Processing equipment

Abstract

To provide a processor capable of protecting a holding surface of a chuck table from adhesion of a foreign material without adding a new cleaning unit.SOLUTION: A processor 1 includes: a chuck table 10 for holding a tabular material on a holding surface 19; a processing unit for processing the tabular material held on the chuck table 10; a carrying unit for carrying the tabular material into / from the chuck table 10; and a control unit 40 for controlling the chuck table 10, the processing unit and the carrying unit. The control unit 40, during a period that the tabular material is not placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, jets gas from the holding surface 19 or an injection port formed on the surroundings of the holding surface 19 to form a protection layer of gas 201 on the surface of the holding surface 19, preventing adhesion of a foreign material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for processing plate-like objects. [Background technology]

[0002] When various plate-like objects, such as semiconductor wafers, resin package substrates, and ceramic substrates, are divided into individual chips or thinned by grinding, a resin dicing tape or sheet is attached to the plate-like object to protect its surface, or a resin protective layer is formed from liquid resin. During this process, the plate-like object is held on the holding surface of a chuck table and pressed against the exposed surface of the sheet to adhere it. However, if foreign matter adheres to the holding surface of the chuck table, the foreign matter may adhere to the surface of the plate-like object or the plate-like object may be damaged when pressed. For this reason, it is known to provide a cleaning unit that periodically cleans the holding surface of the chuck table (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-147505 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when a cleaning unit is installed, there are problems such as the cost of installing the cleaning unit and the need to clean the cleaning unit itself.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and its object is to provide a processing apparatus that can protect the holding surface of the chuck table from the adhesion of foreign matter without adding a new cleaning unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, a processing apparatus of the present invention is a processing apparatus including a chuck table that holds a plate-like object on a holding surface, a processing unit that processes the plate-like object held on the chuck table, a transport unit that carries the plate-like object into and out of the chuck table, and a control unit that controls the chuck table, the processing unit, and the transport unit, the holding surface of the chuck table is connected to a suction source via a vacuum suction path, and the plate-like object placed on the holding surface is sucked and held by negative pressure introduced from the suction source to the holding surface via the vacuum suction path; The control unit performs the following while no plate-like object is placed on the holding surface of the chuck table: Shut off the introduction of negative pressure from the suction source to the holding surface via the vacuum suction path, and A gas is ejected from an ejection port provided on the holding surface or around the holding surface to form a protective layer of the gas on the surface of the holding surface, thereby preventing adhesion of foreign matter.

[0007] The holding surface of the chuck table may further be connected to a gas supply source via a gas outlet path, and the control unit may, while no plate-shaped object is placed on the holding surface of the chuck table, block the introduction of negative pressure from the suction source to the holding surface via the vacuum suction path and supply gas from the gas supply source to the holding surface via the gas outlet path, thereby ejecting gas from the holding surface and forming a protective layer of the gas on the surface of the holding surface to prevent adhesion of foreign matter.The chuck table may further include an injection port for ejecting gas around the holding surface, and the control unit may, while no plate-shaped object is placed on the holding surface of the chuck table, block the introduction of negative pressure from the suction source to the holding surface via the vacuum suction path and eject gas from the injection port to form a protective layer of the gas on the surface of the holding surface to prevent adhesion of foreign matter. The processing unit may be a sheet adhering unit that adheres a sheet to a plate-like object held on the chuck table. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention can protect the holding surface of the chuck table from adhesion of foreign matter without adding a new cleaning unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Modes (embodiments) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. Furthermore, the components described below include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the configurations described below can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the configuration can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0011] [Embodiment 1] A processing apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. Figs. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views showing the main parts of the processing apparatus 1 of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the processing apparatus 1 includes a chuck table 10, a processing unit 20, a transport unit 30, and a control unit 40.

[0012] In the first embodiment, the plate-like object 100, which is the processing target to be processed by the processing unit 20 of the processing apparatus 1, is, for example, a disk-shaped semiconductor device wafer or optical device wafer made of a base material such as silicon, sapphire, silicon carbide (SiC), or gallium arsenide. The plate-like object 100 may or may not have dividing lines or devices formed on its surface. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to this, and the plate-like object 100 may also be a rectangular package substrate having a plurality of devices sealed with resin, a ceramic plate, a glass plate, or the like.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1, the chuck table 10 includes a disk-shaped frame 11 having a recess formed therein and a disk-shaped suction unit 12 fitted in the recess. The suction unit 12 of the chuck table 10 is formed of a porous material such as porous ceramic. In the first embodiment, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the suction unit 12 is connected to a suction source 15 via a vacuum suction path 13 and an open / close valve 14 formed below the recess of the frame 11. The suction unit 12 is also connected to a gas supply source 18 via a gas outlet path 16 and an open / close valve 17 formed below the recess of the frame 11. The gas 201 (see Fig. 3) supplied from the gas supply source 18 is, for example, compressed air or compressed inert gas.

[0014] In the present invention, the chuck table 10 is not limited to a so-called porous chuck table having an adsorption portion 12 formed from porous ceramic or the like, but may be configured such that a suction hole connected to a suction source 15 via a vacuum suction path 13 and an opening / closing valve 14, and an ejection hole connected to a gas supply source 18 via a gas ejection path 16 and an opening / closing valve 17 are provided in the area corresponding to the plate-like object 100.

[0015] The upper surface of the suction portion 12 of the chuck table 10 is a holding surface 19 that suction-holds a plate-like object 100 placed on the upper surface of the suction portion 12 with negative pressure introduced from a suction source 15 via a vacuum suction path 13. The holding surface 19 and the upper surface of the frame 11 of the chuck table 10 are arranged on the same plane and are formed parallel to the horizontal plane. The chuck table 10 is movable in the X-axis direction, which is one horizontal direction, by a moving unit (not shown), and is rotatable about an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction, which is vertical and perpendicular to the holding surface 19, by a rotation drive source (not shown).

[0016] In the first embodiment, the processing unit 20 is provided so as to be able to move up and down along the Z-axis direction by a Z-axis moving unit (not shown). For this reason, the chuck table 10 has an annular groove (not shown) formed on the upper surface of the frame 11, the groove having the same diameter as the outer diameter of the plate-like object 100. This annular groove is formed in the path of the cutting blade 66 of the cutter blade 62 of the processing unit 20 (described later), and functions as a clearance groove for the cutting blade 66.

[0017] The processing unit 20 performs some kind of processing (machining) on ​​the plate-like object 100 held on the chuck table 10, such as cutting, grinding, or polishing the plate-like object 100 held on the chuck table 10. The processing performed by the processing unit 20 on the plate-like object 100 includes, for example, attaching a sheet 110 to one surface of the plate-like object 100, forming a protective layer by supplying a resin to one surface of the plate-like object 100, processing such as cutting, grinding, polishing, laser processing, and plasma processing of the plate-like object 100, cleaning of the plate-like object 100, etc.

[0018] That is, the processing unit 20 is, for example, a sheet adhering unit that adheres a sheet 110 to one side of the plate-like object 100, a cutting unit that cuts the plate-like object 100 with a cutting blade attached to the tip of a spindle, a grinding unit that grinds the plate-like object 100 with a grinding wheel attached to the tip of a spindle, a polishing unit that polishes the plate-like object 100 with an abrasive pad attached to the tip of a spindle, a laser processing unit that laser processes the plate-like object 100 with a laser irradiator, a plasma processing unit that plasma processes the plate-like object 100 with gas supplied from a gas supply unit and turned into a plasma state, a cleaning unit that cleans the plate-like object 100 with a cleaning liquid supplied from a nozzle, etc.

[0019] In the first embodiment, the processing unit 20 is a sheet adhering unit that adheres a sheet 110 to the front or back surface of the plate-like object 100 held on the chuck table 10. As shown in FIG. 1 , the processing unit 20 includes a feed unit 21, a release paper winding unit 22, an adhering unit 23, a sheet cutting unit 24, a sheet winding unit 25, and a plurality of conveying rollers 26.

[0020] The sheet 110 attached to the plate-like object 100 by the processing unit 20 in the first embodiment includes, for example, an adhesive layer and a base layer. Here, the adhesive layer is made of a synthetic resin having adhesiveness that allows it to adhere to the attachment surface of the plate-like object 100 to which the sheet 110 is attached, and is laminated on one surface of the base layer. The base layer is made of a synthetic resin. The sheet 110 is formed into a long sheet-like member and wound into a roll with a release paper 111 that protects the adhesive layer attached to the adhesive layer side. In the first embodiment, the sheet 110 is wound into a roll so that the release paper 111 side is located on the inner periphery. In the first embodiment, the release paper 111 is peeled off from the end of the sheet 110 by the processing unit 20, and the sheet 110 is attached to the attachment surface of the plate-like object 100 and cut along the outer edge of the plate-like object 100.

[0021] The feed-out unit 21 feeds the sheet 110 wound in a roll shape onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, starting from the end. In the first embodiment, the feed-out unit 21 is disposed on the +X direction side of the chuck table 10 and at a position above the chuck table 10. The feed-out unit 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an axis parallel to the Y-axis direction, and is provided so as to be rotatable about the axis. The feed-out unit 21 sets a sheet roll, in which the sheet 110 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical core material, so that the sheet 110 can be fed.

[0022] The release paper take-up unit 22 takes up the release paper 111 peeled off from the sheet 110 fed out from the feed-out unit 21. In the first embodiment, the release paper take-up unit 22 is disposed below the feed-out unit 21. The release paper take-up unit 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape with its axis parallel to the Y-axis direction, and is rotated around its axis by a driving device such as a motor (not shown), thereby taking up the release paper 111 peeled off from the sheet 110 onto its outer circumferential surface.

[0023] The bonding unit 23 bonds the sheet 110, which is supplied from the delivery unit 21 onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, to the plate-like object 100 held by suction on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10. The bonding unit 23 is disposed above the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10. The bonding unit 23 includes a bonding roller 51 formed in a cylindrical shape with its axis parallel to the Y-axis direction, and a roller support member 52 that supports the bonding roller 51 rotatably about its axis and is provided so as to be movable in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction by a movement mechanism (not shown). The bonding unit 23 bonds the sheet 110 to the plate-like object 100 held on the chuck table 10 by moving in the X-axis direction while lowered by the movement mechanism.

[0024] The sheet cutting unit 24 cuts off the unnecessary portion of the sheet 110 that protrudes from the outer edge of the plate-like object 100 after the sheet 110 has been attached to the plate-like object 100. In the first embodiment, the unnecessary portion of the sheet 110 is the portion that is on the outer periphery side of the outer edge of the plate-like object 100. The sheet cutting unit 24 is disposed above the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10.

[0025] 1, the sheet cutting unit 24 in the first embodiment includes a cutter blade 62 and a moving mechanism 63. The cutter blade 62 has a cutting edge 66 with a predetermined blade length that is much longer than the thickness of the sheet 110 supplied onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10. The cutting edge 66 of the cutter blade 62 faces the sheet 110 supplied onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 and the annular groove, and is inclined with respect to the Z-axis direction, so that the cutting edge 66 is installed at an angle that faces the surface of the base material layer of the sheet 110 supplied onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 from the Z-axis direction.

[0026] The moving mechanism 63 moves the cutter blade 62 along the surface of the base layer of the sheet 110. The moving mechanism 63 is capable of moving the cutter blade 62 in the Z-axis direction and also capable of moving the cutter blade 62 in a circumferential direction around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction. The moving mechanism 63 includes a rotating shaft 61 that is disposed at the center of the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 and rotated about its axis by a driving device such as a motor (not shown), an arm 64 that extends from the rotating shaft 61 toward the outer edge of the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 in parallel with the holding surface 19 and supports the cutter blade 62 at its tip, and an air cylinder 65 that raises and lowers the arm 64 together with the rotating shaft 61.

[0027] The sheet winding unit 25 winds up the unnecessary portion of the sheet 110 after the portion attached to the plate-like object 100 has been cut off by the sheet cutting unit 24. In the first embodiment, the sheet winding unit 25 is disposed on the opposite side of the chuck table 10 from the feed-out unit 21 in the X-axis direction, i.e., on the -X direction side of the chuck table 10 and above the chuck table 10. The sheet winding unit 25 is formed in a cylindrical shape with its axis parallel to the Y-axis direction, and is rotated about its axis by a driving device such as a motor (not shown) to wind up the sheet 110 around its outer circumferential surface.

[0028] The plurality of conveying rollers 26 are disposed between the delivery unit 21 and the sheet winding unit 25, and convey the sheet 110 from the delivery unit 21 to the sheet winding unit 25, and apply tension to the sheet 110 to prevent slack from occurring in the sheet 110. The plurality of conveying rollers 26 are formed in a cylindrical shape with an axis parallel to the Y-axis direction, and are provided so as to be rotatable about the axis.

[0029] A pair of conveying rollers 26 are arranged between the feed-out unit 21 and the chuck table 10 and below the feed-out unit 21. The sheet 110 with the release paper 111 stuck thereon and fed out from the feed-out unit 21 passes between the outer circumferential surfaces of this pair of conveying rollers 26, peeling the release paper 111 from the sheet 110 and feeding the peeled release paper 111 from the sheet 110 to the release paper winding unit 22, and feeding out the sheet 110 from which the release paper 111 has been peeled with the adhesive layer facing downward.

[0030] A pair of conveying rollers 26 is disposed between the chuck table 10 and a pair of conveying rollers 26 disposed between the delivery unit 21 and the sheet winding unit 25. The pair of conveying rollers 26 have the sheet 110 passing between their outer peripheral surfaces, and feed the sheet 110 onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 along the X-axis direction parallel to the holding surface 19.

[0031] A pair of conveying rollers 26 is disposed between the chuck table 10 and the sheet winding unit 25 and below the sheet winding unit 25. The pair of conveying rollers 26 feeds the sheet 110 toward the sheet winding unit 25 by passing the sheet 110 between their outer peripheral surfaces.

[0032] The transport unit 30 removes the plate-like object 100 from a cassette placed on a cassette placement section (not shown) before processing by the processing unit 20 (unprocessed), and transports it onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10. The transport unit 30 removes the plate-like object 100 after processing by the processing unit 20 from the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 and stores it in the cassette placed on the cassette placement section. The transport unit 30 is controlled by the control unit 40, and outputs information to the control unit 40 that the plate-like object 100 has been carried in or out. In the first embodiment, the transport unit 30 is, for example, a robot pick equipped with a circular hand, and uses the circular hand to suck and hold the plate-like object 100 and transport it. The conveying unit 30 is not limited to this in the present invention, and may be, for example, a non-contact type that generates negative pressure on the underside by injecting a predetermined amount of air along the underside according to Bernoulli's principle, and uses this negative pressure to suck and hold the plate-like object 100 using the underside as a holding surface, thereby conveying it.

[0033] The control unit 40 controls the operation of various components of the processing device 1 and causes the processing device 1 to process the plate-like object 100 by the processing unit 20. In embodiment 1, the control unit 40 includes a computer system. The computer system included in the control unit 40 includes an arithmetic processing device having a microprocessor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device having memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory), and an input / output interface device. The arithmetic processing device of the control unit 40 performs arithmetic processing in accordance with a computer program stored in the storage device of the control unit 40 and outputs control signals for controlling the processing device 1 to each component of the processing device 1 via the input / output interface device of the control unit 40.

[0034] Next, this specification will explain the operation process of the processing device 1 according to the embodiment. In the processing device 1, for example, the transport unit 30 transports each unprocessed plate-like object 100 housed in a cassette placed on a cassette placement section onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, processes the transported plate-like object 100 using the processing unit 20, and then the transport unit 30 transports the processed plate-like object 100 from the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 and stores it back in the cassette.

[0035] When the transport unit 30 transports the plate-like object 100 onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, the control unit 40 of the processing device 1 acquires information from the transport unit 30 that the plate-like object 100 has been transported onto the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, and thereby recognizes that the plate-like object 100 has been placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10. When the control unit 40 recognizes that the plate-like object 100 has been placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, as shown in FIG. 2 , the control unit 40 opens the opening / closing valve 14 to introduce negative pressure from the suction source 15 to the holding surface 19 via the vacuum suction path 13, and closes the opening / closing valve 17 to cut off the supply of gas 201 from the gas supply source 18 to the holding surface 19 via the gas ejection path 16, thereby suction-holding the plate-like object 100 placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 by the negative pressure introduced to the holding surface 19.

[0036] When the transport unit 30 removes the plate-like object 100 from the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, the control unit 40 of the processing device 1 acquires information from the transport unit 30 that the plate-like object 100 has been removed from the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, and thereby recognizes that the plate-like object 100 is no longer placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10. When the control unit 40 recognizes that the plate-like object 100 is no longer placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, as shown in FIG. 3 , it closes the on-off valve 14 to block the introduction of negative pressure from the suction source 15 to the holding surface 19 via the vacuum suction path 13, and opens the on-off valve 17 to supply gas 201 from the gas supply source 18 to the holding surface 19 via the gas ejection path 16, thereby ejecting the gas 201 from the holding surface 19 and forming a protective film of the gas 201 on the holding surface 19, thereby preventing foreign matter from adhering to the holding surface 19.

[0037] In the processing device 1 of embodiment 1, the control unit 40 recognizes whether or not the plate-like object 100 is placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 by the transport unit 30 transporting the plate-like object 100 in and out, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 40 may recognize whether or not the plate-like object 100 is placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 by using a detector that detects the plate-like object 100 on the chuck table 10 or on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, which is provided around the chuck table 10.

[0038] The processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment having the above configuration has the advantage of being able to protect the holding surface 19 from adhesion of foreign matter, etc., by ejecting gas 201 from the holding surface 19 while no plate-like object 100 is placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10 while the holding surface 19 is being used, thereby forming a protective film of gas 201 that covers the holding surface 19, without adding a new cleaning unit for cleaning the chuck table 10. In particular, compared to conventional processing apparatuses that are equipped with a mechanism for ejecting gas onto the holding surface 19 to facilitate the release of the plate-like object 100 from the holding surface 19, the processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment can easily achieve the function of protecting the holding surface 19 from adhesion of foreign matter, etc., by adding a control mechanism that switches between suction holding on the holding surface 19 and ejection of gas 201 from the holding surface 19 using the control unit 40, depending on whether or not the plate-like object 100 is on the holding surface 19.

[0039] Conventionally, particularly when the processing unit is a sheet adhering unit, when adhering a sheet to a plate-like object, the adhering roller of the adhering unit presses the plate-like object in the thickness direction of the plate-like object, which increases the risk of foreign matter adhering to the holding surface of the chuck table and damaging the plate-like object when pressed. However, the processing device 1 according to embodiment 1 can prevent foreign matter from adhering to the holding surface 19, and therefore, particularly when the processing unit 20 is a sheet adhering unit, it achieves the advantageous effect of significantly reducing or suppressing the risk of foreign matter adhering to the surface of the plate-like object 100 and damaging the plate-like object 100 when pressed.

[0040] [Embodiment 2] A processing apparatus 1-2 according to embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the processing apparatus 1-2 according to embodiment 2. In Fig. 4, the same parts as those in embodiment 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4 , a processing apparatus 1-2 according to the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, except that it further includes an injection port 71 and a gas injection path 16-2 instead of the gas injection path 16. The injection port 71 is provided around the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, specifically, at a position on the outer periphery of the annular groove in the upper surface of the frame 11 of the chuck table 10. The injection port 71 injects gas 201 toward the inside of the chuck table 10, i.e., above the holding surface 19. The gas injection path 16-2 is formed below the outer periphery of the annular groove in the upper surface of the frame 11. The injection port 71 is connected to a gas supply source 18 via the gas injection path 16-2 and an open / close valve 17.

[0042] When the control unit 40 of the processing device 1-2 recognizes that the plate-like object 100 is not placed on the holding surface 19 of the chuck table 10, as shown in Figure 4, it closes the opening / closing valve 14 to block the introduction of negative pressure from the suction source 15 to the holding surface 19 via the vacuum suction path 13, and also opens the opening / closing valve 17 to supply gas 201 from the gas supply source 18 to the injection port 71 via the gas injection path 16-2, thereby ejecting the gas 201 from the injection port 71 and forming a protective film of gas 201 that covers the holding surface 19, thereby preventing foreign matter from adhering to the holding surface 19.

[0043] The processing apparatus 1-2 of the second embodiment having the above-described configuration, in the first embodiment, instead of ejecting the gas 201 supplied from the gas supply source 18 from the holding surface 19 toward above the holding surface 19 via the gas ejection path 16, ejects the gas 201 supplied from the gas supply source 18 toward above the holding surface 19 from the ejection port 71 provided around the holding surface 19 via the gas ejection path 16-2, thereby forming a protective film of the gas 201 that covers the holding surface 19, thereby achieving the same effect as that of the first embodiment.

[0044] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. In other words, various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the sheet 110 to be attached to the plate-like object 100 may be a sheet of thermoplastic resin formed in a sheet shape without an adhesive layer. In this case, the sheet 110 is attached to the plate-like object 100 by heating and pressing the sheet 110 to the plate-like object 100. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1,1-2 Processing equipment 10 Chuck table 19 Holding surface 20 Processing Unit 30 Transport unit 40 Control Unit 71 Nozzle 100 Plate-shaped objects 201 Gas

Claims

1. A processing apparatus including a chuck table that holds a plate-like object on a holding surface, a processing unit that processes the plate-like object held on the chuck table, a transport unit that carries the plate-like object into and out of the chuck table, and a control unit that controls the chuck table, the processing unit, and the transport unit, the holding surface of the chuck table is connected to a suction source via a vacuum suction path, and the plate-like object placed on the holding surface is sucked and held by negative pressure introduced from the suction source to the holding surface via the vacuum suction path; The control unit blocks the introduction of negative pressure from the suction source to the holding surface through the vacuum suction path while no plate-like object is placed on the holding surface of the chuck table, and also sprays gas from an injection port provided on the holding surface or around the holding surface to form a protective layer of the gas on the surface of the holding surface, thereby preventing the adhesion of foreign matter.

2. The chuck table further comprises a holding surface connected to a gas supply source via a gas ejection path, 2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit blocks the introduction of negative pressure from the suction source to the holding surface through the vacuum suction path while no plate-like object is placed on the holding surface of the chuck table, and supplies gas from the gas supply source through the gas ejection path to the holding surface, thereby ejecting gas from the holding surface and forming a protective layer of the gas on the surface of the holding surface to prevent adhesion of foreign matter.

3. The chuck table further includes a nozzle for ejecting gas around the holding surface, 2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit blocks the introduction of negative pressure from the suction source to the holding surface through the vacuum suction path while no plate-like object is placed on the holding surface of the chuck table, and also sprays gas from the injection port to form a protective layer of the gas on the surface of the holding surface to prevent adhesion of foreign matter.

4. 4. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is a sheet adhering unit that adheres a sheet to the plate-like object held on the chuck table.

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