阅读说明：本技术 基板分断方法及基板分断装置 (Substrate cutting method and substrate cutting apparatus ) 是由 西尾仁孝 于 2020-03-04 设计创作，主要内容包括：本申请涉及基板分断方法及基板分断装置。在基板分断方法中,无需复杂的装置即可精度优良地分断基板。基板分断方法包括以下工序：沿着脆性材料基板(W)的预定分断线形成划线(S)；以及通过大致平行地将刀尖形状的断开杆(44)按压于紧邻划线(S)的位置处,从而使划线(S)的表面产生压缩膨胀,由此沿着划线(S)将脆性材料基板(W)分断。(The present application relates to a substrate cutting method and a substrate cutting apparatus. In the substrate cutting method, the substrate can be cut with high precision without a complicated device. The substrate cutting method includes the following steps: forming a scribe line (S) along a predetermined breaking line of a brittle material substrate (W); and cutting the brittle material substrate (W) along the scribe line (S) by pressing a cutting lever (44) having a blade edge shape substantially in parallel to a position in the vicinity of the scribe line (S) to cause compression and expansion of the surface of the scribe line (S).)

1. A substrate cutting method includes the steps of:

forming a scribing line along a predetermined cutting line of the brittle material substrate; and

pressing a cutting lever having a blade edge shape in parallel with the scribe line at a position adjacent to the scribe line, thereby causing compression and expansion of the surface of the scribe line, and thereby cutting the brittle material substrate along the scribe line.

2. A substrate cutting method according to claim 1,

forming a vertical crack having a surface of the brittle material substrate as a base along the predetermined breaking line by forming the scribe line,

the pressing of the breaking bar generates a compressive force on the surface portion of the brittle material substrate of the vertical crack, thereby generating a tensile force on the bottom portion of the brittle material substrate, and the vertical crack penetrates into the bottom portion of the brittle material substrate to break the brittle material substrate.

3. A substrate cutting method according to claim 1 or 2,

the pressing position of the breaking lever is spaced from the scribe line by an interval of 0.5mm or less.

4. A substrate cutting method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the brittle material substrate is a bonded substrate composed of two substrates,

in the step of forming the scribe lines, scribe lines are formed along predetermined cutting lines of the two substrates, respectively,

in the step of cutting the brittle material substrate, the two substrates are cut along the scribe line by pressing the breaking bar from opposite sides to positions adjacent to the scribe line of the two substrates, respectively.

5. A substrate cutting method according to claim 4,

in the step of cutting the brittle material substrate, the two substrates are simultaneously cut along the scribe line by simultaneously pressing the cutting levers from opposite sides to positions adjacent to the scribe lines of the two substrates, respectively.

6. A substrate cutting apparatus for cutting a brittle material substrate formed with a scribe line along the scribe line, the substrate cutting apparatus comprising:

a pressing force generating section;

a breaking bar for being pressed by the breaking bar in parallel with the scribing line at a position adjacent to the scribing line to cause a surface of the scribing line to be compressively expanded, thereby cutting the brittle material substrate along the scribing line; and

and an elbow mechanism that transmits the pressing force from the pressing force generating unit to the opening lever.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a substrate dividing method and a substrate dividing apparatus which are implemented to divide a brittle material substrate such as a glass substrate used for a display panel substrate of a Flat Panel Display (FPD) into a plurality of substrates.

Background

A display panel substrate such as a liquid crystal display device is generally manufactured using a glass substrate which is a brittle material substrate. A liquid crystal display device is manufactured by bonding a pair of glass substrates with an appropriate gap therebetween and sealing liquid crystal in the gap.

In manufacturing such a display panel substrate, a method of manufacturing a plurality of display panel substrates by dividing a bonded substrate (a substrate obtained by bonding a pair of substrates W) is performed (for example, see patent document 1).

Patent documents: japanese patent laid-open No. Hei 6-48755

In the conventional method for dividing the bonded substrate, the following steps are required: a reverse step of reversing the bonded substrate in order to divide the one substrate W; and a breaking step of breaking the one substrate W by penetrating the vertical crack generated by scribing the one substrate W. The substrate cutting apparatus including these steps has a complicated structure and a large installation area.

In addition, in a method used in a conventional breaking step, that is, a method of pressing a substrate along scribe lines from the back surface side of the substrate to perform breaking, since the substrate is bent to perform breaking, the broken surface of the substrate after breaking is likely to be broken.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to divide a substrate with high precision without a complicated device in a substrate dividing method.

Next, as means for solving the problems, a plurality of modes will be described. These means may be combined arbitrarily as needed.

A substrate dividing method according to an aspect of the present invention includes the following steps.

And forming a scribe line along a predetermined breaking line of the brittle material substrate.

And a step of pressing a cutting bar having a blade edge shape substantially in parallel to a position in close proximity (in Japanese expression: straight) to the scribe line to cause compression and expansion of the surface of the scribe line, thereby cutting the brittle material substrate along the scribe line.

In this method, the substrate surface on which the scribe line is formed is pressed by a breaking bar, whereby the substrate can be cut. Therefore, unlike the prior art, disconnection is performed from the back surface of the substrate without turning the substrate upside down.

In particular, the cutting of the substrate is not due to the bending but due to the compression expansion at the surface of the scribe line of the substrate, and therefore, the cutting is instantaneously performed. As a result, chipping and the like are less likely to occur, and the accuracy of the end face of the substrate is improved.

By forming the scribe line, a vertical crack having the surface of the substrate as a base may be formed along the predetermined dividing line.

The substrate may be divided by generating a tensile force in the bottom surface portion of the substrate by generating a compressive force in the surface portion of the substrate having the vertical crack by pressing the breaking bar, and allowing the vertical crack to penetrate into the bottom surface portion of the substrate.

In this method, the cutting of the substrate is not due to the bending but due to the compression expansion at the surface of the scribe line of the substrate, and therefore, the cutting is instantaneously performed. As a result, chipping and the like are less likely to occur, and the accuracy of the end face of the substrate is improved.

The pressing position of the breaking lever may be spaced from the scribe line by an interval of 0.5mm or less.

In this method, the scribe line is reliably cut.

The brittle material substrate may be a bonded substrate composed of two substrates.

In the step of forming scribe lines, scribe lines may be formed along predetermined dividing lines of the two substrates, respectively.

In the step of cutting the brittle material substrate, the two substrates may be cut along the scribe lines by pressing the respective break bars from opposite sides to positions adjacent to the scribe lines of the two substrates.

In this method, the two substrates can be divided with high accuracy.

In the step of cutting the brittle material substrate, the breaking bars may be simultaneously pressed from opposite sides to positions adjacent to the scribe lines of the two substrates, thereby simultaneously cutting the two substrates along the scribe lines.

In this method, two substrates can be divided at the same time. This is because the two breaking bars are pressed simultaneously against the two substrates, respectively, and thus the two substrates can be broken by compression expansion rather than by bending.

A substrate cutting apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for cutting a brittle material substrate on which a scribe line is formed along the scribe line, and includes a pressing force generating section, a breaking lever, and a toggle mechanism.

The breaking lever is a member for breaking the brittle material substrate along the scribe line by being pressed substantially in parallel to a position in close proximity to the scribe line to cause the surface of the scribe line to be compressed and expanded.

The toggle mechanism is a mechanism that transmits a pressing force from a pressing force generating section to the trip lever.

In this apparatus, the substrate surface on which the scribe line is formed is pressed by a breaking lever, whereby the substrate can be cut. Therefore, unlike the prior art, disconnection is performed from the back surface of the substrate without turning the substrate upside down.

In particular, the cutting of the substrate is not due to the bending but due to the compression expansion at the surface of the scribe line of the substrate, and therefore, the cutting is instantaneously performed. As a result, chipping and the like are less likely to occur, and the accuracy of the end face of the substrate is improved.

In particular, in this device, the pressing force is increased by the toggle mechanism, and therefore, the load transmitted from the trip lever to the substrate is sufficiently large.

Effects of the invention

In the substrate dividing method and the substrate dividing apparatus according to the present invention, the substrate can be divided with high accuracy.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a scribing apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the disconnect device.

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the disconnect device.

Fig. 4 is a partial front view of the disconnect device.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the disconnect lever.

Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the disconnecting device.

Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate.

Fig. 8 is a plan view for explaining the scribing pattern.

Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate of the second embodiment.

Description of the reference numerals

1. A scribing device; 2. a work table; 20. a scribing wheel; 31. a disconnect device; 32. a work table; 44. a breaking lever; 53. an elbow mechanism; w, a brittle material substrate; WS, and bonding the substrate.

Detailed Description

1. First embodiment

(1) Marking device

The scribing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a scribing apparatus. The scribing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for scribing a brittle material substrate W (hereinafter referred to as "substrate W"). The substrate W is, for example, a glass substrate, a ceramic substrate, a sapphire substrate, a silicon substrate, or the like.

The scribing apparatus 1 includes a table 2 on which a substrate W is placed. The table 2 is mounted on a moving table 3, and the moving table 3 is movable along horizontal guide rails 5a and 5b and driven by a ball screw 7 rotated by a motor 6.

In the following description, the horizontal direction in which the guide rails 5a and 5b extend is referred to as the Y direction, and the horizontal direction orthogonal thereto is referred to as the X direction.

The table 2 includes a holding unit (not shown) so that the substrate W can be held at a fixed position. The holding means is, for example, a suction means for sucking air from a large number of small suction holes (not shown) opened in the table 2.

In the scribing apparatus 1, a bridge 11 is bridged by pillars 12a and 12b along the X-axis direction so as to straddle the moving stage 3 and the table 2.

The guide 13 is attached to the bridge 11, and the scribing head 14 is provided so as to be movable along the guide 13 in the X-axis direction. The holder unit 16 is attached to the scribe head 14 via a holder joint 15.

The holder unit 16 has a holder (not shown) and a scribing wheel 20 (fig. 7, hereinafter referred to as "wheel 20"). The wheel 20 is rotatably supported by the holder. The wheel 20 is formed with a blade portion 20 a. The point angle α 1 of the blade portion 20a is generally an obtuse angle, and is in the range of 100 to 140 °, preferably 110 to 130 °. Note that the specific angle of the blade angle is appropriately set according to the material, thickness, and the like of the brittle material substrate W to be cut.

(2) Disconnecting device

(2-1) brief description

The breaking device 31 (an example of a substrate cutting device) will be described with reference to fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the disconnect device. Note that fig. 2 is a drawing for brief explanation, and therefore, is simplified as appropriate, and has a portion different from fig. 3 to 5 described later.

The disconnecting device 31 includes a table 32 on which the substrate W is placed. The table 32 is mounted on a moving table 33, and the moving table 33 is movable in the Y direction along horizontal guide rails 35a and 35b and driven by a ball screw 37 rotated by a motor 36.

The table 32 includes a holding unit so as to be able to hold the substrate W at a fixed position, as in the table 2.

In the breaking device 31, a bridge 41 is bridged along the X-axis direction by struts 42a and 42b so as to straddle the moving table 33 and the table 32 above the moving table.

The opening lever 44 can be lifted and lowered by the air cylinder 45.

As shown in fig. 5 and 7, the blade portion 44a at the lower end of the opening bar 44 is formed in a downward triangular shape having a ridge line 44b in the longitudinal direction. That is, the blade 44a of the trip lever 44 is formed in a V-shape, and the cutting angle α 2 thereof is an obtuse angle.

The blade 44a of the opening lever 44 has a shape substantially equal to the blade 20a of the wheel 20. That is, the cutting edge of the disconnecting lever 44 and the cutting edge of the wheel 20 are set to have the same size and the same shape (angle). As a result, the cutting edge angle α 2 of the blade portion 44a is an obtuse angle, and is preferably in the range of 100 to 140 degrees, more preferably 110 to 130 degrees.

(2-2) detailed description

The disconnecting device 31 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 3 to 5. Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the disconnect device. Fig. 4 is a partial front view of the disconnect device. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the disconnect lever.

The disconnecting device 31 has a connecting member 51. The coupling member 51 is driven in the vertical direction by the air cylinder 45.

The disconnecting device 31 has a toggle mechanism 53. The toggle mechanism 53 is a mechanism that increases the load from the connecting member 51 and transmits the load to the disconnecting lever 44. The toggle mechanism 53 has two sets of toggle mechanisms 53A, 53B. The two elbow mechanisms 53A and 53B are arranged in the X direction.

Next, the toggle mechanism 53A will be described (the toggle mechanism 53B is also the same, and therefore, the description thereof will be omitted). The toggle mechanism 53A has a first plate 53A, a second plate 53b, and a third plate 53 c. The first plate 53a and the third plate 53c are elongated in one direction. The second plate 53b has a substantially triangular shape. The first plate 53a has one upper end rotatably connected to the lower portion of the connecting member 51, and has a lower end rotatably connected to one upper side of the second plate 53 b. The other end of the second plate 53b on the upper side is rotatably connected to the stationary portion of the disconnecting device 31. The upper end of the third plate 53c is non-rotatably coupled to the lower end of the second plate 53 b. That is, the second plate 53b and the third plate 53c are an integral component. The lower end of the third plate 53c is rotatably coupled to the holder of the disconnecting lever 44.

By the above coupling, the lower end of the first plate 53a is positioned outside the upper end in the X direction. Further, the lower end of the second plate 53b is located outside the upper end in the X direction.

With the above configuration, a large force can be provided to the opening lever 44 with a simple configuration.

(2-3) control constitution

The control structure of the disconnecting device 31 will be described with reference to fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the disconnecting device.

The cut-off device 31 has a controller 61. The controller 61 is a computer system having a processor (e.g., CPU), a storage device (e.g., ROM, RAM, HDD, SSD, etc.), and various interfaces (e.g., a/D converter, D/a converter, communication interface, etc.). The control unit executes a program stored in a storage unit (corresponding to a part or all of a storage area of the storage device) to perform various control operations.

The controller 61 may be configured by a single processor, but may be configured by a plurality of independent processors for performing respective controls.

A part or all of the functions of the respective elements of the controller 61 may be realized as a program executable by a computer system constituting the controller 61. Further, a part of the functions of each element of the control unit may be constituted by a custom IC.

The controller 61 is connected to the motor 36 and the cylinder 45.

Although not shown, a sensor for detecting the size, shape, and position of the substrate W, a sensor and a switch for detecting the state of each device, and an information input device are connected to the controller 61.

(3) Substrate dividing method

For example, a substrate cutting method using the scribing apparatus 1 and the breaking apparatus 31 described above is performed in order to cut the substrate W to obtain a plurality of substrates.

(3-1) scribing line Forming step

The scribe line forming step will be described with reference to fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate.

The wheel 20 is pressed against the substrate W along a predetermined dividing line of the individual substrates W and rolled, thereby scribing the substrate W. Thereby, the vertical cracks Vm are sequentially formed in the thickness direction of the substrate W along the predetermined dividing line, and the scribe line S is formed. The vertical crack Vm is formed from the surface of the substrate W to 50% or more, more preferably 80% or more, and still more preferably 90% or more of the thickness of the substrate W.

(3-2) disconnection step

The breaking step will be described with reference to fig. 7. Note that the following operations are performed under the control of the controller 61.

As shown in fig. 7, the breaking lever 44 is pressed against the substrate W at a distance d from the scribe line S and substantially in parallel outside the region of the intended substrate after the breaking. That is, the pressing line P of the break lever 44 is parallel to the scribe line S. Specifically, the substrate W is cut along the scribe line S by pressing the cutting lever 44 having a blade edge shape substantially in parallel to a position immediately adjacent to the scribe line S and causing compression and expansion of the surface of the scribe line S. Specifically, the upper sides of the scribe lines S are pressed against each other in an aligned manner, and the lower sides are spread apart from each other. This phenomenon occurs because the surface of the table 32 is hard and the substrate W is hardly bent.

In this method, unlike the above-described conventional technique, the substrate W can be cut by pressing the front surface of the substrate W on which the scribe lines S are formed by the cutting lever 44 without turning over the substrate and without cutting the substrate from the back surface of the substrate.

In this way, the substrate W is not bent but instantaneously broken by the compression and expansion of the substrate W, and thus defects such as chipping are less likely to occur.

In detail, the blade portion 44a of the breaking lever 44 penetrates deeply into the surface of the substrate W, thereby applying a compressive force to the surface portion of the substrate W, the compressive force acting on the surface portion of the vertical crack Vm at the scribe line S that has been formed. In this case, the vertical crack Vm forming the scribe line S is formed to be 50% or more with respect to the thickness of the substrate, and the surface portion of the substrate W is compressed, so that the gap at the surface portion of the substrate W is compressed and the bottom portion is pulled out in the vertical crack Vm of the scribe line S, and therefore, the vertical crack Vm penetrates the bottom surface of the substrate W and reaches the bottom surface of the substrate W. Then, the vertical crack Vm reaches the bottom surface of the substrate W on the entire scribe line S, and the substrate W is cut along the scribe line S.

The interval d between the pressing line P and the scribe line S is preferably 0.5mm or less. The reason is that: if the interval d is greater than 0.5mm, the compressive force acting on the surface-side portion of the vertical crack Vm of the scribe line S is insufficient, and the vertical crack Vm may not reach the bottom surface of the substrate W. Note that it is further preferable that the interval d between the pressing line P and the scribing line S is in the range of 0.2mm to 0.3 mm.

Note that the urging force applied to the breaking lever 44 is set so as to generate a surface pressure equivalent to the surface pressure received by the substrate W when the scribe line S is formed by the wheel 20.

(4) Examples of the invention

(4-1) scribing Pattern

An example of the scribe pattern will be described with reference to fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a plan view for explaining the scribing pattern.

The substrates W are sequentially divided along the first to eighth planned dividing lines D1 to D8, whereby the substrates W become four substrates Wa of 2 rows × 2 columns.

The first scheduled dividing line D1 is provided at a predetermined interval from one side edge of the substrate W in the row direction, corresponding to the side edge in the row direction (lateral direction) of the two substrates Wa in the first row. The second predetermined dividing line D2 corresponds to the side edge of the substrate Wa in the second row among the two substrates Wa in the first row. The third predetermined dividing line D3 corresponds to the side edge of the substrate Wa in the first row of the two substrates Wa in the second row, and is spaced from the second predetermined dividing line D2 by a distance of 2mm to 4 mm. The fourth scheduled dividing line D4 is provided at a predetermined interval from the other side edge of the substrate W in the row direction, corresponding to the side edge in the row direction (lateral direction) of the two substrates Wa in the second row. The fifth scheduled dividing line D5 is provided at a predetermined interval from one side edge of the substrate W in the column direction, corresponding to the side edge in the column direction (longitudinal direction) of the two substrates Wa in the first column. The sixth predetermined dividing line D6 corresponds to the side edge of the substrate Wa in the second row among the two substrates Wa in the first row. The seventh predetermined dividing line D7 corresponds to the side edge of the two substrates Wa in the second row which is closer to the substrate Wa in the first row, and is spaced from the sixth predetermined dividing line D6 by a distance of 2mm to 4 mm. The eighth scheduled dividing line D8 is provided at a predetermined interval from the other side edge of the substrate W in the column direction, corresponding to the side edge in the column direction (longitudinal direction) of the two substrates Wa in the second column.

(4-2) formation of scribe lines

For example, the wheel 20 is caused to sequentially roll on the substrates W in a pressurized state along the first to fourth planned disconnection lines D1 to D4. As a result, vertical cracks having a depth of 50% or more of the thickness of the substrate W are formed directly below the first to fourth scribe lines S1 to S4, respectively.

When this state is achieved, the wheel 20 is caused to roll along the fifth planned disconnection line D5 in a pressurized state. Thereby, the fifth scribing lines S5 are respectively formed along the fifth predetermined breaking lines D5.

Thereafter, in the same manner, the wheel 20 is caused to sequentially roll along the sixth to eighth planned disconnection lines D6 to D8 in a pressed state, and thereby the sixth to eighth planned disconnection lines S6 to S8 are sequentially formed along the sixth to eighth planned disconnection lines D6 to D8, respectively.

(4-3) dividing step

At the side edge portion of the substrate W located on the opposite side of the substrate Wa with respect to the first scribe line S1, the break lever 44 is pressed against the substrate at an interval of 0.5mm or less from the first scribe line S1. The first pressing line P1 is parallel to the first scribe line S1. Thereby, the vertical crack at the first scribe line S1 penetrates to the bottom surface of the first substrate W1, and reaches the bottom surface of the substrate W. This action occurs on the entire first scribe line S1, thereby cutting the substrate W along the first scribe line S1.

Next, in a region located on the opposite side of the substrate Wa with respect to the second scribe line S2, the break lever 44 is pressed against the substrate W at an interval of 0.5mm or less from the second scribe line S2. The second pressing line P2 is parallel to the second scribing line S2. Thus, the vertical crack at the second scribe line S2 penetrates from the surface of the substrate W to the bottom surface of the substrate W, and the vertical crack reaches the bottom surface of the substrate W on the entire second scribe line S2, thereby cutting the substrate W along the second scribe line S2.

Along the third scribe line S3 and the fourth scribe line S4, the break lever 44 is pressed against the side opposite to the substrate Wa side, respectively. The third pressed line P3 and the fourth pressed line P4 are parallel to the first scribe line S3 and the fourth scribe line S4, respectively. Thereby, the substrate W is sequentially cut along the third scribe line S3 and the fourth scribe line S4.

Then, the breaking lever 44 is pressed between the first scribe line S1 and the second scribe line S2 and between the third scribe line S3 and the fourth scribe line S4 along the fifth to eighth scribe lines S5 to S8 on the side opposite to the side of the substrate Wa. The fifth pressing line P5, the sixth pressing line P6, the seventh pressing line P7 and the eighth pressing line P8 are parallel to the fifth scribing line S5, the sixth scribing line S6, the seventh scribing line S7 and the eighth scribing line S8, respectively. Thus, the substrate W is cut along the fifth to eighth scribe lines S5 to S8, and the unnecessary portions are removed to obtain four substrates Wa.

2. Second embodiment

In the first embodiment, the description has been given of an embodiment using a single substrate, but the type of the substrate is not particularly limited. For example, the present invention can be applied to the case where each substrate W of the bonded mother substrates (where a pair of substrates W are bonded to each other) is divided.

A second embodiment will be described as an example thereof with reference to fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate of the second embodiment. Since the basic configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the following description will focus on different points.

The bonded substrate Ws is formed by bonding the first substrate W1 on which the first scribe line S1 is formed and the second substrate W2 on which the second scribe line S2 is formed.

The disconnecting device has a first disconnecting lever 44A and a second disconnecting lever 44B arranged up and down.

(1) Scribing line forming process

As shown in fig. 9, the wheel 20A is pressed against and rolled over the first substrate W1 along a predetermined dividing line of the first substrate W1, thereby scribing the first substrate W1. Thereby, the vertical cracks Vm1 directed in the thickness direction of the first substrate W1 are sequentially formed along the predetermined dividing line, and are formed as the first scribe line S1. The vertical crack Vm1 is formed to have a thickness of 50% or more, more preferably 80% or more, and still more preferably 90% or more from the surface of the first substrate W1.

As shown in fig. 9, the wheel 20B is pressed against and rolled over the second substrate W2 along a predetermined dividing line of the second substrate W2, thereby scribing the second substrate W2. Thereby, the vertical cracks Vm2 directed in the thickness direction of the second substrate W2 are sequentially formed along the predetermined dividing line, and the second scribe lines S2 are formed. The vertical cracks Vm2 are formed to have a thickness of 50% or more, more preferably 80% or more, and still more preferably 90% or more from the surface of the second substrate W2.

Note that the first scribe line S1 and the second scribe line S2 are formed at the same position in a plan view.

In this way, the first scribe line S1 and the second scribe line S2 are formed along the predetermined dividing lines of the first substrate W1 and the second substrate W2, respectively.

(2) Breaking process

As shown in fig. 9, the first breaking lever 44A is pressed against the first substrate W1 outside the region of the intended substrate after the breaking, so as to be substantially parallel to the first scribe line S1 with a gap d therebetween. Simultaneously with the above operation, the second breaking lever 44B is pressed against the second substrate W2 so as to be spaced apart from the second scribe line S2 by the distance d and be substantially parallel to the outside of the region of the intended substrate after the breaking. The first pressing line P1 and the second pressing line P2 are at the same position in a plan view. As a result, the first substrate W1 and the second substrate W2 are simultaneously separated.

As described above, the first and second breaking levers 44A and 44B are pressed against the first and second scribe lines S1 and S2 of the first and second substrates W1 and W2 from opposite sides, respectively, to divide the first and second substrates W1 and W2 along the first and second scribe lines S1 and S2.

Specifically, the first and second blade-shaped breaking levers 44A and 44B are pressed substantially in parallel to the positions immediately adjacent to the first and second scribe lines S1 and S2, respectively, thereby causing the surfaces of the first and second scribe lines S1 and S2 to compress and expand, and thereby breaking the first and second substrates W1 and W2 along the first and second scribe lines S1 and S2.

In this method, the first substrate W1 and the second substrate W2 can be cut by pressing the surface of the substrate Ws on which the first scribe line S1 and the second scribe line S2 are formed by the first breaking lever 44A and the second breaking lever 44B.

In this way, the first and second substrates W1 and W2 are not bent but are instantaneously cut by the compression and expansion of the first and second substrates W1 and W2, and thus defects such as chipping are less likely to occur.

3. Other embodiments

While the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, the plurality of embodiments and modifications described in the present specification can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.

The present invention can also be applied to the separation of a quartz substrate, a sapphire substrate, a semiconductor wafer, a ceramic substrate, or the like. The present invention is also applicable to a plasma display panel, an organic EL panel, an inorganic EL panel, a transmissive projector substrate, and a reflective projector substrate, which are one type of flat display panel.

The elbow structure is not limited to the first embodiment.

The configuration for providing a large pushing force to the trip lever is not limited to the combination of the cylinder and the toggle configuration. For example, a large linear cylinder may be used.

Industrial applicability

The present invention can be widely applied to a substrate dividing method performed for dividing a brittle material substrate into a plurality of substrates.