WAFER TRANSFER MECHANISM AND GRINDING APPARATUS

To provide a wafer transfer mechanism in which water does not fall from an upper surface of a wafer when the wafer is moved and stopped even if a layer of water is formed on the upper surface of the wafer.SOLUTION: A wafer transfer mechanism includes wafer holding means 4 for holding a wafer Ws and moving means 6 for moving the wafer holding means 4. The wafer holding means 4 includes: a suction holding unit 8 including a holding surface 8a for sucking and holding a central region of the wafer Ws; a water ejection unit 10 disposed on an outer circumference of the suction holding unit 8, for ejecting water; and a plate 12 disposed on an outer circumference of the water ejection unit 10, for forming a gap between the plate and the wafer Ws held on the holding surface 8a to form a layer of water L in face of the wafer Ws.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3 【課題】ウエーハの上面に水の層を形成しても移動および停止の際にウエーハの上面から水が落下することがないウエーハ搬送機構を提供する。【解決手段】ウエーハ搬送機構は、ウエーハＷｓを保持するウエーハ保持手段４と、ウエーハ保持手段４を移動する移動手段６とを備える。ウエーハ保持手段４は、ウエーハＷｓの中央領域を吸引保持する保持面８ａを備えた吸引保持部８と、吸引保持部８の外周に配設され水を噴出する水噴出部１０と、水噴出部１０の外周に配設され保持面８ａに保持されたウエーハＷｓとの間で隙間を形成しウエーハＷｓと対面して水の層Ｌを形成するプレート１２とを含む。【選択図】図３