A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate includes a setting device that sets a plurality of recipe items including operation conditions of the substrate processing apparatus and a recipe generating device that acquires a plurality of recipe models obtained by changing values of the plurality of recipe items and experimenting or simulating a processing result of the substrate and analyzes the plurality of recipe models to generate a recipe, the recipe generating device combining a part or all of the plurality of recipe models to generate the recipe such that a calculation value of a processing result of the substrate by the recipe satisfies a predetermined condition.

A workpiece processing method for processing a workpiece using a processing apparatus including a chuck table, a processing unit, a moving mechanism for moving the chuck table and the processing unit relative to each other, and an imaging unit for imaging the workpiece, where the chuck table includes a holding member formed by a transparent body and a supporting member supporting a part of the holding member and connected to an angle control mechanism. The method includes a tape affixing step, a holding step of holding the workpiece by the chuck table via the tape, and an identifying step of imaging the top surface side of the workpiece through the transparent holding member by the imaging unit positioned in a region that is on a lower side of the holding member and is not superimposed on the supporting member, and identifying a region to be processed in the workpiece.

A bonding apparatus configured to bond a first substrate and a second substrate includes a first holder configured to hold the first substrate; a second holder disposed to face the first holder, and configured to hold the second substrate; two imaging units each including a first imaging device configured to image a first alignment mark formed on a bonding surface of the first substrate and a second imaging device configured to image a second alignment mark formed on a bonding surface of the second substrate; a first moving mechanism configured to move the two imaging units along a first direction in a planar region between the first holder and the second holder; a second moving mechanism configured to move the first imaging unit along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a third moving mechanism configured to move the second imaging unit along the second direction.

A bonding apparatus configured to bond a first substrate and a second substrate includes: a first holder configured to hold the first substrate; a second holder disposed to face the first holder in a vertical direction, and configured to hold the second substrate; a processing vessel accommodating the first holder and the second holder therein; and a horizontal position adjuster provided outside the processing vessel and connected to the first holder via a support supporting the first holder, the horizontal position adjuster being configured to adjust a horizontal position of the first holder.

A discrete piece forming device that forms discrete pieces by dividing a work. The device includes a modified part forming unit which forms modified parts in the work having a pre-pasted adhesive sheet containing swell grains which swell by application of a predetermined energy, to form, in the work, predefined discrete piece areas each surrounded by the modified parts. The device further includes a dividing unit which divides the work into pieces by forming, in the work, cracks starting from the modified parts by applying external force to the work, to form the discrete pieces. The dividing unit applies the energy to parts of the adhesive sheet to swell the swell grains contained in adhesive sheet parts to which the energy has been applied, thereby displacing the predefined discrete piece areas pasted on the adhesive sheet parts to form the discrete pieces.

A substrate processing system includes: a modification layer forming device configured to form a modification layer within a first substrate along a boundary between a peripheral portion to be removed and a central portion of the first substrate; an interface processing device configured to process an interface where the first substrate and a second substrate are bonded in the peripheral portion; a periphery removing device configured to remove the peripheral portion starting from the modification layer; a position detection device configured to detect a position of the modification layer or a position of the interface; and a control device configured to control the modification layer forming device and the interface processing device. The control device controls the position of the interface based on the detected position of the modification layer, or controls the position of the modification layer based on the detected position of the interface.

A substrate processing system configured to process a substrate includes an eccentricity detection device configured to detect, in a combined substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are bonded to each other, an eccentricity of the first substrate; a modification layer forming device configured to form a modification layer within the first substrate along a boundary between a peripheral portion to be removed and a central portion of the first substrate; and a periphery removing device configured to remove the peripheral portion starting from the modification layer.

A wafer processing method includes a wafer providing step of placing a polyolefin or polyester sheet on an upper surface of a substrate for supporting a wafer and placing the wafer on an upper surface of the sheet in a condition where a back side of the wafer is exposed upward, a thermocompression bonding step of setting the wafer placed through the sheet on the substrate in an enclosed environment, next evacuating the enclosed environment, and next heating the sheet as applying a pressure to the wafer, thereby uniting the wafer through the sheet to the substrate by thermocompression bonding, a back processing step of processing the back side of the wafer supported through the sheet to the substrate, and a separating step of separating the wafer from the sheet bonded to the substrate.

A wafer bonding apparatus includes lower and upper stages, lower and upper push rods, a position detection sensor, and processing circuitry. The stages may vacuum suction respective wafers on respective surfaces of the stages based on a vacuum pressure being supplied to respective suction holes in the respective surfaces from a vacuum pump. The push rods are movable through respective center holes in the stages to apply pressure to respective middle regions of the respective wafers. The position detection sensor may generate information indicating a bonding propagation position of the wafers based on detecting at least one wafer through a detection hole in at least one stage. The processing circuitry may process the information to detect the bonding propagation position and cause a change of at least one of a ratio of protruding lengths of the push rods, or a ratio of suction areas of the stages.

A processing apparatus includes a wafer carrying-out unit, a wafer table that supports a wafer carried out, a frame carrying-out unit, a frame table that supports an annular frame carried out, a tape sticking unit that sticks a tape to the frame, a tape-attached frame conveying unit, a tape pressure bonding unit that executes pressure bonding of the tape of a tape-attached frame to a back surface of the wafer, a frame unit carrying-out unit, and a beveled part removing unit that cuts and removes, in a ring manner, a beveled part formed in an outer circumferential surplus region from the wafer of a frame unit.