Abstract: A wafer processing system includes a laser processing apparatus, a grinding apparatus, a tape sticking apparatus, a first cassette placement part, a second cassette placement part, a conveying unit that conveys a wafer, and a controller that controls the respective constituent elements. The controller includes a first processing program instructing section that conveys a wafer unloaded from a first cassette in order of the laser processing apparatus, the grinding apparatus, the tape sticking apparatus, and a second cassette and sequentially carries out processing by each apparatus for the one wafer, and a second processing program instructing section that conveys the wafer unloaded from the first cassette in order of the grinding apparatus, the laser processing apparatus, the tape sticking apparatus, and the second cassette and sequentially carries out processing by each apparatus for the one wafer.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck table for holding a workpiece includes: a plate-shaped base transmittable with respect to a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength allowing the laser beam to be transmitted through the workpiece, the plate-shaped base having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; an electrostatic attraction electrode assembly transmittable with respect to the laser beam having the predetermined wavelength, the electrostatic attraction electrode assembly being formed on the first surface of the base; and a resin layer transmittable with respect to the laser beam having the predetermined wavelength, the resin layer covering the electrode assembly and providing a holding surface for holding the workpiece thereon. The electrostatic chuck table is used in forming a modified layer within the workpiece held on the holding surface with the laser beam that is applied to the workpiece from the side of the second surface of the base.

Abstract: A frame unit is transferred from a cassette to a predetermined position. The frame unit has a platelike workpiece, a tape attached to the workpiece, and a ring frame supporting a peripheral portion of the tape. The apparatus includes a holding unit for the frame unit, a moving unit for the holding unit, and a control unit. The holding unit includes a pair of gripping portions for gripping a front portion of the ring frame at two separate positions, and an abutting portion adapted to abut against the outer circumference of the ring frame. The ring frame is gripped, partially drawn from the cassette, and released. The abutting portion is brought into abutment against the outer circumference of the ring frame so as to move the ring frame into the cassette. The ring frame is gripped again, raised, and transferred to the predetermined position.

Abstract: Apparatus determines whether a stored object is a wafer alone or a frame unit formed by uniting the wafer and a ring frame. The apparatus includes first and second detecting units, the second detecting unit being stored more shallowly than the first detecting unit. The apparatus determines whether light transmitted by the first detecting unit is blocked by the object and does not reach a light receiving portion of the first detecting unit. When light transmitted from the second detecting unit is blocked by the object and does not reach a light receiving portion of the second detecting unit, the apparatus determines that the object is the frame unit, whereas when the light transmitted from the second detecting unit is not blocked by the object and reaches the light receiving portion of the second detecting unit, the apparatus determines that the object is the wafer.

Abstract: A chuck table holds under suction a front side of a wafer which includes a device region including a plurality of devices, each having a plurality of electrode bumps, formed in a plurality of areas demarcated in a grid pattern, and an outer peripheral extra region surrounding the device region. The chuck table includes a holding surface for facing the electrode bumps and holding under suction the device region of the wafer, and an outer peripheral extra region support surrounding the holding surface and including an elastic member projecting beyond the holding surface for supporting the outer peripheral extra region of the wafer. The outer peripheral extra region support projects from the holding surface by a distance corresponding to the height of the electrode bumps.

Abstract: A frame unit is transferred from a cassette to a predetermined position. The frame unit has a platelike workpiece, a tape attached to the workpiece, and a ring frame supporting a peripheral portion of the tape. The apparatus includes a holding unit for the frame unit, a moving unit for the holding unit, and a control unit. The holding unit includes a pair of gripping portions for gripping a front portion of the ring frame at two separate positions, and an abutting portion adapted to abut against the outer circumference of the ring frame. The ring frame is gripped, partially drawn from the cassette, and released. The abutting portion is brought into abutment against the outer circumference of the ring frame so as to move the ring frame into the cassette. The ring frame is gripped again, raised, and transferred to the predetermined position.

Abstract: Apparatus determines whether a stored object is a wafer alone or a frame unit formed by uniting the wafer and a ring frame. The apparatus includes first and second detecting units, the second detecting unit being stored more shallowly than the first detecting unit. The apparatus determines whether light transmitted by the first detecting unit is blocked by the object and does not reach a light receiving portion of the first detecting unit. When light transmitted from the second detecting unit is blocked by the object and does not reach a light receiving portion of the second detecting unit, the apparatus determines that the object is the frame unit, whereas when the light transmitted from the second detecting unit is not blocked by the object and reaches the light receiving portion of the second detecting unit, the apparatus determines that the object is the wafer.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck table for holding a workpiece includes: a plate-shaped base transmittable with respect to a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength allowing the laser beam to be transmitted through the workpiece, the plate-shaped base having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; an electrostatic attraction electrode assembly transmittable with respect to the laser beam having the predetermined wavelength, the electrostatic attraction electrode assembly being formed on the first surface of the base; and a resin layer transmittable with respect to the laser beam having the predetermined wavelength, the resin layer covering the electrode assembly and providing a holding surface for holding the workpiece thereon. The electrostatic chuck table is used in forming a modified layer within the workpiece held on the holding surface with the laser beam that is applied to the workpiece from the side of the second surface of the base.

Abstract: A wafer processing system includes a laser processing apparatus, a grinding apparatus, a tape sticking apparatus, a first cassette placement part, a second cassette placement part, a conveying unit that conveys a wafer, and a controller that controls the respective constituent elements. The controller includes a first processing program instructing section that conveys a wafer unloaded from a first cassette in order of the laser processing apparatus, the grinding apparatus, the tape sticking apparatus, and a second cassette and sequentially carries out processing by each apparatus for the one wafer, and a second processing program instructing section that conveys the wafer unloaded from the first cassette in order of the grinding apparatus, the laser processing apparatus, the tape sticking apparatus, and the second cassette and sequentially carries out processing by each apparatus for the one wafer.

Abstract: A chuck table holds under suction a front side of a wafer which includes a device region including a plurality of devices, each having a plurality of electrode bumps, formed in a plurality of areas demarcated in a grid pattern, and an outer peripheral extra region surrounding the device region. The chuck table includes a holding surface for facing the electrode bumps and holding under suction the device region of the wafer, and an outer peripheral extra region support surrounding the holding surface and including an elastic member projecting beyond the holding surface for supporting the outer peripheral extra region of the wafer. The outer peripheral extra region support projects from the holding surface by a distance corresponding to the height of the electrode bumps.

Abstract: A plate-shaped object processing method forms a through hole of a desired shape in a plate-shaped object. The method includes a through hole contour forming step of performing laser processing within the plate-shaped object along a contour of the through hole to be formed, by positioning, within the plate-shaped object, a focal point of a pulsed laser beam of a wavelength capable of passing through the plate-shaped object. The beam is applied along the contour of the through hole to be formed by a pulsed laser beam irradiation unit including a condenser applying the laser beams. A through hole is formed by breaking the laser-processed contour of the through hole and forming the through hole by positioning an ultrasonic transducer of an ultrasonic wave applying unit in correspondence with the contour of the through hole to be formed, and applying an ultrasonic wave.

Abstract: A chuck table in processing apparatus holds a frame unit in which a wafer is fixed to an opening of a ring-shaped frame with an intermediary of adhesive tape by sucking an exposed surface of the wafer to a holding surface. The chuck table includes a circular region that forms the holding surface in which plural suction holes communicating with a suction source are formed, and a ring-shaped circumferential region that surrounds the circular region. The diameter of the circular region is smaller than the diameter of the wafer. The circumferential region is formed to include a diameter larger than the diameter of the wafer and smaller than the inner diameter of the ring-shaped frame, and a recess that suppresses the sticking of the adhesive tape is formed in an upper surface of the circumferential region that gets contact with the adhesive tape.

Abstract: A substance amplification reaction apparatus includes a mounting section mountable with a substance amplification reaction container filled with reaction liquid and liquid and having a channel in which a first channel and a second channel are connected via a bent section and the reaction liquid moves, a first to third heating sections respectively capable of heating a first region, which is a region of an end portion on the first channel side of the channel, a second region, which is a region of the bent section, and a third region, which is a region at an end portion on the second channel side of the channel, and a driving mechanism configured to switch first arrangement, second arrangement, and third arrangement in this order. Each of the first to third arrangements is arrangement in which each of the first to third regions is below the other regions.

Abstract: A nucleic acid amplification reaction apparatus including a first heating section and a second heating section configured to heat a first region and a second region of a container respectively to a first temperature and a second temperature, higher than the first temperature, and a driving mechanism configured to switch the arrangement of the first and second regions in the order of first arrangement, second arrangement, and third arrangement. The first arrangement and the third arrangement are arrangement in which the first region is below the second region in a direction in which the gravity acts. The second arrangement is arrangement in which the second region is below the first region in the direction in which the gravity acts. The container includes a projecting section where an inner wall of the container projects outward and is configured to enable the reaction liquid to stay therein in the third arrangement.

Abstract: A nucleic acid amplification reaction apparatus including a first heating section to heat a first region of a container filled with reaction liquid and liquid and a second heating section to heat a second region of the container to temperature higher than the temperature of the first heating section, first arrangement is arrangement in which the first region is below the second region in a direction in which the gravity acts and the second arrangement is arrangement in which the second region is below the first region. Third arrangement is arrangement in which an axis in the longitudinal direction of the container is horizontal or arrangement in which the axis inclines with respect to the vertical line and the second region is below the first region. A driving mechanism switches the first arrangement, the second arrangement, and the third arrangement in this order.

Abstract: A plate-shaped object processing method forms a through hole of a desired shape in a plate-shaped object. The method includes a through hole contour forming step of performing laser processing within the plate-shaped object along a contour of the through hole to be formed, by positioning, within the plate-shaped object, a focal point of a pulsed laser beam of a wavelength capable of passing through the plate-shaped object. The beam is applied along the contour of the through hole to be formed by a pulsed laser beam irradiation unit including a condenser applying the laser beams. A through hole is formed by breaking the laser-processed contour of the through hole and forming the through hole by positioning an ultrasonic transducer of an ultrasonic wave applying unit in correspondence with the contour of the through hole to be formed, and applying an ultrasonic wave.

Abstract: A laser processing apparatus including a laser applying unit. The laser applying unit includes a first laser oscillating unit, a second laser oscillating unit, a first laser branching unit for branching a laser beam oscillated from the first laser oscillating unit into three optical paths, a second laser branching unit for branching a laser beam oscillated from the second laser oscillating unit into three optical paths, three first focusing units for respectively focusing the laser beams through the three optical paths obtained by the first laser branching unit toward a glass substrate, and three second focusing units for respectively focusing the laser beams through the three optical paths obtained by the second laser branching unit. The first focusing units and the second focusing units are alternately arranged in a line in an indexing direction.

Abstract: A laser processing apparatus including a laser applying unit. The laser applying unit includes a first laser oscillating unit, a second laser oscillating unit, a first laser branching unit for branching a laser beam oscillated from the first laser oscillating unit into three optical paths, a second laser branching unit for branching a laser beam oscillated from the second laser oscillating unit into three optical paths, three first focusing units for respectively focusing the laser beams through the three optical paths obtained by the first laser branching unit toward a glass substrate, and three second focusing units for respectively focusing the laser beams through the three optical paths obtained by the second laser branching unit. The first focusing units and the second focusing units are alternately arranged in a line in an indexing direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dicing machine for cutting a CSP plate into pellets and for transferring and putting them in a transport tray. The pick-up-and-transport means picks a selected pellet from a diced CSP plate to carry and put the so selected pellet in an allotted cell in a transport tray. On the way to the transport tray storage area, there is cleaning means for wiping and removing minute pieces of debris if any from the rear side of each pellet. The cleaning means includes a wiper in the form of rotary sponge roll, which is wet with washing liquid, and is rotated to expose its clean surface to each pellet all the time.

Abstract: A rotor 10 is constructed of a rotating shaft 7 and a semicylindrical rotating core 9 mounted on the shaft 7. A stator is coaxially arranged, with the rotor 10 being surrounded by a pair of annular stator coils 11 and 13 arranged one above the other in an axial direction of the rotor 10. A yoke member of the coils 11 and 13 is provided with magnetic material plates 19, 21, 23 and 25. The plates 19 and 21 for the coil 11 have halves 19A and 21A with inner peripheral portions protruding radially inwardly to approach the rotor 10, while the remaining plates 23 and 25 for the coil 13 have halves 23A and 25A with their inner peripheral portions protruding radially inwardly to approach the rotor 10. The halves 23A and 25A are oppositely disposed from the halves 19A and 21 A so as to have the coils 11 and 13 be opposite to each other in phase of the inductance as the rotor 10 rotates.