Abstract: A laser reflow apparatus reflows solder bumps disposed on a side of a semiconductor chip in a workpiece and included in an irradiation range on the workpiece by applying a laser beam to an opposite side of the semiconductor chip. The laser reflow apparatus includes a spatial beam modulation unit including a laser power density setting function to locally set the laser power density in the irradiation range of a laser beam emitted from a laser beam source, and an image focusing unit including an image focusing function to focus the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source and apply the focused laser beam to the irradiation range on the workpiece.

Abstract: A laser beam applying apparatus has a laser beam applying unit including a laser beam source for emitting the laser beam, a spatial light modulator for modulating the laser beam, according to phase patterns, and emitting the modulated laser beam, and a beam focusing assembly for focusing the laser beam modulated by the spatial light modulator and applying the focused laser beam to a plate-shaped workpiece. The laser beam applying apparatus also has a controller including a phase pattern storage section for storing a plurality of phase patterns representing respective different positions in a plane of the plate-shaped workpiece where the laser beam is applied when the phase patterns are displayed on the spatial light modulator, and a phase pattern control section for switching to predetermined phase patterns among the phase patterns stored in the phase pattern storage section as the phase patterns displayed on the spatial light modulator.

Abstract: A laser reflow method includes a preparation step of preparing a workpiece including a board and semiconductor chips that each have bumps formed on one surface thereof and are placed on the board with the bumps interposed therebetween and a laser beam irradiation step of irradiating the semiconductor chips with a laser beam from a side of another surface opposite to the one surface, thereby reflowing bumps formed within an irradiated area of the workpiece. In the laser beam irradiation step, the irradiation with the laser beam is carried out while an irradiation range of the laser beam is changed in stages from a region including an outer peripheral portion of the irradiated area toward a region including a central portion of the irradiated area.

Abstract: A laser beam irradiating apparatus includes a laser oscillator configured to emit a laser beam, a first polarization beam splitter configured to separate the laser beam into a first laser beam of s-polarized light and a second laser beam of p-polarized light, a first spatial light modulator configured to modulate the first laser beam according to a phase pattern, and emit the resulting first laser beam, a second spatial light modulator configured to modulate the second laser beam according to a phase pattern, and emit the resulting second laser beam; a second polarization beam splitter configured to synthesize the first laser beam emitted from the first spatial light modulator and the second laser beam emitted from the second spatial light modulator, and an imaging unit configured to image the synthesized laser beam, and irradiate a target object with the resulting laser beam.

Abstract: A peeling layer is formed in a workpiece in a state in which a laser beam is condensed so as to have a larger length along an indexing feed direction than a length along a processing feed direction. In this case, cracks included in the peeling layer extend along the indexing feed direction easily. It is consequently possible to increase a relative moving distance (index) between a place where the laser beam is condensed and the workpiece in an indexing feed step. As a result, it is possible to improve the throughput of a substrate manufacturing method using the laser beam.

Abstract: A processing method of a wafer in which a modified layer is formed inside the wafer. In the processing method, irradiation with a first laser beam is executed from a back surface side of the wafer and the modified layer is formed inside the wafer. Then, irradiation with a second laser beam is executed with the focal point thereof positioned to the inside or the front surface of the wafer and reflected light is imaged by an imaging unit. Furthermore, a processing state of the wafer is determined on the basis of a taken image. The second laser beam is shaped in such a manner that a sectional shape thereof in a surface perpendicular to a traveling direction thereof becomes asymmetric across the modified layer.

Abstract: An adjustment method of a laser processing apparatus includes a spatial light modulator adjustment step of adjusting a spatial light modulator into a state ready for splitting a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator and applying a plurality of laser beams such that laser beams will have a desired positional relation, a processing mark formation step of operating the laser oscillator to apply the laser beams to a wafer such that a plurality of processing marks is formed, an imaging step of stopping the laser oscillator, and imaging the processing marks formed at the wafer, and an aberration correction step of correcting aberration of the condenser by comparing the desired positional relation and a positional relation among the imaged processing marks, and adjusting the spatial light modulator such that the positional relation among the processing marks conforms to the desired positional relation.

Abstract: A wafer processing method for forming a modified layer within a wafer along planned dividing lines forms the modified layer within the wafer, positions a condensing point within the wafer or at a top surface of the wafer and applies a second laser beam while moving the condensing point, images reflected light, and determines a processed state of the wafer on the basis of an imaged image. The second laser beam is formed such that a sectional shape of the second laser beam in a plane perpendicular to a traveling direction of the second laser beam is not axisymmetric with respect to an axis along the planned dividing lines.

Abstract: A wafer processing method for forming a modified layer within a wafer along planned dividing lines forms the modified layer within the wafer, positions a condensing point within the wafer or at the top surface of the wafer and applies a second laser beam while moving the condensing point in a thickness direction of the wafer, images reflected light, and determines the processed state of the wafer on the basis of a photographed image. The second laser beam is formed such that the sectional shape of the second laser beam in a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the second laser beam is asymmetric with respect to the modified layer.

Abstract: An electrode welding method includes a laser irradiation apparatus preparation step of preparing a laser irradiation apparatus including a laser oscillator that emits a laser beam with a wavelength having absorbability with respect to a semiconductor chip and a spatial light modulator that adjusts the energy distribution of the laser beam emitted by the laser oscillator, an electrode positioning step of positioning, corresponding to electrodes of a wiring substrate, bump electrodes of a device, and an electrode welding step of irradiating the back surface of the semiconductor chip with the laser beam and welding the bump electrodes to the electrodes of the wiring substrate.

Abstract: A wafer processing method for forming a modified layer within a wafer along planned dividing lines forms the modified layer within the wafer, positions a condensing point within the wafer or at a top surface of the wafer and applies a second laser beam while moving the condensing point, images reflected light, and determines a processed state of the wafer on the basis of an imaged image. The second laser beam is formed such that a sectional shape of the second laser beam in a plane perpendicular to a traveling direction of the second laser beam is not axisymmetric with respect to an axis along the planned dividing lines.

Abstract: A processing method of a wafer in which a modified layer is formed inside the wafer. In the processing method, irradiation with a first laser beam is executed from a back surface side of the wafer and the modified layer is formed inside the wafer. Then, irradiation with a second laser beam is executed with the focal point thereof positioned to the inside or the front surface of the wafer and reflected light is imaged by an imaging unit. Furthermore, a processing state of the wafer is determined on the basis of a taken image. The second laser beam is shaped in such a manner that a sectional shape thereof in a surface perpendicular to a traveling direction thereof becomes asymmetric across the modified layer.

Abstract: A wafer processing method for forming a modified layer within a wafer along planned dividing lines forms the modified layer within the wafer, positions a condensing point within the wafer or at the top surface of the wafer and applies a second laser beam while moving the condensing point in a thickness direction of the wafer, images reflected light, and determines the processed state of the wafer on the basis of a photographed image. The second laser beam is formed such that the sectional shape of the second laser beam in a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the second laser beam is asymmetric with respect to the modified layer.

Abstract: A laser reflow apparatus reflows solder bumps disposed on a side of a semiconductor chip in a workpiece and included in an irradiation range on the workpiece by applying a laser beam to an opposite side of the semiconductor chip. The laser reflow apparatus includes a spatial beam modulation unit including a laser power density setting function to locally set the laser power density in the irradiation range of a laser beam emitted from a laser beam source, and an image focusing unit including an image focusing function to focus the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source and apply the focused laser beam to the irradiation range on the workpiece.

Abstract: A non-destructive detection method includes, after carrying out a preparation step of preparing an inspection apparatus, an image acquisition step of intermittently moving an objective lens by a predetermined distance in a Z-axis direction orthogonal to an X-Y plane to be made closer to a first surface, positioning a focal point to a Z-axis coordinate value where a distance of the focal point extends by a refractive index of a workpiece, acquiring an X-Y plane image of an inside of the workpiece for each of a plurality of Z-axis coordinate values, and then, recording the acquired images in a recording unit, and a modified layer detecting step of detecting a state of a modified layer from the X-Y plane image for each of the plurality of Z-axis coordinate values recorded in the recording unit.

Abstract: A non-destructive detection method includes, after carrying out a preparation step of preparing an inspection apparatus, an image acquisition step of intermittently moving an objective lens by a predetermined distance in a Z-axis direction orthogonal to an X-Y plane to be made closer to a first surface, positioning a focal point to a Z-axis coordinate value where a distance of the focal point extends by a refractive index of a workpiece, acquiring an X-Y plane image of an inside of the workpiece for each of a plurality of Z-axis coordinate values, and then, recording the acquired images in a recording unit, and a modified layer detecting step of detecting a state of a modified layer from the X-Y plane image for each of the plurality of Z-axis coordinate values recorded in the recording unit.