Abstract: Dispersion of cracks in a crack layer across a ground surface is reduced in chamfering a semiconductor silicon wafer. The semiconductor silicon wafer is clamped by a clamp device, which is freely rotated and a polisher having the shape of a ring built in a polishing device, which is freely rotated, is disposed in a place, the polisher having a periphery shaping edge on a peripheral side surface, wherein the polishing device is moved in a radial direction of the wafer so as to position the periphery shaping edge close to the periphery of the wafer, and the wafer and the polishing device are rotated relatively to each other, while slurry containing suspension of abrasive grains is supplied to a narrow space therebetween from a slurry supply nozzle.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an endodontic instrument by a machining operation is disclosed, and wherein a wire-like rod composed of a titanium alloy is advanced past a rotating grinding wheel at a relatively slow feed rate, with a sufficient depth of cut to remove all of the material on a given surface without over grinding a previously ground surface, and with the grinding wheel rotating at a relatively slow surface speed. The disclosed method is able to efficiently produce endodontic instruments having a high degree of flexibility, high resistance to torsional breakage, and with sharp cutting edges along the working length.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method for conditioning polishing materials that are generally used to polish disks used for magnetic recording. The polishing material is conditioned by moving a conditioning ring relative to the polishing material. More particularly, the conditioning ring is rotated and/or orbited across the surface of the polishing material, so that the material is conditioned. Preferably, the conditioning ring comprises an annular ring of abrasive material fixedly applied to a substantially planar surface of the conditioning ring.

Abstract: For removing a scratch or stain from a surface of a disk such as a CD, a disk cleaner/scourer/polisher device has a scouring member such as a buff. The disk is rotated about its axis, and the buff is pressed against the surface of the disk and rotated also with the axis of rotation of the buff being perpendicular to the surface of the disk, scouring is uniform and does not impair surface flatness. Changing between scouring members, between scratch removal and polishing is facilitated by a lifting mechanism for selectively pressing the corresponding scouring member against the surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for performing contouring operations on a three-dimensional member, such as boat hulls, decks and molds. The device comprises a first frame and a second frame wherein the second frame is movably mounted to the first frame. A robotic arm is movably mounted to the second frame whereby a distal end of the arm is positionable in three dimensions with respect to the member. The distal end of the arm is adapted to carry a tool thereon. The structure of the first frame defines a pair of working chambers therein and a passageway so that the arm can travel therebetween. A controller is interconnected to the arm and the first and second frames for controlling the position of the second frame with respect to the first frame, the arm with respect to the second frame, and the distal end of the arm with respect to the arm. The tool on the arm can thereby be positioned to abut the member and perform contouring operations thereon.

Abstract: A method for N-C controlled grinding of the top facet of an ophthalmic lens comprising: determining the length of a circumference of an apex of a facet groove in a lens mount which will receive the lens, determining the length of the circumference of the apex of the top facet in the vicinity of the circumferential edge which is to be installed in the lens mount, comparing those lengths and determining whether the deviation in the length of the facet groove from the length of the top facet is within a preset limit. If it is not within the limit, changing the position of the Lop facet to be within the limit, determining a change value and then finish grinding the top facet using values selected from the comparison value or the change value.

Abstract: The present invention provides a double-side grinder capable of grinding double-sides of an aluminum disk highly efficiently and affording a ground aluminum disk free of end-face flaw and superior in both surface accuracy and dimensional accuracy while obviating the occurrence of grinding marks extending in different directions. A rough grinding mechanism having rough grinding wheels disposed opposedly to each other is mounted, a finish grinding mechanism having finish grinding wheels disposed opposedly to each other is mounted just after the rough grinding mechanism, and a belt-like carrier having a large number of pockets formed longitudinally of the carrier with aluminum disks engaged therein is passed between the rough grinding wheels and the finish grinding wheels, thereby allowing double-sides of each aluminum disk to be subjected to rough grinding and finish grinding in a continuous manner.

Abstract: A method of planarizing a substrate employs two separate chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) steps. In the first CMP step, the substrate is polished using a first CMP slurry solution and a polishing pad. A diluting solution is then applied to the polishing pad to remove slurry of the first CMP step. In the second CMP step, after applying the diluting solution to the polishing pad to remove the first slurry, second CMP slurry solution is applied to the polishing pad to facilitate additional planarization of the substrate. In a particular embodiment of this invention, the diluting solution comprises a buffer solution having a pH level corresponding to a pH level of one of the first or second CMP slurry solution. In accordance with another aspect of this embodiment, a plurality of different diluting solutions are applied to the polishing pad intermediate the respective first and second CMP steps.

Abstract: A wheel-head feed mechanism for a grinder comprising a base and a wheel head which is guided by a linear guide section provided on the base and rotatably supports a grinding wheel via a wheel spindle driven by a motor. The wheel-head feed mechanism includes feed screw mechanism composed of a screw shaft and a nut unit engaged with the screw shaft, the feed screw mechanism advancing and retracting the wheel head with respect to a workpiece, and servomotor for rotating one of the screw shaft and the nut unit. The screw shaft is offset from the linear guide section toward the wheel spindle. The nut unit includes a radial hydrostatic bearing section for supporting the root of a male thread of the screw shaft in the radial direction of the screw shaft by hydrostatic pressure, as well as a thrust hydrostatic bearing section for supporting the flanks of the male thread of the screw shaft in the axial direction of the screw shaft by hydrostatic pressure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) machine and method in which at least one polishing device is provided with a vertically-oriented polishing surface and a slurry delivery mechanism. As a result, the footprint of the machine is greatly reduced and the prevention of contaminants embedding in the polishing device can be promoted.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus of a peripheral chamfered portion of a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. The polishing apparatus comprises: a rotary drum around the periphery of which a tape having an abrasive layer thereon is wound; a first motor for rotating the rotary drum; a wafer holding mechanism which comprises a wafer holding member for holding a wafer, a second motor for rotating the wafer holding member, a supporting member for supporting the wafer holding member and the second motor, and a wafer inclining member for changing the tilt angle of the wafer with respect to the rotary drum by reciprocally rotating the supporting member on a first axis which is substantially parallel with the main surface of the wafer; and a moving member for bringing the wafer held on the supporting member into contact with or separating it from the tape wound around the rotary drum.

Abstract: A low-density abrasive article comprising a nonwoven web and a multiplicity of abrasive particles which are bonded to the nonwoven web by means of an adherent binder. Abrasive particles useful in the present invention have particle sizes between about grade 4 to grade 36 and are made of an abrasive mineral having a Mohs hardness of less than about 8. The abrasive particles are preferably made of synthetically manufactured fused mullite. The low density abrasive article is particularly suitable for removing stock from a carbon steel workpiece.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing completely circular wafers, a specified crystal orientation of a cylindrical semiconductor crystal member is detected, and a support is mounted on the semiconductor crystal member in accordance with the detected specified crystal orientation. Then, a recognition mark is marked on a top face of the semiconductor crystal member in accordance with a position of the support. Then, the semiconductor crystal member and the support are cut to form a semiconductor wafer and a support piece. Finally, the semiconductor wafer is separated from the support piece.

Abstract: A flat substrate polishing pad conditioning head for a chemical-mechanical-planarization apparatus is provided which has been shown to double the useable life of a polishing pad used to planarize and/or polish both oxide and metal outer layers in the processing of semiconductor wafers and to provide for more uniform polishing during the life of the polishing pad. The polishing pad conditioning head (24) comprises a suitable substrate (26), a diamond grit (28) that is evenly distributed over the surface of the substrate (26) and a CVD diamond (30) grown onto the diamond grit (28) and the substrate (26) so that the diamond grit (28) becomes encased in the CVD diamond (30) and bonded to the surface of the substrate (26).

Abstract: A polishing apparatus such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus has a turntable, a cloth cartridge detachably exchangeably mounted on the turntable, and a top ring for holding a workpiece and pressing the workpiece against the polishing cloth. The cloth cartridge includes a cartridge base member and a polishing cloth bonded to an upper surface of the cartridge base member. The cartridge base member comprises a plurality of base member segments, and the polishing cloth comprises a plurality of polishing cloth segments bonded to upper surfaces of respective of the base member segments.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for grinding crankshafts or similar devices in which one of the crankpins of the crankshaft is machined and subsequent to this machine step, the actual dimension of the crankpin is measured. This measured value is compared to the projected value of the crankpin and the distance of travel of a grinding wheel in-feed is adjusted accordingly.

Abstract: A technique for controlling a polishing rate across a substrate surface when performing CMP, in order to obtain uniform polishing of the substrate surface. A support housing which underlies a polishing pad includes a plurality of openings for dispensing a pressurized fluid. The openings are arranged into a pre-configured pattern for dispensing the fluid to the underside of the pad opposite the substrate surface being polished. The openings are configured into a number of groupings, in which a separate channel is used for each grouping so that fluid pressure for each group of openings can be separately and independently controlled.

Abstract: A workpiece holding mechanism is used for holding a wafer. The wafer is sandwiched between a holding plate of the workpiece holding mechanism and a polishing pad attached to a polishing turn table. The workpiece is pressed against the polishing pad with a predetermined pressure so that the bottom surface of the wafer is polished. Water is confined within a fluid confinement space defined between an elastic membrane and the holding plate so as to press the wafer via the elastic membrane. There is provided a volume adjustment screw that can be advanced toward the fluid confinement space and be retracted therefrom. Through adjustment of the screw, the elastic membrane is caused to have a flat surface, so that the elastic member is in close contact with the entire surface of the wafer. A holding membrane made of polyurethane foam is bonded to the surface of the elastic membrane, and a template is bonded to the surface of the holding membrane so as to improve the holding performance.

Abstract: A powder sealing device of a powder beam processing machine including a processing chamber for processing a workpiece by jetting powder beams to the workpiece, includes: a thin film cylinder member for sealing a space between an operating shaft passing through an opening portion formed in a peripheral surface of the processing chamber and the opening portion; and a substantially cylindrical mounting bracket having a small chamber communicated to the processing chamber and mounted to the opening portion. The thin film cylinder member is formed of a flexible thin film material into a substantially conical shape, and has one end mounted to one end of the mounting bracket on the opening portion side and the other end mounted to the outer peripheral side of the operating shaft.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for grinding a knife blade to form a sharpened edge. The blade is held in a fixture including a self-centering clamp with a pair of jaws gripping the knife blade by engaging opposite sides of a part of the blade tapered toward an edge location, and holding the blade so that the intended edge location of the blade is in a desired location with respect to the fixture. This permits use of profiled grinding wheels of hard material mounted on a carriage under computer control to grind an edge bevel accurately on each side of the blade, forming a sharp edge.