preliminary grinding (S6), the control device 50 determines whether or not adjustment of the suction forces of the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 is necessary (S7). For example, in this modified example in which the substrate W is suction-held by both the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 and preliminary grinding is performed, if the measurement reveals that the thickness of the outer periphery of the substrate W tends to be excessively thick, the control device 50 determines that adjustment of the suction forces is necessary. If the control device 50 determines that adjustment of the suction forces is necessary (YES in step S7), the control device 50 adjusts the suction forces of the first suction chuck 11 and / or the second suction chuck 12 (S8). The adjustment of the suction forces is typically performed by switching the first valve 25 and / or the second valve 26 between open and closed states in response to a command from the control device 50. In this modified example, for example, if measurement of the shape of the substrate W (S6) reveals a tendency for the thickness of the outer peripheral portion of the pre-ground substrate W to become too thick, the second valve 26 can be closed to stop suction by the second suction chuck 12, and adjustment can be made so that only suction by the first suction chuck 11 is performed.

[0061] After adjusting the suction force of the first suction chuck 11 and / or the second suction chuck 12 (S8), grinding of the substrate W is resumed (S9). Note that even if it is determined that adjustment of the suction force is not necessary (NO in step S7) in determining whether adjustment of the suction force of the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 is necessary, the process proceeds to step S9 of resuming grinding of the substrate W. Grinding of the substrate W is resumed when, in response to a command from the control device 50, the spindle feed mechanism 33 is lowered and the grinding wheel 31, which is appropriately lowered while rotating, comes into contact with the upper surface of the rotating substrate W.

[0062] When grinding of the substrate W is resumed (S9), it is determined whether or not grinding of the substrate W is completed (S10) in the same manner as in the manufacturing method shown in Fig. 4. If it is not completed (NO in step S10), the process returns to the same step (S10), and if it is completed (YES in step S10), grinding of the substrate W is terminated (S11). Thereafter, in the same manner as in the manufacturing method shown in Fig. 4, the suction holding of the substrate W on the mounting surface 15 is released (S12), and then the substrate W for which grinding has been completed (i.e., the processed substrate) is removed from the table 10 (S13), completing the manufacture of the processed substrate.

[0063] As described above, the substrate processing apparatus 1A and the method for manufacturing a processed substrate according to this modification eliminate the need for trial grinding (corresponding to grinding for performing step S1 in the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 4) to determine the characteristics of the substrate W, thereby reducing waste of the substrate W. Furthermore, since the shape of the substrate W itself during grinding is measured by the sensor 41 to determine the characteristics, the suction force of the suction chuck 112 can be adjusted taking into account individual differences between the substrates W, thereby making it possible to uniformize the thickness of the processed substrate.

[0064] In the above description, the substrate W ground by the substrate processing apparatus 1 has a diameter of 300 mm, but it may have a diameter other than 300 mm. For example, it may have a diameter of 200 mm or thereabouts, which is smaller than 300 mm, or it may have a diameter of 450 mm or thereabouts, which is larger than 300 mm.

[0065] In the above description, the negative pressure generator 20 adjusts the suction forces of the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12 by opening and closing the first valve 25 and the second valve 26. However, instead of the on-off valves, vacuum pumps may be individually provided in the first flow path 18 and the second flow path 19, and the suction forces of the respective suction chucks 11, 12 may be adjusted by starting and stopping the vacuum pumps.

[0066] In the above description, the substrate processing apparatus 1, 1A is provided with a negative pressure generator 20, but the negative pressure generator 20 may not be included as a component, and the first flow path 18 and the second flow path 19 may be connected to an external device that provides suction force generated by an external negative pressure source.

[0067] In the above description, when grinding of the substrate W is completed and the processed substrate is to be removed from the table 10, if it is difficult to remove the substrate W from the table 10 simply by stopping the vacuum pump 28, gas or liquid may be discharged from the mounting surface 15 in the portion of the first suction chuck 11 and / or the second suction chuck 12 to assist in removing the processed substrate from the mounting surface 15. As a configuration for discharging the gas or liquid from the mounting surface 15, for example, a pipe connected to the gas supply source or liquid supply source may be connected to the common pipe 23, and a valve may be provided for switching between the system of the gas supply source or liquid supply source and the system of the vacuum pump 28.

[0068] In the above explanation, when the substrate W is ground using both the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12, the outer periphery of the substrate W becomes too thick. Considering this, the reason why the thickness becomes uniform when the substrate W is ground using only the first suction chuck 11 is as follows: First, the outer periphery of the processed substrate becomes too thick because the amount of grinding of the outer periphery of the substrate W is insufficient. When the substrate W is ground without the outer periphery of the substrate W being held by suction using the second suction chuck 12, the thickness becomes uniform. This indicates that the amount of grinding of the outer periphery of the substrate W is sufficient. In this case, the outer peripheral surface of the substrate W to be ground is considered to be farther away from the mounting surface 15. Taking all of these factors into consideration, it is considered that the distance from the mounting surface 15 of the surface to be processed of the substrate W can be changed by adjusting the suction force for holding the substrate W, thereby adjusting the thickness of the processed substrate. By applying this concept, although the above description has been given of the suction chuck 112 provided on the table 10 being composed of two suction chucks, the first suction chuck 11 and the second suction chuck 12, it is also possible to consider a configuration with three or more suction chucks. In this case, it is preferable to minimize the dense body 13 present between adjacent suction chucks on the mounting surface 15 (i.e., to reduce the radial thickness) to reduce the area where the suction force cannot be controlled. Furthermore, in the above description, the suction force of the suction chuck 112 is adjusted by the presence or absence of suction (i.e., the presence or absence of the rated suction force of the activated vacuum pump 28). However, the suction force may be adjusted stepwise or continuously by adjusting the exhaust flow rate of the vacuum pump 28. Furthermore, in the above description, the outer edge of each suction chuck is circular in plan view. However, the shape may be other than circular, such as an ellipse or a polygon such as a rectangle, hexagon, or octagon, depending on the shape of the area where the suction force is to be differentiated. In the same spirit, the division of the regions may not only be such that the regions are expanded to fill the periphery of the region, but also such that the regions are adjacent to each other.

[0069] In addition, the present disclosure can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the gist thereof, and all such modifications are included in the technical concept of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1, 1A board processing equipment 10 tables 11 First vacuum chuck 12 Second suction chuck 15 Placement surface 20 Negative pressure generator 28 Vacuum Pump 30 Grinding means 31 Grinding wheel 40 Sensor Unit 41 Sensors 50 Control device 112 Vacuum chuck W substrate

Claims

1. a suction chuck that suctions and holds a substrate in a plurality of divided suction regions; a grinding means for grinding the substrate held by the suction chuck; a control device that controls a negative pressure generator that generates a suction force for suctioning and holding the substrate so that the suction force for suctioning the substrate can be individually adjusted in the plurality of divided suction regions; and A substrate processing device comprising:

2. the suction chuck includes a first suction region corresponding to a central portion of the substrate, and a second suction chuck having a second suction region corresponding to an outer portion of the central portion; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. a dense body that holds the first suction chuck and the second suction chuck; an upper surface of a table including the first suction chuck, the second suction chuck, and the dense body is configured as a mounting surface on which the substrate is placed; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 .

4. The negative pressure generator is provided in fluid communication with each of the plurality of divided adsorption regions. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

5. a sensor for measuring a shape of the substrate; the control device adjusts the suction force in each of the plurality of divided suction regions based on the shape of the substrate measured by the sensor. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

6. The grinding means has a back-grinding wheel. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

7. A method for manufacturing a processed substrate using the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: placing the substrate on the suction chuck; a step of suction-holding the substrate placed on the suction chuck by suction with a predetermined suction force for each of the plurality of divided suction regions; grinding the substrate held by the suction chuck with the grinding means. A method for manufacturing a processed substrate.

8. providing a substrate to be processed; a step of suction-holding the substrate with suction forces determined for each of a plurality of divided regions; and processing a surface of the substrate held by suction opposite to the surface held by suction. A method for manufacturing a processed substrate.

9. measuring the shape of the substrate; the step of suction-holding the substrate with a suction force determined for each of the plurality of divided regions includes a step of determining the suction force for each of the plurality of divided regions based on the shape of the substrate measured in the step of measuring the shape of the substrate; The method for manufacturing the processed substrate according to claim 8 .

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