Abstract: Carriers suitable for receiving one or more semiconductor wafers for the machining thereof in lapping, grinding or polishing machines, comprise a core of a first material which has a high stiffness, the core being completely or partly coated with a second material, and also at least one cutout for receiving a semiconductor wafer, wherein the second material is a thermoset polyurethane elastomer having a Shore A hardness of 20-90. The carriers are preferably coated with the second material after chemical surface activation and application of adhesion promoter, and may be used for simultaneous double-side material-removing machining of a plurality of semiconductor wafers.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the double-sided, grinding machining of flat workpieces with an upper and a lower work disk, each of which has a work surface with a grinding layer, wherein the work surfaces form a work gap amongst themselves, in which workpieces can be ground, wherein at least one of the work disks is rotatably drivable by means of a driving mechanism, and further having a device for guiding the workpieces in the work gap. It is provided according to the invention that debarring means are arranged on at least one of the work disks, which are designed to deburr the workpieces during their machining in the apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for machining flat workpieces in a double-sided machining tool, which has an upper and a lower work disk, wherein at least one of the work disks is rotatingly driven and the work disks each have an annular work surface, wherein the work surfaces amongst themselves limit an also annular work gap, in which at least one carrier is located, which guides at least one workpiece in the work gap, so that the at least one workpiece is machined in a double-sided manner between the work surfaces. The distance between the work disks is measured at at least two radially spaced measurement locations of the work gap and in that, from the measured distances, a distance between the work disks is determined at a location of the work gap representing the thickness of the at least one workpiece machined in the work gap.

Abstract: A device for double-sided processing of flat workpieces has upper and lower working discs forming between them a working gap containing a carrier disc with cutout(s) for workpiece(s), the carrier disc having circumferential teeth by means of which it rolls on an inner and an outer gear wheel or pin ring, wherein the gear wheels or pin rings have a multiplicity of gear or pin arrangements which engage the teeth of the carrier discs during rolling, at least one of the pin arrangements having a guide which delimits movement of the margin of the carrier disc in at least one axial direction, the guide formed by a circumferential shoulder or a circumferential groove.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for machining by grinding or polishing of very thin work pieces which are releasably fastened each to thin carriers. The work pieces are arranged together with the carriers in the recesses of at least on rotor disc of a double sided processing machine and are moved along cycloid paths between the working surfaces of the double sided processing machine. Thereby, the removal rate on the working surfaces of the double sided processing machine is either the same or the removal rate on a working surface is substantially less than the one on the opposing working surface, or on one of the working surfaces no material removal takes place. In one embodiment two work pieces are on carrier, that is, releasably fastened on upper and lower side.

Abstract: Simultaneous double-side grinding of a plurality of semiconductor wafers involves positioning each wafer freely in a cutout of one of plural carriers which rotate on a cycloidal trajectory, wherein the wafers are machined between two rotating ring-shaped working disks, each disk having a working layer of bonded abrasive, wherein the form of the working gap between working layers is determined during grinding and the form of the working area of at least one disk is altered such that the gap has a predetermined form. The wafers, during machining, may temporarily overhang the gap. The carrier is optionally composed only of a first material, or is completely or partly coated with the first material such that during machining only the first material contacts the working layer, and the first material does not reduce the machining ability of the working layer.

Abstract: A machining machine with an upper rotatingly drivable machining disc, the annular machining plane of which has a machining coating and is facing a lower machining plane, wherein the machining planes form a machining gap between each other. Plural rotor discs are arranged in the gap, which accommodate workpieces in recesses and which can be brought into rotation by means of a roll-off device, wherein the workpieces move along a cycloid path, wherein plural sensor elements for acquiring at least one machining parameter are arranged in the upper machining disc, distributed across its cross section, the sensor elements are each one coupled to an active or passive RFID chip and a reading device is assigned to the upper machining disc for reading out the RFID chips.

Abstract: A method for the simultaneous double-side grinding of a plurality of semiconductor wafers, involves a process wherein each semiconductor wafer lies such that it is freely moveable in a cutout of one of a plurality of carriers caused to rotate by means of a rolling apparatus and is thereby moved on a cycloidal trajectory, wherein the semiconductor wafers are machined in material-removing fashion between two rotating working disks, wherein each working disk comprises a working layer containing bonded abrasive. The method according to the invention makes it possible, by means of specific kinematics, to produce extremely planar semiconductor wafers.

Abstract: A two-side working machine, comprising an upper and a lower working disc which hold on, and are fixed to, an upper and a lower carrier disc, and which are disposed coaxially with each other and are adapted to be rotationally driven relative to each other by a working motor via a driving shaft, wherein the working discs have formed therebetween a working gap in which flat workpieces are processed on both sides, and a distance measuring device which measures the distance between working discs in at least two radially spaced points of the working gap, whereby the upper carrier disc is suspended on a supporting ring which is connected to the upper working shaft so as to be fixed for rotation, an annular portion of the carrier disc and means which are externally controllable by the supporting ring and via which a radial force is applied to the circumference of the carrier disc about the circumference of the supporting ring by means of a force generator, and control means are provided which adjust the force on the

Abstract: A two-side working machine, comprising an upper and a lower working disc which hold on, and are fixed to, an upper and a lower carrier disc, and which are disposed coaxially with each other and are adapted to be rotationally driven relative to each other by a working motor via a driving shaft, wherein the working discs have formed therebetween a working gap in which flat workpieces are processed on both sides, and a distance measuring device which measures the distance between working discs in at least two radially spaced points of the working gap, whereby the upper carrier disc is suspended on a supporting ring which is connected to the upper working shaft so as to be fixed for rotation, an annular portion of the carrier disc and means which are externally controllable by the supporting ring and via which a radial force is applied to the circumference of the carrier disc about the circumference of the supporting ring by means of a force generator, and control means are provided which adjust the force on the

Abstract: Double-sided polishing machine with an upper and a lower working disc, each comprising a polishing disc and a carrier disc. The working disc are co-axially arranged and rotatable relative to each other, a polishing gap being formed between the polishing discs. Said workpieces are machined in the polishing gap. A temperature control device being at least provided for the upper working disc by which a temperature control fluid can be conveyed through passages in the upper working disc. A spacing measuring device being associated with the working discs which measure the spacing in the polishing gap (gap width ?) at two radial spaced points of the polishing gap.

Abstract: The device comprises a carrier for a workpiece; the carrier can be moved along a vertical and a horizontal axis by use of a drive mechanism and has an approximately planar contact surface for the workpiece, whereby the workpiece can be held on the contact surface by a contact mechanism of the carrier, especially vacuum, a retaining ring on the carrier encircling the contact surface and projecting downwards beyond the contact surface and having an inner diameter which is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the workpiece. At least three centering cams are arranged on a circle, the centering cams can be moved synchronously and in a radial direction by use of a centering drive, the centering cams having a supporting surface oriented on the top.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically loading and unloading wafer crystals to and from a double-sided polishing machine of the type having an upper and a lower polishing plate, runner disks with reception openings for the wafer crystals, and a drive to move runner disks to a predetermined loading and unloading position. The position of the centers of the reception openings in a runner disk located in the loading position is measured and stored by means of an optical identification system. A gripping means of a robot arm is successively oriented towards the measured center positions of the reception openings, and the position of the centers of the individual openings is determined and stored by first and second optical identification systems. The individual wafer crystals are tilted while being inserted by the gripping means of the loading arm into the reception openings.

Abstract: A device for polishing digital storage discs including a polishing plate rotatably driven about a vertical axis, the upper side of which has a polishing cloth, wherein the polishing cloth is interrupted by a ring-shaped recess concentric with the axis of the polishing plate, at least one circular load-applying plate from the planar lower side of which a projection centrally protrudes to appropriately engage the central hole of the storage disk, a roller holder which has at least one idling roller and one driven roller against which the circumference of said load-applying plate gets into engagement when said plate is carried along while lying on said polishing plate, a drive for said driven roller, and mechanism for feeding a polishing medium to said polishing cloth.

Abstract: An apparatus for the chemical-mechanical polishing of surfaces of circular flat workpieces, in particular semi-conductor wafers, comprising a loading and unloading station for the workpieces which includes a carrier which is supported for rotation about a vertical axis and is driven by a rotary driving means into a predetermined rotary position, at least two horizontal loading surfaces on the carrier means facing upwardly. With a transfer means the workpieces can be placed on the loading surfaces or removed therefrom.

Abstract: A holder for semiconductor wafers in an apparatus for chemical-mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers, having a disk-shaped head, a holding plate and a ring-shaped membrane attached to the carrier section and the holding plate which defines a pressure chamber between these components, the bores in the holding plate being connected with the pressure chamber, a contact membrane of elastomeric gas-impermeable material having a peripheral edge which is fixedly connected to a peripheral portion of the holding plate in a gas-tight manner and engages the lower side of the holding plate.

Abstract: A holder for flat workpieces, particularly semiconductor wafers, particularly in an apparatus for chemico-mechanically polishing the semiconductor wafers, comprising a disk-like head which is adapted to be connected to a spindle adjustable in height at the upper surface and has a support plate at the lower side which, via a universal joint, is coupled to a carrier portion disposed above the support plate or the spindle and which has a number of vertical bores which extend to the underside of the support plate and can be optionally connected to a vacuum and/or a fluid source under pressure, where the support plate is guided to be movable in height in the carrier portion and displacing means are provided between the carrier portion and the support plate to displace the support plate with respect to the carrier portion and to exert a predetermined pressure on the workpiece, characterized in that a ring-shaped loading member of limited width is provided which is movably supported in an axially parallel way in the

Abstract: An apparatus for removing semiconductor wafers from within the runner disks in a double-sided polishing machine. The apparatus includes a suction head adapted to be connected to a vacuum, which has a plurality of suction ports such that all semiconductor wafers received by a runner disk may be gripped simultaneously. The apparatus also includes an arm on which the suction head is rotatably supported about a vertical axis and which, in turn, is pivotally supported about a vertical axis at a spacing from the suction head or is supported so as to be linearly adjustable or adjustable in height. The apparatus also includes a rotary drive for the suction head, a drive for the arm, a lifting drive for the arm, and a control device for activating the drives such that the semiconductor wafers may be deposited on a lay-down device in a predetermined, aligned position.

Abstract: A double-disk polishing machine, particularly for tooling semiconductor wafers, comprising a machine housing, an upper and a lower working disk, carrier disks for the lower and upper working disks either of which is connected to a vertical driving shaft which, in turn, are rotatably supported in the machine housing by means of roller bearings and are adapted to be driven by a motor via a gear mechanism wherein cooling channels to which a coolant is fed are formed in each carrier disk, characterized in that each of the carrier disks is mounted with the aid of fastening means on a circumferential ring of a wheel-shaped basic carrier which, in turn, is connected to the driving shaft, the radius on which said fastening means lie which connect said basic carrier to said carrier disk is approximately on half the width of the ring-shaped working disk and said basic carrier for the upper working disk is connected to the shaft or to carrier disk in such a way that the inclination of the upper working disk automaticall

Abstract: A holder for flat subjects, in particular semiconductor wafers, in particular in a device for the chemical-mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers, with a plate-like head which can be connected on the upper side to a height adjustable spindle and at the lower side comprises a holding plate which is coupled to a carrier section arranged above the holding plate via a universal joint and which comprises a number of vertical bores which extend to the lower side of the plate and can be connected to a vacuum and/or a fluid source, wherein the holding plate is height adjustably guided in the carrier section, between the carrier section and the holding plate there is arranged an annular closed membrane within which there is formed an essentially air-tightly closed inner space which can be selectively connected to atmosphere or vacuum or to a pressure source.