A support ring for semiconductor processing is provided. The support ring includes a ring shaped body defined by an inner edge and an outer edge. The inner edge and outer edge are concentric about a central axis. The ring shaped body further includes a first side, a second side, and a raised annular shoulder extending from the first side of the ring shaped body at the inner edge. The support ring also includes a coating on the first side. The coating has an inner region of reduced thickness region abutting the raised annular shoulder.

A cutting apparatus includes a cutting unit including a cutting blade that has a cutting edge for cutting a dresser board. An elastic wave detection sensor is disposed in the cutting unit, for detecting an elastic wave produced when the dresser board is cut. The elastic wave detection sensor produces an output signal representing the detected elastic wave when the cutting blade cuts the dresser board and is dressed thereby, the output signal being variable as the cutting blade is progressively dressed by the dresser board. A control unit stores in advance, as a threshold value, the value of the output signal when the dressing of the cutting blade is completed. The control unit stops cutting the dresser board with the cutting blade and finishes the dressing of the cutting blade when the output signal produced by the elastic wave detection sensor reaches the threshold value.

A support ring for semiconductor processing is provided. The support ring includes a ring shaped body defined by an inner edge and an outer edge. The inner edge and outer edge are concentric about a central axis. The ring shaped body further includes a first side, a second side, and a raised annular shoulder extending from the first side of the ring shaped body at the inner edge. The support ring also includes a coating on the first side. The coating has an inner region of reduced thickness region abutting the raised annular shoulder.

An electrostatic chuck includes: a ceramic dielectric substrate having a first major surface, a second major surface, and a through-hole; a metallic base plate which has a gas introduction path that communicates with the through-hole; and a bonding layer which is provided between the ceramic dielectric substrate and the base plate and includes a resin material. The bonding layer has a space which is provided between an opening of the through-hole in the second major surface and the gas introduction path and is larger than the opening in a horizontal direction, and a first area in which an end face of the bonding layer on a side of the space intersects with the second major surface being recessed from the opening further than a second area of the end face which is different from the first area.

Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. A carrier is removed after a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die are stacked on each other, and then a first encapsulant is formed, so that the carrier may be easily removed when compared to approaches in which a carrier is removed from a wafer having a thin thickness.

Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. A carrier is removed after a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die are stacked on each other, and then a first encapsulant is formed, so that the carrier may be easily removed when compared to approaches in which a carrier is removed from a wafer having a thin thickness.

An electrostatic chuck includes: a ceramic dielectric substrate having a first major surface, a second major surface, and a through-hole; a metallic base plate which has a gas introduction path that communicates with the through-hole; and a bonding layer which is provided between the ceramic dielectric substrate and the base plate and includes a resin material. The bonding layer has a space which is provided between an opening of the through-hole in the second major surface and the gas introduction path and is larger than the opening in a horizontal direction, and a first area in which an end face of the bonding layer on a side of the space intersects with the second major surface being recessed from the opening further than a second area of the end face which is different from the first area.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an electrostatic chuck including: a ceramic dielectric substrate having a first major surface, a second major surface, and a through-hole; a metallic base plate which has a gas introduction path that communicates with the through-hole; and a bonding layer which is provided between the ceramic dielectric substrate and the base plate and includes a resin material, the bonding layer having a space which is provided between an opening of the through-hole in the second major surface and the gas introduction path and is larger than the opening in a horizontal direction, and a first area in which an end face of the bonding layer on a side of the space intersects with the second major surface being recessed from the opening further than another second area of the end face which is different from the first area.

A mounting table includes an electrostatic chuck, a base, and a cylindrical sleeve. The electrostatic chuck has a top surface to be exposed to plasma and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, and a first through-hole is formed through the electrostatic chuck. The base is bonded to the bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck by a first adhesive, and a second through-hole is formed through the base. The second through-hole communicates with the first through-hole and has a diameter larger than a diameter of the first through-hole. The sleeve is bonded to the bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck by a second adhesive while communicating with the first through-hole.

Described methods and apparatus provide a controlled perturbation to an adhesive bond between a device wafer and a carrier wafer. The controlled perturbation, which can be mechanical, chemical, thermal, or radiative, facilitates the separation of the two wafers without damaging the device wafer. The controlled perturbation initiates a crack either within the adhesive joining the two wafers, at an interface within the adhesive layer (such as between a release layer and the adhesive), or at a wafer/adhesive interface. The crack can then be propagated using any of the foregoing methods, or combinations thereof, used to initiate the crack.