Semiconductor wafer assembly and machining apparatus having chuck tables for holding the same

Abstract

A semiconductor wafer assembly is constituted such that the back surface of a tape is stuck to the surface of a frame and a semiconductor wafer is stuck to the surface of the tape. A machining apparatus has chuck tables for supporting the semiconductor wafer assembly, and each of the chuck tables has a semiconductor wafer placing surface for supporting the back surface of the tape to which the semiconductor wafer is stuck and an annular frame placing surface for supporting the back surface of the frame, formed, in the outer peripheral side of the semiconductor wafer mounting surface, at a position below the semiconductor wafer placing surface with a level difference therebetween.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A semiconductor wafer assembly consisting of an annular frame, a tape mounted to the frame and a semiconductor wafer stuck to the tape, wherein 
 the back surface of the tape is stuck to the surface of the frame and the semiconductor wafer is stuck to the surface of the tape.    
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor wafer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an adhesion layer is formed in at least an area where the semiconductor wafer is arranged, of the surface of the tape and an adhesion layer is also formed in an area in contact with the surface of the frame, of the back surface of the tape.  
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor wafer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a cutout corresponding to a cutout showing the crystal orientation of the semiconductor wafer is formed in an outer peripheral portion of the frame and the both cutouts are aligned with each other.  
     
     
         4 . A semiconductor wafer assembly consisting of an annular frame, a tape mounted to the frame, a semiconductor wafer stuck to the surface of the tape and a fixing ring for fixing the periphery portion of the tape to the frame, wherein 
 the annular frame consists of an annular frame portion and an annular mounting portion that projects upward from the inner peripheral portion of the frame portion, and    the tape is placed to the surface of the mounting portion and the fixing ring is fitted onto the outer circumferential portion of the mounting portion to sandwich the periphery portion of the tape between the outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion and the inner peripheral surface of the fixing ring.    
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor wafer assembly of  claim 4 , wherein a cutout corresponding to a cutout showing the crystal orientation of the semiconductor wafer is formed in an outer circumferential portion of the frame and the both cutouts are aligned with each other.  
     
     
         6 . A machining apparatus comprising chuck tables having a placing surface for suction-holding a semiconductor wafer assembly and a machining means for machining the semiconductor wafer of the semiconductor wafer assembly suction-held on each of the chuck tables, wherein 
 the semiconductor wafer assembly consists of an annular frame, a tape mounted to the frame and a semiconductor wafer stuck to the surface of the tape, and    each of the chuck tables has a semiconductor wafer placing surface for supporting the back surface of the tape to which the semiconductor wafer is stuck and an annular frame placing surface for supporting the back surface of the frame, formed, in the outer peripheral side of the semiconductor wafer placing surface, at a position below the semiconductor wafer placing surface with a level difference therebetween.    
     
     
         7 . The machining apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the level difference between the semiconductor wafer placing surface and the frame placing surface is equivalent to the thickness of the frame.  
     
     
         8 . The machining apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the suction ports of communication paths connected to a suction source are formed in the frame placing surface.  
     
     
         9 . The machining apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the machining means is a grinding means for grinding the semiconductor wafer of the semiconductor wafer assembly.