Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyester sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyester sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyester sheet as applying a pressure to the polyester sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyester sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of cooling the polyester sheet, pushing up each device chip through the polyester sheet, and then picking up each device chip from the polyester sheet.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyolefin sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyolefin sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyolefin sheet as applying a pressure to the polyolefin sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyolefin sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of cooling the polyolefin sheet, pushing up each device chip through the polyolefin sheet, and then picking up each device chip from the polyolefin sheet.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyolefin sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyolefin sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyolefin sheet as applying a pressure to the polyolefin sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyolefin sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of heating the polyolefin sheet, pushing up each device chip through the polyolefin sheet, and then picking up each device chip from the polyolefin sheet.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyester sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyester sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyester sheet as applying a pressure to the polyester sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyester sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of heating the polyester sheet, pushing up each device chip through the polyester sheet, and then picking up each device chip from the polyester sheet.

Abstract: An expanding method for expanding an expandable sheet is provided. A wafer is attached to a central portion of the expandable sheet and an annular frame is attached to a peripheral portion of the expandable sheet. The expanding method includes an annular frame holding step of holding the annular frame by using a holding unit, an expanding step of pushing the expandable sheet by using a pushing unit, thereby expanding the expandable sheet, a suction holding step of holding the wafer through the expandable sheet on a holding table under suction, and a push force removing step of removing a push force applied from the pushing unit to the expandable sheet. A minute projection for preventing the shrinkage of the expandable sheet is formed on the holding table along the outer circumference thereof.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyolefin sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyolefin sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyolefin sheet as applying a pressure to the polyolefin sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyolefin sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of blowing out air to push up each device chip and picking up each device chip from the polyolefin sheet.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyester sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyester sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyester sheet as applying a pressure to the polyester sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyester sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of blowing out air to push up each device chip and picking up each device chip from the polyester sheet.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyolefin sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyolefin sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyolefin sheet as applying a pressure to the polyolefin sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyolefin sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of picking up each device chip from the polyolefin sheet.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a polyester sheet providing step of positioning a wafer in an inside opening of a ring frame and providing a polyester sheet on a back side of the wafer and on a back side of the ring frame, a uniting step of heating the polyester sheet as applying a pressure to the polyester sheet to thereby unite the wafer and the ring frame through the polyester sheet by thermocompression bonding, a dividing step of cutting the wafer by using a cutting apparatus to thereby divide the wafer into individual device chips, and a pickup step of picking up each device chip from the polyester sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of processing a workpiece having a plurality of streets provided on a face side thereof, the method including: a laser beam applying step of applying a laser beam having a wavelength that is transmittable through the workpiece along the streets while focusing the laser beam at a point within the workpiece, thereby forming modified layers in the workpiece along the streets and cracks extending from the modified layers to the face side; and a cutting step of, thereafter, cutting the workpiece from a reverse side thereof along the streets while supplying the workpiece with a cutting fluid, thereby removing the modified layers from the workpiece.

Abstract: An expanding method for expanding an expandable sheet is provided. A wafer is attached to a central portion of the expandable sheet and an annular frame is attached to a peripheral portion of the expandable sheet. The expanding method includes an annular frame holding step of holding the annular frame by using a holding unit, an expanding step of pushing the expandable sheet by using a pushing unit, thereby expanding the expandable sheet, a suction holding step of holding the wafer through the expandable sheet on a holding table under suction, and a push force removing step of removing a push force applied from the pushing unit to the expandable sheet. A minute projection for preventing the shrinkage of the expandable sheet is formed on the holding table along the outer circumference thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of processing a workpiece having a plurality of streets provided on a face side thereof, the method including: a laser beam applying step of applying a laser beam having a wavelength that is transmittable through the workpiece along the streets while focusing the laser beam at a point within the workpiece, thereby forming modified layers in the workpiece along the streets and cracks extending from the modified layers to the face side; and a cutting step of, thereafter, cutting the workpiece from a reverse side thereof along the streets while supplying the workpiece with a cutting fluid, thereby removing the modified layers from the workpiece.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a cut groove forming step of positioning, from a back side of the substrate, a cutting blade to an area corresponding to a division line to form cut grooves in such a manner that the cutting blade does not reach a functional layer and part of a substrate is left, and a functional layer cutting step of performing irradiation with a laser beam along the division lines formed in the functional layer forming a wafer to perform ablation processing for the functional layer and cut the functional layer. In the cut groove forming step, the cut grooves are formed along the division lines in such a manner that an uncut part is left in a peripheral area of the wafer.

Abstract: A wafer processing method includes a cut groove forming step of positioning, from a back side of the substrate, a cutting blade to an area corresponding to a division line to form cut grooves in such a manner that the cutting blade does not reach a functional layer and part of a substrate is left, and a functional layer cutting step of performing irradiation with a laser beam along the division lines formed in the functional layer forming a wafer to perform ablation processing for the functional layer and cut the functional layer. In the cut groove forming step, the cut grooves are formed along the division lines in such a manner that an uncut part is left in a peripheral area of the wafer.

Abstract: In a wafer processing method, the back side of the wafer is ground to reduce the thickness of the wafer to a predetermined thickness. A modified layer is formed by applying a laser beam to the wafer from the back side of the wafer along each division line with the focal point of the laser beam set inside the wafer. The wafer is mounted on a reinforcing sheet having an insulating function on the back side of the wafer and a dicing tape is attached to the reinforcing sheet. The peripheral portion of the dicing tape is supported by an annular frame. The wafer is heated, which also heats the reinforcing sheet, thereby hardening the reinforcing sheet. An external force is applied to the wafer to divide the wafer into individual devices along each division line and to also break the reinforcing sheet along the individual devices.

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 method includes a functional layer removing step of applying a CO2 laser beam to the wafer along each division line with the spot of the CO2 laser beam, having a width corresponding to the width of each division line set on the upper surface of each division line, thereby removing a functional layer along each division line to form a groove along each division line where the functional layer has been removed, and a groove shaping and debris removing step of applying a laser beam having a wavelength in the ultraviolet region to the wafer along each groove, thereby removing debris sticking to the bottom surface of each groove and also shaping the side walls of each groove.

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 method includes a functional layer removing step of applying a CO2 laser beam to the wafer along each division line with the spot of the CO2 laser beam, having a width corresponding to the width of each division line set on the upper surface of each division line, thereby removing a functional layer along each division line to form a groove along each division line where the functional layer has been removed, and a groove shaping and debris removing step of applying a laser beam having a wavelength in the ultraviolet region to the wafer along each groove, thereby removing debris sticking to the bottom surface of each groove and also shaping the side walls of each groove.

Abstract: In a wafer processing method, the back side of the wafer is ground to reduce the thickness of the wafer to a predetermined thickness. A modified layer is formed by applying a laser beam to the wafer from the back side of the wafer along each division line with the focal point of the laser beam set inside the wafer. The wafer is mounted on a reinforcing sheet having an insulating function on the back side of the wafer and a dicing tape is attached to the reinforcing sheet. The peripheral portion of the dicing tape is supported by an annular frame. The wafer is heated, which also heats the reinforcing sheet, thereby hardening the reinforcing sheet. An external force is applied to the wafer to divide the wafer into individual devices along each division line and to also break the reinforcing sheet along the individual devices.

Abstract: A dividing method for a platelike workpiece having a two-layer structure such that a solder layer (metal layer) is formed on the back side of a wafer (substrate). First, a modified layer is formed in the wafer along each division line formed on the front side of the wafer. Thereafter, the workpiece is bent along each division line to thereby divide the wafer along each division line from the corresponding modified layer as a starting point and simultaneously form a weak portion in the solder layer along each division line. Thereafter, an expandion tape attached to the solder layer is expanded to apply an external force to the solder layer, thereby dividing the solder layer along each division line from the corresponding weak portion as a starting point. Thus, the workpiece is completely divided.