Abstract: A wafer sheet expanding apparatus comprises an expanding mechanism, a rotating mechanism for the expanding mechanism, a motor, a power transfer mechanism. The expanding mechanism has a support ring, an expanding ring, and a movement mechanism. The support ring has a hole at a central part thereof and a circular annulus portion formed projectively on an outer-peripheral portion of the hole and an upper end for supporting a wafer sheet retained by a wafer ring. The expanding ring is disposed opposite the support ring and has an annular portion that is loosely fitted over the circular annulus portion. The movement mechanism causes relative movement of the support ring and the expanding ring. The expanding mechanism stretches the wafer sheet by relative movement of the support ring and the expanding ring. The power transfer mechanism connects the movement mechanism and the rotating mechanism to a motor selectively.

Abstract: A pellet bonding apparatus is disclosed, which comprises a wafer stage, a pellet removal/transfer mechanism, a pellet position correcting mechanism, and a bonding mechanism. In the wafer stage, the wafer ring unit can be rotated through an angle corresponding to each of a plurality of areas, into which a pellet group of a wafer ring unit provided on the wafer stage can be divided. The pellet position correcting mechanism rotates a rotary table through a predetermined angle irrespective of whether the wafer ring unit has been rotated or not, whereby pellet position correction is made such that the pellet has the same orientation at all times when being removed by the bonding mechanism. A sheet expander can set the wafer ring unit on the wafer stage. It has an expander ring with an end formed with air stream outlet ports.