Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a plate on which a substrate is received, and a movable polishing pad support and coupled polishing pad which move across the substrate and orbit a local region of the substrate during polishing operation. The load of the pad against the substrate, the revolution rate of the pad, and the size, shape, and composition of the pad, may be varied to control the rate of material removed by the pad.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for polishing a substrate that includes a polishing article comprising a polymeric sheet having a raised surface texture, which is formed on the surface of the polymeric sheet is provided. According to one or more implementations of the present disclosure, an advanced polishing article has been developed, which does not require abrasive pad conditioning. In some implementations of the present disclosure, the advanced polishing article comprises a polymeric sheet having a polishing surface with a raised surface texture or “micro-features” and/or a plurality of grooves or “macro-features” formed in the polishing surface. In some implementations, the raised surface texture is embossed, etched, machined or otherwise formed in the polishing surface prior to installing and using the advanced polishing article in a polishing system. In one implementation, the raised features have a height within one order of magnitude of the features removed from the substrate during polishing.

Abstract: A polishing system includes a support to hold a substrate having a substrate surface to be polished, a conditioning system for conditioning a polishing pad, the conditioning system comprising one or more conditioning heads, a movable support structure, and a carrier to hold a polishing pad. The carrier is suspended from the movable support structure, and the support structure is configured to move the carrier between the support to hold the substrate and the conditioning system.

Abstract: A polishing device includes a housing, a flexible base coupled to the housing, and a contact region disposed on a first side of the flexible base, wherein the flexible base expands and contracts based on pressure contained within the housing and a second side of the flexible base to form a contact area on the first side that is less than a surface area of the flexible base.

Abstract: A polishing system include a support to hold a substrate having a substrate surface to be polished, a carrier to hold a polishing pad in contact with the substrate surface, and a pressure applicator to apply pressure at a selected region of a back surface of the polishing pad. The back surface is opposite to the polishing surface. The pressure applicator includes an actuator and a body configured to be moved by the actuator into and out of contact with the selected region of the back surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved polishing head including an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion adapted to hold a substrate and to tilt relative to the upper portion, the tilt enabled by a spherical bearing, wherein the lower portion is adapted to tilt while rotating the substrate against a rotating polishing pad so that the lower portion remains flush against the rotating polishing pad while resisting lateral friction force generated by the rotating polishing pad contacting the substrate and pushing the substrate laterally against the lower portion. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system is provided. The chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen, a load cup, a hub, a first polishing arm cantilevered from the hub and rotatable around the centerline of the hub between the platen and load cup, and a second polishing arm cantilevered from the hub and rotatable around the centerline of the hub between the platen and load cup the second arm rotatable independently from the hub.

Abstract: A polishing system includes a support to hold a substrate having a substrate surface to be polished, a conditioning system for conditioning a polishing pad, the conditioning system comprising one or more conditioning heads, a movable support structure, and a carrier to hold a polishing pad. The carrier is suspended from the movable support structure, and the support structure is configured to move the carrier between the support to hold the substrate and the conditioning system.

Abstract: A polishing system include a support to hold a substrate having a substrate surface to be polished, a carrier to hold a polishing pad in contact with the substrate surface, and a pressure applicator to apply pressure at a selected region of a back surface of the polishing pad. The back surface is opposite to the polishing surface. The pressure applicator includes an actuator and a body configured to be moved by the actuator into and out of contact with the selected region of the back surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a plate on which a substrate is received, and a movable polishing pad support and coupled polishing pad which move across the substrate and orbit a local region of the substrate during polishing operation. The load of the pad against the substrate, the revolution rate of the pad, and the size, shape, and composition of the pad, may be varied to control the rate of material removed by the pad.

Abstract: A polishing device includes a housing, a flexible base coupled to the housing, and a contact region disposed on a first side of the flexible base, wherein the flexible base expands and contracts based on pressure contained within the housing and a second side of the flexible base to form a contact area on the first side that is less than a surface area of the flexible base.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for retaining a substrate in a polishing head of a CMP system. The invention includes a flexible inner retaining ring adapted to contour to an edge of a substrate and an inner ring support coupled to the polishing head. The inner support ring is adapted to contact the flexible inner retaining ring in response to a side force load applied to the flexible inner retaining ring by a substrate being polished. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system is provided. The chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen, a load cup, a hub, a first polishing arm cantilevered from the hub and rotatable around the centerline of the hub between the platen and load cup, and a second polishing arm cantilevered from the hub and rotatable around the centerline of the hub between the platen and load cup the second arm rotatable independently from the hub.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for polishing a substrate edge without mechanical contact are disclosed. The apparatus includes a rotatable chuck configured to secure a substrate, an ion milling machine configured to project an ion beam on an edge of the substrate and to sputter off matter from the substrate, and an endpoint detection sensor configured to determine if a material removal endpoint of the substrate has been reached. Numerous additional features are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for retaining a substrate in a polishing head of a CMP system. The invention includes a flexible inner retaining ring adapted to contour to an edge of a substrate and an inner ring support coupled to the polishing head. The inner support ring is adapted to contact the flexible inner retaining ring in response to a side force load applied to the flexible inner retaining ring by a substrate being polished. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: One embodiment of present invention is a segmented instrument having braking capabilities that includes an elongate body having a plurality of links and a hinge connecting a pair of adjacent links in the plurality of links. There is also brake assembly coupled to each link in the pair of adjacent links and positioned to span the distance between the pair of adjacent links. Another embodiment of the present invention is a segmented instrument having a plurality of links and at least one lockable and articulatable joint positioned to connect a pair of adjacent links in the plurality of links. In addition, the at least one lockable and articulatable joint is adapted and configured to increase the number of frictional surfaces available between the pair of adjacent links. There are also provided methods for controlling a segmented instrument.