Abstract: To provide a method of processing a sapphire substrate, where reduction in luminance of light emitting devices can be suppressed if a sapphire substrate is divided into individual light emitting devices by irradiation of a laser beam, a pulsed laser beam having a small pulse energy of 0.6 ?J to 10 ?J, and an extremely small pulse width in a range of femto-second is irradiated to the sapphire substrate while a condensing point is positioned within each of regions corresponding to predetermined division lines on the sapphire substrate so that affected zones are formed, thereby the laser beam can be irradiated even at a high peak power density of 4×1013 W/cm2 to 5×1015 W/cm2, consequently each of the affected zones can be formed at only a desired condensing point within the sapphire substrate, and necessary processing can be performed while damage to nitride semiconductors or the sapphire substrate is minimized.

Abstract: A wafer laser processing method for forming a groove along streets in a wafer by moving the wafer at a predetermined feed rate while a laser beam whose focal spot is elliptic is applied along the streets formed on the wafer, comprising: a groove forming step for forming a groove along the streets by applying a first laser beam whose elliptic focal spot has a ratio of the long axis to the short axis of 30 to 60:1, along the streets formed on the wafer; and a debris removing step for removing debris accumulated in the groove by applying a second laser beam whose elliptic focal spot has a ratio of the long axis to the short axis of 1 to 20:1, along the groove formed by the groove forming step; the groove forming step and the debris removing step being repeated alternately.

Abstract: A method of dividing a wafer along predetermined dividing lines, comprising the steps of a deteriorated layer forming step for applying a pulse laser beam capable of passing through the wafer along the dividing lines to form deteriorated layers in the inside of the wafer along the dividing lines; an extensible protective tape affixing step for affixing an extensible protective tape to one side of the wafer before or after the deteriorated layer forming step; and a dividing step for dividing the wafer along the deteriorated layers by expanding the protective tape affixed to the wafer after the deteriorated layer forming step.

Abstract: A method of dividing, along dividing lines, a wafer having function elements formed in areas sectioned by the dividing lines formed in a lattice pattern on the front surface, which comprises: a protective member affixing step for affixing a protective member to the front surface of the wafer; a polishing step for polishing the back surface of the wafer having the protective member affixed to the front surface; a deteriorated layer formation step for forming a deteriorated layer along the dividing lines in the inside of the wafer by applying a pulse laser beam capable of passing through the wafer to the wafer along the dividing lines from the polished back surface side of the wafer; a frame holding step for affixing the back surface of the wafer in which the deteriorated layers have been formed along the dividing lines, to a dicing tape mounted on an annular frame; a dividing step for dividing the wafer into individual chips along the dividing lines by exerting external force along the dividing lines where the

Abstract: A laser processing apparatus comprising a chuck table, laser beam irradiation means for irradiating a workpiece held on the chuck table with a laser beam, and processing feed means for processing-feeding the chuck table and the laser beam irradiation means relative to each other. The laser beam irradiation means includes first laser beam irradiation means for throwing a first pulsed laser beam having a wavelength in the intermediate-infrared radiation region, and second laser beam irradiation means for throwing a second pulsed laser beam having a wavelength in the ultraviolet radiation region. The first laser beam irradiation means and the second laser beam irradiation means are set such that at least a part, in the processing feed direction, of the focus spot of the second pulsed laser beam overlaps the focus spot of the first pulsed laser beam.

Abstract: A laser CVD device capable of tightening adhesion of a film formed by laser CVD to a film formation face of a substrate and preventing cracks from occurring in the film itself is to be provided. The device comprises a plasma pretreating unit for turning pretreating gas into a plasma state by arc discharge and for supplying the plasma sate gas to the film formation face; and a film forming unit having means for sealing film forming gas while being isolated from an external atmosphere, means for radiating a laser beam to the film forming gas, wherein the film is formed over the film formation face of the substrate.

Abstract: To prevent heating of a holding table that holds a wafer when using a laser beam to process a wafer, a wafer holding mechanism has a wafer holder having a holding surface that holds a wafer and a suction part formed on an outer peripheral side of the wafer holder, with the wafer held to the holding surface by a suction force transmitted to the holding surface from the suction part through an outer peripheral edge part of the wafer holder. The wafer can be held in place with suction without forming fine holes that penetrate the wafer holder from a front surface thereof to a back surface thereof, and therefore a material of good permeability and dispersibility with respect to the wavelength of the laser light can be selected for the wafer holder.

Abstract: A laser beam processing machine comprising a chuck table for holding a workpiece, a laser beam application means for applying a laser beam to the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a processing-feed means for moving the chuck table and the laser beam application means relative to each other, wherein the chuck table comprises a body and a workpiece holding member disposed on the top surface of the body, and the workpiece holding member is made of a material which transmits a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength.

Abstract: A silicon wafer laser processing method for forming a deteriorated layer along dividing lines formed on a silicon wafer in the inside of the silicon wafer by applying a laser beam along the dividing lines, wherein the wavelength of the laser beam is set to 1,100 to 2,000 nm.

Abstract: A method for the laser processing of a wafer having a plurality of devices which are composed of a laminate consisting of an insulating film and a functional film on the front surface of a substrate, the method comprising applying a pulse laser beam along streets for sectioning the plurality of devices to form grooves along the streets, wherein a pulse width of the pulse laser beam is set to 100 to 1,000 ns.

Abstract: In order to correct a white defect on a surface of a substrate, the substrate is held with the surface facing downward, laser light is upward irradiated at the defect on the surface in material gas, and as a result, the white defect is covered with film.

Abstract: In a laser machining method for removing remaining defects on a photomask, there has been problems to be resolved that damage is formed at the portion of the substrate where the defect has been removed, thus resulting in degraded quality of machining. In a laser machining method for removing remaining defects on a photomask by a method of laser machining, the remaining defects are removed by using a configuration in which irradiation with a laser beam is performed from below with a to-be-machined surface directed downward, and irradiation with a laser beam in an atmosphere containing a halogenated hydrocarbon gas (as an example, ethyl iodide).

Abstract: A method of dividing, along dividing lines, a wafer having function elements formed in areas sectioned by the dividing lines formed in a lattice pattern on the front surface, comprising: a frame holding step for affixing the back surface of the wafer to a dicing tape mounted on an annular frame; a deteriorated layer forming step for forming a deteriorated layer along the dividing lines in the inside of the wafer by applying a pulse laser beam capable of passing through the wafer to the wafer along the dividing lines, from the side of the front surface of the wafer held on the frame; a dividing step for dividing the wafer into individual chips along the dividing lines by exerting external force along the dividing lines where the deteriorated layers have been formed of the wafer held on the frame; an expansion step for enlarging the interval between chips by stretching the dicing tape affixed to the wafer divided into individual chips; and a picking up step for picking up each chip from the expanded dicing tape

Abstract: A method of dividing, along dividing lines, a wafer having function elements formed in areas sectioned by the dividing lines formed in a lattice pattern on the front surface, which comprises: a protective member affixing step for affixing a protective member to the front surface of the wafer; a polishing step for polishing the back surface of the wafer having the protective member affixed to the front surface; a deteriorated layer formation step for forming a deteriorated layer along the dividing lines in the inside of the wafer by applying a pulse laser beam capable of passing through the wafer to the wafer along the dividing lines from the polished back surface side of the wafer; a frame holding step for affixing the back surface of the wafer in which the deteriorated layers have been formed along the dividing lines, to a dicing tape mounted on an annular frame; a dividing step for dividing the wafer into individual chips along the dividing lines by exerting external force along the dividing lines where the

Abstract: An apparatus for checking a laser processed deteriorated layer formed in the inside of a workpiece by applying a laser beam capable of passing through the workpiece to the workpiece, comprising a workpiece holding means for holding the workpiece; a light application means for applying light capable of passing through the workpiece held on the workpiece holding means to the exposed surface of the workpiece at a predetermined angle; a light receiving means for receiving light that is applied from the light application, passes through the inside of the workpiece and is reflected from the workpiece; and a display means for displaying the state of light received by the light receiving means.

Abstract: A processing method using a laser beam, which can locate the focus point of a laser beam (82), sufficiently easily and promptly, at a position of a predetermined depth (D) below the face of a workpiece (34). The spacing between a focusing optical system (78) and the face of the workpiece when the laser beam is focused onto the face of the workpiece is adopted as a reference spacing (BL), and the spacing (SL) between the focusing optical system and the face of the workpiece is set based on a set equation taking into consideration the numerical aperture of the focusing optical system and the refractive index of the workpiece in combination with the reference spacing (BL).

Abstract: A processing apparatus using a laser beam, which comprises holding means for holding a workpiece, and laser beam application means for irradiating the workpiece, held by the holding means, with a pulsed laser beam capable of passing through the workpiece, thereby deteriorating the workpiece. The laser beam application means includes pulsed laser beam oscillation means and transmitting/focusing means for transmitting and focusing the pulsed laser beam oscillated by the pulsed laser beam oscillation means. The transmitting/focusing means focuses the pulsed laser beam, with a time difference provided, to at least two focus points displaced in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: In order to correct a white defect on a surface of a substrate, the substrate is held with the surface facing downward, laser light is upward irradiated at the defect on the surface in material gas, and as a result, the white defect is covered with film.

Abstract: A method of dividing a silicon wafer along predetermined dividing lines, comprising a deteriorated layer forming step for forming deteriorated layers exposed to at least a surface to which a laser beam is applied, from the inside of the silicon wafer by applying a pulse laser beam with a wavelength capable of passing through the silicon wafer to the silicon wafer along the dividing lines; and a dividing step for dividing the silicon wafer along the dividing lines by applying a laser beam having absorptivity for the silicon wafer to the silicon wafer along the dividing lines where the deteriorated layers have been formed, from the side to which the deteriorated layers have been exposed, to generate thermal stress along the dividing lines.

Abstract: A method of dividing a wafer along predetermined dividing lines, comprising the steps of a deteriorated layer forming step for applying a pulse laser beam capable of passing through the wafer along the dividing lines to form deteriorated layers in the inside of the wafer along the dividing lines; an extensible protective tape affixing step for affixing an extensible protective tape to one side of the wafer before or after the deteriorated layer forming step; and a dividing step for dividing the wafer along the deteriorated layers by expanding the protective tape affixed to the wafer after the deteriorated layer forming step.