Protective member forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide a protective member forming device that can determine whether a predetermined amount of liquid resin is being supplied at an early stage of a process of supplying liquid resin, and can reduce the time required to remove a defective wafer.SOLUTION: In a protective member forming device (1), a control unit (40) includes a first determination unit (42) that determines that a predetermined amount of liquid resin (31) has not been inhaled when a value detected by a load detection unit (41) while sucking liquid resin into a cylinder (302) is less than a preset first threshold value, and a second determination unit (43) that determines that the liquid resin (31) has not been discharged in a predetermined amount when the value detected by the load detection unit (41) while discharging the liquid resin (31) in the cylinder (31) is less than a preset second threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a protective member forming apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] When performing grinding or the like on a wafer, a protective member is formed to protect the entire one surface of the wafer. The protective member is formed by curing a liquid resin. The liquid resin is supplied onto a sheet placed on a table of a protective member forming apparatus, and a holding part that holds the wafer above the table is lowered. After spreading the liquid resin with the wafer held by the holding part, the liquid resin is cured to form a protective member composed of resin and a sheet on the entire one surface of the wafer.

[0003] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, in the process of forming the protective member, a predetermined amount of liquid resin is supplied by a dispenser. Further, in Patent Document 2, whether or not a predetermined amount of liquid resin has been supplied is determined by bringing the distance between the wafer holding part holding the wafer and the table on which the sheet is placed closer to a predetermined distance and detecting the load value when the liquid resin is pushed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Here, problems arise where the dispenser cannot draw in and dispense a predetermined amount of liquid resin due to issues such as dispenser leakage or the viscosity of the liquid resin being higher than the desired viscosity, resulting in an inability to supply the predetermined amount of liquid resin and thus an inability to form the desired protective member. Furthermore, the liquid resin or protective member must be removed from the defective wafers where protective member formation failed, and this removal process is time-consuming.

[0006] Therefore, in order to prevent failures in forming protective members, the protective member forming apparatus needs to determine whether the supplied liquid resin is in a predetermined amount or not at an early stage in the process of supplying the liquid resin.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a protective member forming apparatus that can determine whether the supplied liquid resin is in a predetermined amount or not at an early stage in the liquid resin supply process, thereby reducing the time required to remove defective wafers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The protective member forming apparatus of the present invention comprises a sheet holding table for holding a sheet, a wafer holding table for holding a wafer, a lifting means for bringing the sheet holding table and the wafer holding table closer together and further apart, a dispenser for supplying a predetermined amount of liquid resin to a sheet held on the sheet holding table or a wafer held on the wafer holding table, and a control unit, wherein the dispenser comprises a cylinder for sucking in and discharging liquid resin, an expansion and contraction means for expanding and contracting the volume inside the cylinder, a load detection unit for detecting the driving load of the expansion and contraction means, an intake passage for sucking liquid resin into the cylinder, an intake valve for opening and closing the intake passage, a discharge passage for discharging liquid resin from inside the cylinder, and a discharge valve for opening and closing the discharge passage, and the control unit comprises inhalationA first determination unit determines that a predetermined amount of liquid resin has not been drawn in when the value detected by the load detection unit is less than a preset first threshold while the valve is open, the discharge valve is closed, the volume inside the cylinder is expanded, and liquid resin is being drawn into the cylinder, and the discharge valve is opened, inhalation The device is characterized by comprising: a second determination unit that determines that a predetermined amount of liquid resin has not been discharged when the value detected by the load detection unit is less than a preset second threshold value while the valve is closed, the volume inside the cylinder is reduced, and the liquid resin inside the cylinder is being discharged; and a second determination unit that determines that a predetermined amount of liquid resin has not been discharged.

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, the expansion / contraction means comprises a motor which is a drive source for expanding and contracting the volume inside the cylinder, and the load detection unit detects the load current value of the motor.

[0010] One aspect of the present invention includes a pressure gauge for measuring the pressure inside the cylinder, and the load detection unit detects the value of the pressure gauge. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the protective member forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to determine whether the supplied liquid resin is in a predetermined amount before the wafer comes into contact with the liquid resin, thereby reducing the time required to remove defective wafers. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the protective member forming apparatus of this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the dispenser. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the dispenser during inhalation. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the dispenser during dispensing. [Figure 5] This graph illustrates an example of how the load detection unit of this embodiment determines whether the supplied liquid resin is in a predetermined amount based on the detected value. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The liquid resin curing determination method and protective member forming apparatus according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 shows the whole and a part of the protective member forming apparatus according to this embodiment. Figures 2 to 4 are diagrams illustrating the configuration of the dispenser and the operation of the dispenser. Figure 5 is a graph illustrating an example of determining whether the supplied liquid resin is a predetermined amount based on the detection value detected by the load detection unit of this embodiment.

[0014] The X, Y, and Z axes shown in each diagram are perpendicular to each other. The X and Y axes are approximately horizontal, while the Z axis is vertical. In each diagram, of the two arrows indicating the X axis, the side with the letter X is considered the left, and the side without the letter X is considered the right. Of the two arrows indicating the Y axis, the side with the letter Y is considered the front, and the side without the letter Y is considered the back. Of the two arrows indicating the Z axis, the side with the letter Z is considered the top, and the side without the letter Z is considered the bottom.

[0015] The protective member forming apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 is an example of an apparatus that forms a protective member by curing a liquid resin, which has been spread over the entire surface of one side of a wafer W, by applying an external stimulus. In Figure 1, the external housing 10 of the protective member forming apparatus 1 is shown by a dashed line, and the internal components of the external housing 10 are shown in a transparent view. Of the wafer W, the side facing upwards during processing in the protective member forming apparatus 1 is called the upper surface Wa, and the side facing downwards is called the lower surface Wb.

[0016] As will be described later, in the protection member forming apparatus 1, a liquid resin 31 is supplied onto a sheet 30 placed on a sheet holding table 16, and the wafer W held by the wafer holding unit 20 is operated so as to be pressed against the liquid resin 31 from above the sheet holding table 16. When the lower surface Wb of the wafer W is pressed toward the sheet 30, the liquid resin 31 is spread between the wafer W and the sheet 30. In this state, an external stimulus is applied to the liquid resin 31 to cure it, and a protection member is formed by the cured resin and the sheet 30. Further, the wafer W to which the cured resin and the sheet 30 are attached may be referred to as a workpiece.

[0017] Such a series of operations is performed under the control of a control unit 40 (FIG. 1) that comprehensively controls the protection member forming apparatus 1. Regarding the operations of each part described below, if the subject of control is not specified, it is assumed that the operation is controlled by a control signal sent from the control unit 40.

[0018] The wafer W is, for example, a disk-shaped as-cut wafer cut out from an ingot such as a cylindrical silicon. Note that the wafer W is not limited to an as-cut wafer before device formation, and may be a device wafer after device formation or the like.

[0019] The protection member forming apparatus 1 includes a cassette storage unit 11 at one end side (left end) in the X-axis direction of the external housing 10. In the cassette storage unit 11, upper and lower two-stage storage spaces 111 and 112 are formed. In the upper storage space 111, a carry-in side cassette C1 for storing a plurality of wafers W before the protection member is formed is placed. In the lower storage space 112, a carry-out side cassette C2 for storing the wafer W after the protection member is formed is placed. The cassette C1 and the cassette C2 can each store a plurality of wafers W.

[0020] On the right side of the cassette storage unit 11 in the X-axis direction, a temporary placement table 13 and a sheet cutting table 14 are provided. The temporary placement table 13 is located on the upper side, and the sheet cutting table 14 is located on the lower side. The temporary placement table 13 is provided with a wafer detection unit 131 for detecting the center position and orientation of the wafer W before the protective member is formed. The sheet cutting table 14 is provided with a sheet cutter 141 for cutting the sheet 30 adhered to the wafer W along the outer shape of the wafer W.

[0021] On the front side in the Y-axis direction with respect to the temporary placement table 13 and the sheet cutting table 14, a first wafer transfer means 12 for carrying in and out the wafer W with respect to each cassette C1, C2 is provided. The first wafer transfer means 12 includes a robot hand 122 supported on a pedestal 121, and the pedestal 121 is movably supported along a pair of guide rails 123 extending in the Y-axis direction. The pedestal 121 includes a screwing portion (not shown) that screws with a ball screw 124 extending in the Y-axis direction. When the ball screw 124 is rotated by the driving force of a motor, the pedestal 121 moves in the Y-axis direction.

[0022] The first wafer transfer means 12 transfers the wafer W between the cassette storage unit 11, the temporary placement table 13, and the sheet cutting table 14 by the movement of the pedestal 121 in the Y-axis direction and the operation of the robot hand 122. More specifically, the first wafer transfer means 12 can carry out the wafer W before the protective member is formed from the cassette C1 in the accommodation space 111 and place it on the temporary placement table 13. Also, the first wafer transfer means 12 can carry out the wafer W after the protective member is formed from the sheet cutting table 14 and carry it into the cassette C2 in the accommodation space 112.

[0023] The protective member forming apparatus 1 is equipped with a base 15 on the right side in the X-axis direction relative to the temporary placement table 13 and the sheet cutting table 14. A sheet holding table 16 is provided on the base 15. The sheet holding table 16 is made of a translucent material such as quartz glass and is formed in a disc shape. The upper surface of the sheet holding table 16 is a flat sheet support surface 161 on which the sheet 30 is placed.

[0024] The sheet conveying unit 17 transports and places the sheet 30 onto the sheet support surface 161 of the sheet holding table 16. The sheet conveying unit 17 includes a sheet supply unit 171 that supports the rolled sheet 30, an arm 172 that is movable in the X-axis direction, and a clamp unit 173 attached to the side of the arm 172. The sheet conveying unit 17 holds the rolled sheet 30 supported by the sheet supply unit 171 with the clamp unit 173, and places the sheet 30 onto the sheet support surface 161 of the sheet holding table 16 by moving the arm 172 in the X-axis direction and pulling the sheet 30.

[0025] The sheet 30 is made of a light-transmitting material. For example, a film made of polyethylene terephthalate can be used as the sheet 30. However, a sheet 30 made of a material other than this may also be used.

[0026] Multiple suction holes (not shown) are formed in the sheet support surface 161 of the sheet holding table 16. The suction holes are connected to a suction source. By operating the suction source and applying suction force to the suction holes, the sheet 30 placed on the sheet support surface 161 is held in place by suction to the sheet support surface 161.

[0027] Near the sheet holding table 16, a resin supply unit 18 is provided to supply a predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 to the upper surface of the sheet 30 on the sheet support surface 161. The resin supply unit 18 comprises a dispenser 300 connected to a tank 350 provided in the base 15, and a resin supply nozzle 352 connected to a connecting pipe 351 extending from the dispenser 300. The resin supply nozzle 352 is rotatable about an axis oriented in the Z-axis direction, and can be positioned above the sheet holding table 16 or retracted from above the sheet holding table 16.

[0028] The liquid resin 31 stored in the tank 350 is sent to the dispenser 300 via the connecting pipe 351. The dispenser 300 sends the liquid resin 31 to the resin supply nozzle 352 via the connecting pipe 353, and the resin supply nozzle 352 drips the liquid resin 31 downwards. The amount of liquid resin 31 supplied from the resin supply nozzle 352 can be adjusted by the dispenser 300.

[0029] The liquid resin 31 has the property of hardening in response to external stimuli. In this embodiment, an ultraviolet-curing resin that hardens upon irradiation with ultraviolet light is used.

[0030] A column 19 is provided that protrudes upward from the base 15 at a position to the left of the sheet holding table 16 in the X-axis direction. The column 19 is provided with a lifting mechanism 21 that moves the wafer holding section 20 in the Z-axis direction to move it closer to and further away from the sheet holding table 16. The lifting mechanism 21 includes a pair of guide rails 211 extending in the Z-axis direction, a lifting table 212 supported so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction relative to the pair of guide rails 211, and a ball screw 213 (see Figure 2) extending in the Z-axis direction and screwed into a threaded portion of the lifting table 212. When the ball screw 213 is rotated by the driving force of the motor 214, the lifting table 212 moves in the Z-axis direction along the pair of guide rails 211. When the ball screw 213 is rotated in a first direction, the lifting table 212 moves downward, and when the ball screw 213 is rotated in a second direction, the lifting table 212 moves upward.

[0031] The wafer holder 20 is supported by a lifting table 212, and the wafer holder 20 moves in the Z-axis direction in conjunction with the lifting table 212. The wafer holder 20 includes a disc-shaped wafer holder table 201. Although not shown, a disc-shaped porous member is provided on the underside of the wafer holder table 201. The underside of the porous member is the wafer holding surface located above the sheet holding table 16. The wafer holding surface is substantially parallel to the sheet support surface 161 of the sheet holding table 16.

[0032] The porous member can hold the upper surface Wa of the wafer W at the wafer holding surface by applying suction force by operating a suction source.

[0033] With the upper surface Wa of the wafer W held by the wafer holding surface of the wafer holding section 20 by suction (Figure 2), when the wafer holding section 20 is lowered by the lifting means 21, the lower surface Wb of the wafer W comes into contact with the liquid resin 31 supplied onto the sheet 30, and the liquid resin 31 is spread out by the force of lowering the wafer W.

[0034] A curing means 23 is provided at the bottom of the sheet holding table 16 to cure the liquid resin 31 that has been dropped onto the sheet 30 on the sheet support surface 161 by applying an external stimulus. When the liquid resin 31 is an ultraviolet curing type, the curing means 23 (not shown) is equipped with multiple ultraviolet irradiation units capable of emitting ultraviolet UV light, and cures the liquid resin 31 by irradiating it with ultraviolet UV light through the light-transmitting sheet holding table 16 and sheet 30.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, a second wafer transport means 25 is provided on the front side in the Y-axis direction relative to the base 15. The second wafer transport means 25 includes a robot hand 252 supported on a base 251, and the base 251 is movably supported along a pair of guide rails 253 extending in the X-axis direction. The base 251 has a threaded portion (not shown) that screws onto a ball screw 254 extending in the X-axis direction. When the ball screw 254 is rotated by the driving force of the motor, the base 251 moves in the X-axis direction.

[0036] The second wafer transport means 25 transports wafers W between the temporary storage table 13 and the sheet cutting table 14 and the wafer holding unit 20 by moving the base 251 in the X-axis direction and operating the robot hand 252. More specifically, the second wafer transport means 25 can receive and transport wafers W from the temporary storage table 13 before the protective member is formed and hand them over to the wafer holding table 201 of the wafer holding unit 20. In addition, the second wafer transport means 25 can retrieve wafers W from the wafer holding table 201 of the wafer holding unit 20 after the protective member has been formed and transport them to the sheet cutting table 14.

[0037] The protective member forming apparatus 1 is centrally controlled by a control unit 40 (Figure 1), which consists of a processor that performs various processes and a memory that stores various parameters and programs.

[0038] The memory unit of the control unit 40 stores programs for executing various processes. For example, it stores programs for controlling the suction and discharge of liquid resin 31 by the dispenser 300 and executing various processes. The load detection unit 41 detects the drive load of the cylinder extension / retraction mechanism, which will be described later, for the dispenser 300.

[0039] The control unit 40 includes a first determination unit 42 and a second determination unit 43. The first determination unit 42 determines whether a predetermined amount of liquid resin has been drawn in when the liquid resin 31 is drawn in, based on a preset threshold value detected by the load detection unit 41. The second determination unit 43 determines whether a predetermined amount of liquid resin has been discharged when the liquid resin 31 is discharged, based on a preset threshold value detected by the load detection unit 41.

[0040] The protective member forming apparatus 1 is equipped with an alarm device 44. If the first determination unit 42 and the second determination unit 43 determine that a predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 has not been inhaled or discharged, the alarm device 44 The worker is notified through the following means. The notification device 44 consists of a speaker, monitor screen, indicator lights, etc., installed on the external housing 10, and notifies the worker through sound from the speaker, error display on the monitor screen, and changes in the display pattern of the indicator lights (changes in lighting pattern, changes in color, etc.).

[0041] The configuration of the dispenser 300 in the protective member forming apparatus 1, which is configured as described above, will now be explained.

[0042] Figure 2 shows the configuration of the dispenser 300. The dispenser 300 includes a cylinder 302 for containing and dispensing liquid resin 31, and an extension / retraction mechanism 310 for extending and retracting the cylinder 302. An intake valve 320 opens and closes the intake passage 303. On the other hand, a discharge valve 330 opens and closes the discharge passage 304.

[0043] The cylinder 302 has a bellows structure and is formed in a cylindrical shape. Liquid resin 31 is supplied to the cylinder 302 from the intake passage 303 via a connecting pipe 351 connected to the tank 350. The supplied liquid resin 31 is then discharged from the nozzle 352 via the discharge passage 304 and the connecting pipe 353.

[0044] The telescopic mechanism 310 comprises a ball screw 311, a servo motor 312 connected to one end of the ball screw 311, an encoder 315 connected to the ball screw 311 or the servo motor 312, a bearing portion 313 connected to the other end of the ball screw 311, and a movable base 314 having a nut structure at its end that screws onto the ball screw 311, and moving in the directions of arrows A and B in the extending direction of the ball screw 311 as the ball screw 311 rotates.

[0045] The cylinder 302 is connected to the connecting plate 307 by a connecting portion 302a and communicates with the flow path 370 of the connecting plate 307. The bottom portion 302b of the cylinder 302 is connected to the movable base 314 of the telescopic mechanism 310. When the telescopic mechanism 310 is operated, the ball screw 311 is rotated by the drive of the servo motor 312. This moves the movable base 314 in a direction parallel to the central axis of the cylinder 302, allowing the cylinder 302 to be extended and retracted in the directions of arrows A and B.

[0046] The movement of the movable base 314 expands or contracts the volume inside the cylinder 302. Note that the cylinder 302 is not limited to a bellows structure. The cylinder may be cylindrical. In the case of a cylindrical cylinder, it may be equipped with a piston that can move inside in the directions of arrows A and B, and a shaft that connects the piston to the bottom 302b, so that the piston moves in conjunction with the movement of the movable base 314, thereby expanding or contracting the volume inside the cylinder.

[0047] Furthermore, by detecting the rotation angle of the encoder 315, the volume inside the cylinder is adjusted to a predetermined size, thereby controlling the amount of liquid resin 31 discharged.

[0048] Furthermore, the extension / retraction mechanism 310 is not limited to an electric actuator as described above. It may also be a pneumatic actuator or a hydraulic actuator.

[0049] The load current value, which is the driving load of the servo motor 312 during suction or discharge, is sent to the load detection unit 41.

[0050] Furthermore, the cylinder 302 is equipped with a pressure gauge 308 at the connecting portion 302a. The pressure gauge 308 measures the pressure applied inside the cylinder 302 during suction or discharge, and may be configured to send the pressure value measured by the pressure gauge 308 to the load detection unit 41 as the driving load.

[0051] Alternatively, two pressure gauges may be used to measure the pressure during inhalation and discharge separately. inhalation The system may include an intake pressure gauge for measuring the pressure in the passage 303 and a discharge pressure gauge for measuring the pressure in the discharge passage 304 during discharge, and the values ​​from each pressure gauge may be sent to the load detection unit 41.

[0052] The intake valve 320 comprises an inner intake pipe 321 and an outer intake pipe 322. Furthermore, the outer intake pipe 322 is provided with a cylindrical hollow intake valve plate 323 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the inner intake pipe 321. The inner intake pipe 321 has an intake hole 305 formed therein, facing the inner wall of the intake valve plate 323.

[0053] The discharge valve 330 comprises an inner discharge pipe 331 and an outer discharge pipe 332. Furthermore, the outer discharge pipe 332 is provided with a cylindrical hollow discharge valve plate 333 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the inner discharge pipe 331. The inner discharge pipe 331 has a discharge hole 306 formed therein, facing the inner wall of the discharge valve plate 333.

[0054] The intake valve plate 323 and the discharge valve plate 333 are connected to an interlocking mechanism 340 that simultaneously interlocks them. The interlocking mechanism 340 comprises an air cylinder 341, a piston 342, and a connecting portion 343 connected to the intake valve plate 323 and the discharge valve plate 333. When the interlocking mechanism 340 is activated, the piston 342 slides within the air cylinder 341 in the directions of arrows C and D, causing the intake valve plate 323 and the discharge valve plate 333, which are connected to the connecting portion 343, to interlock in the directions of arrows C and D.

[0055] The resin supply operation of the dispenser 300 configured as described above will now be explained.

[0056] Figure 3 will be used to explain the suction operation of dispenser 300. Figure 3A shows the dispenser during suction operation. 300 This shows the state. Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the intake valve 320 along the line a-a', and Figure 3C is a cross-sectional view of the discharge valve 330 along the line b-b'.

[0057] As shown in Figure 3A, the interlocking mechanism 340 operates, causing the piston 342 to slide in the direction of arrow C. Consequently, the suction valve plate 323 and the discharge valve plate 333, which are connected to the coupling portion 343, move in conjunction in the direction of arrow C.

[0058] As shown in Figure 3B, the above interlocking mechanism causes the suction valve plate 323, which has a cylindrical cavity, to The wall When the inner wall of the suction inner pipe 321 comes into contact with the suction hole 305, the suction hole 305 opens and the suction passage 303 is opened. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3C, when the inner wall of the discharge valve plate 333, which has a cylindrical cavity, comes into contact with the discharge hole 306, the discharge hole 306 closes, and the discharge passage 304, which communicates with the nozzle 352 via the connecting pipe 353, is blocked.

[0059] As shown in Figure 3A, the extension mechanism 310 operates, and the ball screw 311 rotates due to the drive of the servo motor 312, causing the movable base 314 to move. This stretches the cylinder 302 in the direction of arrow B. A suction force is generated inside the stretched cylinder 302. At the same time, when liquid resin 31 is supplied from the tank 350 to the suction passage 303, the suction force causes the liquid resin 31 to pass through the suction hole 305 and flow into the flow path 370, where it is contained inside the cylinder 302.

[0060] The dispensing operation of dispenser 300 will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4A shows the dispenser during dispensing operation. 300This shows the state. Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of the intake valve 320 along the line a-a', and Figure 4C is a cross-sectional view of the discharge valve 330 along the line b-b'.

[0061] As shown in Figure 4A, the interlocking mechanism 340 operates, causing the piston 342 to slide in the direction of arrow D. Consequently, the suction valve plate 323 and the discharge valve plate 333, connected to the coupling portion 343, move in conjunction in the direction of arrow D.

[0062] As shown in Figure 4B, when the inner wall of the suction valve plate 323, which has a cylindrical cavity, comes into contact with the suction hole 305, the suction hole 305 closes, and the suction passage 303 shown in Figure 4 is blocked. On the other hand, along with the above interlocking action, as shown in Figure 4C, when the inner wall of the discharge valve plate 333, which has a cylindrical cavity, comes into contact with the side wall of the discharge inner pipe 331, the discharge hole 306 opens, the discharge passage 304 is opened, and the liquid resin 31 can be discharged from the nozzle 352 via the connecting pipe 353.

[0063] As shown in Figure 4A, the telescopic mechanism 310 operates, and the ball screw 311 rotates due to the drive of the servo motor 312, moving the movable base 314. As a result, the cylinder 302 retracts by a specified distance in the direction of arrow A. The liquid resin 31 contained inside the cylinder 302 is pushed out into the flow path 370, and the pushed-out solution flows into the discharge passage 304, passes through the discharge hole 306, goes through the connecting pipe 353, and is discharged to the outside from the nozzle 352.

[0064] Figure 5 is a graph illustrating an example of how the load detection unit of this embodiment determines whether the supplied liquid resin is in a predetermined amount based on the detected value.

[0065] Using Figure 5, we will explain how the load detection unit 41 of this embodiment determines whether the supplied liquid resin is in a predetermined amount based on the detected value. Here, the detected value is preferably, for example, the load current value of the servo motor 312 or the pressure value of the pressure gauge 308.

[0066] In this embodiment, the protective member forming apparatus determines whether the supplied liquid resin 31 is a predetermined amount based on the detected value detected by the load detection unit 41. In this case, it is possible to determine whether the supplied liquid resin 31 is a predetermined amount at an early stage in the liquid resin supply process. Because it is possible to determine whether the liquid resin 31 is a predetermined amount at an early stage, failures in protective member formation can be suppressed, and as a result, the time required to remove defective wafers can be reduced.

[0067] In Figure 5, the value detected by the load detection unit 41 is shown on the vertical axis, and the distance between A and B of the extension / retraction mechanism 310 is shown on the horizontal axis. The value detected by the load detection unit 41 is denoted as the detected value P.

[0068] When liquid resin 31 is being drawn into cylinder 302, the detected value P1 is detected as a negative value and moves in the AB direction. On the other hand, when liquid resin 31 is being discharged from cylinder 302, the detected value P2 is detected as a positive value and moves in the BA direction.

[0069] In the control unit 40, a threshold R is set in advance. The threshold R is set appropriately depending on the purpose, but for example, as shown in Figure 5, a first threshold R1 and a second threshold R2 may be set, and a third threshold R3 lower than the first threshold R1 and a fourth threshold R4 higher than the second threshold R2 may also be set. Based on the threshold R, the first determination unit 42 and the second determination unit 43 determine whether or not a predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 is being inhaled or discharged.

[0070] inhalation An example of determining whether a predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 has been drawn into cylinder 302 is described below, when valve 320 is opened, discharge valve 330 is closed, the volume inside cylinder 302 is expanded, and liquid resin 31 is drawn into cylinder 302. When the detected value P1 is between threshold R1 and threshold R3, the first determination unit 42 The system determines that a predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 has been inhaled.

[0071] The following describes a case where a problem occurs during inhalation, such as leakage occurring inside the dispenser 300. In this case, the detected value P1 does not reach the threshold R1. The first judgment unit determines that the predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 has not been inhaled because the detected value P1 does not reach the threshold R1.

[0072] This section explains the case where problems such as high viscosity of the liquid resin 31 occur during inhalation. In this case, the detected value P1 will be lower than the threshold R3. First Judgment Unit 42 Since the detected value P1 reaches the threshold R3, it is determined that the predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 has not been inhaled.

[0073] Open the discharge valve 330. Intake valve 320 An example of determining whether a predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 has been discharged when the valve is closed, the volume inside the cylinder 302 is reduced, and liquid resin 31 is discharged into the cylinder 302 is described below. When the detected value P2 is between threshold R2 and threshold R4, the second determination unit 43 The system determines that a predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 has been dispensed.

[0074] This section explains the case where a problem occurs, such as leakage, within the dispenser 300 during dispensing. In this case, the detected value P2 does not reach the threshold R2. Second Judgment Unit 43 Since the detected value P2 does not reach the threshold R2, it is determined that a predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 has not been dispensed.

[0075] This section explains the case where problems such as high viscosity of the liquid resin 31 occur during dispensing. In this case, the detected value P2 will be higher than the threshold R4. Second Judgment Unit 43 Since the detected value P2 reaches the threshold R4, it is determined that the predetermined amount of liquid resin 31 has not been dispensed.

[0076] Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and may be modified, substituted, or altered in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Moreover, if the technical idea of ​​the present invention can be realized in a different way by advances in the art or by other derived arts, it may be implemented by that method. Accordingly, the claims cover all embodiments that may fall within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0077] As described above, the protective member forming apparatus of the present invention can determine whether the supplied liquid resin is in a predetermined amount or not, thereby preventing failure in protective member formation. Therefore, it becomes possible to form wafers on which the desired protective member is formed, and it is particularly useful in the manufacturing field of semiconductors and the like, which includes a process of forming a protective member on one side of a wafer. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 1: Protective member forming apparatus 10: External enclosure 11: Cassette storage compartment 12: First wafer transport means 13: Temporary Table 14: Sheet cutting table 15: Base 16: Sheet holding table 17: Sheet transport section 18: Resin supply unit 19: Column 20: Wafer holding section 21: Lifting and lowering means 23: Curing means 25: Second wafer transport means 30: Sheet 31: Liquid resin 40: Control Unit 41: Load detection unit 42: First Judgment Department 43:Second Judgment Department 44: Alarm device 111: Storage space 112: Storage space 121: Pedestal 122: Robot Hand 123: Guide rail 124: Ball screw 131: Wafer detection unit 141: Sheet cutter 161: Sheet support surface 171: Sheet supply unit 172: Arm 173: Clamp part 201: Wafer holding table 211: Guide rail 212: Height-adjustable table 213: Ball screw 214: Motor 251: Pedestal 252: Robot Hand 253: Guide rail 254: Ball screw 300: Dispenser 302: Cylinder 302a: Connection part 302b: Bottom 303: Suction passage 304:Discharge path 305: Suction hole 306:Discharge hole 307: Connecting plate 308: Pressure gauge 310: Expansion means 311: Ball screw 312: Servo motor 313: Bearing part 314: Mobile base 315: Encoder 320: Intake valve 321: Intake inner pipe 322: Intake outer pipe 323: Intake valve plate 330: Discharge valve 331: Discharge inner pipe 332: Outer discharge pipe 333: Discharge valve plate 340: Interlocking mechanism 341: Air Cylinder 342: Piston 343 :Connection part 350: Tank 351: Connecting pipe 352: Nozzle 353: Convening Officer 370: Flow path C1: Cassette C2: Cassette W: wafer Wa: Top surface Wb: Bottom surface

Claims

1. A protective member forming apparatus comprising: a sheet holding table for holding a sheet; a wafer holding table for holding a wafer; a lifting means for bringing the sheet holding table and the wafer holding table closer together and further apart; a dispenser for supplying a predetermined amount of liquid resin to the sheet held by the sheet holding table or the wafer held by the wafer holding table; and a control unit, This dispenser is, The device comprises a cylinder for drawing in and discharging liquid resin, an expansion and contraction mechanism for expanding and contracting the volume inside the cylinder, a load detection unit for detecting the driving load of the expansion and contraction mechanism, an intake passage for drawing liquid resin into the cylinder, an intake valve for opening and closing the intake passage, a discharge passage for discharging liquid resin from inside the cylinder, and a discharge valve for opening and closing the discharge passage. The control unit is The intake valve is opened, the discharge valve is closed, and the volume inside the cylinder is expanded. A first determination unit determines that a predetermined amount of liquid resin has not been drawn in when the value detected by the load detection unit is less than a preset first threshold while liquid resin is being drawn into the cylinder, The discharge valve is opened, the suction valve is closed, and the volume inside the cylinder is reduced. A protective member forming apparatus comprising: a second determination unit that determines that a predetermined amount of liquid resin has not been discharged when the value detected by the load detection unit is less than a preset second threshold while the liquid resin in the cylinder is being discharged; and a second determination unit that determines that a predetermined amount of liquid resin has not been discharged.

2. The expansion / contraction mechanism includes a motor, which is a drive source for expanding and contracting the volume inside the cylinder. The protective member forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the load detection unit detects the load current value of the motor.

3. The cylinder is equipped with a pressure gauge for measuring the pressure inside the cylinder. The protective member forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the load detection unit detects the value of the pressure gauge.

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