# US 12,191,149 B2 · Substrate processing method and substrate processing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,149 B2 - Document ID: US12191149B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/772,163 - Filed: 2020-09-11 - Published: 2022-12-22 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-28 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Hayato Tanoue; Yohei Yamashita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191149B2 ## CPC - H10P 34/42: with electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser annealing (laser cutting H10P54/20) - B23K 26/53: for modifying or reforming the material inside the workpiece, e.g. for producing break initiation cracks - B24B 7/04: involving a rotary work-table - B24B 7/228: {for grinding thin, brittle parts, e.g. semiconductors, wafers (grinding edges of thin, brittle parts B24B9/065)} - H10P 52/00: Grinding, lapping or polishing of wafers, substrates or parts of devices - H10P 72/0428: {Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting} - B23K 2103/56: {being semiconducting} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS ## Abstract A substrate processing method of processing a combined substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are bonded to each other includes forming a peripheral modification layer along a boundary between a peripheral portion of the first substrate as a removing target and a central portion of the first substrate; forming a non-bonding region in which bonding strength between the first substrate and the second substrate in the peripheral portion is reduced; and removing the peripheral portion starting from the peripheral modification layer. A first crack is developed from the peripheral modification layer toward the second substrate. The peripheral modification layer is formed such that a lower end of the first crack is located above the non-bonding region and an inner end of the non-bonding region is located at a diametrically outer side than the first crack. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate processing method of processing a combined substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are bonded to each other, the substrate processing method comprising: forming a peripheral modification layer along a boundary between a peripheral portion of the first substrate as a removing target and a central portion of the first substrate; forming a non-bonding region in which bonding strength between the first substrate and the second substrate in the peripheral portion is reduced; and removing the peripheral portion starting from the peripheral modification layer, wherein a first crack is developed from the peripheral modification layer toward the second substrate, and the peripheral modification layer is formed such that a lower end of the first crack is located above the non-bonding region and an inner end of the non-bonding region is located at a diametrically outward from the first crack. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate processing method of claim 1, further comprising: forming multiple split modification layers extending in a diametrical direction of the first substrate by radiating laser light to an inside of the peripheral portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The substrate processing method of claim 1, wherein the non-bonding region is formed after the peripheral modification layer is formed, and when the non-bonding region is formed, the first crack and the inner end of the non-bonding region are connected by a second crack. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The substrate processing method of claim 3, wherein a connection portion where the first crack and the second crack are connected is the lower end of the first crack. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The substrate processing method of claim 3, further comprising: grinding a rear surface of the first substrate to thin the first substrate, wherein the peripheral modification layer is formed such that the lower end of the first crack is located above a ground surface of the first substrate after being ground, and the first crack and the second crack are connected at a position above the ground surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The substrate processing method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral modification layer is formed after the non-bonding region is formed, and when the peripheral modification layer is formed, the first crack and the inner end of the non-bonding region are connected by a second crack. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The substrate processing method of claim 1, further comprising: inserting an insertion member into an interface between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein when the insertion member is inserted, the first crack and the inner end of the non-bonding region are connected by a second crack. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The substrate processing method of claim 1, further comprising: forming, along a plane direction of the first substrate, an internal modification layer serving as a starting point of separation of the first substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The substrate processing method of claim 8, wherein the peripheral modification layer is formed such that a lower end of the peripheral modification layer is located above the internal modification layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The substrate processing method of claim 8, wherein the peripheral portion is removed as one body with a portion of the first substrate when the first substrate is separated. ### Claim 11 A substrate processing system configured to process a combined substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are bonded to each other, the substrate processing system comprising: a first modifying unit configured to form a peripheral modification layer along a boundary between a peripheral portion of the first substrate as a removing target and a central portion of the first substrate; a second modifying unit configured to form a non-bonding region in which bonding strength between the first substrate and the second substrate in the peripheral portion is reduced; a removing unit configured to remove the peripheral portion starting from the peripheral modification layer; and a controller configured to control operations of the first modifying unit and the second modifying unit, wherein the controller controls the operations of the first modifying unit and the second modifying unit such that a lower end of a first crack developing from the peripheral modification layer toward the second substrate is located above the non-bonding region and such that an inner end of the non-bonding region is located at a diametrically outward from the first crack. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein the controller controls an operation of the first modifying unit to radiate laser light to an inside of the peripheral portion to form multiple split modification layers extending in a diametrical direction of the first substrate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein the controller controls an operation of the second modifying unit such that the non-bonding region is formed after the peripheral modification layer is formed, and such that the lower end of the first crack and the inner end of the non-bonding region are connected by a second crack when the non-bonding region is formed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The substrate processing system of claim 13, wherein the first crack and the second crack are connected at the lower end of the first crack. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The substrate processing system of claim 13, further comprising: a grinder configured to grind a rear surface of the first substrate with a grinding whetstone to thin the first substrate, wherein the first modifying unit forms the peripheral modification layer such that the lower end of the first crack is located above a ground surface of the first substrate after being ground, and the first crack and the second crack are connected at a position above the ground surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein the controller controls an operation of the first modifying unit such that the peripheral modification layer is formed after the non-bonding region is formed, and such that the lower end of the first crack and the inner end of the non-bonding region are connected by a second crack when the peripheral modification layer is formed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein the controller controls an operation of the removing unit such that an insertion member is inserted into an interface between the first substrate and the second substrate and the lower end of the first crack and the inner end of the non-bonding region are connected by a second crack when the insertion member is inserted. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The substrate processing system of claim 11, further comprising: a third modifying unit configured to form an internal modification layer, which serves as a starting point of separation of the first substrate, along a plane direction of the first substrate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The substrate processing system of claim 18, wherein the controller controls an operation of the third modifying unit such that a lower end of the peripheral modification layer is located above the internal modification layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The substrate processing system of claim 18, wherein the controller controls operations of the first modifying unit, the third modifying unit and the removing unit such that the peripheral portion is removed as one body with a portion of the first substrate when the first substrate is separated.