JPH0429351A - Moving apparatus for wafer frame - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to move wafer frames without rubbing on other members by turning the wafer frames with first fulcrum members used as fulcra and supporting them in the specified posture with the rears lifted. CONSTITUTION:When a drive 44 is operated and a central fulcrum member 38 is moved downward by the specified number of strokes, the central fulcrum member 38 is moved downward on to the upper face of a wafer frame 10 and fixed thereto and the wafer frame 10 is turned with outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 used as fulcra and becomes parallel with grooves 24 with the rear lifted as specified. The outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 and the central fulcrum member 38 are moved in the reverse direction to arrow A and the wafer frame 10 is taken out from frame carriers 16 and carried to a desired position. Thereby the wafer frames 10 and silicon wafers 14 fixed thereto are moved without substantially rubbing on the grooves 24.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a wafer frame moving device, the purpose is to make the wafer frame movable in a predetermined posture and eliminate dust generation. at least one first fulcrum member that engages with the lower surface of the annular portion of the wafer frame at a second position; and a second fulcrum member that engages with the upper surface of the annular portion of the wafer frame in a movable manner from above to below. and support means movable while supporting the first fulcrum member and the second fulcrum member.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a moving device for a wafer frame to which a silicon wafer or the like is attached via a tape.

Recently, integrated circuit components (ICs) have become smaller and more highly integrated, and at the same time, the quality of products has been affected by the inclusion of small particles of dust.

Therefore, careful attention is paid to dust prevention measures in the manufacturing process of integrated circuit components.

In general, a semiconductor manufacturing process consists of a pre-process such as etching and impurity diffusion, and a post-process such as dicing and bonding. In the past, measures were taken to completely prevent dust from entering, especially in the pre-process, but recently it has become necessary to take measures to prevent dust from entering into the post-process as well.

A wafer frame is used to process a silicon wafer that has been processed in a previous process in a subsequent process. The wafer frame is an annular plate-shaped frame, and the inside of the annular portion is an opening. Adhesive tape is applied to the entire surface of this wafer frame, and the silicon wafer is attached to the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape that is formed in the opening in the annular portion of the wafer frame. The silicon wafer thus attached to the wafer frame is transported to, for example, dicing or other processing.

In addition, in the post-process, processing silicon wafers one by one is inefficient, so we loaded multiple wafer frames (and silicon wafers) onto a frame carrier and processed multiple silicon wafers with each frame carrier. It has become. This frame carrier is similar to a box that stores a wafer frame with a silicon wafer attached in a drawer shape.The front and bottom of the box are open, and parallel grooves are provided on both sides to hold the wafer frame. The outer edge of the frame can be taken in and out like a drawer along the groove.

When multiple wafer frames (and silicon wafers) are loaded into the frame carrier in this way, it may be necessary to pull out one wafer frame from among the multiple wafer frames for, for example, sampling inspection. Ta.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a moving device as shown in FIG. 5 or 6 has been used to pull out the wafer frame from the frame carrier. In FIGS. 5 and 6, a frame carrier 1 has grooves 2, and a wafer frame 3 with a silicon wafer attached thereto is inserted into eight grooves 2. The width of the groove 2 in the height direction is slightly larger than the width of the wafer frame 3, and the wafer frame 3 rests on the bottom of the groove 2.

In the case of the moving device of FIG. 5, a gripper 7 having upper and lower claws 6a, 6b connected by a pivot pin 5 is used.

The gripper 7 is moved in the direction shown by arrow a from the front of the frame carrier l toward the front edge of the wafer frame 3, and the upper claw 6a is moved downward at a position slightly past the front edge of the wafer frame 3. The gripper 7 is actuated towards the claws 6b to grip the wafer frame 3 between them.
is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow a, thereby pulling out the wafer frame 3.

In the case of the moving device of FIG. 6, a belt conveyor 9 is arranged below the open bottom of the frame carrier l. The frame carrier 1 can be lowered step by step in the downward direction indicated by the arrow C by means of support means (not shown), and with this downward movement, the wafer frame 3 rides on the belt conveyor 9, and the belt conveyor 9 is moved, for example, in the direction indicated by the arrow C. The wafer frame 3 is moved by driving in the direction.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As described above, the wafer frame 3 is an annular plate-shaped frame, and the silicon wafer is attached to an adhesive tape at the opening in the annular portion. In the conventional moving device shown in FIG. 6, the belt conveyor 9 contacts the silicon wafer together with the wafer frame 3, causing dust to be generated by rubbing the wafer claim 3 and the silicon wafer. Furthermore, with the conventional moving device shown in FIG. 6, it is only possible to take out the wafers in order from the lower wafer frame 3 to the upper wafer frame 3.
Frame 3 for wafers in any position for sampling inspection
cannot be taken out.

The conventional moving device shown in FIG. 5 has a problem in that the Ueno frame 3 cannot be taken out parallel to the groove 2 of the frame carrier 1.

That is, since the distance between the upper and lower wafer frames 3 is relatively small, the dimensions of the upper and lower claws 6a6b of the gripper 7 are also restricted, making it impossible to insert the gripper 7 deeply into the frame carrier 1, and the gripper 7 is the direction of movement (arrow a
) You will be able to grasp only the front edge of the frame 3 for Ueno\. Since the wafer frame 3 is made of stainless steel and is quite heavy, if only the front edge of the wafer frame 3 is grasped, the rear part of the wafer frame 3 will sag.

Note that it is difficult to insert the gripper 7 deeply into the frame carrier 1. In this way, when the wafer frame 3 is pulled out in an inclined state as shown in FIG. was the cause of the outbreak.

Particularly, when the wafer frame 3 is made of stainless steel and the frame carrier 1 is made of aluminum, the frame carrier 1 is likely to be scraped and fine chips may adhere to the silicon wafer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a wafer frame moving device that allows the wafer frame to be moved in a predetermined posture and eliminates the generation of dust.

[Means to solve the problem]

A claimed moving device for a wafer according to the present invention is a moving device for a wafer frame, in which a wafer is attached to a tape attached to an annular plate-shaped wafer frame at an opening in an annular portion of the wafer frame, at least one first fulcrum member that engages with the lower surface of the annular portion of the wafer frame in a first position; and a first fulcrum member that is movable from above to downward on the upper surface of the annular portion of the wafer frame in a second position. comprising a second fulcrum member that engages with the second fulcrum member, and support means that is movable while supporting the first fulcrum member and the second fulcrum member;
The first position is located further inside than the second position.

[Function] In the above configuration, the first fulcrum member and the second fulcrum member are located at different first and second positions when viewed from a line from the outer edge of the annular portion of the wafer frame toward the inside. to engage the wafer frame. The first position and the second position are located toward the front edge side with respect to the insertion direction of the first fulcrum member and the second fulcrum member when viewed from the entire wafer frame, but the first position is It is located further inside than the second position. Therefore, when the first fulcrum member engages with the lower surface of the wafer frame at the first position, the front part of the wafer frame is lifted from the first position and the rear part hangs down. When the second fulcrum member engages with the upper surface of the wafer frame while moving from above to below at a second position located in front of the first position, the wafer frame pivots about the first fulcrum member. Then, the rear part lifts up and assumes a predetermined posture. This allows the wafer frame and the wafer attached thereto to be moved without rubbing against other members.

〔Example〕

1 and 2 show a wafer frame moving device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows a frame carrier into which a wafer frame is loaded.

1 to 3, the wafer frame 10 is an annular plate-shaped frame having a circular or rounded square shape, and an adhesive tape 12 corresponding to the external shape of the wafer frame 10 is attached to the wafer frame 10. The silicon wafer 14 is placed in the center of the adhesive. silicon wafer 1
4 is fixed by the adhesive force of the adhesive tape 12. For example, this silicon wafer 14 can be subjected to a guising process together with the wafer frame 10, and in this case, the cut silicon chips are held in their original positions by the adhesive tape 12 without falling apart. Note that the wafer frame 10 has positioning pins (
(not shown) are provided with reference pickpockets 7HOa and 10b that engage with the reference slots 7HOa and 10b.

In FIG. 3, the frame carrier 16 has two side plates 1
8 and 20 are connected by a plurality of cross rods 22. A plurality of parallel grooves 24 are provided on the inner surface of each side plate 18, 20, and the opposing side edges of the wafer frame 10 are inserted into the grooves 24 on both sides. The size of the wafer frame 10 is a diameter (or one side) 212
mm, thickness 1.2 mm. On the other hand, the pitch between each groove 24 is 4.76rnrn, and the gap between the upper and lower wafer frames 10 when supported by the frame carrier 16 is 3.56mm. For example, when the wafer frame 10 is gripped by a claw, the thickness of the claw is 3.5 mm.
56a+m (it will be much smaller if there is vertical movement of the pawl), which means that it is difficult to insert the pawl deep into the frame carrier 16, so it will engage the front edge of the frame carrier 16. This means that you must do so. Further, the cross section of the eight grooves 24 is approximately V-shaped, the bottom is horizontal, and the width of the V-shaped opening, which is the maximum opening, is 3 ml11. Therefore,
The maximum permissible lifting amount of the wafer frame 10 in each groove 24 is 1.8 mm (it becomes even smaller in areas where the V is narrower). Therefore, the wafer frame 10 supported by the frame carrier 16 is moved. In this case, it is substantially difficult to grasp the wafer frame 10, lift it upward to some extent, and then move it horizontally.

1 and 2, the wafer frame 10 moving device according to the present invention is suitable for taking out the wafer frame 10 at an arbitrary position from the frame carrier 16. This moving device has a support plate 32 attached to a support arm 30, and connects the support arm 30 to a drive source such as an air cylinder (not shown).
The support plate 32 is movable substantially parallel to the wafer frame 10 from the outer edge of the annular portion to the inner side (arrow A), or vice versa from the inner side to the outer edge. The support plate 32 has a width that is approximately the same as the diameter (or side) of the wafer frame 10.

The support plate 32 has three fulcrum members 34 and 36.
38 is mounted facing the direction of movement A. Two outer fulcrum members 34 , 36 are each located near each end of support plate 32 , and a central fulcrum member 38 is attached to the center of support plate 32 . This moving device is the frame carrier 16 shown in FIG.
When used to take out the wafer frame 1o from the wafer frame 10, the outer fulcrum members 34, 36 are positioned slightly inwardly of the side plates 18, 20 of the frame carrier 16 so that the rounded part of the wafer frame 10 The central fulcrum member 38 is adapted to engage with the front central portion of the annular portion of the wafer frame IO. The outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 are longer than the central fulcrum member 38, and the outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 engage with the wafer frame 10 at a position further inside than the central fulcrum member 38. become. outer fulcrum member 34,
36 is configured to engage with a rounded portion of the annular portion of the wafer frame 10, so that both the outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 and the central fulcrum member 38 are connected to the upper and lower wafer frames 101'! It can be engaged with the front edge of the wafer frame 10 without being deeply inserted into the wafer frame 10.

Further, the outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 engage with the lower surface of the wafer frame 10, and the central fulcrum member 38 engages with the upper surface of the wafer frame 10. The support plate 32 is provided with a hole 40 penetrating in the front-rear direction, and the central fulcrum member 38 is disposed through the hole 40, and at the rear thereof, the support plate 32
It is rotatably connected by a pivot pin 42 to a fixed part 32a fixed to. The support plate 32 is equipped with a drive means 4 such as an air cylinder or a solenoid actiniator.
4 is mounted, the actuating portion of which drive means 44 engages the central fulcrum member 38 and normally holds the central fulcrum member 38 in a raised position at a small angle with respect to the support plate 32, so that the wafer When gripping the frame 10, the central fulcrum member 38 is moved from above to below by a predetermined stroke.

Furthermore, the support plate 32 has a central fulcrum member 38.
A stopper 46 is provided at a lower position, and the stopper 46 engages with the lower surface of the wafer frame 10 at the same position as the support plate 32. In addition,
The outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 are each made of a round bar,
It is attached to the support plate 32 so that its longitudinal position can be adjusted. By making the outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 from round bars, they provide strength when supporting the wafer frame 10, which is quite heavy. The central fulcrum member 38 and the stopper 46 are made of plate material. The round rods forming the outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 have stepped surfaces 3 at their tips.
4a, 36a, the upper half is flattened, and the lower surface thereof is tapered. Step surface 34a,
36a is inclined in accordance with the roundness of the annular portion of the wafer frame 10.

Next, referring to FIGS. 4A to 4C, this moving device is moved from the frame carrier 16 of FIG. 3 to the wafer frame 10.
The action of extracting the will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the outer fulcrum members 34°36
and the central fulcrum member 38 is inserted into the frame carrier 16 in the direction of arrow A. As shown in FIG. 4B, the outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 engage with the lower surface of the wafer frame 10, and the central fulcrum member 38 engages with the upper surface of the wafer frame 10 (as shown in FIG. 2). (position shown). At this time, the central fulcrum member 38 is in the raised position and is substantially in contact with the wafer frame 10, and the outer fulcrum members 34 and 36 are in the wafer frame 10.
The front part of the groove 24 is slightly raised and the rear part is slanted to the bottom of the groove 24.

As shown in Figure 4C, the drive means 44 is then actuated to move the central fulcrum member 38 from above to below by a predetermined stroke. Then, the central fulcrum member 38 engages with the upper surface of the wafer frame 10 while moving from above to below, and the wafer frame 10 engages with the upper surface of the wafer frame 10 .
, 36 as fulcrums, and the rear portion lifts up to assume a predetermined attitude parallel to the groove 24. The outer fulcrum members 34, 36 and the central fulcrum member 38 can then be moved in the direction opposite to arrow A to remove the wafer frame 10 from the frame carrier 16 and transport it to a desired position.

Therefore, the wafer frame 10 and the silicon wafer 14 attached thereto can be moved substantially without rubbing against the groove 24, and any wafer frame 10 of the frame carrier 16 can be taken out at will. Also, the stopper 4 facing the central fulcrum member 38
6 is provided, the wafer frame 10 is held between the central fulcrum member 38 and the stopper 46 (7), and the wafer frame 10 is reliably maintained in a predetermined posture. Be able to move.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, at least one
a second fulcrum member that engages with the upper surface of the annular portion of the wafer frame in a movable manner from above to below; Since the wafer frame is provided with a supporting means movable while supporting the fulcrum member, and the first position is provided further inward than the second position, the wafer frame can be moved by supporting the fulcrum member. It can be supported by pivoting as a fulcrum, with the rear portion lifted up to assume a predetermined posture, and thus can be moved without rubbing against other members.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 is a perspective view showing a moving device and a wafer frame according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing a position where the evaporator frame is gripped by the moving device; FIG. is a perspective view showing a frame carrier, FIGS. 4A to 4C are explanatory diagrams explaining the operation of the device in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a conventional moving device, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another conventional moving device. It is a figure showing an apparatus. 10... Frame for wafer, 12... Tape, 14
...Silicon wafer 16...Frame carrier, 24...Groove, 32...Support plate, 34, 36...Outer fulcrum member, 38...Central fulcrum member, 44...Drive means, 4
6...stopper. Figure 3 showing the frame carrier

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A wafer frame in which a wafer (14) is attached to a tape (12) attached to an annular plate-shaped wafer frame (10) at an opening in an annular portion of the wafer frame. The moving device includes at least one first fulcrum member (34, 36) that engages with a lower surface of a first position of the annular portion of the wafer frame; a second fulcrum member (38) that is movably engaged with the upper surface of the position from above to below; and support means (32) that is movable while supporting the first fulcrum member and the second fulcrum member; A moving device for a wafer frame, wherein the first position is located further inside than the second position. 2. The wafer frame according to claim 1, wherein the support means is provided so as to be movable from the outer edge of the annular part of the wafer frame to the inner side or from the inner side to the outer edge of the annular part of the wafer frame, substantially parallel to the wafer frame. Mobile device. 3. The support means has approximately the same width as the wafer frame, the second fulcrum member is attached to a central portion of the support means, and the at least one first fulcrum member is attached to each of the support means. 3. The method according to claim 2, comprising two first fulcrum members disposed near each end, the two first fulcrum members extending further than the second fulcrum members. Wafer frame movement device. 4. Place the lower surface of the wafer frame at the second position in the second position.
2. The wafer frame moving device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means includes a third fulcrum member that supports the fulcrum member in opposition to the fulcrum member.