How to pick up the chip

Abstract

The present invention provides a chip pickup method that facilitates the pickup of chips from a support member and reduces the likelihood of chip damage. [Solution] A chip picking method for picking up multiple chips, each having a support member fixed to the entire surface of one of its faces, from a support member comprises: an expansion step of expanding the support member to widen the spacing between the multiple chips; a bending step, after the expansion step, of curving the support member so that at least one of the multiple corner regions is separated from the support member while the central region of each of the multiple chips' faces remains fixed to the support member; and a picking step, after the bending step, of picking up the multiple chips from the support member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for picking up chips in which a plurality of chips each having a support member fixed to the entire area of one surface are picked up from the support member.

Background Art

[0002] Packages of semiconductor devices such as ICs (Integrated Circuits), which are essential components in various electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers, are manufactured through a semiconductor manufacturing process. This semiconductor manufacturing process is roughly divided into a pre-process for forming a plurality of semiconductor devices each including a large number of circuit elements on a wafer, and a post-process for packaging each of the plurality of chips manufactured by processing the wafer as a workpiece.

[0003] In the post-process, for example, a plurality of chips are prepared in the following order. First, the entire area of one surface of the workpiece is fixed to a support member. Next, a division starting point (for example, a groove or a modified portion (a portion where the crystal structure of the material of the workpiece is disturbed)) is formed along the boundary of a plurality of portions each of which will be a plurality of chips in the workpiece, or the workpiece is divided along the boundary so that a plurality of chips are manufactured.

[0004] Next, after manufacturing a plurality of chips by dividing the workpiece along the boundary, the support member is expanded so as to widen the interval between the plurality of chips, or simply the interval between the plurality of chips is widened. Next, the plurality of chips are picked up from the support member.

[0005] When a plurality of chips are prepared in this way, before or during widening the interval between the plurality of chips, for example, air may be supplied to the surface of the support member on the side opposite to the surface to which one surface of each of the plurality of chips of the support member is fixed so as to curve the support member so that its cross-section becomes arch-shaped.

[0006] Specifically, this air may be supplied to the opposite side of the support member to ensure that the workpiece is properly separated before widening the spacing between the chips (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Additionally, this air may be supplied to the opposite side of the support member to facilitate expansion of the support member while widening the spacing between the chips (see, for example, Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-102329 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-74933 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-167030 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] As mentioned above, when multiple chips are prepared, the support member may be firmly fixed to the entire surface of each of the multiple chips in order to suppress chipping (specifically, chip breakage caused by the scattering of at least one of the multiple chips from the support member and / or by collision between adjacent chips due to movement). In this case, it may become difficult to pick up each chip from the support member.

[0009] Furthermore, even if it were possible to pick up each chip from the support member by applying a strong external force to it, the support member may move significantly locally the moment each chip is separated from the support member and released from that external force. In this case, adjacent chips fixed to the support member may come into contact with each other and be damaged.

[0010] In view of this, the object of the present invention is to provide a chip picking method that facilitates the picking of chips from a support member and reduces the likelihood of chip damage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] According to the present invention, a chip picking method is provided for picking up a plurality of chips, each having a support member fixed over the entire surface of one of its faces, from the support member, comprising: an expansion step of expanding the support member to widen the spacing between the plurality of chips; a bending step, after the expansion step, of curving the support member so that at least one of a plurality of corner regions is separated from the support member while the central region of each of the plurality of chips' surfaces remains fixed to the support member; and a picking step, after the bending step, of picking up the plurality of chips from the support member.

[0012] Furthermore, in the bending step, the support member is bent by supplying fluid to the side opposite to the side to which each of the multiple tips of the support member is fixed.

[0013] Furthermore, in the expansion step, the support member is expanded by, for example, separating the ring frame to which the support member is fixed so that the plurality of chips are positioned inside it, and the plurality of chips, along the thickness direction of the ring frame. Alternatively, in the expansion step, the support member may be expanded by pulling it in all of the following directions: a first direction, a second direction opposite to the first direction, a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and a fourth direction opposite to the third direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] In this invention, after expanding the support member to widen the spacing between multiple chips and before picking up the multiple chips from the support member, the support member is curved so that at least one of the multiple corner regions is separated from the support member while the central region of one face of each of the multiple chips remains fixed to the support member.

[0015] By widening the spacing between multiple chips in this way and then curving the support member, at least one of the multiple corner regions on one face of each of the multiple chips becomes easier to separate from the support member. Then, by separating at least one of the multiple corner regions on one face of each chip from the support member before picking up the multiple chips from the support member, it becomes easier to pick up each chip from the support member.

[0016] In other words, it becomes possible to pick up each chip from the support member by applying a relatively weak external force. Therefore, in this invention, the movement of the support member is suppressed at the moment each chip is separated from the support member, thus reducing the likelihood of adjacent chips fixed to the support member coming into contact with each other and being damaged. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] Figure 1(A) is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a workpiece to be processed, and Figure 1(B) is a cross-sectional view of the workpiece shown in Figure 1(A). [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a chip pickup method in which multiple chips are picked up from a support member. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the extension step. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the extension step. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the curved step. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the curved step. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the state of the contraction step. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing the state of the contraction step. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the state of the contraction step. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing another example of the object to be processed.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1(A) is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the object to be processed, and FIG. 1(B) is a cross-sectional view of the object to be processed shown in FIG. 1(A). The object to be processed 11 shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) includes a plurality of chips 13 arranged in a matrix, a disk-shaped support member 15 to which the plurality of chips 13 are fixed, and a ring frame 17 to which the support member 15 is fixed so that the plurality of chips 13 are positioned inside it.

[0019] The plurality of chips 13 are manufactured by processing a wafer having a plurality of devices formed in a matrix on the surface side as a workpiece. For example, after grinding the back side of the workpiece, the workpiece is fixed to the support member 15 and then cut so as to form a groove 11a that penetrates the workpiece and has a bottom located on the support member 15 at the boundaries of the plurality of devices.

[0020] The support member 15 has, for example, a film-like base material layer and an adhesive layer provided on one surface of the base material layer, and the adhesive layer side is adhered to the entire surface of one side of each chip 13. The base material layer contains, for example, a resin such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or polystyrene (PS). The adhesive layer contains, for example, a silicone-based material, an acrylic-based material, or an epoxy-based material.

[0021] Furthermore, the support member 15 may be a tape (UV tape) whose adhesive strength weakens when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. Alternatively, the support member 15 may be a sheet that includes a base layer but does not include an adhesive layer. When this sheet is used as the support member 15, for example, the support member 15 is heat-pressed onto the workpiece before it is divided into multiple chips 13 or into multiple chips 13, thereby fixing the two together.

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic flowchart illustrating an example of a chip picking method for picking up multiple chips 13 from a support member 15. In this method, first, the support member 15 is expanded to widen the spacing between the multiple chips 13 (expansion step S1). Figures 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams illustrating the expansion step S1, respectively.

[0023] This expansion step S1 is carried out in the expander 2 shown in Figures 3 and 4. The expander 2 has a plurality (for example, four) of air cylinders 4. Each air cylinder 4 has the function of raising and lowering the piston rod 4a between the position shown in Figure 3 (lower end position) and the position shown in Figure 4 (upper end position).

[0024] Furthermore, an annular support table 6 capable of supporting the workpiece 11 (specifically, its ring frame 17) is connected to the upper end of each piston rod 4a. In addition, an annular retaining member 8 is provided above the support table 6. This retaining member 8 is provided so as to be separated from the support table 6 when the piston rod 4a is in its lower end position.

[0025] Then, with the ring frame 17 of the workpiece 11 supported by the support table 6, the piston rod 4a is raised until the workpiece 11 contacts the pressing member 8, at which point the pressing member 8 presses the ring frame 17 against the support table 6. Furthermore, when the piston rod 4a is raised to its upper end position, the pressing member 8 rises along with the support table 6 and the ring frame 17.

[0026] A cylindrical drum 10 is provided inside the pressing member 8. This drum 10 is located directly above the portion of the support member 15 of the workpiece 11, which is supported by the support table 6, that is located between the multiple chips 13 and the ring frame 17. Furthermore, the lower end of the drum 10 is located at approximately the same height as the lower end of the pressing member 8 when the workpiece 11 supported by the support table 6 and the pressing member 8 are not in contact.

[0027] Furthermore, a cylindrical support rod 12 is provided inside the drum 10. This support rod 12 is connected to, for example, a ball screw type lifting mechanism 14. When this lifting mechanism 14 is operated, the support rod 12 moves up and down. A holding table 16 is also connected to the lower part of the support rod.

[0028] The holding table 16 has a central portion 18 connected to the lower end of the support rod 12. This central portion 18 has a frame 20 that includes a disc-shaped upper bottom wall and cylindrical side walls hanging down from the outer peripheral region of the bottom wall. That is, a recess is defined on the lower side of the frame 20 by the upper bottom wall and the side walls. A disc-shaped porous plate 22 made of porous ceramics or the like is fixed in this recess.

[0029] Furthermore, multiple through holes 20a are formed in the upper bottom wall of the frame 20 so as to open at the bottom surface of the recess, and joints 24 are connected to the upper side of the portion of the upper bottom wall surrounding each through hole 20a. In addition, each joint 24 is connected to a suction source 28a via piping (not shown) and valves 26a, etc., and is also connected to an air supply source 28b via piping (not shown) and valves 26b.

[0030] The suction source 28a includes, for example, an ejector. The air supply source 28b includes, for example, a tank for storing high-pressure air, a filter for removing foreign matter mixed in with the air supplied from the tank, and a regulator for adjusting the pressure of the air supplied from the tank.

[0031] The holding table 16 further has an outer peripheral portion 30 that surrounds the lower end of the support rod 12 and the periphery of the central portion 18, excluding the area below it. The upper end of this outer peripheral portion 30 is connected to the support rod 12. A gap 16a exists between the central portion 18 and the outer peripheral portion 30. Furthermore, through holes are formed in the portion of the outer peripheral portion 30 located above the central portion 18, into which multiple joints 24 are inserted.

[0032] In addition, through holes are formed in the outer circumference 30 that surround the lower end of the support rod 12, into which multiple joints 32 are inserted. Each joint 32 is connected to a suction source 36a having a structure similar to that of the suction source 28a via piping (not shown) and a valve 34a, and is also connected to an air supply source 36b having a structure similar to that of the air supply source 28b via piping (not shown) and a valve 34b.

[0033] In the holding table 16, the lower surface of the side wall of the central frame 20 and the lower surface of the porous plate 22 are both roughly perpendicular to each other in the vertical direction and are roughly flush with each other. Furthermore, the lower end surface of the outer periphery 30 is located on roughly the same plane as the lower surface of the side wall of the central frame 20 and the lower surface of the porous plate 22.

[0034] A disc-shaped support plate 38 is provided below the holding table 16. A motor 42 is connected to the central region of the lower surface of this support plate 38 via a rotating shaft 40. When this motor 42 is operated, the support plate 38 rotates along its circumferential direction.

[0035] Furthermore, multiple heaters 44 are provided on the outer peripheral region of the upper surface of the support plate 38. The multiple heaters 44 are arranged at approximately equal angular intervals with respect to the center of the support plate 38 in a plan view, and overlap with the drum 10 in the vertical direction. In addition, the upper end of each heater 44 is located below the upper surface of the support table 6 when the piston rod 4a is in its lower end position.

[0036] The heater 44 comprises a bottomed cylindrical housing 44a with an open top, and a coil heater 44b housed within the housing 44a. The heater 44 is connected to an air supply source (not shown) that supplies air into the housing 44a. The two terminals of the coil heater 44b are connected to a DC power supply (not shown) via a switch (not shown).

[0037] When this switch is turned on, power is supplied from the DC power supply to the coil heater 44b, causing the coil heater 44b to heat up. Furthermore, when air is supplied into the housing 44a while the coil heater 44b is heating up, this air is heated inside the housing 44a before being supplied upwards to the heater 44.

[0038] When performing the expansion step S1 in the expander 2, first, each air cylinder 4 is operated to position each piston rod 4a at its lower end, and the lifting mechanism 14 is operated to position the lower end of the holding table 16 above the lower end of the drum 10. Next, the workpiece 11 is brought into the expander 2 so that multiple chips 13 face downwards and the ring frame 17 is placed on the support table 6 (see Figure 3).

[0039] Next, each air cylinder 4 is operated to raise each piston rod 4a until it reaches the upper end position (see Figure 4). During this period, from the time the support member 15 contacts the drum 10 until each piston rod 4a reaches the upper end position, the height of the multiple tips 13 does not change, but the ring frame 17 rises. In other words, during this period, the ring frame 17 and the multiple tips 13 separate along the thickness direction of the ring frame 17.

[0040] As a result, in a plan view, an external force acting along the normal direction of its outer circumference acts on the support member 15, causing the support member 15 to expand. Consequently, the spacing between the multiple chips 13, i.e., the width of the grooves 11a formed in the workpiece 11, widens. With this, the expansion step S1 is completed.

[0041] After the expansion step S1 is performed, the expander 2 bends the support member 15 so that at least one of the multiple corner regions is separated from the support member 15 while the central region of one face of each of the multiple chips 13 remains fixed to the support member 15 (bending step S2). Figures 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams showing the bending step S2.

[0042] When performing the bending step S2 in the expander 2, first the lifting mechanism 14 is operated to lower the holding table 16 until its lower surface (specifically, the lower surface of the side wall of the central frame 20, the lower surface of the porous plate 22, and the lower end surface of the outer peripheral portion 30) contacts the support member 15.

[0043] Next, the valves 34a connected to the multiple joints 32 via piping are opened and the suction source 36a is activated (see Figure 5). As a result, a negative pressure is created in the gap 16a between the central part 18 and the outer peripheral part 30 of the holding table 16, and a suction force acts on the space between the lower surface of the side wall of the frame 20 of the central part 18 and the lower end surface of the outer peripheral part 30. Consequently, the annular region of the support member 15 located near this space is attracted to and held by the holding table 16.

[0044] Next, the valves 26b connected to the multiple joints 24 via piping are opened, and the air supply source 28b is activated (see Figure 6). As a result, the recess located on the lower side of the frame 20 of the holding table 16 becomes positively pressurized, and a pressing force acts on the space near the lower surface of the porous plate 22. Consequently, the circular area located inside the annular region of the support member 15 is pressed, causing its cross-section to curve into an arch shape.

[0045] When the support member 15 is curved in this manner, the central region 13a of each of the multiple chips 13 remains fixed to the support member 15, while at least one of the multiple corner regions 13b is separated from the support member 15. The proportion of the surface occupied by at least one of the multiple corner regions 13b separated from the support member 15 is 5% to 40%, preferably 10% to 30%, and more preferably 15% to 25%. With this, the curving step S2 is completed.

[0046] After the bending step S2 is performed, the expander 2 contracts the region of the support member 15 located between the annular region and the ring frame 17 (intermediate region) (contraction step S3). Figures 7, 8, and 9 are schematic diagrams showing the contraction step S3.

[0047] When performing the contraction step S3 in the expander 2, first, the valves 26b connected to the multiple joints 24 via piping are closed and the operation of the air supply source 28b is stopped, and then the valve 26a is opened and the suction source 28a is activated (see Figure 7). As a result, the recess located on the lower side of the frame 20 of the holding table 16 becomes negative pressure, and a suction force acts on the space near the lower surface of the porous plate 22. As a result, the circular area of ​​the support member 15 is attracted to and held by the holding table 16.

[0048] Furthermore, if the support member 15 includes an adhesive layer, the inner region of the support member 15 may be attracted to the holding table 16 in this manner, causing some or all of the multiple corner regions 13b on one side of each chip 13 to reattach to the support member 15. However, the adhesive force when the support member 15 is reattached in this manner will be weaker than the adhesive force before separation.

[0049] Next, each air cylinder 4 is operated to lower each piston rod 4a until the lower end of the retaining member 8 is positioned at approximately the same height as the lower end of the drum 10 (see Figure 8). At this time, the area located inside the intermediate area 15a of the support member 15 (the annular area and circular area mentioned above) is attracted to and held by the holding table 16, so the spacing between the multiple tips 13, i.e., the width of the groove 11a, is maintained in an expanded state, and the intermediate area 15a of the support member 15 hangs down more than the other areas.

[0050] Next, while operating the motor 42, the air supply source that supplies air into the housing 44a of each heater 44 is activated, and the switch provided between the two terminals of the coil heater 44b and the DC power supply is opened (see Figure 9). As a result, the support plate 38 rotates along its circumferential direction, that is, in a plan view, each heater 44 pivots around the center of the support plate 38, and high-temperature air A is supplied upward from each heater 44. Consequently, the intermediate region 15a of the support member 15 is heated and contracts.

[0051] Furthermore, the areas located inside the intermediate region 15a of the support member 15 (the annular and circular regions mentioned above) are held in place by attraction to the holding table 16, and therefore hardly shrink during the shrinking step S3. As a result, the spacing between the multiple chips 13, i.e., the width of the groove 11a, is maintained at the same size as when the support member 15 was expanded in the expansion step S1. With this, the shrinking step S3 is completed.

[0052] After the shrinking step S3 is performed, multiple chips 13 are picked up from the support member 15 (pickup step S4). This pickup step S4 is performed, for example, by loading the workpiece 11 discharged from the expander 2 into a known chip picker, so a detailed explanation of this step is omitted.

[0053] In the chip picking method shown in Figure 2, after expanding the support member 15 to widen the spacing between multiple chips 13 and before picking up the multiple chips 13 from the support member 15, the support member 15 is curved so that at least one of the multiple corner regions 13b is separated from the support member 15 while the central region 13a of one face of each of the multiple chips 13 remains fixed to the support member 15. Furthermore, when the support member 15 is curved while the spacing between the multiple chips 13 is widened, the likelihood of adjacent chips 13 colliding and being damaged can be reduced even if the chips 13 vibrate or move slightly as a result of this curvature.

[0054] By widening the spacing between the multiple chips 13 in this way and then curving the support member 15, at least one of the multiple corner regions 13b on one face of each of the multiple chips 13 becomes easier to separate from the support member 15. Then, by separating at least one of the multiple corner regions 13b on one face of each chip 13 from the support member 15 before picking up the multiple chips 13 from the support member 15, it becomes easier to pick up each chip 13 from the support member 15.

[0055] In other words, it becomes possible to pick up each chip 13 from the support member 15 by applying a relatively weak external force. Therefore, in the chip picking method shown in Figure 2, the movement of the support member 15 is suppressed at the moment each chip 13 is separated from the support member 15, thus reducing the likelihood of adjacent chips 13 fixed to the support member 15 coming into contact with each other and being damaged.

[0056] It should be noted that the above description represents one aspect of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above description. For example, in the expansion step S1 of the present invention, the support member 15 may be expanded with the plurality of chips 13 facing in a direction other than downward (for example, upward).

[0057] Furthermore, in the extended step S1 of the present invention, instead of moving the ring frame 17, the plurality of chips 13 may be moved in order to separate the ring frame 17 and the plurality of chips 13 along the thickness direction of the ring frame 17. For example, in the extended step S1 of the present invention, the ring frame 17 and the plurality of chips 13 may be separated along the thickness direction of the ring frame 17 by further lowering the holding table 16 and / or drum 10 after its lower surface has come into contact with the support member 15.

[0058] Furthermore, in the bending step S2 of the present invention, the support member 15 may be bent while the annular region of the support member 15 is not being held. Alternatively, in the bending step S2 of the present invention, the support member may be bent while the support member 15 is being held in each of the multiple point-shaped regions surrounding the annular region, instead of the annular region.

[0059] Furthermore, in the bending step S2 of the present invention, the valves 26b connected to the multiple joints 24 via piping may be opened and the air supply source 28b may be operated before the lower surface of the holding table 16 comes into contact with the support member 15. That is, in the bending step S2 of the present invention, air may be supplied to the side of the support member 15 opposite to the side on which the multiple tips 13 are fixed, before the lower surface of the holding table 16 comes into contact with the support member 15.

[0060] In this case, the likelihood of the support member 15 moving rapidly and locally in response to the supply of air is reduced, which is preferable because it reduces the likelihood of adjacent tips 13 fixed to the support member 15 coming into contact with each other and being damaged. On the other hand, when the lower surface of the holding table 16 is brought into contact with the support member 15 and then air is supplied to the opposite side of the support member 15, it is preferable because the air can be used efficiently to bend the support member 15.

[0061] Furthermore, in the bending step S2 of the present invention, air may be supplied to the opposite side of the support member 15 before the lower surface of the holding table 16 comes into contact with the support member 15, and the flow rate of this air may be gradually increased. In this case, the support member 15 can be prevented from moving abruptly, thereby preventing damage to the chips 13 caused by large vibrations and collisions between adjacent chips 13.

[0062] Furthermore, in the bending step S2 of the present invention, a fluid other than air (i.e., a gas other than air or a liquid such as water) may be used to bend the support member 15. That is, in the bending step S2 of the present invention, the support member 15 may be bent by supplying the fluid to the opposite side of the support member 15.

[0063] Alternatively, in the bending step S2 of the present invention, a pressing member such as a roller or pin may be used to bend the support member 15. That is, in the bending step S2 of the present invention, the support member 15 may be bent by pressing the pressing member against the opposite side of the support member 15.

[0064] Furthermore, the chip pickup method of the present invention does not necessarily have to include the shrinking step S3. Also, the chip pickup method of the present invention may include steps other than those shown in Figure 2. For example, if the support member 15 is a UV tape, an ultraviolet irradiation step of irradiating the support member 15 with UV light may be performed before performing the expansion step S1.

[0065] In this ultraviolet irradiation step, it is preferable that UV light is irradiated from the opposite side of the support member 15 so that UV light is irradiated onto the support member 15 without being blocked by the multiple chips 13. Furthermore, in the ultraviolet irradiation step, it is preferable that UV light is irradiated only to the region inside the intermediate region 15a of the support member 15 (i.e., the annular region and the circular region mentioned above) so that the contraction of the intermediate region 15a of the support member 15 in the contraction step S3 is carried out effectively.

[0066] Furthermore, the workpiece in the present invention is not limited to the workpiece 11. Specifically, the workpiece in the present invention may include multiple chips manufactured by processing a non-disc-shaped (e.g., rectangular plate-shaped) workpiece instead of the multiple chips 13. Also, the workpiece in the present invention may include a disc-shaped (e.g., rectangular plate-shaped) support member instead of the support member 15.

[0067] Furthermore, the workpiece in the present invention does not necessarily have to include a ring frame. Figure 10 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a workpiece without a ring frame. Specifically, the workpiece 21 shown in Figure 10 includes a plurality of chips 23 arranged in a matrix and a rectangular plate-shaped support member 25 to which the plurality of chips 23 are fixed.

[0068] The multiple chips 23 are manufactured by processing a wafer on which multiple devices are formed in a matrix on the surface side. For example, the multiple chips 23 are manufactured by grinding the back side of the workpiece, fixing the workpiece to a support member 25, and then cutting the workpiece to form grooves 21a that penetrate the workpiece and whose bottoms are located on the support member 25 at the boundaries of the multiple devices. The support member 25 has a structure similar to the support member 15 shown in Figure 1.

[0069] Furthermore, if the object to be processed in the present invention is the object to be processed 21, the support member 25 may be expanded in the expansion step S1 by pulling the support member 25 in all of the following directions: the first direction D1, the second direction D2 which is opposite to the first direction D1, the third direction D3 which is perpendicular to the first direction D1 and the second direction D2, and the fourth direction D4 which is opposite to the third direction D3.

[0070] Furthermore, the workpiece in the present invention may include a workpiece in which, instead of multiple chips 13, 23, a dividing point (for example, a groove or modified portion (a portion in which the crystalline structure of the workpiece material is disordered)) is formed along the boundary of multiple portions, each of which becomes multiple chips. If the workpiece in the present invention includes such a workpiece, in the expansion step S1, the support members 15, 25 may be expanded not only to widen the spacing between the multiple chips 13, 23, but also to produce multiple chips 13, 23 by dividing the workpiece along the boundary.

[0071] Furthermore, the structures and methods of the embodiments described above can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 2: Expander 4: Air cylinder (4a: Piston rod) 6: Support Table 8: Retaining member 10: Drums 11: Workpiece (11a: Groove) 12: Support rod 13: Chip (13a: Central area, 13b: Corner area) 14: Lifting mechanism 15: Support member (15a: Intermediate region) 16: Holding table (16a: Gap) 17: Ring Frame 18: Central part 20: Frame (20a: Through hole) 21: Workpiece (21a: Groove) 22: Porous board 23: Tip 24: Joint 25: Support member 26a, 26b: Joint 28a: Suction source 28b: Air supply source 30: Outer perimeter 32: Joint 34a, 34b: Valve 36a: Suction source 36b: Air supply source 38: Support plate 40: Rotation axis 42: Motor 44: Heater (44a: Enclosure, 44b: Coil heater)

Claims

1. A chip picking method for picking up multiple chips, each of which has a support member fixed to the entire surface of one side, from the support member, An expansion step of expanding the support member to widen the spacing between the multiple chips, After performing the expansion step, a bending step is performed to bend the support member so that at least one of the multiple corner regions is separated from the support member while the central region of one face of each of the multiple chips remains fixed to the support member. After the bending step is performed, a pickup step is performed to pick up the plurality of chips from the support member, A method for picking up chips equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

2. The method for picking up chips according to claim 1, wherein in the bending step, the support member is bent by supplying fluid to the side opposite to the side to which each of the plurality of chips of the support member is fixed.

3. The chip picking method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the expansion step expands the support member by separating the ring frame, on which the support member is fixed so that the plurality of chips are positioned inside thereof, and the plurality of chips along the thickness direction of the ring frame.

4. The chip picking method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the expansion step, the support member is expanded by pulling the support member in all of the following directions: a first direction, a second direction opposite to the first direction, a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and a fourth direction opposite to the third direction.

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