A management method of a machining system includes a chuck table, a machining unit, a transfer unit that transfers a wafer onto the chuck table, a camera unit that acquires an image containing a pattern formed on a side of a front surface of the wafer, and an information recording section. The management method is applied when the pattern is recorded in association with machining conditions in the information recording section; and records in the information recording section new machining conditions to be used when machining a new type of wafer, causes an automatic machining program, which automatically machines the new type of wafer, to start, forms an image, which contains a new pattern of the new type of wafer, by the camera unit, and records the new pattern in association with the new machining conditions in the information recording section.

A polishing head having a simple construction and a compact size is disclosed. The polishing head includes: a polishing-tool pressing member for supporting a polishing tool; a movable shaft coupled to the polishing-tool pressing member; a housing which houses the movable shaft therein; and a diaphragm which forms a pressure chamber between an end portion of the movable shaft and the housing, the diaphragm including a central portion in contact with the end portion of the movable shaft, an inner wall portion connecting with the central portion and extending along a side surface of the movable shaft, a folded-back portion connecting with the inner wall portion and having a curved cross section, and an outer wall portion connecting with the folded-back portion and located outside the inner wall portion.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes chucking in which a semiconductor device wafer is attached to an upper surface of a chuck mechanism with its device surface down; and edge trimming performed after the chucking, wherein the edge trimming comprises: rotating the semiconductor device water horizontally by the chuck mechanism; rotating a rotating blade horizontally by a vertical spindle to which an ultrasonic wave is applied and trimming a circumferential side surface of the semiconductor device wafer by the rotating blade.

A processing apparatus includes: a selection section that selects two or more components from a plurality of components including a holding table, a processing unit, a robot, a temporary placing unit, a carrying-in mechanism, a cleaning unit, and a carrying-out mechanism; and a control unit that handles a workpiece at part of routes that correspond to the components selected by the selection section, of the routes for passage of the workpiece at the time of processing the workpiece full-automatically by use of the plurality of components.

Provided is a back grinding adhesive sheet which can adequately protect protrusions provided to a semiconductor wafer, and with which back grinding can be adequately performed. The present invention provides a back grinding adhesive sheet for a semiconductor wafer having protrusions, the back grinding adhesive sheet comprising a non-adhesive cushion layer, and an adhesive layer provided on the cushion layer. The adhesive layer has an opening with a smaller diameter than the diameter of the semiconductor wafer, and the outer edge of the semiconductor wafer is adhered to the adhesive layer such that the protrusions on the semiconductor wafer are positioned inside the opening. The protrusions are protected by the cushion layer when the semiconductor wafer is in the state of being adhered to the adhesive layer. The adhesive sheet satisfies at least one of the following conditions (1)-(2). (1) When the cushion layer is cut out using the dumbbell from JISZ1702 and is stretched 25% at a gauge length of 40 mm and a tensile speed of 300 mm/min, the tensile stress is 2-30N/10 mm. (2) The cushion layer is formed from a thermoplastic resin that has a melt flow rate (JISK7210, 125° C./10.0 kg load) of 0.2-30 g/10 min, and a melting point of 60-110° C.

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 processing apparatus includes: a chuck table that is configured to be capable of rotation in a state of supporting the workpiece; a processing unit including a spindle to which a processing tool for grinding or polishing is mounted and a drive source that rotates the spindle; a measuring unit that measures distribution of thickness of the workpiece; a laser beam applying unit that has an adjustor for adjusting power of a laser beam applied to the workpiece; and a control unit including a power setting section that sets the power of the laser beam applied to an arbitrary region of the workpiece based on the distribution of the thickness of the workpiece measured by the measuring unit, and an adjustor control section that controls the adjustor of the laser beam applying unit such as to realize the power of the laser beam set by the power setting section.

An abrasive article includes a plurality of abrasive features disposed on one or more abrasive elements. Each of the one or more abrasive elements includes a base having a first major surface from which the plurality of abrasive features extends. A first set of the plurality of abrasive features (i) has an average height, H.sub.1avg, (ii) a standard deviation of less than 10% of H.sub.2avg, and (iii) comprises between 5 and 130 abrasive features.

Provided is an adhesive sheet for backgrinding which enables sufficient backgrinding while protecting protrusions provided on a semiconductor wafer. The present invention provides an adhesive sheet for the backgrinding of a semiconductor wafer that has protrusions, said adhesive sheet being characterized by comprising a non-adhesive cushion layer and an adhesive layer provided on the cushion layer, with a curable resin and a support film being layered on the cushion layer side for use, wherein the viscosity of the curable resin prior to curing is 100-3000 mPa.Math.s, the Shore D hardness of the curable resin layer subsequent to curing is 5-72, and at least one of conditions (1) and (2) is satisfied. (1) When punched in the shape of a dumbbell in accordance with JIS Z1702 and stretched by 25% at a tensioning speed of 300 mm/min with a gauge length of 40 mm, the cushion layer has a tensile stress of 2-30 N/10 mm. (2) The cushion layer is composed of a thermoplastic resin that has a melting point of 60-110° C. and a melt flow rate (JIS K7210, 125° C./10.0 kg load) of 0.2-30 g/10 min.

A wafer grinding method includes a step of holding a wafer on a holding surface of a chuck table, a first grinding step of controlling a grinding feeding mechanism by a control unit so as to increase or decrease a load value measured by a load measuring unit and grinding the wafer to a thickness not reaching a predetermined finished thickness of the wafer, and a second grinding step of imparting a preset load value and grinding the wafer until the predetermined finished thickness is reached, after the first grinding step.