A method of processing a wafer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface is provided. The method includes the steps of: holding the second surface of the wafer such that the first surface thereof is exposed; processing an exposed first surface side of an outer circumferential edge portion of the wafer with a processing tool including a grinding stone made of abrasive grains bound together by a bonding material, thereby forming on the outer circumferential edge portion a slanted surface that is inclined to the first surface so as to be progressively closer to the second surface in a direction from a central area of the wafer toward an outer circumferential edge thereof; and coating the first surface of the wafer with a liquid material according to a spin coating process, thereby forming a resist film on the first surface of the wafer.

A glass grinding apparatus includes a base unit assembly having a work-piece support assembly and a motor housing assembly. The work-piece support assembly includes a work-piece support grating and a water basin. The motor housing assembly includes a motor housing containing a grinding motor and a power supply. The grinding motor has a rotatable motor shaft whose upper end is configured to receive a glass grinding bit operable to grind a glass work-piece situated on the work-piece support grating. In one aspect, the grinding motor operates on direct current provided by an AC/DC power supply that is directly operable with different utility mains. In another aspect, the work-piece support assembly is a discrete unit having lifting handles. In another aspect, the work-piece support grating has water-restriction baffles and/or a water-level view port. In another aspect, an integrated lamp-shield assembly is provided. In another aspect, a self-contained pedestal assembly is provided.

A grinding method for grinding a workpiece includes a first grinding step of grinding the workpiece in such a manner that an outer circumferential part of the workpiece becomes thinner than a central part of the workpiece, a measurement step of measuring the thickness of the workpiece at the outer circumferential part, and a second grinding step of grinding the workpiece. In the second grinding step, the grinding is started from the central part of the workpiece and the grinding is ended when the workpiece reaches a finished thickness decided based on the thickness of the workpiece at the outer circumferential part measured in the measurement step.

A holding table manufacturing method includes forming a plurality of first grooves in a front surface of a plate-shaped body, forming a plurality of second grooves in a back surface of the plate-shaped body, laying, on one another, a plurality of the plate-shaped bodies formed respectively with a plurality of the first grooves and a plurality of the second grooves and uniting the plate-shaped bodies together to form a suction plate, and accommodating the suction plate in an accommodating recess of a frame body to form a holding table. The first grooves and the second grooves do not reach side surfaces of the plate-shaped body, the first grooves and the second grooves communicate with each other, and the thickness of the suction plate is larger than the depth of the accommodating recess.

A polishing equipment for a spherical body is provided, including: a base, including a tubular member configure to support the spherical body to be polished; a fluid pressurizing unit, being in communication with an interior of the tubular member and configure for fluid to flow into the interior of the tubular member to push the spherical body; a grinding member, configured to be relatively movable with respect to the tubular member, and configured for grinding an outer surface of the spherical body and rotating the spherical body by friction.

One object is to improve the uniformity of polishing of a substrate. The present application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate polishing device for a quadrilateral-shaped substrate, the device including: a surface plate; a substrate support mechanism that is attached to the surface plate and that supports the substrate; a polishing head mechanism for attaching a polishing pad, the polishing head mechanism opposing the surface plate; and an orbital drive mechanism for orbitally driving the polishing head mechanism. The substrate support mechanism includes: a base plate; a plate flow passage provided to the base plate; and a plurality of substrate support chambers that are connected to the plate flow passage, wherein each substrate support chamber independently applies a vertical direction force to the substrate, and the vertical direction force applied to the substrate corresponds to an internal pressure of the substrate support chamber.

A grinding apparatus includes a chuck table that holds under suction a workpiece through a protective tape, where the protective tape is attached to one surface of an annular frame so as to cover an opening of the annular frame and the workpiece is attached to the protective tape on an inner side than an inner circumferential edge of the opening of the annular frame; a grinding unit that has a grindstone for grinding the workpiece held by the chuck table; and a frame cleaning unit that cleans the other surface located on a side opposite to the one surface of the annular frame obtained after grinding of the workpiece.

A grinding apparatus includes a chuck table that holds a workpiece through a protective tape, where the protective tape is attached to one surface of an annular frame so as to cover an opening of the annular frame and the workpiece is attached to the protective tape on an inner side of an inner circumferential edge of the opening of the annular frame; a grinding unit for grinding the workpiece; and a frame cleaning unit that cleans the other surface located on a side opposite to the one surface of the annular frame obtained after grinding of the workpiece, and wherein the frame cleaning unit has either: (i) a first cleaning member configured and arranged for making contact with the other surface of the annular frame and having flexibility, or (ii) a second cleaning member that jets at least either gas or liquid from above the other surface of the annular frame.

A cutting apparatus includes a blade changing apparatus. The blade changing apparatus includes a blade mounting and removal portion, which in turn includes: a holding portion that removably holds a circular base of a cutting blade; a moving support portion that supports the holding portion and moves the holding portion to a removal and mounting position at which an insertion hole in the blade faces a boss of a blade mount; and a coupling mechanism that couples the holding portion with the moving support portion such that the holding portion is freely tiltable with respect to the moving support portion. The coupling mechanism includes a plurality of elastic member pairs, each pair, while tensioning the holding portion in opposite directions, fixing the holding portion to the moving support portion. Forces acting from the elastic member pairs balance each other to thereby support the holding portion tiltably and aerially.

A production apparatus includes: a rotating body configured to rotate a grindstone to cut a first surface of an object; a holding unit configured to contact a second surface of the object; and a displacement unit configured to displace at least a portion of the second surface of the object in a rotation axis direction of the rotating body.