Method and device for separating a plate of material, in particular semiconductor material, into two wafers

An apparatus for separating a plate of material, in particular of semiconductor material, into first and second wafers, said wafers being situated on either side of a plane of weakness, the apparatus comprising:

• means for holding said plate via said first wafer;
• stress-applying means for exerting deformation stress on at least said second wafer by applying a suction force in a zone of the plate situated between at least two bearing points that are rigidly secured to each other, said zone extending from close to an edge of the plate to a center thereof, said deformation stress creating a localized separation between said wafers within a centralized portion of said zone at said plane of weakness;
• and
• means for moving the wafers apart from each other along a predetermined path, said localized separation propagating along said plane of weakness.

A method of separating a plate of material for manufacturing substrates for electronic microsystems into two wafers, said wafers being situated on either side of a plane of weakness, the method comprising the steps of:

• exerting a deformation force by applying suction to at least one of the wafers in a region extending from close to one edge of the plate to a center thereof, a perimeter of said region defined by a plurality of wafer-surface-contacting points that are rigidly secured to each other;
• exerting guided separation movement on the wafers;
• and
• at least one of said deformation force and said separation movement creating a localized separation between said wafers within a central portion of said region and at said plane of weakness, said localized separation initiating, in response to said separation movement, a separation wave propagating over an entire extent of said plane of weakness to separate said wafers.