Semiconductor manufacturing device

Abstract

To provide a semiconductor manufacturing device capable of performing stable operation without causing misalignment of a wafer on a chuck table or defects in the surface condition.SOLUTION: A semiconductor manufacturing device 1 includes a transport mechanism 10 for transporting a semiconductor wafer W, a chuck table 20 on which the semiconductor wafer W is placed and held by suction, a pre-suction mechanism 30 provided on the chuck table 20 for temporarily fixing the semiconductor wafer W placed on the chuck table 20, and a pressing mechanism 40 for pressing the surface of the semiconductor wafer W temporarily fixed on the chuck table 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] In the field of semiconductor manufacturing, semiconductor wafers such as silicon wafers (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "wafers") are ground to form thin films. After this grinding process, the wafer is then diced to divide it into multiple semiconductor chips. In the dicing process, the wafer is transported to a dicing position using, for example, a mount frame, and is then diced while being held by suction on the suction surface of a chuck table at the dicing position.

[0003] When a wafer is vacuum-held on a chuck table, if the wafer is flat, the entire surface of the wafer can be vacuum-held, providing sufficient holding force. However, if the wafer is warped, the wafer will not be vacuum-held sufficiently. For example, if the wafer is warped downward (i.e., concave), only the center portion of the wafer will be partially vacuum-held. Thus, if the wafer is warped, sufficient holding force cannot be obtained, and the wafer will not be able to be vacuum-held on the chuck table.

[0004] To address this problem, methods have been proposed in which a warped wafer is placed on a chuck table and then the surface is pressed from above to correct the warpage, and in which the wafer is conveyed to the chuck table after the warpage has been corrected and the wafer is kept flat (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-234392 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-038327 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the conventional method described above, the wafer is not held by suction on the chuck table from the time the wafer is placed on the chuck table until the top surface of the wafer is pressed, which causes the wafer to shift and move on the chuck table during this time.

[0007] Furthermore, in the conventional method, since the entire surface of the warped wafer is pressed, the wafer surface is subjected to uneven weight, which causes wrinkles and the like to appear on the wafer surface after pressing.

[0008] In a typical dicing machine, the wafer is transported to the chuck table by a transport mechanism, and whether the transfer from the transport mechanism to the chuck table is complete, i.e., whether the wafer has been placed on the chuck table, is often determined by the suction pressure of the chuck table.

[0009] However, with the conventional method described above, the chucking pressure of the chuck table does not increase from the time the wafer is placed on the chuck table until the top surface of the wafer is pressed against it, so it is sometimes impossible to accurately determine whether the wafer has been placed on the chuck table. If the wafer placement status cannot be accurately determined, stable operation cannot be maintained, and this can lead to problems such as a decrease in manufacturing efficiency.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that can perform stable operation without causing misalignment of the wafer on the chuck table or defects in the surface condition. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means. <1> A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a transport mechanism for transporting a semiconductor wafer, a chuck table on which the semiconductor wafer is placed and held by suction, a pre-suction mechanism provided on the chuck table for temporarily fixing the semiconductor wafer placed on the chuck table, and a pressing mechanism for pressing the surface of the semiconductor wafer temporarily fixed to the chuck table.

[0012] the above <1> According to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the semiconductor wafer transported by the transport mechanism is sucked by the pre-suction mechanism and temporarily fixed to the chuck table, so that the positional deviation on the chuck table can be prevented until the semiconductor wafer is pressed by the pressing mechanism. Furthermore, since the surface of the semiconductor wafer is pressed after being temporarily fixed by the pre-suction mechanism, defects such as wrinkles on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after pressing can be suppressed.

[0013] <2> the above <1> In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the pre-suction mechanism may include at least one recess provided on the suction surface of the chuck table, and a suction pad provided inside the recess and having an upper surface protruding above the suction surface, the upper surface of the suction pad being capable of being pressed into the interior of the chuck table, and the upper surface of the suction pad may be provided with an intake port for sucking the semiconductor wafer placed thereon.

[0014] <3> the above <1> or <2> The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the above aspect may further include a determination unit that determines whether the semiconductor wafer is placed on the chuck table based on the suction pressure of the pre-suction mechanism.

[0015] <4> the above <1> ~ <3> In any one of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, the pre-suction mechanism may be disposed in a central portion of the chuck table.

[0016] <5> the above <1> ~ <4> In any one of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, the pressing mechanism may include an annular member, and the annular member may abut against an outer edge of the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0017] <6> the above <5> In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the annular member may be made of a resin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus capable of carrying out stable operation without causing misalignment of the wafer on the chuck table or defects in the surface condition. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a chuck table according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the chuck table according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a suction pad and its vicinity according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a weighting means according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 3 is a cross-sectional schematic view of an annular member and a weight member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views illustrating an example of an operation of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a conveying and pressing mechanism according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following description illustrates one embodiment of the present invention and may be modified as desired without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In each drawing, components having the same or similar functions are designated by the same reference numerals. Duplicate descriptions of these components may be omitted. The drawings are schematic or conceptual, and the relationship between the thickness and width of each component, the size ratio between components, and the like may not necessarily be the same as those in reality. Furthermore, in the following description, when referring to the number, numerical value, amount, range, etc. of components, the number is not limited to a specific number, and may be greater than or less than the specific number, unless otherwise specified or when clearly limited in principle to a specific number.

[0021] In the following description, the terms "parallel," "orthogonal," and "same" also include "substantially parallel," "substantially orthogonal," and "substantially the same," respectively.

[0022] In each drawing, X, Y, and Z represent three mutually orthogonal spatial axes. In this specification, the directions along these axes are referred to as the first direction X (X direction), the second direction Y (Y direction), and the third direction Z (Z direction), respectively. The direction indicated by the arrow in each drawing is referred to as the positive (+) direction, and the direction opposite the arrow is referred to as the negative (-) direction. The X and Y directions represent, for example, the in-plane directions of the chuck table, and the Z direction represents the thickness direction of the chuck table or the pressing direction of the pressing mechanism. In this specification, the "+Z direction" may be referred to as "up" and the "-Z direction" may be referred to as "down." However, these expressions are used for convenience and do not specify the direction of gravity.

[0023] In the following description, expressions indicating directions such as up / down and left / right are not absolute, but are appropriate when each part of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of this embodiment is in the posture depicted, but if the posture changes, they should be interpreted differently in accordance with the change in posture.

[0024] (Embodiment) <1. Configuration of semiconductor manufacturing equipment> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a chuck table 20 according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the chuck table 20 according to this embodiment. Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a suction pad 32 according to this embodiment and its vicinity.

[0025] 1, semiconductor manufacturing equipment 1 includes a transfer mechanism 10 for transferring a semiconductor wafer W, a chuck table 20, a pre-suction mechanism 30, and a pressing mechanism 40. In the following description, the semiconductor wafer W will be referred to as a "wafer W." The wafer W may be a silicon wafer, a silicon carbide wafer, or the like, but is not limited to these.

[0026] The transport mechanism 10 is provided so as to be able to rotate and move up and down in the Z direction by a drive mechanism (not shown). The operation of the transport mechanism 10 is controlled by a control unit 29. The control unit 29 will be described in detail later.

[0027] The transfer mechanism 10 has a suction mechanism 11. The suction mechanism 11 takes out the wafer W from a cassette (not shown), and then transfers the wafer W, while it is suction-held, to the chuck table 20. The suction mechanism 11 is provided with a plurality of pads P, and the wafer W is suction-held by the pads P.

[0028] The chuck table 20 is rotatably disposed. The chuck table 20 has an adsorption body 21 made of a porous material (e.g., ceramic) embedded in its upper surface. The wafer W transferred by the transfer mechanism 10 is placed on the adsorption body 21 and temporarily fixed by a pre-suction mechanism 30 (described later). The wafer W temporarily fixed on the adsorption body 21 is pressed by the pressing mechanism 40, and air outside the adsorption body 21 is sucked into the adsorption body 21 through the porous material of the adsorption body 21 (i.e., adsorption by negative pressure), so that the wafer W is adsorbed and held on the adsorption body 21.

[0029] An X table 24 is provided below the chuck table 20. The X table 24 is guided by an X guide (not shown) and transported in the X direction by a drive mechanism.

[0030] The chuck table 20 is connected to a θ table 25 placed on the X table 24. The θ table 25 is provided so as to be rotatable clockwise and counterclockwise.

[0031] The adsorber 21 is provided with a pressure gauge 26 and suction means 27 via an X-table 24 and a θ-table 25. The pressure gauge 26 measures the adsorption pressure of the adsorber 21. The suction means 27 is, for example, a vacuum source.

[0032] The pre-suction mechanism 30 is provided on the chuck table 20. The pre-suction mechanism 30 temporarily fixes the wafer W placed on the chuck table 20. Details and preferred embodiments of the pre-suction mechanism 30 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0033] 3, the pre-suction mechanism 30 includes at least one recess 31 provided on the suction surface 21A, and a suction pad 32 provided inside the recess 31 and having an upper surface that protrudes above the suction surface 21A. The recess 31 is a recess that is approximately circular in plan view and provided on the suction surface 21A.

[0034] The depth of the recess 31 is not particularly limited, but is set to a depth such that the upper surface of the suction pad 32 is higher than the suction surface 21A.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper surface of the suction pad 32 protrudes upward beyond the suction surface 21A. When pressed from above by the wafer W, this protruding portion is pushed into the recess 31 (see the arrow in FIG. 4). Therefore, the diameter of the recess 31 is preferably adjusted to a size that allows the entire suction pad 32 to be accommodated within the recess 31 when pressed into it. On the other hand, if the gap between the outer periphery of the suction pad 32 and the inner surface of the recess 31 is large (i.e., if the ratio of the diameter of the recess 31 to the size of the suction pad 32 is large), the wafer W may not be stably suction-held on the suction body 21. Therefore, it is preferable that the diameter of the recess 31 is adjusted in accordance with the protrusion amount of the suction pad 32 so as not to be excessively large.

[0036] The suction pad 32 is preferably made of a material having elasticity that allows the upper surface of the suction pad 32 to be pressed into the interior of the chuck table 20. As described above, when the wafer W on the suction surface 21A is pressed by the pressing mechanism 40, the portion of the suction pad 32 that protrudes above the suction surface 21A is pressed into the recess 31. For this reason, the suction pad 32 is preferably made of a material having excellent elasticity. The material of the suction pad 32 is preferably a resin, such as silicone rubber.

[0037] 4, an intake port 33 for sucking the wafer W is provided on the upper surface of the suction pad 32. The wafer W transferred by the transfer mechanism 10 is placed on the adsorption body 21, and at this time, the wafer W is sucked by the suction means 27 through the intake port 33, whereby the wafer W is temporarily fixed to the adsorption body 21.

[0038] The pre-suction mechanism 30 is preferably disposed in the center of the chuck table 20. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the suction pad 32 is preferably disposed in the center of the suction surface 21A on the chuck table 20. By disposing the suction pad 32 in the center, the probability of contact with the wafer W can be increased. If the wafer W cannot be brought into contact with the suction pad 32, the suction pressure measured by the pressure gauge 26 described below does not increase, making it impossible to accurately determine whether the wafer W has been successfully transferred. On the other hand, if the suction pad 32 is disposed in the center, even a warped wafer W can be brought into contact with the suction pad 32 with a high probability, thereby enabling the suction pressure to be increased more stably. As a result, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the wafer W has been successfully transferred, i.e., whether the wafer W has been placed.

[0039] To further enjoy the above-mentioned effects, it is preferable to arrange a plurality of suction pads 32. In the example shown in Fig. 2, four suction pads 32 are provided, but this is not limited to this in the present embodiment. By arranging a plurality of suction pads 32 in the central portion, the probability of contact with the wafer W can be further increased.

[0040] Furthermore, when the suction pad 32 is placed in the center of the suction surface 21A on the chuck table 20, the center of the wafer W is temporarily fixed. That is, by temporarily fixing the center of the wafer W by suction and then pressing the outer edge of the remaining wafer W by the pressing mechanism 40 (described later), it is possible to correct the warp of the wafer W without causing defects such as wrinkles, and to stably hold the wafer W by suction.

[0041] The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment may further include a judgment unit 28 that judges whether the wafer W has been placed on the adsorption body 21 on the chuck table 20, i.e., whether the transfer of the wafer W from the transport mechanism 10 to the chuck table 20 has been completed.

[0042] The determination unit 28 is connected to the pressure gauge 26, and receives the intake pressure measured by the pressure gauge 26. In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the wafer W transferred by the transfer mechanism 10 is sucked by the pre-suction mechanism 30 and temporarily fixed to the chuck table 20, and the intake pressure of the chuck table increases (fluctuations) accordingly. The intake pressure at this time is measured by the pressure gauge 26, and the determination unit 28 determines whether the wafer W has been placed on the suction body 21 on the chuck table 20 based on the measured intake pressure value. For example, if the determination unit 28 is given a condition that "it is determined that the wafer W has been placed on the chuck table 20 when the intake pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined value," the placement state of the wafer W can be more accurately grasped, and as a result, stable operations (e.g., dicing) can be performed.

[0043] The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment may further include a control unit 29 that controls the operations of the transport mechanism 10 and the pressing mechanism 40 based on the determination result of the determination unit . The control unit 29 is connected to the determination unit .

[0044] The control unit 29 controls the operations of the transport mechanism 10 and the pressing mechanism 40. The control unit 29 is configured with, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, etc. The functions of the control unit 29 may be realized by control using software, or may be realized by operation using hardware.

[0045] The control unit 29 controls the operations of the transfer mechanism 10 and the pressing mechanism 40 based on the determination result of the determination unit 28. Specifically, when the determination unit 28 determines that the wafer W has been placed on the adsorptive body 21 on the chuck table 20, the control unit 29 receives the determination and instructs the transfer mechanism 10 to move away from the chuck table 20. Next, the control unit 29 instructs the pressing mechanism 40 to press from above the surface of the wafer W that has been placed and temporarily fixed. In other words, the determination unit 28 can more accurately grasp the placement state of the wafer W, and then the operations of the transfer mechanism 10 and the pressing mechanism 40 can be controlled, thereby enabling more efficient operation.

[0046] Next, the pressing mechanism 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. The pressing mechanism 40 includes a load applying means 41 that applies pressure to the surface of the wafer W temporarily fixed on the chuck table 20. The load applying means 41 includes an annular member 42 and a load applying member 43.

[0047] The annular member 42 is a member having a substantially annular shape in a plan view from the Z direction. The diameter of the annular member 42 may be any size that allows it to abut against the outer edge of the wafer W that is the object to be pressed, and may be the same as the diameter of the wafer W, for example. When trimming the edge portion of the wafer W (so-called edge trimming), it is preferable that the diameter of the annular member 42 be smaller than the diameter of the wafer W.

[0048] The material of the annular member 42 is preferably resin. Because the annular member 42 comes into direct contact with the surface of the wafer W, it is desirable that the material is unlikely to scratch the surface even when it comes into contact with the surface of the wafer W. It is also desirable that the material is unlikely to generate static electricity that could adversely affect the circuit chips on the wafer W. Therefore, the annular member 42 is preferably made of an elastic and insulating material. An example of the material of the annular member 42 is conductive silicone rubber.

[0049] 6, the weight member 43 is provided above the annular member 42. The weight member 43 presses the wafer W by its own weight. Therefore, it is desirable that the weight member 43 have a certain weight. The weight member 43 is, for example, a metal plate.

[0050] With the above-described weighting means 41, the annular member 42, which is generally annular in plan view, contacts the outer edge of the wafer W, i.e., an area where no circuit chips are present, thereby preventing damage to the circuit chips. Furthermore, with the weighting means 41, the weight of the weighting member 43 presses the wafer W. At this time, the annular member 42 contacts the outer edge of the temporarily fixed wafer W, and the wafer W is pressed in a constrained state. This allows warpage of the wafer W to be corrected without causing defects such as wrinkles, and the wafer W can be stably held by suction. Furthermore, because the weight of the weighting member 43 presses the wafer W, vibrations are not generated throughout the apparatus, as compared to when a pressing force is generated by, for example, a motor or cylinder. This reduces adverse effects on peripheral equipment such as pressure detectors and observation devices. Furthermore, because vibrations are prevented from occurring, there is no risk of damage to the semiconductor wafer surface due to vibrations.

[0051] As described above, in this embodiment, the wafer W is pressed by the weight of the weight member 43 itself. In order to reduce the reaction force generated at this time, a floating mechanism 44 may be provided between the weight member 43 and a support member 45 that supports the weight member 43 from above, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0052] In the example shown in Fig. 5, a floating mechanism 44 including four pins is provided on the outer periphery of the weighting member 43. Each pin is provided so as to be able to move linearly in the vertical direction. When the annular member 42 comes into contact with the wafer W and the entire weighting means 41 subsequently descends, each pin moves upward relative to the support member 45, so that only the weight of the weighting member 43 can act on the wafer W. Note that, although the example shown in Fig. 5 has been described as including four floating mechanisms 44, the number of floating mechanisms 44 is not limited to this.

[0053] The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment has been described above. According to this embodiment, the wafer W transferred by the transfer mechanism 10 can be sucked by the pre-suction mechanism 30 and temporarily fixed to the chuck table 20. Furthermore, since the temporary fixation increases the suction pressure of the chuck table 20, it is possible to accurately determine whether the wafer W has been placed (transferred) based on fluctuations in the suction pressure. As a result, stable operations (e.g., dicing) can be performed.

[0054] Furthermore, since the wafer W is temporarily fixed by the pre-suction mechanism 30, it is possible to prevent the wafer W from shifting position on the chuck table 20 until it is pressed by the pressing mechanism 40. Furthermore, since the surface of the wafer W is pressed after being temporarily fixed by the pre-suction mechanism 30, it is possible to suppress defects such as wrinkles on the surface of the wafer W after pressing.

[0055] <2. Operation of semiconductor manufacturing equipment> Next, an example of the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0056] First, the wafer W is transferred to the chuck table 20 by the transfer mechanism 10 (S101). Next, the placed wafer W is sucked by the suction pad 32 of the pre-suction mechanism 30 and temporarily fixed (S102).

[0057] Next, based on the suction pressure measured by the pressure gauge 26, it is determined whether the transfer of the wafer W is completed, that is, whether the wafer W is placed on the chuck table 20 (S103). Specifically, the determination unit 28 determines whether the wafer W is placed on the chuck table 20 based on the measured intake pressure value.

[0058] When it is determined that the wafer W has been placed on the chuck table 20, the control unit 29 issues a pressing instruction to the pressing mechanism 40, and the wafer W is pressed by the weight application means 41 of the pressing mechanism 40 to be adsorbed and held (S104). Specifically, upon receiving a command from the control unit 29, the pressing mechanism 40 moves to a position facing the chuck table 20 in the Z direction, and then the weight application means 41 descends along the Z direction to press the surface of the wafer W. At this time, the temporarily fixed wafer W is pressed by the pressing mechanism 40 while air outside the adsorbent 21 is sucked into the adsorbent 21 through the porous material of the adsorbent 21 (i.e., adsorbed by negative pressure), so that the wafer W is adsorbed and held.

[0059] (Variation) Next, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1A that is a modified example of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1A according to this modified example. Fig. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a transport and press mechanism 10A according to this modified example. Note that the transport and press mechanism 10A shown in Fig. 10 is a perspective view seen from the opposite direction to the pressing direction of the transport and press mechanism 10A, that is, from below.

[0060] 1, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1A is equipped with a transport and press mechanism 10A that combines a transport function and a press mechanism. In other words, as shown in FIG. 9, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1A is a unit in which a means for transporting a wafer W and a means for pressing a wafer W are integrated. The configuration other than the transport and press mechanism 10A may be the same as that of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG.

[0061] The transfer and pressing mechanism 10A includes a load applying means 41A that applies pressure to the surface of the wafer W temporarily fixed on the chuck table 20. The load applying means 41A includes an annular member 42, a load applying member 43, and a plurality of pads P.

[0062] 10, the pads P are provided on the lower surface of the weighting member 43. The number, arrangement position, shape, etc. of the pads P are not particularly limited and may be selected appropriately depending on the shape, size, etc. of the wafer W to be transported. The wafer W is held by suction by the pads P.

[0063] When the wafer W is removed from a cassette (not shown) and then transported while being suction-held, the pads are positioned at the same position as the bottom surface of the annular member 42 or protrude below the bottom surface, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 . When the wafer W is then placed on the chuck table 20 and pressed by the weight member 43, the protruding portions of the pads P move upward. For example, a storage recess for the pads P may be provided on the underside of the weight member 43, and the pads P may be pressed into the storage recess. Furthermore, if the pads P are made of an elastic material (e.g., resin), they may be elastically deformed in the thickness direction of the pads P, i.e., crushed, when pressed by the weight member 43.

[0064] The annular member 42 and the weight member 43 in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1A may have the same configuration as those in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG.

[0065] The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1A according to this modified example has been described above. According to this modified example, the apparatus is provided with a transport and pressing mechanism 10A in which a means for transporting the wafer W and a means for pressing the wafer W are integrated, so that the apparatus configuration can be simplified and control efficiency can be improved, thereby enabling more stable operation.

[0066] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1. 1A Semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10. Conveying mechanism 10A Conveyor pressure mechanism 11 Adsorption mechanism 20 Chuck table 21 Adsorbent 21A Adsorption surface 24 x Table 25 θ table 26 Pressure gauge 27 Suction means 28 Judgment Department 29 Control Unit 30 Pre-suction mechanism 31 Recess 32 suction pad 33 Air intake 40 Pressing mechanism 41, 41A Weighting means 42 Annular member 43 Weighted Member 44 Floating mechanism 45 Support member P Pad W wafer (semiconductor wafer)

Claims

1. a transport mechanism for transporting semiconductor wafers; a chuck table on which the semiconductor wafer is placed and held by suction; a pre-suction mechanism provided on the chuck table for temporarily fixing the semiconductor wafer placed on the chuck table; a pressing mechanism that presses the surface of the semiconductor wafer temporarily fixed to the chuck table; A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising:

2. The pre-suction mechanism includes: At least one recessed portion provided on the suction surface of the chuck table; a suction pad provided inside the recess and having an upper surface extending above the suction surface; Equipped with the upper surface of the suction pad can be pressed into the inside of the chuck table, 2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the suction pad is provided with an intake port for sucking the semiconductor wafer placed thereon.

3. 3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit that determines whether the semiconductor wafer is placed on the chuck table based on the suction pressure of the pre-suction mechanism.

4. 3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pre-suction mechanism is disposed at a center of the chuck table.

5. The pressing mechanism includes:

3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor wafer is provided with an annular member that is brought into contact with an outer edge of the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

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