Method of transferring a substantially disc-shaped workpiece, and device for carrying out this method

A method of transferring a substantially disc-shaped workpiece from a workpiece carrier, on which the workpiece is fastened along a first one of its main surfaces by means of a double-sided adhesive foil in an at least substantially planar manner, onto a carrier foil on whose surface the workpiece is to be provided and fastened along said first main surface in an at least substantially planar manner, which first double-sided adhesive foil is adhesively connected by a first adhesive layer provided on its first surface to a first surface of the workpiece carrier and by a second adhesive layer provided on its second surface to the workpiece along the first main surface thereof, comprising the following process steps:

• weakening the second adhesive layer by an at least partial decomposition of the adhesive substance forming said second adhesive layer to a reduced adhesive force which is substantially smaller than the adhesive force of the first adhesive layer,
• fastening the workpiece carrier to a first retaining device,
• fastening the workpiece along its second main surface opposite to the first main surface to a surface of a second retaining device by means of a second double-sided adhesive foil in an at least substantially planar manner, such that the second double-sided adhesive foil is adhesively connected by a third adhesive layer provided on its first surface to the surface of the second retaining device and by a fourth adhesive layer provided on its second surface to the workpiece along the second main surface thereof, and the adhesive forces of the third and the fourth adhesive layer are substantially greater than the adhesive force of the weakened second adhesive layer,
• separating the workpiece from the first double-sided adhesive foil along the weakened second adhesive layer through the application of a pulling force between the first and the second retaining device, which force is at least partly perpendicular to the main surfaces of the workpiece,
• positioning the workpiece adhesively connected to the second retaining device and the carrier foil with respect to one another such that the first main surface of the workpiece faces the surface of the carrier foil,
• weakening the fourth adhesive layer through an at least partial decomposition of the adhesive substance by which it is formed to a reduced adhesive force which is substantially smaller than the adhesive force of the third adhesive layer,
• placing the workpiece with its first main surface on the surface of the carrier foil in an at least substantially planar manner, and
• separating the workpiece from the second double-sided adhesive foil along the weakened fourth adhesive layer through the application of a force, generated by gas pressure, between the second double-sided adhesive foil adhering to the second retaining device and the workpiece.