Method of attachment, tape attachment apparatus, and method of manufacturing a device chip

Abstract

The tape is applied to the workpiece without pressing it against the holding table with rollers or bringing it into contact with the holding surface of the holding table. [Solution] A method for attaching tape to a workpiece is provided, comprising: holding the frame of a frame unit having a frame having an opening and tape attached so as to close the opening of the frame with a holding unit; a non-contact holding unit that generates negative pressure by spraying air holds the workpiece without contacting it due to the negative pressure, and positions the workpiece above the opening of the frame unit held by the holding unit; and attaching the tape to the workpiece by placing the workpiece positioned above the opening onto the tape of the frame unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an attaching method for attaching a tape to a workpiece, a tape attaching device for attaching a tape to a workpiece, and a method for manufacturing a device chip.

Background Art

[0002] In order to facilitate the conveyance of a plurality of device chips respectively formed by dividing a semiconductor wafer (i.e., a workpiece) provided with a plurality of devices on its surface into individual devices, the workpiece is usually integrated with an annular frame via a tape (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Thus, when integrating the workpiece, the tape, and the frame, for example, the workpiece is held by a holding table such that the back surface where no device is provided is exposed upward and the front surface contacts the holding surface, and while rotating a pressing roller, the tape is pressed against the workpiece and the frame by the pressing roller with the workpiece disposed in the opening of the frame.

[0004] However, when the mechanical strength of the device is not very strong, there are problems such as damage to the device due to being pressed between the pressing roller and the holding table, and problems such as the dirt on the holding surface being transferred to the device due to the front surface of the workpiece being pressed against the holding surface, resulting in a decline in the function of the device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the aforementioned problems, and aims to attach tape to a workpiece without pressing the workpiece against the holding table with rollers or bringing it into contact with the holding surface of the holding table. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for attaching tape to a workpiece is provided, comprising: holding the frame of a frame unit having a frame having an opening and a tape attached to the opening of the frame with a holding unit; a non-contact holding unit that generates negative pressure by spraying air to hold the workpiece without contacting it due to the negative pressure, and positioning the workpiece above the opening of the frame in the frame unit held by the holding unit; and attaching the tape to the workpiece by placing the workpiece positioned above the opening onto the tape on the frame unit.

[0008] Preferably, when attaching the tape to the workpiece by placing the workpiece on the tape of the frame unit, the workpiece is placed on the tape by releasing the non-contact holding unit from holding the workpiece.

[0009] Preferably, when attaching the tape to the workpiece, the air supply unit sprays air onto the tape from below, deforming the tape so that its upper surface becomes convex, and the workpiece is then placed on the upper surface of the tape.

[0010] Preferably, when the air supply unit injects air onto the tape, the amount of air supplied per unit time to the central region of the opening is set higher than the amount of air supplied per unit time to the outer peripheral region of the opening.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, a tape application device for applying tape to a workpiece is provided, comprising: a frame unit having a frame having an opening and a tape applied to the frame so as to close the opening; a holding unit for holding the frame; an air supply unit for deforming the tape by spraying air onto the tape from below the frame unit; and a non-contact holding unit for generating negative pressure by spraying air and holding the workpiece without contacting it due to the negative pressure, wherein the holding unit holds the frame and the air supply unit sprays air onto the tape from below so as to deform the upper surface of the tape into a convex shape, and the non-contact holding unit positions the workpiece above the opening and then places the workpiece on the upper surface of the tape to apply the tape to the workpiece.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a device chip is provided, comprising: holding a frame unit having a frame having an opening and a tape attached to the opening of the frame with a holding unit; a non-contact holding unit that generates negative pressure by spraying air onto a workpiece having devices formed in each of a plurality of regions partitioned by a plurality of intersecting division lines, holding the workpiece without contact with it due to the negative pressure, and positioning the non-contact holding unit above the opening of the frame in the frame unit held by the holding unit; attaching the tape to the workpiece by placing the workpiece positioned above the opening onto the tape of the frame unit; and dividing the workpiece attached to the tape along each division line to divide the workpiece into a plurality of device chips. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, a non-contact holding unit generates negative pressure by spraying air, holding the workpiece without contact with it due to the negative pressure. The workpiece is positioned above the opening of the frame of the frame unit held by the holding unit, and the workpiece positioned at the opening of the frame unit is placed on the tape of the frame unit, thereby adhering the tape to the workpiece. Therefore, the tape can be applied to the workpiece without pressing it against the holding table with rollers or bringing it into contact with the holding surface of the holding table.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, a tape application device is used in which a holding unit holds a frame, and an air supply unit injects air from below the tape to deform the upper surface of the tape into a convex shape. A non-contact holding unit holds the workpiece without contacting it using negative pressure, and after positioning the workpiece above the opening in the frame, the tape is applied to the workpiece by placing the workpiece on the upper surface of the tape. Therefore, the tape can be applied to the workpiece without pressing the workpiece against the holding table with rollers or bringing it into contact with the holding surface of the holding table.

[0015] In a further other embodiment of the present invention, a tape is attached to the workpiece in the same manner as the attachment method described above. Therefore, the tape can be attached to the workpiece without pressing the workpiece against the holding table with rollers or bringing it into contact with the holding surface of the holding table. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a flowchart showing the attachment method and the manufacturing method of the device chip. [Figure 2] Figure 2(A) is a perspective view of the workpiece, and Figure 2(B) is a perspective view of the frame unit. [Figure 3] This diagram shows how the frame and tape are held in place by a holding table. [Figure 4]FIG. 4(A) is a side view of the non-contact holding unit, and FIG. 4(B) is a bottom view of the non-contact holding unit. [Figure 5] It is a figure which shows a state which positions a workpiece | work above the opening of a frame. [Figure 6] It is a figure which shows a state which deform | transforms a tape so that an upper surface may become a convex shape, and lowers a non-contact holding unit. [Figure 7] It is a figure which shows a state which sticks a tape to a workpiece | work by mounting the workpiece | work on a tape. [Figure 8] FIG. 8(A) is a diagram showing a state of dividing a workpiece into a plurality of device chips, and FIG. 8(B) is a perspective view of the device chip. [Figure 9] FIG. 9(A) is a diagram showing a modified example of the holding table, and FIG. 9(B) is a diagram showing a state of deforming the tape so that the upper surface of the tape held by the holding table according to the modified example becomes a convex shape. [Figure 10] FIG. 10(A) is a diagram showing a holding ring, and FIG. 10(B) is a diagram showing a state of deforming the tape so that the upper surface of the tape held by the holding ring becomes a convex shape. [Figure 11] FIG. 11(A) is a diagram showing a modified example of the holding ring, and FIG. 11(B) is a diagram showing a state of deforming the tape so that the upper surface of the tape held by the holding ring according to the modified example becomes a convex shape.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0017] (First Embodiment) An embodiment according to an aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a method of attaching a tape 17 (see FIG. 2(B)) to a workpiece 11 (see FIG. 2(A)) and a method of manufacturing a device chip 25 (see FIG. 8(B)).

[0018] The bonding method is carried out in the order of S10, S20, and S30 as shown in Figure 1, and the manufacturing method of the device chip 25 is carried out in the order of S10, S20, S30, and S40. First, the workpiece 11, etc. will be explained with reference to Figures 2(A) and 2(B).

[0019] Figure 2(A) is a perspective view of the workpiece 11. The workpiece 11 has a disc-shaped single-crystal substrate made of a material such as Si (silicon), SiC (silicon carbide), GaN (gallium nitride), GaAs (gallium arsenide), or other semiconductor materials.

[0020] However, the material and shape of the workpiece 11 are not limited thereto. The material of the workpiece 11 may be a material other than a semiconductor material, and it does not necessarily have to be a single crystal. The workpiece 11 may have a rectangular substrate.

[0021] The surface 11a of the workpiece 11 is divided by a plurality of intersecting (in this example, orthogonal) division lines 13. A device 15, such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), is formed in each of the plurality of rectangular regions divided by the plurality of division lines 13.

[0022] Device 15 is not provided on the back surface 11b, which is located on the opposite side of the front surface 11a in the thickness direction of the workpiece 11. The back surface 11b is, for example, a substantially flat plane on which a single crystal substrate is exposed, but a metal film may be provided over the entire back surface 11b.

[0023] The workpiece 11 is divided into a plurality of device chips 25, each having a device 15, by cutting the workpiece 11 along the planned division line 13. In this embodiment, before cutting the workpiece 11, a frame unit 21 is formed by integrating a circular tape 17 and an annular frame 19, and then the workpiece 11 is attached to the tape 17.

[0024] Figure 2(B) is a perspective view of the frame unit 21. The tape 17 in this embodiment is a so-called adhesive tape, consisting of a resin adhesive layer 17a and a resin base layer 17b laminated together. The frame 19 is made of a metal such as stainless steel.

[0025] The frame 19 has one surface 19a and the other surface 19b, and includes an opening 19c in its center that is larger in diameter than the workpiece 11. The opening 19c is sealed with tape 17 by attaching the outer periphery of the adhesive layer 17a to the other surface 19b.

[0026] As shown in Figure 3, when the tape 17 is attached to the workpiece 11, the frame unit 21 is held by the holding table (i.e., holding unit) 4 of the tape attachment device 2. Now, referring to Figure 3, the holding table 4 will be explained. Figure 3 shows how the frame 19 and tape 17 are held by the holding table 4.

[0027] The Z-axis shown in Figure 3 and subsequent figures is an axis parallel to the vertical direction. The arrow indicating the Z-axis points in the positive direction of the Z-axis, meaning upward. The negative direction of the Z-axis (i.e., downward) is omitted, but the negative direction of the Z-axis is the opposite direction of the positive direction.

[0028] The holding table 4 has a disc-shaped frame 6a made of non-porous metal. A disc-shaped recess is provided in the center of the frame 6a. A porous plate (i.e., an air supply section) 6b made of ceramic such as alumina is provided in this recess.

[0029] The upper surfaces of the frame 6a and the porous plate 6b are substantially flush and constitute the support surface 4a. A through hole 4b is formed in the radial center of the frame 6a. One end of the pipe section 8 is connected to the through hole 4b, and the other end of the pipe section 8 is connected to the air supply source 10. In Figures 3 and later, the pipe section 8 is simply shown as a line.

[0030] The air supply source 10 is not located in the tape application device 2, but is installed in the building of a factory, research institute, etc. The air supply source 10 includes a compressor (not shown) that takes in air from the atmosphere and compresses it, a tank (not shown) that stores the compressed air, and a filter that removes dust and other debris.

[0031] The pipe section 8 is provided with a solenoid valve 12 for controlling the supply of air 10a (see Figure 6) from the air supply source 10 to the porous plate 6b of the holding table 4. The operation of the solenoid valve 12 is controlled by a controller (not shown) of the tape application device 2. When the solenoid valve 12 is open, air 10a is supplied from the air supply source 10 to the porous plate 6b.

[0032] As a result, air 10a is sprayed onto the tape 17 from below (i.e., the exposed surface of the base material layer 17b) upward. Furthermore, the spraying of air 10a from below upward causes the tape 17 to bulge so that its upper surface (i.e., the exposed surface of the adhesive layer 17a) deforms into a convex shape (i.e., the center becomes higher than the outer edge) (see Figure 6).

[0033] Inside the bottom plate of the frame 6a, a heater 6c, such as a cartridge heater, is provided so as to surround the through hole 4b. The power supply unit 14 is electrically connected to the heater 6c.

[0034] The operation of the heater 6c is controlled by the controller described above. When the heater 6c is heated by the power supplied from the power supply unit 14, the temperature of the holding table 4 is highest in the radial center (for example, around 60°C), and decreases as you move radially outward.

[0035] Multiple (for example, four) clamp units 6d are provided on the outer periphery of the frame 6a. The multiple clamp units 6d are arranged at approximately equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the support surface 4a. Each clamp unit 6d includes a base portion that supports the frame 19 and a pressing portion that is rotationally driven relative to the base portion by compressed air to press against the frame 19.

[0036] The operation of the clamp unit 6d is controlled by the controller described above. After opening the top surface of the base by opening the clamping portion, the frame 19 of the frame unit 21 is placed on the base, and then the clamping portion is closed.

[0037] The upper surface of the base is lower than the support surface 4a, and when the frame 19 is fixed to the base with the retaining part, the adhesive layer 17a of the tape 17 on the support surface 4a is higher than one side 19a of the frame 19. In this way, the frame 19 and the tape 17 are held by the holding table 4.

[0038] A non-contact holding unit 20 (see Figure 4(A)) is provided above the holding table 4 of the tape application device 2. The non-contact holding unit 20 can hold the workpiece 11 by suction using negative pressure without contacting the workpiece 11. Figure 4(A) is a side view of the non-contact holding unit 20, and Figure 4(B) is a bottom view of the non-contact holding unit 20.

[0039] The non-contact holding unit 20 is a suction transport arm equipped with multiple non-contact suction pads 28, each called a Bernoulli pad. The non-contact holding unit 20 has an arm 22. A cylindrical support 24 is fixed to the tip of the arm 22, and a disc-shaped support plate 26 is fixed to the lower surface of the support 24.

[0040] Multiple (four in this example) suction pads 28 are arranged on the lower surface 26a of the support plate 26 at approximately equal intervals around the center of the lower surface 26a. As shown in Figure 4(A), when air 28a is ejected in a swirling motion from each suction pad 28, a negative pressure is generated at the center of the air 28a vortex according to Bernoulli's principle.

[0041] In other words, an upward suction force 28b is generated at the radial center of each suction pad 28. In Figure 4(A), the swirling air 28a is shown by a solid arrow, and the upward suction force 28b is shown by a white arrow.

[0042] The suction force 28b (i.e., upward force) from each suction pad 28 balances the downward force due to the weight of the workpiece 11, so that the workpiece 11 is held by the non-contact holding unit 20 at a distance L from each suction pad 28 (see Figure 5).

[0043] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4(B), the direction of the swirling flow of air 28a ejected from the suction pads 28 at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions in the clock position is counterclockwise, while the direction of the swirling flow of air 28a ejected from the suction pads 28 at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions is clockwise.

[0044] By reversing the direction of the swirling flow, it is possible to prevent the workpiece 11, whose position in the Z-axis direction is substantially fixed, from rotating in a plane perpendicular to the Z-axis. Note that the direction of the swirling flow of air 28a is just one example and is not limited to the example shown in Figure 4(B). As long as the rotation of the workpiece 11 is not a problem, the direction of the swirling flow of air 28a in each suction pad 28 may be the same.

[0045] The operation of the tape application device 2 is controlled by the controller (not shown) described above. The controller is composed of a computer that includes, for example, a processor represented by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a main memory such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and an auxiliary storage device such as flash memory, a hard disk drive, or a solid-state drive.

[0046] The auxiliary storage device stores software, including a predetermined program. The controller's functions are realized by operating the processor and other components according to this software. The predetermined program executed by the processor may be stored on a non-temporary tangible recording medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or optical disk, instead of the auxiliary storage device.

[0047] Next, a series of steps will be described in which, following each step shown in Figure 1, tape 17 is applied to the workpiece 11 using the tape application device 2, and then the workpiece 11 is divided into multiple device chips 25.

[0048] First, an operator or a transport robot (not shown) transports the frame unit 21 to the holding table 4. Then, as shown in Figure 3, the frame unit 21 is held by the holding table 4 by the clamp unit 6d holding the frame 19 and the support surface 4a supporting the tape 17 (S10).

[0049] Next, as shown in Figure 5, the non-contact holding unit 20 holds the workpiece 11 by suction using negative pressure without contacting the workpiece 11, and positions the workpiece 11 above the opening 19c of the frame 19 in the frame unit 21 held by the holding table 4. Figure 5 shows how the workpiece 11 is positioned above the opening 19c of the frame 19.

[0050] In this embodiment, the surface 11a is exposed upwards and the back surface 11b is attached to the adhesive layer 17a of the tape 17, so that the non-contact holding unit 20 holds the workpiece 11 by suction so that the surface 11a is close to the suction pad 28 and the back surface 11b faces downwards.

[0051] Next, as shown in Figure 6, the solenoid valve 12 is opened. This causes the porous plate 6b to inject air 10a onto the tape 17 from below, deforming the tape 17 so that its upper surface becomes convex. For example, the injection pressure is set to 30.0 kPa and the flow rate of air 10a is set to 10 L / min.

[0052] In this embodiment, the holding table 4 is heated by supplying power from the power supply unit 14 to the heater 6c, and air 10a is sprayed onto the tape 17 from below. This heats the central part of the support surface 4a and the central part of the tape 17 to approximately 60°C.

[0053] Subsequently, the non-contact holding unit 20 descends, bringing the workpiece 11 closer to the tape 17 so that its back surface 11b does not touch the upper surface of the tape 17. Figure 6 shows the process of deforming the tape 17 so that its upper surface becomes convex, while simultaneously lowering the non-contact holding unit 20. In Figure 6, the heat H from the heater 6c is simply indicated by a dashed line.

[0054] After the workpiece 11 has come close to the tape 17 to a certain extent, the controller stops the injection of air 28a by the non-contact holding unit 20. When the injection of air 28a is stopped, the upward suction force 28b disappears, and the workpiece 11 falls in free fall.

[0055] In other words, in this embodiment, by releasing the suction holding of the workpiece 11 by the non-contact holding unit 20, the workpiece 11 positioned in the opening 19c of the frame 19 is placed on the upper surface of the tape 17 which has been deformed into a convex shape (i.e., on the tape 17) (see Figure 7).

[0056] In this way, the non-contact holding unit 20 attaches the tape 17 to the workpiece 11 by placing the workpiece 11 on the upper surface of the tape 17, which has been deformed into a convex shape. Figure 7 shows how the tape 17 is attached to the workpiece 11 by placing the workpiece 11 on the tape 17.

[0057] In this embodiment, the tape 17 can be attached to the workpiece 11 without pressing the workpiece 11 against the holding table 4 with a roller or bringing it into contact with the support surface 4a of the holding table 4 (corresponding to the holding surface described above).

[0058] Therefore, the problems of device 15 being damaged by pressure and the problems of dirt on the support surface 4a being transferred to device 15 and reducing its functionality can be resolved.

[0059] In addition, since the tape 17 is deformed into a convex shape so that the center is higher than the outer edge, the tape 17 can be attached to the back surface 11b sequentially from the center to the outer edge. Therefore, compared to the case where the outer edge of the tape 17 is attached to the back surface 11b first, the amount of air bubbles remaining between the back surface 11b and the tape 17 can be reduced.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the holding table 4 is heated by the heater 6c, which improves the flexibility of the tape 17 compared to when the holding table 4 is not heated. This improved flexibility of the tape 17 also leads to a reduction in the amount of air bubbles remaining between the workpiece 11 and the tape 17.

[0061] In this embodiment, the workpiece 11 is placed on the upper surface of the tape 17 by allowing it to free fall from the non-contact holding unit 20. However, the workpiece 11 may also be placed on the upper surface of the tape 17 by moving the non-contact holding unit 20 downward until the back surface 11b of the workpiece 11 touches the upper surface of the tape 17.

[0062] After the workpiece 11, tape 17, and frame 19 are integrated, the workpiece 11 is divided into device units 15 using a cutting device 30. Figure 8(A) shows the process of dividing the workpiece 11 into multiple device chips 25.

[0063] The Z-axis shown in Figure 8(A) is the same as the Z-axis shown in Figure 3, etc. The X-axis is approximately parallel to the machining feed direction in the cutting device 30, and the Y-axis is approximately parallel to the indexing feed direction in the cutting device 30. The cutting device 30 has a chuck table 32 that holds the workpiece 11 by suction with negative pressure via the tape 17.

[0064] A cutting unit 36, including a cylindrical spindle 34, is provided above the chuck table 32. The longitudinal direction of the spindle 34 is positioned approximately parallel to the Y-axis. Note that in Figure 8(A), only the tip of the spindle 34 is shown, and other parts are omitted. A cutting blade 38 having an annular cutting edge is mounted on the tip of the spindle 34.

[0065] When cutting the workpiece 11 along each planned division line 13, first, the cutting device 30's microscope camera unit (not shown) detects the planned division lines 13, and the orientation of the chuck table 32 is adjusted so that the planned division lines 13 are approximately parallel to the X-axis.

[0066] Next, the spindle 34 and the cutting blade 38 are rotated at high speed, the cutting blade 38 is positioned on the extension of the planned division line 13, and the lower end of the cutting blade 38 is positioned between the holding surface of the chuck table 32 and the tape 17 in the Z-axis direction.

[0067] Then, by moving the chuck table 32 along the X-axis, the workpiece 11 is cut along the planned division line 13 (a so-called full cut is performed). After cutting the workpiece 11 along one planned division line 13, the cutting unit 36 ​​is moved in the Y-axis direction relative to the chuck table 32.

[0068] This positions the cutting blade 38 on the extension of another division line 13 adjacent to the already cut division line 13. Then, the workpiece 11 is cut along the other division line 13 in the same manner.

[0069] After cutting the workpiece 11 along each planned division line 13 in this manner, the chuck table 32 is rotated approximately 90 degrees. Then, the workpiece 11 is cut again along each planned division line 13 arranged along the X-axis in the same manner.

[0070] This divides the workpiece 11 along each planned division line 13, thereby dividing the workpiece 11 into multiple device chips 25. Figure 8(B) is a perspective view of the device chip 25. The device chip 25 manufactured in this manner can enjoy the advantages of the bonding method described above.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the case in which the tape 17 is inflated with air 10a was described, but insofar as the purpose is to prevent the workpiece 11 from being pressed against the holding table 4 by the roller or from coming into contact with the support surface 4a, inflating the tape 17 with air 10a is not essential.

[0072] However, when placing the workpiece 11 on the tape 17 (S30), it is preferable to inflate the tape 17 with air 10a in order to reduce the amount of air bubbles trapped between the workpiece 11 and the tape 17. Reducing the amount of trapped air bubbles contributes to high-quality cutting when dividing the workpiece 11 into multiple device chips 25.

[0073] (Modification of the First Embodiment) Next, modifications of the holding table 4 will be described with reference to Figures 9(A) and 9(B). Figure 9(A) is a diagram showing a modification of the holding table 4, and Figure 9(B) is a diagram showing how the tape 17 held by the holding table 4 in the modification is deformed so that the upper surface of the tape 17 becomes convex.

[0074] As shown in Figure 9(A), the modified holding table 4 comprises a disc-shaped first porous plate 6b1 with a relatively large volume of voids (i.e., relatively sparse), an annular second porous plate 6b2 with a relatively small volume of voids (i.e., relatively dense), and an annular partition plate 6b3 located between the first porous plate 6b1 and the second porous plate 6b2.

[0075] The first porous plate 6b1 and the second porous plate 6b2 are each made of ceramics. The partition plate 6b3 is made of a non-porous metal or ceramic and has the function of suppressing the movement of air 10a from the first porous plate 6b1 to the second porous plate 6b2. The partition plate 6b3 may be omitted, and the first porous plate 6b1 and the second porous plate 6b2 may be brought into contact.

[0076] As shown in Figure 9(B), when the solenoid valve 12 is opened while the frame 19 and tape 17 are held by the holding table 4, the amount of air 10a supplied per unit time to the central region 19c1 of the opening 19c of the frame 19 can be made higher than the amount of air 10a supplied per unit time to the outer peripheral region 19c2 of the opening 19c.

[0077] As a result, the height of the radial center of the tape 17 can be made higher than the height of the outer circumference of the tape 17 compared to the first embodiment. Therefore, the amount of air bubbles remaining between the workpiece 11 and the tape 17 when the tape 17 is attached to the workpiece 11 can be reduced more effectively.

[0078] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10(A) and 10(B). The tape application device 2 of the second embodiment has a retaining ring (i.e., a retaining unit) 40 instead of a retaining table 4. Figure 10(A) is a diagram showing the retaining ring 40.

[0079] The retaining ring 40 has an annular surface 40a and another surface 40b located opposite to surface 40a in the thickness direction. The inner diameters of surface 40a and surface 40b are smaller than the opening 19c of the frame 19, and the outer diameters of surface 40a and surface 40b are larger than the outermost diameter of the frame 19.

[0080] Multiple (for example, four) clamp units 40c are provided on the outer circumference of the retaining ring 40. The multiple clamp units 40c are arranged at approximately equal intervals along the circumferential direction of one surface 40a. Each clamp unit 40c includes a pressing portion that is rotationally driven relative to the one surface 40a by compressed air.

[0081] An annular heater 42 is provided in the center of the opening 40d of the retaining ring 40. The heater 42 is fixed in position relative to the retaining ring 40. The heater 42 is, for example, a cartridge heater, but is not limited to this.

[0082] Directly below the opening of the heater 42, a nozzle (i.e., air supply unit) 44 is provided, connected to the air supply source 10 via a solenoid valve 12. The opening of the nozzle 44 faces upward. When the solenoid valve 12 is opened, air 10a can be concentrated in the radial center of the retaining ring 40.

[0083] In the second embodiment, the retaining ring 40 also holds the frame unit 21, but the retaining ring 40 holds the frame 19 with multiple clamp units 40c, and the tape 17 is not supported in the center and is allowed to flex under its own weight.

[0084] In this state, by injecting air 10a from the nozzle 44, the amount of air 10a supplied per unit time to the central region 19c1 of the opening 19c of the frame 19 is made higher than the amount of air 10a supplied per unit time to the outer peripheral region 19c2 of the opening 19c.

[0085] In the second embodiment as well, the tape 17 can be deformed so that its upper surface becomes convex. Figure 10(B) shows how the tape 17 is deformed so that its upper surface, held by the retaining ring 40, becomes convex.

[0086] (Modified Version of the Second Embodiment) Next, a modified version of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11(A) and 11(B). Figure 11(A) is a diagram showing a modified version of the retaining ring 40.

[0087] The retaining ring 40 according to this modified example has a central nozzle 44a located in the radial center of the retaining ring 40, and a plurality (for example, two or three) of peripheral nozzles 44b arranged to surround the central nozzle 44a. The central nozzle 44a and the plurality of peripheral nozzles 44b constitute an air supply unit.

[0088] The central nozzle 44a is connected to the first pipe section 8a, and the peripheral nozzles 44b are connected to the second pipe section 8b, which branches off from the first pipe section 8a. The second pipe section 8b is provided with a flow rate adjustment valve 46 that can be controlled by the controller described above.

[0089] In this modified example, by adjusting the opening degree of each flow control valve 46, the amount of air 10a supplied per unit time from one central nozzle 44a is made higher than the amount of air 10a supplied per unit time from all peripheral nozzles 44b.

[0090] This makes the amount of air 10a supplied per unit time to the central region 19c1 of the opening 19c of the frame 19 higher than the amount of air 10a supplied per unit time to the outer peripheral region 19c2 of the opening 19c.

[0091] Figure 11(B) shows how the tape 17 is deformed so that the upper surface of the tape 17, held by the retaining ring 40 in the modified example, becomes convex. The length of the arrow for air 10a in Figure 11(B) indicates the amount of air 10a supplied per unit time.

[0092] Furthermore, the structures, methods, etc., according to the above embodiments can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention. For example, the support plate 26 shown in Figures 4(A) and 4(B) is not limited to a disc shape, but may be U-shaped in a top view, and its shape is not particularly limited.

[0093] Furthermore, although heaters 6c and 42 are not essential, it is preferable to improve the flexibility of the tape 17 when attaching the workpiece 11 to the tape 17. Therefore, it is preferable to heat the tape 17 using heaters 6c and 42 rather than not heating the tape 17. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0094] 2: Tape application device 4: Holding table (holding unit), 4a: Support surface, 4b: Through hole 6a: Frame, 6b: Porous plate (air supply section) 6b1: First porous plate, 6b2: Second porous plate, 6b3: Partition plate 6c: Heater, 6d: Clamp unit 8: Pipe section, 8a: First pipe section, 8b: Second pipe section 10: Air supply source, 10a: Air 11: Workpiece, 11a: Front surface, 11b: Back surface, 13: Planned division line 12: Solenoid valve, 14: Power supply unit 15: Device, 17: Tape, 17a: Adhesive layer, 17b: Substrate layer 19: Frame, 19a: One side, 19b: Other side, 19c: Opening 19c1: Central area, 19c2: Outer area 20: Non-contact holding unit, 22: Arm, 24: Support 21: Frame unit, 25: Device chip 26: Support plate, 26a: Bottom surface 28: Suction pad, 28a: Air, 28b: Suction power 30: Cutting device, 32: Chuck table 34: Spindle, 36: Cutting unit, 38: Cutting blade 40: Retaining ring (retaining unit), 40a: One side, 40b: Other side 40c: Clamp unit, 40d: Opening 42: Heater 44: Nozzle (air supply unit) 44a: Central nozzle (air supply unit), 44b: Peripheral nozzle (air supply unit) 46: Flow control valve H: heat, L: distance

Claims

1. A method for attaching tape to a workpiece, A frame unit having a frame having an opening and a tape attached to the frame so as to close the opening, the frame being held by a holding unit, A non-contact holding unit generates negative pressure by injecting air, holds the workpiece without contacting it due to the negative pressure, and positions the workpiece above the opening in the frame unit held by the holding unit. The tape is attached to the workpiece by placing the workpiece, which is positioned above the opening, on the tape of the frame unit. A method of attachment characterized by comprising the following:

2. The method of attaching tape according to claim 1, characterized in that when attaching tape to a workpiece by placing the workpiece on the tape of the frame unit, the non-contact holding unit releases the hold on the workpiece to place it on the tape.

3. The method of attaching the tape according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when attaching the tape to the workpiece, the air supply unit sprays air onto the tape from below, thereby deforming the tape so that its upper surface becomes convex, and the workpiece is placed on the upper surface of the tape.

4. The adhesive method according to claim 3, characterized in that when the air supply unit sprays air onto the tape, the amount of air supplied per unit time to the central region of the opening is higher than the amount of air supplied per unit time to the outer peripheral region of the opening.

5. A tape application device for applying tape to a workpiece, A frame unit having a frame having an opening, and a tape attached to the frame so as to close the opening, and a holding unit that holds the frame, An air supply unit that deforms the tape by spraying air onto the tape from below the frame unit, A non-contact holding unit that generates negative pressure by spraying air and holds the workpiece without contact with it using this negative pressure, Equipped with, A tape application device characterized in that the holding unit holds the frame, and the air supply unit sprays air from below the tape to deform the upper surface of the tape into a convex shape, and the non-contact holding unit positions the workpiece above the opening and then places the workpiece on the upper surface of the tape to apply the tape to the workpiece.

6. A method for manufacturing chips, A frame unit having a frame with an opening and tape attached to the frame to close the opening, the frame being held by a holding unit, A non-contact holding unit generates negative pressure by spraying air onto a workpiece in which devices are formed in each of multiple regions partitioned by multiple intersecting division lines. This negative pressure holds the workpiece without contacting it, and the holding unit is positioned above the opening of the frame in the frame unit held by the holding unit. The tape is attached to the workpiece by placing the workpiece, which is positioned above the opening, on the tape of the frame unit. The workpiece attached to the tape is divided along each planned division line, thereby dividing the workpiece into multiple device chips. A method for manufacturing a device chip, characterized by comprising the following features.

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