Gettering layer forming device and processing apparatus

A processing apparatus for processing a reverse side of a wafer, comprising:

• a chuck table having a chuck holding surface for holding a face side of the wafer thereon and an annular rest surface disposed radially outwardly of the chuck holding surface;
• a processing mechanism for processing the wafer held on the chuck table;
• and
• a gettering layer forming device for forming a gettering layer on the reverse side of the wafer,
• wherein the gettering layer forming device includes:
• an annular member including a lower surface thereof, where the lower surface of the annular member is configured and arranged to be placed on the annular rest surface in surrounding relation to the wafer held on the chuck holding surface such that a water bath is defined by the annular member and the wafer,
• an abrasive grain charger for charging free abrasive grains into the water bath,
• a water nozzle for supplying water to the water bath to immerse the wafer in the water in the water bath,
• an ultrasonic horn for propagating ultrasonic vibrations to the free abrasive grains in the water in the water bath, and
• a horizontally moving mechanism for moving the ultrasonic horn and the chuck table horizontally relatively to each other in directions parallel to the chuck holding surface, and
• wherein a gettering layer is formed on the reverse side of the wafer held on the chuck holding surface and immersed in the water in the water bath by the free abrasive grains to which the ultrasonic vibrations are propagated by the ultrasonic horn.

A processing apparatus for processing a reverse side of a wafer, comprising:

• a chuck table having a chuck holding surface for holding a face side of the wafer thereon;
• a processing mechanism for processing the reverse side of the wafer held on the chuck holding surface;
• a spinner cleaning mechanism for cleaning the wafer;
• a delivery mechanism for delivering the wafer from the chuck table to the spinner cleaning mechanism;
• and
• a gettering layer forming device for forming a gettering layer on the reverse side of the wafer,
• wherein the spinner cleaning mechanism includes:
• a spinner table having a spinner holding surface for holding the face side of the wafer thereon and an annular rest surface disposed radially outwardly of the spinner holding surface,
• a cleaning nozzle for ejecting a cleaning fluid to the reverse side of the wafer held on the spinner holding surface,
• a rotating mechanism for rotating the spinner table about an axis aligned with a center of the spinner holding surface, and
• a gettering layer forming device for forming a gettering layer on the reverse side of the wafer,
• wherein the gettering layer forming device includes:
• an annular member including a lower surface thereof, where the lower surface of the annular member is configured and arranged to be placed on the annular rest surface in surrounding relation to the wafer held on the spinner holding surface such that a water bath is defined by the annular member and the wafer,
• an abrasive grain charger for charging free abrasive grains into the water bath, and
• an ultrasonic horn for propagating ultrasonic vibrations to the free abrasive grains in the water in the water bath,
• wherein the rotating mechanism rotates the spinner table while the wafer held on the spinner holding surface is being immersed in water supplied from the cleaning nozzle to the water bath, and
• a gettering layer is formed on the reverse side of the wafer held on the spinner holding surface and immersed in the water in the water bath by the free abrasive grains to which the ultrasonic vibrations are propagated by the ultrasonic horn.