US 2010/0147442 A1 · METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING PROTECTIVE TAPE FROM SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER

Abstract

A method of this invention involves capturing an image of an outer periphery of a semiconductor wafer, by use of a CCD camera, performing image analysis on data about the captured image, detecting defects such as chips and cracks on the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer, storing positions of the respective defects, calculating a clearance between the adjacent defects from information about the stored positions, comparing the calculated clearances with a preset width of a separation tape, and obtaining the clearance larger than the width of the separation tape, by arithmetic processing. If some of the clearances are larger than the width of the separation tape, this method also involves setting an appropriate one of the clearance as a position where the separation tape is joined, performing alignment on the semiconductor wafer, joining the separation tape to a protective tape joined to a surface of the semiconductor wafer, and separating the protective tape together with the separation tape from the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for joining, to a protective tape joined to a surface of a semiconductor wafer, a separation tape having a width narrower than a diameter of the semiconductor wafer to separate the protective tape together with the separation tape from the surface of the semiconductor wafer,

the method comprising:
detecting defects on an outer periphery of a semiconductor wafer, and storing positions of the respective defects;
calculating a clearance between the adjacent defects from information about the stored positions, comparing the calculated clearances with a width of a separation tape, and obtaining the clearance larger than the width of the separation tape;
and
setting the clearance as a position for starting to join the separation tape, and joining the separation tape to the clearance and separating the separation tape from the clearance.

2 more elements

An apparatus for joining, to a protective tape joined to a surface of a semiconductor wafer, a separation tape having a width narrower than a diameter of the semiconductor wafer to separate the protective tape together with the separation tape from the surface of the semiconductor wafer,

the apparatus comprising:
a separation table that holds a semiconductor wafer placed thereon in a state that a protective tape is joined to a surface of the semiconductor wafer;
a tape separating mechanism that joins, to the surface of the semiconductor wafer placed on and held by the separation table, a separation tape having a width narrower than a diameter of the semiconductor wafer, in a radial direction of the semiconductor wafer, and separates the protective tape together with the separation tape from the surface of the semiconductor wafer;
a wafer monitoring mechanism that monitors an outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer placed on and held by the separation table to detect defects;
and
a control device that stores positions of the detected defects in a circumferential direction of the semiconductor wafer, calculates a clearance between the adjacent defects, obtains a clearance larger than the width of the separation tape, and sets the clearance as a position where the tape separating mechanism starts to join the separation tape.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for separating protective tape from semiconductor wafer

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for separating protective tape from semiconductor wafer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15