Apparatus and method for chamfering the peripheral edge of a wafer to specular finish

An apparatus for chamfering the peripheral edge of a wafer to a specular finish which comprises:

• an abrasive turn table having a flat abrasive surface;
• a carrier means which is movable along a direction toward and away from said flat abrasive surface;
• an air cylinder connected to said carrier means, said air cylinder including a piston having a rod attached thereto;
• a frame body connected to a portion of said rod which extends from said air cylinder, said frame body including a rotatable shaft which is orthogonal to said direction in which said carrier means moves;
• and
• a wafer hold-and-rub means connected to said rotatable shaft for pivotal movement therewith, said wafer hold-and-rub means being adapted to hold a wafer firmly by applying a suction force to one surface thereof and turn the wafer circumferentially.

An apparatus for chamfering opposite sides of a wafer which comprises:

• an abrasive turn table having a flat abrasive surface and a peripheral side;
• a wafer hold-and-rub means including a rotatable suction disk for holding a wafer firmly thereto by applying a suction force to one surface of the wafer and for turning the wafer circumferentially;
• and
• means for moving said suction disk across said flat abrasive surface and for pivoting said suction disk over said peripheral side of said abrasive turn table, whereby a surface of a wafer which is held by said suction disk is brought in contact with said abrasive surface and the wafer is pivoted together with said suction disk while remaining in contact with said abrasive surface such that opposite surfaces of the wafer are each chamfered.