Abstract: A modular apparatus (10) for machining flat sheets, in particular glass, plate glass, or mirror sheets or sheets made from stone materials or the like, comprising machining moduli consisting of a first store (16) suitable for receiving sheets to be machined (25) and a second store (18) suitable for receiving machined sheets (27), a first grinding machine (12), and a second grinding machine (14) suitable for performing grinding machinings along the peripheral edges of said sheets (25), one or more further moduli for machining said flat sheets, if any, of the corner cutting, drill, or washing machine types, possibly associated with said first and second grinding machines (12, 14), and interface means for transferring said flat sheets between said machining moduli.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a wafer product, including the steps of: chamfering a circumferential edge portion of a wafer; lapping or double-side grinding main surfaces thereof; etching; mirror-polishing the main surface; and mirror-polishing the chamfered portion. The chamfered portion has a cross-sectional shape including: a first inclined portion continuous from the first main surface; a first arc portion continuous from the first inclined portion and having a radius of curvature; a second inclined portion continuous from the second main surface; a second arc portion continuous from the second inclined portion and having a radius of curvature; and an end portion connecting the first arc portion to the second arc portion. This provides a method for manufacturing a wafer by which a variation in a chamfered cross-sectional shape in a circumferential direction caused by etching can be suppressed.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a cassette placing section, a processing unit, a transfer area, and an image capturing unit. On the cassette placing section, a cassette accommodating a plurality of substrates is placed. The processing unit washes or etches a peripheral portion of each substrate taken out from the cassette. The transfer area is interposed between the cassette placing section and the processing unit, and the substrate is transferred therein. The image capturing unit is disposed in the transfer area to capture an image of the substrate processed by the processing unit. The image includes both of (i) a peripheral portion of an upper surface or a lower surface of the substrate and (ii) an end face of the substrate.

Abstract: Example features relate to a method of polishing a chamfered wafer surface, the method including beveling a wafer to generate the chamfered wafer surface, the chamfered wafer surface being inclined with respect to a main wafer surface by an angle ?; and polishing the chamfered wafer surface with a polishing pad, a polishing surface of the polishing pad being inclined with respect to the chamfered wafer surface by an angle ?; wherein the angle ? is equal to or smaller than the angle ?. Example features relate to a system for polishing the chamfered surface, the system including a polishing pad mounting jig configured to polish the chamfered surface, an angle ? being defined between the chamfered surface and the main surface; and a polishing pad in contact with the chamfered surface at an angle ? during polishing; wherein the angle ? is smaller than the angle ?.

Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate defining a top surface thereof, a bottom surface thereof facing the top surface, and side surfaces thereof connecting the top and bottom surfaces to each other. The side surfaces included: a first side surface defined by: a first patterned surface including a first pattern of which a length thereof extends in a diagonal direction in a plan view of the first patterned surface, and a second patterned surface which extends obliquely from an upper end of the first patterned surface, the second patterned surface including a second pattern of which a length thereof extends in a perpendicular direction from the upper end of the first patterned surface in a plan view of the second patterned surface.

Abstract: To provide a polishing apparatus capable of polishing bevel portions of varying shape by selecting a suitable polishing recipe, based on a state before polishing. The polishing apparatus 100 comprises: a holding/polishing unit 102 for holding and polishing a workpiece W1; and an identifying unit 104 for identifying data 104a associated with a state of the peripheral portion of the substrate W1 before polishing. The holding/polishing unit 102 comprises: a holder 106 for holding and rotating the substrate W1; and a polisher 108 for polishing the peripheral portion of the substrate W1 by pressing a polishing member against the peripheral portion. A polishing-condition determiner 110 determines a polishing condition, based on data 104a indicating to which type, of a plurality of shape-related types, the shape of a given peripheral portion belongs.

Abstract: A washing device includes: a plurality of spindles which holds a substrate and rotates the substrate about a central axis of the substrate as a rotary axis; and a single tube nozzle which discharges a washing liquid toward an upper surface of the substrate, wherein the single tube nozzle discharges the washing liquid so that the washing liquid lands in front of the center of the substrate and the landed washing liquid flows on the upper surface of the substrate toward the center of the substrate. A liquid flow on the upper surface of the substrate after landing of the washing liquid discharged from the single tube nozzle passes through the center of the substrate.

Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate defining a top surface thereof, a bottom surface thereof facing the top surface, and side surfaces thereof connecting the top and bottom surfaces to each other. The side surfaces included: a first side surface defined by: a first patterned surface including a first pattern of which a length thereof extends in a diagonal direction in a plan view of the first patterned surface, and a second patterned surface which extends obliquely from an upper end of the first patterned surface, the second patterned surface including a second pattern of which a length thereof extends in a perpendicular direction from the upper end of the first patterned surface in a plan view of the second patterned surface.

Abstract: A lens manufacturing method including a holding step of holding a lens in a lens holding fixture, and a machining step of machining a surface to be machined in the held lens. A reverse surface of the surface to be machined is machined into a non-planar shape with a first surface shape error. A lens holding surface of the lens holding fixture is machined into the same shape as the non-planar shape with a second surface shape error smaller than the first surface shape error. In the holding step, the reverse surface is brought into surface contact with the holding surface in imitation of the holding surface to correct the shape of the lens such that the reverse surface runs along the holding surface. In the machining step, the surface to be machined is machined in a state where the correction has been made by the holding step.

Abstract: The instant disclosure relates to a wafer formed by slicing an ingot. The wafer has at least one side surface adjacent to the slicing path and topped with a nanostructure layer.

Abstract: A wine-glass polisher includes a housing having at least one cleaning chamber defined by a bottom wall and at least one sidewall. Extending from the sidewall is a wine-glass holder including a horizontal arm having a C-shaped gripping member at a distal end for holding the stem of an inverted wine glass. Immediately above the gripping member is a motorized disc for engaging the base of a wine glass to rotate it during a cleaning and drying cycle. Mounted on the sidewall, below the wine-glass holder, is an upper dispensing nozzle for projecting either drying air or steam onto the exterior surface of a wine glass. Upwardly extending from the bottom wall of the cleaning chamber is a lower dispensing nozzle for projecting drying air or hot water onto the interior surface of a wine glass. Hot water and air are sequentially delivered to the nozzles to clean and subsequently dry a wine glass.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor wafer includes: rough-polishing front and back surfaces of the semiconductor wafer; mirror-polishing a chamfered portion of the rough-polished semiconductor wafer; performing mirror finish polishing on the front surface or both the front and back surfaces of the semiconductor wafer having the mirror-polished chamfered portion; and forming an oxide film on an entire surface of the semiconductor wafer after the mirror-polishing of the chamfered portion and before the mirror finish polishing.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a top edge portion and/or a bottom edge portion of a substrate accurately and uniformly. The polishing apparatus includes a rotary holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate horizontally and to rotate the substrate and at least one polishing head disposed near the peripheral portion of the substrate. The polishing head has at least one protrusion extending along a circumferential direction of the substrate, and the polishing head is configured to press a polishing surface of a polishing tape by the protrusion against the peripheral portion of the substrate from above or below.

Abstract: A substrate separation chuck which is adapted to separate a substrate from an adhering surface. The substrate separation chuck has a support adapted to support the adhering surface. An air bearing surface is adapted to support the substrate, the air bearing surface axially moveable relative to the support. The air bearing surface has a first position adjacent the substrate with the substrate coupled to the adhering surface. The air bearing surface is moveable from the first position to a second position separating the substrate from the adhering surface without contact between the substrate and the air bearing surface.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a flipping module operable to flip a workpiece delivered by a robot in a vacuum transfer chamber (VTC) includes a gripper disposed outside a working envelope of the robot in a parked position in a vacuum environment of the VTC, and an actuator operable to move the gripper from the parked position to a receiving position, and to rotate the gripper and workpiece to thereby flip the workpiece.

Abstract: An enclosed polishing apparatus include a housing, a fixing seat, a guiding mechanism, and a chain-driven polishing mechanism. The housing includes a bottom housing and a top housing connected to the bottom housing. The fixing seat is securely placed in the bottom housing. The guiding mechanism is placed in the top housing above the fixing seat. The polishing mechanism is movably mounted on the guiding mechanism above the fixing seat. The polishing mechanism is driven and guided by the guiding mechanism to follow a desired polishing contour on a workpiece.

Abstract: Methods of shaping a glass sheet each include a step of removing a first portion of the glass sheet to form a first beveled surface. The methods further include the step of removing a second portion of the glass sheet to form a second beveled surface. The methods still further include the step of removing a third portion of the glass sheet comprising a remainder of an end surface of an edge portion of the glass sheet. In further examples, glass sheets are also provided with a first bevel surface intersecting a first glass-sheet surface and an apex surface, and a second bevel surface intersecting a second glass-sheet surface and the apex surface. The glass sheet exhibits a probability of failure of less than 5% at an edge stress of 135 MPa.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a cleaver configured to automatically cleave a bare fiber extending from an end face of a terminus or connector of a fiber optic cable, the cleaver including a bending element configured to bend the bare fiber and a defect-formation device configured to create a surface defect in surface of the bare fiber under tension when the bare fiber is bent by the bending element; and an abrader configured to automatically finish the end face of the terminus or connector after the bare fiber is cleaved.

Abstract: A method of preparing an edge-strengthened article comprises polishing of an edge of an article having a first edge strength using magnetorheological finishing, wherein after the polishing the article has a second edge strength and the second edge strength is greater than the first edge strength.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing both edge trimming and surface grinding includes two spindles for holding two workpieces, a bridge element laterally movable relative to the spindles, and two grinding wheels coupled to the bridge element. The apparatus may be a surface grinding apparatus that includes a system for enabling the surface grinding apparatus to additionally perform edge trimming. A method for processing the workpieces entails placing the two workpieces on the two spindles of the apparatus, directing the bridge element to move laterally to an edge trimming position to trim the outer edge of one workpiece using one of the grinding wheels, to move laterally to another edge trimming position to trim the outer edge of the other workpiece using one of the grinding wheels, and to move laterally to surface grinding positions to perform surface grinding on both of the workpieces using one or both of the grinding wheels.

Abstract: A method of polishing a peripheral portion of a substrate is provided. This method includes: causing sliding contact between the peripheral portion of the substrate and a polishing tape; and supplying a polishing liquid onto the polishing tape contacting the peripheral portion of the substrate. The polishing tape includes a base tape and a fixed abrasive formed on the base tape, and the polishing liquid is an alkaline polishing liquid containing an alkaline chemical and an additive including molecules that cause steric hindrance.

Abstract: An edge narrowing method for a display panel is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing the display panel, a grinding apparatus and a polishing apparatus; tilting the display panel so that the first substrate and a grinding member of the grinding apparatus have a first grinding angle therebetween; grinding the first substrate and the light-shielding area with the grinding apparatus while the display panel is tilted at the first grinding angle, thereby forming a first grinding end surface; stopping grinding of the first substrate and the light-shielding area when the width of the light-shielding area is between 0.35 and 1 mm; and polishing the first grinding end surface with the polishing apparatus to form a first end surface.

Abstract: A method of symmetrically chamfering a substrate includes repeating, at least a plurality of times, the steps of chamfering an edge of the substrate using a chamfering wheel, measuring an asymmetric chamfering deviation (y) of the edge of the substrate which is chamfered, and controlling a relative position of the chamfering wheel with respect to the substrate by a value of a function f(y) of the variable y. It is possible to constantly symmetrically chamfer the edge of the substrate via active response to a change in the chamfering environment without a hardware-based operation of the related art.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for grinding or polishing at least one edge of a glass substrate. The apparatus includes a grinding unit configured to remove a predetermined amount of material from the edge when in an aligned position. The grinding unit applies a predetermined force normal to the edge. An air bearing slide system is coupled to the grinding unit. The air bearing slide system is configured to slide along a predetermined axis on a thin film of pressurized air that provides a zero friction load bearing interface. A linear actuation motor is coupled to the air bearing slide system. The linear actuation motor is configured to control the movement of the air bearing slide system such that the grinding unit is moved from a non-aligned position to the aligned position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for polishing edge of glass substrate of display panel, which includes (1) conveying a glass substrate of a display panel to be polished to a polishing device and positioning the glass substrate for being subsequently polished by a grindstone of the polishing device; (2) providing first and second stop boards; (3) moving the first stop board to contact an upper surface of the glass substrate and moving the second stop board to contact a lower surface of the glass substrate; and (4) carrying out an edge polishing operation. By arranging the stop boards between the polished area and the non-polished area of the glass substrate, the glass chips generated during the polishing operation are prevented from flying and attaching to the surfaces of the non-polished area of the glass substrate during the polishing operation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for grinding or polishing at least one edge of a glass substrate. The apparatus includes a grinding unit configured to remove a predetermined amount of material from the edge when in an aligned position. The grinding unit applies a predetermined force normal to the edge. An air bearing slide system is coupled to the grinding unit. The air bearing slide system is configured to slide along a predetermined axis on a thin film of pressurized air that provides a zero friction load bearing interface. A linear actuation motor is coupled to the air bearing slide system. The linear actuation motor is configured to control the movement of the air bearing slide system such that the grinding unit is moved from a non-aligned position to the aligned position.

Abstract: A substrate polishing method includes starting to rotate a circular substrate and polishing an inner peripheral edge surface of a center circular hole formed in the circular substrate into a chamfered or rounded surface by pressing the inner peripheral edge surface against a bypass polishing part of a polishing tape that is conveyed intermittently or continuously and by oscillating the bypass polishing part of the polishing tape about a direction perpendicular to a direction that the center circular hole penetrates through the circular substrate. The polishing tape is guided so as to have an advancing portion advancing toward the circular substrate, a returning portion returning from the circular substrate, and a turning-back portion between the advancing portion and the returning portion guided along a side bypass. The bypass polishing part of the polishing tape is the turning-back portion of the polishing tape.

Abstract: A wafer edge trimming tool includes an abrasive tape and a holding module configured to hold the abrasive tape against portions of an edge of a rotating wafer during a wafer edge trimming process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of polishing a substrate is described. The polishing includes: rotating a substrate; pressing a first polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; and pressing a second polishing tool against the edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion. The second polishing tool is located more inwardly than the first polishing tool with respect to a radial direction of the substrate. The first polishing tool has a polishing surface rougher than a polishing surface of the second polishing tool.

Abstract: An embodiment wafer polishing tool includes an abrasive tape, a polish head holding the abrasive tape, and a rotation module. The rotation module is configured to rotate a wafer during a wafer polishing process, and the polish head is configured to apply pressure to the abrasive tape toward a first surface of the wafer during the wafer polishing process.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder to hold a substrate and to rotate the substrate, a pressing member configured to press a polishing tool against the substrate and to polish the substrate, a pressing force control mechanism configured to control a pressing force of the pressing member, and a polishing position limiting mechanism configured to limit a polishing position of the pressing member. A polishing tape or a fixed abrasive is used as the polishing tool.

Abstract: An aspect of the present embodiment, there is provided a polishing apparatus, including a stage configured to be placed a semiconductor wafer thereon and to be rotated with the semiconductor wafer, a first polishing unit configured to contact a polishing tape to one portion of the semiconductor wafer on the stage, a second polishing unit configured to contact to other portion of the semiconductor wafer, the other portion being different from the one portion, a feed unit configured to feeding the polishing tape, and a recovery unit configured to recovery the polishing tape.

Abstract: A glass-plate working machine 1 is arranged such that while a cutting head 9 for forming a cut line on a glass plate 5 and a grinding head 10 for grinding a peripheral edge of the glass plate 5 bend-broken along the cut line are being moved simultaneously in parallel under numerical control, the cutting head 9 and the grinding head 10 respectively having angle control motors 46 and 49 are synchronously subjected to angular control about axes 39 perpendicular to the surface of the glass plate 5, and the cutting head 9 and the grinding head 10 are moved such that the orientation of a cutter wheel 52 is adjusted to a processing line, and the press contacting direction of a grinding wheel 64 of the grinding head 10 is kept in a normal direction with respect to a processing line of an edge of the glass plate 5.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus 100 includes a holding stage 4 that holds a central portion of a back surface of a substrate W, a motor M1 that rotates the holding stage 4, a front surface nozzle 36 that feeds a rinse liquid to a front surface of the substrate W, a back surface nozzle 37 that feeds the rinse liquid to a back surface of the substrate W, a rinse liquid control section 110 that feeds the rinse liquid through the back surface nozzle 37 after a preset time elapses since the start of feeding of the rinse liquid through the front surface nozzle 36 and a polishing head assembly 1A that polishes a peripheral portion of the substrate installed on the holding stage 4 after the rinse liquid control section 110 feeds the rinse liquid to the substrate W.

Abstract: A glass plate includes two main flat surfaces, and a side surface adjacent to the two main flat surfaces. At least one edge part of the side surface includes a chamfered part in a thickness direction of the glass plate. The side surface includes a predetermined portion. In a case where the predetermined portion is etched with a depth of 10 ?m, an etched surface of the predetermined portion includes no pit having a depth greater than or equal to 1 ?m. The predetermined portion is a portion of the side surface in which a distance from one of the two main flat surfaces adjacent to the chamfered part in the thickness direction of the glass plate is less than or equal to ? of the thickness of the glass plate.

Abstract: During grinding of mutually parallel edges of glass plates every edge of the glass plate is ground using a grinding tool or two grinding tools disposed one behind the other and cooling agent is directed from a side of the glass plate toward the grinding tool and supplied using a supply line divided via a redirection and separating segment into a plurality of fine streams of cooling agent, and a position of the grinding tool can be adjusted such that at least the position of the grinding tools relative to the assigned edge of the glass plate, which is passing through, is calibrated and the corners of the glass plate are ground to form a chamfer.

Abstract: A method of shaping an ophthalmic lens to have a desired outline with a machining device including a blocking support for the ophthalmic lens and at least one first machining tool, the method includes: obtaining an inner cutting limit for the first machining tool; defining an initial blocking position for the ophthalmic lens and its desired outline; calculating whether at least a portion of the desired outline presents a non-zero intersection with the inner cutting limit; defining as the final blocking position either the unchanged initial blocking position if the calculated intersection is zero, or else a blocking position that is modified relative to the initial blocking position so that the desired outline as repositioned using the modified blocking position does not present an intersection with the inner cutting limit associated with the first tool; and blocking and shaping the ophthalmic lens with the desired outline.

Abstract: A grinder including a grinding unit including a grinding surface and a shaft connected to the grinding unit for rotating the grinding unit. The grinding unit includes polyurethane and a mixture of a repairer and an abrasive, and an angle ? between a plane perpendicular to a rotational axis of the shaft and the grinding surface satisfies 1°???7°.

Abstract: A method for finishing an edge of a glass sheet comprising a first grinding step and a second polishing step using different abrasive wheels. The method results in consistent finished edge quality and improved edge quality in term of sub-surface damage (SSD). The method can be advantageously utilized to finish the edges of a thin glass substrate for use as substrates of display devices, such as LCD displays and the like.

Abstract: A glass-plate working apparatus includes a glass-plate supporting portion 20a of a feed conveyor 7, a glass-plate supporting portion 20b of a cutting section 2, a glass-plate supporting portion 20c of a bend-breaking section 4, a glass-plate supporting portion 20d of a grinding section 3, and a glass-plate supporting portion 20e of a discharge conveyor 8; a cutting head 9, a bend-breaking device 66, and a grinding head 10 for processing glass plates 5 which are respectively supported by the supporting portions 20b, 20c, and 20d; and a transporting device 89 for transporting the glass plate 5 on the supporting portion 20a onto the supporting portion 20b, the glass plate 5 on the supporting portion 20b onto the supporting portion 20c, the glass plate 5 on the supporting portion 20c onto the supporting portion 20d, and the glass plate 5 on the supporting portion 20d onto the supporting portion 20e, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine, which includes (1) providing an edge polishing machine and a glass substrate to be polished, wherein a dust protection board is arranged above a platform bearing a glass substrate to form a first gap therebetween and an air blow tube is provided in front of a grind stone; (2) fixing the glass substrate on the edge polishing machine; (3) introducing cooling water from the dust protection board to form a water curtain at the first gap; (4) activating the air blow tube to form an air curtain region; and (5) activating the grindstone to set out a grinding operation. The dust protection board and the water curtain block particles generated in grinding and the air curtain region blows residual water that contains particles off edges of the glass substrate.

Abstract: A complex geographical edge finishing system includes a fixture that holds an external part having a complex three-dimensional edge, a track disposed around the fixture and surrounding the edge of the part held in the fixture, and one or more finishing apparatuses that can sand, polish, buff, paint and/or apply coatings to the complex three-dimensional edge. The finishing apparatuses move about the track such that the three-dimensional edge of the part can be polished. The path of the track can substantially match, mimic or otherwise correspond to the path of the three-dimensional edge, such that special requirements for the finishing apparatuses are not required.

Abstract: A polishing method includes rotating a substrate, performing a first polishing process of pressing a polishing tape against an edge portion of the substrate by a pressing member, with a portion of the polishing tape projecting from the pressing member inwardly in a radial direction of the substrate, to polish the edge portion of the substrate and bend the portion of the polishing tape along the pressing member, and performing a second polishing process of pressing the bent portion of the polishing tape inwardly in the radial direction of the substrate by the pressing member to further polish the edge portion of the substrate.

Abstract: An eyeglass lens processing apparatus is provided with: a lens chuck shaft that holds an eyeglass lens; and a beveling tool for forming a bevel on the periphery of the lens. The beveling tool includes a first processing part for forming a rear bevel on the lens rear side; and a second processing part for forming a bevel foot coupled to the rear bevel. In the second processing part, the distance from a line parallel to the lens chuck shafts and passing through a point of border with the first processing part gradually increases from the point of border as the starting point to the endpoint of the second processing surface and the increase rate of the distance gradually increases at least in two steps toward the endpoint.

Abstract: A method of detecting an abnormality in polishing of a substrate is provided. The method includes: rotating the substrate; pressing a polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; measuring a position of the polishing tool relative to a surface of the substrate; determining an amount of polishing of the substrate from the position of the polishing tool; calculating a polishing rate from the amount of polishing of the substrate; and judging that an abnormality in polishing of the edge portion of the substrate has occurred if the polishing rate is out of a predetermined range.

Abstract: A silicon carbide single-crystal substrate includes a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a peripheral edge portion sandwiched between the first surface and the second surface, A plurality of grinding traces are formed in a surface of the peripheral edge portion. A chamfer width as a distance from an outermost peripheral end portion of the peripheral edge portion to one of the plurality of grinding traces which is located on an innermost peripheral side of the peripheral edge portion in a direction parallel to the first surface is not less than 50 ?m and not more than 400 ?m. Thereby, a silicon carbide single-crystal substrate capable of suppressing occurrence of a crack, and a method for manufacturing the same can be provided.

Abstract: A workpiece processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a rotary turntable having one or more spindles thereon, the turntable being configured to rotate about a turntable axis. Each of the spindles is configured to receive and secure thereon a workpiece to be processed by the apparatus. Each of the spindles can rotate about their own independent axes. The apparatus includes one or more grind spindles that overlay the turntable and are configured to communicate with the workpieces. The apparatus processes the workpieces by transitioning between first and second operational states. The first operational state centers the spindles and the workpieces thereon under the grind spindle to condition an entire top surface of the workpieces. The second operational state offsets the spindles from the center of the grind spindle to condition a perimeter edge of the workpieces. A controller can govern the transition between first and second operational states.

Abstract: Methods of shaping a glass sheet each include a step of removing a first portion of the glass sheet to form a first beveled surface. The methods further include the step of removing a second portion of the glass sheet to form a second beveled surface. The methods still further include the step of removing a third portion of the glass sheet comprising a remainder of an end surface of an edge portion of the glass sheet. In further examples, glass sheets are also provided with a first bevel surface intersecting a first glass-sheet surface and an apex surface, and a second bevel surface intersecting a second glass-sheet surface and the apex surface. The glass sheet exhibits a probability of failure of less than 5% at an edge stress of 135 MPa.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing substrate edges is disclosed that overcomes the limitations of conventional edge processing methods and systems used in semiconductor manufacturing. The edge processing method and apparatus of this invention includes a laser and optical system to direct a beam of radiation onto a rotating substrate supported by a chuck, in atmosphere. The optical system accurately and precisely directs the beam to remove or transform organic or inorganic films, film stacks, residues, or particles from the top edge, top bevel, apex, bottom bevel, and bottom edge of the substrate. An optional gas injector system directs gas onto the substrate edge to aid in the reaction. Process by-products are removed via an exhaust tube enveloping the reaction site. This invention permits precise control of an edge exclusion zone, resulting in an increase in the number of usable die on a wafer.

Abstract: A grinding wheel for wafer edge trimming includes a head having an open side and an abrasive end bonded around an edge of the open side of the head. The abrasive end is arranged to have multiple simultaneous contacts around a wafer edge during the wafer edge trimming.