Abstract: Methods and apparatus for applying a uniform polishing pressure on a wafer are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a chemical mechanical planarization polishing apparatus includes a polishing pad, a wafer holder, and a force control system. The wafer holder supports a wafer to be polished using the polishing pad. The polishing pad is arranged to move relative to the wafer holder such that an area of contact between the wafer holder and the polishing pad varies. The force control system including a controller and a plurality of actuators that apply forces to the polishing pad. The controller controls the forces as the area of contact varies to substantially maintain a first polishing pressure on the wafer arranged to be supported by the wafer holder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing apparatus with a construction which makes it possible to prevent the peripheral portions of a substrate from sloping downward as a result of the polishing member tilting at the peripheral portions of the substrate during the polishing of the substrate, and which makes it possible to adjust the contact pressure quickly in accordance with changes in the contact area between the polishing surface and the substrate surface.

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: Disclosed is a linear motor device provided with a movable member, a stator having coils, and a control system for powering selected coils among the coils in accordance with a position of the movable member. The control system powers only the minimum number of coils contributing to the generation of thrust in relation with the current position of the movable member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing apparatus with a construction which makes it possible to prevent the peripheral portions of a substrate from sloping downward as a result of the polishing member tilting at the peripheral portions of the substrate during the polishing of the substrate, and which makes it possible to adjust the contact pressure quickly in accordance with changes in the contact area between the polishing surface and the substrate surface.

Abstract: An electrical coil assembly and method of manufacturing an electrical coil assembly having at least two interconnected electrical coils forming a coil pair with each coil formed with a multiple winding of wire. The electrical coil assembly preferably has at least one pair of electrical coils with a first coil, a second coil and a third coil aligned in tandem. The first coil is formed from a first wire having an inner end and an outer end with the first wire wound in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction from the inner end to the outer end to form multiple layers of the first wire aligned relative to one another in a single row. The second coil is located between the first coil and the third coil, and is formed from a second wire having an inner end and an outer end with the second wire wound in a direction opposite to the direction of the first wire to form multiple layers of the wire aligned relative to one another in a single row.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrical coil assembly having at least two interconnected electrical coils forming a coil pair with each coil formed with a laminated multiple winding of flat wire.