Abstract: A carrier for semiconductor wafers to be polished comprises a rigid upper housing, a rigid pressure plate and a gimbal mechanism connecting the plate and housing which permits the plate to gimbal or wobble relative to the housing. The pressure plate is a one-piece component and has a central cut-out portion in which the gimbal mechanism is disposed, thereby establishing a low gimbal point and reducing the incidence of tilting. The gimbal mechanism has an inner bearing ring which is fastened to the underside of the housing, and an outer bearing ring which is fastened to an outer portion of the pressure plate.

Abstract: A tool for a mechanical surface treatment of an object by friction is disclosed. The tool is cut to a desired shape and size from a processed fleece of fibers. The fleece is produced by exclusively mechanical processes as a flexible random-fiber fleece which permits, during the treatment of the object at a particular treatment pressure, immersion and at least partial envelopment of the object within the fleece. The fleece has a mechanical strength of 150-500 N/50 mm, preferably at least 300 N/50 mm, and a mean elongation at rupture of 50-150%, preferably 80-100%, according to DIN 53 857/2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of discovering optimal conditions such as the rotational speed ratio of an abrasive cloth and a dresser, to improve the flatness of the abrasive cloth after it has been dressed. A narrow annular dresser having an inner diameter of at least the width of a wide annular utilization region of the abrasive cloth is pressed while rotating against the abrasive cloth which is fixed onto a turn table. A rotational motion is imparted to the abrasive cloth in the same direction as the rotation of the dresser and at a predetermined rotational speed. The abrasive cloth is dressed thereby in such a manner that there is a uniform distribution of distances through which the grindstone slides over various points within the utilization region of the abrasive cloth.

Abstract: A burnishing head for burnishing the surface of magnetic or magneto-optical memory disks is described. The burnishing head comprises a plurality of curved burnishing pads symmetrically arranged on the bottom surface of the head. In one embodiment, there are thirteen circular burnishing pads symmetrically arranged on the bottom surface of a square burnishing pad in such a way that there is no dedicated leading edge of the burnishing head. The area between the curved burnishing pads is wide enough to allow the free flow of air to help the escape of debris created during burnishing. The burnishing head has no tapered leading edge. The burnishing pad flies parallel to the surface of the disk in a level manner, such that all burnishing pads are simultaneously used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for edge finishing glass sheets. Glass sheets are separated into desired sizes, after which the edges of the glass sheets are finished using edge polishing methods, such as, for example, by contacting and moving the edges of the glass sheet against rotating polishing wheels which are oriented al least approximately orthogonally to said sheet.

Abstract: An abrasive tool includes a base having an upper surface and a perforated sheet having a lower surface and an upper surface. A layer of abrasive grains is bonded to the upper surface of the perforated sheet. The upper surface of the base is bonded to the lower surface of the perforated sheet by a brazing material. A method of assembling an abrasive tool includes bonding the upper surface of the base and the lower surface of the perforated sheet by brazing the surfaces together and bonding a layer of abrasive grains to the upper surface of the perforated sheet.

Abstract: An abrasive block 1 used for scraping wet leaves, snow or ice from a rail R of a railway track in order to enhance traction, is urged onto the rail R by a piston 2 under oil-pressure within a cylinder 3. The pressure is created via a diaphragm 11 which separates the oil in the cylinder 3 from an air-chamber 12. Chamber 12 is supplied with air via a regulator 14, from the air-brake supply system 16 of the train, and has a dump valve 19 for dissipating air-pressure surges. A return spring 20 under the piston 2 is active in retracting the block 1 when air-pressure in the chamber 12 is reduced.

Abstract: A flexible, open-pored cleaning body having at least one scouring surface (2) provided in at least one subregion with continuously formed, raised projecting ridges (3), wherein the ridges (3) have regions C,D of different heights in the direction of their extension.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing integrated circuits using a carrier fixture. The carrier fixture does not include transport channels or openings for directing a slurry to a substrate being polished and, as a result, damage to the substrate is reduced because the edges adjacent to the substrate are eliminated. The present invention further provides a carrier fixture having an inner support coupled to a ring member that contacts a substrate during the CMP process. The present invention also provides a carrier fixture having inner and outer supports coupled to a ring member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for texturing the air bearing surface (ABS) of a magnetic head of a hard disk drive includes juxtaposing the ABS with an ultrasonically-driven sonitrode having a diamond die end. An alumina slurry is disposed between the sonitrode and ABS at a slight pressure, with the slurry having a grit size of less than one micron. The sonitrode is then vibrated to agitate the slurry and thereby texture the head. If desired, a cavity can be formed in the die, with the cavity being a mirror image of a portion of the head, e.g., the sensing element, that is not intended to be textured.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharpening the knives of a chipper, with the knives remaining in a knife basket during sharpening, and the knife basket being removed from the chipper and placed in a knife basket carrier in which it is rotatably mounted. The knife basket is first locked against rotation, and then a sharpening device, such as a grinding mechanism, is moved in a direction parallel to the knife basket axis along a first knife or group of knives for purposes of sharpening. After sharpening the first knife or group of knives, the knife basket is unlocked and the sharpening device and knife basket are rotated relative to each other, with the sharpening device proceeding to a new working position for sharpening a further knife or group of knives. The above cycle is repeated until all knives have been sharpened. The knife basket is then reinstalled in the chipper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing silicon wafers initially having wavy surfaces, such as might result from having been cut from a boule by means of a wire saw. A vacuum is applied to one side of a porous ceramic plate, and a perforated resilient pad is applied to the opposite side of the porous ceramic plate. The resilient pad is affixed to the ceramic plate by a peelable adhesive, and the vacuum extends through the perforations of the resilient pad to permit a wafer to be mounted on the exposed side of the resilient pad. The perforations in the resilient pad are distributed uniformally across the wafer, so that the atmospheric pressure pushing the wafer against the resilient pad is also uniform across the wafer. However, the wafer is not deformed while it is held in place for grinding. Because the wafer is not held in an elastically deformed condition while it is ground, the wafer has no tendency to spring back to its original wavy shape.

Abstract: An in-situ method of measuring uniformity of a layer on a substrate during polishing of said layer, where the method includes the steps of directing a light beam toward the layer during polishing; monitoring an interference signal produced by the light beam reflecting off of the substrate; and computing a measure of uniformity from the interference signal.

Abstract: A wafer polishing apparatus includes a module frame; a continuous belt rotatable with respect to the frame, the belt having at least one vertically-oriented belt transverse portion including a polishing pad assembly; and at least one pivotable wafer-holding head drive within the frame and having a distal end portion movable to a vertical first position parallel and juxtaposed to the belt transverse portion. The head drive includes a wafer carrier for holding a wafer on the distal end portion of the head drive, while a drive moves the distal end portion and a held wafer into a vertical polishing position abutting the belt transverse portion and pressure is applied to the held-wafer against the polishing pad assembly while the wafer-holding distal end portion is rotated and swept side-by-side. After polishing the drive is reversed and the head drive is pivoted away from the belt transverse portion to a horizontal or other orientation and the then polished wafer removed.

Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides a method for conditioning a polishing pad used for chemical mechanical polishing of a semiconductor wafer surface. The method involves directing a fluid at a relatively high pressure toward the surface of the pad, thereby roughening the surface of the pad and removing particles embedded in pores of the pad. This process provides for uniform conditioning across the surface of the pad and excludes the use of particles which might become disposed on the pad, unlike some other conventional conditioning methods. The exclusion of abrasive particles prevents scratching of wafers which may subsequently undergo CMP using the polishing pad. The conditioning fluid hereof may, among other things, be a typical CMP slurry or variation thereof, or may be deionized water.

Abstract: A wafer cutting chuck for reducing wear and damage to a cutting blade. The chuck has a surface for supporting a wafer. The chuck also has a plurality of recesses in its surface to accommodate a cutting blade of a wafer spindle and blade assembly. The recesses are at least as wide as the cutting blade and they correspond to street indices on the wafer.Preferably, the chuck is constructed of a metal, a ceramic, or silicon. In a most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the recesses include ports which are connected to a vacuum pump. The ports allow a vacuum, created by the vacuum pump, to pull an adhesive tape from the wafer, so that the cutting blade of the wafer spindle and blade assembly does not contact the adhesive tape.

Abstract: A pressure bar for a belt grinding machine includes an elongated carrier (10) with a base plate (12) facing the grinding belt (20) and having a plurality of bores arranged in a matrix pattern, in which bores axially freely movable bolt-shaped pressure members (16) are held. The pressure members have free ends for engagement with the grinding belt (20). A plurality of positioning devices (26) are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the carrier (10) with each having a ram adjustable perpendicularly to the base plate (12) to groupwise position the pressure members (16) in their bores. Between the ends of the pressure members (16) remote from the grinding belt (20) and the rams (28) of the positioning devices (26) is arranged an elastic lamina (22) common to all of the pressure members and extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the carrier.

Abstract: A sharpener apparatus includes a base, a linear bearing assembly mounted on the base, and a support block carried by the bearing assembly for reciprocating movement along a rectilinear path relative to the base. A planar abrasive surface underlies the support block which has one or more open channels for receiving workpieces in sliding relation with the longitudinal axes of the workpiece preferably inclined to the abrasive surface. A pusher member is supported by the support block adjacent each channel for applying a constant force longitudinally of the corresponding workpiece to urge its tip against the abrasive surface. Manual or powered reciprocating movement of the support block effects an abrasive action of the workpiece tips against the abrasive surface to form a highly accurate and repeatable tip geometry, such as a chisel point, on each workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for cleaning a workpiece with solid CO.sub.2 particles. A flow channel member includes a flow channel therein having an exhaust nozzle at a distal end thereof. A source of pressurized air is provided in selective fluid communication with the flow channel. A phase separator includes first and second portions, with the first portion being in selective fluid communication with the flow channel. A source of liquid CO.sub.2 is provided in selective fluid communication with the phase separator. A liquid flow line includes first and second ends, with the first end being in fluid communication with the second portion of the phase separator, and the second end includes an injector nozzle positioned with the flow channel. The phase separator is operative to separate CO.sub.2 vapor from the liquid CO.sub.2 such that the vapor travels to the first portion for selective communication with the flow channel and the liquid remains in the second portion for injection through the injector nozzle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for polishing a semiconductor wafer using a polishing pad. Circumferential rings of alternating compressibility of hard and soft/sponge-like material are located in the polishing pad. The concentric rings may also be located off-center from the geometric center of the polishing pad.