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

1. A device for separating a substantially disc-shaped workpiece from a workpiece carrier, on which the workpiece is fastened along a first of its main surfaces by means of a first 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, said first double-sided adhesive foil being 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, which device further comprises:

a first retaining device for fastening the workpiece carrier to said first retaining device,

a second retaining device with a surface on which the workpiece is to be fastened along its second main surface opposite to the first main surface 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 second adhesive layer in its weakened state,

a pulling device for separating the workpiece from the first double-sided adhesive foil along the weakened second adhesive layer through the application of a pulling force which is at least partly perpendicular to the main surfaces of the workpiece between the first and the second retaining device, the second retaining device positioned with the workpiece above the carrier foil,

a device for acting on the second and the fourth adhesive layer for weakening said adhesive layers through an at least partial decomposition of the adhesive substance by which they are formed to a reduced adhesive force, and

a gas pressure device for 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.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the workpiece carrier is of an at least substantially rigid construction.

3. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the workpiece carrier is fastened to the first retaining device by means of an adhesive whose adhesive force is substantially greater than the adhesive force of the weakened second adhesive layer.

4. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein a construction of the workpiece carrier with a ferromagnetic material and by a magnet device which can be energized and de-energized, as desired, for fastening the workpiece carrier to the first retaining device through magnetic attraction between the workpiece carrier and the first retaining device with a magnetic force which is substantially greater than the adhesive force of the weakened second adhesive layer.

5. A device as recited in claim 1 further comprises,

a sealing device for forming a substantially gastight seal between the second retaining device and the carrier foil.

6. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is a semiconductor technology product, preferably a semiconductor wafer, which is constructed along at least its first main surface so as to form a plurality of electronic circuit bodies which are to be mechanically separated substantially perpendicularly to the first main surface.

7. A device recited in claim 6 , wherein the carrier foil is designed as a carrier medium for the mechanical separation of the electronic circuit bodies, preferably in the form of a sawing foil.