Abstract: The polishing body 4 is attached to a substrate 5. The polishing body 4 has a structure in which a polishing pad 6, a hard elastic member 7 and a soft member 8 are laminated in that order from the side of the polishing surface. For example, an IC1000 (commercial name) manufactured by Rodel, Inc. is used as the polishing pad 6. For example, a stainless steel plate is used as the hard elastic member 7. A Suba400 (commercial name) manufactured by Rodel, Inc. is used as the soft member 8. The polishing pad 6 has grooves 6 in the polishing surface side. The residual thickness d of the areas of the grooves 6a in the polishing pad 6 is set so as to satisfy the condition 0 mm<d?0.6 mm. As a result, the ability to eliminate steps can be increased, thus allowing the “local pattern flatness” to be improved, while ensuring the “global removal uniformity”; furthermore, a polishing body with a long useful life can be obtained.

Abstract: The processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises an object holding unit for holding a processing object, a tool holding unit for holding a tool for processing the processing object, and a relative movement mechanism for causing relative movement of the processing object held in the object holding unit and the tool held in the tool holding unit, while maintaining contact therebetween. The object holding unit and/or the tool holding unit are composed of a plurality of support plates of almost flat shape having elastic property which are arranged in a row.

Abstract: The wafer 11 that is the object of polishing is held by a polishing head 12, and rotates together with the polishing head 12. A polishing body 14 is attached to the polishing member 13 by bonding using an adhesive agent or two-sided adhesive tape, etc. As is shown in (b), the polishing body 14 is constructed by laminating a soft member 15, a hard elastic member 16 and a polishing pad 17. The hard elastic member 16 is constructed so that the amount of deformation of the hard elastic member 16 at the polishing load that is applied during polishing is smaller than the step difference that is permitted in the above-mentioned wafer in the interval corresponding to the maximum pattern of the above-mentioned semiconductor integrated circuits, and is larger than the TTV that is permitted in the above-mentioned wafer in the interval corresponding to one chip. As a result, the requirements of both “wafer global removal uniformity” and local pattern planarity” can be satisfied.

Abstract: A vibration actuator includes a vibration element, which simultaneously generates a radial symmetric expansion vibration mode in which it expands and contracts in the radial direction and a non-axisymmetric planar vibration mode in which it bends to and fro in a non-axisymmetric manner within a single plane, and thereby drives a relative movement member, and a base member to which the vibration element is fixed. The vibration element includes at least one superimposed layer structure comprising a pair of electrical energy to mechanical energy conversion elements and an elastic member sandwiched between the pair of electrical energy to mechanical energy conversion elements. The elastic member includes a ring shaped portion to both the sides of which the pair of electrical energy to mechanical energy conversion elements are stuck, and a cylindrical shaped support portion, formed integrally with the ring shaped portion, which fixes the vibration element to the base member.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemimechanically polishing a substrate by the steps of causing a chuck to hold the substrate having a metal film or devices such that the surface of a metal film or an insulating film of the substrate is caused to face upwards, pressing the surface of a polishing pad bonded to a joining plate pivotally borne by a spindle shaft having the axis arranged to be perpendicular to the substrate on the surface of the substrate, while supplying polishing solution to a boundary between the surfaces of the pad and the substrate, rotating the chuck holding the substrate and the polishing pad, and reciprocating the polishing pad horizontally on the surface of the substrate so that at least a portion of the metal film or the insulating film is removed.

Abstract: A vibration actuator comprising a vibration element including an elastic member and an electromechanical converting element and a relative movement member maintained in pressure contact with a driving face of the vibration element, wherein the electromechanical converting element includes a longitudinal vibration generating electromechanical converting element for generating a longitudinal vibration for generating a displacement along the axial direction of the vibration element, and a torsional vibration generating electromechanical converting element for generating a torsional vibration for generating a torsional displacement around the axis of the vibration element, and the longitudinal vibration generating electromechanical converting element and the torsional vibration generating electromechanical converting element are provided on a substantially same plane.

Abstract: A multiple degrees of freedom vibration actuator capable of motion around multiple axes. The vibration actuator includes a vibration element having drive force output members, and a relative moving member having a curved surface. The curved surface contacts the drive force output member To generate relative motion of the relative moving member with respect to the vibration element. The vibration element includes a frame shaped elastic member having the drive force output members attached thereto, and having electromechanical converting elements contacting the elastic member. When the electromechanical converting elements are excited by a drive voltage, vibrations are generated in the elastic member to produce a drive force which is transmitted To the relative moving member via the drive force output members. The vibration element can be controlled to generate relative motion in various axis directions by selectively controlling the electromechanical converting elements which are excited by a drive voltage.

Abstract: A compact and lightweight image blur suppression device is shown and described that is superior in responsiveness and quietness, and has a reduced number of parts. In general, a lens frame with an image blur optical system is shifted in a direction opposite to the direction of vibration by a vibration motor. The image blur suppression device is for suppressing image blur in an image formed by a main optical system having an optical axis. The image blur suppression device has an image blur suppression optical system arranged to move within a plane substantially orthogonal to an optical axis of the main optical system and a vibration motor for providing a drive source to move the image blur suppression optical system so as to compensate for image blur.

Abstract: A heterodegenerate type of vibration actuator, which during driving, when noise arises, does not suffer from a reduced driving efficiency nor is the driving force reduced. Such a vibration actuator includes a support member, an elastic body which generates a driving force at a driving surface D, which is an end surface located on an outer surface of the support member, a relative motion member that is in compressive contact with the elastic body located so as to rotate freely on the circumference of the mounting member, and a fixed member which fixes the support member and the elastic body. A mounting standard member regulates the positional relationship of the elastic body and the support member.

Abstract: A vibrational actuator excellent efficiency, in which obstructions of the vibration due to support of the elastic member are cancelled as far as possible. The vibration actuator includes an annular elastic body, at least one piezoelectric element provided on one plane of the elastic body, a relative movement member in pressure contact with the elastic body on a second plane thereof, and support members which support the elastic member disposed on the second plane. In the elastic member, a first vibration mode acting as a drive source, and a second vibration mode which is a bending vibration providing a clutch mechanism are generated. The support members are arranged in a nodal circle and a nodal diameter of the second vibration mode generated in the elastic body.

Abstract: A vibration actuator comprises a rod-shaped vibration element including an elastic unit having plural elastic members and an electromechanical converting device with portions mounted between mutually adjacent ones of the elastic members and adapted to generate mutually different plural vibrations and a relative movement member contacting an end face of the vibration element and adapted to effect a movement relative to the vibration element. The vibration element is so formed that the cross section thereof perpendicular to the axis thereof varies along the axis.

Abstract: A vibration driven motor can be driven with high torque at high rotation, and has a simple structure that can be manufactured easily. The motor may comprise a stator in a cylindrical form, a rotor disposed on the end surface of the stator and a pressing member for pressing the rotor on the stator with pressure, the stator may include a first piezoelectric electro-mechanical converting element for generating torsional vibration around the axis of the stator, a second electro-mechanical converting element for generating longitudinal vibration in the axial direction of the stator, and a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical vibration members, and the first or second piezoelectric element may be one or more plate-like members sandwiched by the vibration members of the stator.