Lapping method and system for compensating for substrate bow

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for lapping row edges of a substrate work piece with a flat lapping element. The substrate work piece comprises a section of wafer having parallel aligned multiple row edges to be individually lapped. The wafer has different bow characteristics imparted to different substrate work piece. The bow characteristic of the substrate work piece to be lapped is determined, load points are selected on the work piece which will counteract the bow characteristic, and a pusher with push pads located at the selected load points pushes the work piece at those load points so that the pushing flexes the substrate work piece to counteract the bow characteristic to lap the row edge. Upon completion of the lapping step, the row having the lapped row edge is sliced from the work piece to form a new row edge parallel to the lapped row edge, and, repeating the lapping process, the work piece is pushed by the push pads at the same selected load points, whereby, as the substrate is shortened, making said bow characteristic more pronounced, the pushing at the selected load points provides greater flex of the work piece to counteract the more pronounced bow.