Abstract: There is provided a laser processing machine for processing a workpiece having a scribe line set thereon. The processing machine includes a controller configured to perform a procedure of moving a focal point of a laser beam in a first moving direction, which intersects a processing feed direction, in a range of a width of the line when the focal point and the holding unit relatively move along the processing feed direction, and a procedure of controlling power of the laser beam so that, upon movement of the focal point in the first moving direction, the power of the laser beam is smaller when the focal point is located in regions on outer edge sides of the line than when the focal point is located in a region on a center side of the scribe, whereby a groove is formed along the line.

Abstract: A method of processing a plate-shaped workpiece includes a sheet affixing step of laying a thermocompression bonding sheet on a surface of the workpiece and heating and pressing the thermocompression bonding sheet against the workpiece to affix the thermocompression bonding sheet to the workpiece, a laser beam applying step of applying a laser beam having a wavelength absorbable by the workpiece to another surface of the workpiece along a projected dicing line established thereon, thereby processing the workpiece along the projected dicing line, and a sheet joining step of pressing the thermocompression bonding sheet while reheating the thermocompression bonding sheet to soften the same, so that the thermocompression bonding sheet is joined up by closing dividing grooves or through holes made in the thermocompression bonding sheet when the workpiece is processed in the laser beam applying step.

Abstract: An optical axis adjusting method includes a position detecting step of emitting a laser beam from a laser oscillator, applying the laser beam to a processing point, and detecting the position of the laser beam by using a position detecting unit set at the processing point, a storing step of storing the position of the laser beam as detected in the position detecting step as a reference position, and an adjusting step of operating an adjusting mechanism of each optical component holder in the case that the position of the laser beam is deviated from the reference position after performing maintenance of each optical component, thereby adjusting the position of the laser beam so that the position of the laser beam is shifted back to the reference position.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a device chip includes applying, from a front surface of a wafer formed with devices in a plurality of regions partitioned by a plurality of crossing division lines, a laser beam of such a wavelength as to be absorbed in the wafer along the division lines, to form V-shaped laser processed grooves along the division lines, the laser processed grooves becoming shallower toward outer sides in a width direction; adhering an adhesive tape to the front surface of the wafer formed with the laser processed grooves; and grinding the wafer held by a chuck table, with the adhesive tape interposed therebetween, from a back surface, to divide the wafer while thinning the wafer to a finished thickness, thereby forming a plurality of device chips having inclined surfaces at outside surfaces thereof.

Abstract: An optical axis adjusting method includes a position detecting step of emitting a laser beam from a laser oscillator, applying the laser beam to a processing point, and detecting the position of the laser beam by using a position detecting unit set at the processing point, a storing step of storing the position of the laser beam as detected in the position detecting step as a reference position, and an adjusting step of operating an adjusting mechanism of each optical component holder in the case that the position of the laser beam is deviated from the reference position after performing maintenance of each optical component, thereby adjusting the position of the laser beam so that the position of the laser beam is shifted back to the reference position.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a glass interposer, first, stacked bodies formed on a front surface and a back surface of a glass substrate are processed along division lines (streets) to form first grooves having a first width and such a depth as not to reach the glass substrate, while leaving a residual resin portion at bottoms of the first grooves. Thereafter, the residual resin portion is subjected to ablation processing to expose the front surface and the back surface of the glass substrate, thereby forming second grooves having a second width narrower than the first width. A laser beam is applied along the division lines through the second grooves to form modified layers in the inside of the glass substrate, and an external force is exerted on the glass substrate to divide the glass substrate, with the modified layers as division starting points.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a device chip includes applying, from a front surface of a wafer formed with devices in a plurality of regions partitioned by a plurality of crossing division lines, a laser beam of such a wavelength as to be absorbed in the wafer along the division lines, to form V-shaped laser processed grooves along the division lines, the laser processed grooves becoming shallower toward outer sides in a width direction; adhering an adhesive tape to the front surface of the wafer formed with the laser processed grooves; and grinding the wafer held by a chuck table, with the adhesive tape interposed therebetween, from a back surface, to divide the wafer while thinning the wafer to a finished thickness, thereby forming a plurality of device chips having inclined surfaces at outside surfaces thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device wafer processing method including a protective film forming step of applying a water-soluble protective film material to the front side of a device wafer having devices separated by division lines and next exposing the division lines to form a protective film for protecting each device, an application time recording step of recording the time at which the water-soluble protective film material is applied to the device wafer, a determining step of determining whether or not a predetermined duration has elapsed from the time recorded in the application time recording step, an etching step of dry-etching the device wafer along the division lines after performing the determining step, and a protective film removing step of supplying a cleaning water to the protective film to thereby remove the protective film after performing the etching step. Only when it is determined in the determining step that the predetermined duration has not elapsed, the etching step is performed.

Abstract: A method for dividing a wafer having a wiring layer including Cu on the front side, the front side of the wafer being partitioned by a plurality of crossing division lines to define a plurality of separate regions where a plurality of devices are formed. The method includes a laser processed groove forming step of applying a laser beam to the wiring layer along each division line to thereby remove the wiring layer along each division line and form a laser processed groove along each division line, a cutting step of using a cutting blade having a thickness smaller than the width of each laser processed groove to fully cut the wafer along each laser processed groove after performing the laser processed groove forming step, and a dry etching step of dry-etching at least each laser processed groove after performing the laser processed groove forming step.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a glass interposer, first, stacked bodies formed on a front surface and a back surface of a glass substrate are processed along division lines (streets) to form first grooves having a first width and such a depth as not to reach the glass substrate, while leaving a residual resin portion at bottoms of the first grooves. Thereafter, the residual resin portion is subjected to ablation processing to expose the front surface and the back surface of the glass substrate, thereby forming second grooves having a second width narrower than the first width. A laser beam is applied along the division lines through the second grooves to form modified layers in the inside of the glass substrate, and an external force is exerted on the glass substrate to divide the glass substrate, with the modified layers as division starting points.

Abstract: A method of processing a wafer includes a plasma etching step of supplying an etching gas in a plasma state to the wafer to remove processing strains, debris, or modified layers. The plasma etching step includes turning an etching gas into a plasma state outside of a vacuum chamber which houses the wafer therein and delivering the etching gas in the plasma state into the vacuum chamber through a supply nozzle connected to the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A method of processing a wafer includes a plasma etching step of supplying an etching gas in a plasma state to the wafer to remove processing strains, debris, or modified layers. The plasma etching step includes turning an etching gas into a plasma state outside of a vacuum chamber which houses the wafer therein and delivering the etching gas in the plasma state into the vacuum chamber through a supply nozzle connected to the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device wafer processing method including a protective film forming step of applying a water-soluble protective film material to the front side of a device wafer having devices separated by division lines and next exposing the division lines to form a protective film for protecting each device, an application time recording step of recording the time at which the water-soluble protective film material is applied to the device wafer, a determining step of determining whether or not a predetermined duration has elapsed from the time recorded in the application time recording step, an etching step of dry-etching the device wafer along the division lines after performing the determining step, and a protective film removing step of supplying a cleaning water to the protective film to thereby remove the protective film after performing the etching step. Only when it is determined in the determining step that the predetermined duration has not elapsed, the etching step is performed.

Abstract: A method for dividing a wafer having a wiring layer including Cu on the front side, the front side of the wafer being partitioned by a plurality of crossing division lines to define a plurality of separate regions where a plurality of devices are formed. The method includes a laser processed groove forming step of applying a laser beam to the wiring layer along each division line to thereby remove the wiring layer along each division line and form a laser processed groove along each division line, a cutting step of using a cutting blade having a thickness smaller than the width of each laser processed groove to fully cut the wafer along each laser processed groove after performing the laser processed groove forming step, and a dry etching step of dry-etching at least each laser processed groove after performing the laser processed groove forming step.

Abstract: A workpiece dividing method for dividing a platelike workpiece into a plurality of individual chips. The workpiece dividing method includes a workpiece preparing step of preparing the platelike workpiece, at least one side of the workpiece being formed as a mat surface, a holding step of holding the workpiece on a holding surface of a chuck table in the condition where the mat surface of the workpiece is exposed, a cut groove forming step of cutting the mat surface of the workpiece held on the holding surface of the chuck table by using a cutting blade to thereby form a cut groove with a remaining portion, and a laser cutting step of applying a laser beam to the workpiece along the cut groove to thereby cut the remaining portion.

Abstract: A method of dividing a wafer includes a protective film forming step of forming a water-soluble protective film on a front side of the wafer, a mask forming step of forming an etching mask on the front side of the wafer by partly removing the water-soluble protective film along the streets, a plasma etching step of performing a plasma etching on the wafer along the streets through the etching mask in the form of the water-soluble protective film, and a protective film removing step of removing the water-soluble protective film by supplying cleaning water to the water-soluble protective film. After plasma etching, i.e. in removing the protective film, the water-soluble protective film can easily be removed from the front side of the wafer simply by supplying the cleaning water from a water supply unit to the water-soluble protective film.

Abstract: A workpiece dividing method for dividing a platelike workpiece into a plurality of individual chips. The workpiece dividing method includes a workpiece preparing step of preparing the platelike workpiece, at least one side of the workpiece being formed as a mat surface, a holding step of holding the workpiece on a holding surface of a chuck table in the condition where the mat surface of the workpiece is exposed, a cut groove forming step of cutting the mat surface of the workpiece held on the holding surface of the chuck table by using a cutting blade to thereby form a cut groove with a remaining portion, and a laser cutting step of applying a laser beam to the workpiece along the cut groove to thereby cut the remaining portion.