Cleaning equipment

Abstract

To provide a washing device capable of suppressing a water drop scattered to a circumference from being adhered onto a front surface of a plate-like workpiece again in accordance with washing of the front surface of the plate-like workpiece.SOLUTION: In a transport mechanism that transports a plate-like workpiece, a porous plate provided to a holding part side holding the plate-like workpiece, and a cover part containing a substrate in which a suction path communicated with the porous plate and a suction source is formedm are provided. Then, when this suction source is operated, a space on a neighbor of a surface on the holding part side of the porous plate becomes a negative pressure. Therefore, by operating the suction source during washing of the plate-like workpiece, a water drop scattered to the neighbor of the transport mechanism during the washing of the plate-like workpiece via the porous plate can be sucked. Thus, the adhesion of the water drop to the transport mechanism in accordance with the washing of the plate-like workpiece can be suppressed. As a result, the water drop scattered to the circumference in accordance with the washing of the plate-like workpiece can be suppressed from being adhered onto the front surface of the plate-like workpiece.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning plate-shaped workpieces. [Background technology]

[0002] Chips for devices such as ICs (Integrated Circuits) and LSIs (Large Scale Integration) are essential components in various electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers. These chips are manufactured, for example, by dividing a wafer having a large number of devices formed on its front surface along planned division lines.

[0003] To divide such wafers, for example, a cutting device is used that includes a cutting unit having a spindle with an annular cutting blade attached to the tip, and a holding table that holds the wafer. Specifically, in this cutting device, first, the front side of a plate-like workpiece such as a wafer integrated with an annular frame is held by the holding table via adhesive tape attached to the back side.

[0004] The wafer can then be divided by cutting a rotating cutting blade along the intended dividing line of the wafer held on the holding table until it reaches the adhesive tape. However, dividing a wafer in this manner can generate cutting chips that may adhere to the surface of the plate-shaped workpiece.

[0005] Therefore, plate-like workpieces including such wafers are generally cleaned in a cleaning device, which may be incorporated into a cutting device (see, for example, Patent Document 1) or may be an independent device from the cutting device (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0006] Specifically, in these cleaning devices, water is first supplied to the surface of the plate-shaped workpiece while the plate-shaped workpiece is being rotated. Then, the surface of the plate-shaped workpiece is dried by rotating the plate-shaped workpiece or by spraying air onto the surface of the plate-shaped workpiece while rotating the plate-shaped workpiece. This allows cutting chips adhering to the surface of the wafer to be removed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-229382 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-188296 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] When water is supplied to the surface of a plate-shaped workpiece while the workpiece is being rotated, water droplets containing cutting chips are scattered around, and these water droplets may adhere to, for example, a conveying mechanism for conveying the plate-shaped workpiece.

[0009] In this case, when the washed and dried plate-shaped workpiece is transported by the transport mechanism, water droplets may drip from the transport mechanism onto the surface of the plate-shaped workpiece, which may result in cutting chips adhering to the surface of the plate-shaped workpiece again.

[0010] In view of this, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device that can prevent water droplets that have been scattered around during cleaning of the surface of a plate-like workpiece from adhering again to the surface of the plate-like workpiece. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] According to the present invention, there is provided a cleaning device comprising: a holding table having a holding surface for holding a plate-shaped workpiece and rotating around a rotation axis that passes through the center of the holding surface and is perpendicular to the holding surface; a cleaning nozzle that supplies water to the plate-shaped workpiece from above the plate-shaped workpiece held on the holding table; a waterproof wall that surrounds the cleaning space so as to open the upper side of the cleaning space in which the holding table and the cleaning nozzle are arranged; and a transport mechanism that transports the plate-shaped workpiece to the holding table and / or transports the plate-shaped workpiece from the holding table, wherein the transport mechanism has a holding section that holds the plate-shaped workpiece and a cover section that is arranged above the holding section, and the cover section includes a porous plate provided on the holding section side and a substrate on which a suction path is formed that connects the porous plate to a suction source. For example, the transport mechanism further includes a communication member that is inserted into the cover portion and has the holding portion provided at the lower end thereof. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] In the present invention, a conveying mechanism for conveying a plate-shaped workpiece is provided with a cover including a porous plate provided on the side of a holder that holds the plate-shaped workpiece, and a base plate on which a suction path that communicates with the porous plate and a suction source is formed. When the suction source is operated, a negative pressure is created in the space near the surface of the porous plate that faces the holder.

[0013] Therefore, in the present invention, by operating the suction source while the plate-shaped workpiece is being washed, water droplets that have scattered near the conveying mechanism during the washing of the plate-shaped workpiece can be sucked in via the porous plate.

[0014] This makes it possible to prevent water droplets from adhering to the conveying mechanism during cleaning of the plate-shaped workpiece. As a result, in the present invention, it is possible to prevent water droplets scattered around during cleaning of the plate-shaped workpiece from adhering again to the surface of the plate-shaped workpiece. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view schematically showing an example of a cleaning device. [Figure 2]FIG. 2(A) is a partially enlarged perspective view schematically showing the upper surface side of the cover portion and the like, and FIG. 2(B) is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the lower surface side of the cover portion and the like. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a vertical cross section passing through a dotted line drawn on the upper surface of the support plate in FIG. 2(A). [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partially cross-sectional side view that schematically shows how a plate-shaped workpiece is cleaned. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an example of a cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus 2 shown in Fig. 1 has a load port 4. This load port 4 has a generally flat rectangular mounting surface 4a, and a plate-shaped workpiece 11 is placed on this mounting surface 4a.

[0017] This plate-shaped workpiece 11 includes, for example, a wafer W divided by a cutting device, an adhesive tape T attached to the back surface of the wafer W, and an annular frame F integrated with the wafer W via the adhesive tape T. Then, this plate-shaped workpiece 11 is loaded onto the mounting surface 4a of the load port 4 with the wafer W facing upward.

[0018] The load port 4 is provided adjacent to an opening (not shown) for carrying in and out the plate-shaped workpiece 11. A pair of corners located on the opening side of the placement surface 4a are provided with L-shaped stoppers 4b to prevent the plate-shaped workpiece 11 from falling off the placement surface 4a.

[0019] The plate-shaped workpiece 11 placed on the placement surface 4a of the load port 4 is transported by a transport mechanism 6 provided above the load port 4. This transport mechanism 6 has a pair of guide rails 8 fixed to a housing (not shown) of the cleaning device 2. A moving member 10 is slidably connected to the front surface of the pair of guide rails 8.

[0020] A screw shaft 12 is disposed between the pair of guide rails 8. A motor 14 for rotating the screw shaft 12 is connected to one end of the screw shaft 12. A nut portion (not shown) for accommodating balls that roll on the surface of the rotating screw shaft 12 is provided on the surface of the screw shaft 12 on which a spiral groove is formed, thereby forming a ball screw.

[0021] That is, when the screw shaft 12 rotates, the balls circulate inside the nut portion, causing the nut portion to move along the screw shaft 12. In addition, this nut portion is fixed to the back surface side of the moving member 10. Therefore, when the screw shaft 12 is rotated by the motor 14, the moving member 10 moves along the screw shaft 12 together with the nut portion.

[0022] Furthermore, the base end of a support arm 16 is fixed to the surface side of the movable member 10. An air cylinder is housed in the tip end of the support arm 16. A rod 18 of this air cylinder passes through an opening formed in the underside of the tip end of the support arm 16 and is exposed from the support arm 16.

[0023] The center of an H-shaped support plate 20 is fixed to the side of the tip (lower end) of this rod 18, and a cover part 22 is fixed to the tip surface (lower end surface) of the support plate 20. Furthermore, a communication member 24 is inserted into the support plate 20 and the cover part 22, and a suction pad (holding part) 26 is provided at the lower end of the communication member 24.

[0024] Fig. 2(A) is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the upper surface side of the cover portion 22 etc., and Fig. 2(B) is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the lower surface side of the cover portion 22 etc. Also, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a vertical cross section passing through a dotted line drawn on the upper surface of the support plate 20 in Fig. 2(A).

[0025] The support plate 20 includes a first part 20a and a second part 20b, each having a connecting member 24 inserted at both ends and extending parallel to each other, and a third part 20c, both ends of which are connected to the center of the first part 20a and the second part 20b, respectively, and extending perpendicular to the first part 20a and the second part 20b.

[0026] Furthermore, connecting members 28 that fix the support plate 20 and the cover portion 22 are provided on the undersides of both end portions of the third portion 20c. Furthermore, cylindrical through holes are formed in both end portions (the four corners of the support plate 20) of each of the first portion 20a and the second portion 20b, and communicating members 24 are inserted into these through holes.

[0027] The cover part 22 is disposed below the support plate 20 and above the suction pad 26. The cover part 22 has a disk-shaped base plate 30 provided on the support plate 20 side. The base plate 30 includes a top plate 30a having an upper surface to which the tip surfaces of the rods 18 are fixed, and a side wall 30b protruding downward from the outer periphery of the top plate 30a.

[0028] Furthermore, a suction path 30c is formed in the center of the top plate 30a, which communicates with a suction source such as a vacuum pump via a suction path 18a formed in the rod 18. A disk-shaped porous plate 32 having the same diameter as the substrate 30 is fixed to the underside of the side wall 30b. This porous plate 32 is provided on the suction pad 26 side of the cover part 22, and is made of, for example, resin.

[0029] Furthermore, through holes are formed in the side wall 30b of the substrate 30 and the porous plate 32 at positions that overlap the four corners of the support plate 20, and communication members 24 are inserted into these through holes. When a suction source that communicates with the suction path 30c formed in the top plate 30a is activated, the space near the bottom surface of this porous plate 32 becomes negative pressure.

[0030] The communicating member 24 has an outer diameter longer than the diameter of the through-hole, an upper end portion 24a whose lower surface contacts the upper surface of the support plate 20, and a cylindrical portion 24b that is inserted into the through-hole. The upper end portion 24a of the communicating member 24 is connected to a suction source such as a vacuum pump via a pipe (not shown) or the like.

[0031] The suction pad 26 has an open bottom and a mortar-like shape that widens toward the bottom end. The lower surface of the suction pad 26 functions as a holding surface that holds the plate-shaped workpiece 11 by sucking the annular frame F of the plate-shaped workpiece 11.

[0032] Specifically, when the suction source communicating with the upper end 24a of the communicating member 24 is activated, a suction force acts on the space below the suction pad 26 via the communicating member 24. Therefore, by operating this suction source while the lower surface of the suction pad 26 is in close proximity to the annular frame F of the plate-shaped workpiece 11 placed on the mounting surface 4a of the load port 4 shown in FIG.

[0033] The plate-shaped workpiece 11 held by the suction pad 26 is transported to a cleaning unit 34 that cleans the plate-shaped workpiece 11 in a cleaning space where a holding table and cleaning nozzles are arranged. This cleaning unit 34 has a disk-shaped holding table 36. The holding table 36 has a disk-shaped porous plate 36a exposed upward.

[0034] The porous plate 36a is connected to a suction source (not shown) such as a vacuum pump via a suction path (not shown) formed inside the holding table 36. Therefore, when the suction source is operated with the plate-shaped workpiece 11 placed on the upper surface of the porous plate 36a, the plate-shaped workpiece 11 is held on the holding table 36.

[0035] That is, the upper surface of the holding table 36 functions as a holding surface that holds the plate-shaped workpiece 11. In addition, clamps 38 that grip the annular frame F of the plate-shaped workpiece 11 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the holding table 36 at approximately equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the holding table 36.

[0036] This clamp 38 has a central portion connected to the outer peripheral surface of the holding table 36, a weight portion provided below this central portion, and a gripping portion provided above this central portion. When the holding table 36 rotates in the circumferential direction of the holding table 36, centrifugal force acts on the weight portion of the clamp 38, causing the weight portion to move outward.

[0037] Furthermore, accompanying the movement of the weight, the gripping parts move so as to tilt inward, whereby the annular frame F of the plate-like workpiece 11 placed on the holding surface of the holding table 36 is gripped by the gripping parts of the clamps 38.

[0038] Additionally, a waterproof wall 40 is provided around the holding table 36, surrounding the cleaning space in which the holding table 36 is disposed so as to open the upper side, and suppressing the lateral scattering of water droplets when cleaning the plate-like workpiece 11. This waterproof wall 40 has a cylindrical outer peripheral wall 40a, an annular bottom wall 40b extending radially inward from the lower end of the outer peripheral wall 40a, and a cylindrical inner peripheral wall 40c erected from the inner end of the bottom wall 40b.

[0039] A drain outlet 42 is provided in the bottom wall 40b, and a drain pipe 44 extending downward is connected to the drain outlet 42. In addition, a plurality of (e.g., three) support legs 46 are fixed to the underside of the bottom wall 40b. The plurality of support legs 46 are provided at approximately equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the bottom wall 40b and support the waterproof wall 40.

[0040] A nozzle unit 48 is disposed inside the outer peripheral wall 40a. The nozzle unit 48 has a pipe-shaped shaft 48a that is inserted into the bottom wall 40b. The shaft 48a is a pipe-shaped member that extends outside the holding table 36 in a direction perpendicular to the holding surface of the holding table 36.

[0041] A rotary drive source (not shown), such as a motor, for rotating the shaft 48a is connected to the lower end of the shaft 48a. An arm 48b is connected to the upper end of the shaft 48a. The arm 48b is a pipe-shaped member that extends in a direction parallel to the holding surface of the holding table 36, with a length equivalent to the distance from the upper end of the shaft 48a to the center of the holding table 36.

[0042] A downward-facing cleaning nozzle 48c is provided at the tip of the arm 48b (the end of the arm 48b not connected to the shaft 48a). Furthermore, the shaft 48a and the arm 48b are connected to a cleaning fluid supply source (not shown).

[0043] Therefore, for example, after the shaft 48a is rotated so that the cleaning nozzle 48c is positioned above the holding table 36, when a cleaning fluid is supplied from the fluid supply source to the shaft 48a and the arm 48b, the cleaning fluid is supplied from the cleaning nozzle 48c to the holding surface of the holding table 36. This fluid includes water. Alternatively, this fluid may be a mixture of water and air.

[0044] A spindle 50 passes vertically through a cylindrical space present inside the inner peripheral wall 40c. The upper end of this spindle 50 is connected to the holding table 36 and supports the holding table 36.

[0045] A motor 52 is connected to the lower end of the spindle 50. When the motor 52 is operated, the holding table 36 rotates around a rotation axis that passes through the center of the holding surface and is perpendicular to the holding surface.

[0046] The motor 52 is supported by a support mechanism 54 in a manner that allows it to move up and down. The support mechanism 54 includes a plurality of (for example, three) air cylinders 56 attached to the motor 52, and a support leg 58 is connected to the bottom of each air cylinder 56.

[0047] When the plurality of air cylinders 56 are operated simultaneously, the motor 52, the spindle 50, and the holding table 36 are raised and lowered. For example, when the plate-shaped workpiece 11 is loaded onto the holding table 36 or unloaded from the holding table 36, the plurality of air cylinders 56 are operated to position the holding table 36 at a loading / unloading position.

[0048] When cleaning the plate-shaped workpiece 11, the holding table 36 is positioned at a cleaning position lower than the carry-in / out position. Note that Fig. 1 schematically shows the cleaning unit 34 with the holding table 36 at the carry-in / out position.

[0049] In addition, a cover member 60 having a size large enough to surround the inner peripheral wall 40c of the waterproof wall 40 from the outside is provided on the side of the spindle 50. This cover member 60 covers the cylindrical space present inside the inner peripheral wall 40c when the holding table 36 is positioned at the cleaning position. This prevents water droplets from splashing into the space when the plate-like workpiece 11 is cleaned.

[0050] 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view that schematically shows how the plate-shaped workpiece 11 held on the holding surface of the holding table 36 is cleaned. When cleaning the plate-shaped workpiece 11, first, the plate-shaped workpiece 11 is loaded onto the holding surface of the holding table 36 that is positioned at the loading / unloading position.

[0051] Specifically, the motor 14 and the air cylinder housed at the tip of the support arm 16 are operated so as to bring the plate-shaped workpiece 11 held on the holding surface of the suction pad 26 closer to the holding surface of the holding table 36, and then the operation of the suction source connected to the suction pad 26 is stopped.

[0052] Next, the holding table 36 is positioned at the cleaning position, and the plate-shaped workpiece 11 is held on the holding surface of the holding table 36. Specifically, the air cylinder 56 is operated to lower the holding table 36, and the suction source communicating with the porous plate 36a of the holding table 36 is operated.

[0053] At this time, in the transport mechanism 6, the position of the cover part 22 is adjusted so that the lower surface of the porous plate 32 of the cover part 22 faces the holding surface of the holding table 36 at a predetermined interval (for example, 100 mm to 250 mm).

[0054] Next, the rotary drive source connected to the lower end of the shaft portion 48a is operated so as to position the cleaning nozzle 48c of the nozzle unit 48 above the plate-like workpiece 11. Next, the motor 52 is operated so as to rotate the holding table 36.

[0055] As a result, centrifugal force acts on the weight portion of the clamp 38, causing the weight portion to move outward and the gripping portion to move inward, thereby gripping the annular frame F of the plate-shaped workpiece 11 with the gripping portion of the clamp 38.

[0056] Next, water is supplied from a cleaning fluid supply source to the cleaning nozzle 48c via the shaft 48a and the arm 48b (see FIG. 4). This causes water to be supplied from the cleaning nozzle 48c to the surface of the plate-shaped workpiece 11. As a result, cutting chips adhering to the surface of the wafer W of the plate-shaped workpiece 11 are removed (the plate-shaped workpiece 11 is cleaned).

[0057] Furthermore, when the plate-shaped workpiece 11 is cleaned, a suction source is operated which communicates with the suction passage 30c formed in the top plate 30a of the substrate 30 of the cover part 22. For example, with the lower surface of the porous plate 32 of the cover part 22 sealed, the suction source is operated so that the gauge pressure of the suction passage 30c becomes -70 kPa to -90 kPa.

[0058] In this case, the space near the open lower surface of the porous plate 32 becomes negative pressure. Therefore, water droplets scattered near the transport mechanism while the plate-shaped workpiece 11 is being washed are sucked into the porous plate 32. That is, adhesion of water droplets to the transport mechanism 6 during the washing of the plate-shaped workpiece 11 is suppressed. As a result, water droplets scattered around during the washing of the plate-shaped workpiece 11 are suppressed from adhering again to the surface of the plate-shaped workpiece 11.

[0059] The above-described content is one aspect of the present invention, and the content of the present invention is not limited to the above-described content. For example, the cleaning device of the present invention may be incorporated into another device such as a cutting device. Also, in the present invention, the conveying mechanism for conveying the plate-shaped workpiece 11 may be embodied by an actuator such as an air cylinder.

[0060] In addition, in the present invention, a conveying mechanism for transporting the plate-shaped workpiece 11 to the holding table 36 and a conveying mechanism for transporting the plate-shaped workpiece 11 from the holding table 36 may be provided separately, and a cover portion 22 may be provided on one of the two conveying mechanisms.

[0061] In the present invention, the holding table 36 of the cleaning unit 34 may be a universal table in which a suction force acts in grooves provided on the upper surface. In the present invention, the clamps 38 may not be provided on the outer circumferential surface of the holding table 36.

[0062] In addition, in the present invention, when washing the plate-like workpiece 11, water and air may be supplied simultaneously from the washing nozzle 48c of the nozzle unit 48. In addition, in the present invention, a nozzle unit having a nozzle for supplying a fluid, separate from the nozzle unit 48, may be provided in the washing space surrounded by the waterproof wall 40.

[0063] In addition, the structures and methods according to the above-described embodiments can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 11: Plate-shaped workpiece (W: wafer, T: adhesive tape, F: ring frame) 2: Cleaning equipment 4: Load port (4a: loading surface, 4b: stopper) 6: Transport mechanism 8: Guide rail 10: Moving member 12: Screw shaft 14: Motor 16: Support arm 18: Rod (18a: Suction path) 20: Support plate (20a: 1st part, 20b: 2nd part, 20c: 3rd part) 22: Cover part 24: Connecting member 26: Suction pad (holding part) 28: Connection member 30: substrate (30a: top plate, 30b: side wall, 30c: suction path) 32: Porous plate 34: Cleaning unit 36: Holding table (36a: Porous plate) 38: Clamp 40: Waterproof wall (40a: outer wall, 40b: bottom wall, 40c: inner wall) 42:Drain port 44: Drain pipe 46:Support leg 48: Nozzle unit (48a: shaft portion, 48b: arm portion, 48c: cleaning nozzle) 50: Spindle 52: Motor 54:Support mechanism 56: Air cylinder 58:Support leg 60: Cover member

Claims

1. a holding table having a holding surface for holding a plate-shaped workpiece, the holding table rotating about a rotation axis that passes through the center of the holding surface and is perpendicular to the holding surface; a washing nozzle for supplying water to the plate-shaped workpiece from above the plate-shaped workpiece held on the holding table; a waterproof wall surrounding the cleaning space so as to open an upper side of the cleaning space in which the holding table and the cleaning nozzle are disposed; a conveying mechanism that conveys the plate-shaped workpiece onto the holding table and / or conveys the plate-shaped workpiece from the holding table, The transport mechanism includes: a holding portion for holding the plate-shaped workpiece; a cover portion disposed above the holding portion, The cover portion is A porous plate provided on the holding portion side; a substrate on which a suction path communicating with the porous plate and a suction source is formed.

2. A cleaning device as described in Claim 1, characterized in that the conveying mechanism further has a connecting member inserted into the cover portion and having the holding portion provided at its lower end.

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