The present invention provides a method of separating a bonded stack utilizing the force generated by a gas jet. The stack includes a carrier and a thinned workpiece such as device wafer that are bonded together through one or more layers therebetween. The gas jet can separate two adjacent layers having peeling strength therebetween in the range of from 0.01 to 50.0 g/cm. The invention can simplify the procedure and provide high throughput in separating thinned wafer from its carrier.

A method includes: a first step of disposing the superposed substrate at a position where the superposed substrate is not in contact with a first holding unit and a second holding unit in a space between the first holding unit and the second holding unit, and supplying an inert gas into the space; a second step of thereafter relatively moving the first holding unit and the second holding unit in the vertical direction, and holding the processing target substrate by the first holding unit and holding the supporting substrate by the second holding unit; and a third step of thereafter relatively moving the first holding unit and the second holding unit in the horizontal direction while heating the processing target substrate held by the first holding unit and the supporting substrate held by the second holding unit, to separate the processing target substrate and the supporting substrate from each other.

There is provided a peeling method capable of preventing a damage to a layer to be peeled. Thus, not only a layer to be peeled having a small area but also a layer to be peeled having a large area can be peeled over the entire surface at a high yield. Processing for partially reducing contact property between a first material layer (11) and a second material layer (12) (laser light irradiation, pressure application, or the like) is performed before peeling, and then peeling is conducted by physical means. Therefore, sufficient separation can be easily conducted in an inner portion of the second material layer (12) or an interface thereof.

A wafer de-bonding device comprises a stage (1) for holding a device wafer and a carrier wafer bonded together, and a tool (2) with a gas outlet (2.2) disposed in proximity to the stage (1) through an adjustment device for control the tool (2) to move towards or away from the stage (1), the tool (2) being provided with a bit (2.1) to cut a notch into a film or an adhesive layer at a junction of the bonded wafers, the gas outlet (2.2) being provided on the tool bit (2.1), the tool (2) being further provided with a gas inlet (2.3) in communication with the gas outlet (2.2), the gas inlet (2.3) being connected to a gas jet generator so as to direct a gas jet towards the junction of the bonded wafers on the stage (2). The wafer de-bonding device has a high degree of automation and simple operations.

A peeling device for peeling off a substrate to be processed and a support substrate from an overlapped substrate, the overlapped substrate being formed by bonding the substrate to be processed and the support substrate by an adhesive, which includes: a first holding unit configured to heat the substrate to be processed and configured to hold the substrate to be processed; a second holding unit configured to heat the support substrate and configured to hold the support substrate; a moving mechanism configured to horizontally move at least one of the first holding unit and the second holding unit relative to each other; and an inert gas supply mechanism configured to supply an inert gas onto a bonding surface of the substrate to be processed or a bonding surface of the support substrate.

There is provided a peeling method capable of preventing a damage to a layer to be peeled. Thus, not only a layer to be peeled having a small area but also a layer to be peeled having a large area can be peeled over the entire surface at a high yield. Processing for partially reducing contact property between a first material layer (11) and a second material layer (12) (laser light irradiation, pressure application, or the like) is performed before peeling, and then peeling is conducted by physical means. Therefore, sufficient separation can be easily conducted in an inner portion of the second material layer (12) or an interface thereof.

There is provided a peeling method capable of preventing a damage to a layer to be peeled. Thus, not only a layer to be peeled having a small area but also a layer to be peeled having a large area can be peeled over the entire surface at a high yield. Processing for partially reducing contact property between a first material layer (11) and a second material layer (12) (laser light irradiation, pressure application, or the like) is performed before peeling, and then peeling is conducted by physical means. Therefore, sufficient separation can be easily conducted in an inner portion of the second material layer (12) or an interface thereof.

An embodiment method for separating semiconductor devices from a wafer comprises using a carrier which acts an adjustable adhesive force upon the semiconductor devices and removing the semiconductor devices from the carrier by applying a mechanical or acoustical impulse to the carrier.

A peeling device separates a superposed substrate, in which a target substrate and a support substrate are joined to each other with an adhesive, into the target substrate and the support substrate. The peeling device includes a holding unit configured to hold the superposed substrate, and a plurality of position adjustment units movable forward and backward with respect to a side surface of the superposed substrate held in the holding unit, and the position adjustment unit configured to perform a position adjustment of the superposed substrate by contacting the side surface of the superposed substrate.

An automatic film peeling machine for peeling a film adhered on a board, includes a workbench, a frame mounted on the workbench including a movable pushing block, a supporting plate mounted on the frame, a suction plate for locating the board on the supporting plate, and a peeling module. The peeling module includes a sliding member, a resisting member and a movable clamping member mounted on the sliding member. The clamping member includes a clamping portion with a plurality of vents. Air is blown out from the vents for rotating a movable un-adhered portion of the film into a space between the clamping portion and the resisting member. The clamping member is moved toward the resisting member for clamping the movable un-adhered portion. The pushing block is moved to push the sliding member away from the frame, for peeling the first film from the board.