A machine featuring a treatment tool that grinds a surface to a desired profile, imparts a desired roughness to that surface, and removes contamination from the surface, the machine configured to control multiple independent input variables simultaneously, the controllable variables selected from the group consisting of (i) velocity, (ii) rotation, and (iii) dither of the treatment tool, and (iv) pressure of the treatment tool against the surface. The machine can move the treatment tool with six degrees of freedom.

An SiC ingot forming method includes: a holding step of holding by a chuck table a cut section of a primitive SiC ingot cut from an SiC ingot growth base; a planarization step of grinding an end surface of the primitive SiC ingot held by the chuck table, to planarize the end surface; a c-plane detection step of detecting a c-plane of the primitive SiC ingot from the planarized end surface; a first end surface forming step of grinding the planarized end surface, to form a first end surface inclined at an off angle relative to the c-plane; and a second end surface forming step of holding the first end surface by the chuck table and grinding the cut section of the primitive SiC ingot in parallel to the first end surface, to form a second end surface.

A substrate processing method of processing a combined substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are bonded to each other includes forming a peripheral modification layer along a boundary between a peripheral portion of the first substrate as a removing target and a central portion of the first substrate; forming a non-bonding region in which bonding strength between the first substrate and the second substrate in the peripheral portion is reduced; and removing the peripheral portion starting from the peripheral modification layer. A first crack is developed from the peripheral modification layer toward the second substrate. The peripheral modification layer is formed such that a lower end of the first crack is located above the non-bonding region and an inner end of the non-bonding region is located at a diametrically outer side than the first crack.

A rotation controlling section of a control unit calculates a maximum thicknesswise difference in a wafer by using a noncontact thickness measuring instrument, and if the maximum thicknesswise difference exceeds a tolerance, relatively changes a rotational speed of a chuck table relative to a rotational speed of a spindle. This can shift a rotational speed ratio, which is a ratio between the rotational speed of the spindle and the rotational speed of the chuck table, from an integer. Therefore, the maximum thicknesswise difference can be made small through spark-out processing. As a result, cyclic variations in thickness value of the wafer are reduced, enabling planarization of a ground surface of the wafer.

A method includes bonding a first package component on a composite carrier, and performing a first polishing process on the composite carrier to remove a base carrier of the composite carrier. The first polishing process stops on a first layer of the composite carrier. A second polishing process is performed to remove the first layer of the composite carrier. The second polishing process stops on a second layer of the composite carrier. A third polishing process is performed to remove a plurality of layers in the composite carrier. The plurality of layers include the second layer, and the third polishing process stops on a dielectric layer in the first package component.

A grinding apparatus including a chuck table for holding a wafer, a grinding unit having a spindle for rotating a grinding wheel, an inclination adjusting unit for adjusting the inclination of the rotation axis of the chuck table with respect to the rotation axis of the spindle, a touch panel, and a control portion. The control portion is adapted to compare the information regarding the target sectional shape input into a target shape input field with the information regarding the present sectional shape input into a present shape input field and then control the inclination adjusting unit to change the inclination of the rotation axis of the chuck table so that the wafer is ground to obtain the target sectional shape of the wafer.

A method for grinding a silicon carbide wafer includes the following steps. Firstly, a single crystal is sliced into several wafers, in which each wafer has a silicon-side surface, which is the first surface. The opposite side is a carbon-side surface, which is the second surface. Subsequently, the silicon-side of the wafer is faced down and placed on a grinding stage for performing a first grinding process. It should be noted that a supporting structure exist between the wafer and the grinding stage. The supporting structure can have a concave or a convex framework. After grinding the carbon-side and removing the wafer from the stage, the wafer will appear convex or concave shape on the carbon-side surface. Thereafter, the wafer is flipped upside down and the carbon-side is placed on a flat stage without any supporting structure. Finally, the silicon-side is ground as a second grinding process.

A polishing apparatus capable of forming a step-shaped recess having a right-angled cross section in an edge portion of a substrate, such as a wafer, is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate rotating device configured to rotate the substrate about a rotation axis; a first roller having a first circumferential surface configured to press a polishing tape against the edge portion of the substrate; and a second roller having a second circumferential surface in contact with the first circumferential surface. The second roller has a tape stopper surface that restricts movement of the polishing tape in a direction away from the rotation axis. The tape stopper surface is located radially outward of the first circumferential surface.

Disclosed is a polishing head for a polishing apparatus for polishing a quadrangular substrate using a polishing pad attached to a polishing table, comprising a head body portion, a plurality of elastic bags disposed in a surface of the head body portion, which is to face the polishing table, and a substrate holding plate for holding the substrate, the substrate holding plate being pressed by the elastic bags in a direction away from the head body portion, the head body portion being provided with channels for bags, which are in communication with the respective elastic bags, the polishing head further including at least two support plates disposed between the elastic bags on one hand and the substrate holding plate on the other, the elastic bags being configured to press the substrate holding plate through the support plates.

The present invention relates to a polishing head for pressing a polishing tool against a substrate, such as a wafer. Further, the present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate with such a polishing head. A polishing head (10) includes an annular elastic member (40) configured to press a polishing tool (3) against the substrate (W), and a pressing-tool body (43) having a pressing surface (44) configured to press the polishing tool (3) against the substrate (W) via the elastic member (40), wherein the pressing surface (44) has a first fitting groove (45) in which a first portion (41) of the elastic member (40) fits, the first portion (41) protrudes from the pressing surface (44), the elastic member (40) is put on the pressing-tool body (43) with the elastic member (40) elastically deformed, and the polishing head (10) is configured to press the polishing tool (3) against the substrate (W) by the first portion (41).