Disco Corporation

Naoki Ohmiya

Yusuke Nagai

Yukio Morishige

Satoshi Kobayashi

Masahiro Murata

Hiroshi Nomura

Kazuma Sekiya

Masaru Nakamura

Hiroshi Morikazu

Noboru Takeda

Toshiyuki Yoshikawa

Kentaro Iizuka

Koichi Shigematsu

Satoshi Genda

Koichi Takeyama

A method of dividing an adhesive film mounted on the back surface of a wafer having a plurality of streets formed on the front surface in a lattice pattern and function elements formed in a plurality of areas sectioned by the plurality of streets, along the streets in a state where the wafer is put on the surface of a protective tape mounted on an annular frame, wherein the adhesive film is cooled and the protective tape is expanded to divide the adhesive film along the peripheries of the function elements.

Apparatus for dividing an adhesive film mounted on a wafer

A wafer holding mechanism for holding a wafer affixed to a frame with a tape utilizing a suction force. The wafer holding mechanism includes a suction body, a wafer holder with a holding surface for holding the wafer via the tape, and a suction unit with a suction portion disposed at an outer peripheral edge of the wafer holder. The suction portion transmits a suction force across the holding surface though the outer peripheral edge of the wafer holder such that when the suction portion is covered and sealed by the tape, the wafer holder is held at the suction unit and the wafer is held at the holding surface.

Wafer holding mechanism

A method of dividing, along dividing lines, a wafer having function elements formed in areas sectioned by the dividing lines formed in a lattice pattern on the front surface, comprising: a frame holding step for affixing the back surface of the wafer to a dicing tape mounted on an annular frame; a deteriorated layer forming step for forming a deteriorated layer along the dividing lines in the inside of the wafer by applying a pulse laser beam capable of passing through the wafer to the wafer along the dividing lines, from the side of the front surface of the wafer held on the frame; a dividing step for dividing the wafer into individual chips along the dividing lines by exerting external force along the dividing lines where the deteriorated layers have been formed of the wafer held on the frame; an expansion step for enlarging the interval between chips by stretching the dicing tape affixed to the wafer divided into individual chips; and a picking up step for picking up each chip from the expanded dicing tape.

Wafer dividing method

A laser beam processing method for a semiconductor wafer having a low-dielectric insulating film formed on the front surface of a semiconductor substrate thereof, a plurality of circuits sectioned by streets into a lattice pattern, and metal patterns for testing formed partially on each street. The method includes a laser beam processing step for applying a laser beam to the positions of areas at which the metal patterns are located, and to the low-dielectric insulating film, under different processing conditions so as to remove the metal patterns and the low-dielectric insulating film without damaging the substrate and its circuits.

Laser beam processing method for a semiconductor wafer

A method of dividing, along dividing lines, a wafer having function elements formed in areas sectioned by the dividing lines formed in a lattice pattern on the front surface, which comprises: a protective member affixing step for affixing a protective member to the front surface of the wafer; a polishing step for polishing the back surface of the wafer having the protective member affixed to the front surface; a deteriorated layer formation step for forming a deteriorated layer along the dividing lines in the inside of the wafer by applying a pulse laser beam capable of passing through the wafer to the wafer along the dividing lines from the polished back surface side of the wafer; a frame holding step for affixing the back surface of the wafer in which the deteriorated layers have been formed along the dividing lines, to a dicing tape mounted on an annular frame; a dividing step for dividing the wafer into individual chips along the dividing lines by exerting external force along the dividing lines where the deteriorated layers have been formed, of the wafer held on the frame; an expansion step for enlarging the interval between chips by stretching the dicing tape affixed to the wafer divided into individual chips; and a pick up step for picking up the chips from the stretched dicing tape.

A method of dividing a wafer whose strength is reduced along a plurality of dividing lines formed on the front surface in a lattice pattern, along the dividing lines, comprising: a tape affixing step for affixing a protective tape to one surface side of the wafer; a holding step for positioning a first suction-holding member and a second suction-holding member on both sides of a dividing line and suction-holding the wafer on the first suction-holding member and the second suction-holding member through the protective tape; and a dividing step for moving the first suction-holding member and the second suction-holding member in a direction for separating them from each other to exert tensile force in a direction perpendicular to the dividing line.

Wafer dividing method and apparatus

A cutting machine includes two cutting means. In a front half of a housing, a chucking zone is located in a widthwise center. A cassette placing zone is located on one side of the chucking zone, and a cleaning zone is located on the other side of the chucking zone. In a latter half of the housing, a cutting zone is disposed in a widthwise center. Rotating shafts of the two cutting means extend straightly in a width direction in the rear half of the housing.

Cutting machine

Disclosed is a blade cover in a cutting apparatus comprising a chuck table for holding a workpiece to be cut and cutting means for cutting the workpiece, which comprises a spindle having a rotary blade detachably attached thereto and a spindle housing for rotatably holding the spindle. The blade cover is fixed to the spindle housing on its front side, and it comprises: a rear nozzle assembly for flushing water to the rotary blade on its rear side; a front nozzle assembly for flushing water to the rotary blade on its front side; and blade detecting means for detecting the condition of the rotary blade. The front nozzle assembly is adapted to be put selectively in operative or inoperative position, and the blade detecting means is adapted to be put selectively in operative or inoperative position in unison with the front nozzle assembly. With this arrangement the rotary blade can be changed readily.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Naoki Ohmiya