A method for processing semiconductor wafers includes providing a first semiconductor wafer processed by a front-end process tool and obtaining measurement data along a surface of the first semiconductor wafer. The method also includes calculating a Gapi value of the first semiconductor wafer based on based on the measurement data, where the Gapi value is a global metric representing a difference between a raw shape of the first semiconductor wafer and an ideal shape of the semiconductor wafer. The method also includes determining whether the Gapi value of the first semiconductor wafer is within a predetermined threshold and either tuning the front-end process tool and processing a second semiconductor wafer with the tuned front-end process tool when the Gapi value is determined to be outside of the predetermined threshold, or sorting the first semiconductor wafer for polishing when the Gapi value is determined to be within the predetermined threshold.

A substrate transfer unit includes a temporary placement stage and a transfer hand. Each of the temporary placement stage and the transfer hand holds a substrate at different locations depending on the processing state of the substrate.

A semiconductor wafer is diced along a plurality of dicing lines in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction so that a chip is cut out from an effective area. The semiconductor water includes a film formation pattern. At least one dicing line included in the plurality of dicing lines is an on-pattern dicing line which overlaps the film formation pattern in its entire or partial length.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps. A die and a first through via aside the die are formed. An encapsulant is formed to encapsulate the die and the first through via, wherein the encapsulant is physically connected to a sidewall of the first through via and a sidewall of the die. A warpage controlling layer is formed over the encapsulant and the die. A first conductive connector is formed on the first through via to electrically connect to the first through via.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to an embodiment, includes: bonding a semiconductor substrate having a first surface including a pattern region in which a device pattern is provided, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a bevel portion located on the periphery of the first surface and the second surface, and an adhesive layer formed continuously on the first surface and the bevel portion, to a support substrate having a third surface including a release layer region in which a release layer is formed, so that the first surface and the third surface are bonded via the adhesive layer; and removing at least the bevel portion and a portion of the adhesive layer formed in the bevel portion from the semiconductor substrate, in a state the semiconductor substrate and the support substrate are bonded together with the adhesive layer.

A wafer shape metrology system includes a wafer shape metrology sub-system configured to perform stress-free shape measurements on an active wafer, a carrier wafer, and a bonded device wafer. The active wafer includes functioning logic circuitry and the carrier wafer is electrically passive. The wafer shape metrology system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the wafer shape metrology sub-system. The controller is configured to receive stress-free shape measurements; determine overlay distortion between features on the active wafer and the carrier wafer; and convert the overlay distortion to a feed-forward correction for one or more lithographic scanners. The controller is also configured to determine a control range for a bonder or lithography scanner; predict an overlay distortion pattern; calculate an optimal control signature based on a minimal achievable overlay; and provide a feed-forward correction to the bonder or lithography scanner based on the calculated optimal control signature.

A processing method of a combined substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are bonded to each other is provided. A separation facilitating layer and a laser absorption layer are formed on the second substrate in this order. The substrate processing method includes forming a separation modification layer by radiating laser beam to the laser absorption layer while generating a stress in the laser absorption layer; and separating the second substrate from the first substrate along a boundary between the second substrate and the separation facilitating layer.

A method of using an apparatus to deform a J-shaped lead of a packaged semiconductor device, wherein the J-shaped lead comprises a straight extended portion, a straight lead portion and a curved tip portion, wherein the J-shaped lead extends from the packaged semiconductor device by the straight extended portion along a first direction, wherein the straight lead portion is connected between the straight extended portion and the curved tip portion, and wherein the curved tip portion is curved toward a direction perpendicular to the first direction, the method comprising: moving a force component of the apparatus along a second direction; and converting the movement of the force component along the second direction into a movement of a pusher component of the apparatus along a third direction by means of a transfer mechanism. An apparatus for deforming a J-shaped lead of a packaged semiconductor device is also presented.

A micro device mass transfer equipment including a base stage, a moving stage, a substrate stage, a laser device, a rolling and pressing mechanism, and a heating mechanism is provided. The moving stage is movably disposed on the base stage, and moves with a moving path. The substrate stage is movably disposed on the base stage, and is adapted to move between different positions overlapping the moving stage. The laser device is movably disposed on the base stage. The laser device is adapted to move relative to the substrate stage, and emits a laser beam toward the substrate stage. The rolling and pressing mechanism is disposed on the moving path of the moving stage, and forms a contact region with the moving stage. The heating mechanism is disposed corresponding to the contact region, and is adapted to heat the contact region between the moving stage and the rolling and pressing mechanism.

A method of processing a wafer includes forming a bonded wafer assembly by bonding one of opposite surfaces of a first wafer to a second wafer, the first wafer having a device region and an outer circumferential excessive region, applying a laser beam to the first wafer while positioning a focused spot of the laser beam radially inwardly from the outer circumferential edge of the first wafer, on an inclined plane that is progressively closer to the one of the opposite surfaces of the first wafer toward the outer circumferential edge, thereby forming a separation layer shaped as a side surface of a truncated cone, grinding the first wafer from the other one of the opposite surfaces thereof to thin down the first wafer to a predetermined thickness, and detecting whether or not the outer circumferential excessive region has been removed from the first wafer.