Abstract: A wafer processing method includes the following steps: forming, on a back side of a wafer including a device layer, a mask to be used in forming grooves in a substrate along streets from the back side of the wafer; applying plasma etching from the back side of the wafer through the mask to form the grooves in the substrate along the streets and to define chip regions surrounded by the grooves; immersing the wafer in water, to which ultrasonic vibrations are being applied, after the etching step, whereby the device layer is cracked or ruptured along outer peripheral edges of the chip regions; and bonding a tape to a front side of the wafer before performance of the water immersion step.

Abstract: A wafer processing method for processing a wafer having a substrate and a device layer formed on a front side of the substrate includes forming a mask on a back side of the wafer, so as to form an etched groove along each street through a thickness of the substrate from the back side of the wafer, performing plasma etching from the back side of the wafer through the mask to the substrate after forming the mask, thereby forming the etched groove in the substrate along each street so that the etched groove has a depth equal to the thickness of the substrate, and applying a laser beam to the device layer along each street from the front side of the wafer before etching and mask forming, thereby forming a device layer dividing groove corresponding to the etched groove along each street.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes the following steps: forming, on a back side of a wafer including a device layer, a mask to be used in forming grooves in a substrate along streets from the back side of the wafer; applying plasma etching from the back side of the wafer through the mask to form the grooves in the substrate along the streets; ejecting high-pressure fluid against the back side of the wafer with the wafer mounted at its front side on a mounting surface to press the wafer at regions surrounded by the etched grooves; and bonding a tape to the front side of the wafer before performance of at least the pressing step.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a laser processing apparatus including first and second laser mechanisms, a laser oscillator for oscillating an original laser beam, an optical system for branching the original laser beam into first and second laser beams, and first and second operation panels for respectively setting first and second processing conditions for the first and second laser mechanisms. The first and second laser mechanisms include first and second chuck tables for holding first and second workpieces, first and second X moving units for moving the first and second chuck tables in an X direction, first and second Y moving units for moving the first and second chuck tables in a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction, and first and second focusing units for focusing the first and second laser beams to the first and second workpieces held on the first and second chuck tables, respectively.

Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a controller having (a) a section for storing the Y coordinate of a characteristic point having a predetermined positional relation to each division line formed on a wafer as a reference value with respect to a reference position where the focal point of a laser beam coincides with a predetermined position on each division line, (b) a section for detecting the amount of deviation of the Y coordinate of the characteristic point after indexing each division line of the wafer in the Y direction by the operation of a Y moving unit, from the Y coordinate stored as the reference value, and (c) a section for determining whether or not the amount of deviation detected is greater than an allowable value.

Abstract: A wafer processing method for processing a wafer having a substrate and a device layer formed on a front side of the substrate includes forming a mask on a back side of the wafer, so as to form an etched groove along each street through a thickness of the substrate from the back side of the wafer, performing plasma etching from the back side of the wafer through the mask to the substrate after forming the mask, thereby forming the etched groove in the substrate along each street so that the etched groove has a depth equal to the thickness of the substrate, and applying a laser beam to the device layer along each street from the front side of the wafer before etching and mask forming, thereby forming a device layer dividing groove corresponding to the etched groove along each street.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes the following steps: forming, on a back side of a wafer including a device layer, a mask to be used in forming grooves in a substrate along streets from the back side of the wafer; applying plasma etching from the back side of the wafer through the mask to form the grooves in the substrate along the streets; ejecting high-pressure fluid against the back side of the wafer with the wafer mounted at its front side on a mounting surface to press the wafer at regions surrounded by the etched grooves; and bonding a tape to the front side of the wafer before performance of at least the pressing step.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes the following steps: forming, on a back side of a wafer including a device layer, a mask to be used in forming grooves in a substrate along streets from the back side of the wafer; applying plasma etching from the back side of the wafer through the mask to form the grooves in the substrate along the streets and to define chip regions surrounded by the grooves; immersing the wafer in water, to which ultrasonic vibrations are being applied, after the etching step, whereby the device layer is cracked or ruptured along outer peripheral edges of the chip regions; and bonding a tape to a front side of the wafer before performance of the water immersion step.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a laser processing apparatus including a controller. The controller includes a coordinate storing section for storing the Y coordinate of a characteristic point having a predetermined positional relation to each division line formed on a wafer as a reference value with respect to a reference position where the focal point of a laser beam to be focused by a focusing unit coincides with a predetermined position on each division line in a Y direction as an indexing direction, a deviation detecting section for detecting the amount of deviation of the Y coordinate of the characteristic point imaged by an imaging unit after indexing each division line of the wafer in the Y direction by the operation of a Y moving unit, from the Y coordinate stored as the reference value in the coordinate storing section, and a determining section for determining whether or not the amount of deviation detected by the deviation detecting section is greater than an allowable value.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a laser processing apparatus including first and second laser mechanisms, a laser oscillator for oscillating an original laser beam, an optical system for branching the original laser beam into first and second laser beams, and first and second operation panels for respectively setting first and second processing conditions for the first and second laser mechanisms. The first and second laser mechanisms include first and second chuck tables for holding first and second workpieces, first and second X moving units for moving the first and second chuck tables in an X direction, first and second Y moving units for moving the first and second chuck tables in a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction, and first and second focusing units for focusing the first and second laser beams to the first and second workpieces held on the first and second chuck tables, respectively.

Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a first chuck table for holding a first workpiece, moving units for moving the first chuck table in X and Y directions, and a first focusing unit for focusing a first laser beam to the first workpiece. A second chuck table holds a second workpiece. Other moving units move the second chuck table in the X direction and Y directions, and a second focusing unit focuses a second laser beam to the second workpiece. A laser oscillator produces an original laser beam, and an optical system branches the original laser beam into the first laser beam and the second laser beam, and leads the first and second laser beams to the first and second focusing units, respectively.

Abstract: A laser machining apparatus that includes an interferometric height position detection unit, a condensing point position adjustment unit, and a confocal optical height position detection unit. A controller of the laser machining apparatus specifies, as a correction value, the difference between the two height positions of the upper face of the workpiece, one detected by the confocal optical height position detection unit and the other detected by the interferometric height position detection unit. The controller controls the condensing point position adjustment unit based on the height position obtained by correcting the height position of the upper face of the workpiece detected by the interferometric height position detection unit using the correction value.

Abstract: A laser machining apparatus that includes an interferometric height position detection unit, a condensing point position adjustment unit, and a confocal optical height position detection unit. A controller of the laser machining apparatus specifies, as a correction value, the difference between the two height positions of the upper face of the workpiece, one detected by the confocal optical height position detection unit and the other detected by the interferometric height position detection unit. The controller controls the condensing point position adjustment unit based on the height position obtained by correcting the height position of the upper face of the workpiece detected by the interferometric height position detection unit using the correction value.

Abstract: A wafer processing method divides a wafer into a plurality of individual devices along a plurality of crossing division lines formed on the front side of the wafer. The wafer has a substrate, a functional layer formed on the front side of the substrate, and a film formed on the back side of the substrate. The method includes a modified layer forming step of applying a laser beam having a wavelength transmitting through the substrate and the functional layer and reflecting on the film along the division lines from the side of the functional layer. The laser beam is first focused at a virtual point set outside the substrate beyond the film and is reflected on the film to focus the beam inside the substrate, thereby forming a modified layer inside the substrate along each division line.