Abstract: A stripping method for stripping a support plate from a laminate including a substrate and the support plate adhered to the wafer via an adhesive layer, in which the adhesive layer is formed from an adhesive compound soluble in a non-polar solvent or a highly polar solvent; and the stripping method includes the step of supplying the non-polar solvent or the highly polar solvent, so that the non-polar solvent or the highly polar solvent is retained at least on an edge portion of that surface of the laminate which faces the support plate, and on a lateral surface of the laminate.

Abstract: A separating apparatus includes a sucking plate for sticking to a support plate by suction. The sucking plate has sucking holes for expelling gas from a space between the sucking plate and the support plate. Each of the sucking holes has a diameter of not less than 0.3 mm and not more than an outer diameter of the support plate. This makes it possible to separate a supporting plate from a wafer without breaking the wafer.

Abstract: A separating device according to the present invention separates a support plate (14) from a substrate (12) of a laminate (10) including the substrate (12) and the support plate (14) bonded to each other. The separating device includes: a first storing section (20) for storing the laminate (10); a plurality of first processing sections (30) for reducing adhesive force of an adhesive (13) applied between the substrate (12) and the support plate (14); and a first carrying section (50) which is capable of moving in the first direction and carries the laminate (10) from the first storing section (20) to the first processing section (30) while holding the laminate (10). With the first carrying section (50), it is possible to provide a separating device (100) which moves straightly so as to carry the laminate (10).

Abstract: A treatment liquid permeation unit comprises: at least one vibration unit; and a vibration transmission unit for transmitting a vibration from the vibration unit. The vibration transmission unit is positioned between an adhesive with which a wafer is combined to a supporting plate or an adhesive adhered to a surface of the wafer and the vibration unit. A vibration from the vibration unit is transmitted via the vibration transmission unit. This promotes the treatment liquid for dissolving the adhesive to permeate the adhesive to which the treatment liquid is supplied. Therefore, the treatment liquid can more uniformly permeate the adhesive in a shorter time. This allows the treatment liquid for dissolving the adhesive to permeate the adhesive with which the wafer is combined to the supporting plate or to permeate the adhesive adhered to the surface of the wafer in a shorter time.

Abstract: A wafer can be thinned without occurrences of dimples. A support plate 1 has a number of through holes 10. A circuit forming surface of a wafer 2 is adhered to one surface of the support plate by an adhesive member 4, and a dimple prevention member 3 having a thickness of 100 ?m or more and having an adhesive layer 30 on one face is adhered to the other surface, thus the openings at both ends of the through holes 10 are blocked. The support plate is vacuum adsorbed to a support table through the dimple prevention member, and a non circuit-forming face of the wafer is ground/polished to thin the wafer. The dimple prevention member is stripped off, and a solvent is penetrated into the adhesive member through the through holes to detach the wafer from the support plate.

Abstract: A stripping method for stripping a support plate from a laminate including a substrate and the support plate adhered to the wafer via an adhesive layer, in which the adhesive layer is formed from an adhesive compound soluble in a non-polar solvent or a highly polar solvent; and the stripping method includes the step of supplying the non-polar solvent or the highly polar solvent, so that the non-polar solvent or the highly polar solvent is retained at least on an edge portion of that surface of the laminate which faces the support plate, and on a lateral surface of the laminate.

Abstract: The treatment device 100 of the present invention is a treatment device for carrying out treatment to a treatment object 18 whose treatment surface includes a second treatment surface 18b and a first treatment surface 18a surrounding the second treatment surface 18b, the treatment device including: a table section 10 for placing the treatment object 18 thereon; and a first feeding section 24 for feeding a first treatment liquid to an approximate boundary between the first and the second treatment surfaces 18a, 18b and a second feeding section 46 for feeding a second treatment liquid to the second treatment surface 18b. Thus, the present invention provides a treatment device, a treatment method, and a surface treatment jig, each of the treatment device and the treatment method being capable of carrying out independent treatments to a treatment surface and an exposed surface surrounding the treatment surface, respectively.

Abstract: In order to provide a liquid solvent abutment unit for accelerating the reaction of a liquid solvent against an adhesive member existing between a perforated support plate and a wafer, a liquid solvent abutment unit comprises: a supply part for supplying a support plate surface with a liquid solvent; a retention part for retaining the supplied liquid solvent in the hole-formed region on the support plate surface; a recovery part for recovering the liquid solvent retained in the hole-formed region; and a vibration unit for vibrating the liquid solvent.

Abstract: A separating apparatus according to the present invention includes a sucking plate for sticking to a support plate by suction. The sucking plate has sucking holes 3 and 3? for expelling gas from a space between the sucking plate and the support plate. Each of the sucking holes 3 and 3? has a diameter of not less than 0.3 mm and not more than an outer diameter of the support plate. This makes it possible to separate a supporting plate from a wafer without breaking the wafer.

Abstract: A wafer can be thinned without occurrences of dimples. A support plate 1 has a number of through holes 10. A circuit forming surface of a wafer 2 is adhered to one surface of the support plate by an adhesive member 4, and a dimple prevention member 3 having a thickness of 100 ?m or more and having an adhesive layer 30 on one face is adhered to the other surface, thus the openings at both ends of the through holes 10 are blocked. The support plate is vacuum adsorbed to a support table through the dimple prevention member, and a non circuit-forming face of the wafer is ground/polished to thin the wafer. The dimple prevention member is stripped off, and a solvent is penetrated into the adhesive member through the through holes to detach the wafer from the support plate.

Abstract: A supporting plate peeling apparatus in accordance with the present invention has removal means for removing an adhesive agent remaining on a side of a wafer from which a supporting plate has been peeled off, which adhesive agent is removed after (i) a supporting plate which supports a wafer reduced in thickness has been peeled off from the wafer and (ii) the side from which the supporting plate has been peeled off is washed with a washing liquid. The supporting plate peeling apparatus in accordance with the present invention is a supporting plate peeling apparatus which can remove the adhesive agent that remains on the side of the wafer from which the supporting plate has been peeled off that could not be completely removed just by the washing liquid, and which allows satisfactory completion of a peeling step.

Abstract: To provide a perforated support plate with high rigidity, the perforated support plate for supporting a surface of a wafer by interposing an adhesive layer comprises a reinforcing part for deflection prevention.

Abstract: A treatment liquid permeation unit (10) of the present invention comprises: at least one vibration unit (11); and a vibration transmission unit (12) for transmitting a vibration from the vibration unit (11). The vibration transmission unit (12) is positioned between an adhesive with which a wafer (20) is combined to a supporting plate (21) or an adhesive adhered to a surface of the wafer (20) and the vibration unit (11). A vibration from the vibration unit (11) is transmitted via the vibration transmission unit (12). This promotes the treatment liquid for dissolving the adhesive to permeate the adhesive to which the treatment liquid is supplied. Therefore, the treatment liquid can more uniformly permeate the adhesive in a shorter time. This allows the treatment liquid for dissolving the adhesive to permeate the adhesive with which the wafer is combined to the supporting plate or to permeate the adhesive adhered to the surface of the wafer in a shorter time.

Abstract: A separating device according to the present invention separates a support plate (14) from a substrate (12) of a laminate (10) including the substrate (12) and the support plate (14) bonded to each other. The separating device includes: a first storing section (20) for storing the laminate (10); a plurality of first processing sections (30) for reducing adhesive force of an adhesive (13) applied between the substrate (12) and the support plate (14); and a first carrying section (50) which is capable of moving in the first direction and carries the laminate (10) from the first storing section (20) to the first processing section (30) while holding the laminate (10). With the first carrying section (50), it is possible to provide a separating device (100) which moves straightly so as to carry the laminate (10).

Abstract: A surface treating jig of the present invention includes a treatment solution collecting section having (i) a ring-like groove formed on a surface (a) facing to a surface (a) to be treated of a semiconductor wafer and (ii) a through hole for collecting the treatment solution, the through hole formed so as to be continuous with the ring-like groove. With this arrangement, the present invention provides a surface treatment apparatus that prevents the treatment solution from spattering to a surface other than the surface (a) to be treated, and thereby, treatment with the treatment solution can be performed only with respect to the target surface.