Method for manufacturing semiconductor component, tape material for pickup, and apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor component

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor component, a tape material for pickup, and an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor component, which can suppress the occurrence of defects in pickup of a thin semiconductor chip.　This method for manufacturing a semiconductor component includes a pickup step R3. The semiconductor component includes a semiconductor chip 10 having a thickness of 50 μm or less. The pickup step R3 is a step for setting, as a pickup object 10A, one of the plurality of semiconductor chips 10 held by a tape material 20, causing the tape material 20 to lose its holding force for the pickup object 10A, and separating the pickup object 10A from the tape material 20 without causing a displacement of the tape material 20 by an ejector pin.

Description

Method for manufacturing semiconductor components, tape material for pickup, and apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor components

[0001] This invention relates to a manufacturing method for semiconductor components, a tape material for pickups used in the manufacturing method, and a semiconductor component manufacturing apparatus.

[0002] Electronic components are manufactured by bonding semiconductor chips, which are semiconductor components, to circuit boards and the like. Before bonding, multiple semiconductor chips are arranged vertically and horizontally and held attached to the surface of a tape material, and it is necessary to pick up these semiconductor chips individually from the tape material. Picking up semiconductor chips is usually done by pushing up the target semiconductor chip from the back side of the tape material and holding the pushed-up semiconductor chip by adsorption to a collet. Apparatus such as those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are used for picking up semiconductor chips. The pickup apparatus described in Patent Document 1 comprises a stage that adsorbs and holds the back side of the tape material and a push-up pin that pushes up the semiconductor chip from the back side of the stage. The die ejector described in Patent Document 2 comprises an ejector holder that vacuum-adsorbs the lower surface of the tape material and an ejector body configured to move up and down to push out the semiconductor chip on the tape material.

[0003] International Publication No. 2018 / 139667, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-98635

[0004] Recently, in addition to standard semiconductor chips, there are also thin semiconductor chips that are thinner than standard ones. However, these thin semiconductor chips are more prone to bending than standard ones, which can cause problems during pickup. Specifically, when a semiconductor chip is pushed up from the back side of the tape material during pickup, the tape material is stretched upwards at the point of impact, causing the surface (adhesive side) of the tape material that holds the semiconductor chip to bend. When a semiconductor chip is pushed up from the back side of the tape material, with a standard semiconductor chip, the adhesive surface of the tape material bends rather than the semiconductor chip itself, causing the semiconductor chip to detach from the tape material. With a thin semiconductor chip, when the semiconductor chip is pushed up from the back side of the tape material, the tape material stretches, causing the adhesive surface to bend, and the semiconductor chip may also bend in accordance with this bending. In such cases, the semiconductor chip may not detach from the tape material, making pickup impossible. Alternatively, thin semiconductor chips may not be able to withstand the force applied by the push-up pins or the force of bending that tries to follow the adhesive surface when pushed up from the back side of the tape material. In such cases, the semiconductor chip may crack or chip.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a method for manufacturing semiconductor components, a tape material for pickup, and a semiconductor component manufacturing apparatus that can suppress malfunctions that occur in the pickup of thin semiconductor chips.

[0006] In other words, the present invention is as follows: [1] The manufacturing method is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor component comprising a pickup step, wherein the semiconductor component includes a semiconductor chip with a thickness of 50 μm or less, and the pickup step is a step in which a portion of the plurality of semiconductor chips held on a tape material is selected as the pickup target, the tape material loses its holding force with respect to the pickup target, and the pickup target is separated from the tape material without causing displacement to the tape material by a push-up pin. [2] The manufacturing method is the manufacturing method described in [1] above, wherein the loss of holding force is performed by at least one of foaming of the adhesive layer of the tape material, hardening of the adhesive layer, and gas generation from the adhesive layer. [3] The manufacturing method is the manufacturing method described in [1] or [2] above, further comprising a dicing step in which the semiconductor wafer is divided into individual pieces by laser dicing to obtain the semiconductor chip. [4] The manufacturing method is the manufacturing method described in [1] or [2] above, further comprising a dicing step in which the semiconductor wafer is divided into individual pieces by plasma dicing to obtain the semiconductor chip. The manufacturing method described in [5] is characterized in that, in the manufacturing method described in any of [1] to [4] above, the semiconductor chip has through electrodes. The manufacturing method described in [6] is characterized in that, in the manufacturing method described in any of [1] to [5] above, the thickness of the semiconductor chip is 25 μm or less. The tape material for pickup described in [7] is characterized in that, in the manufacturing method described in any of [1] to [6] above, it is used in the pickup step. The manufacturing apparatus described in [8] is a manufacturing apparatus for semiconductor components used in the manufacturing method described in any of [1] to [6] above, characterized in that it includes a mechanism for causing the tape material to lose its holding force with respect to the semiconductor chip to be picked up. The manufacturing apparatus described in [9] is characterized in that, in the manufacturing apparatus described in [8] above, the mechanism is a heating device for heating the adhesive layer of the tape material and / or an irradiation device for irradiating the adhesive layer of the tape material with energy rays.

[0007] According to the semiconductor component manufacturing method, pickup tape material, and semiconductor component manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, even with thin semiconductor chips with a thickness of 50 μm or less, the semiconductor chip can be separated from the tape material without causing displacement to the tape material by the push-up pin by causing the tape material to lose its holding force against the semiconductor chip, thereby suppressing malfunctions during pickup.

[0008] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a part of the pickup process in the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a part of the pickup process in the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of each step in the manufacturing method in the present invention. This diagram illustrates an example of a tape material for pickup; (a) is a plan view, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view along the 4b-4b line in Figure 4(a). This is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a part of an example of a tape material in the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing apparatus in the present invention.

[0009] [1] Method for Manufacturing Semiconductor Components The method for manufacturing semiconductor components of the present invention comprises a pickup step R3, wherein the semiconductor component includes a semiconductor chip 10 with a thickness of 50 μm or less, and the pickup step R3 is characterized in that a portion of the plurality of semiconductor chips 10 held on the tape material 20 is designated as the pickup target 10A, and the tape material 20 loses its holding force with respect to the pickup target 10A, thereby separating the pickup target 10A from the tape material 20 without causing displacement to the tape material 20 by the push-up pin (see Figure 1).

[0010] (1) Pickup process The pickup process R3 is a process of picking up the semiconductor chip 10 from the tape material 20 (see Figures 1 and 2). The semiconductor chip 10 is held by being attached to the adhesive surface (surface) of the tape material 20, and in the pickup process R3, a portion of the multiple semiconductor chips 10 is selected as the pick-up target 10A. In the pickup process R3, the pick-up target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) is separated from the tape material 20 in a state where the holding force of the tape material 20 has been lost.

[0011] The pickup step R3 of the present invention includes a retention force loss step R32 in which the tape material 20 loses its retention force on the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) in order to separate the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) from the tape material 20 (see Figure 1). The pickup step R3 having the retention force loss step R32 does not particularly require the operation of pushing up the semiconductor chip (pickup target) from the back side of the tape material with a "push-up pin" as in a normal pickup to separate the pickup target 10A from the tape material 20.

[0012] The pickup process R3, which includes a retention force loss process R32, does not require the operation of pushing up the semiconductor chip (the object to be picked up) from the back side of the tape material with a "push-up pin". Therefore, there is no stretching of the tape material 20 in the pushing direction at the part pushed up by the "push-up pin". In other words, no displacement is applied to the tape material 20 from the back side by the "push-up pin". That is, if displacement is applied to the tape material from the back side by the "push-up pin", thin semiconductor chips may crack or chip due to the displacement of the tape material being applied as an external force. However, the pickup process R3, which includes a retention force loss process R32, does not apply displacement to the tape material 20 from the back side by the "push-up pin", making it useful when dealing with thin semiconductor chips.

[0013] Here, the term "pushing pin" refers to a device that has the function of pushing up the object to be picked up (semiconductor chip) during the pickup process. Note that "pushing pin" is also a common name for any device that has the function of pushing up the object to be picked up (semiconductor chip) during the pickup process; any device with this function is not particularly restricted in its name, and may be called, for example, a pushing needle or ejector pin. Typically, when the object to be picked up (semiconductor chip) is held on the surface of the tape material, the "pushing pin" is configured to push up the object from the back side of the tape material. During this pushing action, it causes displacement of the tape material from the back side at the pushed-up point, specifically, stretching of the tape material 20 in the pushing direction. The material and shape of the "pushing pin" are not particularly restricted. Examples of materials for the "pushing pin" include metal and resin. Examples of shapes for the "pushing pin" include needle-shaped, spherical, or thin plate-shaped tips that push up the semiconductor chip.

[0014] Specifically, the retention force loss step R32 is a step in which a portion of the plurality of semiconductor chips 10 held on the adhesive surface (surface) of the tape material 20 is designated as the pick-up target 10A, and the tape material 20 loses its retention force with respect to the pick-up target 10A (see Figure 1). The retention force loss step R32 can be performed using a tape material 20 that has the function of losing its retention force with respect to the pick-up target 10A by foaming, hardening, and gas generation of the adhesive layer. An example of a tape material 20 having such a function is the pick-up tape material of the present invention, which will be described later.

[0015] The tape material 20 can be attached to the ring frame 25 (see Figure 4). The ring frame 25 is formed in a plate shape that forms an annular shape in plan view, with an opening in the center. The tape material 20 is attached to the ring frame 25 by being attached to the lower surface of the ring frame 25 with the adhesive surface facing upward. The adhesive surface (front) of the tape material 20 attached to the ring frame 25 is exposed to the outside inside the opening of the ring frame 25, and the semiconductor chip 10 (semiconductor wafer 100) is adhered to and held by this exposed adhesive surface (front). The shape of the ring frame 25 is not particularly limited other than having an opening that exposes the adhesive surface (front) of the tape material 20 to the outside. The shape of the ring frame 25 can be an annular shape in plan view, or a polygonal annular shape such as a square annular or hexagonal annular shape in plan view. The material of the ring frame 25 is not particularly limited; organic materials such as synthetic resins and elastomers, and inorganic materials such as metals and ceramics can be used as appropriate.

[0016] In order for the tape material 20 to lose its holding power to the pickup target 10A due to foaming, hardening, and gas generation, it is preferable that the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 contains a foaming agent 22A (see, for example, Figure 5), an adhesive that hardens by irradiation with energy rays (ultraviolet rays, electron beams, infrared rays, etc.) or heating, and a gas generating agent. That is, if the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 contains a foaming agent 22A (see Figure 5), when the adhesive layer 22 foams, an uneven holding power loss portion 23 is formed on the surface of the adhesive layer 22 (see Figure 1). In the uneven holding power loss portion 23, the area that adheres to the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) is reduced, and as a result the holding power of the adhesive layer 22 to the pickup target 10A is reduced or lost.

[0017] If the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 contains an adhesive that hardens when irradiated with energy rays (ultraviolet rays, electron beams, infrared rays, etc.) or heated, the adhesive layer 22 (adhesive) hardens when irradiated with energy rays (ultraviolet rays, electron beams, infrared rays, etc.) or heated, forming a section where the holding power is lost. In the section where the holding power is lost, the elastic modulus increases due to the hardening of the adhesive, which significantly reduces the adhesive force to the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10), thereby reducing or losing the holding power of the adhesive layer 22 to the pickup target 10A.

[0018] If the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 contains a gas generating agent, when gas is generated from the gas generating agent, the gas foams the adhesive layer 22 in the same way as the foaming agent 22A described above, making the surface of the adhesive layer 22 uneven, and / or is released at the interface between the surface (adhesive surface) of the adhesive layer 22 and the semiconductor chip 10, causing them to separate and forming a section where the holding force is lost. In the section where the holding force is lost, the surface of the adhesive layer 22 becomes uneven, reducing the area on which it adheres to the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10), and / or the released gas causes the adhesive layer 22 and the semiconductor chip 10 to separate, thereby reducing or losing the holding force of the adhesive layer 22 on the pickup target 10A.

[0019] In the retention force loss process R32, a suction stage 31 containing a retention force loss mechanism 32 can be used to activate the function of losing the retention force of the tape material 20 with respect to the pickup target 10A. The suction stage 31 is for adsorbing and fixing the tape material 20 that is holding the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) in the retention force loss process R32. The method by which the suction stage 31 adsorbs the tape material 20 is not particularly limited, and examples include using the adsorption force by vacuum adsorption or using electrical force such as static electricity. The range in which the suction stage 31 adsorbs the tape material 20 is not particularly limited, and can be only the part that holds the pickup target 10A or the entire tape material 20. Preferably, the adsorption range of the suction stage 31 is limited to only the part that holds the pickup target 10A, in which case the retention force of the part that holds the pickup target 10A can be lost at a pinpoint location (see Figure 1).

[0020] The suction stage 31 can house a retention force loss mechanism 32 (see Figure 1). The retention force loss mechanism 32 is used to apply heat or irradiate energy rays (ultraviolet rays, electron beams, infrared rays, etc.) to the tape material 20 adsorbed by the suction stage 31. Specifically, in the retention force loss process R32, the suction stage 31 adsorbs and fixes the portion of the tape material 20 that holds the pick-up target 10A, and then activates the retention force loss mechanism 32 to apply heat or irradiate energy rays to that portion of the tape material 20, thereby forming a retention force loss portion 23 in the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 and causing it to lose its retention force to the pick-up target 10A.

[0021] The suction stage 31, which incorporates the retention force loss mechanism 32, makes contact with the portion of the tape material 20 that holds the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) by adsorption and fixing it, and through this contact with the portion, it is possible to apply heat or irradiate energy rays to that portion with pinpoint accuracy. In other words, the loss of retention force of the tape material 20 can be suppressed for semiconductor chips 10 that are not the pickup target 10A, and the occurrence of problems such as semiconductor chips 10 other than the pickup target 10A being mistakenly picked up can be suppressed.

[0022] The retention force loss mechanism 32 can select the type of stimulus applied to the tape material 20, such as heat or energy rays (ultraviolet rays, electron beams, infrared rays, etc.), to cause the tape material 20 to lose its retention force relative to the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10), according to the configuration of the tape material 20. For example, if the tape material 20 has a configuration in which the adhesive layer 22 contains a foaming agent 22A that foams when heat is applied or a gas generating agent that generates gas, the retention force loss mechanism 32 can be a heating device such as a heater that applies heat to the tape material 20. Alternatively, if the tape material 20 has a configuration in which the adhesive layer 22 contains an adhesive that hardens when irradiated with energy rays (ultraviolet rays, electron beams, infrared rays, etc.), the retention force loss mechanism 32 can be an energy ray irradiation device such as a UV irradiator, electron beam irradiator, or infrared irradiator.

[0023] The pickup step R3 may include a recovery step R33 in addition to the retention force loss step R32 (see Figure 1). The recovery step R33 is a step performed after the retention force loss step R32, and is a step of separating the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) from the tape material 20 and recovering it (see Figure 1). A collet 33 can be used in the recovery step R33. This collet 33 is for adsorbing and transporting the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10), and is not particularly limited; conventionally known collets can be used. That is, in the retention force loss step R32, a retention force loss portion 23 is formed in the tape material 20, causing the retention force on the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) to be lost. In the recovery step R33, the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10), which has lost its retention force from the tape material 20, is removed from the tape material 20 by adsorption to the collet 33, separated, and recovered. In the recovery process R33, the adsorption stage 31 adsorbs and fixes the tape material 20, thereby ensuring the removal of the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) from the tape material 20 when the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) is adsorbed onto the collet 33.

[0024] Furthermore, the above-described retention force loss step R32 and recovery step R33 can also be performed by using a chuck table instead of the adsorption stage 31, and by adsorbing and fixing the entire tape material 20 to the chuck table. The method by which the chuck table adsorbs the tape material 20 is not particularly limited, and examples include using the adsorption force by vacuum adsorption or using electrical force such as static electricity. When using a chuck table, it is preferable that the chuck table has the above-described retention force loss mechanism 32 built into it. In this case, it is preferable that the retention force loss mechanism 32 is configured to be able to apply heat or irradiate the tape material 20 with energy rays at multiple locations on the chuck table. With this configuration, even when the entire tape material 20 is adsorbed to the chuck table, the retention force of the part holding the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) can be precisely lost.

[0025] The pickup step R3 may include an expand step R31 in addition to the retention force loss step R32 and the recovery step R33 (see Figure 2). The expand step R31 is performed before the retention force loss step R32 and is a step in which the tape material 20 is stretched in the planar direction. In the expand step R31, an expand frame 26 can be used to stretch the tape material 20. The expand frame 26 is not particularly limited in shape other than being able to engage with the inside of the opening of the ring frame 25, and can be annular, for example, as shown in Figure 2.

[0026] The expansion process R31 can be performed by engaging the expand frame 26 with the inside of the opening of the ring frame 25 on which the tape material 20 is stretched, from the back side (bottom side) of the tape material 20. That is, first the expand frame 26 is engaged with the ring frame 25, and the edge of the tape material 20 is sandwiched and fixed between the two frames. Next, with the edge of the tape material 20 fixed, the expand frame 26 is moved relative to the ring frame 25, and the expand frame 26 pushes up the tape material 20. As a result, the portion of the tape material 20 that is pushed up by the expand frame 26 (specifically, the portion that was positioned inside the opening of the ring frame 25) is stretched in the planar direction.

[0027] When the tape material 20 is stretched in the planar direction during the expansion process R31, the spacing between semiconductor chips 10 held on the adhesive surface (surface) of the tape material 20 can be widened. Since the tape material 20 is fixed by having its edges sandwiched between the ring frame 25 and the expand frame 26, when the tape material 20 is stretched in the planar direction during the expansion process R31, the semiconductor chips 10 held on the tape material 20 can maintain a state where the spacing between adjacent chips is widened even after the expansion process R31. When the spacing between semiconductor chips 10 is widened during the expansion process R31, it becomes easier to pinpoint the loss of holding power in the part of the tape material 20 that holds the pickup target 10A during the loss of holding power process R32, and the loss of holding power of the tape material 20 for semiconductor chips 10 that are not designated as pickup targets 10A can be effectively suppressed.

[0028] (2) Semiconductor Components The semiconductor chips described above are obtained by dicing a semiconductor wafer and are included in semiconductor components. A semiconductor wafer can be described as a semiconductor component in which precursors of multiple semiconductor components (semiconductor chips) are integrated in an array. Semiconductor components such as semiconductor chips and semiconductor wafers may be those on which circuits, etc., are formed on the surface of a substrate made of a semiconductor material. The semiconductor material is not particularly limited and can be silicon, sapphire, germanium, germanium-arsenide, gallium-phosphorus, gallium-arsenide-aluminum, etc. The circuits, etc. are not particularly limited and can be one or more types such as wiring, electrodes, capacitors, diodes, transistors, etc. Semiconductor chips having circuits, etc., as semiconductor components are also called dies, IC (Integrated Circuit) chips, microchips, etc.

[0029] Semiconductor chips, which are semiconductor components, are electrically connected to electronic substrates to form electronic components. In addition to the conventional method using wire bonding, the TSV (Through Silicon Via) method can also be used as a connection method. The TSV method is a method of electrically and mechanically connecting one or more semiconductor chips on an electronic substrate by stacking them using through-electrodes that penetrate the semiconductor chip in the thickness direction. The TSV method is considered useful as a connection method that is used in CPUs and GPUs among recent electronic components from the viewpoint of increasing processing speed, miniaturization and density, and low power consumption.

[0030] When adopting the TSV method for electronic components, thin semiconductor chips 10, which are thinner than conventional ones, are useful. This is because thinning the semiconductor chip allows for faster processing speeds due to shorter bonding lengths, lower power consumption due to reduced electrical resistance, and higher density due to an increase in the number of layers. However, thin semiconductor chips 10 are prone to malfunctions (pickup failures) in the normal pickup process, where displacement from the back side of the tape material is applied by push-up pins to separate the object to be picked up from the tape material. In particular, thin semiconductor chips 10 used in the TSV method, when having through-electrodes 11 (see Figure 1, etc.), have inferior resistance to external forces because the through-electrodes 11 penetrate the semiconductor chip 10 in the thickness direction. Therefore, thin semiconductor chips 10 with through-electrodes 11 are prone to cracking or chipping when displacement from the back side of the tape material is applied by push-up pins during pickup, as the displacement of the tape material is applied as an external force.

[0031] Since the above-described pickup step R3 includes a retention force loss step R32, the tape material 20 can lose its retention force on the pickup target 10A without causing displacement to the tape material 20 by the push-up pin, thereby separating the pickup target 10A from the tape material 20. In other words, the pickup step R3 having the above-described retention force loss step R32 is useful when targeting a thin semiconductor chip 10, from the viewpoint of not causing displacement to the tape material 20 by the push-up pin. For this reason, the pickup target 10A in the above-described pickup step R3 is assumed to be a thin semiconductor chip 10 (see Figure 1). Furthermore, thin semiconductor chips 10 having through electrodes 11 are prone to cracking or chipping in normal pickups because the displacement of the tape material is applied as an external force. Therefore, the above-described pickup step R3, which includes a retention force loss step R32 and does not cause displacement to the tape material 20 by the push-up pin, is preferable as the pickup target 10A.

[0032] Here, regarding the thickness (T) of the semiconductor chip, a thin semiconductor chip 10 is specifically a semiconductor chip with an upper limit of thickness of 50 μm or less (T ≤ 50 μm) (see Figure 1). Preferably, the upper limit of the thickness of the thin semiconductor chip 10 is 25 μm or less (T ≤ 25 μm). The lower limit of the thickness (T) of the thin semiconductor chip is not particularly limited, as thinner chips are more useful in the TSV method, but it is generally 10 μm or more (10 μm ≤ T). The thickness of a normal semiconductor chip that is not thin is about 200 μm (0.2 mm) to 1 mm for general electronic components, and about 100 μm to 150 μm for those used in electronic components such as CSP (Chip Size Package) and MCP (Multi Chip Package).

[0033] (3) Other steps The method for manufacturing semiconductor components of the present invention may include, in addition to the pickup step R3 described above, a holding step R1 and a dicing step R2 (see Figure 3). These holding step R1 and dicing step R2 can be performed by fixing the back side of the tape material 20 to a chuck table as needed. Conventional known chuck tables can be used. The holding step R1 is a step of adhering the semiconductor wafer 100 to the adhesive surface of the tape material 20 and holding it. The semiconductor wafer 100 held on the tape material 20 can be fixed via a ring frame 25 or fixed to a chuck table via the tape material 20, and can be accurately divided into individual pieces in the dicing step R2. The semiconductor wafer 100 used in the holding step R1 may have circuits or the like formed on its surface. For example, the semiconductor wafer 100 shown in Figure 3 has a through electrode 11, and a connection portion which is one end (upper end) of the through electrode 11 is exposed on its surface. In the holding process R1, the adhesive surface of the tape material 20 adheres to and holds the semiconductor wafer 100 on the side where no circuits or the like are formed, i.e., the back side.

[0034] The dicing step R2 is a step in which the semiconductor wafer 100 held on the adhesive surface (surface) of the tape material 20 in the holding step R1 is divided into individual pieces to obtain semiconductor chips 10. In this dicing step R2, a street section, which will serve as a cutting line, is set on the semiconductor wafer 100, and the semiconductor wafer 100 is cut along this street section, thereby dividing the semiconductor wafer 100 into multiple semiconductor chips 10. The multiple semiconductor chips 10 obtained by dividing the semiconductor wafer 100 in the dicing step R2 are individually recovered in the pickup step R3 described above. The method of dividing the semiconductor wafer 100 into individual pieces (dicing method) is not particularly limited. Examples of dicing methods include blade cutting, laser ablation, laser dicing, and plasma dicing.

[0035] Blade cutting is a method of cutting a semiconductor wafer 100 by pressing a dicing blade against the street portion of the semiconductor wafer 100 and cutting the semiconductor wafer 100 along the street portion. A circular dicing blade is usually used, and by pressing the dicing blade against the street portion while it is rotating at high speed, the street portion is cut and the semiconductor wafer 100 is cut. Laser ablation is a method of cutting a semiconductor wafer 100 by irradiating the street portion of the semiconductor wafer 100 with high-energy laser light and causing the street portion to sublimate, evaporate, etc. In laser ablation, the laser light is usually irradiated onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer 100, that is, the surface on which the circuits etc. of the semiconductor wafer 100 are formed, so as not to cut the tape material 20 that holds the semiconductor wafer 100 with the laser light.

[0036] Laser dicing is a method of forming a modified layer along the street portions inside a semiconductor wafer 100 using laser light of a wavelength that is transparent to the semiconductor wafer 100. In laser dicing, the focal point of the laser light is set inside the semiconductor wafer 100, and by irradiating the semiconductor wafer 100 so that the laser light is focused at that focal point, a modified layer is formed inside the semiconductor wafer 100. This method of forming a modified layer inside a semiconductor wafer 100 is also called "stealth dicing (registered trademark)". A semiconductor wafer 100 in which a modified layer along the street portions has been formed inside by laser dicing can be divided along the modified layer by applying external stress to the modified layer, and can be fragmented into multiple semiconductor chips 10. In laser dicing, if circuits or the like are formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer 100, the circuits or the like may obstruct the transmission of the laser light. Therefore, the laser light is usually transmitted through the tape material 20 that holds the semiconductor wafer 100 and then incident from the back side of the semiconductor wafer 100.

[0037] Plasma dicing is a method of separating a semiconductor wafer 100 into multiple semiconductor chips 10 by dry etching the street areas of the wafer 100 under vacuum using plasma-generated gas. In plasma dicing, a mask pattern using a resist material or the like is usually applied to the front or back surface of the semiconductor wafer 100 to prevent dry etching of areas other than the street areas. Furthermore, while the above-mentioned blade cutting, laser ablation, and laser dicing involve sequential cutting with a dicing blade or irradiation with laser light along the street areas, in plasma dicing, all street areas are dry-etched almost simultaneously.

[0038] In the dicing process R2, it is preferable to employ either laser dicing or plasma dicing among the dicing methods described above. That is, the semiconductor chip 10 targeted by the present invention is a thin type with a thickness (T) of 50 μm or less (T ≤ 50 μm), and the semiconductor wafer 100 for obtaining the thin semiconductor chip 10 is also 50 μm or less in thickness. Thin semiconductor wafers 100 with a thickness (T) of 50 μm or less have low resistance to external forces and are inferior in strength. Laser dicing is a method of forming a modified layer inside the semiconductor wafer 100, and plasma dicing is a method of dry etching the semiconductor wafer 100. With these methods, it is possible to suppress the application of external forces such as cutting to the semiconductor wafer 100, and cracking or chipping of the semiconductor chip 10 during individualization can be prevented. Furthermore, in laser dicing, which transmits laser light into the semiconductor wafer 100, and plasma dicing, which dry-etches the semiconductor wafer 100, virtually no processing debris is generated during processing due to cutting or sublimation, thus suppressing the occurrence of defects in circuits and other components caused by the adhesion of processing debris.

[0039] Alternatively, from the viewpoints of improving yield and production quantity, it is preferable to obtain as many semiconductor chips as possible from a single semiconductor wafer. The street portion (cutting line) that will be cut away or sublimated during singulation should be made as narrow as possible (narrow street formation). Laser dicing and plasma dicing can easily achieve narrow street formation by narrowing the focus of the laser beam, devising the mask pattern, etc., and are thus preferable as the dicing method adopted in the dicing process R2 from these viewpoints.

[0040] In addition, when laser dicing is adopted in the dicing process R2, after forming a modified layer inside the semiconductor wafer 100, it is necessary to perform the operation of dividing the semiconductor wafer 100 along the modified layer. Such an operation of dividing the semiconductor wafer 100 along the modified layer can be executed within the dicing process R2, but if it is the above-mentioned pickup process R3, it can be executed in the expand process R31.

[0041] That is, the expand process R31 is a process of stretching the tape material 20 in the plane direction (see FIG. 2). In the expand process R31, when stretching the tape material 20 in the plane direction, an external stress can be applied to stretch the semiconductor wafer 100 adhered to the adhesive surface of the tape material 20 in the plane direction as well. Such external stress acts as a force that spreads (opens) in the lateral direction to the modified layer, and thus acts as a force to divide the semiconductor wafer 100 along the modified layer. Therefore, when laser dicing is adopted, in the expand process R31, the semiconductor wafer 100 can be divided along the modified layer to be singulated into a plurality of semiconductor chips 10.

[0042] The manufacturing method of the semiconductor component of the present invention can include an evaluation step after the above-described dicing step R2 and before the pickup step R3 (not shown in the figure). The evaluation step is a step of evaluating the semiconductor chip. That is, in the evaluation step, an evaluation (electrical evaluation) is performed as to whether the circuit and through electrodes 11, etc. of the semiconductor chip exhibit desired electrical characteristics. In addition, in the evaluation step, in addition to the above electrical evaluation, an evaluation (electrical evaluation) as to whether the electrical characteristics in an extreme temperature range (usually, a low temperature range of -40 to 0 °C and a high temperature range of 80 to 200 °C) are normal, an evaluation for the purpose of accelerated durability by heating (accelerated durability evaluation), an evaluation (optical evaluation) as to whether the shape of the semiconductor chip 10 is normal after applying a thermal shock, etc. can be performed, either only one kind or two or more kinds of evaluations.

[0043] The specific evaluation method in the evaluation step is not particularly limited. For example, in the case of electrical evaluation, an evaluation tool having a plurality of electrical connection terminals such as a probe card or a socket is used. The evaluation tool can be brought into contact with the semiconductor chip to be evaluated, and can be performed by determining the correctness of the signals exchanged between the electrical connection terminals and the electrodes (through electrodes) and circuits of the semiconductor chip. Note that the accelerated durability evaluation can be performed by determining the correctness of the signals exchanged between the electrical connection terminals and the electrodes (through electrodes) and circuits of the semiconductor chip after bringing the evaluation tool into contact with the semiconductor chip under a desired temperature condition (low temperature / high temperature) or after imposing such a condition. The optical evaluation can be performed by causing an optical reading device to recognize the shape of the semiconductor chip after imposing a desired temperature change (low temperature → high temperature, high temperature → low temperature), and determining whether the shape is normal.

[0044] Similar to the above-described dicing step R2, etc., in the evaluation step, the tape material holding the semiconductor chip can be fixed to the chuck table and the work can be performed as needed. That is, in the evaluation step, after the dicing step R2, the work can be continued while the tape material 20 holding the semiconductor chip 10 is fixed to the chuck table. In addition, when performing an electrical evaluation or an accelerated durability evaluation, etc. in an extreme temperature range, a heating device such as a heater or a cooling device such as a cooler can be provided on the chuck table in order to heat or cool the semiconductor chip 10.

[0045] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown above, and various modified embodiments can be made within the scope of the present invention depending on the purpose and application. That is, for example, in addition to the pickup step R3, holding step R1, dicing step R2, and evaluation step described above, one or more other steps may be included as needed. Examples of such other steps include the step of forming circuits or electrodes on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0046] [2] Tape material for pickup The tape material 20 for pickup of the present invention is used in the pickup process R3 described above (see Figure 1). The tape material 20 comprises a base material 21 and an adhesive layer 22 laminated on one surface of the base material 21. The semiconductor wafer 100 or semiconductor chip 10 can be held by being adhered to the adhesive layer 22. Furthermore, since the tape material 20 is highly flexible, it can be stretched over the ring frame 25 as described above in order to suppress sagging and wrinkles when the semiconductor wafer 100 or semiconductor chip 10 is adhered and held (see Figure 4). In addition, the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 is not limited to being provided on only one surface of the base material 21, but can also be provided on both surfaces of the base material 21. Furthermore, the tape material 20 may also comprise layers other than the base material 21 and the adhesive layer 22.

[0047] The tape material 20 may have an adhesive layer 22 that has at least one function among foaming, curing, and gas generation, so that it can lose its holding power in the holding power loss step R32 of the pickup step R3 described above. The tape material 20 having such a function may lose its holding power to the semiconductor wafer 100 or semiconductor chip 10 when that function is performed in the holding power loss step R32 described above. Specifically, the adhesive layer 22 may have the above functions by containing a foaming agent or a gas generating agent in its layer, or by containing a curable adhesive that crosslinks upon irradiation with energy rays (ultraviolet rays, electron beams, infrared rays, etc.) and / or heating. The adhesive layer 22 may also contain only one or more of the foaming agent, curable adhesive, and gas generating agent.

[0048] The adhesive layer 22 may further contain a non-curing adhesive. The non-curing adhesive is not particularly limited, but examples include adhesives containing adhesive components such as acrylic, rubber, urethane, and silicone. The non-curing adhesive may further contain crosslinking components such as aliphatic isocyanates, polyisocyanates, melamine, and methylols.

[0049] The adhesive layer 22 can have a foaming function by containing a foaming agent 22A within its layer (see Figure 5). When the adhesive layer 22 containing the foaming agent 22A is foamed, irregularities are formed on its surface, reducing the adhesion area with the semiconductor chip 10, thereby reducing or losing the holding force to the semiconductor chip 10 (see Figure 1). The foaming agent is not particularly limited, but examples include thermally expandable microcapsules in which a volatile compound is enclosed inside a capsule-shaped shell layer. When heated, the volatile compound volatilizes the thermally expandable microcapsule, causing the shell layer to expand and thus performing the foaming function.

[0050] The material of the shell layer is not particularly limited as long as it has elasticity sufficient to expand when the volatile compound volatilizes, but examples include vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral, polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene chloride, and polysulfone. The volatile compound is not particularly limited as long as it is volatile enough to volatilize when heated, but examples include isobutane, propane, and pentane. Thermally expandable microcapsules can be manufactured by conventionally known methods such as coacervation and interfacial polymerization. Examples of such thermally expandable microcapsules include commercially available products such as the trade name "Matsumoto Microsphere" (manufactured by Matsumoto Oil & Fat Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.).

[0051] When thermally expandable microcapsules are used as the foaming agent, the particle size of the foaming agent is preferably 90% or less, more preferably 80% or less, of the thickness of the adhesive layer. When the upper limit of the particle size of the foaming agent is within this range, the formation of fine irregularities on the surface of the adhesive layer before foaming can be suppressed. The lower limit of the particle size of the foaming agent is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.5% or more, more preferably 1% or more, of the thickness of the adhesive layer. When the lower limit of the particle size of the foaming agent is within this range, irregularities of a size that can cause a loss of holding power to the semiconductor chip 10 can be formed on the surface of the adhesive layer 22 during foaming.

[0052] The adhesive layer 22 can be made to have a curing function by containing a curable adhesive that crosslinks upon irradiation with energy rays (ultraviolet rays, electron beams, infrared rays, etc.) and / or heating. In other words, the adhesive layer 22 containing the curable adhesive hardens upon irradiation with energy rays and / or heating, which increases the elastic modulus and significantly reduces the adhesive strength, thereby reducing or eliminating the holding power to the semiconductor chip 10. The curable adhesive is not particularly limited, but examples include energy ray curable adhesives and thermosetting adhesives.

[0053] Energy-ray curing adhesives are adhesives mainly composed of polymerizable polymers of alkyl acrylate and / or alkyl methacrylate having radically polymerizable unsaturated bonds in their molecules, and radically polymerizable polyfunctional oligomers or monomers, and optionally containing a photopolymerization initiator. Thermosetting adhesives are adhesives mainly composed of polymerizable polymers of alkyl acrylate and / or alkyl methacrylate having radically polymerizable unsaturated bonds in their molecules, and radically polymerizable polyfunctional oligomers or monomers, and also contain a thermal polymerization initiator.

[0054] Energy-ray curable adhesives or thermosetting adhesives undergo uniform and rapid polymerization and crosslinking upon irradiation with energy rays or heating, resulting in a significant increase in the elastic modulus of the adhesive layer after curing. Curable adhesives can be used in combination with the above-mentioned foaming agents, and in particular, when thermosetting adhesives are used in combination with thermally expandable microcapsules, the adhesive layer 22 can be rapidly and reliably foamed and cured by heating. Alternatively, when energy-ray curable adhesives are used in combination with thermally expandable microcapsules, the foaming and curing of the adhesive layer 22 can be induced with a time delay, such as by heating to foam the adhesive layer 22 and then irradiating it with energy rays to cure it.

[0055] The adhesive layer 22 can be made to have a gas generating function by containing a gas generating agent within the layer. The adhesive layer 22 containing the gas generating agent loses its holding power to the semiconductor chip 10 because the gas generated forms irregularities on its surface, reducing the adhesion area with the semiconductor chip 10, or because the gas released at the interface between the adhesive layer 22 and the semiconductor chip 10 causes them to separate. The gas generating agent is not particularly limited, and those commonly used as foaming agents can be used. However, the thermally expandable microcapsules mentioned above as foaming agents generate gas by the volatilization of volatile compounds enclosed in the shell layer, but this gas is not released outside the shell layer, so they are not included as gas generating agents.

[0056] Specific examples of gas generating agents include water, inorganic blowing agents, and organic blowing agents. Examples of inorganic blowing agents include ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, ammonium nitrite, sodium borohydrate, and various azides. Examples of organic blowing agents include fluoroalkane chloride compounds such as trichloromonofluoromethane and dichloromonofluoromethane, azo compounds such as azobisisobutyronitrile, azodicarbonamide, and barium azodicarboxylate, hydrazine compounds such as p-toluenesulfonyl hydrazide, diphenylsulfon-3,3'-disulfonyl hydrazide, 4,4'-oxybis(benzenesulfonyl hydrazide), and allylbis(sulfonyl hydrazide), semicarbazide compounds such as p-toluenesulfonyl semicarbazide and 4,4'-oxybis(benzenesulfonyl semicarbazide), triazole compounds such as 5-morpholyl-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole, and N-nitroso compounds such as N,N'-dinitrosopentamethyleneterolamine and N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-dinitrosotelephthalamide.

[0057] Preferably, gas generating agents include azo compounds and azide compounds that generate nitrogen gas upon irradiation with light or heating. Since nitrogen gas is an inert gas, it can prevent corrosion of circuits and other components of semiconductor chips caused by gas. Examples of azo compounds include 2,2'-azobis(N-cyclohexyl-2-methylpropionamide), 2,2'-azobis[N-(2-methylpropyl)-2-methylpropionamide], 2,2'-azobis(N-butyl-2-methylpropionamide), 2,2'-azobis[N-(2-methylethyl)-2-methylpropionamide], 2,2'-azobis(N-hexyl-2-methylpropionamide), and 2,2'-azobis(N-propyl-2-methylpropionamide). 2,2'-Azobis(N-ethyl-2-methylpropionamide), 2,2'-Azobis{2-methyl-N-[1,1-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl]propionamide}, 2,2'-Azobis{2-methyl-N-[2-(1-hydroxybutyl)]propionamide}, 2,2'-Azobis[2-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)propionamide], 2,2'-Azobis[N-(2-propenyl)-2-methylpropionamide], 2,2'-A Zobis[2-(5-methyl-2-imidazoylin-2-yl)propane]dihydrochloride, 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazoylin-2-yl)propane]dihydrochloride, 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazoylin-2-yl)propane]disulfate dihydrolate, 2,2'-azobis[2-(3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine-2-yl)propane]dihydrochloride, 2,2'-azobis{2-[1-(2-hydroxyethyl )-2-imidazoylin-2-yl]propane}dihydrochloride, 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazoylin-2-yl)propane], 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidin)hydrochloride, 2,2'-azobis(2-aminopropane)dihydrochloride, 2,2'-azobis[N-(2-carboxyacyl)-2-methylpropionamidin], 2,2'-azobis{2-[N-(2-carboxyethyl)amidin]propane}, 2,Examples of azide compounds include 2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamide oxime), dimethyl 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionate), dimethyl 2,2'-azobisisobutyrate, 4,4'-azobis(4-cyanic carbonic acid), 4,4'-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic acid), and 2,2'-azobis(2,4,4-trimethylpentane). Examples of azide compounds include 3-azidomethyl-3-methyloxetane, terephthalic azide, p-tert-butylbenzazide, and polymers having azide groups, such as glycidyl azide polymers obtained by ring-opening polymerization of 3-azidomethyl-3-methyloxetane.

[0058] The gas generating agent can be used in combination with the above-mentioned curable adhesives and foaming agents. In particular, when a curable adhesive and a gas generating agent are used together, the gas generated in the cured adhesive layer is suitably released at the interface between the adhesive layer and the semiconductor chip, thereby suitably separating the two. Furthermore, when an energy-ray curable adhesive is used together with an azo compound or azide compound, the adhesive layer's ability to retain the semiconductor chip can be lost simply by light irradiation.

[0059] The adhesive layer 22 is preferably one that has the function of foaming upon heating. That is, the adhesive layer 22 is preferably one that foams upon heating by containing a foaming agent, in which case the holding force to the semiconductor wafer 100 or semiconductor chip 10 can be easily and effectively lost by heating alone. When thermally expandable microcapsules are used as the foaming agent, the thermally expandable microcapsules can foam the adhesive layer 22 by expanding themselves, and the holding force of the adhesive layer to the semiconductor chip can be effectively lost.

[0060] In other words, in the pickup step R3 of the present invention, the loss of the holding force of the tape material 20 with respect to the pickup target 10A in the loss of holding force step R32 is preferably achieved by foaming of the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20. Furthermore, when the loss of the holding force of the tape material 20 with respect to the pickup target 10A is achieved by foaming of the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20, the adhesive layer 22 preferably contains a foaming agent that foams when heated, and the foaming agent is preferably a heat-expandable microcapsule.

[0061] The base material 21 of the tape material 20 is not particularly limited in terms of its material, but a resin is preferred, and among resins, a resin having sufficient flexibility (mechanical stretchability) is preferred. Examples of such flexible resins include polyester, polyamide, polycarbonate, and acrylic resin. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Among these resins, polyester and / or polyamide are preferred, and specifically, examples include polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polybutylene naphthalate (PBN), and polyamides such as nylon 6 and nylon 12. In addition, a resin having elastomeric properties can be used for the resin of the base material 21. Examples of resins having elastomeric properties include thermoplastic elastomers and silicones. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Among these, thermoplastic elastomers are preferred. The thermoplastic elastomer may consist of a copolymer having hard segments and soft segments, or a polymer alloy of a hard polymer and a soft polymer, or may have the properties of both.

[0062] Among the above, thermoplastic elastomers consisting of copolymers having hard segments and soft segments include polyester-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers, styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers, vinyl chloride-based thermoplastic elastomers, and polyimide-based thermoplastic elastomers (polyimide ester-based, polyimide urethane-based, etc.). These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Of these, polyester-based thermoplastic elastomers and / or polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers are preferred. Polyester-based thermoplastic elastomers are polymers in which the polyester component is used as a hard segment, and polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers are polymers in which the polyamide component is used as a hard segment.

[0063] The base material 21 preferably possesses both heat resistance and flexibility. Specifically, the base material 21 has a tensile modulus of elasticity E'(100) at 100°C and a tensile modulus of elasticity E'(25) at 25°C, and its ratio R Ｅ１ (= E'(100) / E'(25)) is 0.2 ≤ R Ｅ１ It is preferable that R is ≤ 1. Ｅ１ As a result of ≤1, the tape material 20 can be securely fixed to the chuck table while holding the semiconductor chip 10 or semiconductor wafer 100, while preventing thermal wrinkling of the tape material 20 in a heated environment. Ｅ１ A value of ≥0.2 allows the tape material 20 to be easily separated from the chuck table in a heated environment. In other words, R Ｅ１ If the ratio is <0.2, even if the tape material 20 can be properly adsorbed, the tape material 20 tends to stick to the chuck table in a heated environment and becomes difficult to separate from while at high temperatures. In this case, it is necessary to cool the surface of the chuck table to a temperature at which separation is easy, which reduces the time cycle and is undesirable. Furthermore, from the viewpoint that the base material 21 is preferable to have little change in tensile modulus with temperature changes, the ratio R Ｅ１ The lower limit of (= E'(100) / E'(25)) is more preferably 0.3 or higher (0.3 ≤ R Ｅ１), more preferably 0.4 or more (0.4 ≤ R Ｅ１ ).

[0064] Further, the above E'(25) is preferably 35 MPa ≤ E'(25) ≤ 6000 MPa or less. In this case, even when the tape material 20 is stretched and installed on the ring frame 25, for example, in the expansion step R31, flexibility can be imparted to such an extent that the tape material 20 can be further stretched from that state. On the other hand, E'(100) is preferably 10 MPa ≤ E'(100) ≤ 4000 MPa. The values of E'(25) and E'(100) may be different in the MD direction and TD direction of the base material 21, but it is preferable that they are within the above ranges in both the MD direction and TD direction of the base material 21.

[0065] For example, when performing evaluations such as loading not only high temperatures but also low temperatures in the above evaluation process, for the base material 21 of the tape material 20, when the elastic modulus at 160°C is defined as E'(160) and the elastic modulus at -40°C is defined as E'(-40), the ratio R Ｅ２ (= E'(160) / E'(-40)) is preferably 0.001 or more and 1 or less (0.001 ≤ R Ｅ２ ≤ 1). By 0.001 ≤ R Ｅ２ ≤ 1, flexibility can be maintained to an extent that allows the semiconductor chip 10 to be easily removed from the tape material 20 even in an environment in each temperature range of high temperatures of 100°C or more and 160°C or less, and low temperatures of -40°C or more and 0°C or less. That is, the tape material 20 can be maintained flexible even after undergoing thermal cycling.

[0066] In this specification, the elastic modulus E' of the substrate 21 is the value measured by a Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). Specifically, the sample size is 10 mm in width and 20 mm in length between chucks, and the values ​​are obtained by reading the data for each temperature from the data obtained by measuring from -50°C to 250°C under measurement conditions of a frequency of 1 Hz and a heating rate of 5°C / min. The thickness of the substrate 21 is not limited, but for example it can be 50 μm or more and 200 μm or less, preferably 60 μm or more and 185 μm or less, and more preferably 70 μm or more and 170 μm or less. The stretching of the substrate 21 is irrelevant. Furthermore, although the linear thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate 21 is not limited, it is measured in accordance with JIS K7197, and it is preferable that the thermal expansion coefficient between temperatures of 50°C and 190°C is 100 ppm / K or more.

[0067] Typically, the above-described pickup process R3 is performed in a room temperature environment. For this reason, in order to ensure excellent pickup performance at room temperature, it is preferable that the base material 21 of the tape material 20 has the property of 35 MPa ≤ E'(25) ≤ 5000 MPa. E'(25) is further preferably 40 MPa ≤ E'(25) ≤ 2000 MPa, more preferably 42 MPa ≤ E'(25) ≤ 1000 MPa, particularly preferably 46 MPa ≤ E'(25) ≤ 500 MPa, and even more preferably 50 MPa ≤ E'(25) ≤ 250 MPa.

[0068] The tape material 20, whose base material 21 has the flexibility described above, can be suitably stretched in the expansion step R31 of the pickup step R3 and can resist the force generated when the semiconductor chip 10 separates from the adhesive layer 22 in the recovery step R33. That is, the base material 21 of the tape material 20 has the flexibility described above, so it can be suitably stretched in the expansion step R31 of the pickup step R3. Furthermore, the base material 21 of the tape material 20 has the flexibility described above, so when the semiconductor chip 10 separates from the adhesive layer 22 in the recovery step R33, the displacement of the tape material 20, which would otherwise unintentionally try to lift up by following the semiconductor chip 10 due to the slight remaining holding force, can be suppressed.

[0069] When laser dicing is employed in the dicing process R2, the tape material 20 is preferably made of a material that has a transmittance capable of transmitting laser light of the wavelength used in laser dicing. In laser dicing, the wavelength of the laser light used is determined according to the semiconductor material, but generally, when the semiconductor material is silicon, near-infrared laser light with a wavelength of 1064 nm is used. The transmittance of the tape material 20 can be, for example, as the total light transmittance at a wavelength of 1064 nm, with a lower limit of 30% or more, preferably 40% or more, and more preferably 45% or more. The upper limit of the transmittance is usually 100% or less, preferably 99% or less, more preferably 98% or less, and even more preferably 97% or less. The transmittance of the tape material 20 refers to the transmittance of the entire tape material 20, including the base material 21 and the adhesive layer 22, and the total light transmittance at a wavelength of 1064 nm is the value measured in accordance with the provisions of JIS K7361-1:1997.

[0070] [3] Semiconductor component manufacturing apparatus The semiconductor component manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is used in the above-mentioned pickup process R3 and is characterized by comprising a retention force loss mechanism 32 that causes the tape material 20 to lose its retention force with respect to the semiconductor chip 10 which is to be picked up 10A (see Figure 6).

[0071] Specifically, the pickup device 30 used in the pickup process R3 as a semiconductor component manufacturing apparatus is a device that separates the pickup targets 10A from a portion of the multiple semiconductor chips 10 that are adhered to and held on the surface (adhesive surface) of the tape material 20 by causing the tape material 20 to lose its holding force on the pickup targets 10A (see Figure 6). The tape material 20 is stretched on the ring frame 25 by being attached to the lower surface of the ring frame 25 which has an opening, and the semiconductor chips 10 are held on the adhesive surface (surface) of the tape material 20 that is exposed to the outside inside the opening of the ring frame 25. In addition, the tape material 20 is stretched in the planar direction by being pushed upward by the expanded frame 26, which is engaged with the inside of the opening of the ring frame 25. Furthermore, the semiconductor chips 10 held on the tape material 20 are thin, with a thickness of 50 μm or less.

[0072] The pickup device 30 may include a table 34 on which a ring frame 25 with the tape material 20 stretched over it rests and supports. This table 34 is mounted on a base 36 of the pickup device 30 via legs 35. The pickup device 30 may include a suction stage 31 located below the tape material 20. This suction stage 31 is for adsorbing and fixing the tape material 20 in the pickup process R3. The pickup device 30 may include a collet 33 located above the tape material 20. This collet 33 is for adsorbing the object to be picked up 10A (semiconductor chip 10) in the pickup process R3, separating it from the adhesive surface (surface) of the tape material 20, and recovering it.

[0073] In the pickup device 30, the table 34 is configured to be movable horizontally in the forward and backward directions and left and right directions. During the pickup process R3, the portion of the tape material 20 that holds the object to be picked up 10A (semiconductor chip 10) can be moved onto the suction stage 31. The pickup device 30 then fixes the tape material 20 by adsorption onto the suction stage 31, and in that state, the object to be picked up 10A (semiconductor chip 10) is adsorbed onto the collet 33 and separated from the tape material 20. By further moving the collet 33, the object to be picked up 10A (semiconductor chip 10) is recovered.

[0074] A retention force loss mechanism 32 is housed inside the adsorption stage 31. The retention force loss mechanism 32 can be a heating device that heats the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 and / or an irradiation device that irradiates the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 with energy rays. The retention force loss mechanism 32 can apply heat and / or irradiate energy rays to the portion of the tape material 20 that is adsorbed and fixed to the adsorption stage 31.

[0075] In the areas of the tape material 20 that have been heated and / or irradiated with energy rays by the retention force loss mechanism 32, the adhesive layer undergoes at least one of foaming, hardening, and gas generation, forming retention force loss areas 23 where the retention force loss area is lost from the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10). As a result of the formation of retention force loss areas 23, the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) can be separated from the tape material 20 and is attracted to the collet 33 for collection.

[0076] As described above, if the loss of the tape material 20's holding force with respect to the pickup target 10A is caused by foaming of the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20, and this foaming is due to a foaming agent that causes foaming when heated, then it is preferable that the semiconductor component manufacturing apparatus (pickup apparatus 30) includes a heating device for heating the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 as a mechanism for causing the tape material to lose its holding force (holding force loss mechanism 32). The heating device may be configured to heat the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20 via a base material 21, or to directly heat the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20, as long as it is capable of heating the adhesive layer 22 of the tape material 20. Examples of heating devices configured to heat the adhesive layer 22 via a base material 21 include those that raise the temperature of a hot plate using a heat source, such as an electric heater, and bring the base material 21 of the tape material 20 into contact with the heated hot plate, or those that blow hot air onto the base material 21 of the tape material 20, such as a hot air heater. Examples of heating devices that directly heat the adhesive layer 22 include those that use heat rays such as infrared rays to conduct heat to heat the adhesive layer 22, such as an infrared irradiation device, or those that use electromagnetic waves such as microwaves or high frequencies to dielectrically heat the adhesive layer 22, such as an electromagnetic wave irradiation device.

[0077] The pickup device 30 described above is equipped with a retention force loss mechanism 32 that causes the tape material 20 to lose its retention force against the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10), and is configured not to have a "push-up pin" that pushes up the pickup target 10A (semiconductor chip 10) from the back side of the tape material 20. In other words, the pickup device 30 causes the tape material 20 to lose its retention force against the pickup target 10A by forming a retention force loss portion 23 in the tape material 20 with the retention force loss mechanism 32, thereby separating the pickup target 10A from the tape material 20. Furthermore, since the pickup device 30 does not have a "push-up pin" that pushes up the pickup target 10A from the back side of the tape material 20, the pickup target 10A can be separated from the tape material 20 without causing displacement from the back side by the "push-up pin". Therefore, even if the pickup target 10A is a thin semiconductor chip 10 with a thickness of 50 μm or less, the pickup device 30 can separate the pickup target 10A from the tape material 20 without causing displacement from the back side of the tape material 20 by the "pushing pin". This suppresses the occurrence of problems during pickup, such as cracks or chips in the semiconductor chip 10 caused by the displacement from the back side of the pushed-up tape material 20.

[0078] The semiconductor component manufacturing method of the present invention is widely used in semiconductor component manufacturing and electronic component manufacturing. In particular, it is preferably used because, by eliminating the push-up from the back side of the tape material during semiconductor chip pickup, suitable pickup is possible even for thin semiconductor chips with a thickness of 50 μm or less.

[0079] R1; holding process, R2; dicing process, R3; pick-up process, R31; expand process, R32; loss of holding force process, R33; recovery process, 10; semiconductor chip, 10A; object to be picked up, 11; through electrode, 100; semiconductor wafer, 20; tape material, 21; substrate, 22; adhesive layer, 22A; foaming agent, 23; loss of holding force section, 25; ring frame, 26; expanded frame, 30; pick-up device, 31; suction stage, 32; loss of holding force mechanism, 33; collet, 34; table, 35; leg section, 36; base.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor component comprising a pickup step, wherein the semiconductor component includes a semiconductor chip with a thickness of 50 μm or less, and the pickup step is a step of separating the pickup target from the tape material by removing a portion of the plurality of semiconductor chips held on a tape material, causing the tape material to lose its holding force on the pickup target, and without causing displacement to the tape material by a push-up pin.

2. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein the loss of holding force is achieved by at least one of foaming of the adhesive layer of the tape material, hardening of the adhesive layer, and gas generation from the adhesive layer.

3. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor component according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a dicing step of obtaining the semiconductor chip by dividing a semiconductor wafer into individual pieces using laser dicing.

4. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor component according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a dicing step of dividing a semiconductor wafer into individual pieces by plasma dicing to obtain the semiconductor chip.

5. The semiconductor chip having through electrodes, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor component according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor component according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the thickness of the semiconductor chip is 25 μm or less.

7. A tape material for pickup, characterized in that it is used in the pickup step, in a method for manufacturing a semiconductor component according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A semiconductor component manufacturing apparatus used in a method for manufacturing a semiconductor component according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a mechanism for causing the tape material to lose its holding force with respect to the semiconductor chip to be picked up.

9. The semiconductor component manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the mechanism is a heating device for heating the adhesive layer of the tape material and / or an irradiation device for irradiating the adhesive layer of the tape material with energy rays.

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