Abstract: There is provided a holding unit that holds a target object by a holding surface of a holding table. The holding unit includes a fixing mechanism that fixes the target object to the holding surface, a movement mechanism that moves the fixing mechanism, and a controller. The fixing mechanism includes a fastening member allowed to be disposed at a fixing position at which the fastening member fastens the target object and fixes the target object to the holding surface and a release position at which the fastening member releases the target object and a biasing member that biases the fastening member toward the side of the fixing position. The movement mechanism includes a pressing member that presses the fastening member and an actuator that moves the pressing member to position the fastening member to the release position.

Abstract: An expansion method includes an expansion step of expanding a sheet between an outer periphery of a wafer and an inner periphery of an annular frame in a wafer unit, and a heating step of heating the sheet in its region between the outer periphery of the wafer and the inner periphery of the annular frame by a heating unit to allow slack of the sheet, the slack having been formed in the expansion step, to shrink. The region includes a first region, and a second region that is harder to shrink by the heating than the first region. On the sheet, heat spots of a temperature higher than that of the sheet surrounding the heat spots are formed with heat radiated to the sheet. In the heating step, the heating unit is moved such that the heat spots are positioned over an entirety of at least the second region.

Abstract: An expanding apparatus includes a frame fixing part that fixes an annular frame of a workpiece unit, a holding table that holds a workpiece, an expanding unit that expands a sheet, a heating unit that heats the sheet between an outer circumferential side of the workpiece and an inner circumferential edge of the annular frame, and a cover that covers the workpiece held by the holding table. The cover covers the workpiece when the sheet is heated by the heating unit.

Abstract: A wafer dividing apparatus for dividing a wafer stuck to an adhesive tape and supported at an opening of a frame into individual chips along a scheduled division line is provided. The wafer dividing apparatus includes a cassette table movable upwardly and downwardly in a Z axis direction, a first carry-out/in unit that carries out the frame from the cassette placed on the cassette table or carry in the frame to the cassette, a first temporary receiving unit including a pair of first guide rails extending in the X axis direction and a guide rail opening/closing portion that increases the distance between the pair of first guide rails, a reversing unit including a holding portion that holds the frame and rotates by 180 degrees to reverse the front and back of the frame, and a transport unit that moves the reversed frame.

Abstract: An expanding method includes a frame securing step of securing an annular frame of a workpiece unit with frame securing means, an expanding step of, after the frame securing step, pressing a portion of an expandable sheet that lies between an outer circumferential edge of the workpiece and an inner circumferential edge of the annular frame, with an expanding drum to expand the expandable sheet, and a heating step of, after the expanding step, heating and shrinking a slackening portion of the expandable sheet which has been formed by expansion of the expandable sheet. The heating step includes a fully circumferential heating step of heating a full outer circumferential portion of the workpiece and an additional heating step of additionally heating a local area of the full outer circumferential portion of the workpiece.

Abstract: A wafer dividing apparatus for dividing a wafer stuck to an adhesive tape and supported at an opening of a frame into individual chips along a scheduled division line is provided. The wafer dividing apparatus includes a cassette table movable upwardly and downwardly in a Z axis direction, a first carry-out/in unit that carries out the frame from the cassette placed on the cassette table or carry in the frame to the cassette, a first temporary receiving unit including a pair of first guide rails extending in the X axis direction and a guide rail opening/closing portion that increases the distance between the pair of first guide rails, a reversing unit including a holding portion that holds the frame and rotates by 180 degrees to reverse the front and back of the frame, and a transport unit that moves the reversed frame.

Abstract: A crack and thickness detecting apparatus for detecting a crack in a wafer and also detecting the thickness of the wafer. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic oscillating unit oscillating a first ultrasonic wave toward the upper surface of the wafer at a predetermined incident angle, an ultrasonic oscillating and receiving unit oscillating a second ultrasonic wave toward the upper surface of the wafer in a direction perpendicular thereto and also receiving reflected waves obtained by the reflection of the first and second ultrasonic waves from the wafer, a crack determining unit determining whether or not the crack is present in the wafer according to the first reflected wave, and a thickness calculating unit calculating the thickness of the wafer according to the second reflected wave. The ultrasonic oscillating and receiving unit alternately receives the first reflected wave and the second reflected wave.

Abstract: A crack and thickness detecting apparatus for detecting a crack in a wafer and also detecting the thickness of the wafer. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic oscillating unit oscillating a first ultrasonic wave toward the upper surface of the wafer at a predetermined incident angle, an ultrasonic oscillating and receiving unit oscillating a second ultrasonic wave toward the upper surface of the wafer in a direction perpendicular thereto and also receiving reflected waves obtained by the reflection of the first and second ultrasonic waves from the wafer, a crack determining unit determining whether or not the crack is present in the wafer according to the first reflected wave, and a thickness calculating unit calculating the thickness of the wafer according to the second reflected wave. The ultrasonic oscillating and receiving unit alternately receives the first reflected wave and the second reflected wave.