Cutting method for cutting processing-target object and cutting apparatus that cuts processing-target object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10121672-B2
Application number	US-201715621165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2017
Priority date	Jun 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

There is provided a cutting method for cutting a processing-target object by a cutting blade. The cutting method includes a holding step of holding the processing-target object by a holding table and a cutting step of cutting the processing-target object by the cutting blade by causing the cutting blade that rotates to cut into the processing-target object held by the holding table and causing the holding table and the cutting blade to relatively move after the holding step is carried out. In the cutting step, cutting is carried out with detection of whether or not a crack in the processing-target object exists by a crack detecting unit disposed on the rear side relative to the cutting blade in a cutting progression direction in which cutting processing of the processing-target object by the cutting blade progresses.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cutting method for cutting a processing-target object by a cutting blade, the cutting method comprising:
a holding step of holding the processing-target object by a holding table; and
a cutting step of cutting the processing-target object by the cutting blade by causing the cutting blade that rotates to cut into the processing-target object held by the holding table and causing the holding table and the cutting blade to relatively move after the holding step is carried out,
wherein:
in the cutting step, cutting is carried out with detection of whether or not a crack in the processing-target object exists by a crack detecting unit disposed on a rear side relative to the cutting blade in a cutting progression direction in which cutting processing of the processing-target object by the cutting blade progresses, and
the cutting blade and the crack detecting unit are both supported by a blade unit, and further wherein said blade unit, with the cutting blade and the crack detecting unit supported thereon, and the holding table are moved relative to each other in the cutting progression direction during the cutting step.

2. The cutting method according to claim 1 , wherein:
relative movement between the holding table and the cutting blade is stopped or speed of the relative movement is decreased when a crack in the processing-target object is detected by the crack detecting unit in execution of the cutting step.

3. A cutting apparatus that cuts a processing-target object, the cutting apparatus comprising:
a holding table that holds the processing-target object;
cutting means having a cutting blade that cuts the processing-target object held by the holding table;
moving means that causes the cutting blade and the holding table to relatively move; and
a crack detecting unit that is disposed on a rear side relative to the cutting blade in a cutting progression direction in which cutting processing of the processing-target object by the cutting blade progresses, and detects whether or not a crack in the processing-target object exists, and
wherein the cutting blade and the crack detecting unit are both supported by a blade unit, and further wherein said blade unit, with the cutting blade and the crack detecting unit supported thereon, and the holding table are moved relative to each other in the cutting progression direction during the cutting step.

4. The cutting method according to claim 1 , wherein when a crack is detected by the crack detecting unit during execution of the cutting step, information related to the crack is transmitted to control equipment, whereby said control equipment decreases the cutting-feed rate or changes the rotational speed of the cutting blade.

5. The cutting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein when a crack is detected by the crack detecting unit during cutting processing, information related to the crack is transmitted to control equipment, whereby said control equipment decreases the cutting-feed rate or changes the rotational speed of the cutting blade.

6. The cutting method according to claim 1 , wherein the blade unit is configured and arranged to be moved up and down in a Z-axis direction with respect to the holding table via a Z-axis movement mechanism.

7. The cutting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the blade unit is configured and arranged to be moved up and down in a Z-axis direction with respect to the holding table via a Z-axis movement mechanism.

8. The cutting method according to claim 1 , wherein when the crack detecting unit detects the generation of a crack, the position of the crack is recorded and device chips located near the position of the crack are considered as defective.

9. The cutting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein when the crack detecting unit detects the generation of a crack, the position of the crack is recorded and device chips located near the position of the crack are considered as defective.

10. The cutting method according to claim 1 , wherein the crack detecting unit detects cracks by oscillating and observing ultrasonic waves.

11. The cutting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the crack detecting unit detects cracks by oscillating and observing ultrasonic waves.

12. The cutting method according to claim 4 , wherein said change in the rotational speed of the cutting blade comprises stopping the rotation of the cutting blade.

13. The cutting apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said change in the rotational speed of the cutting blade comprises stopping the rotation of the cutting blade.

Assignees

• Disco Corp

Inventors

• Shigematsu Koichi

Classifications

• H10P72/7416

  used during dicing or grinding · CPC title

• H10P34/42

  with electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser annealing (laser cutting H10P54/20) · CPC title

• H10P74/238

  comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement · CPC title

• H10P74/203

  Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects · CPC title

• H10P72/7402

  Wafer tapes, e.g. grinding or dicing support tapes · CPC title