Abstract: A method and an apparatus for peeling a surface protective film attached on the surface of a semiconductor wafer are provided. A heating block is set in proximity to the whole surface of the semiconductor wafer, and the whole surface protective film is heated by the heating block. Thus, the air bubbles existing between the semiconductor wafer and the surface protective film are expanded or swelled, and the adhesion between the semiconductor wafer and the surface protective film is weakened. After that, the surface protective film is peeled from the semiconductor wafer. As a result, a peel starting point can be appropriately formed and damage to the wafer can be prevented.

Abstract: A film separation apparatus (100) for separating a film (110) attached to a film application surface of a wafer (120) comprises a wafer adsorption unit (31) for adsorbing the wafer with the film application surface up, a release tape supply unit (42) for supplying the release tape (3) onto the film application surface, and a heating unit (80) for pressing and heating only a part of the release tape against the wafer film at an edge of the wafer. Thus, the adhesion between the release tape and the film is increased at the particular part of the release tape. The apparatus further comprises a peeling unit (44) for separating the film from the film application surface of the wafer using a release tape with a part of the release tape having an improved adhesion as a separation starting point. Thus, the surface protective film can be easily separated from the wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing an unwanted substance from a semiconductor wafer, according to this invention, applies a peeling tape T to a protective tape P on the surface of the semiconductor wafer W. An edge member 28 is placed in contact with the surface of the peeling tape T and run along the protective tape P. The peeling tape T is peeled as being folded back by a large angle of 90 degrees or more at the tip of edge member 28. The protective tape P is peeled and removed along with the peeling tape T from the surface of the wafer. As a result, the unwanted substance is removed with high precision without breaking the wafer W.

Abstract: There is provided a film sticking method for sticking a film on a pattern forming face of a wafer, on the pattern forming face (21) of which a circuit pattern (C) is formed, comprising the steps of: positioning the wafer (20) so that a sticking direction of a film sticking means (46) for sticking the film on the pattern forming face when the film sticking means is moved in a predetermined sticking direction (X1) on the pattern forming face of the wafer can be substantially parallel with the bisector of a corner portion of the circuit pattern; and sticking the film on the pattern forming face of the wafer when the film sticking means is moved in the sticking direction on the pattern forming face of the wafer. There is also provided a film sticking device for executing this method. Due to the foregoing, when the surface protective film is stuck, it is possible to prevent the orientation flat from being damaged and it is also possible to prevent air bubbles from being formed.

Abstract: There is provided a film peeling device (100) for peeling a film (3) which has been stuck onto a film sticking face of a wafer (120), comprising: a wafer sucking means (31) for sucking the wafer so that the film sticking face of the wafer can become an upper face; a peeling tape feeding means (42) for feeding a peeling tape onto the film of the film sticking face; a pushing means (60) for pushing only one portion of the peeling tape against the film of the wafer at an edge portion of the wafer so that the adhesive strength between the peeling tape and the film can be enhanced in the one portion of the peeling tape; and a peeling means (44) for peeling the film from the film sticking face of the wafer by the peeling tape while the one portion of the peeling tape, the adhesive strength of which has been enhanced, is used as a peeling start portion. Therefore, it is possible to avoid damage to the wafer and an increase in size of the entire film peeling device.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for adhering a tape (3) on a wafer (20) are disclosed. The wafer is supported on a table (31), and the tape is supplied, between a tape adhering surface (20?) and a tape adhering unit (46), from a tape supply unit (42). The table is moved toward the tape adhering unit, whereby the tape adhering surface of the wafer on the table is pressed against the tape adhering unit through the tape with a force (F). Further, the tape adhering unit is moved from one end (28) to the other end (29) of the wafer in parallel to the tape adhering surface. The pressure (P) under which the tape adhering surface is in contact with the tape adhering unit through the tape is kept substantially uniform while the tape adhering unit moves from one end to the other end of the wafer. As a result, the pressure on the wafer is accurately equalized in spite of the movement of the tape adhering unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing an unwanted substance from a semiconductor wafer, according to this invention, applies a peeling tape T to a protective tape P on the surface of the semiconductor wafer W. An edge member 28 is placed in contact with the surface of the peeling tape T and run along the protective tape P. The peeling tape T is peeled as being folded back by a large angle of 90 degrees or more at the tip of edge member 28. The protective tape P is peeled and removed along with the peeling tape T from the surface of the wafer. As a result, the unwanted substance is removed with high precision without breaking the wafer W.

Abstract: A transport container for transporting a plurality of semiconductor wafers as stacked therein. The container includes a box-shaped container body having four peripheral walls, and an upper lid for closing and opening an upper opening of the container body. The front wall of the container body is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. The upper lid and front wall are opened when the semiconductor wafers are loaded into or unloaded from the transport container. An apparatus is provided for loading and unloading the semiconductor wafers into/from the transport container.

Abstract: A single wafer transport mechanism takes a semiconductor wafer out of a cassette loader, and transports the wafer to a single wafer positioning mechanism for placing the wafer in position. When applying a protective adhesive tape to a surface of the wafer, the transport mechanism transports the wafer placed in position to a tape applying mechanism. When removing the protective tape from the wafer surface, the transport mechanism transports the wafer to a tape removing mechanism which removes the protective tape from the wafer surface by using a remover adhesive tape having a strong adhesion. The wafer having the protective tape applied thereto or stripped of the protective tape is transported back to a cassette by the wafer transport mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting the shape of a circular, disk-like silicon wafer is disclosed in which both ends of a major orientation flat are detected by rotating the wafer at least one turn relative to the position of an optical sensor positioned slightly inside the wafer's outer circumference. The shape data thus obtained may be used to guide a cutting device to remove excess adhesive tape around the outer circumference of the wafer.

Abstract: A process for peeling a protective film stuck to an upper-side of a wafer is disclosed. The protective film is peeled by adhering an adhesive tape to the upper side of the rear end of said protective film stuck on the wafer by means of a press roller, lifting the press roller and sliding said press roller forward, sliding a peeling unit forward to peel the adhesive tape together with the protective film by utilizing the adhesive force of the adhesive tape. The wafer is prevented from being damaged.

Abstract: A device for sticking adhesive tape to thin articles, such as semiconductor wafers, and trimming excess portions of said tape from the thin articles. A plurality of sticking rollers apply adhesive tape from a roll to each thin article, the tape having an adhesive side oriented towards an upper surface of the article and a width greater than a width of the article. A suction stage receives and holds each of the thin articles with the adhesive tape stuck thereto by said sticking rollers while a tape cutter trims the excess portion of the tape from along peripheral edge portions of the article. A tape peeling device then peels off the trimmed excess portions of the tape from the thin article, whereupon the thin article is conveyed back to a cassette.

Abstract: A process for peeling a protective film off a thin article such as a silicon wafer is proposed. The film is peeled by sticking an adhesive tape to the protective film on the article and pulling it away from the article. The protective film is peeled only by the adhesive force of the adhesive tape.

Abstract: Apparatus for peeling a protective film off a thin article such as a silicon wafer is disclosed. The film is peeled by sticking an adhesive tape to the protective film on the article and pulling it away from the article. The protective film is peeled by the apparatus only by the adhesive force of the adhesive tape.

Abstract: A process for peeling a protective film off a thin article such as a silicon wafer is proposed. The film is peeled by sticking an adhesive tape to the protective film on the article and pulling it away from the article. The protective film is peeled only by the adhesive force of the adhesive tape.

Abstract: An apparatus for semiautomatically sticking an adhesive film on a silicon wafer and on a ring used as a carrier. After the ring and the silicon wafer have been manually positioned on tables, an adhesive film is automatically stuck on the ring and the silicon wafer. The excess portion of the film is then cut by hand along the ring and transversely. The apparatus greatly facilitates these works.