Wafer Stepped Portion Height Measurement for Cutting Edge Wear Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cutting apparatuses face challenges in maintaining the quality of the stepped portions on wafers due to wear at the cutting edge, leading to height variations and insufficient depth removal, especially at the inner circumferential portion of the stepped portion.
Innovation Solution
A measuring method and apparatus that measure the height of the upper surface of the stepped portion on wafers by holding the wafer undersurface and using a measuring unit to assess the height at multiple positions along the outer circumference, ensuring accurate height distribution measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If edge trimming processing is repeatedly performed by a cutting blade, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to cutting edge wear causing height variations and curved surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures the height of the upper surface of the stepped portion at multiple positions and provides feedback information about the cutting edge state. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect wear conditions and determine when blade replacement or reconditioning is needed, maintaining precision over repeated operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical measurement of cutting edge geometry with optical or non-contact measurement of the stepped portion height. This substitution allows for precise detection of cutting quality without mechanical contact, enabling better monitoring of wear effects.
2Measurement precision
If measurement is performed at a single position, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates because it cannot detect height variations across the stepped portion
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement process is segmented into multiple measurement positions across the stepped portion. By dividing the measurement task into multiple locations, the system comprehensively assesses height variations and provides a complete picture of cutting edge performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement system is designed to measure at multiple positions with the same measuring unit, making it universally applicable for detecting various cutting edge conditions including wear, vibration marks, and surface irregularities across the entire stepped portion.
Data Source
AI summary
A measuring method for measuring a height of an upper surface of a stepped portion provided to an outer circumference on a top surface side of a measurement target object includes a holding step of holding an undersurface side of the measurement target object by a holding table such that the stepped portion is exposed upward, and a measuring step of measuring the height of the upper surface of the stepped portion by a measuring unit, a width of a measurement region on the upper surface of the stepped portion to be measured by the measuring unit in one time of measurement being smaller than a width of the stepped portion, and in the measuring step, the height of the upper surface of the stepped portion is measured at a plurality of measurement positions having different distances from the outer circumference of the measurement target object.