JP5210408B2 - Fragment material substrate cutting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cutting apparatus for a brittle material substrate such as a glass substrate or a semiconductor substrate.

  In the process of cutting a brittle material substrate such as glass, a scribe line is formed on the surface of the substrate by rolling a cutter wheel (also referred to as a scribing wheel) or utilizing thermal strain caused by laser beam irradiation. A processing means that can form a scribe line on a substrate including a cutter wheel and a laser beam irradiation device is referred to as a scribe tool here. After forming a scribe line on the substrate surface using these scribe tools, the substrate can be broken (divided) by applying an external force along the scribe line to bend the substrate. Such a dividing method combining scribe and break is generally known, and for example, disclosed in Patent Document 1.

10 and 11 are diagrams showing a conventional brittle material substrate breaking method.
First, as shown in FIG. 10A, a brittle material substrate W is placed on a table 40 of a scribing apparatus, and a scribe line S is formed on the surface thereof using a cutter wheel 41.
Next, as shown in FIG. 10B, the brittle material substrate W is placed on the table 42 of the breaking device on which the elastic cushion sheet 43 is laid. At this time, the surface (front surface side) on which the scribe line S of the brittle material substrate W is formed is directed toward the cushion sheet 43 side, and is inverted so that the opposite surface (back surface side) is the upper surface.
Then, the plate-like break bar 44 extending long along the scribe line S is lowered from above the back surface of the scribe line S, which is directed downward, and pressed from the opposite surface of the brittle material substrate W, so that the brittle material substrate W is pressed against the cushion sheet 43. The scribe line S (crack) is infiltrated in the depth direction by slightly bending it into a V shape. Thereby, the brittle material substrate W is divided along the scribe line S as shown in FIG.

  In the breaking method described above, after the scribe line S is formed on the brittle material substrate W, the work of inverting the brittle material substrate W is indispensable in order to perform the next breaking step. In order to perform this reversing work, a dedicated reversing device such as a robot arm is required, and a space for reversing must be secured, which increases the size of the device, requires equipment costs, and improves work efficiency. There was a drawback that it decreased. In particular, when a large-area glass substrate is an object to be processed, if the substrate is to be reversed, it breaks immediately, so a method of breaking without inversion has been desired.

  Therefore, the applicant has disclosed a break apparatus capable of breaking without inverting the brittle material substrate in Patent Document 2.

The breaking device described in Patent Document 2 creates a closed space that covers a band-shaped region having a predetermined width so as to include the scribe line S in the center with respect to the scribe line S formed on the upper surface of the brittle material substrate W. By depressurizing the space, the brittle material substrate W is slightly bent into an inverted V shape and is broken along the scribe line S.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11A, the brittle material substrate W is placed on the table 45 with the scribe line S facing upward, and the suction member 47 of the suction device 46 is positioned above the scribe line S. Is lowered and brought into contact with the upper surface of the brittle material substrate W. The suction member 47 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape elongated in the scribe line direction. A downward concave portion 48 is formed on the lower surface, and a deformable elastic suction sheet 49 is attached to the opening surface of the concave portion. The suction sheet 49 is provided with a slit 50 for suction. An air suction hole 51 is provided on the upper wall surface of the recess 48. By sucking air from the suction hole 51, the closed space in the recess 48 is decompressed as shown in FIG. At the same time, the brittle material substrate W is bent in an inverted V shape so that the cracks forming the scribe line S spread so as to break.

International Publication No. WO2004 / 048058 Japanese Patent No. 3787489

According to the breaking device of Patent Document 2, after the scribe line S is formed on the upper surface of the brittle material substrate W, the brittle material substrate W is not reversed, and the scribe line S is left upward and the break process is performed. Is possible. However, the point that the scribing process and the breaking process are performed separately is the same as in the prior art, and the rationalization of the entire cutting process has not been achieved.
Further, in this breaking device, it is necessary to bring the suction member 47 into contact with the surface of the brittle material substrate W in order to form a reduced closed space. For this reason, it is necessary to pay close attention not to damage the surface of the brittle material substrate W when the adsorption member 47 contacts the substrate surface. However, a corresponding pressure is applied when the closed space is depressurized. In some cases, the contact portion may be scratched by an impact at the time of contact. In particular, in the case where a fine integrated circuit or the like is formed on the surface of the brittle material substrate W, there is a problem that if the circuit portion is damaged, it becomes a defective product and the yield deteriorates.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a cutting apparatus that can solve the above problems, eliminate the need for inversion of the substrate, and can rationalize the cutting system so that the scribe process and the cutting process can be performed simultaneously. And
Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting apparatus that can cut the brittle material substrate in a non-contact manner.

  The cutting apparatus of the present invention made to solve the above problems includes a table on which a brittle material substrate to be processed is placed, holding means for holding the brittle material substrate in place on the table, and the table A head disposed above, and a scanning mechanism that moves the head relative to the brittle material substrate, and the head has a scribe tool for forming a scribe line and an upward suction action. A suction pad is arranged in series, and the head is moved relative to the brittle material substrate with the scribe tool as a lead, thereby forming a scribe line on the brittle material substrate with the scribe tool. Followed by the subsequent suction pad so that the brittle material substrate is cut along the scribe line formed That.

  According to the present invention, the scribing process and the cutting process can be performed simultaneously without reversing the substrate by scanning only one head, thereby achieving a significant rationalization of the cutting system. it can.

  Here, the suction pad includes a decompression space portion that causes an upward suction action on the lower surface side thereof, and an ejection hole that ejects downward air at least on the left and right sides sandwiching the decompression space portion, and on the scribe line. The brittle material substrate may be divided by pressing the left and right side portions of the scribe line with the jet air from the jet holes at the same time that the vacuum pad is suctioned by the suction pad. By doing so, the brittle material substrate can be reliably cut and bent in an inverted V shape with the scribe line as the apex without contacting the brittle material substrate with the suction pad.

  Note that the suction pad may include an air suction hole that opens downward, and the vacuum space may be formed by the suction air from the air suction hole.

  The suction pad has a concave portion formed on the lower surface, a plurality of air ejection holes formed on the outer peripheral side surface of the concave portion, and a tapered shape formed so that the diameter becomes smaller toward the bottom in the center of the concave portion. A cylindrical convex portion having a side surface is formed, and the air blown out from the ejection hole collides with the tapered side surface and is configured to form a swirl descending flow that descends while swirling downward, and the swirl descending You may make it give a suction effect | action by forming the decompression space part in the recessed part center by the cyclone effect by a flow.

In the above invention, the holding means includes a plurality of adsorption holes or a porous plate formed in the table, and is formed so as to adsorb and hold the brittle material substrate by suction air from the adsorption holes or the porous plate. The adsorption force of the brittle material substrate by the adsorption holes or the porous plate may be formed within a range that allows the V-shaped curve of the brittle material substrate at least during the operation of the suction pad.
Accordingly, the brittle material substrate can be reliably divided at a fixed position on the table without disturbing the formation of the inverted V-shaped curve of the brittle material substrate during the operation of the suction pad. .

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the cutting device which concerns on this invention. It is the perspective view which expanded the principal part of the cutting device. It is sectional drawing of the table part of FIG. It is an expanded sectional view showing the state where a brittle material substrate is divided by a suction pad. It is a bottom view which shows the example of the arrangement | sequence form of the air suction hole of the suction pad and the ejection hole. It is a perspective view which shows another Example of a scribe tool. It is a perspective view which shows another example of the holding means of a brittle material board | substrate. It is a perspective view which shows another Example of a suction pad. It is sectional drawing of the suction pad shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the conventional general break method. It is a figure which shows the conventional break method using a suction mechanism.

Below, the detail of the cutting device of this invention is demonstrated in detail based on figures.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a cutting apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a table portion of FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state where the brittle material substrate is divided by the suction pad, and FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the suction pad, showing an example of an arrangement form of air suction holes and ejection holes. .

The cutting apparatus 1 includes a table 2 on which a brittle material substrate W to be cut is placed. The table 2 is adapted to be movable in the Y direction along the horizontal rails 3, driven by the screw shaft 4 which is rotated by the motor M _1. The table 2 can be rotated in a horizontal plane by a drive unit 5 incorporating a motor.

  The table 2 is provided with holding means so that the brittle material substrate W placed thereon can be held at a fixed position. In the present embodiment, a large number of small air suction holes 11 opened in the table 1 are provided as the holding means. As shown in FIG. 3, the air suction hole 11 communicates with an air suction source (vacuum pump) (not shown) via a common manifold 12 and a hose connection port 13 provided inside the table. Instead of the air suction holes 11, a porous plate made of ceramic or sintered metal may be used for the suction surface of the table.

A bridge 8 including support pillars 6 on both sides of the table 2 and a guide bar 7 extending in the X direction is provided so as to straddle the table 2. Guide bar 7 head 10 to be movable in the X direction along the guide 9 formed provided, driven by a motor M ₂ in the X direction. These constitute a scanning mechanism for the head 10 in the X direction. The head 10 is formed so as to be movable up and down, and a lower part thereof includes a cutter wheel 31 as a scribing tool for scribe line processing, and a suction mechanism 20 having a suction pad 21 for cutting at the lower end. They are arranged in series in the X direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the suction pad 21 includes a decompression space P that generates an upward suction action on the lower surface side thereof, and an ejection hole that ejects downward air at the left and right portions sandwiching the decompression space P inside. 23. In this embodiment, an air suction hole 22 is provided in the center of the lower surface of the suction pad 21, and the reduced pressure space P is formed by sucking air from the air suction hole 22. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), an air suction hole 22 is provided in the center of the lower surface of the suction pad 21, and an elliptical ejection hole 23 is formed at the left and right positions thereof so as to be parallel to each other. 23 is arranged.
As shown in FIG. 5 (b), the air suction hole 22 may be formed in an oval shape like the ejection hole 23, or the ejection hole 23 is formed in an arc shape as shown in FIG. 5 (c). A long hole may be disposed so as to surround the central air suction hole 22.

  The air suction hole 22 communicates with an unillustrated air suction source (vacuum pump) via a suction air passage 25, and the ejection hole 23 communicates with an unillustrated air supply source (compressed air supply) via an ejection air passage 26. Devices, high-pressure cylinders, etc.). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the shaft 27 that supports the suction pad 21 is formed by a double pipe of an inner cylinder 28 and an outer cylinder 29 that are arranged with a gap therebetween, and the inside of the inner cylinder 28 is drawn into the suction air passage 25. The gap between the inner cylinder 28 and the outer cylinder 29 is formed as the ejection air passage 26. The piping facilities that connect the suction air passage 25 and the ejection air passage 26 to the respective air sources are omitted in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a camera 14 for detecting the position of the brittle material substrate W is attached, and an image taken by the camera 14 is displayed on the monitor 15. The brittle material substrate W is positioned by imaging the position specifying alignment marks provided on the corner surface of the brittle material substrate W on the table 2 by the camera 14. If the alignment mark is at the reference setting position, the dividing operation is started. If the alignment mark is misaligned with respect to the reference setting position, the misalignment amount is detected, and the misalignment is automatically removed by manually operating the brittle material substrate W while watching the monitor image or by the robot arm. The displacement is corrected by moving the table 2.

Next, the operation of the cutting device will be described.
The brittle material substrate W is placed on the table 2 and sucked and held at a fixed position by the air suction holes 11 formed in the table 2. Next, the scribe line S is formed on the brittle material substrate W by the cutter wheel 31 by moving the head 10 with the cutter wheel 31 leading while lowering the head 10 and pressing the cutter wheel 31 against the brittle material substrate W.

  Next, the subsequent suction pad 21 moves along the formed scribe line S immediately above it. At this time, the left and right ejection holes 23 are formed in advance so as to be positioned on the left and right sides of the scribe line S. As the suction pad 21 moves, the brittle material substrate W is simultaneously sucked up by the suction air from the air suction hole 22 of the suction pad 21 as shown in FIG. The both side portions are pressed by the jet air (down flow) from the jet hole 23, so that they are slightly curved in an inverted V shape with the scribe line S as the apex, and are divided along the scribe line S. The distance between the brittle material substrate W and the suction pad 21 is set in advance so that the brittle material substrate W does not come into contact with the suction pad 21 when the brittle material substrate W is curved. Accordingly, the brittle material substrate W can be sequentially divided along the scribe line S without contacting the suction pad 21.

  Note that when the brittle material substrate W is divided by the suction pad 21, the suction force of the air suction holes 11 for sucking and holding the brittle material substrate W on the table 2 is such that the air suction holes 22 of the suction pad 21 cause the brittle material substrate W to attract. It is necessary to keep the inverted V-shaped curve within the allowable range. For this purpose, in conjunction with the suction operation of the suction pad 21, the suction force of the air suction hole 11 of the table 2 is weakened within a range that allows the reverse V-shaped curve, or the suction force of the air suction hole 11 is reduced. It is preferable to set it within a range that always allows an inverted V-shaped curve. Specifically, the air suction force of the air suction hole 22 of the suction pad 21 is superior to the downward suction force of the air suction hole 11 of the table 2 so as to be sucked up temporarily and locally. Adjust the balance.

  In the above embodiment, the cutter wheel 31 is used as the scribe tool, but the scribe line may be formed using other mechanical tools according to the type of the substrate. For example, when a protective sheet is attached to the substrate surface, a directional fixed blade may be used instead, or a plurality of scribe tools such as a combination of a fixed blade and a rotary blade may be used. They may be used in series. Further, instead of mechanical tools such as a cutter wheel and a fixed blade, the thermal stress due to the irradiation of the laser beam 31a is used as shown in FIG. 6 (preferably the rapid cooling due to the refrigerant injection after the irradiation is also used as shown in the drawing. And a scribe line may be formed. Further, depending on the type of the brittle material substrate, a scribe line may be formed by laser ablation processing.

  In the above-described embodiment, the suction force by the air suction hole 11 is used as means for holding the brittle material substrate W at a fixed position on the table 2, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, positioning is performed by providing positioning pins 30 that contact the side edges of the brittle material substrate W on the table 2, and the brittle material substrate W is moved in the X direction and the Y direction when the suction pad 21 is operated. You may make it hold | maintain so that it may not shift laterally. In this case, since the downward suction force is not working, the suction force of the suction pad 21 can be set smaller than the above-described embodiment. Although not shown, when the suction pad 21 is operated, the edge of the brittle material substrate W is lightly held with a gripping tool such as a clip within a range that allows the inverted V-shaped curve of the brittle material substrate W. It may be.

  Moreover, in the said Example, although the suction pad 21 was moved with respect to the table 2 which mounted the brittle material board | substrate W, conversely, the suction pad 21 was stopped in a fixed position, and the table 2 was moved. You may make it move.

Next, another embodiment of the suction pad will be described. FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are diagrams showing an embodiment in which a swirling downward flow is used to form the decompression space P in the suction pad.
The suction pad 21 b has a recess 25 formed on the lower surface, and a plurality of ejection holes 23 b formed on the outer peripheral side surface of the recess 25. Air is blown out radially inward from the ejection holes 23b. A cylindrical convex portion 27 having a tapered side surface 26 formed so as to have a smaller diameter toward the lower side is formed at the center of the concave portion 25, and air blown from the ejection hole 23 b is applied to the tapered side surface 26. It is supposed to collide. With such a structure, the air ejected from the ejection hole 23b becomes a spiral flow and ejects downward while swirling, and a swirling downward flow is formed. As a result of the decompression of the central portion of the swirling flow by the “cyclone effect” by the swirling descending flow, a decompression space portion P having a suction force is formed at the center, and a descending flow is present around the space.

  Therefore, by moving the suction pad 21b relative to the brittle material substrate W in a state of being slightly spaced upward, the suction force at the center of the swirl flow is the same as in the embodiment described in FIG. The upper portion of the scribe line S formed on the brittle material substrate W is sucked, and at the same time, the periphery of the suction portion is pressed downward by the downward swirling downward flow. Thus, the brittle material substrate W and the suction pad 21b are not reliably in contact with each other, and the substrate W is bent in an inverted V shape with the scribe line S as a vertex, and the brittle material substrate W is divided along the scribe line S. Can do. According to this method, the decompression space P can be formed only by ejecting air, so that an air supply source is sufficient, and an air suction mechanism such as a vacuum pump is not necessary.

  As described above, the representative embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiment structures, and can be appropriately modified within the scope of achieving the object and without departing from the scope of the claims. It is possible to change.

  The present invention can be applied to a cutting apparatus capable of forming a scribe line on a brittle material substrate such as a glass substrate or a semiconductor substrate and cutting from the scribe line.

W brittle material substrate S scribe line P decompression space 1 cutting device 2 table 10 head 11 suction hole (holding means) of table
20 Suction mechanism 21 Suction pad 22 Air suction hole 23 Ejection hole 31 Scribe tool (cutter wheel)

Claims (5)

A table on which a brittle material substrate to be processed is placed;
Holding means for holding the brittle material substrate in place on the table;
A head disposed above the table;
A scanning mechanism for moving the head relative to the brittle material substrate,
In the head, a scribe tool for forming a scribe line and a suction pad for generating an upward suction action are arranged in series,
By moving the head relative to the brittle material substrate with the scribe tool as a lead, a scribe line is formed on the brittle material substrate with the scribe tool, and a subsequent suction pad follows this. A brittle material substrate cutting device, comprising: cutting a brittle material substrate along a formed scribe line. The suction pad includes a decompression space portion that causes an upward suction action on a lower surface side thereof, and a jet hole that ejects downward air at least at left and right portions sandwiching the decompression space portion, and the suction pad is disposed on the suction line. 2. The brittle material substrate according to claim 1, wherein the brittle material substrate is divided by pressing the left and right sides of the scribe line with the air blown from the ejection holes simultaneously with suction by the reduced pressure space of the pad. apparatus. The brittle material substrate cutting device according to claim 2, wherein the suction pad includes an air suction hole that opens downward, and the decompression space is formed by suction air from the air suction hole. The suction pad has a concave portion formed on the lower surface, a plurality of air ejection holes formed on the outer peripheral side surface of the concave portion, and a tapered side surface formed in the center of the concave portion so that the diameter decreases toward the bottom. A cylindrical convex portion is formed, and the air blown from the ejection hole collides with the tapered side surface and is configured to form a swirling downward flow that descends while swirling downward,
The brittle material substrate cutting device according to claim 2, wherein a suction action is provided by forming a decompression space in the center of the recess by a cyclone effect caused by the swirling downward flow. The holding means includes a plurality of adsorption holes or a porous plate formed in the table, and is formed so as to adsorb and hold a brittle material substrate by suction air from the adsorption holes or the porous plate. Alternatively, the adsorption force of the brittle material substrate by the porous plate is formed within a range that allows an inverted V-shaped curve of the brittle material substrate at least during the operation of the suction pad. The cutting device according to the above.

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