Work processing apparatus, control method of work processing apparatus, and server

Abstract

To provide a work-piece processing device where processing quality of a part to be processed in a work-piece is accurately measured, a control method of the same, and a server connected with the same.SOLUTION: A work-piece processing device comprises: a relative movement mechanism 49 which performs relative movement of a processing head (blade 21A, 21B) relative to a table 31; a white-light interferometer 24 integrally arranged with a processing head in which white light is irradiated to a part to be processed in a work-piece W and interference signal between white light reflected by the part to be processed and white light reflected by reference surface is detected by pixel; a scan control part (movement control part 72) which drives the relative movement mechanism 49 and executes a vertical scan of the processing head and the white-light interferometer 24 to change a light path length of the white light reflected by the part to be processed; and a processing quality measuring part 82 which measures processing quality of the part to be processed based on the interference signal by pixel outputted by the white-light interferometer 24 during the vertical scan.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a workpiece processing apparatus for processing a workpiece, a control method for the workpiece processing apparatus, and a server connected to the workpiece processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a dicing apparatus (workpiece processing apparatus) that cuts a workpiece such as a wafer with a disk-shaped blade that is rotated at high speed by a spindle. Since the blade of this dicing apparatus wears out during use, chipping may occur on the cut surface of the workpiece by the blade. Further, due to the influence of thermal deformation of the blade, the position of a groove (kerf) formed in the workpiece by the blade may deviate from the center of the street. For this reason, in the dicing apparatus, a kerf check of the blade is performed at a preset timing. For example, in a dicing apparatus, a groove formed in a workpiece by a blade is photographed with a camera (such as a microscope for alignment), and based on the photographed image of this camera, the kerf position, kerf width, and presence or absence of chipping of the groove are measured (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] By the way, as a dicing apparatus, a twin spindle dicer having two spindles on which blades are mounted is known. And, as a method of cutting or severing a workpiece with a twin spindle dicer, a meeting cutting method and a step cut method are known. The meeting cutting method is a method of cutting two streets at once with two blades. Further, the step cut method is a method of cutting a wafer along a street by cutting a groove having a predetermined depth along the street with a first blade and then cutting the bottom of the groove with a second blade.

[0004] As methods for performing a kerf check on two blades of a twin spindle dicing saw that employs a step cut method, the following two methods are known. In the first method, the wafer is cut to a predetermined depth along a street with the first blade, the cut groove is photographed with a camera, and the kerf check of the first blade is performed based on the photographed image of the groove. Next, the bottom of the groove cut with the first blade is cut with the second blade, the groove cut with the second blade is photographed with a camera, and the kerf check of the second blade is performed based on the photographed image of the groove.

[0005] In the second method, an uncut portion of the workpiece is machined with the first blade, and another uncut portion of the workpiece is machined with the second blade. Based on the photographed images of the two grooves formed by each blade, respectively photographed with a camera, a kerf check of each blade is performed (see Patent Document 2). The kerf check of this second method is also referred to as a step kerf check or an overcut kerf check.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] FIG. 34 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the problems of the kerf check of the first method. As shown in FIG. 34, when performing a kerf check by the first method, since the groove 25B formed in the workpiece W by the second blade overlaps the groove 25A formed in the workpiece W by the first blade, it is difficult to determine the processing quality (kerf position, kerf width, etc.) of the groove 25B based on the photographed image of the groove 25B. As a result, there is a drawback that it is extremely difficult to perform a kerf check on the second blade.

[0008] FIG. 35 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the problems of the kerf check in the second method. As shown in FIG. 35, when performing a kerf check by the second method, it is necessary to machine the uncut portion of the work W with the second blade. However, since the second blade is thinner than the first blade, when machining the uncut portion with the second blade, the load on the second blade increases. In addition, since the machining conditions of the work by the second blade are different between step cutting and kerf checking, for example, at the time of kerf checking, the second blade may deflect, and grooves 25B may be formed at positions different from those at the time of step cutting. That is, there is a possibility that the grooves 25B are not formed at the same position during step cutting and kerf checking. As a result, there is a possibility that the machining quality of the grooves 25B during step cutting cannot be accurately measured.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a work processing apparatus capable of accurately measuring the machining quality of a machined portion formed on a work, a control method for this work processing apparatus, and a server connected to this work processing apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] A work processing apparatus for achieving the object of the present invention includes a table for holding a flat work, a processing head for machining the work held on the table, a relative movement mechanism for relatively moving the processing head with respect to the table, and a white interferometer provided integrally with the processing head. The white interferometer emits white light toward a machined portion formed on the work and detects an interference signal between the white light reflected by the machined portion and the white light reflected by a reference surface for each pixel. A scanning control unit that drives the relative movement mechanism to execute a vertical scan for relatively moving the processing head and the white interferometer integrally in a direction perpendicular to the table, and a machining quality measurement unit that measures the machining quality of the machined portion based on the interference signal for each pixel output from the white interferometer during the vertical scan.

[0011] According to this workpiece processing apparatus, the processing quality of the workpiece portion can be accurately measured using an interferometer provided integrally with the processing head.

[0012] In a workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a processing control unit that drives a processing head and a relative movement mechanism to form a workpiece portion on a workpiece by the processing head, and a first measurement control unit that operates an interferometer and a scanning control unit at a position where white light can be irradiated onto the workpiece portion. The processing quality measurement unit measures at least one of the processing position and the processing shape of the workpiece portion as the processing quality. Thereby, at least one of the processing position and the processing shape of the workpiece portion can be accurately measured using the interferometer.

[0013] In a workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a correction value determination unit that determines a correction value for correcting at least one of the processing position and the processing shape of the workpiece portion based on the measurement result of the processing quality measurement unit. The processing control unit drives the processing head and the relative movement mechanism based on the correction value determined by the correction value determination unit to form a workpiece portion on the workpiece. By feeding back the correction value to the processing of the next workpiece portion by the processing head, the processing accuracy of the next workpiece portion can be further improved.

[0014] In a workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, it has a first processing head and a second processing head as the processing head. The processing control unit drives the relative movement mechanism and the first processing head to perform a first processing operation of forming a first groove as the workpiece portion on the workpiece, and drives the relative movement mechanism and the second processing head to perform a second processing operation of forming a second groove at the bottom of the first groove as the workpiece portion to cut the workpiece. The processing quality measurement unit measures the processing positions of the first groove and the second groove. Thereby, even when the second groove is formed at the bottom of the first groove in a step cut method, the processing position (processing quality) of this second groove can be accurately measured.

[0015] In the workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, when the portion to be processed is a groove, the processing quality measurement unit measures the depth of the groove as the processed shape. Thereby, the depth of the groove can be accurately measured.

[0016] In the workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, a second measurement control unit is provided that operates a white interferometer and a scanning control unit at a position where white light can be irradiated onto a first groove, which is a portion to be processed formed in advance on the workpiece before processing the workpiece with the processing head. The processing quality measurement unit measures the processing position of the first groove as the processing quality, and based on the measurement result of the processing quality measurement unit, a processing control unit is provided that drives the processing head and the relative movement mechanism to form a second groove at the bottom of the first groove and cut the workpiece. Thereby, since the processing position of the first groove can be accurately measured, the processing accuracy of the second groove by the processing head can be improved.

[0017] In the workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the second measurement control unit operates a white interferometer and a scanning control unit at a position where white light can be irradiated onto a first groove formed by irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam. Thereby, the processing position of the first groove (laser groove) formed by the laser processing can be accurately measured.

[0018] In the workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the processing head cuts the workpiece with a rotating disk-shaped blade.

[0019] In the workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the processing head cuts the workpiece with a rotating disk-shaped blade, and a processing control unit is provided that drives the processing head and the relative movement mechanism to form a portion to be processed on the workpiece with the blade. The processing quality measurement unit measures the cross-sectional shape of the portion to be processed as the processing quality, and based on the measurement result of the cross-sectional shape by the processing quality measurement unit, a blade shape measurement unit is provided that measures the tip shape of the blade. Thereby, the tip shape of the blade can be accurately measured using a white interferometer.

[0020] In a workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, a processing control unit drives a relative movement mechanism and a processing head to form a groove as a processed portion in a workpiece, a processing quality measurement unit measures a cross-sectional shape of the groove, and a blade shape measurement unit measures a tip shape of the blade based on a measurement result of the cross-sectional shape by the processing quality measurement unit. Thereby, the tip shape of the blade can be accurately measured.

[0021] In a workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, a rotation drive mechanism that rotates a table about a rotation axis of the table is provided, and a processing control unit drives a processing head, a relative movement mechanism, and a rotation drive mechanism to cut and remove an outer peripheral portion of a workpiece from one surface side of the workpiece to a predetermined depth position, thereby forming a stepped portion in the outer peripheral portion of the workpiece as a processed portion, a processing quality measurement unit measures a cross-sectional shape of the stepped portion, and a blade shape measurement unit measures a tip shape of the blade based on a measurement result of the cross-sectional shape by the processing quality measurement unit. Thereby, the tip shape of the blade can be accurately measured.

[0022] A control method for a workpiece processing apparatus for achieving the object of the present invention includes a scanning control step of performing a vertical scan in which a white interferometer that emits white light toward a processed portion formed in a flat workpiece held on a table and detects an interference signal between the white light reflected by the processed portion and the white light reflected by a reference surface for each pixel is relatively moved in a direction perpendicular to the table integrally with a processing head that processes the workpiece, and a processing quality measurement step of measuring the processing quality of the processed portion based on the interference signal for each pixel output from the white interferometer during the vertical scan.

[0023] In a control method for a workpiece processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, in the processing quality measurement step, a cross-sectional shape of a processed portion formed in a workpiece by a processing head having a rotating disk-shaped blade is measured, and a blade shape measurement step of measuring a tip shape of the blade based on a measurement result of the cross-sectional shape of the processed portion in the processing quality measurement step is included.

[0024] The server for achieving the object of the present invention includes a communication interface connected to a white interferometer that emits white light toward a machined portion formed on a flat workpiece held on a table and detects, for each pixel, an interference signal between the white light reflected by the machined portion and the white light reflected by a reference surface, a machining head that performs machining on the workpiece, and an interference signal acquisition unit that acquires, via the communication interface, the interference signal for each pixel from the white interferometer while the machining head and the white interferometer are integrally moved relative to the table in a direction perpendicular to the table by a relative movement mechanism, and a machining quality measurement unit that measures the machining quality of the machined portion based on the interference signal for each pixel acquired by the interference signal acquisition unit.

[0025] In the server according to another aspect of the present invention, the machining quality measurement unit measures a cross-sectional shape of a machined portion formed on a workpiece by a machining head having a rotating disk-shaped blade, and includes a blade shape measurement unit that measures a tip shape of the blade based on a measurement result of the cross-sectional shape by the machining quality measurement unit.

Advantages of the Invention

[0026] The present invention can accurately measure the machining quality of a machined portion formed on a workpiece.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0028] [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dicing apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. In the figure, the XYZ axes are perpendicular to each other, the XY axes are parallel to the horizontal direction, and the Z axis is perpendicular to the horizontal direction.

[0029] The dicing apparatus 10 corresponds to the workpiece processing apparatus of the present invention and cuts a flat workpiece W such as a semiconductor wafer. The dicing apparatus 10 includes a load port 12, a transfer mechanism 14, a processing unit 16, and a cleaning unit 18.

[0030] A cassette storing a large number of workpieces W mounted on a frame F is placed on the load port 12. The transfer mechanism 14 transfers the workpiece W. The processing unit 16 performs dicing processing on the workpiece W. The cleaning unit 18 spin-cleans the diced workpiece W. Further, inside the housing 10A of the dicing apparatus 10, a general control unit 60 (see FIG. 5) for controlling the operations of each part of the dicing apparatus 10 and the like are provided. Note that the general control unit 60 may be provided outside the housing 10A.

[0031] The unprocessed (uncut) workpiece W stored in the cassette placed on the load port 12 is transferred to the processing unit 16 by the transfer mechanism 14, and cutting processes such as cutting or grooving are performed in the processing unit 16 to divide it into individual chips. Then, the workpiece W processed by the processing unit 16 is transferred to the cleaning unit 18 by the transfer mechanism 14, cleaned by the cleaning unit 18, and then transferred to the load port 12 by the transfer mechanism 14 and stored in the cassette.

[0032] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the processing unit 16. As shown in FIG. 2 and the above-described FIG. 1, the processing unit 16 is the above-described twin spindle dicer, and includes a pair of blades 21A and 21B, a blade cover (not shown), a pair of spindles 22A and 22B, a microscope 23, a white interferometer 24, and a table 31.

[0033] The blades 21A and 21B are formed in a disk shape. Also, the tip shape of the blades 21A and 21B, that is, the cross-sectional shape of the outer peripheral portion (blade tip portion) of the blades along the radial direction is rectangular. The blades 21A and 21B are arranged to face each other in the Y-axis direction, and are rotatably held by the spindles 22A and 22B about the blade rotation axes parallel to the Y-axis direction, respectively.

[0034] The spindles 22A and 22B incorporate high-frequency motors and rotate the blades 21A and 21B at high speed about the blade rotation axes. Thereby, the workpiece W is machined by the blades 21A and 21B from its front surface side. For this reason, the blade 21A and the spindle 22A correspond to the first processing head (processing head) of the present invention. Also, the blade 21B and the spindle 22B correspond to the second processing head (processing head) of the present invention.

[0035] A groove 25A (see FIGS. 6 and 7) corresponding to the processed portion of the present invention is formed in the workpiece W by the cutting of the workpiece W by the blade 21A. Also, a groove 25B (see FIGS. 6 and 7) corresponding to the processed portion of the present invention is formed in the workpiece W by the cutting of the workpiece W by the blade 21B.

[0036] The microscope 23 is provided on the Z carriage 44 integrally with the spindle 22A, and is held by the Y carriage 43 and the Z carriage 44 so as to be movable in the YZ-axis direction integrally with the spindle 22A. The microscope 23 is a photographing device [for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) camera] having a photographing optical system and a photographing element, although not shown in the figure. Note that the microscope 23 may be composed of a high-magnification microscope and a low-magnification microscope having different photographing magnifications. The microscope 23 photographs the front surface of the workpiece W during the cutting of the workpiece W. The photographed image of the workpiece W by this microscope 23 is used for the alignment of the workpiece W and the blades 21A and 21B.

[0037] FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of the white interferometer 24 shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3 and the aforementioned FIG. 2, the white interferometer 24 is provided on the Z carriage 44 integrally with the spindle 22B, and is held movably in the YZ axis direction by the Y carriage 43 and the Z carriage 44. The white interferometer 24 is used for measuring the machining quality of the grooves 25A, 25B (see FIGS. 6 and 7) formed in the workpiece W by the blades 21A, 21B. Further, the white interferometer 24 is vertically scanned in the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the table 31 (workpiece W) through the Z carriage 44 during the measurement of the machining quality (hereinafter simply referred to as vertical scanning).

[0038] The table 31 has a workpiece holding surface 31a formed in a porous shape, and the workpiece W is adsorbed and held by the workpiece holding surface 31a from its back side. The table 31 is held movably in the X-axis direction by the X carriage 36 described later, and is held rotatably about the rotation axis CA by the rotation unit 37 described later.

[0039] The machining unit 16 is provided with an X base 32, an X guide 34, an X drive unit 35, an X carriage 36, and a rotation unit 37. The X base 32 has a flat plate shape extending in the X-axis direction, and the X guide 34 is provided on the upper surface in the Z-axis direction thereof. The X guide 34 has a shape extending in the X-axis direction and guides the X carriage 36 along the X-axis direction. The X drive unit 35 uses an actuator such as a linear motor, for example, to move (drive) the X carriage 36 along the X guide 34 in the X-axis direction.

[0040] The rotation unit 37 is provided on the upper surface of the X carriage 36. Further, the table 31 is provided on the upper surface of the rotation unit 37. The rotation unit 37 is rotationally driven by a rotation drive unit 38 (see FIG. 5) composed of a motor, gears, and the like. Thereby, the rotation unit 37 rotates the table 31 in the θ direction about its rotation axis CA. The rotation drive unit 38 corresponds to the rotation drive mechanism of the present invention.

[0041] The workpiece W conveyed from the load port 12 by the conveying mechanism 14 is adsorbed and held by the table 31, and thus moves and rotates integrally with the table 31.

[0042] In addition, the processing unit 16 is provided with a Y base 41, a Y guide 42, a pair of Y carriages 43, and a pair of Z carriages 44. The Y base 41 has a portal shape that straddles the X base 32 in the Y-axis direction. The Y guide 42 is provided on the side surface of the Y base 41 in the X-axis direction. The Y guide 42 has a shape extending in the Y-axis direction and guides the pair of Y carriages 43 along the Y-axis direction respectively. The pair of Y carriages 43 are independently driven along the Y guide 42 by a Y drive unit 46 (see FIG. 5), which is an actuator composed of, for example, a stepping motor and a ball screw.

[0043] A Z carriage 44 is movably provided in the Z-axis direction on each of the pair of Y carriages 43 via a Z drive unit 48 (see FIG. 5), which is an actuator composed of an actuator such as a stepping motor. A spindle 22A and a microscope 23 are provided on one of the Z carriages 44, and a spindle 22B and a white interferometer 24 are provided on the other of the Z carriages 44.

[0044] By driving the X carriage 36, the rotation unit 37, each Y carriage 43, and each Z carriage 44, the blades 21A, 21B, the microscope 23, and the white interferometer 24 can be relatively moved in the XYZ-axis directions and the θ direction with respect to the table 31 and the workpiece W.

[0045] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the white interferometer 24. As shown in FIG. 4, the white interferometer 24 is a so-called Mirau-type white interferometer, and includes a housing 50, a white light source 51, a first beam splitter 52, an objective lens 53, a glass plate 54, a second beam splitter 55, and an imaging unit 56.

[0046] The housing 50 houses a first beam splitter 52, an objective lens 53, a glass plate 54, and a second beam splitter 55. Inside this housing 50, the second beam splitter 55, the glass plate 54, the objective lens 53, and the first beam splitter 52 are provided from the lower side to the upper side in the Z-axis direction. Also, a white light source 51 is attached to the side surface of the housing 50 and on the side of the first beam splitter 52. Further, an imaging unit 56 is attached to the upper surface of the housing 50 and above the first beam splitter 52.

[0047] The white light source 51 emits white light L1 (light in which lights of each wavelength range of visible light are mixed) toward the first beam splitter 52 while the white interferometer 24 is being vertically scanned once (or multiple times). The first beam splitter 52 reflects a part of the white light L1 incident from the white light source 51 toward the objective lens 53. Also, the first beam splitter 52 transmits a part of the interference signal L4 incident from the objective lens 53 and emits this part toward the imaging unit 56.

[0048] The objective lens 53 focuses the white light L1 incident from the first beam splitter 52 on the focusing point P of the workpiece W. There is no particular limitation on the diameter of the focusing point P (focusing spot).

[0049] The glass plate 54 includes a mirror 54a that functions as a reference surface at its central portion. The glass plate 54 (excluding the mirror 54a) transmits the white light L1 incident from the objective lens 53 as it is and emits it toward the second beam splitter 55.

[0050] The second beam splitter 55 splits the white light L1 condensed by the objective lens 53 into a measurement light L2 and a reference light L3, transmits the measurement light L2 and irradiates the workpiece W, and reflects the reference light L3 toward the mirror 54a. The measurement light L2 irradiated on the workpiece W is reflected by the workpiece W and enters the second beam splitter 55. Also, the reference light L3 reflected by the mirror 54a enters the second beam splitter 55 and a part of it is reflected by this second beam splitter 55. Thereby, an interference signal L4 (interference light) of the measurement light L2 and the reference light L3 is generated. This interference signal L4 enters the imaging unit 56 through the glass plate 54, the objective lens 53, and the first beam splitter 52.

[0051] The optical path length of the reference light L3 is constant, but the optical path length of the measurement light L2 changes according to the vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24. As is well known, when the optical path length difference between the measurement light L2 and the reference light L3 becomes zero (including almost zero), the interference between the measurement light L2 and the reference light L3 in all wavelength ranges of visible light is enhanced, so the signal intensity of the interference signal L4 becomes maximum (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-106860).

[0052] The imaging unit 56 includes a two-dimensional imaging element of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) type in which a plurality of pixels (light receiving elements) are two-dimensionally arranged in the XY axis directions. During one vertical scan (or multiple scans) of the white interferometer 24, this imaging unit 56 images the interference signal L4 incident from the first beam splitter 52 for each pixel, thereby detecting (acquiring) the interference signal L4 for each pixel and outputting the interference signal L4 for each pixel to the overall control unit 60 (see FIG. 5).

[0053] [Functions of the overall control unit] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the overall control unit 60 of the dicing apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the overall control unit 60 includes an arithmetic circuit composed of various processors and memories. The various processors include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and programmable logic devices [e.g., SPLD (Simple Programmable Logic Devices), CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), and FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays)]. Note that the various functions of the overall control unit 60 may be realized by one processor or by a plurality of processors of the same type or different types.

[0054] Connected to the overall control unit 60 are an operation unit 62, a storage unit 64, a display unit 66, etc., in addition to the aforementioned spindles 22A and 22B, microscope 23, white interferometer 24, X drive unit 35, rotation drive unit 38, Y drive unit 46, and Z drive unit 48.

[0055] The operation unit 62 uses a keyboard, a mouse, an operation panel, operation buttons, etc., and receives inputs of various operations by an operator. The storage unit 64 stores a control program (not shown) of the dicing apparatus 10 and also stores measurement results by a later-described processed product quality measurement unit 82. The display unit 66 uses various known monitors such as a liquid crystal display. This display unit 66 displays measurement results by the processed product quality measurement unit 82 and various setting screens of the dicing apparatus 10.

[0056] By executing a control program (not shown) stored in the storage unit 64, the overall control unit 60 functions as a blade drive control unit 70, a movement control unit 72, a photographing control unit 74, a detection control unit 76, a processing control unit 78, a measurement control unit 80, a processed product quality measurement unit 82, and a correction value determination unit 84. Note that what is described as the “~ unit” of the overall control unit 60 (the same applies to the server 200 described later) may be a “~ circuit”, a “~ device”, or a “~ instrument”. That is, what is described as the “~ unit” may be configured by any of firmware, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

[0057] The blade drive control unit 70 controls the rotational drive of the blades 21A and 21B by the spindles 22A and 22B.

[0058] The movement control unit 72 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 including the X drive unit 35 (X carriage 36), the rotational drive unit 38 (rotational unit 37), the Y drive unit 46 (Y carriage 43), and the Z drive unit 48 (Z carriage 44), thereby relatively moving the blades 21A and 21B, the microscope 23, and the white interferometer 24 with respect to the table 31 and the workpiece W.

[0059] For example, before the alignment between the workpiece W and the blades 21A and 21B, the movement control unit 72 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 to execute the position adjustment of the microscope 23 to a position where a predetermined alignment reference of the workpiece W can be photographed. The alignment reference here is a reference for the dicing device 10 to recognize the position of the street C (see FIG. 6 etc., also referred to as the division planned line) of the workpiece W, and for example, recognition marks or the like are used.

[0060] Also, during the execution of the alignment between the workpiece W and the blades 21A and 21B, the movement control unit 72 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 to execute the alignment between the blades 21A and 21B and the processing start position of the workpiece W.

[0061] Furthermore, during the cutting of the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B, the movement control unit 72 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 to execute the cutting feed of the workpiece W in the X direction, the index feed of the blades 21A and 21B in the Y-axis direction, and the plunge feed of the blades 21A and 21B in the Z-axis direction.

[0062] Furthermore, during the measurement of the machining quality of the grooves 25A and 25B (see FIGS. 6 and 7) formed in the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B, the movement control unit 72 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 to execute the position adjustment and vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24. Therefore, the movement control unit 72 functions as the scanning control unit of the present invention.

[0063] The imaging control unit 74 controls the imaging of the workpiece W by the microscope 23. After the position adjustment of the microscope 23 described above, the imaging control unit 74 causes the microscope 23 to image the workpiece W. As a result, a captured image of the workpiece W is output from the microscope 23 to the detection control unit 76.

[0064] Based on the captured image of the workpiece W input from the microscope 23, the detection control unit 76 performs alignment detection to detect the position of the street C (see FIGS. 6 and 7) of the workpiece W by detecting the alignment reference in the captured image by a known image recognition method. Then, the detection control unit 76 outputs the alignment detection result to the processing control unit 78.

[0065] Based on the alignment detection result by the detection control unit 76, the processing control unit 78 drives the spindles 22A and 22B and the relative movement mechanism 49 via the blade drive control unit 70 and the movement control unit 72 to perform cutting of the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B for each street C (see FIG. 6) of the workpiece W. Here, since the dicing device 10 of the present embodiment is a so-called twin spindle dicer, the processing control unit 78 selectively executes, for example, a meeting cutting method and a step cut method as the cutting method of the workpiece W. The selection of the cutting method is performed by the operation unit 62.

[0066] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the meeting cutting method. As shown in FIG. 6, in the meeting cutting method, blades 21A and 21B having the same shape (same thickness) are attached to spindles 22A and 22B. Based on the alignment detection result by the detection control unit 76, the processing control unit 78 drives the spindles 22A and 22B and the relative movement mechanism 49 via the blade drive control unit 70 and the movement control unit 72, and repeatedly executes simultaneous processing for each of the two streets C.

[0067] The simultaneous processing is a process of simultaneously cutting two streets C at a time with two blades 21A and 21B having the same shape, and simultaneously forming the groove 25A by the blade 21A and the groove 25B by the blade 21B. The grooves 25A and 25B formed by the meeting cutting method are so-called full cut grooves having substantially the same shape. In the meeting cutting method, since the cutting range of the workpiece W can be divided into two and each range can be shared by different blades 21A and 21B, the processing time of the workpiece W can be shortened.

[0068] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the step cut method. FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the workpiece W cut by the step cut method. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the step cut method is selected when the workpiece W is a laminate in which a low dielectric constant insulator film (Low-k film) and a functional film for forming a circuit are laminated on the surface of a substrate such as silicon. In this step cut method, blades 21A and 21B having different thicknesses (the same shaped blades 21A and 21B are also acceptable) are attached to the spindles 22A and 22B. And in the step cut method, grooves 25A and 25B are formed for each street C by the blades 21A and 21B.

[0069] Specifically, based on the alignment detection result by the detection control unit 76, the processing control unit 78 drives the spindles 22A and 22B and the relative movement mechanism 49 via the blade drive control unit 70 and the movement control unit 72 respectively, and repeatedly executes the first processing and the second processing for each street C.

[0070] The first processing is a process of cutting the street C with a wide blade 21A having a width of about 50 μm, for example, to form a groove 25A (corresponding to the first groove of the present invention) having a predetermined depth along the street C. The groove 25A becomes a so-called half-cut groove in the step-cut method. Thereby, the Low-k film or the like on the street C is removed.

[0071] The second processing is a process of cutting the bottom of the groove 25A with a narrow blade 21B having a width of about 30 μm, for example, to form a groove 25B. The groove 25B becomes a so-called full-cut groove having a narrower width than the groove 25A in the step-cut method. Thereby, the workpiece W is divided along the street C.

[0072] The measurement control unit 80 corresponds to the first measurement control unit of the present invention, and operates the movement control unit 72 and the white interferometer 24 when measuring the processing quality of the grooves 25A and 25B formed in the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B.

[0073] When the above-described meeting cutting method is selected, the measurement control unit 80 first drives the relative movement mechanism 49 via the movement control unit 72 to perform position adjustment for relatively moving the white interferometer 24 to a position where the measurement light L2 can be irradiated onto the groove 25A to be measured of the workpiece W. Here, the positions of the grooves 25A and 25B formed in the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B are known. Therefore, the measurement control unit 80 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 based on the known position of the groove 25A to perform position adjustment of the white interferometer 24 with respect to the groove 25A. Thereby, the labor of searching for the groove 25A is omitted. Note that, if the groove 25A is within the irradiation range (within the spot) of the measurement light L2 even without performing the position adjustment of the white interferometer 24 for reasons such as that the spot diameter of the measurement light L2 emitted from the white interferometer 24 is sufficiently large, this position adjustment may be omitted.

[0074] Next, the measurement control unit 80 operates the white interferometer 24 (white light source 51 and imaging unit 56) at a position where the measurement light L2 can be irradiated onto the groove 25A. As a result, the measurement light L2 is irradiated from the white interferometer 24 onto the groove 25A, and the interference signal L4 for each pixel is output from the imaging unit 56. Also, while the irradiation of the measurement light L2 by the white interferometer 24 and the output of the interference signal L4 for each pixel are being performed, the measurement control unit 80 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 via the movement control unit 72 to vertically scan the white interferometer 24.

[0075] Similarly, the measurement control unit 80 controls the movement control unit 72 and the white interferometer 24 to perform position adjustment of the white interferometer 24 with respect to the groove 25B, and operation and vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24.

[0076] On the other hand, when the above-described step cut method is selected, the measurement control unit 80 controls the movement control unit 72 and the white interferometer 24 to perform position adjustment of the white interferometer 24 with respect to the grooves 25A and 25B along the same street C, and operation and vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24.

[0077] The processed product quality measurement unit 82 acquires the interference signal L4 for one vertical scan for each pixel of the imaging unit 56 from the white interferometer 24 via a communication interface (not shown). As a result, when the above-described meeting cutting method is selected, the processed product quality measurement unit 82 acquires the interference signal L4 for one vertical scan for each pixel (hereinafter simply referred to as "interference signal L5A") from the white interferometer 24 for each of the grooves 25A and 25B. Also, when the above-described step cut method is selected, the processed product quality measurement unit 82 acquires the interference signal L4 for one vertical scan for each pixel from the white interferometer 24 and corresponding to the grooves 25A and 25B along the same street C (hereinafter simply referred to as "interference signal L5B").

[0078] Then, the processed quality measurement unit 82 performs a so-called kerf check to measure the processed quality (also referred to as the processing state) of the grooves 25A and 25B formed in the workpiece W based on the interference signal L5A or the interference signal L5B acquired from the white light interferometer 24. Note that the processed quality of the grooves 25A and 25B in the first embodiment is the processing position of the grooves 25A and 25B, that is, the position in the Y-axis direction.

[0079] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the shape measurement of the three-dimensional shapes of the grooves 25A and 25B by the processed quality measurement unit 82. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the shape measurement of the cross-sectional shape along the Y-axis direction of the grooves 25A and 25B by the processed quality measurement unit 82. Note that in FIGS. 9 and 10, the shape measurement (kerf check) of the grooves 25A and 25B formed by the step cut method described in FIG. 7 and the like is taken as an example for explanation.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 9, 10, and FIG. 5 described above, the processed quality measurement unit 82 calculates the height for each pixel of the imaging unit 56 based on the interference signal L5B, that is, the height in the Z-axis direction of the corresponding position of the workpiece W (the inner surface of the grooves 25A and 25B, the front surface of the workpiece W) corresponding to each pixel. Note that since the calculation method of this height position is a known technique, a specific description thereof is omitted here. Thereby, the processed quality measurement unit 82 can generate three-dimensional shape information 86 indicating the three-dimensional shapes of the grooves 25A and 25B as shown in FIG. 9. Further, the processed quality measurement unit 82 can also generate cross-sectional shape information 88 indicating the cross-sectional shape along the Y-axis direction of the grooves 25A and 25B as shown in FIG. 10.

[0081] At this time, based on the alignment detection result by the detection control unit 76, the positional relationship between the workpiece W and the white interferometer 24 is known. Therefore, the processing quality measurement unit 82 can also calculate the XY-axis direction position coordinates of the corresponding positions of the workpiece W corresponding to each pixel of the imaging unit 56 (hereinafter abbreviated as workpiece corresponding position coordinates) based on the XY-axis direction position coordinates of the white interferometer 24 during vertical scanning. Thereby, based on at least one of the three-dimensional shape information 86 and the cross-sectional shape information 88 and the workpiece corresponding position coordinates, the processing positions of the grooves 25A and 25B within the workpiece W are individually obtained.

[0082] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the kerf check of the grooves 25A and 25B formed by the step cut method, that is, a measurement example of the processing positions of the grooves 25A and 25B within the workpiece W. As shown in FIG. 11, the processing quality measurement unit 82 calculates the groove center position CL1 in the Y-axis direction of the groove 25A within the workpiece W and the groove center position CL2 in the Y-axis direction of the groove 25B based on at least one of the three-dimensional shape information 86 and the cross-sectional shape information 88 and the workpiece corresponding position coordinates. The groove center position CL1 corresponds to the processing position of the groove 25A, and the groove center position CL2 corresponds to the processing position of the groove 25B.

[0083] Then, the processing quality measurement unit 82 outputs the measurement results of the processing position (groove center position CL1) of the groove 25A and the processing position (groove center position CL2) of the groove 25B to the correction value determination unit 84, the storage unit 64, and the display unit 66. Thereby, the measurement results of the processing positions of the grooves 25A and 25B are stored in the storage unit 64 and displayed on the display unit 66.

[0084] FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the determination of the correction values Δy1 and Δy2 of the processing positions of the grooves 25A and 25B formed by the step cut method by the correction value determination unit 84.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 12 and the aforementioned FIG. 5, the correction value determination unit 84 determines a correction value Δy1 for correcting the processing position of the groove 25A by the blade 21A in the Y-axis direction and a correction value Δy2 for correcting the processing position of the groove 25B by the blade 21B in the Y-axis direction.

[0086] Specifically, in the correction value determination unit 84, target values of the machining positions of the grooves 25A and 25B corresponding to the type of the workpiece W, for example, the Y-axis direction position of the street C within the workpiece W, are preset. Thereby, the correction value determination unit 84 determines a correction value Δy1 based on the measurement result (groove center position CL1) of the machining position of the groove 25A by the machining quality measurement unit 82 and the target value of the machining position of the groove 25A. Further, the correction value determination unit 84 determines a correction value Δy2 based on the measurement result (groove center position CL2) of the machining position of the groove 25B by the machining quality measurement unit 82 and the target value of the machining position of the groove 25B.

[0087] Then, the correction value determination unit 84 outputs the determined correction values Δy1 and Δy2 to the aforementioned machining control unit 78. Thereby, the machining control unit 78 corrects the machining positions (Y-axis direction positions) of the grooves 25A and 25B formed in the new street C of the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B based on the correction values Δy1 and Δy2 input from the correction value determination unit 84.

[0088] Note that the method for measuring the machining positions (machining quality) of the grooves 25A and 25B formed by the meeting cutting method and the method for determining the correction values Δy1 and Δy2 are basically the same as those of the aforementioned step cut method. In this case, the machining quality measurement unit 82 measures the machining positions (groove center positions CL1 and CL2) for each of the grooves 25A and 25B based on the interference signal L5A, etc., and the correction value determination unit 84 determines the correction values Δy1 and Δy2 based on the measurement results.

[0089] [Operation of the First Embodiment] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of the cutting process of the workpiece W by the dicing device 10 of the first embodiment of the above configuration corresponding to the control method of the workpiece processing apparatus of the present invention, particularly the flow of the measurement process of the machining quality (machining position) of the grooves 25A and 25B.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 13, when the workpiece W is adsorbed and held on the table 31, the movement control unit 72, the imaging control unit 74, and the detection control unit 76 of the overall control unit 60 are activated. Thereby, the movement control unit 72 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 to adjust the position of the microscope 23. After this position adjustment, the microscope 23 captures an alignment reference of the workpiece W under the control of the imaging control unit 74. Further, the detection control unit 76 performs alignment detection based on the captured image of the alignment reference by the microscope 23 (step S1).

[0091] When the alignment detection is completed, based on this alignment detection result, the movement control unit 72 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 to perform alignment of the street C to be processed with the blades 21A and 21B.

[0092] Next, the processing control unit 78 drives each spindle 22A and 22B and the relative movement mechanism 49 via the blade drive control unit 70 and the movement control unit 72, and cuts the street C with the blades 21A and 21B by a meeting cutting method (see FIG. 6) or a step cut method (see FIG. 7) (step S2). Thereby, grooves 25A and 25B are formed along the street C. Hereinafter, step S2 is repeatedly executed until the measurement of the processing quality (here, the processing position) of the grooves 25A and 25B is started (NO in step S3). Note that after the first grooves 25A and 25B are respectively formed, it is also possible to promptly shift to step S4.

[0093] When starting the measurement of the processing quality of the grooves 25A and 25B (YES in step S3), first, the measurement control unit 80 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 via the movement control unit 72 based on the known positions of the grooves 25A and 25B, and positions the white interferometer 24 at a position where the measurement light L2 can be irradiated onto the grooves 25A and 25B (step S4). Thereby, the position adjustment of the white interferometer 24 can be promptly executed. After this position adjustment, the measurement control unit 80 activates the white interferometer 24 (step S5). Thereby, the measurement light L2 is irradiated from the white interferometer 24 onto the grooves 25A and 25B, and the interference signal L4 for each pixel is output from the imaging unit 56 to the processing quality measurement unit 82.

[0094] Also, while the measurement control unit 80 is irradiating the measurement light L2 by the white interferometer 24 and outputting the interference signal L4, the relative movement mechanism 49 is driven via the movement control unit 72 to vertically scan the white interferometer 24 (step S6, corresponding to the scanning control step of the present invention). Thereby, the machining quality measurement unit 82 acquires the interference signal L5A (meeting cutting method) or the interference signal L5B (step cut method) (step S7).

[0095] Then, based on the interference signal L5A or the interference signal L5B acquired from the white interferometer 24, the machining quality measurement unit 82 generates either the three-dimensional shape information 86 or the cross-sectional shape information 88 of the grooves 25A and 25B as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 described above. Further, the machining quality measurement unit 82 calculates the workpiece-corresponding position coordinates described above based on the alignment detection result by the detection control unit 76 and the position coordinates in the XY-axis directions of the white interferometer 24 during vertical scanning.

[0096] Next, based on at least one of the three-dimensional shape information 86 and the cross-sectional shape information 88 and the workpiece-corresponding position coordinates, the machining quality measurement unit 82 calculates the machining position (groove center positions CL1 and CL2) as the machining quality of the grooves 25A and 25B as shown in FIG. 11 described above. Thereby, the measurement (kerf check) of the machining positions of the grooves 25A and 25B is completed (step S8, corresponding to the machining quality measurement step of the present invention). Then, the machining quality measurement unit 82 outputs the measurement results of the machining positions of the grooves 25A and 25B to the correction value determination unit 84, the storage unit 64, and the display unit 66.

[0097] As described above, in this embodiment, since the cross-sectional shapes of the grooves 25A and 25B can be acquired using the white interferometer 24, the machining positions (machining quality) of the grooves 25A and 25B can be measured without analyzing the captured images of the grooves 25A and 25B captured by the microscope 23 as in the prior art. Thereby, even when forming the groove 25B at the bottom of the groove 25A as in the step cut method, that is, when it is difficult to determine the machining position of the groove 25B based on the captured image of the microscope 23, the machining position of the groove 25B can be accurately measured.

[0098] Also, in the present embodiment, without performing a so-called step kerf check of forming a groove 25B with a narrow blade 21B on the uncut portion of the work W as shown in FIG. 35 described above, it is possible to perform a kerf check of the groove 25B formed by an actual step cut method. Therefore, the machining position of the groove 25B can be accurately measured.

[0099] When the measurement (kerf check) of the machining positions of the grooves 25A and 25B is completed, the correction value determination unit 84 determines correction values Δy1 and Δy2 for the machining positions of the grooves 25A and 25B based on the measurement results (groove center positions CL1 and CL2) of the machining positions of the grooves 25A and 25B and the target values of the machining positions as shown in FIG. 12 described above (step S9). Next, the correction value determination unit 84 outputs the determination results of the correction values Δy1 and Δy2 to the machining control unit 78.

[0100] Then, based on the correction values Δy1 and Δy2, the machining control unit 78 drives the spindles 22A and 22B and the relative movement mechanism 49 via the blade drive control unit 70 and the movement control unit 72 to perform cutting of the subsequent streets C by a meeting cutting method or a step cut method (step S100). As a result, for each of the blades 21A and 21B, it is possible to perform cutting at a position shifted by the correction values Δy1 and Δy2 in the Y-axis direction from the target position (designed position) of the subsequent streets C. As a result, the grooves 25A and 25B can be formed with high precision along the subsequent streets C.

[0101] [Effects of the First Embodiment] As described above, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, since the cross-sectional shapes of the grooves 25A and 25B can be accurately measured using the white interferometer 24, the machining positions (machining quality) of the grooves 25A and 25B can be accurately measured based on the measurement results of the cross-sectional shapes. In particular, even when the groove 25B is formed at the bottom of the groove 25A as in the step cut method, the machining position (machining quality) of the groove 25B can be accurately measured.

[0102] Also, in the first embodiment, since the vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24 can be executed by using the relative movement mechanism 49 (Z carriage 44 and Z drive unit 48) of the blade 21B, there is no need to separately provide a dedicated scanning mechanism, and cost reduction can be achieved. Further, in the first embodiment, by providing the blade 21B and the white interferometer 24 integrally on the Z carriage 44, the position adjustment of the white interferometer 24 with respect to the grooves 25A, 25B (machined parts) of the work W can be executed by using the conventional alignment detection method.

[0103] [Second Embodiment] FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the cutting of the work W by the dicing apparatus 10 of the second embodiment and the back grinding of the work W by a grinding (polishing) apparatus (not shown). In the above first embodiment, each street C is completely cut (separated) by the cutting of the work W by the dicing apparatus 10. On the other hand, as shown by reference symbol XIVA in FIG. 14, in the cutting of the work W by the dicing apparatus 10 of the second embodiment, a so-called half cut is performed in which each street C is not completely cut by the blades 21A and 21B but a certain amount is left uncut, and half cut grooves 90A, 90B (corresponding to the machined parts) are formed. Note that the half cut groove 90A formed by the blade 21A and the half cut groove 90B formed by the blade 21B have substantially the same shape.

[0104] Then, as shown by reference symbol XIVB in FIG. 14, the back surface of the work W is ground by a grinding apparatus separate from the dicing apparatus 10 to remove the remaining portion, so that each street C is completely cut as shown by reference symbol XIVC in FIG. 14.

[0105] When performing half cuts on each street C with the dicing device 10 in this way, if the machining depth (also referred to as the cutting depth or the cutting depth) of the street C by the blades 21A and 21B becomes insufficient, even if the back surface of the workpiece W is ground, the workpiece W cannot be cut and a cutting defect will occur. Conversely, if the street C is cut too deeply by the blades 21A and 21B, the workpiece W will crack before the back surface of the workpiece W is ground. Therefore, if the accuracy of the cutting depth of the blades 21A and 21B is low, the yield will deteriorate particularly in the production of devices with a particularly thin total thickness (processing of workpieces W with a small thickness).

[0106] Furthermore, the diameters of the blades 21A and 21B change due to wear, and their height positions in the Z-axis direction change due to temperature changes. Therefore, highly accurate control of the machining depth of the blades 21A and 21B in the Z-axis direction with respect to each street C (workpiece W) becomes important.

[0107] FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a chop cutter set (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-164843), which is an example of a method for adjusting the machining depth of conventional blades 21A and 21B. As shown in FIG. 15, in the chop cutter set, a dummy workpiece WA is arranged near the workpiece W held on the table 31, and after measuring the relative height between the dummy workpiece WA and the workpiece W with a highly accurate sensor (such as an air micrometer gauge), a chop cut (chop machining) is performed on the dummy workpiece WA with the blades 21A and 21B to form a chop cut mark 92 (kerf).

[0108] Then, based on a photographed image of the chop cut marks 92 formed for each of the blades 21A and 21B taken with the microscope 23, the length cx of each chop cut mark 92 is measured. Next, based on the length cx of each chop cut mark 92 and the known diameters of the blades 21A and 21B, the machining depth of the blades 21A and 21B is calculated, and based on this calculation result, the machining depth of the blades 21A and 21B is corrected (adjusted).

[0109] However, with this chopping cutter set, the following two problems occur. The first problem is that in the chopping cutter set, the machining depth of each chopping cut mark 92 is not directly measured. Therefore, minute errors from the chopping cutter set until actual cutting occur accumulate and affect the accuracy of the machining depth of blades 21A and 21B. In this case, if there is repeatability in the error of the machining depth of blades 21A and 21B, it can be fixed and corrected. However, if there is variation in the error, it will adversely affect the absolute accuracy of the machining depth of blades 21A and 21B (the correction limit becomes lower).

[0110] The second problem is that in the chopping cutter set, the actual workpiece W is not cut with blades 21A and 21B, and the machining depths of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B formed in the actual workpiece W are not measured. Therefore, in order to feedback the correction value of the machining depth of blades 21A and 21B to the dicing apparatus 10, it was necessary to chop another dummy workpiece WA after completion of machining of the workpiece W and input the result of measuring the length cx with a separate inspection apparatus to the dicing apparatus 10.

[0111] Therefore, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the second embodiment, a white interferometer 24 is used to measure the machining depths cz1 and cz2 (see FIG. 16) of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B formed in the workpiece W. In the second embodiment, the machining widths cy1 and cy2 of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B are also measured simultaneously with the machining depths cz1 and cz2. Here, the machining widths cy1 and cy2 and the machining depths cz1 and cz2 of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B correspond to the machining quality (machined shape) of the machined part of the present invention.

[0112] The dicing apparatus 10 of the second embodiment has basically the same configuration as the dicing apparatus 10 of the first embodiment. Therefore, components that are the same in function or configuration as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description is omitted.

[0113] The machining control unit 78 of the second embodiment drives each spindle 22A, 22B and the relative movement mechanism 49 via the blade drive control unit 70 and the movement control unit 72, and cuts each street C of the workpiece W by simultaneous machining using the blades 21A, 21B in the meeting cutting method. As a result, half-cut grooves 90A, 90B are formed for every two streets C.

[0114] The measurement control unit 80 of the second embodiment controls the white interferometer 24 and the relative movement mechanism 49, and for each of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B, executes position adjustment of the white interferometer 24, operation and vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24. As a result, the machining quality measurement unit 82 of the second embodiment acquires the interference signal L5A from the imaging unit 56 for each of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B.

[0115] FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the shape measurement of the cross-sectional shape along the Y-axis direction of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B by the machining quality measurement unit 82 of the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 16, the machining quality measurement unit 82 of the second embodiment generates cross-sectional shape information 88 of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B in the same manner as in the first embodiment based on the interference signal L5A for each of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B acquired from the white interferometer 24.

[0116] Next, the machining quality measurement unit 82 calculates the machining width cy1 and the machining depth cz1 of the half-cut groove 90A and the machining width cy2 and the machining depth cz2 of the half-cut groove 90B as the machining quality (machining shape) of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B based on the cross-sectional shape information 88 of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B. Here, the machining depths cz1, cz2 are the depths in the Z-axis direction of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B at the center positions of the machining widths cy1, cy2, respectively. Note that the depths to the lowest points in the Z-axis direction of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B may be used as the machining depths cz1, cz2. Then, the machining quality measurement unit 82 outputs the measurement results of the machining depths cz1, cz2 for each of the half-cut grooves 90A, 90B to the correction value determination unit 84, the storage unit 64, and the display unit 66.

[0117] The correction value determination unit 84 of the second embodiment determines the correction value Δz1 for the machining depth cz1 corresponding to the blade 21A and the correction value Δz2 for the machining depth cz2 corresponding to the blade 21B based on the measurement results of the machining depths cz1 and cz2 by the machining quality measurement unit 82 and the target values tz of the machining depths cz1 and cz2 of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B corresponding to the type of the workpiece W.

[0118] Further, the correction value determination unit 84 outputs the determined correction values Δz1 and Δz2 to the machining control unit 78. Thereby, the machining control unit 78 controls the relative movement mechanism 49 and the like based on the correction values Δz1 and Δz2 input from the correction value determination unit 84, and corrects the machining depths cz1 and cz2 of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B formed in the new street C of the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B.

[0119] Note that the flow of the cutting process of the workpiece W by the dicing apparatus 10 of the second embodiment, particularly the flow of the measurement process of the machining quality (machining depths cz1 and cz2) of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B, is basically the same as the flow of the cutting process of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 13 described above, and thus the specific description is omitted here.

[0120] As described above, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the second embodiment, since the cross-sectional shapes of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B can be accurately measured using the white interferometer 24, the machining depths cz1 and cz2 (machining quality) can be accurately measured based on this measurement result. Further, since the machining depths cz1 and cz2 can be measured during the cutting process of the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B, the accurate correction values Δz1 and Δz2 can be immediately applied to the cutting process of the subsequent streets C. Further, since the correction values Δz1 and Δz2 can be determined every time the cutting process of one line of the street C is executed, the machining accuracy of the machining depths cz1 and cz2 for each of the blades 21A and 21B can be further improved.

[0121] [Third Embodiment] FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a workpiece W after formation of a laser processing groove 94 by a laser processing apparatus (not shown) and cutting of the workpiece W by the dicing apparatus 10 of the third embodiment. In the first embodiment, when the workpiece W is a laminate in which a Low-k film or the like is laminated on a silicon substrate, cutting is performed by the dicing apparatus 10 in a step cut method to form grooves 25A and 25B for each street C (see FIG. 7).

[0122] In contrast, as shown by reference numerals XVIIA and XVIIB in FIG. 17, in the third embodiment, a laser processing treatment using a laser beam is performed on the workpiece W for each street C in advance by a laser processing apparatus (not shown). As a result, laser processing grooves 94 (corresponding to laser grooves, first grooves) are formed for each street C, and the Low-k film is removed.

[0123] Next, in the third embodiment, the dicing apparatus 10 forms a groove 25B (corresponding to the second groove) shown in FIG. 7 at the bottom of each laser processing groove 94 of the workpiece W to completely cut the street C. By removing the brittle and difficult-to-process Low-k film by laser processing, the processing stability of the workpiece W by the dicing apparatus 10 is improved.

[0124] Here, the groove 25B is formed with reference to the position of the street C or with reference to the center position of the processing width cy in the Y-axis direction of the laser processing groove 94. In the latter case, conventionally, the laser processing groove 94 of the workpiece W is photographed by the microscope 23, and the center position of the processing width cy is determined based on the photographed image by this microscope 23.

[0125] However, the laser processed groove 94 has a black and rough appearance, and the edge portions 94a on both sides of the laser processed groove 94 may be raised. In this case, even if the captured image of the laser processed groove 94 by the microscope 23 is analyzed, it is difficult to distinguish between the processing width cy of the laser processed groove 94 and the processing width gy of the laser processed groove 94 including the edge portion 94a. For this reason, in the conventional method, the measurement accuracy of the center position of the processing width cy varies, which has an adverse effect on the processing accuracy of the groove 25B.

[0126] Therefore, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the third embodiment, the white interferometer 24 is used to measure the center position (processing quality of the first groove) of the processing width cy, which is the processing position of the laser processed groove 94 pre-formed in the workpiece W.

[0127] The dicing apparatus 10 of the third embodiment has basically the same configuration as the dicing apparatus 10 of the first embodiment. Therefore, for those having the same function or configuration as the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof is omitted.

[0128] The measurement control unit 80 of the third embodiment corresponds to the second measurement control unit of the present invention. Before the cutting process of the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B, this measurement control unit 80 controls the white interferometer 24 and the relative movement mechanism 49 to perform the position adjustment of the white interferometer 24 with respect to the laser processed groove 94, the operation and vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24, and repeats them for each laser processed groove 94. Thereby, the processing quality measurement unit 82 of the third embodiment acquires the interference signal L5A for each laser processed groove 94 from the imaging unit 56.

[0129] FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the three-dimensional shape measurement of the laser processed groove 94 by the processing quality measurement unit 82 of the third embodiment. FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the shape measurement of the cross-sectional shape along the Y-axis direction of the laser processed groove 94 by the processing quality measurement unit 82 of the third embodiment.

[0130] As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, based on the interference signal L5A for each laser processing groove 94 acquired from the white interferometer 24, the processed quality measurement unit 82 of the third embodiment generates at least one of the three-dimensional shape information 86 and the cross-sectional shape information 88 for each laser processing groove 94 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0131] Next, the processed quality measurement unit 82 measures the processing width cy and its center position for each laser processing groove 94 based on at least one of the three-dimensional shape information 86 and the cross-sectional shape information 88 for each laser processing groove 94 and the position coordinates in the XY-axis direction of the corresponding position of the work W corresponding to each pixel of the imaging unit 56. Then, the processed quality measurement unit 82 outputs the measurement results of the center positions of the processing widths cy for each laser processing groove 94 to the processing control unit 78, the storage unit 64, and the display unit 66.

[0132] Based on the measurement results of the center positions of the processing widths cy for each laser processing groove 94, the processing control unit 78 of the third embodiment drives each spindle 22A, 22B and the relative movement mechanism 49 via the blade drive control unit 70 and the movement control unit 72, and cuts the bottom of each laser processing groove 94 by simultaneous processing with the blades 21A, 21B in the meeting cutting method. As a result, grooves 25A, 25B that are full-cut grooves are formed for each laser processing groove 94.

[0133] Note that the flow of the measurement process of the processed quality (center position of the processing width cy) of the laser processing groove 94 of the work W by the dicing device 10 of the third embodiment and the flow of the cutting process of the grooves 25A, 25B are basically the same as the flow after step S3 of the cutting process of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 13 described above. However, in the third embodiment, step S9 is omitted and the cutting process of the grooves 25A, 25B by the blades 21A, 21B is executed based on the measurement results of the center positions of the processing widths cy for each laser processing groove 94 in step S10.

[0134] As described above, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the third embodiment, since the cross-sectional shape of each laser processing groove 94 can be accurately measured using the white interferometer 24, the processing width cy of each laser processing groove 94 and its center position (processing quality) can be accurately measured based on this measurement result. As a result, the processing accuracy of the grooves 25A and 25B in the laser processing groove 94 by the dicing apparatus 10 can be improved.

[0135] [Fourth Embodiment] In each of the above embodiments, the processing quality of various grooves such as the grooves 25A and 25B, the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B, and the laser processing groove 94 is measured, and the cutting process of the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B is corrected based on this measurement result. On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment, the tip shape of the blades 21A and 21B is measured based on the measurement result of the processing quality of various grooves by the blades 21A and 21B.

[0136] FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the tip shape of the blades 21A and 21B. As shown in FIG. 20, the tip shape of the blades 21A and 21B (the cross-sectional shape of the outer peripheral portion of the blade along the radial direction) is ideally rectangular as indicated by reference numeral XXA, that is, the edges E1 and E2 formed by the outer peripheral surface (tip surface) and the side surface of the blades 21A and 21B stand upright. However, in reality, as indicated by reference numeral XXB, the edges E1 and E2 have a rounded shape. Usually, the cutting process of the workpiece W is performed by the blades 21A and 21B shown by reference numeral XXB, but abnormal wear (such as uneven wear) may occur in the blades 21A and 21B as shown by reference numeral XXC.

[0137] FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram for explaining problems when machining a workpiece W with the unevenly worn blades 21A and 21B. As shown in FIG. 21, when the blades 21A and 21B are unevenly worn, the hitting manner of the edge E1 of the blades 21A and 21B against the workpiece W and the hitting manner of the edge E2 are different from each other. As a result, the qualities of both ends of the grooves 25A and 25B (half-cut grooves 90A and 90B) formed by the edges E1 and E2 respectively are different from each other. Therefore, it is important to measure the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B to determine the uneven wear state of the blades 21A and 21B.

[0138] FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram for explaining measurement of the tip shapes of the conventional blades 21A and 21B. As shown in FIG. 22, conventionally, as described in the second embodiment above, chop marks 92 are formed on the workpiece W or the like by the blades 21A and 21B, and the chop marks 92 for each of the blades 21A and 21B are photographed with a microscope 23. Then, based on the photographed images of the respective chop marks 92, the cross-sectional shape of the tip portion 92a of each chop mark 92 is measured. Next, based on the cross-sectional shape of the tip portion 92a for each of the blades 21A and 21B, the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are measured to determine the uneven wear state of the blades 21A and 21B. Note that reference numeral XXIIA indicates a chop mark 92 formed by a normal blade 21A and 21B, and reference numeral XXIIB indicates a chop mark 92 formed by an unevenly worn blade 21A and 21B.

[0139] However, when measuring the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B based on the photographed images of the chop marks 92, the following three problems occur. The first problem is that the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B can only be measured by the shape of the tip portion 92a of the chop mark 92. Therefore, the uneven wear state of the blades 21A and 21B cannot be determined unless the uneven wear amount of the blades 21A and 21B becomes relatively large. As a result, there is a risk that the processing quality of the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B may fall below the allowable level and cause defects.

[0140] The second problem is that since it is necessary to once interrupt the cutting of the workpiece W during the cutting process to form and photograph the chop cut marks 92, etc., the productivity of the cutting of the workpiece W by the dicing apparatus 10 is reduced.

[0141] FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the third problem. As shown by reference sign XXIIIA in FIG. 23, the third problem is that when reflection such as stray light occurs at the tip portion 92a during photographing of the tip portion 92a by the microscope 23, white spots or the like occur in the tip portion image 93 which is the photographed image of the tip portion 92a by the microscope 23. As a result, the tip portion image 93 does not accurately reflect the cross-sectional shape of the tip portion 92a, and as shown by reference sign XXIIIB in FIG. 23, the cross-sectional shape information 88A along the Y-axis direction of the chop cut mark 92 cannot be accurately measured based on the tip portion image 93. For this reason, the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B cannot be accurately measured.

[0142] Therefore, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes (processing qualities) of the half cut grooves 90A and 90B are measured using the white light interferometer 24 during the cutting of the workpiece W, and the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are measured based on these cross-sectional shapes.

[0143] FIG. 24 is a functional block diagram of the overall control unit 60 of the dicing apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment. The dicing apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment has basically the same configuration as the dicing apparatus 10 of each of the above embodiments, except that the overall control unit 60 functions as a blade shape measurement unit 100 instead of the correction value determination unit 84. For this reason, those that are the same as those in each of the above embodiments in terms of function or configuration are denoted by the same reference signs and their descriptions are omitted.

[0144] The processing control unit 78 of the fourth embodiment drives each of the spindles 22A and 22B and the relative movement mechanism 49 via the blade drive control unit 70 and the movement control unit 72 in the same manner as in the second embodiment to form the half cut grooves 90A and 90B (see FIG. 14) for each street C.

[0145] Similar to the second embodiment, the measurement control unit 80 of the fourth embodiment controls the white interferometer 24 and the relative movement mechanism 49 to perform position adjustment of the white interferometer 24 and operation and vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24 for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B. As a result, the processed product quality measurement unit 82 of the fourth embodiment acquires the interference signal L5A from the white interferometer 24 for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B.

[0146] FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the calculation result of the cross-sectional shape along the Y-axis direction of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B by the processed product quality measurement unit 82 of the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 25 and the aforementioned FIG. 24, the processed product quality measurement unit 82 of the fourth embodiment generates cross-sectional shape information 88 for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B based on the interference signal L5A for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B acquired from the white interferometer 24, in the same manner as in the second embodiment. Then, the processed product quality measurement unit 82 outputs the measurement result (cross-sectional shape information 88) of the cross-sectional shape, which is the processed product quality for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B, to the blade shape measurement unit 100.

[0147] Based on the measurement result (cross-sectional shape information 88) of the cross-sectional shape for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B input from the processed product quality measurement unit 82, the blade shape measurement unit 100 measures the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B, respectively. Since the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are respectively transferred to the bottoms of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B, the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B can be measured from the cross-sectional shapes of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B. Note that the measurement results of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B by the blade shape measurement unit 100 are stored in the storage unit 64 and displayed on the display unit 66.

[0148] [Operation of the Fourth Embodiment] FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing the flow of the measurement process of the tip shapes of blades 21A and 21B by a dicing device 10 according to a fourth embodiment corresponding to the control method of the workpiece processing device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 26, similar to the first embodiment (see FIG. 13), alignment detection (step S1), cutting of each street C in the meeting cutting method (step S2), etc. are executed, and half-cut grooves 90A and 90B are formed along each street C.

[0149] When starting the measurement of the tip shapes of blades 21A and 21B (YES in step S3A), the processes from step S4 to step S7 are executed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. That is, for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B, position adjustment of the white interferometer 24 (step S4), operation and vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24 (steps S5 and S6), and acquisition of the interference signal L5A by the machining quality measurement unit 82 (step S7) are executed.

[0150] Next, the machining quality measurement unit 82 generates cross-sectional shape information 88 for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B based on the interference signal L5A for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B acquired from the white interferometer 24. Thereby, the cross-sectional shapes of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B are accurately measured without forming the chop cut marks 92 and photographing the chop cut marks 92 with the microscope 23 (step S11). Then, the machining quality measurement unit 82 outputs the cross-sectional shape information 88 for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B to the blade shape measurement unit 100.

[0151] The blade shape measurement unit 100 that has received the input of the cross-sectional shape information 88 for each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B measures the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B based on each cross-sectional shape information 88 (step S12, corresponding to the blade shape measurement step of the present invention). Then, the blade shape measurement unit 100 outputs the measurement results of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B to the storage unit 64 and the display unit 66. Thereby, the measurement results of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are stored in the storage unit 64 and displayed on the display unit 66.

[0152] Based on the measurement results of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B displayed on the display unit 66, the operator discriminates the wear state of each of the blades 21A and 21B, and determines whether it is necessary to replace the blades 21A and 21B or the like. Note that the overall control unit 60 may automatically determine the wear state of each of the blades 21A and 21B and whether it is necessary to replace them or the like.

[0153] As described above, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment, since the cross-sectional shapes of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B can be accurately measured using the white interferometer 24, the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B can be accurately measured based on this measurement result. As a result, the uneven wear state of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B and the progress thereof can be accurately discriminated. Thereby, before the processing quality of the workpiece W falls below the allowable level and defects occur, the operator can be prompted to replace the blades 21A and 21B, true-in (correct the shape of the blades 21A and 21B), or dress (sharpen or re-align the blades 21A and 21B).

[0154] Further, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment, it is possible to measure the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B without forming and photographing the chop cut marks 92 during the cutting process of the workpiece W by the blades 21A and 21B. As a result, the productivity of the dicing apparatus 10 can be improved as compared with the prior art.

[0155] In the fourth embodiment described above, the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B are formed in each street C by the blades 21A and 21B by simultaneous processing. However, the full-cut grooves 25A and 25B (meeting cutting method) described in the first embodiment and the like may be formed. Even in this case, when the uneven wear state of the blades 21A and 21B progresses, the uneven wear state of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B can be discriminated based on the cross-sectional shape (cross-sectional shape information 88) of each of the grooves 25A and 25B.

[0156] [Fifth Embodiment] FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram for explaining problems caused by back grinding of the work W after the formation of the half cut grooves 90A and 90B described in the second and fourth embodiments.

[0157] As shown by reference numeral XXVIIA in FIG. 27, an edge portion 110, which is an outer peripheral portion of the work W, has a shape protruding convexly in the radial direction of the work W. For this reason, when back grinding of the work W is performed after forming the half cut grooves 90A and 90B (not shown in FIG. 27) for each street C of the work W, the edge portion 110 is formed thinly and acutely as shown by reference numeral XXVIIB in FIG. 27. As a result, a problem occurs in that cracks are likely to occur starting from this edge portion 110.

[0158] Therefore, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the fifth embodiment, trimming processing of the edge portion 110 of the work W is performed using the blades 21A and 21B. Further, the dicing apparatus 10 of the fifth embodiment measures the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B based on the stepped portions 112A and 112B (see FIG. 29) formed in the edge portion 110 by the trimming processing. Note that since the dicing apparatus 10 of the fifth embodiment has basically the same configuration as the dicing apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment, components that are the same as those in the fourth embodiment in terms of function or configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

[0159] FIG. 28 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the trimming processing of the edge portion 110 of the work W using the blades 21A and 21B. FIG. 29 is a side view of the work W after the trimming processing and the work W after the back grinding.

[0160] As shown by reference numeral XXIXA in FIGS. 28 and 29, the processing control unit 78 of the fourth embodiment drives each spindle 22A and 22B and the relative movement mechanism 49 via the blade drive control unit 70 and the movement control unit 72 to control the execution of the trimming processing of the edge portion 110.

[0161] Specifically, during the trimming process, the machining control unit 78 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 (rotation drive unit 38) via the movement control unit 72 to rotate the table 31 about its rotation axis CA. At the same time, the machining control unit 78 drives the relative movement mechanism 49 via the movement control unit 72 to adjust the posture and position of the blades 21A and 21B. In the posture adjustment, the postures of the blades 21A and 21B are adjusted so that the blade rotation axes are parallel to the radius (diameter) of the workpiece W. In the position adjustment, the relative positions of the blades 21A and 21B with respect to the workpiece W are adjusted so that the cutting edges of the blades 21A and 21B contact the edge portion 110 from the front surface side (one surface side) of the workpiece W.

[0162] Next, the machining control unit 78 drives the spindles 22A and 22B via the blade drive control unit 70 to rotate the blades 21A and 21B, and at the same time drives the relative movement mechanism 49 (Z drive unit 48) via the movement control unit 72 to move the blades 21A and 21B downward by a predetermined amount in the Z-axis direction. As a result, a trimming process is performed in which the edge portion 110 is cut and removed from the front surface side of the workpiece W to a predetermined depth position by the blades 21A and 21B, and step portions 112A and 112B (corresponding to the portions to be machined) are formed in the edge portion 110. The step portion 112A is formed by the blade 21A, and the step portion 112B is formed by the blade 21B.

[0163] By performing back grinding on the workpiece W after the trimming process, as shown by reference numeral XXIXB in FIG. 29, the edge portion 110 is formed on a plane perpendicular to the front and back surfaces of the workpiece W, so that the generation of cracks starting from this edge portion 110 is prevented.

[0164] FIG. 30 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the step portions 112A and 112B of the edge portion 110 of the workpiece W. As shown by reference numeral XXXA in FIG. 30, when the edges E1 and E2 of the blades 21A and 21B are standing (see reference numeral XXA in FIG. 20), the cross-sectional shapes of the step portions 112A and 112B are right-angled shapes.

[0165] On the one hand, as shown by reference sign XXXB in FIG. 30, when the edges E1 and E2 become rounded (R-shaped: refer to reference sign XXB in FIG. 20) due to wear of the blades 21A and 21B, the cross-sectional shapes of the stepped portions 112A and 112B also become R-shaped, so that the edge portion 110 is formed in a substantially acute-angled shape. As a result, there is a risk of cracks occurring starting from this edge portion 110. Therefore, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the fifth embodiment, the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are measured and monitored by measuring the processing quality (cross-sectional shape) of the stepped portions 112A and 112B formed by the trimming process.

[0166] Similar to the fourth embodiment, the measurement control unit 80 of the fifth embodiment controls the white interferometer 24 and the relative movement mechanism 49 to perform position adjustment of the white interferometer 24, operation and vertical scanning of the white interferometer 24 for each of the stepped portions 112A and 112B. Thereby, the processing quality measurement unit 82 of the fifth embodiment acquires an interference signal L5A from the white interferometer 24 for each of the stepped portions 112A and 112B.

[0167] The processing quality measurement unit 82 of the fifth embodiment Based on the interference signal L5A for each of the stepped portions 112A and 112B acquired from the white interferometer 24, cross-sectional shape information 88 indicating the cross-sectional shape for each of the stepped portions 112A and 112B is generated in the same manner as in the fourth embodiment. Then, the processing quality measurement unit 82 outputs the measurement result (cross-sectional shape information 88) of the cross-sectional shape, which is the processing quality for each of the stepped portions 112A and 112B, to the blade shape measurement unit 100.

[0168] The blade shape measurement unit 100 of the fifth embodiment measures the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B respectively based on the measurement result (cross-sectional shape information 88) of the cross-sectional shape for each of the stepped portions 112A and 112B input from the processing quality measurement unit 82.

[0169] Note that the flow of the trimming process of the workpiece W by the dicing apparatus 10 of the fifth embodiment, particularly the flow of the measurement process of the cross-sectional shapes (processing quality) of the stepped portions 112A and 112B and the measurement process of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B, is basically the same as that of the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 26 described above. However, in the fifth embodiment, the trimming process is executed in step S2 of FIG. 26, and the cross-sectional shapes of the stepped portions 112A and 112B are measured in step S11.

[0170] As described above, also in the dicing apparatus 10 of the fifth embodiment, similar to the fourth embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes (processing quality) of the stepped portions 112A and 112B can be accurately measured. As a result, the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B can be accurately measured based on the cross-sectional shapes of the stepped portions 112A and 112B. Thereby, it is possible to monitor whether the tip shapes (edges E1 and E2) of the blades 21A and 21B are in an R shape during the trimming process of the edge portion 110, and thus the occurrence of cracks can be prevented.

[0171] [Sixth Embodiment] FIG. 31 is an enlarged view of the blades 21A and 21B of the dicing apparatus 10 of the sixth embodiment. FIG. 32 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the calculation result of the cross-sectional shape along the Y-axis direction of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B formed by the blades 21A and 21B of the sixth embodiment.

[0172] In each of the above embodiments, the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are rectangular when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the Y-axis direction (blade rotation axis). However, as shown in FIG. 31, in the sixth embodiment, the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are V-shaped when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the Y-axis direction (blade rotation axis).

[0173] Note that the dicing apparatus 10 of the sixth embodiment has basically the same configuration as the dicing apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment except that the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are formed in a V shape. Therefore, the same reference numerals are given to those having the same functions or configurations as those of the fourth embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0174] As in the sixth embodiment, by using the V-shaped blades 21A and 21B, chamfering can be performed on the workpiece W at an arbitrary angle. As a result, when the workpiece W is an optical device, the reflection angle of light can be adjusted.

[0175] Here, with respect to the V-shaped blades 21A and 21B as well, due to wear caused by their use and the rounding of their tip shapes, it becomes impossible to perform cutting (chamfering) of the workpiece W at the designed angle. For this reason, conventionally, an operator has judged the life of the blades 21A and 21B by checking the machining angle by the blades 21A and 21B from the cross section of the optical device (chip) after cutting.

[0176] In contrast, in the dicing apparatus 10 of the sixth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 32, based on the measurement results of measuring the cross-sectional shape (cross-sectional shape information 88) of each of the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B in the same manner as in the fourth embodiment, the tip shape of the blades 21A and 21B, more specifically, the tip angle α of the blades 21A and 21B can be accurately measured. As a result, the operator can judge the life of the blades 21A and 21B based on the measurement results of the tip angle α of the blades 21A and 21B without checking the cross section of the optical device after cutting. Note that this judgment may be automatically performed by the overall control unit 60.

[0177] [Seventh Embodiment] FIG. 33 is a functional block diagram of the server 200 according to the seventh embodiment. In each of the above embodiments, the overall control unit 60 of the dicing apparatus 10 performs each process of measuring the machining quality of various machined parts of the workpiece W, determining correction values Δy1, Δy2, Δz1, Δz2 (hereinafter abbreviated as various correction values), and measuring the tip shape of the blades 21A and 21B. In contrast, in the seventh embodiment, the server 200 executes each of the above processes.

[0178] As shown in FIG. 33, the server 200 is connected to one or a plurality of dicing devices 10 (white interferometer 24 and overall control unit 60) via a communication interface 202. Note that the dicing device 10 of the seventh embodiment has basically the same configuration as the dicing device 10 described in each of the above embodiments, but its overall control unit 60 does not necessarily function as the processed product quality measurement unit 82, correction value determination unit 84, and blade shape measurement unit 100.

[0179] The server 200 exchanges various information (data) with the dicing device 10 via its communication interface 202. The server 200 acquires interference signals L4 (interference signals L5A, L5B) from the white interferometer 24 of the dicing device 10 via the communication interface 202. Further, the server 200 outputs various correction values and measurement results of the tip shapes of the blades 21A, 21B to the overall control unit 60 of the dicing device 10 via the communication interface 202.

[0180] The server 200 functions as at least an interference signal acquisition unit 204, a processed product quality measurement unit 206, a correction value determination unit 208, and a blade shape measurement unit 210 by executing a control program (not shown).

[0181] The interference signal acquisition unit 204 acquires the aforementioned interference signals L5A, L5B from the white interferometer 24 via the communication interface 202, and outputs these interference signals L5A, L5B to the processed product quality measurement unit 206.

[0182] The processed product quality measurement unit 206 measures the processed product quality (processing position and processing shape) of various processed parts cut by the blades 21A, 21B based on the interference signals L5A, L5B acquired from the interference signal acquisition unit 204, in the same manner as the processed product quality measurement unit 82 of each of the above embodiments, and outputs the measurement results to the correction value determination unit 208 and the blade shape measurement unit 210.

[0183] Similar to the correction value determination unit 84 in the first to third embodiments, the correction value determination unit 208 determines various correction values based on the measurement results of the processing quality by the processing quality measurement unit 206, and outputs the various correction values to the overall control unit 60 via the communication interface 202. As a result, so-called feedback control is executed to correct the processing positions and shapes (processing depths) of various processed parts cut in the dicing device 10.

[0184] Similar to the blade shape measurement unit 100 in the fourth to sixth embodiments, the blade shape measurement unit 210 measures the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B based on the measurement results of the processing quality (cross-sectional shape) by the processing quality measurement unit 206. The measurement results of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are stored for each dicing device 10 in the server 200 and displayed on a monitor (not shown) connected to the server 200.

[0185] In addition, the blade shape measurement unit 210 outputs the measurement results of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B to the overall control unit 60 via the communication interface 202. As a result, the measurement results of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B are also stored in the storage unit 64 and displayed on the display unit 66 in the dicing device 10.

[0186] As described above, in the seventh embodiment, since the server 200 performs the processes of measuring the processing quality of various processed parts of the workpiece W, determining various correction values, and measuring the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B, the same effects as those of the above embodiments can be obtained.

[0187] In addition, the server 200 (a high-performance arithmetic processing device) can collectively perform the processes corresponding to the plurality of dicing devices 10. Therefore, the functions of the dicing device 10 can be reduced, that is, the programs (analysis software) for executing each process can be reduced, so that the cost of the dicing device 10 can be reduced.

[0188] Furthermore, the server 200 can store various data for each of the plurality of dicing devices 10 (interference signals L5A, L5B, the processing quality of the workpiece, various correction values, and the tip shapes of the blades 21A, 21B). As a result, based on the stored various data, determination of various correction values (feedback control) can be performed, or measurement of the tip shapes of the blades 21A, 21B can be performed. Furthermore, by the server 200 performing machine learning, the measurement accuracy of the processing quality of various workpieces, the determination accuracy of various correction values, and the measurement accuracy of the tip shapes of the blades 21A, 21B can each be further improved.

[0189] [Others] In each of the above embodiments, the dicing device 10 is provided with a pair of blades 21A, 21B and a pair of spindles 22A, 22B. However, the number of blades and spindles (i.e., the number of processing heads of the present invention) may be 1 or 3 or more.

[0190] In each of the above embodiments, the twin spindle dicer (a pair of blades 21A, 21B and a pair of spindles 22A, 22B) has been described as an example of the processing head of the present invention. However, the present invention is also applicable when one or a plurality of laser processing heads for performing laser processing (including ablation groove processing) on the workpiece W are provided in the dicing device 10.

[0191] In each of the above embodiments, the white interferometer 24 is provided on one of the pair of Z carriages 44 (one of the twin spindles), and the microscope 23 is provided on the other of the pair of Z carriages 44 (the other of the twin spindles). However, the white interferometer 24 may also be provided on the other of the Z carriages 44 (the other of the twin spindles). Similarly, the microscope 23 may also be provided on one of the Z carriages 44. That is, the microscope 23 and the white interferometer 24 may be provided for each of the plurality of Z carriages 44. Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the Z carriage 44 executes the above-described vertical scanning by moving the white interferometer 24 in the Z-axis direction. However, the vertical scanning may also be executed by moving the table 31 in the Z-axis direction.

[0192] In each of the above embodiments, the white interferometer 24 is provided on the Z carriage 44, and thus the blade 21B and the white interferometer 24 are integrally scanned in the Z-axis direction. However, the white interferometer 24 may be provided separately from the blade 21B and the Z carriage 44. In this case, an actuator (carriage) capable of scanning the white interferometer 24 in the Z-axis direction is provided separately.

[0193] In each of the above embodiments, the Mirau type white interferometer 24 is provided in the dicing apparatus 10. However, various known types of white interferometers 24 such as the Michelson type or the Fizeau type may be provided.

[0194] The dicing apparatuses 10 of the above embodiments may be combined as appropriate. For example, the dicing apparatuses 10 of the first embodiment and the second embodiment may be combined to simultaneously measure both the processing position and the processing shape as the processing quality of various processed parts. Also, the dicing apparatuses 10 from the first embodiment to the third embodiment and the dicing apparatuses 10 from the fourth embodiment to the sixth embodiment may be combined as appropriate to enable both the measurement of the processing quality of various processed parts and the measurement of the tip shapes of the blades 21A and 21B.

[0195] In each of the above embodiments, the measurement of the processing quality of various processed parts such as the grooves 25A and 25B, the half-cut grooves 90A and 90B, the laser processing grooves 94, and the step portions 112A and 112B as the processed parts of the present invention has been described as an example. However, the present invention is also applicable to the measurement of the processing quality of various processed parts formed on the workpiece W by the dicing apparatus 10 or other apparatuses.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0196] 10... Dicing device, 21A, 21B... Blades, 22A, 22B... Spindles, 23... Microscope, 24... White interferometer, 25A, 25B... Grooves, 31... Table, 49... Relative movement mechanism, 51... White light source, 56... Imaging unit, 60... Overall control unit, 70... Blade drive control unit, 72... Movement control unit, 74... Photography control unit, 76... Detection control unit, 78... Processing control unit, 80... Measurement control unit, 82... Process quality measurement unit, 84... Correction value determination unit, 86... Three-dimensional shape information, 88... Cross-sectional shape information, 90A, 90B... Half-cut grooves, 94... Laser processing grooves, 100... Blade shape measurement unit, 110... Edge part, 112A, 112B... Step parts, 200... Server, 202... Communication interface, 204... Interference signal acquisition unit, 206... Process quality measurement unit, 208... Correction value determination unit, 210... Blade shape measurement unit, C... Street, CL1, CL2... Groove center positions, cy, cy1, cy2... Processing widths, cz1, cz2... Processing depths, E1, E2... Edges, L1... White light, L2... Measurement light, L3... Reference light, L4, L5A, L5B... Interference signals, W... Workpiece, Δy1, Δy2, Δz1, Δz2... Correction values

Claims

1. A table for holding a flat workpiece, A processing head for processing the workpiece held on the table, A relative movement mechanism for relatively moving the processing head with respect to the table, An interferometer provided integrally with the processing head, which emits white light toward a processed portion formed on the workpiece and detects an interference signal between the white light reflected by the processed portion and the white light reflected by a reference surface for each pixel, A scanning control unit that drives the relative movement mechanism to perform vertical scanning for integrally relatively moving the processing head and the interferometer in a direction perpendicular to the table, thereby changing the optical path length of the white light reflected by the processed portion, A processing quality measurement unit that measures the processing quality of the processed portion based on the interference signal for each pixel output from the interferometer during the vertical scanning, A workpiece processing apparatus comprising the above components.

2. A processing control unit that drives the processing head and the relative movement mechanism to form the processed portion on the workpiece with the processing head, A first measurement control unit that operates the interferometer and the scanning control unit at a position where the white light can be irradiated onto the processed portion, Comprising, The workpiece processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing quality measurement unit measures at least one of the processing position and the processing shape of the processed portion as the processing quality.

3. A correction value determination unit that determines a correction value for correcting at least one of the processing position and the processing shape of the processed portion based on the measurement result of the processing quality measurement unit, The workpiece processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing control unit drives the processing head and the relative movement mechanism to form the processed portion on the workpiece based on the correction value determined by the correction value determination unit.

4. Having a first processing head and a second processing head as the processing head, The processing control unit, A first processing process of driving the relative movement mechanism and the first processing head to form a first groove as the processed portion on the workpiece, A second processing process of driving the relative movement mechanism and the second processing head to form a second groove at the bottom of the first groove as the processed portion and cut the workpiece, Executing, The workpiece processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the processing quality measurement unit measures the processing positions of the first groove and the second groove.

5. The workpiece processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein when the workpiece portion to be processed is a groove, the processing quality measurement unit measures the depth of the groove as the processed shape.

6. A second measurement control unit that operates the white light interferometer and the scanning control unit at a position where the white light can be irradiated onto a first groove that is the workpiece portion formed in advance on the workpiece before processing the workpiece by the processing head. The processing quality measurement unit measures the processing position of the first groove as the processing quality. The workpiece processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a processing control unit that drives the processing head and the relative movement mechanism based on the measurement result of the processing quality measurement unit to form a second groove at the bottom of the first groove and cut the workpiece.

7. The workpiece processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second measurement control unit operates the white light interferometer and the scanning control unit at a position where the white light can be irradiated onto the first groove formed by irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam.

8. The workpiece processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the processing head cuts the workpiece with a rotating disk-shaped blade.

9. The processing head cuts the workpiece with a rotating disk-shaped blade. A processing control unit that drives the processing head and the relative movement mechanism to form the workpiece portion in the workpiece with the blade. The processing quality measurement unit measures the cross-sectional shape of the workpiece portion as the processing quality. The workpiece processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a blade shape measurement unit that measures the tip shape of the blade based on the measurement result of the cross-sectional shape by the processing quality measurement unit.

10. The processing control unit drives the relative movement mechanism and the processing head to form a groove in the workpiece as the workpiece portion. The processing quality measurement unit measures the cross-sectional shape of the groove. The workpiece processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the blade shape measurement unit measures the tip shape of the blade based on the measurement result of the cross-sectional shape by the processing quality measurement unit.

11. A rotation drive mechanism that rotates the table about the rotation axis of the table. The machining control unit drives the machining head, the relative movement mechanism, and the rotational drive mechanism to cut and remove the outer peripheral portion of the workpiece from one side surface of the workpiece to a predetermined depth position, thereby forming a stepped portion on the outer peripheral portion of the workpiece as the machined portion. The machining quality measurement unit measures the cross-sectional shape of the stepped portion. The workpiece machining apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the blade shape measurement unit measures the tip shape of the blade based on the measurement result of the cross-sectional shape by the machining quality measurement unit.

12. A white interferometer that emits white light toward a machined portion formed on a flat workpiece held on a table and detects, for each pixel, an interference signal between the white light reflected by the machined portion and the white light reflected by a reference surface, performs vertical scanning in which the white interferometer is relatively moved in a direction perpendicular to the table integrally with a machining head that machines the workpiece, and changes an optical path length of the white light reflected by the machined portion; a scanning control step; A machining quality measurement step of measuring the machining quality of the machined portion based on the interference signal for each pixel output from the white interferometer during the vertical scanning; A control method for a workpiece machining apparatus having the above.

13. In the machining quality measurement step, the cross-sectional shape of the machined portion formed on the workpiece by the machining head having a rotating disk-shaped blade is measured. The control method for a workpiece machining apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a blade shape measurement step of measuring the tip shape of the blade based on the measurement result of the cross-sectional shape of the machined portion in the machining quality measurement step.

14. A communication interface connected to a white interferometer that emits white light toward a machined portion formed on a flat workpiece held on a table and detects, for each pixel, an interference signal between the white light reflected by the machined portion and the white light reflected by a reference surface; An interference signal acquisition unit that acquires the interference signal for each pixel from the white interferometer via the communication interface while the machining head that machines the workpiece and the white interferometer are relatively moved integrally in a direction perpendicular to the table by a relative movement mechanism to change an optical path length of the white light reflected by the machined portion; A machining quality measurement unit that measures the machining quality of the machined portion based on the interference signal for each pixel acquired by the interference signal acquisition unit; A server comprising the above.

15. The processing quality measurement unit measures a cross-sectional shape of the processed portion formed on the workpiece by the processing head having a rotating disk-shaped blade, The server according to claim 14, further comprising a blade shape measurement unit that measures a tip shape of the blade based on a measurement result of the cross-sectional shape by the processing quality measurement unit.

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