JP2019104075A - Cutting device - Google Patents

Abstract

To prevent a cutting liquid from reaching an absorption face of a chuck table mechanism.SOLUTION: A cutting device comprises: a chuck table mechanism for holding a frame unit; and a cutting unit for cutting a workpiece by a cutting blade while supplying a cutting liquid to the workpiece contained in the frame unit held by the chuck table mechanism. The chuck table mechanism comprises: a chuck table body provided with an absorption part having an absorption face for absorbing and holding the workpiece via a tape, a frame body surrounding the absorption part, and an annular seal member surrounding the frame body and arranged at a height lower than the absorption face; and a frame holding unit arranged on an outer periphery of the chuck table body and holding the frame of the frame unit at a height lower than the absorption face. When the frame unit is held by the chuck table mechanism, the tape comes into contact with an upper surface of the annular seal member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cutting apparatus for cutting a workpiece on which a planned cutting line is set.

  In the device chip manufacturing process, a plurality of intersecting cutting lines (streets) are set on the surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, a package substrate, a ceramic substrate, a glass substrate, etc. Provided. When a substrate provided with devices is cut along a planned cutting line, individual device chips are formed.

  For cutting the substrate, for example, a cutting device provided with a cutting blade is used. When a workpiece such as a substrate is carried into a cutting apparatus, a tape stretched at the opening of an annular frame is attached in advance to the workpiece to form a frame unit. When the substrate is carried into the cutting apparatus in the state of the frame unit and the substrate is cut, the formed individual device chips are supported by the tape.

  The cutting apparatus includes a chuck table mechanism that holds a workpiece such as a substrate, and a cutting unit that cuts the workpiece held by the chuck table. The cutting unit is mounted with an annular cutting blade including a cutting blade in which abrasive grains are embedded.

  The chuck table mechanism has a main body including a frame having a recess, and a suction unit which is disposed to fill the recess of the frame and is formed of a porous member, and the upper surface of the suction unit is a chuck table It becomes the suction surface of the mechanism. The chuck table mechanism internally has a suction passage whose one end is connected to the suction source, and the other end of the suction passage is connected to the suction part. Further, a frame holding unit such as a clamp for holding the frame of the frame unit is disposed on the outer periphery of the upper portion of the chuck table mechanism (see Patent Document 1).

  The workpiece is placed on the suction surface through the tape, the frame is held by the clamp, and the suction source is activated to suck the substrate through the suction unit, whereby the workpiece is held by the chuck table mechanism. When the cutting blade is lowered so that the lower end of the cutting blade is at a lower position than the lower end of the workpiece while rotating the cutting blade, and the chuck table mechanism is horizontally moved toward the cutting blade Things are cut.

  When a workpiece is cut by a cutting blade, machining chips are generated from the workpiece and scattered. Also, heat is generated by processing. Therefore, when cutting the workpiece held by the chuck table mechanism with the cutting blade, the cutting fluid is supplied to the cutting blade and the workpiece in order to remove cutting chips and heat.

JP 2001-341040 A

  The cutting fluid supplied to the cutting blade and the workpiece during the cutting process flows from the workpiece through the tape and the frame to the outer peripheral side and is discharged. Under the present circumstances, a part of cutting fluid may be transmitted to the back surface side of a flame | frame unit, and may reach the frame of the chuck table mechanism which hold | maintains a to-be-processed object.

  The cutting fluid that has reached the frame is sucked from the gap between the frame and the frame unit, and reaches the suction portion disposed in the recess of the frame. The adsorbing portion is fixed to the frame by an adhesive or the like, but when the cutting fluid comes in contact with the adhesive, the adhesive force of the adhesive may decrease, which causes a problem of peeling of the adsorbing portion.

  In addition, when the cutting fluid enters between the frame and the frame unit, the frame unit is carried out from the chuck table mechanism with the cutting fluid adhering to the frame unit after completion of the cutting. Thereafter, if the cutting fluid drops out of the frame unit inside and outside the cutting device during conveyance of the frame unit, it causes contamination.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting device capable of suppressing the arrival of cutting fluid to the suction surface of a chuck table mechanism.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a chuck table mechanism for holding a frame unit formed by sticking a tape tensioned to an opening of an annular frame to a workpiece, and the chuck table mechanism holding the frame unit. And a cutting unit for cutting the workpiece with a cutting blade while supplying a cutting fluid to the workpiece contained in the frame unit, wherein the chuck table mechanism includes the tape via the tape. The suction unit has a suction surface for sucking and holding the workpiece, a frame surrounding the suction unit, and an annular seal member surrounding the frame and installed at a height lower than the suction surface. A chuck table main body, and a frame holding unit disposed on an outer periphery of the chuck table main body and holding the frame of the frame unit at a height lower than the suction surface. When the frame unit is held in the table mechanism cutting device, characterized in that the tape is in contact with the upper surface of the annular sealing member is provided.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the annular seal member may be an O-ring or an annular tube.

  In the cutting device according to one aspect of the present invention, the chuck table mechanism includes an annular seal member surrounding the frame of the chuck table main body. Then, when the frame unit is held by the chuck table mechanism, the tape forming the frame unit contacts the upper surface of the annular seal member.

  Then, even if the cutting fluid travels on the back surface side of the frame unit during cutting, the movement of the cutting fluid is inhibited by the annular seal member, so that the cutting fluid hardly reaches the suction surface of the chuck table mechanism. Therefore, the cutting fluid hardly remains on the back surface side of the frame unit, and the occurrence of the contamination due to the dropping of the cutting fluid is suppressed. In addition, since the arrival of the cutting fluid to the suction portion is also suppressed, the peeling of the suction portion from the frame is also suppressed.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a cutting device capable of suppressing the arrival of the cutting fluid to the suction surface of the chuck table mechanism.

It is a perspective view which shows a cutting device and a to-be-processed object typically. It is a top view which shows a chuck table mechanism typically. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a chuck table mechanism for holding a frame unit, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view schematically showing cutting. It is sectional drawing which shows a chuck table mechanism typically.

  Embodiments according to one aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. First, a cutting device according to the present embodiment and a workpiece to be cut by the cutting device will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a cutting device and a workpiece.

  The workpiece 3 is a substrate made of, for example, a material such as silicon, SiC (silicon carbide), or other semiconductor, or a material such as sapphire, glass, quartz, or ceramic. Alternatively, the workpiece 3 is a package substrate in which the device is covered with a resin. The workpiece 3 is provided with devices such as an integrated circuit (IC) and a large scale integration (LSI). When the workpiece 3 is cut by the cutting device 2 and divided for each device, a device chip can be formed.

  The workpiece 3 cut by the cutting device 2 is carried into the cutting device 2 in the state of the frame unit 1 integrated with the annular frame 5 and the tape 7. The tape 7 is an adhesive surface on which one surface has an adhesive force. The frame 5 has an opening having a diameter larger than the diameter of the workpiece 3 and a tape 7 is stretched on the frame 5 so as to close the opening. In the frame unit 1, the outer peripheral portion of the adhesive surface of the tape 7 is adhered to the frame 5.

  In the opening of the annular frame 5, the workpiece 3 is attached to the adhesive surface of the tape 7. When the workpiece 3 is attached, for example, the back surface side of the workpiece 3 is attached to the tape 7 in a state in which the surface on which the device is formed is exposed upward. The individual device chips formed by cutting the workpiece 3 with the cutting device 2 are supported by the tape 7.

  The cutting device 2 includes a chuck table mechanism 6 having a device base 4 for supporting the respective components and sucking and holding the frame unit 1 on the upper surface of the device base 4, and a cutting unit 8 for cutting the workpiece 3; Equipped with The cutting device 2 sucks and holds the frame unit 1 by the chuck table mechanism 6 and cuts the workpiece 3 by the cutting unit 8.

  As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 (A) etc. described later, the chuck table mechanism 6 is formed of a porous member disposed so as to fill the recess of the frame 44 with the recess at the top and the frame 44. And a suction unit 42, and a main body 6a. The upper surface of the suction unit 42 serves as a suction surface 42 a of the chuck table mechanism 6.

  The chuck table mechanism 6 internally has a suction passage 46 (see FIG. 3A) whose one end is connected to a suction source, and the other end of the suction passage 46 is connected to the suction unit 42. A frame holding unit such as a clamp 48 for holding the frame 5 of the frame unit 1 is disposed on the outer periphery of the main body 6 a of the chuck table mechanism 6.

  The workpiece 3 is placed on the suction surface 42a through the tape 7, the frame 5 is held by the clamps 48, and the suction source is activated to suck the workpiece 3 through the suction unit 42. The chuck table mechanism 6 sucks and holds it. The chuck table mechanism 6 is rotatable about an axis along a direction perpendicular to the suction surface 42a.

  At a front portion of the upper surface of the device base 4, a cassette support 12 on which a cassette 14 capable of accommodating a plurality of frame units 1 is placed. The cutting device 2 includes a loading / unloading mechanism (not shown). The loading / unloading mechanism carries the frame unit 1 before carrying out the cutting from the cassette 14 onto the suction surface 42 a of the pull-out chuck table mechanism 6, and places the frame unit 1 in the cassette 14 after the cutting is completed. Store.

  An opening 16 is provided at a position adjacent to the cassette support 12 on the upper surface of the device base 4, and an X-axis movement table 18 and one end thereof are attached to the X-axis movement table 18 inside the opening 16. The dustproof and dripproof cover 20 is disposed. The X-axis moving table 18 is connected to an X-axis moving mechanism (not shown), and can move in the X-axis direction by the X-axis moving mechanism. The chuck table mechanism 6 is disposed on the X-axis moving table 18, and by moving the X-axis moving table 18, the chuck table mechanism 6 can be moved in the X-axis direction.

  At the rear of the upper surface of the device base 4, a support structure 22 having an arm extending above the opening 16 is provided upright. A pair of Y-axis guide rails 24 parallel to the Y-axis direction, a Y-axis ball screw 28, and a Y-axis pulse motor (not shown) are provided on the front side surface of the arm disposed above the support structure 22. The Y-axis moving plate 26 is slidably attached to the Y-axis guide rail 24.

  A nut portion (not shown) is provided on the rear surface side of the Y-axis moving plate 26, and the Y-axis ball screw 28 parallel to the Y-axis guide rail 24 is screwed to the nut portion. . The Y-axis pulse motor (not shown) is connected to one end of the Y-axis ball screw 28. When the Y-axis ball screw 28 is rotated by the Y-axis pulse motor, the Y-axis moving plate 26 moves in the Y-axis direction along the Y-axis guide rail 24.

  A pair of Z-axis guide rails 30 extending in the Z-axis direction and a Z-axis movement plate 32 slidably mounted on each Z-axis guide rail 30 are disposed on the front surface of the Y-axis movement plate 26 ing. A nut portion (not shown) is provided on the back surface side (rear surface side) of the Z-axis moving plate 32, and a Z-axis ball screw 34 parallel to the Z-axis guide rail 30 is screwed into this nut portion. ing.

  A Z-axis pulse motor 36 is connected to one end of the Z-axis ball screw 34. When the Z-axis ball screw 34 is rotated by the Z-axis pulse motor 36, the Z-axis moving plate 32 moves in the Z-axis direction along the Z-axis guide rail 30. The cutting unit 8 and the camera unit 10 are fixed to the lower front side of the Z-axis moving plate 32. The cutting unit 8 and the camera unit 10 can be moved in the Z-axis direction by moving the Z-axis moving plate 32 in the Z-axis direction.

  At a position adjacent to the opening 16 on the upper surface of the apparatus base 4, a cleaning unit 38 for cleaning the workpiece 3 after cutting is performed is disposed. The cleaning unit 38 includes a cleaning table 40 for holding the frame unit 1 and a nozzle for supplying a cleaning liquid to the frame unit 1 held on the cleaning table 40. With the frame unit 1 held by the cleaning table 40, the cleaning unit 38 cleans the frame unit 1 by supplying the cleaning liquid from the nozzle to the frame unit 1 while the cleaning table 40 rotates at high speed.

  The cutting unit 8 includes a spindle 54 (see FIG. 3B) along the Y-axis direction, and an annular cutting blade 56 mounted on the tip of the spindle 54. A spindle motor (not shown) for rotating the spindle 54 about the Y-axis direction is connected to the proximal end side of the spindle 54. When the spindle motor is operated to rotate the spindle 54, the cutting blade 56 rotates.

  The annular cutting blade 56 has a cutting edge 58 (see FIG. 3 (B)) on the outer peripheral portion. The cutting edge 58 includes, for example, abrasive grains and a binder in which the abrasive grains are dispersed. When the rotating cutting blade 56 is positioned at a predetermined height position and the X-axis moving table 18 is moved in the X-axis direction, the workpiece 3 is cut by the cutting blade 56.

  When the workpiece 3 is cut by the cutting blade 56, cutting chips are generated from the workpiece 3 and scattered. In addition, machining heat is generated by cutting, and the workpiece 3 and the cutting blade 56 become high temperature. Therefore, while the cutting of the workpiece 3 is performed, the cutting fluid is supplied to the workpiece 3 and the cutting blade 56. The cutting unit 8 is provided with a nozzle 60 (see FIG. 3B) on the side of the cutting blade 56, and a cutting fluid 62 (FIG. 3B (B) is formed on the upper surface of the workpiece 3 and the cutting blade 56 from the nozzle 60). ) Is supplied.

  The cutting fluid 62 supplied from the nozzle 60 is, for example, pure water. An additive such as a water-soluble polymer may be added to the pure water. The cutting fluid 62 has a function of cooling the workpiece 3 and the cutting blade 56. In addition, cutting chips and the like generated by cutting are flowed by the cutting fluid 62 and eliminated. The cutting fluid 62 flows along the upper surface of the frame unit 1 and flows out to the outer peripheral side of the frame unit 1.

  While performing cutting, the chuck table mechanism 6 repeatedly moves and stops. Then, the cutting fluid 62 flowing on the upper surface side of the frame unit 1 may wrap around to the lower surface side of the frame unit 1 and may reach the frame 44 of the chuck table mechanism 6.

  The cutting fluid 62 that has reached the frame 44 of the chuck table mechanism 6 is sucked from the gap between the frame 44 and the frame unit 1 and reaches the suction portion 42 disposed in the recess of the frame 44. . The adsorbing portion 42 is fixed to the frame 44 by an adhesive or the like, but when the cutting fluid 62 comes into contact with the adhesive, the adhesive force of the adhesive may be reduced, which causes peeling of the adsorbing portion 42. Become.

  Further, after the cutting process is performed, the frame unit 1 is transferred to the cleaning table 40 of the cleaning unit 38, and the cleaning liquid is supplied to the workpiece 3 to clean the workpiece 3. Since the cleaning table 40 is rotated at a high speed when cleaning the workpiece 3, the liquid adhering to the portion on the outer peripheral side of the holding table 40 on the back surface side of the frame unit 1 is blown away, and the portion on the back surface is dried. Be done. On the other hand, the liquid adhering to the portion facing the cleaning table 40 on the back surface side of the frame unit 1 remains on the back surface without scattering.

  Therefore, when the cutting fluid 62 gets in between the frame 44 and the frame unit 1, the frame unit 1 is carried out of the chuck table mechanism 6 with the cutting fluid 62 adhering to the frame unit 1 after completion of the cutting process. . Thereafter, if the cutting fluid 62 drops out of the frame unit 1 during transportation of the frame unit 1 or in a state of being accommodated in the cassette 14, it causes contamination.

  Therefore, in the cutting device 2 according to the present embodiment, an annular seal member is provided on the outer periphery of the frame 44 of the chuck table mechanism 6 in order to suppress the arrival of the cutting fluid 62 transmitted to the back surface side of the frame unit 1 to the frame 44. Is provided. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the chuck table mechanism 6, and FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the chuck table mechanism 6 holding the frame unit 1. As shown in FIG. FIG. 3A shows a cross section of the main body 6 a of the chuck table mechanism 6 and the frame unit 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, the main body 6 a of the chuck table mechanism 6 includes an annular seal member 50 a that surrounds the frame 44. The annular seal member 50a is an annular elastic member having an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the frame 44, and is, for example, an O-ring or an annular tube. The annular seal member 50a is formed, for example, by connecting both ends of a resin tube having an outer diameter of 8 mm and an inner diameter of 5 mm, which is about the outer periphery of the frame 44 of the chuck table mechanism 6.

  Further, the main body 6a of the chuck table mechanism 6 may further include an annular seal member support portion 52 for supporting the annular seal member 50a, and the annular seal member support portion 52 is formed of the frame 44 by the fixture 52a or the like. It may be fixed to the outer peripheral part.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the annular seal member 50 a is installed by the annular seal member support portion 52 at a height lower than the suction surface 42 a of the chuck table mechanism 6. The clamp 48 (frame holding unit) has a function of holding the frame 5 of the frame unit 1 at a height lower than the suction surface 42a.

  When holding the frame unit 1 in the chuck table mechanism 6, first, the frame unit 1 is placed on the suction surface 42 a of the suction portion 42 of the chuck table mechanism 6. Then, the frame 5 is clamped by the clamps 48. Then, the frame 5 is held at a height lower than the suction surface 42a. Thereafter, when the suction source (not shown) of the chuck table mechanism 6 is operated, a negative pressure is applied to the frame unit 1 through the suction path 46 and the suction portion 42, and the workpiece 3 is chuck table mechanism via the tape 7. Suction is held at 6.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 3A, the upper end portion of the annular seal member 50 a is in close contact with the tape 7 of the frame unit 1 around the main body 6 a of the chuck table mechanism 6. Here, since the frame 5 is held by the clamp 48 at a height lower than the suction surface 42a, the annular seal member 50a and the tape 7 are in close contact. Hereinafter, the function of the annular seal member 50a will be described.

  FIG. 3 (B) is a cross-sectional view schematically showing cutting. When cutting the workpiece 3 by the cutting unit 8, the cutting blade 56 is rotated by rotating the spindle 54, and the lower end of the cutting blade 58 reaches a height position where the lower end of the workpiece 3 reaches And the cutting unit 8 is lowered. Next, the X-axis moving table 18 is moved in the X-axis direction while supplying the cutting fluid 62 from the nozzle 60 to the cutting blade 56 and the workpiece 3. Then, the workpiece 3 is cut. Since the upper end of the annular seal member 50a is disposed lower than the holding surface 42a, the cutting blade 56 does not contact the annular seal member 50a.

  In order to cut the workpiece 3 for each device formed on the workpiece 3, the chuck table mechanism 6 repeatedly moves along the X axis direction. Moreover, in order to change the direction of cutting of the workpiece 3, the chuck table mechanism 6 rotates around an axis perpendicular to the suction surface 42a.

  The cutting fluid 62 supplied to the cutting blade 56 and the workpiece 3 flows to the outer periphery of the frame unit 1 and is discharged as shown in FIG. 3 (B). At the time of cutting, since the chuck table mechanism 6 continues to move intermittently, the cutting fluid supplied at the time of cutting of the workpiece 3 may wrap around the back surface side of the frame unit 1. Furthermore, the cutting fluid 62 may travel to the main body 6 a side of the chuck table mechanism 6 along the back surface side.

  In the cutting device 2 according to the present embodiment, since the annular seal member 50 a is in close contact with the tape 7 of the frame unit 1, the movement of the cutting fluid 62 is blocked and the cutting fluid 62 does not reach the suction portion 42. Therefore, the adhesive or the like for fixing the suction portion 42 to the frame 44 is not easily affected by the cutting fluid 62, and peeling of the suction portion 42 is suppressed.

  Further, since the cutting fluid 62 does not enter between the frame 44 and the tape 7 and does not remain between them, the cutting is completed and the cutting fluid 62 is of the tape 7 even when the frame unit 1 is carried out from the chuck table mechanism 6. It does not fly from the bottom. Therefore, the inside and the outside of the cutting device 2 are not contaminated with the cutting fluid 62.

  Next, modifications of the annular seal member will be described. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the chuck table mechanism 6 on which the annular seal member according to the modification is mounted. The annular seal member 50 b shown in FIG. 4 is formed of an elastic body such as rubber, and is formed in a shape having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the frame 44.

  When the annular seal member 50b is fitted to the outer periphery of the frame 44 while stretching the annular seal member 50b, the annular seal member 50b can be attached to the chuck table mechanism 6. The annular seal member 50 b attached to the frame 44 is fixed to the outer periphery of the frame 44 by an elastic force. The annular seal member 50 b includes a main body that causes an elastic force to act on the frame 44, and a protrusion that is shaped to be separated from the frame 44 toward the upper side of the main body.

  The annular seal member 50 b is disposed such that the tip end of the protrusion is lower than the holding surface of the chuck table mechanism 6. Therefore, when cutting the workpiece 3, the cutting blade 56 does not contact the annular seal member 50b. Further, since the frame 5 is gripped by the clamp 48 so that the frame unit 1 is pulled down when the frame unit 1 is sucked and held by the chuck table mechanism 6, the tape 7 is in close contact with the projection of the annular seal member 50b. . Since the gap between the tape 7 and the projecting portion is closed by the annular seal member 50 b, the cutting fluid 62 does not enter the main body 6 a side of the chuck table mechanism 6 when the workpiece 3 is cut.

  In addition, when the annular sealing member 40b fixed to the outer periphery of the frame 44 by elastic force is used, an annular sealing member support part may be able to be abbreviate | omitted.

  As described above, in the cutting device 2 according to the present embodiment, the arrival of the cutting fluid 62 on the suction surface 42 a of the chuck table mechanism 6 is suppressed, and peeling of the suction portion 42 or dropping of the cutting fluid 62 from the frame unit 1 Is suppressed.

  In addition, although the said embodiment demonstrated the cutting device 2 provided with the chuck | zipper table mechanism 6 in which the cyclic | annular sealing member 40b was arrange | positioned, one aspect of this invention is not limited to this. For example, a chuck table mechanism provided in a processing apparatus for processing the workpiece 3 by a method other than cutting may include an annular seal member. For example, the processing apparatus may be a grinding apparatus, a polishing apparatus, a laser processing apparatus, or the like.

  In addition, the structure, method, and the like according to the above-described embodiment can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention.

1 frame unit 3 workpiece 5 frame 7 tape 2 cutting device 4 device base 6 chuck table mechanism 6a main body 8 cutting unit 10 camera unit 12 cassette support base 14 cassette 16 opening 18 X axis moving table 20 dustproof dripproof cover 22 support Structure 24 Y-axis guide rail 26 Y-axis moving plate 28 Y-axis ball screw 30 Z-axis guide rail 32 Z-axis moving plate 34 Z-axis ball screw 36 Z-axis pulse motor 38 Cleaning unit 40 Cleaning table 42 Suction part 44 Frame 46 Suction path 48 Clamps 50a, 50b Annular seal member 52 Annular seal member support 52a Fixing device 54 12 Spindle 56 14 Cutting blade 58 Cutting blade 60 Nozzle 62 Cutting fluid

Claims (2)

A chuck table mechanism for holding a frame unit formed by sticking a tape stretched on an opening of an annular frame to a workpiece, and the workpiece contained in the frame unit held by the chuck table mechanism And a cutting unit for cutting the workpiece with a cutting blade while supplying a cutting fluid to the
The chuck table mechanism is
An adsorbing section having an adsorbing surface for attracting and holding the workpiece through the tape, a frame surrounding the adsorbing section, and an annular seal surrounding the frame and installed at a height lower than the adsorbing surface A chuck table body provided with a member;
And a frame holding unit disposed on an outer periphery of the chuck table main body and holding the frame of the frame unit at a height lower than the suction surface.
A cutting device characterized in that the tape comes in contact with the upper surface of the annular seal member when the frame unit is held by the chuck table mechanism.   The cutting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the annular seal member is an O-ring or an annular tube.