PURPOSE: To separate wafers one by one without giving the wafers trouble by providing a fluid spraying mechanism applying external force to the exposed sections of the wafers generated by making the positions of the facets of odd numbered wafers and those of even numbered facets differ and spreading the space of the wafers in a set of two.

CONSTITUTION: The upper section of a wafer in an even number on this side is exposed by the displacement of a facet by a set mechanism. A nozzle 20 is lowered, an N2 gas is sprayed against the exposed region 19 of the wafer 13. Consequently, another wafer 13' is inclined obliquely, and the space of the wafers is spread. A fourth wafer holding means C is brought near in the spread upper section of the wafers, and pawls 21 are inserted and the wafers are separated. The wafer holding means is turned at 180°C under the state in which the wafers are detached, and the wafers are set in grooves 22 continuously formed to the pawls of the fourth wafer holding means C one by one by the self weight of the wafers.