Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for wet processing of a conductive layer using a degassed process solution such as a degassed electrochemical deposition solution, a degassed electrochemical polishing solution, a degassed electroless deposition solution, and a degassed cleaning solution. The technique includes degassing the process solution before delivering the degassed process solution to a processing unit or degassing the process solution in-situ, within the processing unit.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an angle setting tool for setting the blade section of a hand scaler at a predetermined angle during sharpening of the scaler, and a hand scaler sharpening device which has a relatively simple structure, is easy to operate and do maintenance, and reduces complexity in the sharpening operation. This object is achieved by a hand scaler sharpening device including a sharpener main body having a grind stone (50) provided for reciprocating motion, and an angle setting tool (41) for setting the tip of a hand scaler at one of a plurality of predetermined angles on the grind stone (50), wherein the angle setting tool (41) has a plurality of inclined surfaces (42a, 43a, 44a) corresponding to the predetermined angles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lasting apparatus which is provided with an ejection device, which ejects blast media, and a recovery device, which sucks and recovers ejected and used blast media, on a traveling carriage, ejects the blast media to a surface to be treated by the ejection device while causing the traveling carriage to travel on the surface to be treated, and recovers the used blast media by the recovery device, and comprising: roughness measuring device that is provided at the traveling carriage and measures roughness of an uneven surface of the surface to be treated which is treated by ejection of the blast media; and control unit which performs a feedback control of an ejection amount of the blast media, ejection pressure, ejection speed, an ejection air amount, a suction air amount by the recovery device, and a speed of the traveling carriage so that the roughness which is measured by the roughness measuring device is within a range of predetermined roughness.

Abstract: A coolant delivery apparatus for a machine tool wherein the position of the coolant delivery apparatus is controllable such that coolant may be delivered to the machining contact zone of a tool even though the location of the machining zone of the tool may change such as during machining of a workpiece, or from one workpiece to another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a diamond saw blade for milling. The rim of the circular metal with a shaft or the front end of the tubular body or an edge of the strip metal has multiple equidistant openings for positioning the diamond grains. The width of the opening is slightly wider or equal to the diameter of the diamond grain. After the diamond grains are positioned in each opening, the metal surface on both sides of each opening is pressed by the jig through two directions. The metal surface on both sides of the opening is deformed by the pressure from the jig, and extrudes along the direction of each opening for bonding diamond grains. Further, the surface forms a rugged cutting edge. More, a diamond layer with diamond grains is electroplated on the surface of the cutting edge. It, therefore, has a long lifecycle and becomes a high-speed cutting edge for milling without deformation.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a polishing pad. A pad conditioner includes a static conditioner head having a surface area configured to contact and condition the pad. The surface area has a first end proximate to an axis of rotation of the pad and a second end remote from the axis of rotation of the pad. The first end defines a first arc length, and the second end defines a second arc length, where the first arc length and the second arc length are substantially identical.

Abstract: A drill sharpener is provided which has a point-splitting port which simplifies the procedure for producing a split point on a drill bit undergoing sharpening. The point-splitting port is positioned relative to a grinding wheel assembly such that, when the drill held by a chuck is advanced toward the grinding wheel, a flute of the drill at the drill tip is brought into contact with the grinding wheel. The port has alignment stops therein which mate with flats provided on the barrel of the chuck to ensure proper alignment of the chuck and drill relative to the grinding wheel. The stops also limit the extent of inward travel of the chuck and drill to a predetermined distance. A debris or grit collection tube is also provided to be inserted into an unused port of the drill sharpener, to contain and confine any debris or grit attempting to exit the sharpener through the unused port.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning and monitoring a planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a conditioning body having a conditioning surface that engages a planarizing surface of the planarizing medium and is movable relative to the planarizing medium. A force sensor is coupled to the conditioning body to detect a frictional force imparted to the conditioning body by the planarizing medium when the conditioning body and the planarizing medium are moved relative to each other. The apparatus can further include a feedback device that controls the motion, position, or force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium to control the conditioning of the planarizing medium.

Abstract: A cylindrical drum has at its circumferential edge a number of recesses, each adapted for accommodating a replaceable grinding element including a retainer in which is mounted a sandpaper, support brushes and/or retainer brushes. The recesses in the cylindrical drum are made with side walls. The retainer is made with corresponding outer side walls. During use, by wedge action between the side walls of the recesses and the outer side walls of the retainer, a squeezing force on the side walls of the retainer directed in the circumferential direction arises. The retainer is designed with grooves for fastening at least one sandpaper, and the grooves extend from an upper side of the retainer and into the retainer for forming at least one elastic and pliable flap which is disposed between the grooves and at least one outer side wall.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing pad for performing chemical mechanical planarization of semiconductor substrates. The polishing pad comprises a polishing pad body having an aperture formed therein and a window fixed in the aperture for performing in-situ optical measurements of the substrate. The window has a lower surface capable of transmitting light incident thereon. The lower surface has been treated by laser ablation to remove surface roughness present on the lower surface.

Abstract: Provided is a fixed abrasive article for polishing a workpiece having a hardness comprising (a) a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, (b) a region of abrasive composites distributed on the first surface of the substrate, and (c) a region of conditioning amalgams distributed on the first surface of the substrate. The abrasive composites include a composite binder and abrasive particles of a first hardness, which first hardness is higher than the hardness of the workpiece. The amalgams include an erodible binder and conditioning particles sufficient to condition the composite binder and having a second hardness, which second hardness is less than the hardness of the workpiece and greater than the hardness of the composite binder. Also provided are other abrasive articles, and methods of making them.

Abstract: A system and method for providing process control in a CMP system utilizes a vacuum-assisted arrangement for conditioning a wafer polishing pad so that the effluent (i.e., wafer debris, polishing slurry, chemical or other by-products) from the conditioning process is diverted from the waste stream and instead introduced into an analysis module for further processing. The analysis module functions to determine at least one parameter within the effluent and generate a process control signal based upon the analysis. The process control signal is then fed back to the planarization process to allow for the control of various parameters such as polishing slurry composition, temperature, flow rate, etc. The process control signal can also be used to control the conditioning process and/or determining the endpoint of the planarization process itself.

Abstract: A slurry feeding apparatus includes closed slurry bottle, piping, wet nitrogen generator, wet nitrogen supply pipe, suction and spray nozzles, temperature regulator, flow rate control valves, slurry delivery pump and controller for controlling the operation and flow rate of the slurry delivery pump. While a wafer is being polished by a CMP polisher, the controller continuously operates the pump. On the other hand, while the polisher is idling, the controller starts and stops the pump intermittently at regular intervals. No stirrer like a propeller is inserted into the slurry bottle, but the slurry is stirred up by spraying the slurry through the spray nozzle.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in a chemical mechanical planarization system is provided. The apparatus includes a fluid displacing device and a fluid delivery device. The fluid displacing device is capable of being positioned at a proximate location over a polishing pad, the fluid displacing device configured to displace at least part of a first fluid from a region of the polishing pad. The fluid delivery device is capable of replacing the displaced first fluid with a second fluid at the region of the polishing pad, the second fluid being different than the first fluid. A method of controlling properties of a film present over a polishing pad surface is also provided.

Abstract: A slurry dispensing apparatus for use with a chemical mechanical polishing tool for planarizing semiconductor substrates having irregular topology. The apparatus includes a slurry dispensing manifold with a first end suspended over a polishing pad, and a second end for mounting to the chemical mechanical polishing tool. The slurry dispensing manifold has a linear array of nozzles positioned under the suspended manifold. Each nozzle provides an adjusted slurry mixture that is supplied from bifurcated supply lines. A first branch supplying a slurry, and a second branch supplying deionized water. Each nozzle is capable of providing a particular slurry concentration to either decrease or to increase polishing rate in specific zonal areas on a substrate according to its surface topology.

Abstract: A fiber optic polishing apparatus including a support system, a polishing sub-assembly coupled to the support system including a plurality of pads, and a fixture to hold a plurality of fiber optic connectors. The fixture is positioned adjacent to the plurality of pads so that an end surface of each of the plurality of fiber optic connectors is held in contact with a corresponding pad. A drive mechanism is coupled to the support system to move the fixture to polish the end surface of each of the plurality of fiber optic connectors. Each of the plurality of pads may travel independently in a vertical direction. The polishing sub-assembly may further include a web polishing film, a fluid injection module configured to direct water onto the film, and a rinsing module to rub against a face of each of the plurality of fiber optic connectors to remove debris.

Abstract: An apparatus including a fixed abrasive article interposed between a substrate and a support assembly. The support assembly creates regions of high and low erosion force at the interface between the substrate and the fixed abrasive article. The high erosion force is sufficient to activate the fixed abrasive article.

Abstract: In a method of grinding a component, a reduction in the finish grinding time is achieved by rotating the component through only a single revolution during a final grinding step and controlling the depth of cut and the component speed of rotation during that single revolution, so as to maintain a substantially constant specific metal removal rate during the final grinding step. The headstock velocity can vary between 2 and 20 rpm during a single revolution of the cam during the final grinding step. Using a grinding machine having 17.5 kw of available power for rotating the wheel, and cutting with a grinding wheel in the range 80–120 mm diameter typically the depth of cut lies in the range of 0.25 to 0.5 mm.

Abstract: In a system and a method according to the present invention, a sensor signal, such as a motor current signal, from a drive assembly of a pad conditioning system is used to estimate the status of one or more consumables in a CMP system.

Abstract: A centerless grinder for grinding an elongated workpiece includes a grinding wheel having a working surface with a plurality of raised areas extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the working surface. A platform is provided having an elongated top surface for supporting the workpiece substantially adjacent to the working surface of the grinding wheel and a front surface with a plurality of lateral grooves for receiving the raised areas on the working surface of the grinding wheel such that movement of the platform toward the working surface into a working area adjacent to the grinding wheel enables the raised areas to pass into the lateral grooves and grind the workpiece.