A wafer processing method includes: cutting a device layer stacked on a semiconductor substrate along division lines to form cut grooves; positioning a focal point of a laser beam having a transmission wavelength to the semiconductor substrate inside an area of the semiconductor substrate corresponding to a predetermined one of the division lines and applying the laser beam to the wafer from a back surface of the wafer, thereby forming a plurality of modified layers inside the wafer along all of the division lines; and grinding the back surface of the wafer to be thinned, causing a crack to grow from each of the modified layers formed inside the area of the semiconductor substrate corresponding to the predetermined one of the division lines to the front surface side of the wafer, thereby dividing the wafer into individual device chips.

A wafer processing method includes applying a laser beam of such a wavelength as to be transmitted through a wafer to the wafer from a back surface of the wafer, with a focal point of the laser beam positioned at a predetermined point inside the wafer, to form division start points along streets, the division start point including a modified layer and a crack extending from the modified layer to a front surface of the wafer; and grinding the back surface of the wafer by a grinding wheel having a plurality of grindstones in an annular pattern, to thin the wafer and divide the wafer into individual device chips. In forming the division start points, a chuck table is heated to a predetermined temperature, whereby the cracks formed inside the wafer to extend from the modified layers to the front surface of the wafer are grown.

A protective film agent for laser dicing that includes a solution in which at least a water-soluble resin, an organic solvent, and an ultraviolet absorber are mixed and in which the content of sodium (Na) of the solution is equal to or lower than 100 ppb in weight ratio. Preferably, the solution further includes an antioxidant.

A processing apparatus includes a chuck table, a processing unit configured to process a workpiece held on the chuck table, a height measuring unit fitted to the processing unit, the height measuring unit measuring, as height data, heights at a plurality of coordinates of the holding surface measured while a moving unit is moved, a reading unit capable of reading an information medium, and a control unit. The chuck table includes an information medium on which identifying information distinguishing the chuck table is recorded. The control unit includes a height data recording section configured to record the height data and the identifying information in association with each other, and a processing control section configured to control a height of the processing unit during processing on the basis of the height data associated with the identifying information read by the reading unit.

A wafer processing method includes a polyester sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyester sheet on a back side or a front side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyester sheet as applying a pressure to the polyester sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyester sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of applying a laser beam to the wafer to form modified layers in the wafer, thereby dividing the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of applying an ultrasonic wave to the polyester sheet in each of the plurality of separate regions corresponding to each device chip, pushing up each device chip through the polyester sheet, then picking up each device chip from the polyester sheet.

A wafer processing method includes a polyester sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyester sheet on a back side or a front side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyester sheet as applying a pressure to the polyester sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyester sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of applying a laser beam to the wafer to form shield tunnels in the wafer, thereby dividing the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of heating the polyester sheet, pushing up each device chip through the polyester sheet, and picking up each device chip from the polyester sheet.

A method includes positioning an integrated circuit package in a coining apparatus having a fixture and a pressing plate. The integrated circuit package includes a substrate, an integrated circuit device disposed on a top surface of the substrate, and a plurality of solder balls disposed on a bottom surface of the integrated circuit package. The fixture includes a support structure and a cavity. The cavity receives the integrated circuit device while the support structure supports portions of a top surface of the integrated circuit package. The pressing plate is pressed against two or more of the solder balls, coining the two or more solder balls until each solder ball has a desired coined surface profile.

A method for bonding a first substrate with a second substrate at respective contact faces of the substrates with the following steps: holding the first substrate to a first sample holder surface of a first sample holder with a holding force F.sub.H1 and holding the second substrate to a second sample holder surface of a second sample holder with a holding force F.sub.H2; contacting the contact faces at a bond initiation point and heating at least the second sample holder surface to a heating temperature T.sub.H; bonding of the first substrate with the second substrate along a bonding wave running from the bond initiation point to the side edges of the substrates, wherein the heating temperature T.sub.H is reduced at the second sample holder surface during the bonding.

A substrate processing apparatus configured to process a combined substrate in which a first substrate having thereon a device layer and a second substrate are bonded to each other includes a holder configured to hold a rear surface of the second substrate; a processing unit configured to process the first substrate held by the holder; a first processing liquid supply configured to etch a front surface of the first substrate by supplying a first processing liquid to the front surface of the first substrate opposite to a surface thereof where the device layer is provided; and a second processing liquid supply configured to remove a metal contaminant on the rear surface of the second substrate by supplying a second processing liquid to the rear surface of the second substrate.

A method of aligning two wafers during a bonding process includes aligning a first wafer having a plurality of alignment markings with a second wafer having a plurality of alignment markings. The method further includes placing a plurality of flags between the first wafer and the second wafer. The method further includes detecting movement of the plurality of flags with respect to the first wafer and the second wafer using at least one sensor. The method further includes determining whether the wafers remain aligned within an alignment tolerance based on the detected movement of the plurality of flags relative to the first wafer and the second wafer.