Substrate processing method

Abstract

In a substrate processing method in which, for a substrate including a first layer made of a glass substrate and second layers made of a material different from that of the first layer and provided on a front surface and a back surface of the first layer, respectively, an intended mark is formed in each of the second layers, the substrate processing method includes the step of irradiating with a laser beam having an energy density capable of processing the second layers but incapable of processing the first layer from one surface side of the substrate, thereby simultaneously forming the mark at corresponding positions on each of a front surface and a back surface of the substrate.

Claims

1. A substrate processing method in which, for a substrate including a first layer made of a glass substrate and second layers made of a material different from that of the first layer and provided on a front surface and a back surface of the first layer, respectively, an intended mark is formed in each of the second layers, the substrate processing method comprising the step of: irradiating with a laser beam having an energy density capable of processing the second layers but incapable of processing the first layer from one surface side of the substrate, thereby simultaneously forming the mark at corresponding positions on each of a front surface and a back surface of the substrate.

2. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the mark is an alignment mark used for positioning in processing the substrate.

3. The substrate processing method according to claim 2, wherein the irradiation of the laser beam is performed by trepanning.

4. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the mark is a cutting mark used in cutting the substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state after a workpiece is processed according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2A is a plan view of the workpiece before the workpiece is processed according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 2A;

(4) FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a state after a workpiece is processed according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4A is a plan view of the workpiece before the workpiece is processed according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and

(6) FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B of FIG. 4A in the course of processing.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) Embodiments

(8) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(9) First, a first embodiment in which an alignment mark is formed in a resin layer provided on each of front and back surfaces of a glass substrate by use of a laser beam will be described. Note that the same portions are denoted by the same reference characters throughout the drawings below.

(10) FIGS. 2A and 2B are views for describing the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a plan view of a workpiece before the workpiece is processed, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 2A. In FIGS. 2A and 2B, reference numeral 1 is a substrate serving as a workpiece, reference numeral 2 is a table for placing the substrate 1, reference numeral 3 is a glass substrate serving as a constituent material of the substrate 1, reference numeral 4 is a resin sheet attached to a front surface of the glass substrate 3, and reference numeral 5 is a resin sheet attached to a back surface of the glass substrate 3. In this case, the resin layer may be provided by another method such as coating, instead of attaching the resin sheets 4 and 5. Reference numeral 6 denotes a circular alignment mark forming position to be formed on the resin sheet 4. A laser hole 7 having a diameter larger than that of the alignment mark to be formed is provided at a position in the table 2 corresponding to the alignment mark forming position 6, in order to prevent irradiation of the laser beam on the table 2.

(11) In a state in FIGS. 2A and 2B, as indicated by arrows 10, each alignment mark forming position 6 on the resin sheet 4 is sequentially irradiated with a UV laser beam from top. This UV laser beam has an energy density of, for example, 20 mJ/mm.sup.2, which is an energy capable of processing a resin but incapable of processing a glass.

(12) The UV laser beam passing through the resin sheet 4 on the front surface passes through the glass substrate 3 without damaging the glass substrate 3 and reaches the resin sheet 5 on the back surface. Accordingly, after this processing, as illustrated in the cross-sectional view of the substrate 1 in FIG. 1, the substrate 1 in which respective portions of the resin sheets 4 and 5 at the alignment mark forming positions 6 are removed and circular alignment marks 8 and 9 are formed is completed.

(13) In this case, even if a diameter of the alignment mark 9 on a side of the resin sheet 5 is a little smaller than a diameter of the alignment mark 8 on a side of the resin sheet 4 due to laser processing characteristics, there is no inconvenience as an alignment mark because a center of the alignment mark 8 and a center of the alignment mark 9 are located at corresponding positions in a vertical direction.

(14) According to the first embodiment described above, it is possible to simultaneously form the alignment marks 8 and 9 in the resin sheets 4 and 5, respectively, such that the centers of the alignment marks 8 and 9 are located at accurately corresponding positions in the vertical direction, while reducing an adverse effect on the glass substrate 3.

(15) Note that, if trepanning in which making a hole with a small diameter is repeated to form a hole with a large diameter is applied as a method of irradiation of the UV laser beam in the above embodiment, the diameter of each of the alignment marks 8 and 9 can be increased.

(16) Next, a second embodiment in which a cutting mark used for cutting and dividing a substrate into a plurality of smaller rectangular substrates is formed in a resin layer provided on each of front and back surfaces of a glass substrate by use of a laser beam will be described. This cutting mark is formed by removing the resin layer corresponding to a portion to be cut for the purpose of preventing the resin layer from sticking to a blade of a cutting machine and affecting the cutting performance.

(17) FIGS. 4A and 4B are views for describing the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a plan view of a workpiece before the workpiece is processed, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B of FIG. 4A in the course of processing. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, reference numeral 21 is a substrate serving as a workpiece, reference numeral 22 is a table for placing the substrate 21, reference numeral 23 is a glass substrate serving as a constituent material of the substrate 21, reference numeral 24 is a resin sheet attached to a front surface of the glass substrate 23, and reference numeral 25 is a resin sheet attached to a back surface of the glass substrate 23. In this case, the resin layer may be provided by another method such as coating, instead of attaching the resin sheets 24 and 25. Reference numeral 26 denotes a cutting mark forming position to be formed on the resin sheet 24. A laser hole 27 having an area larger than that of the cutting mark to be formed is provided at a position in the table 22 corresponding to the cutting mark forming position 26, in order to prevent irradiation of the laser beam on the table 22.

(18) Note that, although the cutting mark in this embodiment has a cross shape in order to divide the substrate 21 into four pieces of smaller rectangular substrates, other shapes may be applicable.

(19) In a state in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the table 22 is relatively moved such that the UV laser beam moves in a direction of an arrow 31, while irradiating the cutting mark forming position 26 with a UV laser beam from top as indicated by an arrow 20. This UV laser beam has an energy density of, for example, 20 mJ/mm.sup.2, which is an energy capable of processing a resin but incapable of processing a glass, similarly to the first embodiment.

(20) The UV laser beam passing through the resin sheet 24 on the front surface passes through the glass substrate 23 without damaging the glass substrate 23 and reaches the resin sheet 25 on the back surface. Accordingly, respective portions 28 and 29 of the resin sheets 24 and 25 are removed after the UV laser beam passes, and after this processing, the substrate 21 in which respective trenches 28 and 29 are formed at the cutting mark forming position 26 in the resin sheets 24 and 25 is completed. On a front surface side of the substrate 21 illustrated in FIG. 3, reference numeral 30 denotes a cutting mark by the trench 28, and another cutting mark by the trench 29 is also formed at the corresponding position on a back surface side.

(21) In this case, even if a width of the trench 29 of the cutting mark on aside of the resin sheet 25 is a little smaller than a width of the trench 28 of the cutting mark 30 on a side of the resin sheet 24 due to laser processing characteristics, as long as allowance is provided for a width of the trench in consideration of a width of a blade of a cutting machine, there is no inconvenience as a cutting mark because a center of the trench 28 and a center of the trench 29 are located at corresponding positions in a vertical direction.

(22) According to the second embodiment described above, it is possible to simultaneously form the respective cutting marks in the resin sheets 24 and 25, respectively, such that the centers of the cutting marks in the resin sheets 24 and 25 are located at accurately corresponding positions in the vertical direction, while reducing an adverse effect on the glass substrate 23.

(23) In the foregoing, embodiments in which each of an alignment mark and a cutting mark is formed in the resin layer provided on each of the front and back surfaces of the glass substrate by use of the laser beam have been described. However, it is obvious that the present invention is applicable also to a case in which other marks are formed in the resin layer provided on each of the front and back surfaces of the glass substrate.