Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic semiconductor wafer applying apparatus capable of lightly easily stacking and loading ring frames onto a frame supply section. This apparatus has the following construction. An adhesive tape unwound from a tape roll is applied to a lower surface of the ring frame supplied to a tape applying position. The applied adhesive tape is cut out along the ring frame. The ring frame having the adhesive tape applied thereto is transported to a wafer applying position. A semiconductor wafer is applied onto the adhesive tape of the ring frame. In this apparatus, a frame supply truck movable with the ring frames stacked and held thereon is arranged so that it can be pushed/transported into and pulled out/transported from the frame supply section. A lift unit for receiving, lifting and supplying a group of ring frames stacked on the pushed and transported frame supply truck is installed in the frame supply section.

Abstract: A resist removing apparatus for removing an unwanted resist pattern from a surface of wafer W by applying an adhesive tape to the surface of wafer W having the resist patterns formed thereon, and separating the adhesive tape from the surface of wafer W. The apparatus includes an adhesive removing mechanism 13 for treating the surface of wafer W after the adhesive tape is separated therefrom. The adhesive removing mechanism 13 may be effective when constructed to jet ozone to the surface of wafer W heated, to irradiate the surface of wafer W heated, with ultraviolet rays, or to jet ozone to the surface of wafer W heated and irradiate the surface with ultraviolet rays.

Abstract: An adhesive tape is applied to an article covered with a resist pattern. The article with the adhesive tape applied thereto is rapidly cooled to form cracks in the resist pattern on the surface of the article to weaken the cohesion between the resist pattern and the surface of the article. After the cooling, the adhesive tape is separated from the article, whereby the resist pattern is removed with the adhesive tape from the surface of the article.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for peeling protective adhesive tape 3 from work having the protective adhesive tape 3 applied to a surface of a semiconductor wafer W supported in a ring-shaped frame F by means of a supporting adhesive tape 1. Thin plates 4 with non-adhesive upper surfaces are applied to the supporting adhesive tape 1 adjacent a peel starting end 3a and a peel finishing end 3b of protective adhesive tape 3, respectively, to form regions for avoiding contact between a peeling tape 5 wound around an applying roller 8 and the like and the supporting adhesive tape 1. Subsequently, the peeling tape 5 is applied to the protective adhesive tape 3 at the peel starting end 3a with the applying roller 8, and a group of rollers 6-8 is moved horizontally on the work A to peel the peeling tape 5 and protective adhesive tape 3 together from the surface of semiconductor wafer W.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing system having a plurality of processing devices forming a base processing line for processing in sequence a workpiece having a semiconductor wafer is provided with an auxiliary loader connected to one of the processing devices for supplying the workpiece forming a processing line different from the base processing line, and an auxiliary unloader connected to the one processing device for receiving the workpiece processed by the one processing device at times when the one processing device is not supplied the workpiece by the processing device upstream of the one processing device in the base processing line.