A universal ring wafer support apparatus that includes at least one raised support to securely support different size wafers above and separated from the main body to enable dust particles and other contaminants to flow away from a wafer and through the main body to a back side thereof. The universal ring wafer support apparatus and the at least one raised support are formed of a highly conductive material while a top surface of the at least one raised support includes contact material(s) having a high gripping force to raise, grip and securely support a wafer thereon.

A bond tool for bonding ultra-thin substrates includes: a mesh pattern comprising a plurality of micro grooves having a depth in a range of 1 to 10 um; a plurality of front-side vias in a center portion of the mesh pattern and having a depth in a range of 100 to 200 um; and a back-side via connected to the plurality of front-side vias. A method of manufacturing a bond tool for bonding ultra-thin substrates includes: providing a substrate comprising a top layer, a bottom layer, and an etch stop layer between the top layer and the bottom layer; etching the top layer to form a mesh pattern comprising a plurality of micro grooves and a plurality of micro pedestals between the plurality of micro grooves; etching a plurality of front-side vias in the top layer; and etching back-side via in the bottom layer to align with and connect to the front-side vias.

A bond tool for bonding ultra-thin substrates includes: a mesh pattern comprising a plurality of micro grooves having a depth in a range of 1 to 10 um; a plurality of front-side vias in a center portion of the mesh pattern and having a depth in a range of 100 to 200 um; and a back-side via connected to the plurality of front-side vias. A method of manufacturing a bond tool for bonding ultra-thin substrates includes: providing a substrate comprising a top layer, a bottom layer, and an etch stop layer between the top layer and the bottom layer; etching the top layer to form a mesh pattern comprising a plurality of micro grooves and a plurality of micro pedestals between the plurality of micro grooves; etching a plurality of front-side vias in the top layer; and etching back-side via in the bottom layer to align with and connect to the front-side vias.

A method of manufacturing a display apparatus includes preparing a panel with a panel layer displaying images, a first protection film on a first surface of the panel layer with a first adhesion layer, and a second protection film on a second surface of the panel layer with a second adhesion layer, disposing the panel on a stage, cutting the panel on the stage along a closed-curve line to a predetermined depth extending from the second protection film to at least a portion of the first adhesion layer, and separating a first portion of the panel inside the closed-curve line from a second portion of the panel outside the closed-curve line, such that the second portion is removed simultaneously with the entire first protection film according to a first boundary by the line and a second boundary between the panel layer and the first protection film.

A bonding apparatus configured to bond substrates includes a first holder configured to vacuum-exhaust a first substrate to attract and hold the first substrate on a bottom surface thereof; a second holder disposed under the first holder, and configured to vacuum-exhaust a second substrate to attract and hold the second substrate on a top surface thereof; a mover configured to move the first holder and the second holder relatively in a horizontal direction; a laser interferometer system configured to measure a position of the first holder or the second holder which is moved by the mover; a linear scale configured to measure a position of the mover; and a controller configured to control the mover based on a measurement result of the laser interferometer system and a measurement result of the liner scale.

A substrate separation apparatus includes: a holding part configured to hold and rotate a bonded substrate formed by bonding a pair of substrates together; a nozzle configured to separate the bonded substrate by injecting a fluid toward an outer periphery of the bonded substrate under rotation; and a nozzle drive part configured to change a direction of injection of the fluid from the nozzle between a first direction which is a direction extending along a tangent to the outer periphery of the bonded substrate and a second direction which is a direction facing a center of the bonded substrate.

An apparatus, system and method for providing a stationary chuck for positionally maintaining an associated in-process wafer. The stationary chuck may include a base plate having, on an upper surface thereof, a plurality of machined concentric ridges that form a series of concentric circular zones; a silicon carbide coating on the upper surface of the base plate; and a plurality of silicon carbide inlays capable of being bonded onto the silicon carbide coating in the concentric circular zones.

A method of wafer handling includes providing a wafer on a wafer carrier on a wafer chuck on a vacuum plate. The wafer carrier includes a permanent magnet. The wafer chuck includes an electromagnet. The wafer is raised against a gravity direction by flowing an electrical current through the electromagnet so that the wafer carrier is repelled from the wafer chuck while the wafer remains on the wafer carrier. While keeping the wafer raised, wafer alignment is adjusted by moving the wafer chuck, the wafer carrier or both. The electrical current is reduced to zero so that the wafer carrier contacts the wafer chuck. The wafer is connected to the vacuum plate via a first vacuum cavity of the wafer chuck and a third vacuum cavity of the wafer carrier. The wafer carrier is connected to the vacuum plate via the second vacuum cavity of the wafer chuck.

The present invention relates to a tape sticking system for sticking a protective tape for protecting a peripheral portion of a substrate, such as a wafer. The tape sticking apparatus (10) includes a substrate holder (21) for sticking, a side roller (43), a first roller (46), a second roller (47), a roller-driving motor (49) coupled to the second roller (47), and a nipping mechanism (60) for nipping the peripheral portion of the substrate (W) with the first roller (46) and the second roller (47). The tape sticking apparatus (10) is configured to cause the second roller (47) to be rotated by use of the roller-driving motor (49) while nipping the peripheral portion of the substrate, held to the substrate holder (21) for sticking, with the first roller (46) and the second roller (47), to thereby rotate the substrate.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for manufacturing a substrate table. An example method can include forming a vacuum sheet including a plurality of vacuum connections and a plurality of recesses configured to receive a plurality of burls disposed on a core body for supporting an object such as a wafer. Optionally, at least one burl can be surrounded, partially or wholly, by a trench. The example method can further include using the vacuum sheet to mount the core body to an electrostatic sheet including a plurality of apertures configured to receive the plurality of burls. Optionally, the example method can include using the vacuum sheet to mount the core body to the electrostatic sheet such that the plurality of recesses of the vacuum sheet line up with the plurality of burls of the core body and the plurality of apertures of the electrostatic sheet.