JP2003297902A - Cassette adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: In a cassette adapter mounted on a cassette mounting table, detection members of a plurality of cassette detection means provided on the cassette mounting table are operated by the mounted cassettes. Provide a cassette adapter. SOLUTION: A cassette mounting table which is provided in a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus and has a mounting surface on which a cassette for housing a semiconductor wafer is mounted, and which is disposed at intervals on the cassette mounting table and is higher than the mounting surface A cassette adapter mounted on a cassette mounting table in a cassette mounting mechanism including a plurality of cassette detection means having a detection member protruding from the mounting area, the mounting area for mounting a cassette on the upper surface. A table plate provided with a plurality of operating mechanisms which are respectively arranged on the table plate at intervals and which are operated by cassettes mounted on the mounting area, and each of which operates a plurality of detecting members. .

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cassette adapter mounted on a cassette mounting table provided in a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus such as a dicing apparatus for dividing a semiconductor wafer into individual semiconductor chips.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, circuits such as ICs and LSIs are formed in a large number of regions arranged in a lattice on the surface of a substantially disk-shaped semiconductor wafer, and the circuits are formed. Individual semiconductor chips are manufactured by dicing each area along a predetermined street (cutting line). Such division of the semiconductor wafer is generally performed by a cutting device as a dicing device. The cutting device includes a cassette mounting mechanism having a cassette mounting table for mounting a cassette containing a semiconductor wafer, a chuck table for holding a semiconductor wafer unloaded from a cassette mounted on the cassette mounting table, and the chuck. And a cutting mechanism for cutting the semiconductor wafer held on the table.

In recent years, the size (diameter) of semiconductor wafers has been expanded to improve productivity, and the diameter is 200 mm,
It has become a large diameter of 300 mm. With this,
A semiconductor wafer processing apparatus such as a dicing apparatus is also adapted to a large-diameter semiconductor wafer. However, as the cassette for storing the semiconductor wafer, a dedicated cassette is used for each size of the semiconductor wafer, and therefore, the cassette mounting mechanism also needs to have a structure corresponding to the dedicated cassette for each size. For this reason, a cassette adapter having a cassette mounting area corresponding to the size of the semiconductor wafer is mounted on the cassette mounting table of the cassette mounting mechanism for mounting a cassette of a predetermined size, and the cassette adapter is mounted on the cassette adapter. A method of mounting a cassette is used.

[0004]

The cassette mounting table is provided with cassette detecting means for detecting whether or not the cassette is mounted at a predetermined position. The detecting member of the cassette detecting means is It is arranged so as to project above the mounting surface of the cassette mounting table. Incidentally, in order to detect whether or not the cassette is properly placed at a predetermined position on the cassette mounting table, three cassette detecting means are provided, and respective detecting members of the three cassette detecting means are mutually appropriate. Those that are arranged at intervals are put to practical use. Thus, since the conventional cassette adapter mounted on the cassette mounting table is not provided with a mechanism for operating the above-mentioned three detection members by the cassette mounted respectively, the cassette adapter is mounted on the cassette adapter. There is a problem that it is impossible to detect whether or not the cassette is properly placed at a predetermined position.

The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main technical problem is to detect a plurality of cassette detecting means provided on the cassette mounting table in a cassette adapter mounted on the cassette mounting table. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cassette adapter in which each member is operated by a mounted cassette.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned main technical problems, according to the present invention, there is provided a cassette mounting table having a mounting surface for mounting a cassette for accommodating a semiconductor wafer, which is disposed in a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus. And a plurality of cassette detecting means having detection members provided at intervals on the cassette mounting table and projecting upward from the mounting surface, the cassette mounting table in a cassette mounting mechanism. A cassette adapter to be mounted on, a table plate having a mounting area for mounting a cassette on an upper surface, and a cassette mounted on the mounting area at a distance from the table plate. And a plurality of actuation mechanisms for actuating the plurality of detection members, respectively. .

The actuating mechanism comprises an actuating lever whose one end is rotatably supported in a plane perpendicular to the placing surface of the placing area, and the other end of the operating lever is provided with the above-mentioned member. A force point portion that comes into contact with the upper end surface of the detection member is provided, and an action portion that is pressed by the cassette placed in the placement area is provided on the upper surface of the operation lever.

Further, on the cassette mounting table, three positioning pins for positioning the cassette to be mounted on the mounting surface are provided upright at intervals, and the table pins of the cassette adapter are mounted on the table. On the lower surface, three positioned members having engaging recesses that respectively engage with the three positioning pins are arranged. It is desirable that the engaging recesses formed in the three positioned members each include a long groove, and that the center lines of the three long grooves intersect at a common intersection.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of a cassette adapter constructed according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cutting device as a semiconductor wafer processing device to which a cassette adapter constructed according to the present invention is applied. The cutting device in the illustrated embodiment includes a device housing 2 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. A chuck table 3 for holding a workpiece is disposed in the apparatus housing 2 so as to be movable in the direction indicated by arrow X, which is the cutting feed direction. The chuck table 3 includes a base 31 and a base 31 as shown in FIG.
It has a suction chuck 32 mounted on it. The base 31 is formed in a disk shape by a metal material such as stainless steel, and has a circular recess 311 whose upper side is open. A disk-shaped suction chuck 32 made of a porous ceramic member is fitted into the recess 311. It should be noted that the base 31 has a negative pressure passage 312 that opens to the recess 311 at the center thereof and that the recess 31
A plurality of blow-up passages 313 opening at 1 are formed. The negative pressure passage 312 formed in the base 31 is connected to a suction means (not shown), and a plurality of blowing passages 3 are provided.
Reference numeral 13 is connected to a compressed air supply means (not shown) via communication passages 314 and 315. Therefore, when negative pressure is applied to the concave portion 311 by the suction means (not shown),
A workpiece, such as a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer, is suction-held on the mounting surface that is the surface of the suction chuck 32. When compressed air is supplied to the recess 311 by a compressed air supply unit (not shown), the semiconductor wafer on the base is separated from the mounting surface which is the surface of the suction chuck 32. Further, the chuck table 3 configured as described above is configured to be rotatable by a rotation mechanism (not shown).

Continuing the description based on FIG. 1, the cutting apparatus in the illustrated embodiment includes a spindle unit 4 as a cutting mechanism. The spindle unit 4
A spindle housing 41 mounted on a moving base (not shown) and adjusted for movement in a direction indicated by an arrow Y as an indexing direction and a direction indicated by an arrow Z as a cutting direction, and a rotation (not shown) rotatably supported by the spindle housing 41. It is provided with a rotary spindle 42 which is rotationally driven by a drive mechanism, and a cutting blade 43 which is mounted on the rotary spindle 42.

The cutting apparatus in the illustrated embodiment images the surface of the workpiece held on the surface of the suction chuck 32 constituting the chuck table 3 and detects the area to be cut by the cutting blade 43. An image pickup mechanism 5 for confirming the state of the cutting groove is provided. The image pickup mechanism 5 is composed of optical means such as a microscope and a CCD camera. Further, the illustrated cutting device includes a display unit 6 that displays an image captured by the image capturing mechanism 5.

The cutting apparatus in the illustrated embodiment comprises a cassette 7 for accommodating a semiconductor wafer 8 having a diameter of, for example, 300 mm as a workpiece. The semiconductor wafer 8 is attached to an adhesive tape 10 which is annularly formed of a metal material such as stainless steel and which is mounted so as to cover the inner opening 91 of the support frame 9. Above cassette 7
Is a semiconductor wafer 8 supported at one end by a supporting frame 9 via an adhesive tape 10 (hereinafter, the semiconductor wafer 8 in a state of being supported by the supporting frame 9 via an adhesive tape 10 is simply referred to as a semiconductor wafer 8). A loading / unloading opening 71 is provided for loading and unloading, and a plurality of rack shelves 72 for loading semiconductor wafers are vertically provided inside. The cassette 7 containing the semiconductor wafer 8 having a diameter of 300 mm is mounted on the cassette mounting table 51 of the cassette mounting mechanism 50 with the loading / unloading opening 71 facing the workpiece mounting area 11. Cassette mounting mechanism 50
Is composed of a cassette mounting table 51 on which the cassette 7 is mounted, and a well-known lifting mechanism (not shown) for moving the cassette mounting table 51 up and down. The cassette mounting table 51 will be described in detail later.

The cutting apparatus in the illustrated embodiment carries out a semiconductor wafer 8 as a workpiece, which is housed in a cassette 7 mounted on a cassette mounting table 51, to a workpiece mounting area 11 and performs a cutting process. Later semiconductor wafer 8
Workpiece loading / unloading mechanism 12 for loading the wafer into the cassette 7, the workpiece transporting mechanism 13 for transporting the semiconductor wafer 8 unloaded by the workpiece loading / unloading mechanism 12 onto the chuck table 3, and the chuck table 3. The cleaning means 14 is provided for cleaning the semiconductor wafer 8 that has been cut by the above method, and the cleaning transfer mechanism 15 that transfers the semiconductor wafer 8 that has been cut by the chuck table 3 to the cleaning means 14.

The cutting device in the illustrated embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below with reference to FIG. When dicing the semiconductor wafer 8, the cassette 7 containing the semiconductor wafer 8 is used.
Is placed at a predetermined position on the cassette placing table 51 of the cassette placing mechanism 50. By mounting the cassette 7 at a predetermined position on the cassette mounting table 51, the preparation for the dicing operation of the semiconductor wafer 8 housed in the cassette 7 is completed.

As described above, when the preparation for the dicing work is completed and the start command for the cutting work is issued, the workpiece loading / unloading mechanism 12 moves forward and backward to cover the semiconductor wafer 8 housed in the cassette 7 at a predetermined position. It is carried out to the workpiece placement area 11. The semiconductor wafer 8 carried out to the workpiece placement area 11 is carried to the placement surface of the suction chuck 32 which constitutes the chuck table 3 by the turning operation of the workpiece carrying means 13. Then, by applying a negative pressure to the concave portion 311 of the chuck table 3 by a suction means (not shown), the suction chuck 32 holds the semiconductor wafer 8 by suction. The chuck table 3 thus holding the semiconductor wafer 8 by suction is moved to a position right below the imaging mechanism 5. When the chuck table 3 is positioned directly below the image pickup mechanism 5, the image pickup mechanism 5 detects the street (cutting line) formed on the semiconductor wafer 8 and adjusts the movement in the arrow Y direction which is the indexing direction of the spindle unit 4. Precision alignment work is performed.

After that, the chuck table 3 suction-holding the semiconductor wafer 8 is moved in the cutting feed direction indicated by arrow X (direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the cutting blade 43) to be held on the chuck table 3. The semiconductor wafer 8 is cut by the cutting blade 43 along a predetermined street (cutting line). That is, the cutting blade 43 is mounted on the spindle unit 4 which is moved and adjusted in the direction indicated by the arrow Y which is the indexing direction and the direction indicated by the arrow Z which is the cutting direction, and is rotationally driven. Is moved in the cutting feed direction indicated by arrow X along the lower side of the cutting blade 43, so that the semiconductor wafer 8 held on the chuck table 3 is cut by the cutting blade 43 along a predetermined street (cutting line). It By cutting the semiconductor wafer 8 along the streets (cutting lines) in this way, it is divided into individual semiconductor chips.
The divided semiconductor chips are not separated by the action of the adhesive tape 10, and the state of the semiconductor wafer 8 supported by the frame 9 is maintained.

After the cutting of the semiconductor wafer 8 is completed in this way, the divided semiconductor chips (hereinafter, referred to as the semiconductor wafer 8 after dicing) supported by the frame 9 via the adhesive tape 10 are first The semiconductor wafer 8 is returned to the sucked and held position, and the sucked and held semiconductor wafer 8 after dicing is released. Then, the chuck table 3 is provided by compressed air supply means (not shown).
Compressed air is supplied to the concave portion 311 of the suction chuck 32.
The upper semiconductor wafer is separated from the mounting surface of the suction chuck 32. At this time, since a plurality of blow-up passages 313 for supplying the compressed air to the concave portion 311 are provided, the pressure of the compressed air does not concentrate on one place when the semiconductor wafer 8 is separated, and the bottom surface of the semiconductor wafer 8 is prevented. Can be dispersed. Therefore, the fragile semiconductor wafer can be separated from the mounting surface of the suction chuck 32 without breaking. Next, the semiconductor wafer 8 after dicing
Is transferred to the cleaning means 14 by the cleaning transfer mechanism 15, where the contaminants generated during the cutting are cleaned and removed. The semiconductor wafer 8 after the dicing, which has been cleaned in this way, is transported to the workpiece placement area 11 by the workpiece transport mechanism 13. The semiconductor wafer 8 conveyed to the workpiece placement area 11 is the workpiece unloading means 12
Is stored in a predetermined position of the cassette 7.

Next, the cassette mounting table 51 of the cassette mounting mechanism 50 will be described with reference to FIG. The cassette mounting table 51 in the illustrated embodiment has an upper surface serving as a mounting surface 511, and three positioning pins 52 are erected on the mounting surface 511. The three positioning pins 52 position the mounting surface 511 so that the cassette 7 accommodating the 300 mm semiconductor wafer 8 described above is mounted at a predetermined position. On the lower surface of the cassette mounting table 51, three switches 53 as cassette detecting means for detecting the presence / absence of the cassette 7 mounted on the mounting surface 511 are arranged at appropriate intervals. Further, the cassette mounting table 51 is provided with three holes 512 that are opened in the mounting surface 511 at positions corresponding to the three switches 53. A detection member 531 of the switch 53 is disposed in the three holes 512, and the detection member 531 is provided with a return spring (not shown) disposed in the cassette mounting table 51 so that its upper end is located above the mounting surface 511. It is positioned to project. In this way, the switch 53 as the cassette detection means arranged on the cassette mounting table 51 causes the detection member 531 to act on the spring force of a return spring (not shown) when the cassette 7 is mounted at a predetermined position on the mounting surface 511. The switch 53 is pushed against and the switch 53 is turned on. The three switches 53 are connected in series. Therefore, when all the switches are not turned on, the cassette 7 is placed at a predetermined position on the mounting surface 511.
Can be detected to be properly placed, and an alarm signal is issued.

Next, the cassette adapter mounted on the cassette mounting table 51 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. Cassette adapter 6 in the illustrated embodiment
0 is configured to mount a cassette 7a containing a semiconductor wafer 8 having a diameter of 200 mm, for example.
The cassette adapter 60 includes a table plate 61 having a mounting area 611 for mounting the cassette 7a on the upper surface thereof. Positioning members 621 and 622 for positioning the cassette 7a in a predetermined mounting area 611 are mounted on the upper surface of the table plate 61. In the mounting area 611 of the table plate 61, three holes 612 penetrating in the vertical direction are formed at appropriate intervals. An operating mechanism 63 for operating the detecting member 531 of the switch 53 is provided in each of the three holes 612. As shown in FIG. 5, the operating mechanism 63 has the operating lever 6
31 and a support pin 632 attached to one end of the operating lever 631. The actuating lever 631 has a force point portion 631a protruding downward at the other end, and an action portion 631b protruding upward on the upper surface of the intermediate portion. The support pin 632 is rotatably supported in a plane parallel to the mounting area 611 of the table plate 61. Therefore, the operating lever 631 supported by the support pin 632 is configured to be swingable about the support pin 632 in a plane perpendicular to the mounting area 611. In the operating mechanism 63 configured as described above, when the cassette adapter 60 is mounted on the cassette mounting table 51 at a predetermined position as described later, the force point portion 631a of the operating lever 631 is above the detection member 531 of the switch 53. The action portion 631b is positioned so as to abut on the end surface and project upward from the upper surface of the mounting area 611. In addition,
A locking portion 631c is provided so as to project above the other end of the operating lever 631, and the locking portion 631c projects below the hole 612 of the table plate 61.
3 is abutted to restrict further rotation of the operating lever 631. On the upper surfaces of both sides of the table plate 61 constituting the cassette adapter 60, grips 65, 65 for gripping the operator are attached.

On the lower surface of the table plate 61 constituting the cassette adapter 60, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, three positioning pins 52, which engage with the three positioning pins 52 provided on the cassette mounting table 51, are positioned. A member 64 is provided. Each of the three positioned members 64 is provided with an engaging recess 641 formed of a long groove having a triangular cross section. The engaging recesses 641 formed of long grooves formed in the three positioned members 64 are configured such that their center lines 641a intersect at a common intersection. Therefore, the position where the engagement recess 641 formed of the three long grooves engages with the three positioning pins 52 becomes the predetermined mounting position of the cassette adapter 60 on the cassette mounting table 51. Therefore, it becomes easy to place the cassette adapter 60 on the predetermined position.

The cassette mounting table 5 in the illustrated embodiment
1 and the cassette adapter 61 are configured as described above, and hereinafter, the cassette 7a for accommodating the semiconductor wafer 8 having a diameter of 200 mm is mounted on the cassette mounting table 51 for accommodating the cassette 7 for accommodating the semiconductor wafer 8 of 300 mm.
The case of mounting the will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. First, as shown in FIG. 7, the cassette adapter 61 is mounted on the cassette mounting table 51. At this time, as described above, the engaging recesses of the three positioned members 64 arranged on the back surface of the table plate 61 constituting the cassette adapter 61 are attached to the three positioning pins 52 provided on the cassette mounting table 51. By engaging 641 it is positioned at a predetermined mounting position. In this way, when the cassette adapter 61 is positioned at the predetermined position of the cassette mounting table 51, the force application portion 631a of the operating lever 631 that constitutes the operating mechanism 63, as shown in FIG. 531 abuts on the upper end surface of the action portion 6
31b is located so as to project upward from the upper surface of the placement area 611.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, a mounting area 611 of the table plate 61 constituting the cassette adapter 60.
A cassette 7a containing a semiconductor wafer 8 having a diameter of 200 mm is placed on the. At this time, the cassette 7a is the positioning member 62 provided on the upper surface of the table plate 61.
1, 622, and the predetermined mounting area 61
Positioned at 1. In this way, when the cassette 7a is placed on the predetermined placement area 611 of the table plate 61, the bottom surface of the cassette 7a pushes the operating portions 631b of the operating levers 631 of the three operating mechanisms 63, so that the three operating portions are operated. The levers 631 rotate downward around the support pins 632. As a result, the force application portions 631a of the three actuating levers 631 press the detection member 531 of the switch 53, turn on the three switches 53, and the cassette 7a is set in the predetermined mounting area 61 of the cassette adapter 60.
1 is detected. When the cassette 7a placed on the cassette adapter 60 is placed at a position deviated from the predetermined placement area 611, at least one position is located on the positioning member 621 or 622 and is in a floating state. Becomes As a result, the operating portion 631b of the operating lever 631 forming the operating mechanism 63 located on the side where the cassette 7a is raised cannot be pressed, and the switch 53 operated by the operating mechanism 63 cannot be turned on. It is possible to detect that the cassette 7a is not placed in the predetermined placement area 611 of the cassette adapter 60.

Although the present invention has been described based on the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. That is, in the illustrated embodiment, the example in which the present invention is applied to the cutting device is shown, but the present invention can be widely applied to a grinding device for grinding the back surface of a semiconductor wafer and other semiconductor wafer processing devices.

[0025]

The cassette adapter according to the present invention is constructed as described above, and has a table plate having a mounting area for mounting a cassette on the upper surface thereof, and a mounting area arranged at a distance from each table plate. Since the cassette is mounted on the cassette mounting table, a plurality of operating mechanisms for respectively operating the detecting members of the plurality of cassette detecting means arranged on the cassette mounting table are provided, so that the cassette can be mounted in a predetermined mounting area. Whether or not the cassette is properly placed can be reliably detected, and when the cassette is placed at a position deviated from a predetermined placement area, this can be surely detected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cutting device to which a cassette adapter configured according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of a chuck table mounted on the cutting device shown in FIG.

3 is a perspective view of a cassette mounting table that constitutes a cassette mounting mechanism equipped in the cutting device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cassette adapter configured according to the present invention and a cassette mounted on the cassette adapter.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the cassette adapter shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the cassette adapter shown in FIG.

7 is an explanatory view showing a state where the cassette adapter shown in FIG. 4 is placed on the cassette placing table shown in FIG.

8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a cassette is placed on the cassette adapter shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

2: Device housing 3: Back table 4: Spindle unit 41: Spindle housing 42: rotating spindle 43: Cutting blade 5: Imaging mechanism 6: Display means 7: cassette 7a: cassette 8: Semiconductor wafer 9: Support frame 10: adhesive tape 11: Workpiece mounting area 12: Workpiece loading / unloading mechanism 13: Workpiece transfer mechanism 14: Cleaning means 15: Cleaning and transport mechanism 50: Cassette mounting mechanism 51: cassette mounting table 52: Positioning pin 53: Switch (cassette detecting means) 531: Detection member 60: Cassette adapter 61: Table plate 621 and 622: Positioning members 63: Operating mechanism 631: Actuating lever 632: Support pin 64: Positioned member 641: Engagement recess 65: Handle

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] March 29, 2002 (2002.3.2)
9)

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Title of invention

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Title of invention Cassette adapter

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Claims]

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cassette mounting table having a mounting surface on which a cassette for storing a semiconductor wafer is mounted, the cassette mounting table being disposed in a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, and the mounting surface disposed at intervals on the cassette mounting table. A cassette adapter mounted on the cassette mounting table in a cassette mounting mechanism comprising a plurality of cassette detection means having detection members provided so as to project upward, the mounting adapter mounting a cassette on an upper surface. A table plate having a placing area, and a plurality of actuating mechanisms actuated by the cassettes placed at intervals on the table plate and placed in the placing area to actuate the plurality of detecting members, respectively. The cassette adapter is characterized by having and. 2. The actuating mechanism comprises an actuating lever whose one end is rotatably supported in a plane perpendicular to the placing surface of the placing area, and the other end of the operating lever is provided. 2. A force point portion that comes into contact with the upper end surface of the detection member is provided, and an action portion that is pressed by a cassette placed in the placement area is provided on the upper surface of the actuating lever. Cassette Adata to do. 3. The cassette mounting table is provided with three positioning pins for positioning a cassette to be mounted on the mounting surface, which are provided upright with a space therebetween, and which are provided on the table plate of the cassette adapter. The cassette adder according to claim 1, wherein three positioned members each having an engaging recess that engages with each of the three positioning pins are disposed on the lower surface. 4. The engagement recesses formed in the three positioned members each include a long groove, and center lines of the three long grooves are configured to intersect at a common intersection. The cassette adapter according to claim 3.