Abstract: An upper polishing plate is moved downward until facing a lower polishing plate to polish a work piece. The upper polishing plate is rotated in a horizontal plane together with a first elastic member, a second elastic member, an outer member and a connecting member. A pressure difference between a first pressing force pressing the outer member or an inner member upward and a second pressing force pressing the outer member or the inner member downward, which is produced in a first closed space by supplying a compressed fluid into and discharging the same from the first closed space, is adjusted, so that a third pressing force of the upper polishing plate, which presses a work piece, can be adjusted.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus is capable of changing a pH value of slurry to adjust polishing rate and polishing a work piece with high flatness. The polishing apparatus comprises: a pressure vessel; a polishing plate provided in the pressure vessel; a pressing plate pressing a work piece onto the polishing plate; a driving unit relatively moving the polishing plate with respect to the pressing plate so as to polish the work piece; a gas supplying source supplying an alkaline gas or an acid gas into the pressure vessel; a gas discharging section discharging the supplied gas from the pressure vessel; and a slurry supplying unit supplying slurry onto the polishing plate. A pH value of the slurry is adjusted by dissolving the alkaline gas or the acid gas in the slurry.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus is capable of changing a pH value of slurry to adjust polishing rate and polishing a work piece with high flatness. The polishing apparatus comprises: a pressure vessel; a polishing plate provided in the pressure vessel; a pressing plate pressing a work piece onto the polishing plate; a driving unit relatively moving the polishing plate with respect to the pressing plate so as to polish the work piece; a gas supplying source supplying an alkaline gas or an acid gas into the pressure vessel; a gas discharging section discharging the supplied gas from the pressure vessel; and a slurry supplying unit supplying slurry onto the polishing plate. A pH value of the slurry is adjusted by dissolving the alkaline gas or the acid gas in the slurry.

Abstract: The small polishing apparatus is capable of simultaneously polishing both side faces of a work piece, and a lower polishing plate, an internal gear and a sun gear are respectively driven by direct drive (DD) motors. The polishing apparatus comprises: an upper and a lower polishing plates; a sun gear and an internal gear; and a carrier provided between the polishing plates and engaged with the gears. Both side faces of the work piece held by the carrier are simultaneously polished by the polishing plates. DD motors respectively rotate the lower polishing plate and the gears. Each DD motor has a ring-shaped output member. A first DD motor has the output member directly connected to a rotary holding member rotatably holding the lower polishing plate. A second DD motor is provided under the first DD motor.

Abstract: The abrasive machine of the present invention is capable of changing pressure applied to a work piece and easily defining optimum abrading conditions. The abrasive machine comprises: a pressure vessel capable of increasing and reducing inner pressure; an abrasive plate provided in the pressure vessel; a pressing plate provided on the abrasive plate, the pressing plate pressing the work piece onto the abrasive plate; a driving unit relatively moving the abrasive plate with respect to the pressing plate so as to abrade the work piece; and a pressure source connected to the pressure vessel, the pressure source increasing or reducing the inner pressure of the pressure vessel.

Abstract: The method of the present invention cleans abrasive faces of an upper abrasive plate and a lower abrasive plate of an abrasive machine. The method is executed by a cleaning device including: a nozzle for jetting water; a brush for preventing the jetted water from scattering in the air, the brush enclosing the nozzle; and another brush for closing a gap between the preventing brush and an outer edge of the upper abrasive plate, the method is characterized by the steps of: jetting water from the nozzle toward the abrasive face of the upper abrasive plate; moving the nozzle toward the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate; and closing the gap by the closing brush when the gap is formed between the preventing brush and the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus is capable of precisely controlling polishing pressure, correctly positioning a press plate and uniformly polishing a workpiece. In the polishing apparatus, a holding head comprises: first pressing means for introducing a pressurized fluid into a first fluid chamber and pressing a main head section downward; second pressing means for introducing a pressurized fluid into a second fluid chamber and pressing a press plate downward; and third pressing means for introducing a pressurized fluid into a third fluid chamber and pressing the workpiece downward. With this structure, the workpiece is held on the lower side of an elastic sheet member, and the lower face of the workpiece can be polished by a polishing plate.

Abstract: The method of sucking water is capable of easily removing excess water included in a backing member adhered on a plate of a polishing apparatus. In the method, the excess water is removed from the backing member by the steps of: pressing a water absorbing member onto a holding surface of the backing member, on which the work piece is adhered and held, so as to absorb the excess water from the backing member; and sucking the excess water absorbed by the water absorbing member.

Abstract: The abrasive machine is capable of feeding a proper amount of slurry and preventing a work piece from sticking on an upper abrasive plate. The abrasive machine comprises: the upper abrasive plate abrading an upper face of the work piece and having a plurality of slurry holes for feeding the slurry to the work piece; a lower abrasive plate abrading a lower face of the work piece; a slurry feeding unit pressurizing and feeding the slurry; a plurality of slurry paths respectively connecting the slurry holes to the slurry feeding unit; a plurality of valve mechanisms respectively provided to the slurry paths so as to control flows of the slurry; and a control section for controlling the valve mechanisms.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus is capable of changing a pH value of slurry to adjust polishing rate and polishing a work piece with high flatness. The polishing apparatus comprises: a pressure vessel; a polishing plate provided in the pressure vessel; a pressing plate pressing a work piece onto the polishing plate; a driving unit relatively moving the polishing plate with respect to the pressing plate so as to polish the work piece; a gas supplying source supplying an alkaline gas or an acid gas into the pressure vessel; a gas discharging section discharging the supplied gas from the pressure vessel; and a slurry supplying unit supplying slurry onto the polishing plate. A pH value of the slurry is adjusted by dissolving the alkaline gas or the acid gas in the slurry.

Abstract: The method of the present invention cleans abrasive faces of an upper abrasive plate and a lower abrasive plate of an abrasive machine. The method is executed by a cleaning device including: a nozzle for jetting water; a brush for preventing the jetted water from scattering in the air, the brush enclosing the nozzle; and another brush for closing a gap between the preventing brush and an outer edge of the upper abrasive plate, the method is characterized by the steps of: jetting water from the nozzle toward the abrasive face of the upper abrasive plate; moving the nozzle toward the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate; and closing the gap by the closing brush when the gap is formed between the preventing brush and the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate.

Abstract: The method of the present invention cleans abrasive faces of an upper abrasive plate and a lower abrasive plate of an abrasive machine. The method is executed by a cleaning device including: a nozzle for jetting water; a brush for preventing the jetted water from scattering in the air, the brush enclosing the nozzle; and another brush for closing a gap between the preventing brush and an outer edge of the upper abrasive plate, the method is characterized by the steps of: jetting water from the nozzle toward the abrasive face of the upper abrasive plate; moving the nozzle toward the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate; and closing the gap by the closing brush when the gap is formed between the preventing brush and the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate.

Abstract: The polishing machine is capable of evenly applying a pressing force from an upper polishing plate to work pieces accommodated in through-holes of carriers. The polishing machine comprises: a plurality of the carriers provided around a center of gravity of an upper polishing plate and sandwiched between the polishing plates. Circular motion of the carriers, without revolving, are performed independently. Centers of gravity of the work pieces, which are held by the carriers, are simultaneously moved close to a center of gravity of the upper polishing plate and simultaneously moved away therefrom, and moving distances of the centers of gravity of the work pieces are equal.

Abstract: The method of the present invention cleans abrasive faces of an upper abrasive plate and a lower abrasive plate of an abrasive machine. The method is executed by a cleaning device including: a nozzle for jetting water; a brush for preventing the jetted water from scattering in the air, the brush enclosing the nozzle; and another brush for closing a gap between the preventing brush and an outer edge of the upper abrasive plate, the method is characterized by the steps of: jetting water from the nozzle toward the abrasive face of the upper abrasive plate; moving the nozzle toward the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate; and closing the gap by the closing brush when the gap is formed between the preventing brush and the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate.

Abstract: A method for adjusting temperature of a machining liquid, e.g., slurry, etching liquid, by passing the machining liquid through a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger, which adjusts the temperature of the machining liquid, includes a ceramic heat exchanging tube which is made by baking silicon carbide (SiC).

Abstract: The method of polishing a copper layer of a substrate is capable of improving a stock removal rate, etc. The method comprises the steps of: supplying a substrate onto an polishing pad of an polishing plate with a copper layer facing the polishing pad; pressing the substrate onto the polishing pad, with a backing pad, by a press head; relatively rotating the press head with respect to the polishing plate, with supplying polishing slurry onto the polishing pad. The backing pad is made of a material whose Asker C hardness is 75-95 and whose compressibility is 10% or less. The polishing slurry includes a chelating agent for chelating copper, an etching agent for etching the surface of copper layer, an oxidizing agent for oxidizing the surface of copper layer, and water.

Abstract: Work piece feeding machine capable of correctly and efficiently setting a work piece in a through-hole of a carrier. The machine includes a positioning unit which detects the amount of displacement of the work piece with respect to the through-hole and corrects the position of the work piece in the though-hole. The positioning unit includes: a lighting source provided on the work piece side or the carrier side and directing polarized light on the work piece and the carrier; a camera provided on the carrier side or the work piece side and receiving the polarized light from the lighting source so as to catch images of an out edge of the work piece and an inner edge of the through-hole in a visual field thereof; and an image processor which measures the amount of displacement on the basis of positions of the outer edge and the inner edge.

Abstract: The abrasive machine is capable of feeding a proper amount of slurry and preventing a work piece from sticking on an upper abrasive plate. The abrasive machine comprises: the upper abrasive plate abrading an upper face of the work piece and having a plurality of slurry holes for feeding the slurry to the work piece; a lower abrasive plate abrading a lower face of the work piece; a slurry feeding unit pressurizing and feeding the slurry; a plurality of slurry paths respectively connecting the slurry holes to the slurry feeding unit; a plurality of valve mechanisms respectively provided to the slurry paths so as to control flows of the slurry; and a control section for controlling the valve mechanisms.

Abstract: Cloth cleaning device of a polishing machine which is capable of fully cleaning a polishing cloth including a part in the vicinity of a center roller. The cloth cleaning device includes an arm movable in a plane parallel to the polishing cloth between a first position above the polishing cloth and a second position outside of the polishing cloth. A jet nozzle is attached to the arm and directs high pressure water toward the polishing cloth. An enclosing member encloses the jet nozzle so as to prevent the high pressure water, which has been directed out from the jet nozzle, from scattering. The jet nozzle is oriented toward the center roller and the high pressure water is directed toward the part of the polishing cloth in the vicinity of the center roller when the arm moves the jet nozzle close to the center roller.

Abstract: The polishing machine is capable of evenly applying a pressing force from an upper polishing plate to work pieces accommodated in through-holes of carriers. The polishing machine comprises: a plurality of the carriers provided around a center of gravity of an upper polishing plate and sandwiched between the polishing plates. Circular motion of the carriers, without revolving, are performed independently. Centers of gravity of the work pieces, which are held by the carriers, are simultaneously moved close to a center of gravity of the upper polishing plate and simultaneously moved away therefrom, and moving distances of the centers of gravity of the work pieces are equal.