Abstract: The retaining ring has a plurality of slurry channels wherein each alternate channel is recessed away from the inner circumference of the pad contacting surface forming a recess which extends upward from the bottom surface sufficient to prevent contact of the retaining ring with the polishing pad. Each recess curves towards the inner circumference of the retaining ring in a manner to form a rounded tab, tangent to the inner circumference of the retaining ring, and meeting the inner circumference at the exit end of an adjacent non-recessed slurry channel. The total effective contact length of the ring with the wafer edge is about one-tenth of the wafer perimeter. This is sufficient to properly contain the wafer during polishing and provides a large area of undistorted polishing pad at the wafer edge. By adjusting the operating pressure of the polishing head, it is possible to obtain polishing rates at the wafer edge which are larger or smaller than the overall wafer polishing rate.

Abstract: A composite polishing pad for use in chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) processes, which polishing pad of the invention is made of a paper-making-process produced fibrous-matrix of paper-making fibers bound with resin material, and consists of a top section with one or more lower sections, where each layer has unique material properties. Polishing performance can be substantially improved by modifying the individual characteristics of each layer. Typically, the top layer or working surface will be of a higher modulus material than the lower layers. Therefore, the sub-layers may consist of lower density regions or a modified surface structure, such as grooving, to effectively modify the bulk modulus.

Abstract: A ratchet wheel structure includes a latch edge, a containing groove and a groove coupled in sequence, and the latch edge disposed at an internal periphery of the ratchet wheel is a flange, and the containing groove is disposed between the latch edges, and the groove is protruded from the middle of a protruded surface of the latch edge for dividing the latch edge into two.

Abstract: Provided is a multifunctional whetstone comprising a handle comprising a rear cutter, top slits of different width, and a bottom magnet; a head comprising an open mouth including a curved recess for gripping a sheet of paper and a bottom opening with two concealed abrasive blades anchored in both sides; and a yoke-shaped guide fastened at the cavity and both eyes and comprising two wings. In one operation blunt cutting edges of a blade of a knife are placed in the opening and are adapted to rub against either abrasive blade to-and-fro repeatedly. In another operation a piece of glass is cut along a predetermined line by manipulating the cutter, a portion of the glass is inserted into one conformed slit with the predetermined line aligned with an opening of the slit, and the handle is adapted to pivot to break the glass into two parts.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising (i) contacting a substrate with a polishing system comprising (a) an abrasive, a polishing pad, a means for oxidizing a substrate, or any combination thereof, (b) a conducting polymer having an electrical conductivity of about 10?10 S/cm to about 106 S/cm, and (c) a liquid carrier, and (ii) abrading or removing at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate.

Abstract: Conditioning devices, systems and methods for conditioning a contact surface of a processing pad used in processing microelectronic workpieces. One embodiment of a conditioning device comprises an end-effector having a conditioning surface configured to engage the contact surface of the processing pad and a plurality of microstructures on the conditioning surface. The microstructures can be arranged in a pattern corresponding to a desired pattern of microfeatures on the contact surface of the processing pad. In several embodiments, the microstructures are raised elements projecting from the conditioning surface and/or depressions in the conditioning surface. The condition surface can also be smooth. The conditioning device can also include a heater coupled to the end-effector for heating the processing pad.

Abstract: A handle of a hand tool includes two opposite wide surfaces and two opposite narrow sides. The wide surfaces are perpendicular to the rotational direction when using the tool so that the fingers except for the thumb are in contact with the wide surfaces. Each wide surface has a reinforcement protrusion extending perpendicularly therefrom and located close to the driving end of the hand tool. Each reinforcement protrusion includes a thumb area such that the user's thumb may press on the thumb area when rotating the handle.

Abstract: A belt sander (2) comprising a housing (4) and having a lower sanding surface (40) and an upper sanding surface (42) opposite the first sanding is disclosed. The sander has a larger rear roller (32) driven by a motor (22), a front roller (34) of smaller diameter than the rear roller, and an endless sanding belt (38). A guard (48) is pivotable between a lowered position preventing access to the upper sanding surface and a raised position allowing access to the upper sanding surface. A handle (12) on the housing is pivotable between a first handle position adjacent the upper sanding surface and at least one second handle position further from the upper sanding surface than the first handle position.

Abstract: An extension structure for a tool includes a main body, a drive rod movably mounted in the main body, an elastic member mounted in the main body and urged between the main body and the drive rod, and a rotation control member rotatably mounted on the main body and rested on the drive rod, so that the drive rod is moved in the main body by rotation of the rotation control member. Thus, the extension structure is assembled easily and quickly and has a rigid construction without detachment.

Abstract: A sectional adjustable socket tool handle, which controls the movement of an axial rod along the axial direction of an external pipe. The tool includes a plurality of grooves, a coupler for engaging the plurality of grooves, such that a latch member on the external pipe is latched into the groove under normal conditions, and the coupler can move between a first position and a second position along the axial direction of the external pipe. When the coupler moves to the first position, the coupler will press against the latch member to prevent the axial rod from moving. When the coupler moves to the second position, the coupler will release the latch member.

Abstract: A handle tool comprises a spanner body; at least one opening being formed at one end of the spanner body; an inner wall of the flower form opening being formed with a resisting portion; the resisting portion being formed with a plurality of ratchet teeth for buckling an elastic restoring unit; a smooth portion at an lower edge of the resisting portion; a diameter of the smooth portion being slightly larger than that of the resisting portion. Thereby, when a hexagonal screwing unit of the screw unit buckled against the resisting annual element will be received in the smooth portion of the flower form opening. Since no ratchet tooth is formed on the smooth portion and the diameter of the smooth portion is slightly larger than that of the hexagonal screwing unit of the screw unit, the spanner body will rotate idly.

Abstract: A surface of the gas turbine blade is smoothed by way of a drag finish process. A first ring-shaped container is filled with a liquid abrasive medium. A second container which is arranged next to the first container is filled with a second liquid abrasive medium. A pivoting arm is arranged between and above the containers and can be pivoted along a pivoting direction. A drag device is arranged on the pivoting arm. The drag device leads a gas turbine blade on a carrier arm through the abrasive medium.

Abstract: Planarizing machines, carrier heads for planarizing machines and methods for planarizing microelectronic-device substrate assemblies in mechanical or chemical-mechanical planarizing processes. In one embodiment of the invention, a carrier head includes a backing plate, a bladder attached to the backing plate, and a retaining ring extending around the backing plate. The backing plate has a perimeter edge, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface of the backing plate can have a perimeter region extending inwardly from the perimeter edge and an interior region extending inwardly from the perimeter region. The perimeter region, for example, can have a curved section extending inwardly from the perimeter edge of the backing plate or from a flat rim at the perimeter edge. The curved section can curve toward and/or away from the first surface to influence the edge pressure exerted against the substrate assembly during planarization.

Abstract: A bolt or nut tightening device comprising a tightening socket (4) and a reaction force receiving member (5), the tightening socket (4) being rotatingly drivable upon a speed reduction by a motor (2) and a reduction mechanism (3) which are incorporated in the device, the motor (2) being coupled to a controller (7), the controller (7) being operable to deenergize the motor (2) in response to a tightening completion signal of detecting means (70) for detecting the completion of tightening of a bolt or nut and to reversely rotate the motor (2) only for a moment upon lapse of a predetermined period of time taken for inertial rotation of the motor (2) to reduce to an extent neglectable for the reverse rotation of the motor (2) after the deenergization, whereby the propping action of the reaction force receiving member (5) is nullified.

Abstract: A grinder designed to provide an automatic grinding operation for the manufacture of a semiconductor device wafer. The grinder includes a base, a rotatable index table mounted to the base, and a grinding wheel assembly including a grinding wheel for grinding a flat surface on the wafer. The index table includes a wafer holder for receiving and holding the wafer and a dressing element for dressing the grinding wheel. The index table is selectively rotatable between a grinding position where the wafer is ground by the grinding wheel and a dressing position where the grinding wheel is dressed by the dressing element.

Abstract: A repair assembly for the skid plate of a circular saw and its associated method of repair. If a circular saw has a skid plate that is worn to a point where it needs replacement, this repair assembly is used to reinforce the worn skid plate so it can again be used. The repair assembly includes a secondary plate structure having a flat base. The secondary plate structure is mounted directly onto the worn skid plate. The secondary skid plate covers the wear surfaces of the worn skid plate, therein providing new wear surfaces. The repair assembly attached over the worn skid plate so the worn skid plate does not have to be removed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring a substrate surface during chemical mechanical polishing are disclosed.

Abstract: A masonry block that is produced from a workpiece that is split in a block splitting assembly which uses engagement surfaces that are enhanced with, for example, alternating ridges and valleys, preferably in combination with workpiece-engaging projections, to supplement or replace the action of the splitting blade in splitting and dressing the workpiece.

Abstract: Carrier assemblies, planarizing machines with carrier assemblies, and methods for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of micro-device workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the carrier assembly includes a head having a chamber, a magnetic field source carried by the head, and a fluid with magnetic elements in the chamber. The magnetic field source has a first member that induces a magnetic field in the head. The fluid and/or the magnetic elements move within the chamber under the influence of the magnetic field source to exert a force against a portion of the micro-device workpiece. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the carrier assembly includes a flexible member in the chamber. The magnetic field source can be any device that induces a magnetic field, such as a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, or an electrically conductive coil.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus and method for polishing semiconductor wafers utilizes multiple wafer carriers that are transferred to different positions about a polishing pad to polish at least one semiconductor wafer while another semiconductor wafer is being loaded onto or unloaded from one of the wafer carriers. The different positions include multiple polishing positions and one or more loading/unloading positions. In some embodiments, the CMP apparatus is configured such that a semiconductor wafer is polished at a loading/unloading position. The CMP apparatus may also be configured to continuously polish one or more semiconductor wafers while the wafer carriers are being transferred to different positions. Thus, the CMP apparatus can continuously process the semiconductor wafers without significant idle periods. Consequently, in these embodiments, the efficiency of the CMP apparatus is significantly increased.