Apparatus for producing semiconductor wafers
First Claim
1. An apparatus for separating a wafer from a support plate attached to the wafer with a thermally softened adhesive, the wafer and support plate constituting a work having opposite first and second surfaces, the apparatus comprising:
- an upper plate having opposite upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of holes at the lower surface through which air is evacuated to hold the first surface of the work to the lower surface;
a lower plate having opposite upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of holes at the upper surface through which air is evacuated to hold the second surface of the work to the upper surface;
a heater for softening the thermally softened adhesive embedded in at least one of the upper and lower plates;
a robot arm for moving the upper plate in vertical and horizontal directions; and
a shaft rotatably connecting the upper plate to the robot arm.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for separating a wafer from a support plate, to which the wafer is bonded with a thermally softened adhesive, includes an upper plate having opposite upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of holes having apertures at the lower surface through which air is evacuated to hold the support plate to the lower surface; a lower plate having opposite upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of holes having apertures at the upper surface through which air is evacuated to hold the wafer to the upper surface; a heater for softening the thermally softened adhesive embedded in at least one of the upper and lower plates; a robot arm for moving the upper plate in vertical and horizontal directions; and a shaft for rotatably connecting the upper plate to the robot arm. In operation, after the adhesive connecting the wafer and the support plate is softened by the heater, the robot arm moves the upper plate upward while rotating or turning the upper plate, whereby the support plate is separated from the wafer. Therefore, the wafer is prevented from cracking and breaking, whereby the production yield is increased, resulting in a reduction in the cost of the device.
108 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for separating a wafer from a support plate attached to the wafer with a thermally softened adhesive, the wafer and support plate constituting a work having opposite first and second surfaces, the apparatus comprising:
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an upper plate having opposite upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of holes at the lower surface through which air is evacuated to hold the first surface of the work to the lower surface; a lower plate having opposite upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of holes at the upper surface through which air is evacuated to hold the second surface of the work to the upper surface; a heater for softening the thermally softened adhesive embedded in at least one of the upper and lower plates; a robot arm for moving the upper plate in vertical and horizontal directions; and a shaft rotatably connecting the upper plate to the robot arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification