An example method includes obtaining data indicative of a workpiece processing parameter. In some implementations, the example method includes determining a grinding depth for a semiconductor workpiece based at least in part on the data indicative of the workpiece processing parameter. In some implementations, the example method includes performing a grinding operation to remove material from the semiconductor workpiece to reduce a thickness of the semiconductor workpiece by the grinding depth.

A wafer processing method for processing a wafer having a plurality of devices formed on a first surface thereof includes positioning a first focal point of a first laser beam at a first height and emitting the first laser beam onto the wafer from a side on which a second surface lies, thereby forming a protective layer, positioning a second focal point of a second laser beam at a second height being more distant from the first surface than the first height and emitting the second laser beam onto the wafer from the side on which the second surface lies, thereby forming a separation start position made up of a modified layer and a crack, and applying an external force to the wafer to divide the wafer at the separation start position and separating a piece including the second surface from the wafer.

A metal removal method which includes: a reaction step of bringing a treatment gas containing a fluorine-containing interhalogen compound and a metal-containing material containing a metal element into contact with each other to generate metal fluoride which is a reaction product of the fluorine-containing interhalogen compound and the metal element; and a volatilization step of heating the metal fluoride under an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum environment for volatilization. The metal element is at least one kind selected from iron, cobalt, nickel, selenium, molybdenum, rhodium, palladium, tungsten, rhenium, iridium, and platinum. Also disclosed is a dry etching method using the metal removal method and a production method for a semiconductor element using the dry etching method.

A semiconductor wafer processing method, having: ablating a back side of a semiconductor wafer with a laser ablation process; and etching the back side of the semiconductor wafer with an etching process; wherein the laser ablation process forms a pattern in the back side of the semiconductor wafer; wherein the etching process preserves the pattern in the back side of the semiconductor wafer.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include bonding a carrier substrate onto a device wafer using an adhesive member, wherein the adhesive member includes a base film, a device adhesive film disposed on a lower surface of the base film and contacting the device wafer, and a carrier adhesive film disposed on an upper surface of the base film and contacting the carrier substrate. The device adhesive film includes a gas blowing agent, and the carrier adhesive film may not include a gas blowing agent.

A method of manufacturing semiconductor chips having a side wall sealing is described. The method includes forming dicing trenches in a semiconductor wafer. The side walls of the dicing trenches are anodized to generate an anodic oxide layer at the side walls of the dicing trenches. Semiconductor chips are separated from the semiconductor wafer.

A grinding apparatus includes a chuck table rotatable about a table rotational axis, a grinding unit including a spindle having a grinding wheel fitted to a lower end thereof, an inclination adjusting unit that adjusts inclination of one of or both the table rotational axis and the spindle, a thickness measuring instrument that measures a thickness of a workpiece, and a controller, the controller including a necessary adjustment amount calculating section that calculates an adjustment amount necessary for adjustment of the inclination as a necessary adjustment amount in reference to thickness information of the workpiece being ground, an actual adjustment amount calculating section that calculates an actual adjustment amount by multiplying the necessary adjustment amount by an adjustment rate, and an adjustment control section that adjusts the inclination by the actual adjustment amount.

A substrate processing apparatus configured to process a substrate includes a substrate holder configured to hold, in a combined substrate in which a front surface of a first substrate and a front surface of a second substrate are bonded to each other, the second substrate; a periphery modification unit configured to form a peripheral modification layer by radiating laser light for periphery to an inside of the first substrate held by the substrate holder along a boundary between a peripheral portion of the first substrate as a removing target and a central portion thereof; and an internal modification unit configured to form, after the peripheral modification layer is formed by the periphery modification unit, an internal modification layer by radiating laser light for internal surface to the inside of the first substrate held by the substrate holder along a plane direction of the first substrate.

An assembly for monitoring a semiconductor device under test comprising a mill configured to mill the device, a sensor configured to measure an electrical characteristic of the device, and a computer configured to determine the amount of strain in the device from the electrical characteristic when the mill is milling the device and detect an endpoint of milling at a circuit within the device. In use the endpoints of the milling process of the semiconductor device are detected measuring an electrical characteristic of the device with a sensor during milling determining the amount of strain in the device from the electrical characteristic and detecting an endpoint of the milling process within the device based on the amount of strain.

A processing method of processing a substrate in a processing apparatus includes performing a first grinding processing on the substrate in a first grinder; performing a second grinding processing on the substrate in a second grinder; performing a first re-grinding processing on the substrate in the first grinder; and performing a second re-grinding processing on the substrate in the second grinder. The substrate is ground to a final thickness in the second re-grinding processing.