According to one embodiment, in a substrate bonding apparatus a first chucking stage includes a first stage base, a plurality of first cylindrical members, and a plurality of first drive mechanisms. The first stage base includes a first main face facing a second chucking stage. The plurality of first cylindrical members are disposed on the first main face. The plurality of first cylindrical members are arrayed in planar directions. The plurality of first cylindrical members protrudes from the first main face in a direction toward the second chucking stage to chuck the first substrate. The plurality of first drive mechanisms are configured to drive the plurality of first cylindrical members independently of each other. The substrate bonding apparatus further comprises a first pressure control mechanism configured to control pressure states of spaces in the plurality of first cylindrical members independently of each other.

A bonding method for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate includes fixing the first substrate to a first surface of a first bonding chuck and fixing the second substrate to a second surface of a second bonding chuck, the second surface facing the first surface; aligning the second bonding chuck above the first bonding chuck in a vertical direction or in a horizontal direction; bonding the first substrate to the second substrate to make a bonded substrate; and wherein, in the bonding the first substrate to the second substrate, injecting a process gas between the first substrate and the second substrate using a process gas injector surrounding at least one selected from the first bonding chuck and the second bonding chuck in a plan view and injecting an air curtain forming gas to form an air curtain surrounding the first substrate and the second substrate using an air curtain generator are performed in combination.

An inspection device includes a laser irradiation unit irradiating a wafer with laser light, a display displaying information, and a control unit. The control unit is constituted to execute deriving of an estimated processing result including information a modified region and a crack extending from the modified region formed on the wafer when the wafer is irradiated with the laser light by the laser irradiation unit on the basis of set recipes (processing conditions), and controlling the display so as to display an estimated processing result image depicting both a graphic image of the wafer and a graphic image of the modified region and the crack in the wafer in consideration of positions of the modified region and the crack in the wafer derived as the estimated processing result.

The present invention relates to a tape sticking system for sticking a protective tape for protecting a peripheral portion of a substrate, such as a wafer. The tape sticking apparatus (10) includes a substrate holder (21) for sticking, a side roller (43), a first roller (46), a second roller (47), a roller-driving motor (49) coupled to the second roller (47), and a nipping mechanism (60) for nipping the peripheral portion of the substrate (W) with the first roller (46) and the second roller (47). The tape sticking apparatus (10) is configured to cause the second roller (47) to be rotated by use of the roller-driving motor (49) while nipping the peripheral portion of the substrate, held to the substrate holder (21) for sticking, with the first roller (46) and the second roller (47), to thereby rotate the substrate.

Semiconductor processing methods and apparatuses are provided. Some methods include providing a first wafer to a processing chamber, the first wafer having a thickness, a beveled edge, a first side, and a plurality of devices formed in a device area on the first side, the device area having an outer perimeter, depositing an annular ring of material on the first wafer, the annular ring of material covering a region of the beveled edge and the outer perimeter of the device area, and having an inner boundary closer to the center point of the first wafer than the outer perimeter, bonding a second substrate to the plurality of devices and to a portion of the annular ring of material, and thinning the thickness of the first wafer.

A method for bonding a contact surface of a first substrate to a contact surface of a second substrate comprising of the steps of: positioning the first substrate on a first receiving surface of a first receiving apparatus and positioning the second substrate on a second receiving surface of a second receiving apparatus; establishing contact of the contact surfaces at a bond initiation site; and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate along a bonding wave which is travelling from the bond initiation site to the side edges of the substrates, wherein the first substrate and/or the second substrate is/are deformed for alignment of the contact surfaces.

A grinding equipment includes: a frame which has a central shaft disposed collinearly to one side of the polishing wheel and rotates about the central shaft; a plurality of seating portions which are disposed on the upper side of the frame, each have a space formed in the central portion thereof, seat a workpiece on the upper surfaces thereof, and are arranged radially from the central shaft of the frame; a plurality of vacuum portions which are disposed in the central portions of the plurality of seating portions respectively, seat the workpiece on the upper surfaces thereof, and each have a plurality of flow channels so as to secure the workpiece by suctioning air through the flow channels; and a control unit for controlling the rotation of the frame.

A laser oscillator support table includes a base, a fixed plate supported over the base with intermediary of a Z-axis direction movement unit, and a Y-axis direction moving plate mounted on the fixed plate, movable orthogonal to an X-axis direction. An optical path direction of the beam emitted from a laser oscillator supported by the laser oscillator support table is defined as the X-axis direction. The laser oscillator support table further includes a rotating plate that is mounted on the Y-axis direction moving plate rotatably around a rotation center pin fixed to the Y-axis direction moving plate and supports the laser oscillator, a Y-axis direction movement unit that moves the Y-axis direction moving plate in the Y-axis direction, and a rotational movement unit that rotates the rotating plate around the rotation center pin in a plane parallel to a plane formed by the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a substrate bonding apparatus including a first chucking stage, a second chucking stage, and an alignment unit. The first chucking stage is configured to chuck a first substrate. The second chucking stage is disposed facing the first chucking stage. The second chucking stage is configured to chuck a second substrate. The alignment unit is configured to be inserted between the first chucking stage and the second chucking stage. The alignment unit includes a base body, a first detection element, and a second detection element. The base body includes a first main face and a second main face opposite to the first main face. The first detection element is disposed on the first main face. The second detection element is disposed on the second main face.

A blade holding jig for holding a washer-type cutting blade via an annular retainer flange includes an annular flange holding portion configured to hold a first annular surface of the retainer flange under suction, and an annular non-contact suction portion arranged on an outer peripheral portion of the flange holding portion and configured to produce a negative pressure by ejection of a fluid toward the outer peripheral portion of the retainer flange held by the flange holding portion and to draw up the cutting blade toward the retainer flange. The cutting blade drawn up toward the retainer flange by the non-contact suction portion is held on the retainer flange by a suction force acting from the flange holding portion via a plurality of through holes disposed extending from a second annular surface to the first annular surface of the retainer flange.