JP2002252187A - Semiconductor wafer cutting device and semiconductor wafer cutting method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a semiconductor wafer cutting device capable of cutting a semiconductor wafer easily and promptly while preventing surface contamination. SOLUTION: A semiconductor wafer is set in a depression 5. The guide 3 of the roller (curved body) 1 is fitted into the groove 8, and the roller 1 is rotated once in the depth direction while pressing the roller 1 from the near side of the wafer table 4. The projections cut the semiconductor wafer by sequentially pressing and cleaving the semiconductor wafer at two locations on the same cleavage line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus for cleaving a crystalline thin film such as a semiconductor wafer and a method for cutting a semiconductor wafer using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a cutting method using a semiconductor wafer cutting device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-204103. In the figure, 51 is a wafer, 52 is a rotating blade, and 53 is a cooling water nozzle.
That is, in the above-described apparatus, the rotating blade 52 is rotated to grind and divide the wafer 51. In order to prevent scattering of the grinding pieces, cooling water flows from the cooling water nozzle 53.

[0003]

However, it takes a long time to reciprocate the rotating blade 52 many times before dividing the wafer into a size for analysis and evaluation, and it takes a long time, and the surface is contaminated by cooling water. Therefore, there is a problem that it is not suitable for sample pretreatment for analysis and evaluation of surface contamination.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus and a semiconductor wafer cutting method using the same capable of preventing surface contamination and cutting a semiconductor wafer easily and promptly. The purpose is to obtain.

[0005]

A first semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus according to the present invention is provided on a wafer table on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted and a curved surface of a curved body, and presses and cleaves the semiconductor wafer. And a projection.

According to a second apparatus for cutting a semiconductor wafer according to the present invention, in the first apparatus for cutting a semiconductor wafer, at least a region of the wafer table that supports an outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer is made of an elastic material. It becomes.

A third semiconductor wafer cutting device according to the present invention is the first semiconductor wafer cutting device according to the first semiconductor wafer cutting device.
It is arranged so as to be pressed at a location.

According to a fourth semiconductor wafer cutting device of the present invention, in the third semiconductor wafer cutting device, the projection is arranged so as to press the outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer. .

A fifth semiconductor wafer cutting device according to the present invention is the same as the first semiconductor wafer cutting device, wherein the projection is a diamond piece.

A sixth semiconductor wafer cutting device according to the present invention is the first semiconductor wafer cutting device, wherein a notch alignment for positioning the semiconductor wafer is provided on the wafer table.

A seventh semiconductor wafer cutting device according to the present invention is the first semiconductor wafer cutting device, wherein the curved body is a cylinder or a semi-column.

A first method for cutting a semiconductor wafer according to the present invention uses one of the first to seventh semiconductor wafer cutting devices described above, rotates a curved body, presses the semiconductor wafer with projections, and cleaves the semiconductor wafer. How to

According to a second method for cutting a semiconductor wafer according to the present invention, in the first method for cutting a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer is placed on the wafer base such that the direction of rotation of the curved body is orthogonal to the direction of cleavage of the semiconductor wafer. This is a method of placing.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 A semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a wafer table on which a semiconductor wafer is placed, and a projection provided on a curved body whose curved surface rotates along the semiconductor wafer surface. The protrusions are pressed by the rotation of the curved body to cleave the semiconductor wafer, and the wafer is not ground by rotating a rotating blade or the like as in the conventional method. There is an effect that surface contamination due to cooling water is prevented without scattering.

FIGS. 1A to 1D are views for explaining a semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a curved body, and FIG. (C) is a plan view of the wafer table, and (d) is A- of (c).
In the figure, 1 is a roller (column) which is a curved body, 2 is a projection made of, for example, a diamond piece, and 3 is a guide. Reference numeral 4 denotes a wafer table, 5 denotes a depression for mounting a semiconductor wafer, 7 denotes a convex portion on which the curved body 1 rotates, 6 denotes a notch alignment for positioning and mounting the semiconductor wafer, and 8 denotes a curved surface. The groove is provided for fitting the guide 3 of the body 1 and for the curved body 1 to stably rotate on the convex portion 7.

As the curved body 1, for example, a cylinder or a semi-cylindrical column is used. As shown in FIG. 1, the curved body is formed so that the pressing force is concentrated on the contact area between the projection provided on the curved surface and the semiconductor wafer. Rotate. The semiconductor wafer can be stably mounted on the wafer table 4 by the recess 5 of the wafer table 4,
The depression 5 is substantially the same size as the semiconductor wafer, and is a flat depression having the same shape as the semiconductor wafer. Further, if at least a region of the wafer table 4 supporting the outer peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer is made of an elastic material such as rubber, a force opposite to the pressing force is generated around the pressing force when the projection presses the semiconductor wafer. This facilitates cleavage of the semiconductor element.

The projections 2 are made of, for example, diamond pieces having higher hardness than the semiconductor wafer. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the projection presses the semiconductor wafer when the curved body rotates in the semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus of the present embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a semiconductor wafer, 12 denotes a wafer outer periphery, and 13 denotes a wafer outer periphery. At the position where the projection of the curved body comes into contact, this corresponds to the arrangement of the projections when the curved surface of the curved body is developed on a plane. Reference numeral 14 denotes a cleavage line cleaved by the curved body 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the projection of the curved body is caused by one rotation on the wafer table.
It is arranged to press the wafer at the position indicated by the mark 13 in the middle. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the protrusions are arranged so as to press the semiconductor wafer 10 at two points on the same cleavage direction line, and are arranged so as to press the edge of the outer periphery 12 of the semiconductor wafer. This makes it possible to cleave in a short period of time easily and reliably without having to make a number of round trips. Furthermore, if notch alignment is provided on the wafer table,
It becomes easy to mount the semiconductor wafer on the wafer table so that the rotation direction of the curved body is orthogonal to the cleavage direction of the semiconductor wafer, and the cutting becomes easy.

Using the semiconductor wafer cutting device shown in FIG. 1, the notch of the wafer is aligned with the notch alignment 6, and the wafer sealed on the back surface is set in the wafer setting recess 5. Next, in FIG. 1, the guide 3 of the roller (curved body) 1 is fitted into the groove 8, and the roller 1 is rotated once in the depth direction while pressing the roller 1 from the near side of the wafer table 4. In FIG. 2, the wafer and the diamond piece 2 are cut out along the cleavage line 14, which is in contact with the wafer two points at a time from the bottom at the point 13 where the diamond piece hits, and cuts laterally.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the projection presses the semiconductor wafer when the curved body 1 is rotated. In the figure, reference numeral 16 denotes a portion where the projection of the roller (roller b) in which the projection is arranged differently from the roller (roller a) used in Embodiment 1 hits the semiconductor wafer, and the curved surface of the curved body (roller b) is It corresponds to the arrangement of the projections when developed on a plane, and is arranged so as to hit the outer periphery of the cleavage line 14. The solid line 17 is a cleavage line cleaved by the roller b. That is, in FIG. 2, after performing cleavage 14 in the lateral direction of the wafer with the roller a, the wafer is rotated 90 degrees, and the roller b is similarly rotated once, whereby the wafer is cleaved as shown by a solid line 17 in FIG. The wafer is cut into equally spaced wafer pieces.

[0020]

[Embodiment 1] In the semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a rubber wafer table is formed by setting the recess 5 to an 8-inch wafer size, the depth 1 mm, the height of the projection 7 to 3 mm, and the groove 8 to 5 mm. 4 was produced. Further, a plastic roller a having a diameter of 6.5 cm and a diamond piece 11 arranged as shown in FIG. 2 and a plastic roller b having a diamond piece 11 arranged as shown in FIG. 3 were produced. In addition, 12 pieces of the diamond pieces 11 were arranged on the roller a and 34 pieces of the diamond pieces 11 were arranged on the roller b so that the wafer piece after cutting was a square having a side of 2.86 cm. A seal of the same size as the wafer was stuck on the back surface of the wafer, and the wafer was cut out by the method according to the embodiment. As a result, although a few mm was damaged, a piece of the desired size wafer could be cut out.

[0021]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus having a wafer table on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted, and a projection provided on a curved surface of a curved body and pressing the semiconductor wafer to cleave the semiconductor wafer. Therefore, there is an effect that contamination of the surface can be prevented, and the semiconductor wafer can be cut out easily and promptly.

According to a second semiconductor wafer cutting device of the present invention, the first semiconductor wafer cutting device is the same as the first semiconductor wafer cutting device.
At least a region of the wafer table that supports the outer peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer is made of an elastic material, which has an effect that cutting is particularly accurate.

The third semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus according to the present invention is the first semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus,
The projections are arranged so as to press the semiconductor wafer at two points on the same cleavage direction line, and have an effect that cutting is particularly accurate.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the above-mentioned third semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus, wherein
The projections are arranged so as to press the outer peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer, and have an effect that cutting is particularly accurate.

According to a fifth semiconductor wafer cutting device of the present invention, the first semiconductor wafer cutting device is the same as the first semiconductor wafer cutting device.
The projection is made of a diamond piece, and has an effect that cutting is particularly accurate.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein:
Since the notch alignment for aligning the semiconductor wafer is provided on the wafer table, there is an effect that cutting is particularly accurate.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein:
The curved body is of a cylindrical or semi-cylindrical shape, and has an effect that cutting is particularly accurate.

In a first method for cutting a semiconductor wafer according to the present invention, the curved surface is rotated and the semiconductor wafer is pressed by a projection to be cleaved by using any one of the first to seventh semiconductor wafer cutting devices. The method has the effect that contamination of the surface can be prevented and the semiconductor wafer can be cut out easily and promptly.

According to a second method for cutting a semiconductor wafer of the present invention, in the first method for cutting a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer is placed on a wafer base such that the direction of rotation of the curved body is orthogonal to the direction of cleavage of the semiconductor wafer. The mounting method has an effect that contamination of the surface can be prevented and a semiconductor wafer can be cut out easily and promptly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a semiconductor wafer cutting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a projection presses the semiconductor wafer when the curved body rotates in the semiconductor wafer cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a projection presses a semiconductor wafer when a curved body rotates in a semiconductor wafer cutting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a cutting method using a conventional semiconductor wafer cutting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Curved body, 2 protrusions, 4 wafer stage, 10 semiconductor wafer, 12 wafer periphery, 13, 16 protrusion arrangement, 1
4, 17 cleavage line.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor wafer cutting device comprising: a wafer table on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted; and a projection provided on a curved surface of a curved body and pressing and cleaving the semiconductor wafer. 2. The semiconductor wafer cutting device according to claim 1, wherein at least a region of the wafer stage that supports an outer peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer is made of an elastic material. 3. The semiconductor wafer cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the projections are arranged so as to press the semiconductor wafer at two positions on the same cleavage direction line. 4. The semiconductor wafer cutting device according to claim 3, wherein the projection is arranged so as to press an outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer. 5. The semiconductor wafer cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the projection is a diamond piece. 6. The semiconductor wafer cutting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a notch alignment for aligning the semiconductor wafer is provided on the wafer table. 7. The semiconductor wafer cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the curved body is a cylinder or a semi-cylinder. 8. A method for cutting a semiconductor wafer, comprising using the semiconductor wafer cutting device according to claim 1 to rotate a curved body and pressing the semiconductor wafer with projections to cleave the semiconductor wafer. 9. The method for cutting out a semiconductor wafer according to claim 8, wherein the semiconductor wafer is placed on the wafer table such that the direction of rotation of the curved body is orthogonal to the cleavage direction of the semiconductor wafer.