Wafer Frame Tape Pre-Affixing for Reinforcing Ring Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods face difficulties in integrating a wafer with an annular frame and removing a ring-shaped reinforcing portion from the wafer, leading to poor productivity due to the challenging nature of affixing dicing tape to the wafer's undersurface with a projecting reinforcing portion and cutting the reinforcing portion.
Innovation Solution
A processing apparatus is designed with a wafer cassette table, wafer unloading unit, wafer table, frame housing unit, frame unloading unit, tape affixing unit, tape compression-bonding unit, reinforcing portion removing unit, and no-ring unit unloading unit, which includes a transporting unit, imaging unit, and illuminating unit to facilitate the integration and removal of the reinforcing portion by positioning, compressing, and cutting the tape-affixed frame to the wafer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a ring-shaped reinforcing portion is formed on the undersurface of the wafer to facilitate transportation, then the wafer can be easily transported and handled, but it becomes difficult to affix dicing tape to the undersurface and remove the reinforcing portion by cutting
Solution Approach 1:
The dicing tape is affixed to the annular frame before the wafer is placed on the frame. This preliminary action allows the tape to be properly positioned and secured on the flat surface of the frame, avoiding the difficulty of affixing tape to the uneven undersurface with the projecting reinforcing portion. The wafer is then placed on the tape-affixed frame, enabling easy integration without manual manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of affixing the dicing tape directly to the wafer's undersurface (the conventional approach), the invention inverts the sequence by first affixing the tape to the annular frame, then placing the wafer on top of the tape. This inversion eliminates the problem of the projecting reinforcing portion interfering with tape affixing, as the tape is already secured on the frame's flat surface.
2Strength
If the ring-shaped reinforcing portion remains on the wafer to facilitate transportation, then the wafer structure is strengthened for handling, but it complicates the process of integrating the wafer with the annular frame and removing the reinforcing portion
Solution Approach 1:
The dicing tape is affixed to the annular frame in advance, creating a prepared assembly that simplifies subsequent steps. The wafer is then placed on this pre-prepared tape-affixed frame, allowing the reinforcing portion to remain on the wafer without interfering with the integration process, as the tape is already secured on the frame rather than needing to be applied to the wafer's undersurface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual work is performed to affix dicing tape to the wafer with the projecting reinforcing portion and to cut the reinforcing portion, then flexibility is maintained, but productivity is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The dicing tape is affixed to the annular frame before wafer integration, creating a pre-assembled unit that eliminates manual manipulation during the integration step. This preliminary preparation enables automated handling and processing, significantly improving productivity while maintaining flexibility in the overall processing workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The tape-affixed frame assembly serves itself by providing a stable base that automatically supports the wafer during placement. The pre-secured tape on the frame creates a self-aligning system where the wafer naturally integrates with the frame without requiring precise manual positioning or additional fastening operations, thereby improving productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A processing apparatus includes a wafer unloading unit, a wafer table, a frame unloading unit, a frame table, a tape affixing unit, a tape-affixed frame transporting unit, a tape compression-bonding unit, a frame unit unloading unit that unloads a frame unit in which a tape of a tape-affixed frame and the undersurface of a wafer are compression-bonded to each other from the wafer table, a reinforcing portion removing unit, a no-ring unit unloading unit, and a frame cassette table.