A laser beam irradiation unit of a laser processing apparatus includes a first splitting unit that causes a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator to branch into a first optical path and a second optical path, a first beam condenser that focuses the laser beam having been introduced to the first optical path, and a second beam condenser that focuses the laser beam having been introduced to the second optical path. The laser beam irradiation unit further includes a second splitting unit on the first optical path between the first splitting unit and the first beam condenser that splits the laser beam into at least two laser beams, and a laser beam scanning unit on the second optical path between the first splitting unit and the second beam condenser that executes scanning with the laser beam and introduces the laser beam to the second beam condenser.

A silicon wafer forming method includes: a block ingot forming step of cutting a silicon ingot to form block ingots; a planarizing step of grinding an end face of the block ingot to planarize the end face; a separation layer forming step of applying a laser beam of such a wavelength as to be transmitted through silicon to the block ingot, with a focal point of the laser beam positioned in the inside of the block ingot at a depth from the end face of the block ingot corresponding to the thickness of the wafer to be formed, to form a separation layer; and a wafer forming step of separating the silicon wafer to be formed from the separation layer.

Energy is locally supplied to a cutting surface that is formed in an outer circumferential region of a wafer in a trimming step, before a grinding step of grinding the wafer. This can remove or repair at least part of a damage layer formed in the outer circumferential region of the wafer due to the trimming step. As a result, breakage of the wafer that originates from the outer circumferential region in the grinding of the wafer which has been subjected to the edge trimming and generation of dust in a step after this grinding can be suppressed.

A method of separating a wafer into at least two thinner wafers includes a pressing member placing step of placing a pressing member that is transmissive of a wavelength of a laser beam on a first surface of the wafer such that the pressing member is pressed against the first surface of the wafer, a separation initiating point forming step of forming a separation initiating point in the wafer by applying the laser beam whose wavelength is transmittable through the wafer to the wafer while positioning a focused spot of the laser beam within the wafer and moving the focused spot and the wafer relatively to each other along a first direction, and an indexing feed step of moving the focused spot and the wafer relatively to each other along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

A method of confirming an optical axis of a laser processing apparatus includes placing an image capturing unit so as to be movable in X-axis directions, removing a second mirror and capturing an image of a laser beam with the image capturing unit for receiving the laser beam reflected by a first mirror, installing the second mirror and capturing an image of the laser beam with the image capturing unit for receiving the laser beam reflected by a third mirror, and determining whether an optical axis of the laser beam reflected by the first mirror and an optical axis of the laser beam reflected by the third mirror exist in one XZ plane or not on the basis of the captured images and a reference line in the captured images.

A control unit performs first processing of irradiating an object with laser light while relatively moving a first converging point and a second converging point along a first line, in a state where a distance between the first converging point and a second converging point is set as a first distance, and performs second processing of irradiating the object with the laser light while relatively moving the first converging point and the second converging point along a second line, in a state where the distance between the first converging point and the second converging point is set to a second distance smaller than the first distance.

A processing apparatus includes a delivery unit for delivering a workpiece between a cassette placed on a cassette rest and a chuck table and a measuring unit for measuring a thickness of the workpiece. The delivery unit includes a base having a non-contact-type suction holder for ejecting air to develop a negative pressure to attract and hold the workpiece under suction out of contact therewith, and a moving unit for moving the base. The height of the non-contact-type suction holder is adjusted according to the thickness of the workpiece measured by the measuring unit to place the non-contact-type suction holder in a position that is spaced from a face side of the workpiece by a distance in a predetermined range while the workpiece is being delivered by the delivery unit.

There is provided a manufacturing method of a protective-component-provided workpiece. The manufacturing method of a protective-component-provided workpiece includes a step of dissolving a thermoplastic resin whose solubility parameter is equal to or higher than 8.5, in a liquid ultraviolet-curable resin, to prepare a liquid mixed resin, a step of supplying the mixed resin to a support surface of a support table to form a resin layer with a predetermined thickness, a step of irradiating the resin layer with ultraviolet rays and curing the resin layer to form a protective component with a sheet shape, and a step of heating the sheet-shaped protective component before or after one surface of the sheet-shaped protective component and one surface of the workpiece are brought into close contact with each other, and causing the sheet-shaped protective component to come into close contact with the workpiece and integrate with the workpiece.

A processing device and a processing method for a solid structure are used to perform a processing procedure on the solid structure. The processing device for the solid structure of the invention provides energy to the solid structure by various electromagnetic radiation sources to cause the solid structure to generate qualitative changes or defects, that is, to form a modified layer. Stress and/or hardness of the modified layer are/is different from that of other non-processed areas.

Method and system for a laser welding process employing the use of a single pulsed fiber laser source configured to generate a radiative output with a wavelength spectrum extending from about 1.8 microns to about 2.6 microns. In a specific case, the laser output from the single pulsed fiber laser source is focused onto the interface of the two pieces of materials at least one of which includes any of glasses, inorganic crystals, and semiconductors.