KR101231428B1 - Placing mechanism, transport method of wafer having dicing frame and computer readable recording medium having program for transporting wafer used for this method - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for conveying a wafer having a dicing frame which can suppress peeling charges generated between the placing table and the sheet in the initial stage of conveying the wafer having the dicing frame from the mounting table.
In the wafer conveyance method having the dicing frame of the present invention, the first working body 13 is attached to the plurality of supports 12 by lowering the mounting table 11 at a constant first speed by using a lift drive mechanism. By using the first step to lift the dicing frame (DF) at a first speed to separate the sheet (F) on which the wafer (W) is fixed from the mounting table 11 to the first position, and the lifting drive mechanism By lowering the mounting table 11 at a constant second speed faster than the first speed, the first working body 13 is applied to the plurality of supports 12 to lift the dicing frame DF at the second speed. And a second step of separating the sheet F on which the wafer is fixed from the mounting table to the second position.

Description

A computer-readable recording medium that records a batch mechanism, a wafer conveying method having a dicing frame, and a wafer conveying program used in the conveying method. WAFER USED FOR THIS METHOD}

The present invention relates to a placement mechanism for placing a wafer having a dicing frame, a method for carrying a wafer having a dicing frame, and a computer readable recording medium for recording a wafer transfer program used in the transfer method. A placement mechanism capable of suppressing peeling charges generated when the wafer having a dicing frame is placed in the mechanism and inspecting the electrical characteristics of the wafer and then peeling the wafer having the dicing frame from the placement mechanism, A method of conveying a wafer having a dicing frame and a computer-readable recording medium on which a wafer transfer program used in the conveying method is recorded.

As a method of inspecting a device manufactured in a semiconductor manufacturing process, for example, there is a method of supplying a wafer on which a plurality of devices are formed to an inspection apparatus and inspecting electrical characteristics of each device as it is in a wafer state. An inspection apparatus of this kind is provided with a loader chamber for storing wafers in cassette units, for example, for conveying wafers for inspection, and a prober chamber for receiving wafers from the loader chamber and inspecting electrical characteristics of the wafers.

The loader chamber includes a wafer transfer mechanism for transporting the wafer and a prealignment mechanism for aligning the direction of the wafer in a predetermined direction, and the wafer transfer mechanism moves the wafer by the prealignment mechanism while the wafer transfer mechanism transfers the wafer to the prober chamber. After aligning, the wafer is delivered to the prober chamber. The prober chamber includes a movable mounting table for placing the wafer, a probe card disposed above the mounting table, and an alignment mechanism for aligning the electrode pad of the wafer with the probe of the probe card. After cooperating to position the wafer and the probe card on the placement table, the placement table is moved to electrically contact the wafer and the probe card, inspect the electrical properties of the wafer, and then return the wafer to the loader chamber.

In recent years, with the miniaturization and thinning of a device, a wafer having a dicing frame is supplied to an inspection apparatus, and the electrical characteristics of the wafer may be inspected. Here, the wafer which has a dicing frame means the wafer adhesively fixed on the sheet | seat of a dicing frame. The placement mechanism shown in FIG. 3 is used for the wafer which has a dicing frame, for example.

Then, the arrangement | positioning mechanism used for the inspection of the wafer which has a dicing frame based on FIG.3 (a)-(c) is demonstrated. 3 (a) to 3 (c) show an initial step of a method of conveying a wafer DFW having a dicing frame from the placement mechanism to the loader chamber after inspecting the wafer using the placement mechanism. . As shown in FIG. 3, the arrangement mechanism includes a mounting table 1 on which a wafer DFW having a dicing frame is arranged, and a plurality of attachments at predetermined intervals along the outer circumferential surface of the mounting table 1. The cylinder mechanism 2 is provided. The cylinder mechanism 2 has a cylinder body 2A, a rod 2B that extends and contracts from an upper surface of the cylinder body 2A, and a support portion 2C formed at the tip of the rod and suction-fixing the dicing frame DF. have. At the time of inspection of the wafer W, the wafer W is sucked and fixed on the mounting surface of the mounting table 1 via the sheet F, and the dicing frame DF is loaded with the cylinder mechanism 2 ( 2B) is attracted and fixed to the support part 2C when it contracts most.

And when conveying the wafer W from the mounting table 1 to the loader chamber side after an inspection, in order to guide the wafer DFW which has a dicing frame to a wafer conveyance mechanism, the wafer W is placed on the mounting table 1. Lift a certain dimension from the placement surface of the. At this time, the cylinder mechanism 2 is driven to extend the rod 2B from the state shown in Fig. 3A so that the support surface of the support portion 2C shows the mounting table shown in Fig. 3B ( It exceeds the height of the mounting surface of 1), and when the rod 2B is further extended, the sheet F of the wafer DFW having the dicing frame is peeled off from the mounting surface and stopped by a predetermined dimension. The arm of the wafer conveyance mechanism advances into the gap which arises between the wafer W and the arrangement surface at this time, and the arm conveys the wafer DFW which has a dicing frame to the loader chamber side.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-067369 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-049391

However, as shown in Figs. 3B to 3C, when the wafer having a dicing frame is lifted by the cylinder mechanism 2 and the wafer W is peeled off from the mounting surface of the mounting table 1, There existed a possibility that peeling charge generate | occur | produced in the sheet | seat F, and the wiring structure of the wafer W device was damaged by the static electricity at that time. In order to prevent such a situation, although the ion is irradiated using the ionizer as shown by arrow A in FIG. 3, the charge amount in the sheet | seat F is reduced, but it may not be enough. In addition, the peeling charge amount at this time may reach 3 KV-about 5 KV.

The method of reducing peeling charge is described in patent document 1, 2, for example. Patent Literature 1 discloses a method of suppressing peeling charging of a plate member by lifting the plate member from the placement portion by using the radial pressure of sound waves generated by exciting the placement portion when the plate member is moved from the placement portion. It is described. However, this method has a complicated mechanism for generating radial pressure in sound waves. In addition, Patent Literature 2 stops the rising of the substrate at a first stop position where at least a part of the substrate is separated from the stage by using a lifting member while using the elevating member, and at least one second stop position higher than the first stop position. A method of reducing the peeling charge on a substrate by stopping the rise of the substrate is described. This method is simple, but this patent document 2 does not mention the method of peeling the wafer which has a dicing frame from a placement surface at all. In addition, patent document 1 does not mention the wafer which has a dicing frame like patent document 2, either.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and includes a placement mechanism and a dicing frame capable of suppressing peeling charges generated between the placement table and the sheet in an initial step of conveying a wafer having a dicing frame from the placement table. It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer-readable recording medium on which a wafer transfer method and a wafer transfer program used in the transfer method are recorded.

MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM The present inventors examined the peeling charge at the time of peeling the wafer with a dicing frame from a mounting table, and, as a result, the method of peeling the wafer with a dicing frame from a mounting table using the cylinder mechanism in a conventional placement mechanism. In the above, it was found that the rising speed of the wafer having the dicing frame was unstable and the peeling charge amount could not be sufficiently suppressed because the rising speed could not be arbitrarily set.

This invention was made based on the said knowledge, The arrangement | positioning mechanism of Claim 1 is a mounting table which arrange | positions the wafer fixed to the sheet | seat of a dicing frame, the elevating drive mechanism which raises and lowers the said mounting table, and the said dicing frame. A plurality of supports which are supported from a lower surface and arranged to be relatively elevated with respect to the mounting table at predetermined intervals along the outer circumferential surface of the mounting table; And a first working body for lifting the frame to separate the sheet on which the wafer is fixed from the mounting table, and controlling the lift drive mechanism under the control of a computer.

Moreover, the arrangement | positioning mechanism of Claim 2 of this invention is a invention of Claim 1 WHEREIN: The said some support body includes the coupling part which engages with the guide member fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the said mounting table in the up-down direction, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. will be.

Moreover, the arrangement | positioning mechanism of Claim 3 of this invention WHEREIN: In the invention of Claim 1 or Claim 2, it is the number which hangs so that it can elevate to the some through-hole formed in the said mounting table, and the lower end protrudes from the lower surface of the said mounting table. And a second working body installed corresponding to the plurality of pins and acting on the plurality of pins descending together with the mounting table to protrude the plurality of pins from the mounting surface of the mounting table. will be.

Moreover, the conveyance method of the wafer which has a dicing frame of Claim 4 of this invention conveys the wafer fixed to the sheet | seat of the dicing frame arrange | positioned at the placement table of the placement mechanism of Claims 1-3 from the said placement table. A method is provided in which the wafer is fixed by lifting the dicing frame at the first speed by applying a first actuator to a plurality of supports by lowering the placement table at a constant first speed using a lift drive mechanism. The first step of separating the seat from the mounting table to the first position, and by lowering the mounting table at a second constant speed faster than the first speed by using the lifting drive mechanism, a plurality of first working bodies Lifts the dicing frame at the second speed by acting on a support of the second position from the placement table to the sheet on which the wafer is fixed. It is characterized in that including a second step of not spaced apart.

Moreover, the conveyance method of the wafer which has a dicing frame of Claim 5 of this invention WHEREIN: In the invention of Claim 4, a 2nd effector is made to act on a some pin, and the said some pin is moved from the arrangement surface of the said mounting table. It is characterized by protruding the wafer from the placement table.

Moreover, in the conveyance method of the wafer which has a dicing frame of Claim 6 of this invention, in the invention of Claim 5, after the said 1st effector acts on the said some support body, the said 2nd effector is a plurality of said It is characterized by acting on the pin.

Moreover, the computer-readable recording medium which recorded the wafer conveyance program of Claim 7 of this invention drives a computer, and performs the conveyance method of the wafer which has a dicing frame of any one of Claims 4-6. It is characterized by.

According to the present invention, a placement mechanism capable of suppressing peeling charges generated when transferring a wafer having a dicing frame from a placement table, a transfer method of a wafer having a dicing frame, and a wafer transfer program used in the transfer method A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon can be provided.

(A)-(c) is a process figure which shows one Embodiment of the conveyance method of the wafer which has a dicing frame using the arrangement | positioning mechanism of this invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a wafer having a dicing frame shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
(A)-(c) is a process figure which shows an example of the conveyance method of the wafer which has a dicing frame using the conventional arrangement mechanism.

Hereinafter, this invention is demonstrated based on embodiment shown to Fig.1 (a)-(c).

First, the arrangement mechanism of this embodiment is demonstrated based on FIG. 1 (a). As shown in FIG. 1A, the placement mechanism 10 according to the present embodiment lifts and lowers the placement table 11 and the placement table 11 on which the wafer DFW having the dicing frame is arranged. A plurality of lifting drive mechanisms (not shown) and the dicing frame DF are supported from the lower surface and are relatively liftable with respect to the mounting table 11 at predetermined intervals along the outer circumferential surface of the mounting table 11. The sheet 12 of the wafer DFW having a dicing frame by lifting the dicing frame DF by acting on the plurality of supports 12 when the support 12 and the mounting table 11 descend through the lifting drive mechanism. It is equipped with the 1st working body 13 which isolates F) from a mounting table, and is comprised so that drive control of a lift drive mechanism may be carried out under control of a computer (not shown). The groove T by dicing is formed in the upper surface of the wafer W of the wafer DFW having the dicing frame as shown in FIG. 2.

The lifting drive mechanism has, for example, a motor, a ball screw, and a nut member fixed to the mounting table 11, and can lift the mounting table 11 at a constant speed. The lifting speed of the mounting table 11 can be set at a desired speed by the motor.

Moreover, the arrangement | positioning mechanism 10 is comprised so that it may move to X, Y direction through an XY stage (not shown) under control of a computer. A probe card (not shown) is disposed above the placement mechanism 10, and the placement mechanism 11 and the alignment mechanism (not shown) cooperate to align the electrode pad of the wafer W with the probe of the probe card. have.

Guide rails 14 corresponding to the support 12 are attached to the peripheral surface of the mounting table 11 in the vertical direction. As for the support body 12, the engaging part (not shown) in the side surface is couple | bonded with the guide rail 14, and it is made to go up and down along the guide rail 14. As shown in FIG. At the bottom of the support 12, an actuator 13 formed by a rod that can adjust the height of the upper position, for example, is disposed, and when the placement table 11 is located at the ascending end, the upper surface of the actuator 13 is It is in contact with the lower surface of the support 12. Therefore, when the elevating drive mechanism is driven and the mounting table 11 is lowered, the support 12 rises relative to the mounting table 11 along the guide rail 14.

The support body 12 has the support part 12A which supports the dicing frame DF from the lower surface. 12A of support parts are provided with the adsorption part which vacuum-adsorbs the dicing frame DF, and this adsorption part is connected to the vacuum pump (not shown). Therefore, when inspecting the electrical characteristics of the wafer W, the wafer W is vacuum-adsorbed to the mounting surface of the mounting table 11 through the sheet F, and the dicing frame DF is the support of the support 12. The wafer DFW having a dicing frame is vacuum-adsorbed to 12A, and is firmly fixed in the placement mechanism 10.

In addition, the mounting table 11 is provided with a plurality of (eg three) through holes penetrating from the upper surface to the lower surface thereof, and these through holes are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the mounting table 11. The pins 15 are respectively inserted into the holes so that the pins 15 can lift up and down. The pin 15 has an inverted truncated support 15A at its upper end, and the support 15A is fitted into a conical groove 11A formed at the upper end of the through hole. The lower end of the pin 15 protrudes from the lower surface through the through hole of the mounting table 11. Therefore, the pin 15 is suspended in the state fitted with the conical groove 11A via the support part 15A. In a state where the pin 15 is suspended in the conical groove 11A, the supporting surface of the supporting portion 15A is flush with the placing surface of the mounting table 11. For this reason, since the device formed by dicing the wafer W is supported by the supporting portion 15A, the probe of the probe card is electrically contacted with the device so that it does not fall into the conical groove 11A even when a strong pressing force is applied to the device. .

Below the pin 15, a second working body 16 having the same structure as the first working body 13 is disposed, and the mounting table 11 is lowered through the lifting drive mechanism to support the support 12A of the support 12. At the point where) reaches the mounting surface of the mounting table 11, the upper end of the second effector 16 is in contact with the lower end of the pin 15. When the mounting table 11 is further lowered, the pin 15 is relatively pushed up by the second effector 16 so that the supporting portion 15A of the pin 15 protrudes from the mounting surface to detach the wafer W from the mounting surface. Let's do it. When the wafer W is peeled off from the placement surface, peeling charging occurs, and the wiring structure of the device may be damaged by the charging amount at that time.

Therefore, in order to suppress the charge amount of the sheet F due to the peeling charging, in the transfer method of the wafer having the dicing frame of the present embodiment, the rising speed of the wafer DFW having the dicing frame is switched on the way. have. The wafer transfer method having the dicing frame of the present embodiment is executed by a wafer transfer program registered in a computer. Then, the wafer conveyance method which has a dicing frame performed by the wafer conveyance program of this embodiment is demonstrated.

In the conveyance method of the wafer with a dicing frame of this embodiment, after the electrical property test of the wafer W is completed, as shown to Fig.1 (a), the wafer DFW with a dicing frame is arrange | positioned mechanism. The ionizer is used together by the method of conveying to the loader room side from the state fixed to (10).

First, as shown by arrow A in FIG. 1 from the ionizer, the lifting drive mechanism is driven in a state where the ions are irradiated toward the wafer W to move the mounting table 11 at a constant speed (for example, 1 mm / sec). When lowered, the first actuator 13 acts on the plurality of supports 12 so that the support 12 rises at a relatively constant high speed relative to the mounting table 11 along the guide rails 14 to the dicing frame. Lift up (DF). As the upper surface of the support portion 12A of the support 12 exceeds the upper surface of the placement surface while the dicing frame DF is lifted up, the second actuator 16 acts on the plurality of pins 15 to support the support portion ( 15A) protrudes from the placement surface, and as shown in FIG. 1B, the plurality of pins 15 peel the wafer W (sheet F) from the placement surface at a constant slow speed, and at a constant distance. Stop at a first position spaced apart (eg, a position of 5 mm from the placement surface). Thus, since the peeling speed from the mounting surface of the wafer W [sheet F] is stabilized by peeling off the wafer W [sheet F] from a mounting surface at a constant slow speed, peeling charge is performed. The amount can be suppressed.

After the wafer W (sheet F) is spaced apart from the placement surface of the mounting table 11 to the first position to suppress the peeling charge, the lifting drive mechanism is held while the charging of the wafer W is suppressed by the ionizer. The mounting table 11 is lowered quickly and quickly at a second speed faster than the first speed, and the wafer W (sheet F) is removed from the mounting surface by the plurality of supports 12 and the plurality of pins 15. It is spaced apart and stopped at the 2nd position (for example, the position of 11 mm from an arrangement surface) shown to Fig.1 (c). Peeling charging does not occur well until the wafer W (sheet F) reaches the second position from the first position, so that charging on the wafer W (sheet F) can be suppressed. When the wafer W (sheet F) reaches the second position, the arm of the wafer transfer mechanism advances into the gap between the placement surface and the wafer W [sheet F], and dicing by the wafer transfer mechanism. The wafer DFW having a frame can be transported.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the placement mechanism 10 includes a placement table 11 on which a wafer DFW having a dicing frame is arranged, and a lift drive mechanism (not shown) for lifting up and down the placement table 11. And a plurality of supports 12 arranged to support the dicing frame DF from the lower surface and to be relatively liftable with respect to the mounting table 11 at predetermined intervals along the outer circumferential surface of the mounting table 11. When the table is lowered, the first working body 13 which acts on the plurality of supports 12 and lifts the dicing frame DF to separate the sheet F on which the wafer W is fixed from the mounting table 11 is removed. In order to drive-control the lifting drive mechanism under the control of the computer, the first working body 13 is plural by lowering the mounting table 11 at a constant first speed using the lifting drive mechanism under the control of the computer. On the support 12 of the die at a first speed Lifting the frame DF and separating the sheet F on which the wafer W is fixed from the mounting table 11 to the first position, and using the elevating drive mechanism, the mounting table 11 is first mounted. The sheet F having the wafer fixed thereto by lowering the dividing frame DF at a second speed by lowering the first working body 13 to the plurality of supports 12 by lowering at a constant second speed faster than the speed. The second step of separating the wafer from the mounting table to the second position, thereby suppressing the peeling charge generated when the wafer DFW having the dicing frame is conveyed from the mounting table 11, and further, the device. To prevent damage caused by static electricity.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the plurality of pins 15 are suspended from the plurality of through holes formed in the mounting table 11 so as to be lifted and lowered so that the lower end protrudes from the lower surface of the mounting table 11. ) And a second action of acting on the plurality of pins 15 which are installed corresponding to the plurality of pins 15 and descends together with the mounting table to protrude the plurality of pins 15 from the mounting surface of the mounting table 11. Since the sieve 16 is provided, the wafer W (sheet F) of the wafer DFW having a dicing frame can be peeled from the mounting surface of the mounting table 11 in a stable posture, and the peeling charge Can be suppressed more.

In addition, in the said embodiment, although the 1st, 2nd action bodies 13 and 16 are provided in the number corresponding to each of the some support body 12 and the some pin 15, respectively, a some support body and a some pin is provided. It may be connected so as to be able to move up and down integrally, and the plurality of supports and the plurality of pins may be lifted up and down by one first and second working body through the connecting member. The reverse may be the case. In short, as long as it does not deviate from the summary of this invention, if each component changes appropriate design, it is included in this invention. In addition, the arrangement | positioning mechanism of this invention is not limited to the wafer which has a dicing frame, It is applicable also to the inspection of a normal wafer single body.

The present invention can be suitably used for an inspection apparatus for inspecting a wafer.

10: batch apparatus 11: placement table
12: support 13: first agent
14: guide rail 15: pin
16: second agent DFW: wafer with dicing frame
DF: Dicing Frame W: Wafer

Claims (7)

 A placement table for placing the wafer fixed to the sheet of the dicing frame, a lift drive mechanism for elevating the placement table, and the placement table supporting the dicing frame from a lower surface with a predetermined interval along the outer circumferential surface of the placement table. A plurality of supports arranged to be relatively elevated relative to each other, and a first sheet that lifts the dicing frame by lifting the dicing frame by acting on the plurality of supports when the mounting table is lowered from the mounting table. And a plurality of pins suspended from the lower surface of the mounting table so as to be lifted and lowered in a plurality of through-holes formed in the mounting table, the lower end protruding from the lower surface of the mounting table. A second action that acts on the plurality of pins and protrudes the plurality of pins from the placement surface of the placement table; And a sieve, and driving control of the lift drive mechanism under the control of a computer. The arrangement mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of supports include a coupling portion that engages with a guide member fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the placement table in a vertical direction. delete A method of conveying a wafer fixed to a sheet of a dicing frame arranged on a placement table of the placement mechanism according to claim 1 or 2 from the placement table, wherein the placement table is fixed at a first speed using a lift drive mechanism. A first step of causing the first working body to act on the plurality of supports by raising the dicing frame to lift the dicing frame at the first speed so as to separate the sheet on which the wafer is fixed from the mounting table to the first position; And lowering the dicing frame at the second speed by acting on the plurality of supports by lowering the placement table at a constant second speed faster than the first speed by using the lifting drive mechanism. And a second process of separating the sheet from which the wafer is fixed to the second position from the placement table. Carrying method of the wafer. The wafer having a dicing frame according to claim 4, wherein a second working body is applied to the plurality of pins so that the plurality of pins protrude from the mounting surface of the mounting table to separate the wafer from the mounting table. Bounce method. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second effector acts on the plurality of pins after the first effector acts on the plurality of supports. A computer-readable recording medium on which a wafer transfer program is recorded, the computer being driven to execute a wafer transfer method having the dicing frame according to claim 4.

Images