Abstract: Chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus includes three subassemblies, a top subassembly which is non-rotating but which has a lower section which forms a shell about a center and a lower subassembly both of which rotate within the shell. The system also includes a slurry dispensing system which is embedded in the shell and which is operative to supply slurry just in front of the advancing edge of a wafer being polished by the system. The slurry dispensing system includes a tube with holes arranged 180 degrees about the shell of the non-rotating subassembly which is also operative to retain the wafer in contact with the (rotating) pad covered platen with which it is in contact.

Abstract: Chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus includes a pad reconditioning mechanism which comprises nested conical tubes which overly the pad. The outer tube has an array of holes in it much like the head of an electric razor and is rotated about its axis by being in contact with the rotating pad. The inner cone is stationary and has a longitudinal, downward-facing slot. An air stream from the narrow end of the inner cone towards the wide end carries particle-laden slurry to the wide end for removal or recycling. The nested cones are arranged like a detachable bridge with the narrow end secured to a non-rotating center core and the wide end secured to the top of the table in which the (now annular) platen rotates.