Dicing Equipment

Abstract

To provide a dicing device that reduces time and effort necessary for work of inputting blade information when a blade is replaced or reused and can prevent throughput from degrading as a whole.SOLUTION: A dicing device 10 installed to a hub 50 of a blade 12 includes: an RFID tag 52 that is storage means for storing blade information; and a controller 26 working as control means for controlling workpiece cutting process by the blade 12 on the basis of the blade information stored in the RFID tag 52.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dicing device, and more particularly to a dicing device that cuts a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer with a rotating blade while moving the workpiece and the blade relatively. [Background technology]

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, various processes are performed on the surface of a semiconductor wafer to produce multiple semiconductor elements each having an electronic device. After the electrical characteristics of each chip of the semiconductor element are inspected by an inspection device, the chip is cut into individual chips by a dicing machine rotating at high speed.

[0003] Blades wear over time and are replaced with new blades. Also, when the type of workpiece is changed, the blade may be replaced with a different type of blade that is compatible with that workpiece. When a blade is replaced in this way, the blade shape differs before and after replacement, so blade information regarding the shape of the replaced blade, etc., is registered in the dicing device. The dicing device controls the cutting depth of the blade into the workpiece, etc., based on the registered replaced blade information, and continues the cutting process.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a dicing device (processing device) that uses an operation screen for blade replacement to perform blade replacement work. When replacing the blade with this dicing device, the user is prompted to enter blade information such as lot ID, new / old information, blade outer diameter, blade thickness, and flange outer diameter, according to the instructions on the displayed operation screen.

[0005] Known blades include electroplated blades made of nickel-electroplated diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) abrasive grains, as well as metal-resin-bonded blades made of resin with metal powder mixed in. Blade sizes vary depending on the processing, but when dicing ordinary semiconductor wafers, blades with a diameter of 50 to 60 mm and a thickness of around 30 μm are used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-194326 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, with the dicing device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the operator must input blade information using the operation screen every time the blade is replaced, and the dicing device must be stopped during this input operation.

[0008] Furthermore, when reusing a blade, the latest blade information (such as the blade outer diameter and blade thickness) must be obtained using a separate detection device, and the latest blade information must also be entered.

[0009] As described above, conventional dicing devices have a problem in that the input of blade information when replacing or reusing the blade requires time and effort, which reduces the overall throughput.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to provide a dicing device that can reduce the effort and time required to input blade information when replacing or reusing a blade, and prevent a decrease in overall throughput. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the dicing device of the present invention comprises a processing unit that cuts the workpiece with a blade while moving the workpiece and the blade relative to each other, a read / write means that can read and write blade information to an RFID tag provided on the blade, and a control means that controls the processing unit based on the blade information read by the read / write means and writes blade information created or updated in connection with cutting by the processing unit to the RFID tag via the read / write means.

[0012] In one aspect of the dicing device according to the present invention, the blade information includes at least one of information on the outer diameter of the cutting edge of the blade, the thickness of the cutting edge, and the protrusion amount of the cutting edge.

[0013] In one aspect of the dicing device according to the present invention, the device further comprises a determining means for determining whether or not the blade is usable based on the blade information read by the read / write means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the time and effort required to input blade information when replacing or reusing a blade, and to prevent a decrease in overall throughput. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing a dicing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a processing unit of the dicing device shown in FIG. [Figure 3] (A) is a plan view of the blade, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of the blade. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a dicing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of blade information stored in an RFID tag. [Figure 6]1 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the dicing device of the present embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the dicing device of the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] First, a dicing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view showing a dicing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

[0018] 1, the dicing apparatus 10 of this embodiment is a dicing apparatus known as a twin-spindle dicer in which a pair of blades 12, 12 are arranged opposite each other. This dicing apparatus 10 is equipped with a processing unit 18 having a pair of spindles 14 with built-in high-frequency motors and blades 12 attached to their tips, and a work table 16 on which a semiconductor wafer W, which is a workpiece, is placed and which holds the semiconductor wafer W by suction. This processing unit 18 cuts the semiconductor wafer W with the blade 12 while moving the semiconductor wafer W and the blade 12 relative to each other.

[0019] The dicing apparatus 10 also has, at predetermined positions, a cleaning unit 20 that spin-cleans the processed semiconductor wafers W, a load port 22 on which a cassette containing a plurality of semiconductor wafers W is placed, and a transport device 24 that transports the semiconductor wafers W. The dicing apparatus 10 also has a built-in control unit (control means) 26 that controls the overall operation of each component of the dicing apparatus 10.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the processing unit 18. As shown in FIG.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 2, the processing unit 18 includes an X table 34. The X table 34 is guided by X guides 30, 30 provided on the X base 28, and is driven in the X direction indicated by the arrow XX by a linear motor 32. A rotary table 36 that rotates in the θ direction is fixed to the upper surface of the X table 34, and the work table 16 is provided on this rotary table 36. Therefore, the work table 16 is moved in the X direction by the X table 34, and rotated in the θ direction by the rotary table 36.

[0022] Processing unit 18 also includes a gate-shaped Y base 38 that straddles X base 28. A pair of Y tables 42, 42 are provided on the wall surface of Y base 38. The pair of Y tables 42, 42 are guided by Y guides 40, 40 fixed to the wall surface of Y base 38, and are driven in the Y direction indicated by arrow YY by a drive device made up of a stepping motor and a ball screw (not shown).

[0023] Z tables 44 are provided on the Y tables 42, respectively. The Z tables 44 are guided by Z guides (not shown) provided on the Y table 42, and are driven in the Z direction indicated by arrow ZZ by a drive device (not shown) made up of a stepping motor and a ball screw. Spindles 14 are fixed to the Z tables 44, facing each other, and blades 12 are attached to the tips of the spindles 14, facing each other.

[0024] With the above-described configuration of processing unit 18, blades 12, 12 are indexed in the Y direction and cut in the Z direction, while work table 16 is cut in the X direction and rotated in the θ direction. These operations are controlled by control unit 26 (see FIG. 1), and since the amount of cut in the Z direction in particular is controlled according to the protrusion amount of the cutting edge of blade 12, the new protrusion amount of the cutting edge is always input to control unit 26 of dicing device 10 whenever blade 12 is replaced. The protrusion amount of the cutting edge of blade 12 will be described later.

[0025] The X direction refers to one horizontal direction, the Y direction refers to a horizontal direction perpendicular to the X direction, the Z direction refers to a vertical direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions, and the θ direction refers to a rotation direction around the vertical axis.

[0026] FIG. 3A is a front view of the blade 12, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the blade 12.

[0027] 3(A) and (B), the blade 12 is configured by attaching a cutting edge 48 to the outer peripheral edge of one end surface of a hub (also called a flange) 50 made of an aluminum alloy or the like. The cutting edge 48 is provided on the hub 50 by electroforming abrasive grains such as diamond. In addition, a mounting hole 46 is provided in the center of the hub 50 for mounting the blade 12 on the spindle 14 of the dicing device 10.

[0028] The blade portion 48 is a portion that cuts into the semiconductor wafer W. The thickness t (also referred to as blade thickness) of the blade portion 48 is configured to be at least thinner than the thickness of the semiconductor wafer W. For example, when cutting a semiconductor wafer W having a thickness of 100 μm, the thickness t of the blade portion 48 is preferably 50 μm or less, more preferably 30 μm or less, and even more preferably 10 μm or less. The cross-sectional shape of the blade portion 48 may be a straight shape having a uniform thickness, or may be a tapered shape in which the thickness gradually decreases toward the outer periphery.

[0029] Here, the value ((φ1-φ2) / 2) obtained by subtracting the outer diameter φ2 of the hub 50 from the outer diameter φ1 of the blade 48 and dividing the result by 2 is the protrusion amount a of the blade 48. The protrusion amount a of the blade 48 is a value that decreases over the course of processing time, and is reset in the dicing device 10 each time the blade 12 is replaced with a new blade 12.

[0030] As described above, the protrusion amount a of the blade portion 48 is a major factor in controlling the cutting depth in the Z direction, and therefore, even during processing with the same blade 12, the protrusion amount a of the blade portion is indirectly measured by a detection device that detects the position of the cutting edge of the blade 12, and the measured protrusion amount a is updated in the control unit 26 of the dicing device 10. Also, when the blade 12 is replaced, the protrusion amount a of the blade portion 48 of the replaced blade 12 is reset in the control unit 26. In the case of a new blade 12, the protrusion amount a of the blade portion 48 is clearly stated as a catalog value.

[0031] 3A, the blade 12 in this embodiment is provided with an RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier) ​​tag 52. The RFID tag 52 is a readable and writable storage medium, and is provided on the surface of the blade 12.

[0032] The dicing device 10 of this embodiment has the following configuration in order to read and write blade information from and to the RFID tag 52 provided on the blade 12.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration for reading and writing RFID tags 52 provided on blade 12 of dicing device 10 of this embodiment.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, the dicing device 10 of this embodiment includes a reader / writer (read / write means) 54 that reads and writes blade information to an RFID tag 52 provided on the blade 12, and a control unit 26 that controls the processing unit 18 based on the blade information read by the reader / writer 54 and also controls the writing of the latest blade information to the RFID tag 52 via the reader / writer 54.

[0035] The control unit 26 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) 56 that stores the blade information read by the reader / writer 54. The control unit 26 controls the processing unit 18 described above while referring to the blade information stored in the RAM 56.

[0036] In addition, RAM 56 stores blade information (latest blade information) created or updated in conjunction with cutting processing by processing unit 18, and as described below, control unit 26 writes the latest blade information stored in RAM 56 to RFID tag 52 using reader / writer 54.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of blade information stored in the RFID tag 52. As shown in FIG.

[0038] 5, the blade information stored in the RFID tag 52 includes at least the outer diameter φ1, thickness t, and protrusion amount a of the cutting edge 48 of the blade 12. In addition to these, other information may also be included, such as the type of abrasive grains in the blade 12, the grain size (grit), concentration (content), and type of binder. The blade information may be catalog values ​​or detailed information measured after the blade 12 is manufactured.

[0039] Next, the operation of the dicing device 10 of this embodiment will be described.

[0040] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the dicing device 10 of this embodiment. .

[0041] 6, in the dicing apparatus 10, the blade information stored in the RFID tag 52 is read by the reader / writer 54 before or after the blade 12 is attached to the spindle 14 (step S100). At this time, the blade information read by the reader / writer 54 is stored in the RAM 56 of the control unit 26.

[0042] Next, the control unit 26 controls the processing unit 18 based on the blade information read by the reader / writer 54 (specifically, the blade information stored in the RAM 56) (step S110).

[0043] Specifically, when driving the processing unit 18 in the Y or Z direction, the control unit 26 controls the amount of movement in the Y or Z direction by mainly referring to the blade information read from the RFID tag 52, i.e., the blade outer diameter φ1, the blade thickness t, and the blade protrusion amount a. This enables cutting processing specialized for that blade 12.

[0044] Next, when processing by processing unit 18 is completed or in the middle of processing, control unit 26 controls reader / writer 54 to write the latest blade information to RFID tag 52 (step S120). The blade information written to RFID tag 52 is read again by reader / writer 54 when blade 12 is reused, and control unit 26 controls processing unit 18 based on the read information.

[0045] In step S120, the blade information written to the RFID tag 52 includes, as described above, information about the shape of the blade 12, as well as history information about the use of the blade 12 (such as the time of use, an identification code identifying the dicing device used, and error information about the dicing device). Information about the shape of the blade 12 is written to the RFID tag 52 by the reader / writer 54 when the blade 12 is removed from the spindle 14 or when processing by the processing unit 18 is completed. For example, if the dicing device 10 is equipped with a detection device that detects the position of the cutting edge of the blade 12, the outer diameter φ1 and protrusion amount a of the cutting edge 48 are calculated from the detection results of the detection device and written to the RFID tag 52 as the latest blade information. As a result, the latest outer diameter φ1 and protrusion amount a are updated and written to the RFID tag 52 of the blade 12 as needed. Alternatively, the outer diameter φ1 and protrusion amount a may be written to the RFID tag 52 of the blade 12 while keeping a history of the outer diameter φ1 and protrusion amount a each time processing is completed. This makes it possible to grasp the number of times the blade 12 has been replaced and the amount of wear of the blade 12 after one use, and this information can be used for maintenance of the blade 12, etc.

[0046] In the dicing device 10 of this embodiment, the RFID 52 of the blade 12 stores the latest blade information, making it possible to instantly determine whether the blade 12 is usable or not based on the blade information read by the reader / writer 54 without using a separate detection device.

[0047] 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the dicing device 10 of this embodiment, illustrating the process of determining whether or not the blade 12 is usable based on the blade information read by the reader / writer 54. It is assumed that the dicing device 10 has a preset minimum value (minimum protrusion amount) of the protrusion amount a of the blade portion 48 set as a reference value (threshold value) for determining whether or not the blade 12 is usable. The minimum value of the protrusion amount a of the blade portion 48 may be set by the user via an input unit (not shown).

[0048] 7, first, before or after the blade 12 is attached to the spindle 14, the blade information stored in the RFID tag 52 is read by the reader / writer 54 (step S200). At this time, the blade information read by the reader / writer 54 is stored in the RAM 56 of the control unit 26.

[0049] Next, the control unit 26 functions as the determination means of the present invention, and compares the protrusion amount (current protrusion amount) a of the blade portion 48 contained in the blade information read by the reader / writer 54 with the above-mentioned minimum protrusion amount, and determines whether the current protrusion amount a is greater than the minimum protrusion amount (S210).

[0050] In step S210, if the control unit 26 determines that the current protrusion amount a is greater than the minimum protrusion amount, it determines that the blade 12 is usable (step S220). In this case, the processing unit 18 is set to a state where it can perform processing. On the other hand, if the control unit 26 determines that the current protrusion amount a is smaller than the minimum protrusion amount (or is equal to or less than the minimum protrusion amount), it determines that the blade 12 is unusable (step S230). In this case, the processing unit 18 is set to a state where it cannot perform processing, and a message indicating that the blade 12 needs to be replaced is displayed on the monitor (not shown).

[0051] This completes the processing shown in the flowchart.

[0052] As described above, according to the dicing apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the blade 12 is provided with an RFID tag 52, and blade information (such as the outer diameter φ1, thickness t, and protrusion amount a of the cutting edge 48) stored in the RFID tag 52 is automatically read, and processing is performed based on the read blade information. Furthermore, because the latest blade information is written to the RFID tag 52 of the blade 12, there is no need to re-obtain the latest blade information when the blade 12 is reused as a used blade. This reduces the effort and time required to input blade information when replacing or reusing the blade 12, and prevents a decrease in throughput due to the replacement of the blade 12. As a result, the operating time of the dicing apparatus 10 can be increased, enabling overall throughput to be improved.

[0053] Furthermore, in the dicing apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the latest blade information is stored in the RFID 52 of the blade 12, so it is possible to instantly determine whether the blade 12 is usable or not based on the blade information read by the reader / writer 54, without using a separate detection device. In other words, the dicing apparatus 10 automatically determines whether the blade 12 is usable or not, thereby reducing the burden of confirmation work on the user.

[0054] Furthermore, in the dicing device 10 of this embodiment, the blade 12 is provided with an RFID tag 52 as a readable and writable storage medium, so that in addition to the outer diameter φ1, thickness t, protrusion amount a, etc. of the cutting portion 48, historical information on the usage process (usage time, identification code identifying the dicing device used, and defect information for the dicing device) can be written to the RFID tag 52 as blade information.

[0055] Furthermore, since blade information can be read and written to the RFID tag 52 without contact using the reader / writer 54, it is possible to read and write blade information even in an environment where cutting water, cooling water, and cutting powder are scattered. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] W...workpiece, 10...dicing device, 12...blade, 14...spindle, 16...work table, 18...processing section, 20...cleaning section, 22...load port, 24...transport device, 26...control section, 28...X base, 30...X guide, 32...linear motor, 34...X table, 36...rotary table, 38...Y base, 40...Y guide, 42...Y table, 44...Z table, 46...mounting hole, 48...blade section, 50...hub, 52...RFID tag, 54...reader / writer, 56...RAM

Claims

1. A dicing device comprising: a workpiece; a blade composed of an annular cutting portion and a hub that holds the cutting portion; and a spindle that rotates the blade, wherein the blade rotated by the spindle is moved relatively to the workpiece, and the dicing device cuts the workpiece with the blade, a storage means provided in the hub for storing blade information; a reading means for reading the blade information from the storage means of the blade attached to the spindle; a control means for controlling cutting of the workpiece by the blade based on the blade information read by the reading means; A dicing device comprising:

2. The system further includes a determination unit that determines whether the blade is usable or not based on the blade information stored in the storage unit. The dicing device according to claim 1 .

3. the storage means is an RFID tag; 3. The dicing device according to claim 1 or 2.

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