Patent Application
20240302232
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting a tension abnormality in a dicing tape.
In a semiconductor manufacturing field, there is a process for cutting a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon wafer (hereinafter referred to as a “workpiece”) into chips. In the process, a dicing tape affixed to the workpiece restricts a position of each of the chips so that the cutting into the chips can be efficiently performed.
Patent Literature 1 discloses that an expand tape E is affixed to a wafer W adsorbed and fixed to a table 211 with a pressing force of a affixing roller. Reference signs are in Patent Literature 1.
The current situation is that when a new dicing tape is used, a sample workpiece is affixed to the dicing tape and an operator visually confirms its affixed state to adjust a parameter including tension of the dicing tape. In a production process, the operator also periodically visually confirms that the parameter is appropriately held from the affixed state of the dicing tape to which the workpiece is affixed.
There has been a problem that when the tension of the dicing tape is thus visually confirmed by the operator, the tension of the dicing tape may be insufficient depending on a degree of proficiency of the operator, for example, and a proper spacing between chips cannot be ensured at the time of expanding if the tension of the dicing tape is not appropriate, thereby making it difficult to detect a position of each of the chips.
Therefore, there occurs a technical problem to be solved to quantitatively determine whether or not tension of a dicing tape is appropriate and accurately detect a tension abnormality in the dicing tape, and an object of the present invention is to solve this problem.
To attain the above-described object, a dicing tape tension abnormality detecting apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for detecting a tension abnormality in a dicing tape to which a workpiece is affixed, which includes a measurement unit that measures tension of the dicing tape, and a determination unit that determines that the tension of the dicing tape is appropriate when the tension of the dicing tape belongs in a previously set proper range of the tension of the dicing tape and determines that the tension of the dicing tape is abnormal when the tension of the dicing tape does not belong in the proper range.
This configuration makes it possible to accurately detect the tension abnormality in the dicing tape because the measurement unit measures the tension of the dicing tape and the determination unit quantitatively determines whether or not the tension of the dicing tape is appropriate on the basis of the tension of the dicing tape.
To attain the above-described object, a dicing tape tension abnormality detecting method according to the present invention is a method for detecting a tension abnormality in a dicing tape to which a workpiece is affixed, which includes the steps of measuring tension of the dicing tape, and determining that the tension of the dicing tape is appropriate when the tension of the dicing tape belongs in a previously set proper range of the tension of the dicing tape and determining that the tension of the dicing tape is abnormal when the tension of the dicing tape does not belong in the proper range.
This configuration makes it possible to accurately detect the tension abnormality in the dicing tape because the measurement unit measures the tension of the dicing tape and the determination unit quantitatively determines whether or not the tension of the dicing tape is appropriate on the basis of the tension of the dicing tape.
The present invention makes it possible to quantitatively determine whether or not tension of a dicing tape is appropriate and accurately detect a tension abnormality in the dicing tape.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, when reference is made to the number of components or a numerical value, amount, range, or the like of each of the components, the number or the like is not limited to a particular number but may be the particular number or more or the particular number or less unless otherwise stated or except when expressly limited to the particular number in principle.
When reference is made to a shape of each of components or a positional relationship among the components, one substantially approximate or similar to the shape or the like is included unless otherwise stated or except when considered to be expressly excluded in principle.
In the drawings, there is a case where some of components are omitted and characteristic portions are exaggerated by being enlarged, for example, in order to facilitate the understanding of features, and a dimension ratio or the like of each of the components is not necessarily the same as an actual one. In a cross-sectional view, hatching of some of the components may be omitted in order to facilitate the understanding of a cross-sectional structure of the components. In the present embodiment, terms representing directions such as up-down and left-right directions are not absolute, but are appropriate if each of the components is in an orientation depicted in the drawings. However, if the orientation has changed, the terms should be construed by being changed depending on the change in the orientation.
The tape affixing system 1 includes a conveyance apparatus 2, an affixing apparatus 3, and an apparatus for detecting a tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT (hereinafter merely referred to as a tension abnormality detecting apparatus) 4.
The conveyance apparatus 2 includes an inner periphery-side table 21 having the workpiece W held on its upper surface at the center, an outer periphery-side table 22 on which the dicing frame DF is placed, and a slider 23 that slides the inner periphery-side table 21 and the outer periphery table 22 in a conveyance direction D1.
An adsorbent composed of a porous material having an infinite number of pores is embedded in a surface of the inner periphery-side table 21. The roughness of the pores in the adsorbent is #400 or #800, for example.
The inner periphery-side table 21 is switchably connected to a vacuum source and a compressed air source not illustrated. When the vacuum source is started, a negative pressure is supplied between the workpiece W placed on the inner periphery-side table 21 and an upper surface (adsorption surface) of the adsorbent so that the workpiece W is adsorbed and held on the adsorption surface. When the compressed air source is started, compressed air (release air) is supplied between the workpiece W and the adsorption surface so that the adsorption between the workpiece W and the adsorption surface is released.
The affixing apparatus 3 is a tape affixing apparatus having a known configuration for affixing the dicing tape DT. The affixing apparatus 3 includes a feed roller 31 that feedably supports the dicing tape DT, a winding roller 32 that winds the dicing tape DT upon application of a feeding force thereto, first to sixth guide rollers 33a to 33f that exert tension on the dicing tape DT and regulate a track of the dicing tape DT, a pressing roller 34 that affixes the dicing tape DT to the workpiece W, and a knife plate 35 that regulates a track of a separator S peeled from the dicing tape DT.
The tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 includes an air micrometer 41 as a measurement unit that measures the tension of the dicing tape DT.
The air micrometer 41 is arranged above a passage region of the slider 23. The air micrometer 41 is connected to a slide mechanism not illustrated that can slide the air micrometer 41 in a width direction D2 perpendicular to the conveyance direction D1. Examples of the air micrometer 41 include an air micrometer (DELTAIR 22H) manufactured by TOKYO SEIMITSU CO., LTD.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
An operation of the tape affixing system 1 is controlled via a controller 5 illustrated in
Then, the operation of the tape affixing system 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, the dicing frame DF is transferred onto the outer periphery-side table 22 by a conveyance hand not illustrated, for example.
Then, the workpiece W is transferred onto the inner periphery-side table 21 by a conveyance hand not illustrated, for example. Then, when a negative pressure is supplied between the workpiece W and the adsorption surface from the compressed air source, the workpiece W is adsorbed on the inner periphery-side table 21. An upper surface of the workpiece W and an upper surface of the dicing frame DF are set to be substantially flush with each other.
Then, as illustrated in
Then, the winding roller 32 rotates to feed the dicing tape DT, and the pressing roller 34 presses the dicing tape DT against the one end of the dicing frame DF to affix the dicing tape DT with a predetermined pressing force. A rotational speed of the winding roller 32 is set to 10 millimeters per second, for example.
Then, the inner periphery-side table 21 and the outer periphery-side table 22 move in the conveyance direction D1, and the affixing of the dicing tape DT is gradually advanced. When the dicing tape DT reaches the other end (an affixing end position) of the dicing frame DF, the workpiece W and the dicing frame DF are integrally affixed to each other with the dicing tape DT interposed therebetween.
Then, as illustrated in
Further, when the air micrometer 41 is moved in the width direction D2 while the inner periphery-side table 21 and the outer periphery-side table 22 are moved in the conveyance direction D1, the air micrometer 41 measures the tension of the dicing tape DT at each of the measurement points P1, P2, P3, and P4. Measurement data of the air micrometer 41 is fed to a determination unit 42 illustrated in
A tension distribution in the dicing tape DT is formed such that the tension is the highest at the center in the width direction D2 and gradually decreases toward the outer side in the width direction D2. That is, in the tension distribution in the dicing tape DT, the tension at the measurement points P1 and P2 is the highest, and the tension at the measurement points P3 and P4 is lower than that at the measurement points P1 and P2.
Then, the determination unit 42 determines whether or not a measurement value of the tension of the dicing tape DT at each of the measurement points P belongs in a proper range.
Specifically, when the tension of the dicing tape DT at the measurement point P is within the proper range, it is determined that the tension of the dicing tape DT is appropriate. If the tension of the dicing tape DT at the measurement point P does not belong in the proper range, it is determined that the tension of the dicing tape DT is abnormal. The proper range of the tension of the dicing tape DT is previously calculated by an experiment or the like, and is stored in a storage unit 43 illustrated in
If it is determined that the tension of the dicing tape DT is abnormal, the tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 may make notification of a tension abnormality via a notification unit 44 illustrated in
If it is determined that the tension of the dicing tape DT is abnormal, the tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 may control a movement speed of the slider 23 and a winding speed of the winding roller 32 such that tension of a dicing tape DT to be affixed to a workpiece W subsequent to the workpiece W the tension of which has been measured falls within the proper range by a correction unit 45 illustrated in
Generally, the tension of the dicing tape DT is set depending on a relative speed between the slider 23 and the winding roller 32. That is, if the movement speed of the slider 23 is relatively higher than the winding speed of the winding roller 32, tension to be exerted on the dicing tape DT is high. On the other hand, if the movement speed of the slider 23 is relatively lower than the winding speed of the winding roller 32, tension to be exerted on the dicing tape DT is low.
If the determination unit 42 determines that the tension of the dicing tape DT is below the proper range, the correction unit 45 increases the movement speed of the slider 23 or decreases the winding speed of the winding roller 32 such that the tension of the dicing tape DT increases.
On the other hand, if the determination unit 42 determines that the tension of the dicing tape DT is above the proper range, the correction unit 45 decreases the movement speed of the slider 23 or increases the winding speed of the winding roller 32 such that the tension of the dicing tale DT decreases.
Although a configuration using the air micrometer 41 as a measurement unit has been described as an example in the tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 according to the above-described embodiment, any measurement unit may be used if it measures the tension of the dicing tape DT in a non-contact manner on the basis of an amount of displacement of the dicing tape DT occurring when gas is blown to the dicing tape DT. For example, the measurement unit may be a measurement instrument 46 including an air nozzle 46a and a laser displacement meter 46b, as illustrated in
In the measurement instrument 46 as a measurement unit illustrated in
Although a case where the determination unit 42 determines whether or not each of the respective measurement values of the tension of the dicing tape DT at the measurement points P1, P2, P3, and P4 belongs in the proper range has been described as an example, the tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 according to the above-described embodiment may be configured such that the determination unit 42 determines whether or not a maximum value of the tension of the dicing tape DT at the measurement points P1 and P2 belongs in the proper range so that too high tension is not exerted on the dicing tape DT or determines whether or not a minimum value of the tension of the dicing tape DT at the measurement points P3 and P4 belongs in the proper range so that too low tension is not exerted on the dicing tape DT.
Although the four measurement points P at which the air micrometer 41 makes measurement are set in the tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 according to the above-described embodiment, the number and respective positions of measurement points P are arbitrarily changeable if the tension of the dicing tape DT can be reasonably grasped. For example, eight measurement points P, which are arranged to be equally spaced apart from one another on a concentric circle, may be set, as illustrated in
Thus, the tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 according to the present embodiment is configured to include the air micrometer 41 that measures the tension of the dicing tape DT and the determination unit 42 that determines that the tension of the dicing tape DT is appropriate when the tension of the dicing tape DT belongs in the previously set proper range of the tension of the dicing tape DT and determines that the tension of the dicing tape DT is abnormal when the tension of the dicing tape DT does not belong in the proper range.
This configuration makes it possible to accurately detect the tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT because the air micrometer 41 can measure the tension of the dicing tape DT in a non-contact manner and the determination unit 42 can quantitatively determine whether or not the tension of the dicing tape DT is appropriate on the basis of the tension of the dicing tape DT.
Further, the air micrometer 41 can measure the tension of the dicing tape DT in a non-contact manner, thereby making it possible to detect the tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT without damaging the dicing tape DT and the workpiece W.
The tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 is configured such that the air micrometer 41 measures the tension of the dicing tape DT at each of the measurement points P, to which the workpiece W is not affixed, in the dicing tape DT on the basis of displacement of the dicing tape DT occurring when air is blown to the measurement point P.
This configuration makes it possible to accurately detect the tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT because the air micrometer 41 directly measures the tension of the dicing tape DT at the measurement point P in a non-contact manner.
The tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 is configured to further include the correction unit 45 that corrects, when the tension of the dicing tape DT at each of the measurement points P deviates from the proper range, tension of a dicing tape DT to which a workpiece W subsequent to the workpiece W is to be affixed.
This configuration makes it possible to prevent, when the tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT is detected, the dicing type DT the tension of which is abnormal from flowing out because the correction unit 45 corrects the tension of the dicing tape DT to which the subsequent workpiece W is to be affixed.
The tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 is configured such that the measurement points P1 and P2 are set in front of or behind the workpiece W in the conveyance direction D1 in which the dicing tape DT moves relative to the workpiece W in a planar view.
This configuration makes it possible to prevent tension to be exerted on the dicing tape DT from being too high by determining whether or not a maximum value of the tension to be exerted on the dicing tape DT belongs in the proper range because the measurement points P1 and P2 are set in a place where the tension to be exerted on the dicing tape DT is the highest.
The tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 is configured such that the measurement points P3 and P4 are set beside the workpiece W in the width direction D2 of the dicing tape DT in a planar view.
This configuration makes it possible to prevent tension to be exerted on the dicing tape DT from being too low by determining whether or not a minimum value of the tension to be exerted on the dicing tape DT belongs in the proper range because the measurement points P3 and P4 are set in a place where the tension to be exerted on the dicing tape DT is liable to be low.
The tension abnormality detecting apparatus 4 is configured to further include the notification unit 44 that makes notification of the tension abnormality when the determination unit 42 determines that the tension of the dicing tape DT is abnormal.
This configuration makes it possible to prevent, when the tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT is detected, the dicing type DT the tension of which is abnormal from flowing out because the notification unit 44 makes notification of the tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT.
The method for detecting the tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT to which the workpiece W is affixed according to the present embodiment includes the step of the air micrometer 41 measuring the tension of the dicing tape DT and the step of the determination unit 42 determining that the tension of the dicing tape DT is appropriate when the tension of the dicing tape DT belongs in the previously set proper range of the tension of the dicing tape DT and determining that the tension of the dicing tape DT is abnormal when the tension of the dicing tape DT does not belong in the proper range.
This configuration makes it possible to accurately detect the tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT because the air micrometer 41 measures the tension of the dicing tape DT in a non-contact manner and the determination unit 42 can quantitatively determine whether or not the tension of the dicing tape DT is appropriate on the basis of the tension of the dicing tape DT.
Further, the air micrometer 41 can measure the tension of the dicing tape DT in a non-contact manner, thereby making it possible to detect the tension abnormality in the dicing tape DT without damaging the dicing tape DT and the workpiece W.
It should be understood that various modifications can be made in addition to the foregoing without departing from the spirit of the present invention and the present invention covers the modifications.
The measurement unit is not limited to that which directly measures the tension of the dicing tape on the basis of displacement of the dicing tape, as described above, but may be that which indirectly measures the tension of the dicing tape.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-017859 | Feb 2021 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2021/041646 | 11/12/2021 | WO |
