JP3533936B2 - Wafer peeling method and peeling device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and a mounting method for separating one wafer from each wafer row which is bonded to a fixing member with an adhesive to form each wafer row.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when manufacturing wafers of semiconductor materials, magnetic materials, ceramics, etc., these materials are adhered to a fixing member in an ingot state, and then a wire saw is used to make a vertical direction in the longitudinal direction. Slicing the ingot from below is performed in the direction.

Usually, slicing with a wire saw is performed until a part of the fixing member is reached, and the ingot is completely cut off at each part. However, since the wafers formed by slicing are directly adhered to the fixing member, the fixing is performed. Wafer rows are formed and remain integrated without leaving the member.

Conventionally, the work of peeling a wafer from the above-mentioned wafer row is performed by turning the fixing member and the ingot (wafer row) upside down from the sliced state of the ingot so that the bonding portion between the fixing member and the wafer row is adhesive softening temperature. , For example,
It is immersed in warm water kept at 90 to 95 ° C. to soften the adhesive.

[0005]

In the case of a conventional wafer having a diameter of about 8 inches, the above method can be used to peel the wafer without any trouble. However, in the case of a new wafer with a large diameter of 12 inches and a large weight, the sliced state with the fixing member on the upper side and the wafer row on the lower side is turned upside down and the bonded portion is heated in a hot water tank. When or after the wafer is put into the wafer, the wafer is bent by its own weight and easily falls in the thickness direction, and it is difficult to peel the wafer without any trouble by the conventional methods and apparatuses.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a wafer peeling method and a wafer peeling apparatus capable of accurately peeling a large-diameter and heavy wafer without any trouble. To aim.

[0007]

The present invention has the following features to attain the object mentioned above. That is, the method of stripping a wafer according to claim 1 is a method of stripping a wafer in which one wafer is stripped from a wafer row, wherein the wafer row adhered to a fixing member is placed with the fixing member on top. in together when substantially horizontally supported on supporting support member provided on the support frame, previously in engagement member provided on the support frame
The outer peripheral surface of the wafer row is oriented in the substantially central direction of the wafer row.
Push to lock the wafer row in cooperation with the support member
A step of mounting the supporting lifting frame by Rukoto, and separating the fixing member from the loaded wafer column to the support frame, the wafer outermost ends of the wafer row separated fixed member in the plane direction moving means The step of moving the wafer in the surface direction to separate one from the wafer row and take it out from the support frame.

According to this structure, each wafer in the wafer row is kept hanging from the fixing member and never falls. Therefore, the damage of the wafer due to the sideways falling can be completely prevented. In addition, it is not necessary to invert the upper and lower sides of the fixing member and the wafer row, and they can be taken out from the slicing machine in the sliced state, facilitating transfer to the peeling machine and simplifying the transfer robot. Becomes

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method of stripping a wafer according to the first aspect, the wafer is taken out from between the support member and the locking member by overcoming the front end portion of the support member. To do.

According to this structure, each wafer gets over the front end portion of the support member and turns out in a twisting manner. Further, unless the external force enough to get over the front end portion of the support member is applied to the wafer, the wafer is stably locked to the support frame. Therefore, the wafer can be smoothly separated from the wafer row, and the wafer can be prevented from being arbitrarily detached from the support frame due to vibration or the like.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wafer peeling apparatus, in which side plates are attached to both ends of a supporting member for supporting the wafer row adhered to the fixing member substantially horizontally with the fixing member facing upward. Between the pair of side plates, a support frame provided with a locking member that locks the wafer row by pushing the outer peripheral surface of the wafer row in the substantially central direction of the wafer row, a mounting table on which the support frame is placed, and the support frame. wherein the intake Chakuban, the suction cup to adsorb the wafer outermost end of the removed fixing member window Eha column after being placed on the loading table is mounted
By moving in the plane direction of the wafer,
From the wafer row to unlock the wafer
And a surface direction moving means for peeling off .

In this structure, the wafer row adhered to the fixing member is supported substantially horizontally on the supporting member of the supporting frame with the fixing member facing upward, and is locked by the locking member to be mounted on the supporting frame. After that, place the support frame on the platform. The fixing member to which the wafer row is adhered is separated from the wafer row at an appropriate time and in an appropriate method. In this state, the suction plate is operated to suck one wafer at the end of the wafer row, and the wafer is moved in the surface direction of the wafer by the surface direction moving means to lock the support member and the locking member. To release the wafer from the wafer row. Since each wafer in the wafer row is supported by the support frame in a suspended state, it does not fall sideways even if it has a large diameter.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the wafer stripping apparatus according to the third aspect, only one wafer, which is disposed at the wafer suction position by the suction plate and passes through the suction plate, is passed. It is characterized by comprising a gate member having a slit for making it.

According to this structure, even if the next wafer is adhered to the one wafer at the end by water or the like, the gate member allows the next wafer to pass through the slit. Prevent the. Therefore, one wafer can be accurately separated from the wafer row.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the wafer stripping apparatus of the third or fourth aspect, between the one wafer at the end and the next wafer which are sucked by the suction plate. It is characterized in that it is provided with a nozzle for ejecting air to separate the wafer at the end from the next wafer.

In this structure, the air jetted from the nozzle acts so as to separate one wafer at the end of the wafer row from the next wafer. Also in this case, one wafer can be more smoothly separated from the wafer row.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The wafer peeling apparatus according to the present invention mainly includes a support frame 1, a mounting table 2, and a suction plate 3.

In the support frame 1, a pair of left and right side plates 16 and 17 are bolted to both ends of support shafts 12, 13 and 14 having a circular cross section into which a cylindrical support tube 11 is fitted, and a locking tube 19 is fitted. A combined locking shaft 20 is provided between the side plates 16 and 17. The support shafts 12, 13, 14 are, when viewed from the side of the support frame 1, approximately 7 o'clock of the timepiece, approximately 5 o'clock symmetrical thereto,
It is fixed at the 3 o'clock position, and the locking shaft 20 is the support shaft 12.
It is movably provided at a position of about 1 o'clock facing. Support shafts 12, 13, 14 and locking shaft 20, and side plate 1
6 and 17 are parallel to each other.

The support tubes 11 of the support shafts 12, 13, 14 respectively contact the outer peripheral surface of the wafer row Wa to support the wafer row Wa.
It is fixed to 14 respectively. Support shafts 12, 13, 1
4 and the support tube 11 fitted to them constitute a support member.

The locking shaft 20 is attached to the side plates 16 and 17 by a pair of biasing springs 21, and the outer peripheral surface of the wafer row Wa supported by each supporting tube 11 is supported by the supporting shaft 1.
Wafer row W by pushing the locking tube 19 toward 2 toward a predetermined amount
It is designed to lock a with an appropriate force. Biasing spring 2
1 is latches 16a and 17a of side plates 16 and 17 and locking shaft 2
It is stretched between the end plate of the side plate 1 and the end plate of
The locking shaft 20 is pulled until it hits 6, 7 to generate a locking force, and the locking shaft 20 can be moved from the locking position A (FIG. 3) to the retracted position B. The locking shaft 20 and the locking tube 19 fixed to the locking shaft 20 constitute a locking member. Each of the tubes 11 and 19 is made of a rubber having a large friction resistance and a soft contact, a material having the same effect as that of the rubber, or a soft material such as a brush, and elastically supports the wafer row Wa. There is.

The side plates 16 and 17 are formed in a substantially C-shape (including an inverted C-shape), on the upper part of which are provided seats 16b and 17b of the fixing member 5 to which the wafer row Wa is adhered, and on the lower part thereof. Lower constricted legs 16c and 17c are provided. Receptacles 23 are attached to the outer surfaces of the upper portions of the side plates 16 and 17 by bolts.

The mounting table 2 is for mounting the support frame 1, and the side plate 16, in the space surrounded by the fixtures 25, 26, 27, 27 (only the front one is shown in FIG. 3).
Support frame 1 by fitting the legs 16c, 17c of 17 from above
Can be correctly fixed in place. The fixtures 25, 26 and 27 are attached to the mounting table 2 with bolts, respectively.

The suction plate 3 vacuum-sucks one wafer W and is connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown).
Four pieces are attached to the attachment plate 29. The mounting plate 29 is
By the suction moving means 30 such as a dual rod cylinder,
It is moved in the longitudinal direction of the wafer row (left-right direction in FIG. 2). The suction moving means 30 is attached to a movable body 32 which is horizontally moved in the surface direction of the wafer W supported by the support frame 1 by a surface direction moving means 31 such as a rodless cylinder. Further, the surface direction moving means 31 is attached to a moving body 34 which is horizontally moved in the longitudinal direction of the wafer row Wa supported by the support frame 1 by a longitudinal direction moving means 33 such as a positioning actuator. The free end (the left end in FIG. 3) of the moving body 34 moves along the guide member 35.

With the above structure, the suction moving means 30 sucks and moves the suction disk 3 to suck the wafer W at the end of the wafer row Wa, and the surface moving means 31 moves the suction disk 3 to suck the wafer. After separating W from the wafer row Wa and taking it out from the support frame 1, the suction of the wafer W is released to return the suction plate 3 to the original state, and the longitudinal moving means 33 operates to move the suction plate 3 to the next wafer W. Can be moved to the position.

The moving member 34 is provided with a gate member 37 and a raising / lowering member 38. The gate member 37 has positioning portions 37a and 37b and slits 37c and 37d. The positioning portions 37a and 37b contact and position the one wafer W at the endmost portion sucked by the suction plate 3, and the slits 37c and 37d serve as one wafer W sucked by the suction plate 3. Only the wafer W is passed through, and the gap width is made larger than the thickness of one wafer W and smaller than the thickness of two wafers W.

The tilting member 38 has been transferred through the slits 37c and 37d by the movement of the suction plate 3 in the surface direction.
The wafer W is received in the bearing groove 38a and is horizontally tilted,
The wafer W is placed on the carry-out conveyor 39, and can be vertically tilted by the tilting cylinder 41 with the mounting shaft 42 as a fulcrum. The support groove 38a has slits 37c, 37 when the upright member 38 is in the upright state.
Correctly matches the position of d. The carry-out conveyor 39 is driven by the motor 43.

Slits 37c and 37d of the gate member 37
The pair of nozzles 45 (Fig.
And FIG. 5) are provided. The nozzle 45 ejects air between the one wafer W at the end and the next wafer W adsorbed to the suction plate 3 to separate the wafer W at the end from the next wafer W. And is connected to an air supply source (not shown) such as a compressor.

Reference numerals 47 and 48 are photoelectric sensors. The photoelectric sensor 47 is for detecting the presence or absence of the wafer W supported by the support frame 1, and the other photoelectric sensors 48 are for confirming the carry-out of the wafer W. Also, reference numeral 49
And 50 are cable bears.

Next, the operation of the wafer peeling apparatus according to the present invention having the above structure will be described. The wafer row Wa formed by slicing with the wire saw is carried as it is, that is, with the fixing member 5 facing upward by a robot or the like, and the seat 16b of the support frame 1 with the locking shaft 20 attached to the retracted position B in advance is received. , 17b on which the fixing member 5 is mounted and the support shaft 12,
It is supported by the support tubes 11 of 13 and 14.

In the above-mentioned state, the worker moves the locking shaft 20 to the locking position A and locks the wafer row Wa in cooperation with the support shafts 12, 13 and 14, and the fixing member 5 is moved from the wafer row Wa.
Remove. At this time, if necessary, the adhesive is softened with hot water at 90 to 95 ° C. to facilitate the removal of the fixing member 5.

After removing the fixing member 5, the supporting frame 1 having the wafer row Wa mounted thereon as described above is carried onto the platform 2 by a robot or a worker, and the leg portions 1 of the side plates 16 and 17 are carried out.
6b and 17b are fitted and fixed in the spaces of the fixtures 25, 26, 27 and 27. This transportation is performed by the legs 16b, 17
Since b has a downward constriction, it can be performed accurately and smoothly.

The separation of the wafer W from the wafer row Wa mounted on the support frame 1 on the mounting table 2 is performed as follows. First, by the operation of the suction moving means 30, the suction plate 3 is brought close to the wafer W at the end of the wafer row Wa, sucks the wafer W, and immediately returns to the original position. At this time, air is ejected from the nozzle 45 between the wafer W at the outermost end and the next wafer W to help peel off the wafer W at the outermost end adhering to the wafer row Wa with water or the like. Then, one wafer W adsorbed on the suction plate 3 is brought into contact with the positioning portions 37a, 37b at the slits 37c, 37d by the return movement of the suction plate 3.

Then, the surface direction moving means 31 is operated to move the suction plate 3 together with the movable body 32 to the left in FIG. The wafer W sucked by the suction plate 3 is moved by the above-described surface direction movement of the suction plate 3, and thus the support tube 1 of the support shaft 12 at the front end portion.
1, is rotated so as to be twisted with respect to the wafer row Wa, and is unlocked between the support tube 11 of the support shaft 12 and the locking tube 19 of the locking shaft 20 to forcibly withdraw. , Through the slits 37c and 37d, and is inserted into the support groove 38a of the upright member 38 in the upright state. Support shaft 12 elastically supporting wafer row Wa and locking shaft 20
The tubes 11 and 19 make the removal of the wafer W smooth. In addition, the wafer W is smoothly separated from the wafer row Wa by twisting and turning with the support tube 11 of the support shaft 12 as a fulcrum. Slits 37c, 37
d allows only one wafer W to pass and prevents the next wafer W from passing.

When one wafer W is thus supported by the raising / lowering member 38, the suction of the wafer W by the suction plate 3 is released, and the raising / lowering cylinder 41 is actuated to move the raising / lowering member 38. The wafer W in the support groove 38a is placed on the carry-out conveyor 39 by tilting the wafer substantially horizontally. The carry-out conveyor 39 carries the wafer W to the next system.

When the suction of the wafer W is released, the suction disk 3 is returned to the support frame 1 by the operation of the surface direction moving means 31. Further, when the wafer W comes out of the bearing groove 38a by the operation of the carry-out conveyor 39, the up-and-down cylinder 41 erects the up-and-down member 38 vertically to prepare for the next operation. When the erection member 38 is erected, the longitudinal moving means 33 is activated to move the moving body 34 to the left in FIG. 1 and set it at the next peeling position. Since the suction moving means 30 can move the suction disk 3 in the longitudinal direction of the wafer row Wa, it is not necessary to move the moving body 34 by the longitudinal moving means 33 every time the wafer W is separated.

Thereafter, the above operation is repeated to peel off all the wafers W in the wafer row Wa supported by the support frame 1.

The locking shaft 20 in the figure has a structure in which the outer peripheral surface of the wafer row Wa is pushed toward the center thereof on an extension line of a straight line connecting the support shaft 12 at the front end portion and the center of the wafer row Wa. The position may be slightly shifted in the 12 o'clock direction or the 3 o'clock direction in FIG. Number of supporting shaft equipment and suction cup 3
The number of is not limited to that shown in the figure and is arbitrary. A configuration may be adopted in which the mounting table 2 is moved with respect to the suction plate 3 by the longitudinal movement means.

[0038]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (A) According to the wafer peeling method of claim 1,
Even a large-diameter and heavy-weight wafer can be accurately peeled off without falling down sideways to damage it. Moreover, since it is not necessary to purposely turn the fixing member and the wafer row upside down, the transfer from the slicing device to the peeling device is easy and the device can be simplified.

(B) According to the wafer peeling method of the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the above (a), the wafer is turned so as to be twisted when getting over the front end portion of the supporting member, so that the wafer is smoother. The wafer can be peeled off. Also, unless a large external force is applied to the wafer, it is stably locked to the support frame with an appropriate locking force,
Wafer detachment due to vibration can be prevented.

(C) According to the wafer peeling apparatus of the third aspect, it is possible to carry out the peeling method of the first aspect to achieve the effect of the (a). In addition, the structure is simple and easy to implement.

(D) According to the wafer peeling apparatus of the fourth aspect, in addition to the effect of the above (c), one wafer can be more accurately peeled. (E) According to the wafer peeling apparatus of claim 5,
In addition to the effects of (c) and (d) above, one wafer is addressed,
The peeling can be performed more accurately and smoothly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a partially cutaway front view of the peeling device of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing how the suction plate is attached to the attachment plate.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a gate member.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Support Frame 2 Mounting Platform 3 Suction Board 5 Fixing Member 11 Support Tubes 12, 13, 14
Support shafts 16 and 17 Side plates 16b and 17b
Seat 19 Locking tube 20 Locking shaft 21 Energizing spring 31 Surface direction moving means 37 Gate members 37a, 37b
Positioning parts 37c and 37d Slit 45 Nozzle W Wafer Wa Wafer row

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21/68 B65G 49/07 H01L 21/304 611

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A wafer separating method of addressed one wafer from the wafer column peeling, the wafer column bonded to the fixing member, the support frame to provided a supporting lifting while on the fixing member in together when substantially horizontally supported on a member, the locking member provided on the support frame
The outer peripheral surface of the wafer row is located approximately in the center of the wafer row.
And pushes the wafer row in cooperation with the support member.
A step of mounting the supporting lifting frame by stopping, and separating the fixing member from the loaded wafer column to the support frame, the wafer surface direction moving means in the endmost portion of the wafer column separated the fixing member And a step of moving the wafer in the surface direction so that one wafer is peeled off from the wafer row and taken out from the supporting frame. 2. The method of stripping a wafer according to claim 1, wherein the wafer is taken out from between the support member and the locking member by overcoming the front end portion of the support member. 3. A side plate is attached to each end of a supporting member for supporting the wafer row adhered to the fixing member substantially horizontally with the fixing member facing upward, and a wafer row of the wafer row is provided between the pair of side plates. A support frame provided with a locking member that locks the wafer row by pushing the outer peripheral surface in the substantially central direction of the wafer row, a mounting table on which the support frame is mounted, and a mounting frame mounted on the supporting frame . After said fixed
Absorption wafers endmost of removed the member c Eha column
And intake Chakuban to wear, by moving the suction cup in the direction of the face of the wafer, the supporting
The wafer row by unlocking the holding member and the locking member
And a plane moving means for separating the wafer from the wafer . 4. The wafer according to claim 3, further comprising a gate member which is arranged at a suction position of the wafer by the suction plate and has a slit through which only one wafer sucked by the suction plate passes. Peeling device. 5. A nozzle for ejecting air between one wafer at the end and the next wafer adsorbed by the suction plate to separate the end wafer from the next wafer. The wafer peeling apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that.