Plate member separating apparatus and method

摘要

This invention is to support a plate member such as a bonded substrate stack in a horizontal state without coming into contact with one surface of the member and also to efficiently progress separation. Separation is executed while arranging a bonded substrate stack (50) generated by bonding a seed substrate (10) to a handle substrate (20) such that the seed substrate (10) remains on the lower side. At the first stage, the peripheral portion is separated while causing a first substrate support section (101) to chuck and support the central portion of the lower surface of the bonded substrate stack (50). Then, at the second stage, the central portion is separated while causing a second substrate support section (102) to support the lower peripheral portion and side of the bonded substrate stack (50).