A method includes forming a film over a substrate; increasing a surface roughness of the film; and planarizing the film using a first chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process after increasing the surface roughness.

A semiconductor packaging apparatus and methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices using the same. The semiconductor packaging apparatus includes a process unit, and a controller associated with the process unit. The process unit includes a bonding part that bonds a semiconductor substrate and a carrier substrate to each other to form a bonded substrate, a cooling part that cools the bonded substrate, and a detection part in the cooling part and configured to detect a defect of the bonded substrate. The controller is configured to control the process unit using data obtained from the detection part.

A method of detecting a polishing endpoint includes storing a plurality of library spectra, measuring a sequence of spectra from the substrate in-situ during polishing, and for each measured spectrum of the sequence of spectra, finding a best matching library spectrum from the plurality of library spectra to generate a sequence of best matching library spectra. Each library spectrum has a stored associated value representing a degree of progress through a polishing process, and the stored associated value for the best matching library spectrum is determined for each best matching library spectrum to generate a sequence of values representing a progression of polishing of the substrate. The sequence of values is compared to a target value, and a polishing endpoint is triggered when the sequence of values reaches the target value.

An industrial-scale system and method for handling precisely aligned and centered semiconductor substrate (e.g., wafer) pairs for substrate-to-substrate (e.g., wafer-to-wafer) aligning and bonding applications is provided. Some embodiments include an aligned substrate transport device having a frame member and a spacer assembly. The centered semiconductor substrate pairs may be positioned within a processing system using the aligned substrate transport device, optionally under robotic control. The centered semiconductor substrate pairs may be bonded together without the presence of the aligned substrate transport device in the bonding device. The bonding device may include a second spacer assembly which operates in concert with that of the aligned substrate transport device to perform a spacer hand-off between the substrates. A pin apparatus may be used to stake the substrates during the hand-off.

A protective component forming apparatus includes a chuck table, a resin supply unit having a pump and a pipe that supply a liquid resin from a tank to a resin sheet held by the chuck table, a pressing unit that presses a workpiece against the liquid resin supplied to the resin sheet held by the chuck table, a curing unit that irradiates the liquid resin pressed by the pressing unit with ultraviolet and cures the liquid resin, a resin inspecting part that senses the viscosity of the liquid resin, and an informing unit.

A processing apparatus includes a wafer conveying-out mechanism; a wafer table; a frame conveying-out mechanism; a frame table; a tape attaching mechanism that attaches a tape to a frame; a tape-attached frame conveying mechanism that conveys the tape-attached frame; a tape pressure bonding mechanism that pressure bonds the tape of the tape-attached frame to a back surface of a wafer; a frame unit conveying-out mechanism that conveys out a frame unit in which the tape of the tape-attached frame and the back surface of the wafer are pressure bonded; a reinforcement section removing mechanism that cuts and removes a ring-shaped reinforcement section from the wafer; a ringless unit conveying-out mechanism that conveys out a ringless unit from which the reinforcement section has been removed; and a frame cassette table on which a frame cassette accommodating the ringless unit is to be placed.

A workpiece management method includes a frame unit forming step of forming a frame unit with a workpiece supported in an opening of an annular frame via a resin sheet, a printing step of, after performing the frame unit forming step, printing identification information of the workpiece on the resin sheet in an area between an outer periphery of the workpiece and an inner periphery of the annular frame, a processing step of processing the workpiece by a processing machine, a separation step of separating the processed workpiece from the resin sheet, and a storage step of storing the resin sheet from which the workpiece has been separated. A sheet cutting machine suitable for use in the workpiece management method is also disclosed.

There is provided a sheet used at a time of formation of a protective member protecting one surface of a plate-shaped workpiece by spreading and curing a liquid resin on the one surface. The sheet includes a first layer configured to be brought into contact with a flat specular mounting surface, and a second layer configured to be brought into contact with the liquid resin. The first layer is formed of a material that is easily separated from the mounting surface after adhering to the mounting surface as compared with the second layer, and the second layer is formed of a material having high adhesiveness to the cured resin as compared with the first layer.

The invention provides an apparatus, for processing a semiconductor device, comprising a first tool which comprises a pressure application component, a guide, and a spacer moveable in the guide. A gap is defined between the spacer and the guide and is operable to allow the spacer to tilt in relation to the guide. The apparatus also comprises a second tool for holding the semiconductor device, wherein the first and second tools are moveable relative to each other between an uncoupled state and a coupled state. The spacer comprises a first portion proximate the pressure application component, wherein in the coupled state, the pressure application component is operable to apply a force as a first pressure to the first portion. The spacer also comprises a second portion distal from the pressure application component, wherein in the coupled state, the second portion is proximate the semiconductor device and is operable to transmit the force from the pressure application component to the semiconductor device as a second pressure.

The present invention relates to a device for selective separating electronic components from a frame with electronic components including at least two press parts; drive means for moving the press parts; a guide for guiding frames between the press parts; a plurality of punches in a first press part and a plurality of openings in a second press part. The invention also provides a system for in-line selective separating electronic components from a frame with electronic components and a method for selective separating electronic components from a frame with electronic components.