Systems and methods are provided for monitoring wafer bonding and for detecting or determining defects in a wafer bond formed between two semiconductor wafers. A wafer bonding system includes a camera configured to monitor bonding between two semiconductor wafers. Wafer bonding defect detection circuitry receives video data from the camera, and detects a bonding defect based on the received video data.

A separating method includes holding a combined substrate and separating a first substrate. In the holding of the combined substrate, the combined substrate in which the first substrate and a second substrate are bonded is held. In the separating of the first substrate, the first substrate is separated from the combined substrate, starting from a side surface of the combined substrate. The separating of the first substrate includes brining a fluid containing water into contact with the side surface.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a wafer edge trimming apparatus that includes a processing chamber defined by chamber housing. Within the processing chamber is a wafer chuck configured to hold onto a wafer structure. Further, a blade is arranged near an edge of the wafer chuck and configured to remove an edge potion of the wafer structure and to define a new sidewall of the wafer structure. A laser sensor apparatus is configured to direct a laser beam directed toward a top surface of the wafer chuck. The laser sensor apparatus is configured to measure a parameter of an analysis area of the wafer structure. Control circuitry is to the laser sensor apparatus and the blade. The control circuitry is configured to start a damage prevention process when the parameter deviates from a predetermined threshold value by at least a predetermined shift value.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes mounting a bottom wafer on a bottom chuck and mounting a top wafer on a top chuck, wherein one of the bottom chuck and the top chuck has a gasket. The top chuck is moved towards the bottom chuck. The gasket forms a sealed region between the bottom chuck and the top chuck around the top wafer and the bottom wafer. An ambient pressure in the sealed region is adjusted. The top wafer is bonded to the bottom wafer.

There is provided a manufacturing method of a protective-component-provided workpiece. The manufacturing method of a protective-component-provided workpiece includes a step of dissolving a thermoplastic resin whose solubility parameter is equal to or higher than 8.5, in a liquid ultraviolet-curable resin, to prepare a liquid mixed resin, a step of supplying the mixed resin to a support surface of a support table to form a resin layer with a predetermined thickness, a step of irradiating the resin layer with ultraviolet rays and curing the resin layer to form a protective component with a sheet shape, and a step of heating the sheet-shaped protective component before or after one surface of the sheet-shaped protective component and one surface of the workpiece are brought into close contact with each other, and causing the sheet-shaped protective component to come into close contact with the workpiece and integrate with the workpiece.

Provided is a method for processing a substrate having a metal formed on a planned dividing line along the planned dividing line, the method including a processed groove forming step of forming a processed groove in the substrate along the planned dividing line, and a burr removing step of, after the processed groove forming step is performed, making an etchant that includes at least an oxidizing agent and to which an ultrasonic vibration is imparted come into contact with the substrate, suppressing ductility of a metallic burr generated on a periphery of the formed processed groove and increasing fragility of the burr by modifying the burr by the oxidizing agent included in the etchant, and removing the burr by the ultrasonic vibration.

A hybrid die bonding method includes the following steps: dicing a wafer into a plurality of dies arranged on a plurality of target blocks of a carrier film, wherein surfaces of each of the dies having no solder and bump; cleaning particulate from first surfaces of the dies; separating sides and corners of second surfaces of the dies from the target blocks; turning the carrier film and transferring the dies to a first carrier, wherein the first surfaces of the dies contact the first carrier; removing the carrier film from the second surfaces of the dies; cleaning particulate from the second surfaces of the dies; and transferring the dies from the first carrier to a substrate, wherein a surface of the substrate having no solder and bump. As such, the method reduces the adhesive force between the dies and the carrier film.

A bonding fixture. In some embodiments, the fixture includes: a plate for supporting a central region of the wafer, the central region including 80% of the area of the wafer; and a frame for supporting: the edge of the wafer, and the edge of the plate, the frame having: a first vacuum passage, for pulling the wafer against an upper surface of the frame, and a second vacuum passage, for pulling the plate against the frame.

A method including: a step of preparing a substrate that includes a first layer having a dicing region and a mark, and including a semiconductor layer, and a second layer including a metal film; a step of removing the metal film, to expose the semiconductor layer corresponding to a first region that corresponds to the mark; a step of smoothing a surface of the exposed semiconductor layer; a step of imaging the substrate, with a camera sensing predetermined electromagnetic waves, to detect a position of the mark through the semiconductor layer, and calculating a second region corresponding to the dicing region; and a step of removing the metal film, to expose the semiconductor layer corresponding to the second region. In the smoothing step, the surface of the semiconductor layer is smoothed so as to have a surface roughness of 1/4 or less of a wavelength of the predetermined electromagnetic waves.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes mounting a first wafer on a first wafer chuck and mounting a second wafer on a second wafer chuck. A push pin is extended through the first wafer chuck to distort the first wafer. A surface profile distortion of the first wafer is measured with a first surface profiler. A vacuum pressure of a vacuum zone on the first wafer chuck is adjusted using a measurement of the surface profile distortion. The first wafer chuck is moved towards the second wafer chuck so that the first wafer physically contacts the second wafer, and the first wafer is bonded to the second wafer.