Rotary Work Holder Patents (Class 451/269)
  • Patent number: 11148250
    Abstract: A method dresses one polishing cloth or two polishing pads simultaneously, in which a polishing cloth has been applied to a polishing plate, with at least one dresser (4), which is equipped with at least one dressing element (8), this at least one dressing element (8) being in contact with the at least one polishing cloth (11, 12) to be dressed, wherein the at least one polishing plate (21, 22) is rotated with a relative rotational speed and the at least one dresser (4) is rotated with a relative rotational speed and at least two different combinations of directions of rotation of the two pairs of polishing plates (21, 22) and pin wheels (31, 32) are executed during the simultaneous dressing of two polishing pads (11, 12) or during the dressing of one polishing cloth (11) of the polishing plate (21) and of the at least one dresser (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Vladimir Dutschke, Torsten Olbrich, Leszek Mistur, Markus Schnappauf
  • Patent number: 11052506
    Abstract: A double-head grinding machine includes a disc-shaped carrier ring having a support hole for supporting a silicon wafer, a rotation mechanism rotating the carrier ring around a center of the carrier ring, and a grinding wheel including a grinding stone for grinding the silicon wafer. The support hole is circular and has a center eccentric to the center of the carrier ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10895294
    Abstract: This disc rotor has a hat portion having a cylindrical portion and a sliding plate portion having an insertion hole into which the cylindrical portion is inserted, being connected together with the hat portion in a state in which the cylindrical portion protrudes from the insertion hole. The coupling is achieved by pinching an inner peripheral edge of the sliding plate portion between a first portion and a second portion that are formed in the cylindrical portion. The second portion is formed by plastically deforming an outer peripheral side of the cylindrical portion toward the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: AISIN TAKAOKA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Yamaguchi, Yoshitaka Iwase, Koji Higaki
  • Patent number: 10593574
    Abstract: Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus and methods for manufacturing CMP apparatus are provided herein. CMP apparatus may include polishing pads, polishing head retaining rings, and polishing head membranes, among others, and the CMP apparatus may be manufactured via additive manufacturing processes, such as three dimensional (3D) printing processes. The CMP apparatus may include wireless communication apparatus components integrated therein. Methods of manufacturing CMP apparatus include 3D printing wireless communication apparatus into a polishing pad and printing a polishing pad with a recess configured to receive a preformed wireless communication apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jason G. Fung, Rajeev Bajaj, Daniel Redfield, Aniruddh Khanna, Mario Cornejo, Gregory E. Menk, John Watkins
  • Patent number: 10309474
    Abstract: An automated station (1) for the finishing of brake pads (4) comprises at least one rotary finishing tool (2) for finishing a friction layer (22) of the brake pad (4), a workhead (3) to pick, retain and release the brake pad (4), a handling unit (6) to move the workhead (3) along a programmable path comprising a pass over the rotary finishing tool (2) and a guide (5) having a mouth (27) which is passed through by the workhead (3) in order to start the finishing pass along the length of the programmable route, the guide (5) contacting the workhead (3) to define, along at least one direction (A; C), the relative position between the workhead (3) and the brake pad (4) during the finishing carried out by the rotary finishing tool (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: ITT Italian S.r.l.
    Inventors: Carlo Radice, Augusto Carusi
  • Patent number: 10081089
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the multi-stage grinding of workpieces (20) made of hard mineral materials using a robot (10). To this end, the workpiece (20) is moved into a processing region (21) and measured and/or oriented there by the robot (10). The robot (10) comprises a grinding head (11) by way of which it then takes up a first abrasive (14) preferably from a storage container (30) and starts a first grinding process. After the first grinding process is complete, the robot (10) releases the first abrasive (14) again and then takes up a second abrasive (14), preferably from the same or some other storage container (30). Then the robot (10) starts a second grinding process, and after the latter is complete, releases the second abrasive (14) again. One or more further grinding processes may be provided, but the grinding method can also be finished after the second grinding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: DULA-WERKE DUSTMANN & CO. GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Kottbus, Knut Müller
  • Patent number: 9764443
    Abstract: A method of producing a carrier for use in a double-side polishing apparatus, the method including engaging an insert with a holding hole formed in a carrier body and sticking the insert to the holding hole, the carrier body being configured to be disposed between upper and lower turn tables to which polishing pads are attached of the double-side polishing apparatus, the holding hole being configured to hold a wafer during polishing, the insert being configured to contact an edge of the wafer to be held, the method including: performing a lapping process and a polishing process on the insert; engaging the insert subjected to the lapping process and the polishing process with the holding hole of the carrier body; and sticking and drying the engaged insert while applying a load to the insert in a direction perpendicular to main surfaces of the carrier body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Sato, Yuki Tanaka, Syuichi Kobayashi, Kenji Iha, Toshinari Kinjo
  • Patent number: 9724798
    Abstract: There is provided a cover to which a polishing liquid is less likely to stick and solidify. The cover for a component of a polishing apparatus for polishing substrates is provided with a locking mechanism disposed inside the cover and configured to latch together a main body of the component and the cover. An external surface of the cover exposed to the outside has no recessed portion, and has no horizontal plane, except on the top portion of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Shinkai, Tadakazu Sone, Hideo Aizawa, Hiroshi Aono
  • Patent number: 9592582
    Abstract: An inner rotary retaining member has an annular outward rolling surface formed of part of a radially outward tapered surface centering on the central axis of a first rotary drive shaft. An outer rotary retaining member has an annular inward rolling surface formed of part of a radially inward tapered surface centering on the central axis of a second rotary drive shaft. The rolling surfaces are opposed to each other. A pocket that supports a workpiece such that the workpiece rotates and revolves as the retaining members rotate is formed at a portion of the carrier, the portion being positioned between the rolling surfaces. The central axis of the workpiece supported by the pocket is inclined relative to the central axis of the rotary drive shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Yonemichi
  • Patent number: 9289882
    Abstract: A grinding tool with an eccentric rotation shaft of a grinding disc with attached grinding material installed via a bearing at a position that is shifted from the central drive shaft line of a rotating disc fixed on a drive shaft, comprises a clutch in which a grinding disc-side clutch component member installed on the grinding disc or on the eccentric rotation shaft that is fixed to the grinding disc and a rotating disc-side clutch component member installed on the rotating disc are linked via a sliding surface capable of sliding and of transmitting the drive force. The rotation rate of the grinding disc is limited to a stable range of rotation rates, preventing extreme elevation in the rotation rate and extreme reduction in the rotation rate; the workpiece is ground efficiently; and the tool does not generate marks or patterns on the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: KEITECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koji Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9205529
    Abstract: A dispenser for a chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus, includes a delivery arm disposed over a polishing pad of a CMP apparatus, at least a slurry delivery groove formed in the delivery arm and extending along a length of the delivery arm, and a plurality of first openings connected to the slurry delivery groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Liang-Chuo Ham, Chin-Chuan Chih, Jiann-Mo Lee, Chia-Ming Yang, Wen-Yen Chen
  • Patent number: 9180569
    Abstract: A platen for polishing a surface of a wafer has a reaction plate, a polishing plate, and a bladder. The reaction plate has a top and bottom surface, and defines a longitudinal axis. The polishing plate is positioned coaxially with the reaction plate. The polishing plate has a second top surface and a second bottom surface. The second top surface is adjacent to the bottom surface of the reaction plate. The bladder is coaxially located along a radially outer portion of either the top or bottom surface of the reaction plate. The bladder is connected with the polishing plate and able to expand to deform the polishing plate with respect to the bottom surface of the reaction plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SunEdison Semiconductor Limited (UEN201334164H)
    Inventors: Peter D. Albrecht, Sumeet S. Bhagavat
  • Patent number: 9165779
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing silicon carbide wafers having superior specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR). The resulting SiC wafer has a mirror-like surface that is fit for epitaxial deposition of SiC. The specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR) of the wafer are preserved following the addition of the epitaxy layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: DOW CORNING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Loboda, Christopher Parfeniuk
  • Patent number: 9079285
    Abstract: A polishing device for zone polishing of optical lenses with a tilting base part for direct or indirect holding of a polishing pad, wherein the base part for driving purposes is rotationally driven and connected to a spindle shaft, rotationally mounted, of a polishing spindle, and a rotary leadthrough is provided, by which the feeding of polishing compound in a polishing compound channel of the base part is assured, wherein the rotary leadthrough is directly or indirectly arranged on the spindle shaft and the base part can tilt relative to the rotary leadthrough. The rotary leadthrough stands in a flow connection with the base part via a flexible fluid connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: SCHEIDER GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Krämer, Ulf Börner, Gunter Schneider
  • Publication number: 20150147944
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a double-disc grinding apparatus including: a rotatable ring holder configured to support a sheet workpiece along a circumferential direction from an outer circumference side of the workpiece; a pair of grinding wheels for grinding surfaces of the workpiece supported by the ring holder; and a hydrostatic bearing for supporting the ring holder without contact from both of a direction of a rotational axis of the ring holder and a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis by hydrostatic pressure of fluid supplied from both directions, wherein supply pressures at which the fluid is supplied from the direction of the rotational axis and from the direction perpendicular to the rotational axis can be independently controlled. The invention provides a double-disc grinding apparatus and a workpiece double-disc grinding method that can improve variation in nanotopography depending on the lot of workpieces or grinding wheels to obtain nanotopography stably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8974267
    Abstract: An insert carrier is configured to receive at least one semiconductor wafer for double-side processing of the wafer between two working disks of a lapping, grinding or polishing process. The insert carrier includes a core of a first material that has a first surface and a second surface, and at least one opening configured to receive a semiconductor wafer. A coating at least partially covers the first and second surfaces of the core. The coating includes a surface remote from the core that includes a structuring including elevations and depressions. A correlation length of the elevations and depressions is in a range of 0.5 mm to 25 mm and an aspect ratio of the structuring is in a range of 0.0004 to 0.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Georg Pietsch, Michael Kerstan
  • Publication number: 20150065010
    Abstract: A double-side polishing apparatus for a work according to the present invention includes one or more work thickness measuring devices and a control unit. The double-side polishing method for a work includes the steps of: first polishing for polishing both surfaces of the work; first measurement for measuring the thickness of the work; in the first measurement step, when the thickness of the work is found to reach the predetermined thickness, terminating the orbital motion of the carrier plate; second polishing both surfaces of the work while the carrier plate performs only rotational motion; second measurement for measuring the thickness of the work at predetermined position(s); and determining a time for terminating polishing based on the result of the measurement of the thickness of the work in the second measurement step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Tomonori MIURA, Hiroto FUKUSHIMA
  • Patent number: 8951096
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Peter Wolters GmbH
    Inventors: Jörn Kanzow, Sebastian Jessen, Eckehard Gurgel, Ingo Grotkopp
  • Patent number: 8926400
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are provided for reducing edge damage of a disk during chemical mechanical polishing. The apparatus includes a disk carrier configured to receive a disk, the disk having an outside edge and an inside edge, a raised ring adjacent the outside edge of the disk and extending from a surface of the disk carrier to a height greater than a height of the disk, and a raised column adjacent the inside edge of the disk and having a height greater than a height of the disk. The system includes a disk carrier for receiving a disk, a raised ring adjacent the outside edge of each opening, and plugs insertable into a central opening in the disk and having a height greater than a height of the disk. The method includes providing the apparatus, inserting a disk into the apparatus, and polishing the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Neale M. Jones, Kurt A. Rubin
  • Publication number: 20140273760
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for simultaneously polishing both surfaces of an optical substrate. An upper platen and a lower platen, each covered with a polishing pad material and at least one carrier having an aperture for holding the optical substrate between the platens are provided. The location of the aperture of the carrier is set such that the center of the optical substrate is offset from the center of the carrier and at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the optical substrate extends outwardly beyond at least a portion of at least one of the outer perimeter and the inner perimeter of the platens. The platens are rotated with respect to the carrier, and the carrier is rotated with respect to the platens to polish the optical substrate. The location of the aperture of the carrier is adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: II-VI Incorporated
    Inventors: Samuel J. Goldstein, Stephen M. Miller, III, John M. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 8613643
    Abstract: A workpiece feeder is capable of feeding a roller to a roller end face processing machine in a stable posture, a roller end face processing machine, and a roller for a rolling bearing processed by such a roller end face processing machine are provided. The workpiece feeder for roller end face processing includes: a carrier ring having a plurality of recesses arranged in a radially-inner surface thereof at a predetermined pitch along a circumferential direction; a regulating wheel fitted into the carrier ring to form roller fitting cavities between a radially-outer surface of the regulating wheel and the plurality of recesses; a carrier support for supporting the carrier ring on a radially-outer side with respect to the plurality of recesses; and rotational force applying means for applying a rotational force to the carrier ring on the radially-outer side with respect to the plurality of recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Sugitatsu
  • Patent number: 8512099
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignees: Siltronic AG, Peter Wolters GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Kerstan, Georg Pietsch, Frank Runkel, Conrad von Bechtolsheim, Helge Moeller
  • Publication number: 20130196576
    Abstract: The present invention provides a conveying device including a transfer mechanism including: a belt portion configured to support a non-pattern surface of a glass plate and transfer the glass plate in a conveying direction; and a pattern surface supporting water guide arranged at a position opposed to the belt portion and configured to apply predetermined water pressure to a pattern surface of the glass plate, wherein the transfer mechanism is configured such that: the glass plate is pressed against the belt portion by water pressure of the pattern surface supporting water guide; and the glass plate is sandwiched between the pattern surface supporting water guide and the belt portion in a state where the pattern surface of the glass plate is in a non-contact state, the conveying device being capable of stably transferring the glass plate without making scratches on the pattern surface of the glass plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Morimasa Kuge, Hideyuki Tanaka, Keiji Tsujita, Kazunori Takahara
  • Patent number: 8485864
    Abstract: The double-side polishing apparatus is capable of uniformly polishing a wafer and highly preventing an outer edge of the wafer from being damaged. The apparatus comprises: a lower polishing plate and an upper polishing plate for polishing both sides of the wafer; a carrier having a main body part, in which a through-hole for holding the wafer is formed. Edges of the through-hole in an upper face and a lower face of the carrier are coated with coating layers, which are composed of an abrasion-resistant material and which have a prescribed width and a prescribed thickness. A resin cushion ring, which has a prescribed width and whose thickness is equal to that of the main body part of the carrier, is provided to an inner circumferential face of the thorough-hole. The wafer is held in the resin cushion ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Fujikoshi Machinery Corp.
    Inventor: Masanori Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8480458
    Abstract: A grinding wheel dressing assembly includes a driving gear rotatable about a central axis and a dressing ring engaged with the driving gear. Rotation of the driving gear about the central axis results in rotation of the dressing ring about an offset axis, which is offset from the central axis. The dressing ring includes a contact surface generally normal to the offset axis and adapted to remove dull CBN particles from a substantially planar grinding surface of a grinding wheel that comes into contact with the contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: White Drive Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Hollis N. White, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8414360
    Abstract: A double side polishing apparatus comprises an upper polishing plate and a lower polishing plate for polishing both sides of a wafer; a plurality of carriers, each including a center plate and a circumferential plate, the center plate having a mounting hole where the wafer is mounted, the circumferential plate having a fitting hole where the center plate is fitted and a gear part formed along the outer periphery thereof, the center of the mounting hole being eccentric from the center of the center plate, the center of the fitting hole being eccentric from the center of the circumferential plate; and a sun gear and an internal gear engaged with the gear part to transmit a rotational force to the plurality of carriers, wherein a fitting direction of a center plate into a fitting hole is adjustable for at least two carriers among the plurality of carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Siltron, Inc.
    Inventors: Chi-Bok Lee, Heui-Don Cho
  • Patent number: 8388410
    Abstract: A carrier configured for use in a lapping machine includes a body having a first opening for carrying a work piece during operation of the lapping machine. A device is arranged and disposed in the body. The device is configured to retain information readable by a reading device for identifying the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: P.R. Hoffman Machine Products, Inc.
    Inventor: John Wesley Albright, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8337280
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for using continuous-loop wires to drive circular flat-surfaced disk-type workholders which are positioned between two opposed upper and lower abrasive-surfaced rotatable platens. Flat-surfaced workpieces are mounted in receptacle openings in the workholders where both surfaces of the workpieces are simultaneously abraded by the two opposed platen that have annular bands of abrasive coatings. The drive wires allow the workholders to be driven at high speeds because of the smooth-action interface between the wires and the circular workholder disks that have circular wire grooves around the peripheries of the workholders. Each workholder assembly consists of a workholder disk, a drive wire, wire idlers, workholder idlers, a wire-tension device, a workholder disk support device and a wire drive motor. The workholder assemblies can be moved away from the platen surface to change platen abrasive disks. Three workholders provide stable three-point support of a floating upper platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Wayne O. Duescher
  • Patent number: 8323074
    Abstract: A brake disk braking surface processing device 1 includes a rotation driving device 11 that rotates a brake disk 2, a processing section 12 that processes braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2, and pressing rollers 13 and 14 that press the braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2. The brake disk braking surface processing device 1 includes the pressing rollers 13 and 14 that press the braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2. Therefore, even when tools are pressed against the braking surfaces 4 and 5 in a direction perpendicular to the braking surfaces 4 and 5, deformation of the braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2 can be suppressed with certainty. As a result, processing accuracy of the braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2 can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Maeda, Taku Nishiki
  • Patent number: 8221198
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus is configured to simultaneously polish both surfaces of a work, and includes a carrier having a hole configured to house the work, and a fixing member that contacts and fixes the work located in the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Fumihiko Tokukra, Mitsuo Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8145342
    Abstract: Processing a wafer using a double side grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. Warp data is obtained by a warp measurement device for measuring warp of a wafer as ground by the double side grinder. The warp data is received and a nanotopography of the wafer is predicted based on the received warp data. A grinding parameter is determined based on the predicted nanotopography of the wafer. Operation of the double side grinder is adjusted based on the determined grinding parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sumeet S. Bhagavat, Roland R. Vandamme, Tomomi Komura, Tomhiko Kaneko, Takuto Kazama
  • Patent number: 8137157
    Abstract: Provided is a double-sided lapping carrier comprising a base carrier having a first major surface, a second major surface and at least one aperture for holding a workpiece, said aperture extending from the first major surface through the base carrier to the second major surface, wherein the base carrier comprises a first metal, the circumference of said aperture is defined by a third surface of the base carrier consisting of the first metal and, at least a portion of the first major surface or at least a portion of each of the first and the second major surfaces comprises a polymeric region, said polymeric region comprising a polymer having a work to failure of at least 10 Joules. Also provide are methods of lapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy D. Fletcher, Todd J. Christianson, Vincent D. Romero, Bruce A. Sventek
  • Patent number: 7930058
    Abstract: Processing a wafer using a double side grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. Warp data is obtained by a warp measurement device for measuring warp of a wafer as ground by the double side grinder. The warp data is received and a nanotopography of the wafer is predicted based on the received warp data. A grinding parameter is determined based on the predicted nanotopography of the wafer. Operation of the double side grinder is adjusted based on the determined grinding parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sumeet S. Bhagavat, Roland R. Vandamme, Tomomi Komura, Tomohiko Kaneko, Takuto Kazama
  • Patent number: 7901269
    Abstract: A disc-like grinding wheel 5 is formed with a circumferential groove 5a, the opposite walls of which define grinding surfaces 5b. A rotated carrier 3 brings a load pin 55 into rotary movement relative to the grinding wheel 5 rotated about an axis 5z, so as to pass the load pin 55 through space between the grinding surfaces 5b, whereby opposite end faces 55a of the load pin 55 are ground simultaneously. Thus, time taken by a grinding process may be reduced as compared with a conventional method wherein one end face is ground at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Jtekt Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Miura, Takeshi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 7867059
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a semiconductor wafer by double-side grinding of the semiconductor wafer, in which the semiconductor wafer is simultaneously ground on both sides, first by rough-grinding and then by finish-grinding, using a grinding tool. The semiconductor wafer, between the rough-grinding and the finish-grinding, remains positioned in the grinding machine, and the grinding tool continues to apply a substantially constant load during the transition from rough-grinding to finish-grinding. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the process and to a semiconductor wafer having a local flatness value on a front surface of less than 16 nm in a measurement window of 2 mm×2 mm area and of less than 40 nm in a measurement window of 10 mm×10 mm area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Georg Pietsch, Michael Kerstan, Werner Blaha
  • Publication number: 20100311312
    Abstract: The double-side polishing apparatus is capable of uniformly polishing a wafer and highly preventing an outer edge of the wafer from being damaged. The apparatus comprises: a lower polishing plate and an upper polishing plate for polishing both sides of the wafer; a carrier having a main body part, in which a through-hole for holding the wafer is formed. Edges of the through-hole in an upper face and a lower face of the carrier are coated with coating layers, which are composed of an abrasion-resistant material and which have a prescribed width and a prescribed thickness. A resin cushion ring, which has a prescribed width and whose thickness is equal to that of the main body part of the carrier, is provided to an inner circumferential face of the thorough-hole. The wafer is held in the resin cushion ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventor: Masanori FURUKAWA
  • Patent number: 7815489
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignees: Siltronic AG, Peter Wolters GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Pietsch, Michael Kerstan, Heiko aus dem Spring
  • Patent number: 7662023
    Abstract: A double side grinder comprises a pair of grinding wheels and a pair of hydrostatic pads operable to hold a flat workpiece (e.g., semiconductor wafer) so that part of the workpiece is positioned between the grinding wheels and part of the workpiece is positioned between the hydrostatic pads. At least one sensor measures a distance between the workpiece and the respective sensor for assessing nanotopology of the workpiece. In a method of the invention, a distance to the workpiece is measured during grinding and used to assess nanotopology of the workpiece. For instance, a finite element structural analysis of the workpiece can be performed using sensor data to derive at least one boundary condition. The nanotopology assessment can begin before the workpiece is removed from the grinder, providing rapid nanotopology feedback. A spatial filter can be used to predict the likely nanotopology of the workpiece after further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Vandamme, Milind S. Bhagavat
  • Publication number: 20090305615
    Abstract: The present invention provides a carrier for double-side polishing apparatus which is set between upper and lower turn tables having polishing pads attached thereto and has a holding hole in which a semiconductor wafer sandwiched between the upper and lower turn tables is held at the time of polishing in a double-side polishing apparatus, wherein a material of the carrier is titanium, and surface roughness of the titanium carrier is 0.14 ?m or above in terms of Ra. As a result, there can be provided the carrier for double-side polishing apparatus, a double-side polishing apparatus, and a double-side polishing method that can stably and efficiently produce a high-quality wafer having reduced wafer peripheral sag and a high flatness at the time of double-side polishing of a semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Isao Uchiyama
  • Publication number: 20090298400
    Abstract: A bowling ball surface treatment apparatus is designed to uniformly abrade and polish a bowling ball. The apparatus includes a housing and a ball movement guider provided inside the housing for guiding movement of a bowling ball and confining the bowling ball within a limited surface treatment area, and a surface treatment disc arranged below the ball movement guider for supporting, rotating and revolving the bowling ball. The surface treatment disc has a disc shaft and a surface treatment element for abrading or polishing the bowling ball. The apparatus further includes a disc rotating device for rotating the surface treatment disc about a disc center axis and a disc revolving device for rotatably holding the disc shaft of the surface treatment disc and for causing the surface treatment disc to make revolving movement around a sun axis offset from the disc center axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventor: Sang-Bae Shim
  • Publication number: 20090275270
    Abstract: The present invention provides enhancement of processing accuracy of a braking surface of a brake disk. A brake disk braking surface processing device 1 includes a rotation driving device 11 that rotates a brake disk 2, a processing section 12 that processes braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2, and pressing rollers 13 and 14 that press the braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2. The brake disk braking surface processing device 1 includes the pressing rollers 13 and 14 that press the braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2. Therefore, even when tools are pressed against the braking surfaces 4 and 5 in a direction perpendicular to the braking surfaces 4 and 5, deformation of the braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2 can be suppressed with certainty. As a result, processing accuracy of the braking surfaces 4 and 5 of the brake disk 2 can be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Takao Maeda, Taku Nishiki
  • Patent number: 7607969
    Abstract: A disc-like grinding wheel 5 is formed with a circumferential groove 5a, the opposite walls of which define grinding surfaces 5b. A rotated carrier 3 brings a load pin 55 into rotary movement relative to the grinding wheel 5 rotated about an axis 5z, so as to pass the load pin 55 through space between the grinding surfaces 5b, whereby opposite end faces 55a of the load pin 55 are ground simultaneously. Thus, time taken by a grinding process may be reduced as compared with a conventional method wherein one end face is ground at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Miura, Takeshi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 7601049
    Abstract: A double side grinder comprises a pair of grinding wheels and a pair of hydrostatic pads operable to hold a flat workpiece (e.g., semiconductor wafer) so that part of the workpiece is positioned between the grinding wheels and part of the workpiece is positioned between the hydrostatic pads. At least one sensor measures a distance between the workpiece and the respective sensor for assessing nanotopology of the workpiece. In a method of the invention, a distance to the workpiece is measured during grinding and used to assess nanotopology of the workpiece. For instance, a finite element structural analysis of the workpiece can be performed using sensor data to derive at least one boundary condition. The nanotopology assessment can begin before the workpiece is removed from the grinder, providing rapid nanotopology feedback. A spatial filter can be used to predict the likely nanotopology of the workpiece after further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sumeet S. Bhagavat, Milind S. Bhagavat, Roland R. Vandamme, Tomomi Komura
  • Publication number: 20090209180
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for machining, in particular eroding and grinding, rotational workpieces (44) provided with cutting edges, with a machine base (12), a machining mechanism (14), which can be displaced relative to the machine base (12), and a workpiece positioning mechanism (18), which can be displaced relative to the machine base (12), wherein the machining mechanism (14) has at least one machining tool (30), which is attached in a rotatably drivable manner to a slide arrangement (20), which can be displaced in relation to the machine base (12), for machining a functional portion to be machined of the rotational workpiece (44), and wherein the workpiece positioning mechanism (18) has a workpiece holding mechanism (46), which can be displaced relative to the machine base (12) and holds a holding portion of the rotational workpiece (44) directly or via a holding adapter for attaching the rotational workpiece (44) to the workpiece positioning mechanism (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Peter Lenard, Siegfried Veil, Peter Bailer, Norbert Bailer, Stefan Brand
  • Patent number: 7541287
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is guided in a cutout in a carrier while a thickness of the semiconductor wafer is reduced to a target thickness by material removal from the front and back surfaces simultaneously. The semiconductor wafer is machined until it is thinner than a carrier body and thicker than an inlay used to line the cutout in the carrier to protect the semiconductor wafer. The carrier is distinguished by the fact that the carrier body and the inlay have different thicknesses throughout the entire duration of the machining of the semiconductor wafer, the carrier body being thicker than the inlay, by from 20 to 70 ?m. Themethod provides semiconductor wafers polished on both sides, having a front surface, a back surface and an edge, and a local flatness of the front surface, SFQRmax of less than 50 nm with an edge exclusion of R-2 mm and less than nm with an edge exclusion of R-1 mm, based on a site area of 26 by 8 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Ruediger Schmolke, Thomas Buschhardt, Gerhard Heier, Guido Wenski
  • Publication number: 20090098811
    Abstract: A surface grinder for a ball of a ball valve comprises a ball positioning device at an X axis for driving the ball to rotate about the X axis and a grinding device at a Z axis for driving a grindstone set to rotate about the Z axis, wherein the grindstone set grinds a spherical surface of the ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventor: Chun Chen Lai
  • Patent number: 7481698
    Abstract: A surface grinding machine for a sintered rare earth magnetic alloy wafer comprises a pair of disk-shaped grindstones that face each other across a prescribed gap to be rotatable in opposite directions about their center axes. The grinding surfaces of the pair of grindstones and the center axe inclination of one grinding stone are configured to form a planar grinding region A wherein a portion of both of the grinding surfaces of the pair of grindstones lie parallel with a constant intervening gap therebetween. Other portions of the grinding surfaces of the grindstones constitute a wedge-like opening region B that becomes more narrow toward the planar grinding surface A. A feeder to feed the wafers from the wedge-like opening region B toward the planar grinding region A is provided in order to grind both surfaces of the wafers at the planar grinding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Yamada, Hirofumi Takei, Masami Kamada, Toshinori Eba
  • Patent number: 7435158
    Abstract: The present invention provides an initial position setting method of grinding wheels, before starting a grinding operation, in a vertical double disc surface grinding machine for surface grinding the upper and lower grinding surfaces of a work-piece simultaneously by rotation-driving a pair of grinding wheels by a grinding wheel rotation drive motor and moving the grinding wheels up and down by a grinding wheel vertical drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignees: Daisho Seiki Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Wakaiki, Yoshinari Uchida
  • Patent number: 7399217
    Abstract: A lapping machine includes upper and lower lapping wheels and a sprocket having a common centered rotational axis. A rotational drive source for at least one of the upper and lower lapping wheels provides rotational movement about the axis. At least two independently locatable gears or sprockets disposed radially exterior of the upper and lower lapping wheels rotatably carry a carrier between the upper and lower lapping wheels, in which a material carried within an opening formed in the carrier travels at least partially radially exterior of both lower and upper lapping wheels during operation of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: P.R. Hoffman Machine Products
    Inventor: Mark A. Godshall
  • Patent number: 7364495
    Abstract: The present invention provides a wafer double-side polishing apparatus comprising at least a carrier plate having wafer holding holes; upper and lower turn tables to which polishing pads are attached; and a slurry supply means; with wafers held in the wafer holding holes, the carrier plate being moved between the upper and lower turn tables while supplying slurry, to simultaneously polish both front and back surfaces of wafers, wherein a PCD of upper turn table load supporting points that is a diameter of a circle joining load supporting points of the upper turn table coincides with a PCD of centers of the wafer holding holes on the carrier plate that is a diameter of a circle joining each center of the wafer holding holes on the carrier plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Tominaga, Toshiyuki Hayashi