Fluid supply apparatus and semiconductor device manufacturing method

Abstract

To prevent the generation of particles.SOLUTION: And a cover section (20) that covers a covered region (S1) including a part of an exposed region (U1) of the sheet included in the frame unit and the frame (F). The cover portion includes a first cover portion (21) that covers the covered region from the back side of the seat, and a second cover portion (22) that covers the covered region from the front side. The first cover part includes a first protrusion (41) which is an annular protrusion surrounding the wafer and contacting the sheet. The second cover portion includes a second convex portion (42) that is an annular protrusion surrounding the first convex portion and contacting the sheet. The first protrusion and the second protrusion overlap with the exposed region of the sheet when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the holding surface. The first protrusion and the second protrusion overlap each other when viewed from a direction parallel to the holding surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid supply device and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a processing method in which a frame unit is prepared in which a wafer is fixed to an opening in an annular frame with adhesive tape, and then plasma etching is performed by supplying a plasma gas to the wafer in the frame unit. In Patent Document 1, before performing plasma etching, the annular frame and the annular region of the adhesive tape exposed between the annular frame and the wafer are covered with a cover member to prevent deterioration of the annular frame, etc. When covered with the cover member, the cover member and the annular region of the adhesive tape are in contact with each other. An O-ring is provided at the contact portion of the cover member with the adhesive tape, and the O-ring provides a sealing function to seal the inside and outside of the cover member.

[0003] Furthermore, for wafers, a technique is known in which the surface is cleaned by supplying two fluids including pure water. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-19146 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when an O-ring is used as in Patent Document 1, the O-ring is deteriorated by the plasma gas used in plasma etching and the pure water used for cleaning, which causes a problem that particles are generated from the O-ring and adhere to the wafer.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and one of its objects is to provide a fluid supply device and a semiconductor device manufacturing method that can prevent the generation of particles by covering the frame of a frame unit, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A fluid supply device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a holding section that holds a frame unit having a plate-shaped workpiece fixed to an opening of a frame via a sheet, and a first fluid supply section that supplies a first fluid to the workpiece, the holding section having a chuck table that holds at least the workpiece of the frame unit on a holding surface via the sheet, and a cover section that covers a covered area including the frame and at least a part of an exposed area of ​​the sheet that does not contact the frame and the workpiece, the cover section being included in the frame unit held on the chuck table, and the frame, the exposed area including the frame, and the frame, the exposed area being not in contact with the frame and the workpiece, and the cover section having a first fluid supply section that covers the covered area from one of the front and back sides of the sheet. The workpiece has a cover portion and a second cover portion that covers the covered area from the opposite side of the one side of the sheet, wherein the first cover portion includes a first convex portion that is an annular protrusion that surrounds the workpiece of the frame unit held by the holding portion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and contacts the sheet, and the second cover portion includes a second convex portion that is an annular protrusion that surrounds the first convex portion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and contacts the sheet, and the first convex portion and the second convex portion overlap when viewed from a direction parallel to the holding surface.

[0008] A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to one aspect of the present invention includes a workpiece holding step of holding at least a plate-shaped workpiece of a frame unit, the plate-shaped workpiece being fixed to an opening of a frame via a sheet, on a holding surface of a chuck table included in a holding unit; and a moving step of relatively moving a first cover part that covers a covered area including the frame and at least a part of an exposed area of ​​the sheet that does not contact the frame and the workpiece, from one side of the front and back of the sheet, and a second cover part that covers the side opposite to the one side of the sheet, included in the frame unit held on the chuck table. and a fluid acting process of supplying fluid from a fluid supply unit to the workpiece and acting on the workpiece, wherein the first cover unit includes a first convex portion which is an annular protrusion that surrounds the workpiece of the frame unit held by the holding unit, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and comes into contact with the sheet, and the second cover unit includes a second convex portion which is an annular protrusion that surrounds the first convex portion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and comes into contact with the sheet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the first convex portion of the first cover portion and the annular second convex portion of the second cover portion each form annular protrusions that contact the front and back of the sheet to provide a seal, eliminating the need for O-rings in the first cover portion and the second cover portion, thereby preventing particles from being generated from the first cover portion and the second cover portion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a plasma etching apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a frame unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the holding portion in a state where the frame unit is held. [Figure 4]4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing the holding section in a preparation state for holding the frame unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a top view of the holding portion shown in comparison with a cross-sectional view. [Figure 6] 6A to 6C are partial cross-sectional views of a first cover part and a second cover part according to modified examples. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A plasma etching apparatus according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For the sake of convenience, some components may be omitted in the following drawings.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a plasma etching apparatus according to an embodiment. The plasma etching apparatus 10 shown in Fig. 1 is an example of a fluid supply apparatus to which the present invention is applied. Note that the present invention is not limited to the plasma etching apparatus 10, and can also be applied to other fluid supply apparatuses that supply fluid to a workpiece.

[0013] Plasma etching apparatus 10 includes a holder 11 that holds frame unit U, a chamber 12 that houses holder 11, and a plasma supply unit 13 that serves as a first fluid supply unit. Plasma etching apparatus 10 also includes an air supply unit 14 that serves as a second fluid supply unit, a measurement unit 16 provided in holder 11, and a control unit 17 that controls each unit of plasma etching apparatus 10.

[0014] 2 is a schematic perspective view of the frame unit U. As shown in FIG. 2, the frame unit U includes a wafer W serving as a workpiece, an annular frame F, and a sheet S.

[0015] The wafer W is formed into a circular plate shape from a material such as silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), or sapphire (Al2O3). The surface W1 of the wafer W is divided into a plurality of regions by planned dividing lines W3 (streets) set in a grid pattern, and devices D such as ICs (Integrated Circuits) and LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are provided in each region. Therefore, by dividing the wafer W along the planned dividing lines W3, rectangular chip-shaped semiconductor devices including the devices D are manufactured.

[0016] A circular sheet S having a diameter larger than that of the wafer W is attached to the back surface W2 of the wafer W. The sheet S may be, for example, a circular resin sheet. The sheet S may also be an adhesive tape including a base layer made of synthetic resin and adhesive glue layers laminated on the front and back surfaces of the base layer.

[0017] The frame F can be made of resin, for example. The inside of the inner peripheral edge of the annular frame F is formed as a circular opening F1. The outer diameter of the wafer W is smaller than the inner diameter of the frame F, and the wafer W is arranged to fit into the opening F1, with the inner peripheral edge of the frame F located outer than the outer peripheral edge of the wafer W. The back surface of the frame F is attached to the surface of the outer peripheral portion of the sheet S. As a result, the wafer W is fixed to the opening F1 of the frame F via the sheet S, and a frame unit U is formed.

[0018] In the frame unit U, the outer peripheral edge of the wafer W and the inner peripheral edge of the frame F are separated in the radial direction, and a sheet S covers the radial region between the wafer W and the frame F. In the sheet S, the radial region between the outer peripheral edge of the wafer W and the inner peripheral edge of the frame F is an exposed region S1, and the exposed region S1 is a region that does not come into contact with the frame F and the wafer W.

[0019] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the holding portion in a state where it holds a frame unit. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing the holding portion in a state ready to hold a frame unit. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the holding portion 11 includes a chuck table 18 and a cover portion 20 that covers the outer periphery of the frame unit U held by the chuck table 18. Here, the upper side of Figs. 3 and 4 is the front side, and the lower side is the back side, of the frame unit U including the wafer W, sheet S, and frame F.

[0020] The chuck table 18 is configured as an electrostatic chuck table formed in a disk shape, and its upper surface parallel to the horizontal direction serves as a holding surface 19. The chuck table 18 uses electrostatic attraction to attract and hold the wafer W on the holding surface 19 via the sheet S. It is sufficient for the chuck table 18 to be able to hold at least the wafer W in the frame unit U on the holding surface 19, and it may be configured to hold not only the entire wafer W but also the sheet S adjacent to the outer periphery of the wafer W radially outward.

[0021] The cover portion 20 is provided so as to cover a covered area U1 included in the frame unit U held by the chuck table 18. Here, the covered area U1 includes the entire frame F, and also includes a portion of the exposed area S1 of the sheet S, having a predetermined width extending radially inward from the inner peripheral edge of the frame F. Note that the illustrated covered area U1 is an example, and it may be configured to include the entire exposed area S1 of the sheet S, or may be changed to a range that includes the frame F and at least a portion of the exposed area S1 of the sheet S.

[0022] The cover section 20 has a first cover section 21 that covers the covered area U1 of the frame unit U from the back side (one of the front and back sides) of the sheet S, and a second cover section 22 that covers the covered area U1 from the front side (the side opposite to the one of the front and back sides) of the sheet S. Furthermore, the cover section 20 has a moving section 23 that moves the first cover section 21 and the second cover section 22 relatively. In this embodiment, the moving section 23 moves the second cover section 22 in the up and down direction, and is constituted by a driving device such as a hydraulic or pneumatic air cylinder or a feed screw device, for example.

[0023] The first cover portion 21 is provided in an annular shape surrounding the outer periphery of the chuck table 18. The first cover portion 21 includes an inner peripheral wall 25 that forms the inner periphery of the first cover portion 21, an outer peripheral wall 26 that forms the outer periphery of the first cover portion 21, and a bottom wall 27 that connects the lower ends of the inner peripheral wall 25 and the outer peripheral wall 26.

[0024] The height of the upper ends of the inner circumferential wall 25 and the outer circumferential wall 26 is higher than the upper surface of the bottom wall 27 and is generally the same height as the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 18. Therefore, in a cross-sectional view, the first cover part 21 has a recess 28 that is surrounded on three sides by the inner circumferential wall 25, the outer circumferential wall 26, and the bottom wall 27. The recess 28 is open at the top and is formed to be able to receive a support wall 32 and a connecting wall 33, which will be described later.

[0025] The second cover part 22 is provided in the same annular shape as the first cover part 21, and is provided in a position so as to cover the first cover part 21 from above. The second cover part 22 includes a top wall 31 oriented in a generally horizontal direction, a support wall 32 located a predetermined distance below the top wall 31, and a connecting wall 33 connecting the top wall 31 and the support wall 32. The frame F of the frame unit U is placed above the support wall 32, and the second cover part 22 is provided so as to be able to support the frame unit U from below.

[0026] The inner and outer peripheral edges of the top wall 31 are aligned radially with the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the first cover part 21. A recess 34 is formed on the underside of the top wall 31, recessed above the support wall 32, to avoid contact with the frame F in the state shown in FIG.

[0027] The support wall 32 is oriented in a generally horizontal direction, and its outer end is connected to the lower end of the connecting wall 33 via its base. The support wall 32 is formed to a thickness such that the upper surface height is higher at the base than at the inner tip, and the frame F of the frame unit U is placed on this base (see FIG. 4). Note that, although the frame F is separated from the support wall 32 in the state shown in FIG. 3, a configuration may be adopted in which a support pin (not shown) extending upward is installed on the bottom wall 27 and a through-hole (not shown) corresponding to the support pin is provided in the support wall 32 so that the frame F is supported by the upper end of the support pin that passes through the through-hole when the second cover part 22 is lowered. A support pipe 35 is provided extending downward from a portion of the support wall 32 adjacent to its base where the upper surface height is lower.

[0028] The support pipe 35 moves in the vertical direction by driving the moving part 23, and the second cover part 22 can be moved up and down via the support pipe 35. Therefore, the support pipe 35 also functions as a support when moving the second cover part 22 up and down. Here, an internal space 36 (space) surrounded by the cover part 20 is formed by the recessed part 34 of the second cover part 22 and the recessed part 28 of the first cover part 21. The internal space 36 can be opened or closed by moving the second cover part 22 in a direction relatively moving away from or towards the first cover part 21.

[0029] The support pipe 35 is connected to the air supply unit 14, and high-pressure air, which serves as the second fluid, is supplied from the air supply unit 14. Thus, high-pressure air can be sprayed upward from the upper surface of the support wall 32 through the support pipe 35, and the high-pressure air is supplied to the internal space 36 surrounded by the cover unit 20, creating a positive pressure. Creating a positive pressure in the internal space 36 prevents gas outside the cover unit 20 from flowing into the internal space 36, and the ability of the cover unit 20 to shield the covered area U1 can be improved.

[0030] The second fluid may be an inert gas such as helium gas instead of high-pressure air.

[0031] Here, the above-mentioned measuring unit 16 may be provided, for example, in the fluid path (including the support piping 35) connecting the internal space 36 and the air supply unit 14, or may be provided in the internal space 36, and the measuring unit 16 may measure the pressure of the internal space 36 as high-pressure air, as well as the flow rate of the high-pressure air being supplied in addition to the pressure.

[0032] The connecting wall 33 extends downward from the lower surface of the top wall 31 and is provided so as to follow the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall 26. The vertical length of the connecting wall 33 is set so that a slight gap is formed between the support wall 32 and the bottom wall 27 when the covered area U1 is covered by the cover part 20.

[0033] The first cover portion 21 includes a first protrusion 41 and a third protrusion 43, and the second cover portion 22 includes a second protrusion 42 and a fourth protrusion 44.

[0034] The first protrusion 41 and the third protrusion 43 are formed on the upper part of the inner peripheral wall 25 of the first cover part 21 and protrude upward. The second protrusion 42 and the fourth protrusion 44 are formed on the lower surface of the top wall 31 of the second cover part 22 near the inner peripheral edge and protrude downward at positions opposite the first protrusion 41 and the third protrusion 43. Thus, each of the protrusions 41 to 44 protrudes toward the sheet S of the frame unit U held by the holding part 11 so that its tip can come into contact with the sheet S. When viewed in cross section in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the protrusions 41 to 44 is formed so that its tip bulges out in an arc shape and its width increases toward its base.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a top view of the holding portion, compared with a cross-sectional view. In FIG. 5, the protrusions 41-44 are illustrated with a single dashed line indicating the position where the tip of each protrusion is at its highest. As shown in FIG. 5, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, which is perpendicular to the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 18, each of the protrusions 41-44 is formed in a circular ring shape surrounding the wafer W of the frame unit U held by the holding portion 11. Therefore, each of the protrusions 41-44 is an annular protrusion extending along a circle, and the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the direction of extension of the circle is the shape shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Furthermore, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, each of the protrusions 41-44 overlaps the exposed region S1 of the sheet S located between the outer periphery of the wafer W and the inner periphery of the frame F.

[0036] The first to fourth protrusions 41-44 are positioned at different radial positions and are formed in order from the inside to the outside (from the outer peripheral edge of the wafer W to the inner peripheral edge of the frame F). Therefore, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, the second protrusion 42 surrounds the first protrusion 41, the third protrusion 43 surrounds the second protrusion 42, and the fourth protrusion 44 surrounds the third protrusion 43. By surrounding them in this manner, as shown in FIG. 3 , the second protrusion 42 is provided so as to be insertable into a groove-like portion formed between the first protrusion 41 and the third protrusion 43. Furthermore, the third protrusion 43 is provided so as to be insertable into a groove-like portion formed between the second protrusion 42 and the fourth protrusion 44.

[0037] 3, in which the cover portion 20 covers the covered area U1 of the frame unit U, the protrusions 41 to 44 contact the exposed area S1 of the sheet S, maintaining the closedness of the internal space 36 surrounded by the first cover portion 21 and the second cover portion 22. At this time, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 3, when viewed from a direction parallel to the holding surface 19 (the left-right direction in FIG. 3), there are portions where the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 overlap, where the second protrusion 42 and the third protrusion 43 overlap, and where the first protrusion 41, the third protrusion 43, and the fourth protrusion 44 overlap. Therefore, the protrusions 41 to 44 deform the sheet S into a wavy shape in cross section, pulling the sheet S and generating tension.

[0038] More specifically, tension is generated in the sheet S, which is supported from below and spanned between the upper ends of the first and third convex portions 41 and 43, by pressing the sheet S downward with the lower end of the second convex portion 42 from between the first and third convex portions 41 and 43. At the same time, tension is generated in the sheet S, which is supported from above and spanned between the lower ends of the second and fourth convex portions 42 and 44, by pressing the sheet S upward with the upper end of the third convex portion 43 from between the second and fourth convex portions 42 and 44.

[0039] If the tension generated in the sheet S is too small, the contact pressure between the protrusions 41 to 44 and the sheet S will be weak, and the sheet S will not be able to exhibit sufficient sealing properties. If the tension generated in the sheet S is too large, friction between the protrusions 41 to 44 and the sheet S may cause particles to be generated from the sheet S. Therefore, in order to generate an appropriate tension in the sheet S, the control unit 17 controls the driving of the moving unit 23, and adjusts the amount of vertical movement of the second cover unit 22, on which the second protrusions 42 and the fourth protrusions 44 are formed.

[0040] To achieve both a good seal between the protrusions 41-44 and the sheet S and reduced friction, the upward protrusion height of the first protrusions 41 and the third protrusions 43 is preferably 0.5 mm to 5 mm, and the downward protrusion height of the second protrusions 42 and the fourth protrusions 44 is preferably 0.5 mm to 5 mm. More preferably, the upward protrusion height of the first protrusions 41 and the third protrusions 43 is 1 mm, and the downward protrusion height of the second protrusions 42 and the fourth protrusions 44 is 2 mm. Furthermore, when viewed from a direction parallel to the holding surface 19, the overlap between the first protrusions 41 and the third protrusions 43 and the second protrusions 42 and the first protrusions 41 is preferably 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm, and more preferably 0.6 mm. For example, a sheet S made by Lintec Corporation, model D-650, is used.

[0041] A first uneven portion 47 is formed on the upper portion of the outer peripheral wall 26 of the first cover portion 21. A second uneven portion 48 is formed on the lower surface of the top wall 31 of the second cover portion 22 so as to be able to fit into the first uneven portion 47. The first uneven portion 47 and the second uneven portion 48 fit together to provide a seal between the inside and outside of the cover portion 20 that sandwiches them.

[0042] Returning to Figure 1, chamber 12 defines a plasma processing chamber 50 therein. A gas supply pipe 52 is provided on an upper wall 51 of chamber 12. A plasma supply unit 13 is connected to gas supply pipe 52, and plasma state gas 53 (plasma) that becomes a first fluid is supplied from plasma supply unit 13 into plasma processing chamber 50 through gas supply pipe 52.

[0043] An opening 56 is provided in a side wall 55 of the chamber 12. The opening 56 can be opened and closed by a gate 57 that moves up and down by an actuator (not shown). An exhaust path (not shown) is connected to the chamber 12, and the atmosphere inside is exhausted.

[0044] In this embodiment, a so-called remote plasma etching apparatus is used, in which plasma-state gas 53 is introduced from outside chamber 12 into plasma processing chamber 50 via gas supply pipe 52. However, the present invention may also use a so-called direct plasma etching apparatus, in which pre-plasma etching gas is supplied from an upper electrode into plasma processing chamber 50, and high-frequency power is applied to each electrode to convert the etching gas into plasma inside plasma processing chamber 50.

[0045] The control unit 17 is configured to include a processor that executes various processes and a storage unit (memory) that stores various parameters, programs, etc. The storage unit of the control unit 17 stores, as part of the control program, a program for controlling the operation of the plasma supply unit 13, the air supply unit 14, the measurement unit 16, the movement unit 23, etc. As a result, the control unit 17 controls, for example, the drive of the movement unit 23 and the amount of air supplied by the air supply unit 14 based on the measurement results of the measurement unit 16. Regarding the operation of each unit of the plasma etching apparatus 10 described below, unless a control entity is specified, it is assumed that the operation is controlled by a control signal sent from the control unit 17.

[0046] Next, a manufacturing method for manufacturing a semiconductor device from a wafer W using the plasma etching apparatus 10 will be described. In the manufacturing method of this embodiment, a wafer holding step (workpiece holding step), a shielding step, and a plasma etching step (fluid action step) are performed. Here, it is assumed that a frame unit U in the state shown in FIG. 2 is prepared in advance, and that division grooves (neither of which are shown) are formed in advance in the surface W1 and in the mask layer laminated on the surface W1 at positions along the planned division lines W3 of the wafer W.

[0047] In the wafer holding process, the frame unit U is transported to the holding part 11 by a transport device (not shown) or manually by an operator, and the frame F of the frame unit U is placed on the upper surface of the support wall 32 of the second cover part 22, as shown in Fig. 4. Thereafter, the control part 17 controls the driving of the moving part 23 to move the second cover part 22 downward. As a result, as shown in Fig. 3, the sheet S of the frame unit U comes into contact with the holding surface 19, and the wafer W is attracted and held on the holding surface 19 via the sheet S by the electrostatic attraction force of the chuck table 18.

[0048] After the wafer holding step, a shielding step is carried out in which the covered area U1 of the frame unit U is shielded from the external space by the cover part 20. In the shielding step, the control unit 17 controls the moving part 23 to adjust the downward movement amount of the second cover part 22. As a result, the covered area U1 of the frame unit U held on the chuck table 18 is covered from the back side of the sheet S with the first cover part 21, and is covered from the front side of the sheet S with the second cover part 22.

[0049] In the shielding step, the movement of the second cover part 22 by the movement part 23 brings the tips of all of the protrusions 41 to 44 into contact with the exposed region S1 of the sheet S. At this time, the control part 17 controls the amount of movement of the second cover part 22 so that all of the protrusions 41 to 44 have overlapping portions when viewed from a direction parallel to the holding surface 19 (the left-right direction in FIG. 3), thereby corrugating the sheet S and generating tension. This provides a good seal between the protrusions 41 to 44 and the sheet S, and maintains the closedness of the internal space 36 surrounded by the first cover part 21 and the second cover part 22.

[0050] Furthermore, in the shielding step, high-pressure air is supplied from support pipe 35 to internal space 36 surrounded by cover unit 20 under the control of air supply unit 14 of control unit 17, thereby creating a positive pressure in internal space 36. With internal space 36 under a positive pressure, measurement unit 16 measures the pressure in internal space 36 and outputs the measurement result to control unit 17. Control unit 17 controls each part of plasma etching apparatus 10 based on the measurement result from measurement unit 16.

[0051] As an example of such control, after the internal space 36 is set to a positive pressure, the control unit 17 compares the measurement result of the measurement unit 16 with a predetermined threshold value stored in advance. If the comparison shows that the measurement result of the measurement unit 16 is greater than the threshold value, the supply of high-pressure air by the air supply unit 14 is stopped, and if the measurement result of the measurement unit 16 is less than the threshold value, the supply of high-pressure air by the air supply unit 14 is controlled to continue. This makes it possible to maintain the internal space 36 at a positive pressure, and prevents gas from the cover unit 20 from flowing into the internal space 36.

[0052] Another example of the above control is to control the vertical movement of the second cover portion 22 so as to adjust the tension generated by corrugating the sheet S. The movement of the second cover portion 22 may be controlled by the control unit 17 to control the movement unit 23 so as to be within a preset movement amount (movement range), or may be controlled based on the measurement results of the measurement unit 16. In this control, for example, after the internal space 36 is made positive pressure, the control unit 17 compares whether the measurement result of the measurement unit 16 is within a predetermined range stored in advance, and if it is not within the range, controls the movement unit 23 to drive and move the second cover portion 22 up and down. Then, when the measurement result of the measurement unit 16 falls within the range, the control unit 17 controls the vertical movement of the second cover portion 22 to stop. This control also allows the internal space 36 to be maintained at a positive pressure.

[0053] The above-described control is continued even during the plasma etching process after the internal space 36 is brought to a positive pressure.

[0054] After the shielding step, a plasma etching step is performed in which plasma-state gas 53 is supplied to the wafer W from the plasma supply unit 13 (fluid supply unit, see FIG. 1) and allowed to act on the wafer W. In the plasma etching step, plasma-state gas 53 (plasma) is supplied into the plasma processing chamber 50 through the gas supply pipe 52, and the wafer W is dry-etched using the gas 53. Here, because the covered region U1 of the frame unit U is shielded by the cover unit 20, the frame F and the exposed region S1 of the sheet S in the covered region U1 are prevented from being dry-etched. As a result, plasma etching progresses in the division grooves formed along the planned division lines W3 of the wafer W, and the wafer W is divided along the planned division lines W3 to produce a plurality of rectangular-chip-shaped semiconductor devices each including a device D.

[0055] According to the above embodiment, the protrusions 41 to 44 are formed on the first cover part 21 and the second cover part 22, so that it is possible to achieve both a sealing performance between the protrusions 41 to 44 and the sheet S and a reduction in friction. This makes it possible to eliminate the need for O-rings in the first cover part 21 and the second cover part 22, and to prevent the generation of particles caused by O-rings. As a result, it is possible to prevent particles from being deposited on the wafer W in the plasma etching process, and it is possible to suppress quality degradation and the occurrence of defects in the semiconductor device after the etching process.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. In the above-described embodiments, the size and shape shown in the accompanying drawings are not limited to these, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the effects of the present invention. In addition, the present invention can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the object of the present invention.

[0057] In the above embodiment, a configuration in which first to fourth protrusions 41 to 44 are provided has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this and various modifications are possible, for example, as shown in Figures 6A to 6C. Figures 6A to 6C are partial cross-sectional views of the first cover part and the second cover part according to modified examples.

[0058] In the modified example shown in Fig. 6A, the fourth protrusion 44 is omitted from the above embodiment, and first to third protrusions 41 to 43 are formed. In the modified example shown in Fig. 6B, the third protrusion 43 and the fourth protrusion 44 are omitted from the above embodiment, and first and second protrusions 41 and 42 are formed. In the modified example shown in Fig. 6C, the first protrusion 41 is omitted from the above embodiment, and second to fourth protrusions 42 to 44 are formed.

[0059] In the modified example shown in Fig. 6A, tension is generated by pressing the sheet S with the second convex portion 42 between the first convex portion 41 and the third convex portion 43, and in the modified example shown in Fig. 6C, tension is generated by pressing the sheet S with the third convex portion 43 between the second convex portion 42 and the fourth convex portion 44, thereby achieving sealing properties. In the modified example shown in Fig. 6B, tension is generated by bending the sheet S with the first convex portion 41 and the second convex portion 42, thereby achieving sealing properties.

[0060] Furthermore, the cross-sectional tip shape of each of the protrusions 41 to 44 is not limited to an arc-shaped bulge, and may be changed to a flat shape in the left-right direction in Figures 3 and 4 or a pointed shape that tapers toward the tip, as long as it can function in the same way as in the above embodiment.

[0061] Furthermore, as long as the radial arrangement order of the first to fourth convex portions 41 to 44 is maintained, the first cover portion 21 may be arranged at the top, which is the front side of the covered area U1, and the second cover portion 22 may be arranged at the bottom, which is the back side of the covered area U1.

[0062] In addition, in the above embodiment, the moving unit 23 is configured to move the second cover part 22 up and down, but this may be changed as long as it can move the first cover part 21 and the second cover part 22 relatively. For example, the moving unit 23 may be configured to move only the first cover part 21, or may be configured to move both the first cover part 21 and the second cover part 22.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the plasma etching apparatus 10 has been described as an example of a fluid supply apparatus, but the present invention may also be applied to other apparatuses. For example, the present invention may be applied to an apparatus that performs gas etching, which exposes a material to a reactive gas as dry etching. In such an apparatus, processing can be performed to remove debris and heat-affected layers generated by laser processing in processing the planned division line W3. The present invention may also be applied to an apparatus that supplies a first fluid different from the plasma etching gas 53 to a workpiece. For example, the present invention may be applied to an apparatus that supplies a cleaning liquid such as pure water from a first fluid supply unit to clean the wafer W. In such an apparatus, the fluid action process is a cleaning process for cleaning the wafer W.

[0064] Furthermore, the control by the control unit 17 based on the measurement results of the measuring unit 16 performed during the shielding step is not limited to the above example and may be changed. For example, if the measurement results of the measuring unit 16 are not within a predetermined range stored in advance, the control unit 17 may notify an error or the like via an alarm device (not shown) or may control the control unit 17 to perform the wafer holding step again via a transport device (not shown).

[0065] Furthermore, the workpiece may be a plate-like object other than a circular object, such as a rectangle, as long as it is a plate-like object that can be fixed to the opening F1 of the frame F via the sheet S. [Industrial Applicability]

[0066] As described above, when the present invention is applied to, for example, a plasma etching apparatus, it has the effect of preventing the generation of particles during plasma etching while maintaining the sealing properties of the covered area. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 10: Plasma etching equipment (fluid supply device) 11: Holding part 12: Chamber 13: Plasma supply unit (first fluid supply unit, fluid supply unit) 14: Air supply unit (second fluid supply unit) 16: Measuring part 17: Control section 18: Chuck table 19: Holding surface 20: Cover part 21: First cover part 22: Second cover part 23: Moving part 41: First convex part 42: Second convex part 43: Third convex part 44: 4th convex part 53: Gas (first fluid) F: Frame F1: Opening S: Seat S1:Exposed area U: Frame unit U1: Covered area W: Wafer (work)

Claims

1. a holding section that holds a frame unit in which a plate-shaped workpiece is fixed via a sheet in an opening of the frame; a first fluid supply unit that supplies a first fluid to the workpiece, The holding portion is a chuck table that holds at least the workpiece of the frame unit on a holding surface via the sheet; The frame unit is held on the chuck table and includes a cover portion that covers a covered area including at least a part of an exposed area of ​​the sheet that does not contact the frame and the workpiece, and the frame; The cover portion is a first cover portion that covers the covered area from one of the front and back sides of the seat; a second cover portion that covers the covered area from the side opposite to the one side of the sheet, The first cover portion includes: a first protrusion that is an annular protrusion that surrounds the workpiece of the frame unit held by the holding portion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and comes into contact with the sheet; The second cover portion a second protrusion that is an annular projection that surrounds the first protrusion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and comes into contact with the sheet; The fluid supply device is characterized in that the first convex portion and the second convex portion overlap when viewed in a direction parallel to the holding surface.

2. the first cover portion further includes a third protrusion that is an annular protrusion that surrounds the second protrusion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and comes into contact with the sheet; 2. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the second protrusion and the third protrusion overlap when viewed horizontally from the holding surface.

3. the first cover portion further includes a third protrusion that is an annular protrusion that surrounds the second protrusion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and comes into contact with the sheet; the second cover portion further includes a fourth convex portion which is an annular protrusion that surrounds the third convex portion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and comes into contact with the sheet, 2. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the first convex portion, the third convex portion, and the fourth convex portion overlap each other when viewed in a direction parallel to the holding surface.

4. a second fluid supply unit that supplies a second fluid to a space surrounded by the cover unit; a measuring unit that measures a state of the second fluid supplied from the second fluid supply unit; a control unit that controls the fluid supply device including the second fluid supply unit, 4. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the fluid supply device based on the measurement result of the measurement unit.

5. The cover portion is a moving section that moves the first cover section and the second cover section relative to each other, 5. The fluid supply device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit moves the moving unit based on the measurement result of the measurement unit.

6. Further comprising a chamber incorporating the holding portion, 4. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the first fluid is plasma.

7. a workpiece holding step of holding at least a plate-shaped workpiece of a frame unit, the plate-shaped workpiece being fixed to an opening of a frame via a sheet, on a holding surface of a chuck table included in a holding unit; a shielding step of shielding a covered area, which is included in the frame unit held on the chuck table and includes at least a portion of the exposed area of ​​the sheet that does not contact the frame and the workpiece, from an external space by relatively moving a first cover part that covers one side of the sheet and a second cover part that covers the opposite side of the one side of the sheet using a moving part; a fluid acting step of supplying a fluid from a fluid supply unit to the workpiece to act on the workpiece, The first cover portion includes: a first protrusion that is an annular protrusion that surrounds the workpiece of the frame unit held by the holding portion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and comes into contact with the sheet; The second cover portion a second convex portion which is an annular protrusion that surrounds the first convex portion, overlaps the exposed area of ​​the sheet when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the chuck table, and contacts the sheet.

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