Washing device

Abstract

To provide a cleaning device that can reliably remove foreign matter attached to a workpiece.SOLUTION: A cleaning device 44 cleaning a workpiece 11 in a cutting device includes a holding unit 52 that holds the outer periphery of the workpiece, a rotation mechanism 58 that rotates the holding unit, and a cleaning unit 60 that cleans the back side of the workpiece. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning member 62 that contacts the back side of the workpiece, and a driving mechanism that moves the cleaning member toward and away from the back side of the workpiece.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a workpiece.

Background Art

[0002] By dividing a wafer on which a plurality of devices are formed into individual pieces, a plurality of device chips each including a device are manufactured. Further, a plurality of device chips are mounted on a predetermined base substrate, and the mounted device chips are covered with a sealing material (mold resin) made of resin, thereby obtaining a package substrate. By dividing the package substrate into individual pieces, a plurality of package devices each including a plurality of packaged device chips are manufactured. The device chips and the package devices are incorporated into various electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers.

[0003] For dividing workpieces (workpieces to be processed) such as wafers and package substrates, various processing devices are used. For example, a cutting device that cuts a workpiece with an annular cutting blade, a laser processing device that performs laser processing on a workpiece by irradiating a laser beam, a plasma processing device that performs plasma etching on a workpiece by supplying a plasma gas, etc., are used to process the workpiece.

[0004] When processing a workpiece with a processing device, foreign substances such as particles (dust, dirt, etc.) present in the processing device and chips (processing chips) generated by processing the workpiece may adhere to the workpiece. Therefore, a cleaning device for cleaning the workpiece is mounted on the processing device. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a cutting device equipped with a cleaning device (cleaning mechanism) including a spinner table that holds and rotates a workpiece and a nozzle that supplies cleaning water to the workpiece. By cleaning the workpiece with the cleaning device, foreign substances adhering to the workpiece are washed away, preventing contamination of the workpiece.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-229382 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] When processing workpieces with a processing machine, first, multiple workpieces are placed in a cassette, and the cassette is set in the processing machine. The processing machine then unloads the workpieces one by one from the cassette and performs the predetermined processing on them. After processing, the workpieces are cleaned by a cleaning device mounted on the processing machine and then placed back into the cassette. For example, the cleaning device cleans the workpieces by holding them on a spinner table and rotating them while supplying cleaning fluid to the upper surface of the workpieces from a nozzle located above the spinner table.

[0007] However, during workpiece cleaning, the underside of the workpiece is held by a spinner table. Therefore, even when the workpiece is cleaned by the cleaning device, the cleaning solution is not supplied to the underside of the workpiece, making it difficult to remove foreign matter adhering to the back side of the workpiece. As a result, the workpiece may become contaminated by foreign matter remaining on the back side. Furthermore, if a workpiece with foreign matter attached is fed into a cassette, the foreign matter may scatter within the cassette and adhere to other workpieces contained in the cassette.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a cleaning device that can reliably remove foreign matter adhering to a workpiece. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a cleaning apparatus for cleaning a workpiece comprises a holding unit for holding the outer periphery of the workpiece, a rotating mechanism for rotating the holding unit, and a cleaning unit for cleaning the back side of the workpiece, wherein the cleaning unit comprises a cleaning member that contacts the back side of the workpiece, and a driving mechanism for moving the cleaning member closer to and further away from the back side of the workpiece. The workpiece comprises a wafer, a sheet fixed to the wafer, and an annular frame supporting the wafer via the sheet, wherein the holding unit holds the frame and the cleaning unit cleans the sheet.A cleaning device is provided.

[0010] Preferably, the drive mechanism rotates the cleaning member. Preferably, the holding unit includes a clamp that can be positioned in a fixed position for securing the workpiece and an open position for releasing the workpiece, and a locking mechanism for locking the clamp positioned in the fixed position. Preferably, the cleaning unit includes Applicable The system further includes a nozzle for supplying fluid to the cleaning component. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] A cleaning apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cleaning unit capable of cleaning the back side of a workpiece. This ensures the reliable removal of foreign matter adhering to the back side of the workpiece, thereby preventing contamination of the workpiece by foreign matter. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a cutting machine. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the workpiece. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the cleaning device. [Figure 4] Figure 4(A) is a partial cross-sectional front view showing the cleaning device during workpiece transport, and Figure 4(B) is a front view showing the fixing mechanism during workpiece transport. [Figure 5] Figure 5(A) is a partial cross-sectional front view showing the cleaning device during workpiece cleaning, and Figure 5(B) is a front view showing the fixing mechanism during workpiece cleaning. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment according to one aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. First, an example of the configuration of a processing apparatus capable of mounting the cleaning device (cleaning mechanism) according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the cutting apparatus 2. In Figure 1, the X-axis direction (processing feed direction, first horizontal direction, front-back direction) and the Y-axis direction (indexing feed direction, second horizontal direction, left-right direction) are perpendicular to each other. Also, the Z-axis direction (vertical direction, up-down direction, height direction) is perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0015] The cutting device 2 includes a base 4 that supports or accommodates each component that makes up the cutting device 2. A rectangular opening 4a is provided at the front corner of the base 4, and a cassette support base (cassette elevator) 6 is provided inside the opening 4a. A lifting mechanism (not shown) is connected to the cassette support base 6 to raise and lower the cassette support base 6 along the Z-axis direction.

[0016] A cassette 8 capable of accommodating multiple workpieces (workpieces to be processed, objects to be cleaned) 11, which are the objects to be processed by the cutting device 2, is set on the cassette support base 6. In Figure 1, only the outline of the cassette 8 is shown by a dashed line. The workpieces 11 are workpieces to be processed by the processing unit 38 described later, and are also objects to be cleaned by the cleaning device 44 described later.

[0017] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the workpiece 11. For example, the workpiece 11 includes a disc-shaped wafer 13 made of a semiconductor material such as single-crystal silicon. The wafer 13 has a surface (first surface) 13a and a back surface (second surface) 13b that are generally parallel to each other.

[0018] The wafer 13 is partitioned into a plurality of rectangular regions by a plurality of streets (planned division lines) 15 arranged in a grid pattern so as to intersect each other. Further, devices 17 such as ICs (Integrated Circuits), LSIs (Large Scale Integration), LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), and MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) devices are formed in the plurality of regions partitioned by the streets 15 on the surface 13a side of the wafer 13.

[0019] By dividing the wafer 13 along the streets 15 and fragmenting it, a plurality of device chips each having a device 17 are manufactured. Note that there are no restrictions on the material, shape, structure, size, etc. of the wafer 13. For example, the wafer 13 may be a substrate made of a semiconductor other than silicon (GaAs, InP, GaN, SiC, etc.), glass, ceramics, resin, metal, or the like. Also, there are no restrictions on the type, quantity, shape, structure, size, arrangement, etc. of the device 17.

[0020] The wafer 13 is supported by an annular frame 19. The frame 19 is made of a metal such as SUS (stainless steel), for example, and a circular opening 19a penetrating the frame 19 in the thickness direction is provided at the central portion of the frame 19. Note that the diameter of the opening 19a is larger than the diameter of the wafer 13.

[0021] A sheet 21 is fixed to the wafer 13 and the frame 19. For example, as the sheet 21, a tape including a film-shaped base material formed in a circular shape and an adhesive layer (paste layer) provided on the base material is used. The base material is made of a resin such as polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, or the like, and the adhesive layer is made of an epoxy-based, acrylic-based, or rubber-based adhesive, or the like. Also, the adhesive layer may be an ultraviolet curable resin that is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

[0022] With the wafer 13 disposed inside the opening 19a of the frame 19, the central portion of the sheet 21 is attached to the back surface 13b side of the wafer 13, and the outer peripheral portion of the sheet 21 is attached to the frame 19. Thereby, the wafer 13 is supported by the frame 19 via the sheet 21, and a workpiece 11 (wafer unit, frame unit) including the wafer 13, the frame 19, and the sheet 21 is configured. Then, a plurality of workpieces 11 are accommodated in the cassette 8 shown in FIG. 1.

[0023] However, the configuration of the workpiece 11 is not limited to the above. For example, instead of the wafer 13, a package substrate such as a CSP (Chip Size Package) substrate or a QFN (Quad Flat Non-leaded package) substrate may be supported by the frame 19. For example, a package substrate is formed by encapsulating a plurality of device chips mounted on a base substrate with a resin layer (mold resin). By dividing and separating the package substrate, a plurality of package devices each including a plurality of packaged device chips are manufactured. Also, the wafer 13 or the package substrate may not be supported by the frame 19. In this case, the wafer 13 or the package substrate itself corresponds to the workpiece 11.

[0024] On the side of the opening 4a, a rectangular opening 4b is provided whose longitudinal direction is along the X-axis direction. Inside the opening 4b, a chuck table (holding table) 10 for holding the workpiece 11 is provided. The upper surface of the chuck table 10 is a flat surface generally parallel to the horizontal plane (XY plane), and constitutes a holding surface 10a for holding the workpiece 11. The holding surface 10a is connected to a suction source (not shown) such as an ejector via a suction path (not shown), a valve (not shown), etc. formed inside the chuck table 10.

[0025] A moving unit 12 is connected to the chuck table 10. For example, the moving unit 12 is a ball screw type moving mechanism and includes an X-axis ball screw (not shown) arranged along the X-axis direction and an X-axis pulse motor (not shown) that rotates the X-axis ball screw. The moving unit 12 also has a table cover 14 that surrounds the chuck table 10, and a bellows-shaped dustproof and waterproof cover 16 that can be extended and retracted along the X-axis direction is provided at the front and rear of the table cover 14. The components of the moving unit 12 (X-axis ball screw, X-axis pulse motor, etc.) are covered by the table cover 14 and the dustproof and waterproof cover 16.

[0026] The moving unit 12 moves the chuck table 10 along the X-axis direction together with the table cover 14. The chuck table 10 is also connected to a rotational drive source (not shown), such as a motor, which rotates the chuck table 10 around a rotation axis that is approximately parallel to the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, multiple clamps 18 are provided around the chuck table 10 to grip and fix the outer circumference (frame 19) of the workpiece 11.

[0027] A support structure 20 is provided in the area adjacent to the opening 4b of the base 4. The upper part of the support structure 20 is positioned along the Y-axis so as to overlap with the opening 4b. A movable unit 22 is also provided on the front side of the upper part of the support structure 20. For example, the movable unit 22 is a ball screw type movable mechanism.

[0028] Specifically, the mobile unit 22 includes a pair of Y-axis guide rails 24 fixed to the front side of the support structure 20. The pair of Y-axis guide rails 24 are arranged approximately parallel to each other along the Y-axis direction. A flat Y-axis mobile plate 26 is slidably mounted on the pair of Y-axis guide rails 24.

[0029] A nut portion (not shown) is provided on the back side (rear side) of the Y-axis moving plate 26. A Y-axis ball screw 28, which is positioned along the Y-axis direction between a pair of Y-axis guide rails 24, is screwed into this nut portion. A Y-axis pulse motor (not shown) that rotates the Y-axis ball screw 28 is connected to the end of the Y-axis ball screw 28. When the Y-axis ball screw 28 is rotated by the Y-axis pulse motor, the Y-axis moving plate 26 moves along the Y-axis guide rails 24 in the Y-axis direction.

[0030] On the front surface (front side) of the Y-axis moving plate 26, a pair of Z-axis guide rails 30 are arranged approximately parallel to each other along the Z-axis direction. A flat Z-axis moving plate 32 is slidably mounted on the pair of Z-axis guide rails 30.

[0031] A nut portion (not shown) is provided on the back side (rear side) of the Z-axis moving plate 32. A Z-axis ball screw 34, which is positioned along the Z-axis direction between a pair of Z-axis guide rails 30, is screwed into this nut portion. A Z-axis pulse motor 36, which rotates the Z-axis ball screw 34, is connected to the end of the Z-axis ball screw 34. When the Z-axis pulse motor 36 rotates the Z-axis ball screw 34, the Z-axis moving plate 32 moves along the Z-axis guide rails 30 in the Z-axis direction.

[0032] A machining unit (cutting unit) 38 for cutting the workpiece 11 is fixed to the lower part of the Z-axis moving plate 32. The machining unit 38 incorporates a cylindrical spindle (not shown) arranged along the Y-axis. An annular cutting blade 40 for cutting the workpiece 11 (wafer 13) is attached to the tip (one end) of the spindle. A rotational drive source (not shown), such as a motor, for rotating the spindle is connected to the base (other end) of the spindle.

[0033] The cutting blade 40 is an annular machining tool that cuts into the workpiece 11 and cuts the workpiece 11. It is formed by fixing abrasive grains made of diamond, cubic boron nitride (cBN), etc., with a bonding agent. The size of the cutting blade 40, the material of the abrasive grains, the particle size of the abrasive grains, the material of the bonding agent, etc., are appropriately selected according to the material of the workpiece, the content of the machining, the machining conditions, etc.

[0034] As the cutting blade 40, for example, a hub-type cutting blade (hub blade) can be used. The hub blade has a structure in which an annular base made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy and an annular cutting edge formed along the outer edge of the base are integrated. As the cutting edge of the hub blade, for example, an electroformed grinding wheel formed by fixing abrasive grains with a bonding material such as nickel plating can be used. On the other hand, a washer-type cutting blade (washer blade) can also be used as the cutting blade 40. The washer blade consists only of an annular cutting edge containing abrasive grains and a bonding material made of metal, ceramics, resin, etc.

[0035] The cutting blade 40 mounted on the processing unit 38 is moved along the Y-axis and Z-axis directions by the moving unit 22. This adjusts the position of the cutting blade 40 in the indexing feed direction and the cutting depth of the cutting blade 40 into the workpiece 11 (wafer 13).

[0036] An imaging unit 42 is provided adjacent to the processing unit 38 to image the workpiece 11 held by the chuck table 10. For example, the imaging unit 42 can be an optical microscope and a camera (visible light camera, infrared camera, etc.) equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD (Charged-Coupled Devices) sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) sensor. By imaging the workpiece 11 held by the chuck table 10 with the imaging unit 42, an image of the workpiece 11 is acquired. The image is used for alignment between the workpiece 11 and the cutting blade 40, etc.

[0037] On the side of opening 4b opposite to opening 4a, there is an opening 4c that defines a cylindrical cleaning space (cleaning chamber). Inside opening 4c, there is a cleaning device (cleaning mechanism) 44 for cleaning the workpiece 11.

[0038] When processing the workpiece 11 with the cutting device 2, the workpiece 11 housed in the cassette 8 is first transported to the chuck table 10 by a transport mechanism (not shown) and held by the chuck table 10. For example, the workpiece 11 is placed on the holding surface 10a such that the front surface 13a of the wafer 13 faces upward and the back surface 13b (sheet 21 side) of the wafer 13 faces the holding surface 10a. The outer periphery (frame 19) of the workpiece 11 is also fixed by multiple clamps 18. In this state, when the suction force (negative pressure) of the suction source is applied to the holding surface 10a, the wafer 13 is held by the chuck table 10 via the sheet 21.

[0039] Next, the workpiece 11 is processed by the processing unit 38. The processing unit 38 cuts the workpiece 11 by rotating the cutting blade 40 and cutting into the workpiece 11. For example, the cutting blade 40 cuts into the wafer 13 with a cutting depth that exceeds the thickness of the wafer 13, cutting the wafer 13 along the street 15 (see Figure 2). As a result, the wafer 13 is divided into multiple device chips, each containing a device 17 (see Figure 2).

[0040] The workpiece 11 processed by the processing unit 38 is transported to the washing device 44 by a transport mechanism (not shown) and washed by the washing device 44. After that, the workpiece 11 is transported to the cassette 8 by a transport mechanism (not shown) and placed back into the cassette 8.

[0041] When processing the workpiece 11 with the cutting device 2, foreign matter such as particles (dust, etc.) present in the cutting device 2 and scraps (processing waste) generated by the processing of the workpiece 11 may adhere to the workpiece 11. Therefore, the processed workpiece 11 is cleaned by the cleaning device 44 before being stored in the cassette 8. The cleaning device 44 is a cleaning mechanism capable of cleaning both the front side (the front surface 13a side of the wafer 13) and the back side (the bottom surface side of the sheet 21) of the workpiece 11. By cleaning the workpiece 11 with the cleaning device 44, foreign matter adhering to the front and back sides of the workpiece 11 is washed away, preventing contamination of the workpiece 11 and preventing foreign matter from entering the cassette 8.

[0042] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the cleaning device 44. The cleaning device 44 comprises a spinner table 50 that holds and rotates the workpiece 11, an annular cover 68 surrounding the spinner table 50, and a cleaning unit 70 that supplies cleaning fluid to the workpiece 11 held by the spinner table 50.

[0043] The spinner table 50 includes a holding unit (holding mechanism) 52 that holds the outer periphery (frame 19) of the workpiece 11. For example, the holding unit 52 includes a plurality of support members 54 that support the outer periphery of the workpiece 11, and a plurality of fixing mechanisms (clamping mechanisms) 56 that press and fix the outer periphery of the workpiece 11 supported by the plurality of support members 54.

[0044] The support members 54 are columnar pins made of, for example, metal or resin, and three or more support members 54 are arranged in a ring shape corresponding to the outer circumference (frame 19) of the workpiece 11. The upper surface of the support members 54 is a flat surface that is generally parallel to the horizontal plane (XY plane), and constitutes a support surface that supports the outer circumference of the workpiece 11. In addition, the support surfaces of the multiple support members 54 are generally arranged on the same plane. When the workpiece 11 is placed on the spinner table 50, the outer circumference of the workpiece 11 is supported by the multiple support members 54, and the workpiece 11 is held in a generally horizontal position.

[0045] The fixing mechanism 56 is, for example, a clamping mechanism that holds the outer periphery (frame 19) of the workpiece 11 from above, and two or more fixing mechanisms 56 are installed between two adjacent support members 54. When the surface side (upper side) of the outer periphery of the workpiece 11, which is supported by multiple support members 54, is held by multiple fixing mechanisms 56, the outer periphery of the workpiece 11 is gripped and clamped by the support members 54 and the fixing mechanisms 56. As a result, the workpiece 11 is held by the spinner table 50.

[0046] There are no restrictions on the number, arrangement, etc., of the support members 54 and fixing mechanisms 56. For example, four fixing mechanisms 56 are arranged in a ring at 90° intervals, and a pair of support members 54 (a total of eight) are provided on both sides of each fixing mechanism 56.

[0047] A rotation mechanism 58 is connected to the spinner table 50 to rotate the spinner table 50. The rotation mechanism 58 has a built-in rotation drive source such as a motor and rotates the spinner table 50 around a rotation axis that is roughly parallel to the Z-axis direction. When the rotation mechanism 58 is driven, the holding unit 52 (support member 54 and fixing mechanism 56) rotates while holding the outer circumference of the workpiece 11, and the workpiece 11 also rotates as a result.

[0048] The spinner table 50 also includes a cleaning unit 60 for cleaning the back side (bottom side) of the workpiece 11. The cleaning unit 60 includes a cleaning member 62 that contacts the back side of the workpiece 11, and a drive mechanism 64 (see Figures 4(A) and 5(A)) that moves the cleaning member 62 closer to and further away from the back side of the workpiece 11.

[0049] For example, the cleaning member 62 is a disc-shaped member whose diameter is greater than or equal to the radius of the wafer 13, and is positioned inside the holding unit 52 (inside the support member 54 and the fixing mechanism 56). The workpiece 11 is then placed on the spinner table 50 such that a portion of the wafer 13 and sheet 21 overlap with the cleaning member 62. However, there are no restrictions on the shape of the cleaning member 62. For example, the cleaning member 62 may be a columnar member whose length is greater than or equal to the radius of the wafer 13.

[0050] The cleaning unit 60 also includes a nozzle 66 for supplying fluid to the cleaning member. For example, the nozzle 66 is positioned adjacent to the cleaning member 62, and a fluid supply source (not shown) is connected to the nozzle 66 to supply cleaning fluid to the nozzle 66. As the cleaning fluid, a liquid such as pure water or a mixed fluid of a liquid (such as pure water) and a gas (such as air) can be used.

[0051] When the cleaning unit 60 cleans the workpiece 11, fluid is sprayed from the nozzle 66 toward the cleaning member 62, supplying fluid to both the workpiece 11 and the cleaning member 62. Additionally, the drive mechanism 64 (see Figures 4(A) and 5(A)) is driven to rotate and raise the cleaning member 62. This causes the cleaning member 62 to approach and contact the back (bottom) side of the workpiece 11, cleaning it by rubbing. Further details of the operation of the cleaning unit 60 will be described later.

[0052] An annular cover 68 is positioned around the spinner table 50, enclosing the top of the spinner table 50. A lifting mechanism (not shown), such as an air cylinder, is connected to the cover 68 to raise and lower it along the Z-axis.

[0053] During transport of the workpiece 11, the cover 68 is lowered to a position (transport position) that exposes the holding unit 52. This facilitates the transport of the workpiece 11 onto the spinner table 50 and the transport of the workpiece 11 from the spinner table 50. On the other hand, during cleaning of the workpiece 11, the cover 68 is raised to a position (cleaning position) that covers the workpiece 11 and the holding unit 52. This prevents the cleaning fluid from splashing to the outside during the cleaning of the workpiece 11.

[0054] Above the spinner table 50, a cleaning unit 70 is provided for cleaning the surface side of the workpiece 11 (the surface 13a side of the wafer 13). For example, the cleaning unit 70 is equipped with a nozzle 72 that supplies cleaning fluid to the surface side of the workpiece 11. A fluid supply source (not shown) is connected to the nozzle 72 to supply cleaning fluid to the nozzle 72. As the cleaning fluid, a liquid such as pure water or a mixed fluid of a liquid (such as pure water) and a gas (such as air) can be used.

[0055] An L-shaped support arm 74 is connected to the nozzle 72. The nozzle 72 is fixed to the tip (one end) of the support arm 74. A rotational drive source (not shown), such as a motor, which rotates the support arm 74 horizontally is connected to the base (other end) of the support arm 74. By rotating the support arm 74, the nozzle 72 can be positioned in a position that overlaps with the spinner table 50 (supply position) and in a position that does not overlap with the spinner table 50 (retracted position).

[0056] When cleaning the workpiece 11 with the cleaning device 44, the spinner table 50 holding the workpiece 11 is rotated by the rotation mechanism 58. Then, cleaning fluid is supplied from the nozzle 72 toward the surface side of the workpiece 11 (the surface 13a side of the wafer 13). As a result, the upper side of the workpiece 11 is cleaned. In addition, cleaning fluid is sprayed from the nozzle 66 toward the workpiece 11 and the cleaning member 62, and the cleaning member 62 rotates and comes into contact with the back side of the workpiece 11 (the bottom side of the sheet 21). As a result, the back side (bottom side) of the workpiece 11 is cleaned.

[0057] As described above, the cleaning device 44 can clean both the front (top) and back (bottom) sides of the workpiece 11 simultaneously. This ensures that foreign matter adhering to the workpiece 11 is reliably removed, preventing contamination of the workpiece 11 after processing. Furthermore, it prevents workpieces 11 with foreign matter adhering to them from being fed into the cassette 8 (see Figure 1), thus preventing contamination of other workpieces 11 stored in the cassette 8 by foreign matter.

[0058] The configuration of the cleaning unit 70 can be appropriately modified within a range that allows for cleaning of the surface side of the workpiece 11. For example, the cleaning unit 70 may be equipped with a cleaning member such as a sponge, nonwoven fabric, or brush instead of a nozzle 72. In this case, the surface side of the workpiece 11 can be cleaned by rubbing it with the cleaning member while rotating it and bringing it into contact with the surface side of the workpiece 11.

[0059] Next, the configuration and operation of the cleaning device 44 will be described in detail. Figure 4(A) is a partial cross-sectional front view showing the cleaning device 44 during the transport of the workpiece 11. The spinner table 50 comprises a cylindrical case 80. Inside the case 80, there is a cylindrical housing section (recess) 80a capable of accommodating each component that makes up the spinner table 50.

[0060] A disc-shaped first support base 82 is housed in the housing section 80a of the case 80. Multiple first support columns 84 are fixed to the upper surface of the outer circumference of the first support base 82. The multiple first support columns 84 are columnar members made of metal, resin, etc., and are arranged at roughly equal intervals along the outer edge of the first support base 82.

[0061] An annular support plate 86 is fixed to the upper ends of multiple first support columns 84. The support plate 86 is an annular member made of metal, resin, etc., and supports the holding unit 52 (see Figure 3). Specifically, multiple support members 54 are fixed to the upper surface of the support plate 86. In addition, a fixing mechanism 56 is connected to the outer circumference of the support plate 86.

[0062] Figure 4(B) is a front view showing the fixing mechanism 56 during transport of the workpiece 11. The fixing mechanism 56 includes a clamp 88 for fixing the workpiece 11 and a locking mechanism 94 for preventing the movement of the clamp 88 and locking the clamp 88.

[0063] The clamp 88 comprises an arm 90 that holds the outer circumference of the workpiece 11 and a connecting shaft 92 that connects the arm 90 to a support plate 86. One end of the arm 90 is provided with a pressing portion 90a that contacts the workpiece 11 (frame 19) and holds the surface side of the workpiece 11. The other end of the arm 90 is provided with a pressed portion (pressed pin) 90b that is pressed by a pressing pin 68a, which will be described later. In order to avoid damaging the workpiece 11 when the pressing portion 90a contacts the workpiece 11, it is preferable that the pressing portion 90a be made of a flexible material such as rubber or resin.

[0064] The connecting shaft 92 is a cylindrical member fixed to the support plate 86 (or a connecting member connected to the support plate 86), and is inserted into a through hole 90c provided in the arm 90. When the arm 90 is positioned so that the connecting shaft 92 is inserted into the through hole 90c, the arm 90 is mounted on the support plate 86 in a state where it can rotate around the connecting shaft 92.

[0065] The arm 90 is mounted such that the pressing portion 90a faces the center of the support plate 86 and the pressed portion 90b faces radially outward from the support plate 86. The through hole 90c of the arm 90 is located on the pressed portion 90b side (opposite side from the pressing portion 90a) of the arm 90's center of gravity. Therefore, the clamp 88 is configured such that, when no external force is acting on the arm 90, the pressing portion 90a side is lowered and the pressed portion 90b side is raised due to the weight of the arm 90.

[0066] The locking mechanism 94 includes a stationary block 96 that prevents the clamp 88 from moving, and a connecting shaft 98 that connects the stationary block 96 to the support plate 86. The connecting shaft 98 is a cylindrical member fixed to the support plate 86 (or a connecting member connected to the support plate 86), and is inserted into a through hole 96a provided in the stationary block 96. When the stationary block 96 is positioned so that the connecting shaft 98 is inserted into the through hole 96a, the stationary block 96 is mounted on the support plate 86 in a state where it can rotate around the connecting shaft 98.

[0067] The first support base 82 is connected to the rotation mechanism 58 via a cylindrical spindle 100. Specifically, an insertion hole 80b is provided in the center of the bottom surface of the case 80, connecting the inside and outside of the case 80, and the spindle 100 is inserted into the insertion hole 80b. The upper end of the spindle 100 is connected to the center of the first support base 82, and the lower end of the spindle 100 is fixed to the output shaft of the rotation drive source built into the rotation mechanism 58. When the rotation mechanism 58 is driven, the power from the rotation drive source is transmitted to the first support base 82 via the spindle 100, and each component connected to the first support base 82 (first support column 84, support plate 86, support member 54, fixing mechanism 56) rotates around a rotation axis that is roughly parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0068] Furthermore, a disc-shaped second support base 102 is housed in the housing section 80a of the case 80. The second support base 102 is positioned above the first support base 82, at a distance from the first support base 82. Multiple second support columns 104 are fixed to the upper surface of the outer circumference of the second support base 102. The second support columns 104 are columnar members made of metal, resin, etc., and are arranged at roughly equal intervals along the outer edge of the second support base 102.

[0069] Multiple disc-shaped cover plates 106 made of metal, resin, or the like are fixed to the upper ends of the second support columns 104. The cover plates 106 are provided with cylindrical openings 106a that penetrate through the cover plates 106 in the thickness direction. For example, the openings 106a are formed so that they extend from the outer circumference of the cover plate 106 to the center. A nozzle 66 is fitted into the upper surface of the central part of the cover plate 106. The nozzle 66 is connected to the opening 106a via a flow path 106b provided on the upper surface of the cover plate 106.

[0070] Furthermore, the second support base 102 supports the cleaning unit 60. The cleaning unit 60 is positioned so that the cleaning member 62 is inserted into the opening 106a of the cover plate 106. The cleaning member 62 comprises a disc-shaped base 108 made of metal, resin, etc., and a disc-shaped contact member 110 fixed to the upper surface of the base 108. The contact member 110 is a flexible material made of sponge, nonwoven fabric, brush, etc., and contacts the back side of the workpiece 11 to rub the back side of the workpiece 11.

[0071] The cleaning member 62 is connected to the drive mechanism 64 via a cylindrical spindle 112. For example, the drive mechanism 64 incorporates a rotational drive source such as a motor and a lifting mechanism such as an air cylinder for raising and lowering the rotational drive source. The upper end of the spindle 112 is connected to the central part of the cleaning member 62, and the lower end of the spindle 112 is fixed to the output shaft of the rotational drive source built into the drive mechanism 64.

[0072] When the drive mechanism 64 rotates the spindle 112, the cleaning member 62 rotates around a rotation axis that is approximately parallel to the Z-axis direction. Also, when the drive mechanism 64 raises or lowers the spindle 112, the cleaning member 62 also raises or lowers inside the opening 106a, moving closer to and further away from the back side of the workpiece 11 held by the spinner table 50.

[0073] The second support base 102 is supported by a cylindrical third support column 114. For example, a cylindrical insertion hole 100a is formed inside the spindle 100 along the length of the spindle 100, and the third support column 114 is inserted into the insertion hole 100a. The upper end of the third support column 114 is connected to the central part of the second support base 102, and the lower end of the third support column 114 is fixed to the rotation mechanism 58.

[0074] The third support column 114 is fixed to the housing of the rotating mechanism 58, but it is not connected to the output shaft of the rotation drive source built into the rotating mechanism 58. Therefore, even when the rotating mechanism 58 is driven and the spindle 100 is rotated, the second support base 102 does not rotate. This makes it possible to rotate the holding unit 52 (support member 54 and fixing mechanism 56) without changing the position of the cleaning unit 60 and the cover plate 106.

[0075] The cover 68 is positioned to surround the spinner table 50. Multiple pressure pins 68a are provided on the outer circumference of the upper end of the cover 68. The pressure pins 68a are, for example, columnar members formed to protrude downward from the inner wall of the cover 68, and the same number as the fixing mechanism 56 are provided. Each of the multiple pressure pins 68a is positioned to overlap with the pressed portion 90b on the inside of the cover 68.

[0076] When the spinner table 50 holds the workpiece 11, the cover 68 first lowers and is positioned in the transport position. At this time, the pressing pin 68a presses the pressed portion 90b of the arm 90 downward. As a result, the arm 90 rotates so that the pressing portion 90a side rises and the pressed portion 90b side falls. This causes the clamp 88 to open and is positioned in the release position (open position) for the workpiece 11.

[0077] Next, the workpiece 11 is transported onto the spinner table 50. At this time, the workpiece 11 is placed on the multiple support members 54 such that its front side (the front surface 13a side of the wafer 13) faces upward and its back side (the lower surface side of the sheet 21) faces the cleaning member 62 and the cover plate 106. In this way, the outer periphery (frame 19) of the workpiece 11 is supported by the multiple support members 54.

[0078] Figure 5(A) is a partial cross-sectional front view showing the cleaning device 44 during the cleaning of the workpiece 11. When the workpiece 11 is placed on the spinner table 50, the cover 68 rises and is positioned in the cleaning position. At this time, the pressing pin 68a separates from the pressed portion 90b of the arm 90, and the pressure on the arm 90 by the pressing pin 68a is released. The arm 90 then rotates so that the pressing portion 90a side is lowered and the pressed portion 90b side is raised. As a result, the clamp 88 closes and is positioned in the fixing position (fixing position) for the workpiece 11. Consequently, the pressing portion 90a of the arm 90 presses the outer circumference (frame 19) of the workpiece 11 from above, and the workpiece 11 is held between the support member 54 and the fixing mechanism 56.

[0079] Next, the rotating mechanism 58 is driven to rotate the spindle 100. As a result, the first support base 82 rotates together with the support member 54 and the fixing mechanism 56, and the workpiece 11, which is held between the support member 54 and the fixing mechanism 56, also rotates.

[0080] Figure 5(B) is a front view showing the fixing mechanism 56 during cleaning of the workpiece 11. When the fixing mechanism 56 rotates, centrifugal force acts on the clamp 88, pulling the pressed portion 90b of the arm 90 radially outward from the support plate 86. As a result, a downward force acts on the pressing portion 90a of the arm 90, pressing the pressing portion 90a against the outer circumference of the workpiece 11. This securely fixes the workpiece 11 to the spinner table 50.

[0081] Furthermore, as the spinner table 50 rotates, centrifugal force acts on the locking mechanism 94 located adjacent to the clamp 88, pulling the lower end of the stationary block 96 radially outward from the support plate 86. As a result, the upper end of the stationary block 96 fits into the recess 90d located at the lower end of the arm 90, causing the arm 90 and the stationary block 96 to engage. This prevents the arm 90 from moving (rotating) and locks the clamp 88, which is positioned in a fixed location.

[0082] Next, the nozzle 72 of the cleaning unit 70 is positioned at a supply location that overlaps with the center of the workpiece 11, and cleaning fluid (such as pure water) is dripped from the nozzle 72 toward the surface of the rotating workpiece 11. As a result, the fluid is supplied to the center of the workpiece 11 and flows from the center toward the outer edge. Consequently, foreign matter adhering to the surface of the workpiece 11 is washed away and removed.

[0083] Furthermore, while spraying cleaning fluid from the nozzle 66 toward the cleaning member 62 and the back side of the workpiece 11, the drive mechanism 64 is driven to rotate and raise the cleaning member 62. As a result, the cleaning member 62 is pressed against the back side of the workpiece 11 (the lower side of the sheet 21) and rotates to rub against the back side of the workpiece 11. As a result, foreign matter adhering to the back side of the workpiece 11 is washed away and removed. Note that if the back side of the workpiece 11 can be sufficiently cleaned by rotation alone, the cleaning member 62 may be brought into contact with the back side of the workpiece 11 without rotation.

[0084] During the cleaning of the workpiece 11, the cleaning member 62 contacts the workpiece 11 in a manner that pushes it upward. However, as mentioned above, the clamp 88 is locked by the locking mechanism 94, and the movement (rotation) of the clamp 88 is prevented (see Figure 5(B)). This prevents the clamp 88 from unintentionally releasing its hold on the workpiece 11 when the workpiece 11 is pressed against the cleaning member 62. In addition, by supporting the back side of the workpiece 11 with the cleaning member 62 during cleaning, it is possible to prevent the central part of the workpiece 11 from being pressed downwards and bending due to the spraying of fluid from the nozzle 72 onto the front side of the workpiece 11.

[0085] Once the cleaning of the workpiece 11 is complete, the rotation of the spinner table 50 and the cleaning member 62 stops. The cover 68 also lowers and is positioned in the transport position, and the pressed portion 90b of the arm 90 is pressed by the pressing pin 68a. As a result, the clamp 88 rotates and is positioned in the open position, releasing the workpiece 11 from the fixing mechanism 56. Subsequently, the workpiece 11 is transported from the spinner table 50 and loaded into the cassette 8 (see Figure 1).

[0086] As described above, the cleaning device 44 according to this embodiment includes a cleaning unit 60 capable of cleaning the back side of the workpiece 11. This ensures that foreign matter adhering to the back side of the workpiece 11 is reliably removed, preventing contamination of the workpiece 11 by foreign matter.

[0087] In this embodiment, the cutting device 2 (see Figure 1) is given as an example of a processing device on which the cleaning device 44 is mounted, but the cleaning device 44 can also be mounted on other processing devices. For example, the cleaning device 44 may be mounted on a grinding device equipped with a processing unit (grinding unit) for grinding the workpiece 11, a polishing device equipped with a processing unit (polishing unit) for polishing the workpiece 11, a laser processing device equipped with a processing unit (laser irradiation unit) for irradiating the workpiece 11 with a laser beam, and so on.

[0088] The grinding unit of the grinding device is equipped with a spindle, and an annular grinding wheel with multiple grinding wheels is mounted on the tip of the spindle. The grinding unit polishes the workpiece 11 by rotating the grinding wheel and bringing the grinding wheels into contact with the workpiece 11. The polishing unit of the polishing device is equipped with a spindle, and a disc-shaped polishing pad is mounted on the tip of the spindle. The polishing unit polishes the workpiece 11 by rotating the polishing pad and bringing it into contact with the workpiece 11.

[0089] The laser irradiation unit of the laser processing apparatus includes a laser oscillator that oscillates a laser of a predetermined wavelength, and an optical system that guides the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator to the workpiece 11. By irradiating the workpiece 11 with the laser beam from the laser irradiation unit, laser processing is performed on the workpiece 11.

[0090] Furthermore, the cleaning device 44 can also be mounted on a plasma processing device that performs plasma etching on the workpiece 11. The plasma processing device etches the workpiece 11 by supplying an etching gas in a plasma state to the workpiece 11.

[0091] Even in a grinding device, a polishing device, a laser processing device, a plasma processing device, etc., the workpiece 11 after processing is cleaned and then accommodated in a cassette. And when the cleaning device 44 is mounted on these processing devices, it becomes possible to clean the front and back surfaces of the workpiece 11 before the workpiece 11 is accommodated in the cassette.

[0092] In addition, the structures, methods, etc. according to the above embodiments can be appropriately changed and implemented as long as they do not deviate from the scope of the object of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0093] 11 Workpiece (Workpiece to be processed, Object to be cleaned) 13 Wafer 13a Front surface (First surface) 13b Back surface (Second surface) 15 Street (Division planned line) 17 Device 19 Frame 19a Opening 21 Sheet 2 Cutting device 4 Base 4a, 4b, 4c Openings 6 Cassette support base (Cassette elevator) 8 Cassette 10 Chuck table (Holding table) 10a Holding surface 12 Mobile Units 14 Table Covers 16 Dustproof and splashproof cover 18 clamps 20 Support structure 22 Mobile Units 24 Y-axis guide rails 26 Y-axis moving plate 28 Y-axis ball screw 30 Z-axis guide rail 32 Z-axis moving plate 34 Z-axis ball screw 36 Z-axis pulse motor 38 Machining Unit (Cutting Unit) 40 cutting blades 42 Imaging Units 44. Cleaning device (cleaning mechanism) 50 Spinner Table 52 Holding unit (holding mechanism) 54 Support Member 56 Fixing mechanism (clamping mechanism) 58 Rotation mechanism 60 Washing Units 62 Cleaning components 64 Drive mechanism 66 nozzles 68 Cover 68a Pressing pin 70 Washing Units 72 nozzles 74 Support Arm 80 cases 80a Storage section (recess) 80b Insertion hole 82 1st support stand 84 1st support pillar 86 Support Plate 88 Clamp 90 Arm 90a Pressing part 90b Pressed part (pressed pin) 90c through hole 90d recess 92 Connecting shaft 94 Locking mechanism 96 stationary blocks 96a Through hole 98 Connecting shaft 100 spindles 100a Insertion hole 102 Second support stand 104 Second support pillar 106 Cover Plate 106a aperture 106b Channel 108 base 110 Contact member 112 spindles 114 Third support pillar

Claims

1. A cleaning device for cleaning a workpiece, A holding unit that holds the outer periphery of the workpiece, A rotating mechanism for rotating the holding unit, The system includes a cleaning unit for cleaning the back side of the workpiece, The cleaning unit comprises a cleaning member that contacts the back side of the workpiece, and a drive mechanism that moves the cleaning member closer to and further away from the back side of the workpiece. The workpiece comprises a wafer, a sheet fixed to the wafer, and an annular frame that supports the wafer via the sheet. The holding unit holds the frame, The cleaning unit is a cleaning device characterized by cleaning the sheet.

2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive mechanism rotates the cleaning member.

3. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding unit comprises a clamp that can be positioned in a fixed position for fixing the workpiece and in an open position for releasing the workpiece, and a locking mechanism for locking the clamp positioned in the fixed position.

4. The cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a nozzle for supplying fluid to the cleaning member.

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