Abstract: A retaining ring for a chemical mechanical polishing carrier head having a mounting surface for a substrate is provided herein. In some embodiments, the retaining ring may include an annular body have a central opening, a channel formed in the body, wherein a first end of the channel is proximate the central opening, and a sensor disposed within the channel and proximate the first end, wherein the sensor is configured to detect acoustic and/or vibration emissions from processes performed on the substrate.

Abstract: A dressing apparatus capable of bringing an overall dressing surface of a dresser into uniform sliding contact with a polishing surface of a polishing pad and capable of uniformly dressing the overall polishing surface of the polishing pad is disclosed. The dressing apparatus includes a dresser configured to rub against a polishing surface to dress the polishing surface that is used for polishing a substrate, a dresser shaft that applies a load to the dresser, at least one load-applying device configured to apply a downward load to a part of a peripheral portion of the dresser, and an operation controller configured to control operation of the load-applying device.

Abstract: A retainer ring for a chemical-mechanical polishing device. The ring prevents damage that occur during polishing work and being usable in stable fashion up until a predetermined lifespan has elapsed, by ensuring that a first ring body mounted on the chemical-mechanical polishing device and a second ring body making contact with a polishing pad are firmly coupled together by means of securing bodies which pass through coupling holes in the first ring body and are coupled to recessed coupling parts in the second ring body, and also by means of adhesive parts which are provided in the coupling holes or the recessed coupling parts and adhere and secure the securing bodies.

Abstract: A polishing pad for polishing a workpiece to a mirror finish is attached to a rotatable polishing table of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The workpiece, such as a metal body, is held by a carrier and pressed against the polishing pad. This polishing pad includes: an elastic pad having a polishing surface; a deformable base layer that supports the elastic pad; and an adhesive layer that joins the elastic pad to the base layer.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a multi-layer polishing pad for chemical-mechanical polishing comprising a top layer, a middle layer and a bottom layer, wherein the top layer and bottom layer are joined together by the middle layer, and without the use of an adhesive. The invention is also directed to a multi-layer polishing pad comprising an optically transmissive region, wherein the layers of the multi-layer polishing pad are joined together without the use of an adhesive.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for making a pre-conditioned chemical mechanical (CMP) polishing pad having a pad surface microtexture effective for polishing comprising grinding the surface of the CMP polishing pad having a radius with a rotary grinder while it is held in place on a flat bed platen surface, the rotary grinder having a grinding surface disposed parallel to or substantially parallel to the surface of the flat bed platen and made of a porous abrasive material, wherein the resulting CMP polishing pad has a surface roughness of from 0.01 ?m to 25 ?m, Sq. The present invention also provides a CMP polishing pad having a series of visibly intersecting arcs on the polishing layer surface, the intersecting arcs having a radius of curvature equal to or greater than half of the radius of curvature of the pad and extending all the way around the surface of the pad in radial symmetry around the center point of the pad.

Abstract: Implementations described herein protect a retaining ring for a polishing system from corrosive polishing chemistries. In one embodiment, a retaining ring has a ring-shaped body having a top surface, an inside diameter sidewall, an outer diameter sidewall and a bottom surface. The inside diameter side wall is configured to circumscribe a substrate. The ring shaped body has a rigid ring-shaped portion, a polymeric ring-shaped portion stacked on the rigid ring-shaped portion and covering at least three sides of the rigid ring-shaped portion, a plurality of grooves formed in the bottom surface, and a plurality of wash ports formed through the polymeric ring-shaped portion, wherein the wash ports are isolated from the rigid ring-shaped portion.

Abstract: A CMP apparatus includes a polishing unit 3, a cleaning unit 4, a load/unload unit 2, a transfer unit, and a control section 5 configured to control transfer of a substrate in the transfer unit. When the polishing unit includes a plurality of polishing sections, or the cleaning unit includes a plurality of cleaning sections, the control section 5 can set a test mode that operates the polishing section or the cleaning section for a test to some of the plurality of polishing sections, or some of the plurality of cleaning sections, causes a substrate to be transferred to the polishing section or the cleaning section to which the test mode is not set, and causes a test substrate different from the substrate to be transferred to the polishing section or the cleaning section to which the test mode is set.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a polishing pad that hardly generates scratches on a surface of a subject to be polished. This polishing pad is characterized in that: the polishing pad is provided with a polishing layer having a polishing region and a light-transmitting region; the light-transmitting region includes a surface layer positioned on the pad surface side, and at least one soft layer laminated under the surface layer, and the soft layer has a hardness lower than that of the surface layer.

Abstract: A substrate treating method may include jetting a fluid containing an abrasive onto a substrate, and polishing the substrate using the jetted fluid.

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus includes: a substrate holding unit which horizontally holds a substrate; a substrate rotating unit which rotates the substrate held by the substrate holding unit about a vertical axis; a treatment liquid supplying unit which supplies a treatment liquid to an upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; an opposing member to be located in opposed spaced relation to the upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit in contact with a film of the treatment liquid formed on the upper surface of the substrate so as to receive a lift force from the liquid film; a support member which supports the opposing member; and an opposing member holding mechanism which causes the support member to hold the opposing member in a vertically relatively movable manner.

Abstract: The polishing device includes an edge chamber that presses the surface to be polished against the polishing pad by pressing a back side of the surface to be polished of the wafer, a thickness measuring unit that estimates a remaining film profile of the surface to be polished of the wafer in realtime during polishing, and a closed loop control device that controls a pressing force on the back side of the surface to be polished by the edge chamber in accordance with a measurement result by the thickness measuring unit during polishing. The closed loop control device controls not only the pressing by the edge chamber during polishing, but also the pressure of a retainer ring as a periphery of the edge chamber affecting the pressing of the surface to be polished against the polishing pad.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate. This polishing apparatus includes a rotary holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate horizontally and rotate the substrate, plural polishing head assemblies provided around the substrate, plural tape supplying and recovering mechanisms configured to supply polishing tapes to the plural polishing head assemblies and recover the polishing tapes from the plural polishing head assemblies, and plural moving mechanisms configured to move the plural polishing head assemblies in radial directions of the substrate held by the rotary holding mechanism. The tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are located outwardly of the plural polishing head assemblies in the radial directions of the substrate, and the tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are fixed in position.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen, a polishing head, a magnetizable polishing pad, and an electromagnetic component. The magnetizable polishing pad is disposed between the polishing head and the platen. The electromagnetic component is configured for fastening the magnetizable polishing pad on the platen.

Abstract: A multilayer chemical mechanical polishing pad is provided, having: a polishing layer having a polishing surface, a counterbore opening, a polishing layer interfacial region parallel to the polishing surface; a porous subpad layer having a bottom surface and a porous subpad layer interfacial region parallel to the bottom surface; and, a broad spectrum, endpoint detection window block comprising, comprises an olefin copolymer; wherein the window block exhibits a uniform chemical composition across its thickness; wherein the polishing layer interfacial region and the porous subpad layer interfacial region form a coextensive region; wherein the multilayer chemical mechanical polishing pad has a through opening that extends from the polishing surface to the bottom surface of the porous subpad layer; wherein the counterbore opening opens on the polishing surface, enlarges the through opening and forms a ledge; and, wherein the window block is disposed within the counterbore opening.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes: a rotatable polishing table for supporting a polishing pad having a polishing surface; a top ring head having a top ring; a top ring head cover surrounding the top ring head; a dresser head having a dresser configured to dress the polishing surface; a dresser head cover surrounding the dresser head; a spray nozzle configured to spray a cleaning liquid onto an upper surface of the top ring and an outer surface of the top ring head cover when the top ring is in the substrate transfer position; and a spray nozzle configured to spray a cleaning liquid onto an outer surface of the dresser head cover when the dresser is in the retreated position.

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing pad and a method of using the polishing pad for chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate. The polishing pad comprises at least a grooved region and an exclusion region, wherein the exclusion region is adjacent to the circumference of the polishing pad, and wherein the exclusion region is devoid of grooves.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to planarize the surface of the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring configured to hold a substrate with an outer circumferential edge of the substrate surrounded by a retainer ring and to press the substrate against the polishing surface. The top ring is movable between a polishing position above the polishing table, a position laterally of the polishing table, and a cleaning position. The polishing apparatus includes a cleaning unit disposed in the cleaning position and configured to eject a cleaning liquid toward the lower surface of the top ring, which is being rotated, thereby cleaning the substrate held by the top ring together with the lower surface of the top ring.

Abstract: Polishing pads with foundation layers and polishing surface layers are described. In an example, a polishing pad for polishing a substrate includes a foundation layer. A polishing surface layer is bonded to the foundation layer. Methods of fabricating polishing pads with a polishing surface layer bonded to a foundation layer are also described.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for polishing a substrate are provided. The invention includes an upper platen; a torque/strain measurement instrument coupled to the upper platen; and a lower platen coupled to the torque/strain measurement instrument and adapted to drive the upper platen to rotate through the torque/strain measurement instrument. In other embodiments, the invention includes an upper carriage; a side force measurement instrument coupled to the upper carriage; and a lower carriage coupled to the side force measurement instrument and adapted to support a polishing head. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: Flat-surfaced workpieces such as semiconductor wafers or sapphire disks are attached to a rotatable floating workpiece holder carrier that is supported by a pressurized-air flexible elastomer sealed air-chamber device and is rotationally driven by a lug-pin device. The rotating wafer carrier rotor is restrained by a set of idlers that are attached to a stationary housing to provide rigid support against abrading forces. The abrading system can be operated at the very high abrading speeds used in high speed flat lapping with raised-island abrasive disks. The range of abrading pressures is large and the device can provide a wide range of torque to rotate the workholder. Vacuum can also be applied to the elastomer chamber to quickly move the wafer away from the abrading surface. Internal constraints limit the axial, lateral and circumferential motion of the workholder. Wafers can be quickly attached to the workpiece carrier with vacuum.

Abstract: A substrate holder capable of preventing an increase in a polishing rate of an edge portion of a substrate, even when polishing a plurality of substrates successively, is disclosed. The substrate holder includes: a top ring body configured to hold the substrate; and a retaining ring disposed so as to surround the substrate held by the top ring body. The retaining ring includes a pad pressing structure in an annular shape which is to be brought into contact with the polishing pad and the pad pressing structure has a width in a range of 3 mm to 7.5 mm.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen, a polishing head, a magnetizable polishing pad, and an electromagnetic component. The magnetizable polishing pad is disposed between the polishing head and the platen. The electromagnetic component is configured for fastening the magnetizable polishing pad on the platen.

Abstract: The work of replacing a polishing pad is easily performed, and thermal damage is prevented from occurring in a polishing table. A polishing apparatus 100 includes a polishing table 110 having an attachment surface 110a to which a polishing pad 108 used to polish a substrate 102 is attached. The polishing apparatus 100 also includes a silicone layer 111 provided on the attachment surface 110a of the polishing table 110 and interposed between the polishing table 110 and the polishing pad 108. By interposing the silicone layer 111, it is possible to easily detach and attach the polishing pad 108. In addition, since a heat treatment for coating the silicone layer 111 on the polishing table 110 is performed at a relatively low temperature, it is possible to prevent thermal damage from occurring in the polishing table 110 due to the heat treatment.

Abstract: A load cup apparatus for transferring a substrate in a processing system includes a pedestal assembly having a substrate support, an actuator, and a controller. The actuator is configured to move the pedestal assembly into a loading position in contact with a retaining ring of a carrier head and to generate a retaining ring thickness signal based on a distance travelled by the pedestal assembly. The controller is configured to receive the retaining ring thickness signal from the actuator.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of accurately aligning a center of a substrate, such as a wafer, with an axis of a substrate stage and capable of processing the substrate without bending the substrate is disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a first substrate stage having a first substrate-holding surface configured to hold a first region in a lower surface of the substrate, a second substrate stage having a second substrate-holding surface configured to hold a second region in the lower surface of the substrate, a stage elevator configured to move the first substrate-holding surface between an elevated position higher than the second substrate-holding surface and a lowered position lower than the second substrate-holding surface, and an aligner configured to measure an amount of eccentricity of a center of the substrate from the axis of the second substrate stage and align the center of the substrate with the axis of the second substrate stage.

Abstract: Flat-surfaced workpieces such as semiconductor wafers or sapphire disks are attached to a rotatable floating workpiece holder carrier that is supported by a pressurized-air flexible elastomer sealed air-chamber device and is rotationally driven by a circular flexible-arm device. The rotating wafer carrier rotor is restrained by a set of idlers that are attached to a stationary housing to provide rigid support against abrading forces. The abrading system can be operated at the very high abrading speeds used in high speed flat lapping with raised-island abrasive disks. The range of abrading pressures is large and the device can provide a wide range of torque to rotate the workholder. Vacuum can also be applied to the elastomer chamber to quickly move the wafer away from the abrading surface. Internal constraints limit the axial and lateral motion of the workholder. Wafers can be quickly attached to the workpiece carrier with vacuum.

Abstract: A retaining ring for holding a substrate below a carrier head during chemical mechanical polishing includes an annular lower portion and an annular upper portion secured to the lower portion. The annular lower portion has a main body with a bottom surface for contacting a polishing pad during polishing, and is a first material. A top surface of the upper portion is configured to be secured to the carrier head. The upper portion is a second material that is more rigid than the first material. A thickness and stiffness of the lower portion is selected for a particular polishing environment to improve polishing uniformity near an edge of the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a substrate holding apparatus configured to hold the substrate and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, and a controller. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane configured to forma substrate holding surface which is brought into contact with the substrate, a carrier provided above the elastic membrane, at least one pressure chamber formed between the elastic membrane and the carrier, and an infrared light detector configured to measure thermal energy from the elastic membrane. The controller calculates an estimate value of a temperature of the elastic membrane using a measured value of the infrared light detector.

Abstract: A method of controlling a polishing operation includes measuring a plurality of spectra at a plurality of different positions on a substrate to provide a plurality of measured spectra. For each measured spectrum of the plurality of measured spectra, a characterizing value is generated based on the measured spectrum. For each characterizing value, a goodness of fit of the measured spectrum to another spectrum used in generating the characterizing value is determined. A wafer-level characterizing value map is generated by applying a regression to the plurality of characterizing values with the plurality of goodnesses of fit used as weighting factors in the regression. A polishing endpoint or a polishing parameter of the polishing apparatus is adjusted based on the wafer-level characterizing map, and the substrate or a subsequent substrate is polished in the polishing apparatus with the adjusted polishing endpoint or polishing parameter.

Abstract: A parts carrier assembly for a grinding machine includes an annular parts carrier and a bearing insert. The annular parts carrier includes an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner edge, an outer edge, and a plurality of loading apertures. The inner edge is configured to engage a driving wheel of the grinding machine. The driving wheel rotates about a central axis resulting in rotation of the parts carrier about an offset axis, which is offset from the central axis. The loading apertures are configured to receive parts to be ground by the grinding machine. The bearing insert includes an inner bearing surface complementary in shape to the outer edge of the parts carrier. The outer surface the parts carrier bears against the inner bearing surface of the bearing insert as the parts carrier rotates about the offset axis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing pad comprising a foaming resin frame and a plurality of auxiliary fiber filaments, and each of the auxiliary fiber filaments is independent and dispersed randomly in the foaming resin frame. The invention also relates to a polishing apparatus and a method for manufacturing the polishing pad.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a semiconductor processing fluid delivery system and a method delivering a semiconductor processing fluid are provided. In aspect, a system for delivering a liquid for performing a process is provided that includes a first flow controller that has a first fluid input coupled to a first source of fluid and a second flow controller that has a second fluid input coupled to a second source of fluid. A controller is provided for generating an output signal to and thereby controlling discharges from the first and second flow controllers. A variable resistor is coupled between an output of the controller and an input of the second flow controller whereby the output signal of the controller and the resistance of the variable resistor may be selected to selectively control discharge of fluid from the first and second flow controllers.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing both edge trimming and surface grinding includes two spindles for holding two workpieces, a bridge element laterally movable relative to the spindles, and two grinding wheels coupled to the bridge element. The apparatus may be a surface grinding apparatus that includes a system for enabling the surface grinding apparatus to additionally perform edge trimming. A method for processing the workpieces entails placing the two workpieces on the two spindles of the apparatus, directing the bridge element to move laterally to an edge trimming position to trim the outer edge of one workpiece using one of the grinding wheels, to move laterally to another edge trimming position to trim the outer edge of the other workpiece using one of the grinding wheels, and to move laterally to surface grinding positions to perform surface grinding on both of the workpieces using one or both of the grinding wheels.

Abstract: A system includes a chuck with a retaining ring on a first surface thereof. The first surface and the retaining ring are both circular, the retaining ring having a first inner circumference. The system also includes a platen with a second surface, and the second surface faces the first surface and is operable to move with the first surface. The system further includes an air zone circumscribed by the first inner circumference that provides an effective inner circumference different from the first inner circumference.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a platen to hold a polishing pad having a plurality of optical apertures, a carrier head to hold a substrate against the polishing pad, a motor to generate relative motion between the carrier head and the platen, and an optical monitoring system. The optical monitoring system includes at least one light source, a common detector, and an optical assembly configured to direct light from the at least one light source to each of a plurality of separated positions in the platen, to direct light from each position of the plurality of separated positions to the substrate as the substrate passes over said each position, to receive reflected light from the substrate as the substrate passes over said each position, and to direct the reflected light from each of the plurality of separated positions to the common detector.

Abstract: A processing machine that combines the functions of mounting press and grinding for metallographic analysis and includes a main frame at least one shaft and a drive device horizontally mounted on the main frame. A mounting press unit and a grind unit are mounted on the main frame. The grind unit including a base secured on the main frame and linearly corresponds to the mounting press unit and the corresponding line parallel to the at least one shaft. The grind unit includes a headstock slidably mounted on the at least one shaft the and reciprocally moved on the at least one shaft to selectively align with the base of the grind unit and the mounting press unit when the drive device is operated. A control unit disposed in the grind unit for controlling the mounting press unit and the grind unit.

Abstract: A method of transporting a semiconductor wafer having a ring-shaped stiffening portion can include the steps of pressing the semiconductor wafer from the back surface side to the front surface side thereof on a place different from a place at which the semiconductor wafer is to be held, the step of pressing the semiconductor wafer being conducted before holding the semiconductor wafer having the ring-shaped stiffening portion. The method can include releasing the attachment by suction of the front surface of the semiconductor wafer by supplying a positive pressure onto the chuck table, releasing pressing the semiconductor wafer from the back surface side to the front surface side thereof on the place different from the place at which the semiconductor wafer is to be held and picking up the semiconductor wafer having the ring-shaped stiffening portion from the chuck table while holding the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus which includes a polishing head for holding a work, and a polishing plate on which a polishing pad is adhered. The polishing head includes a holding plate, an elastic sheet member fixed to an edge of the holding plate, a ring-shaped template fixed to an outer edge of a lower face of the elastic sheet member, a pressure chamber formed between a lower face of the holding plate and an upper face of the elastic sheet member, a seal ring having a main body part which is fitted to a supporting plate, a seal lip, which slidelingly contacts the elastic sheet member and divides the inside of the pressure chamber into an inner divided chamber and an outer divided chamber; and a fluid supply section for individually supplying a fluid to the divided chambers.

Abstract: A dressing method is used to dress a polishing pad of a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate. This method includes repetitively moving the dresser on an upper surface of the polishing pad in a radial direction of the polishing pad so as to perform a dressing process on the polishing pad, during the dressing process, measuring a height of an upper surface of the polishing pad at a predetermined point in one of plural zones on the polishing surface, and repeating the repetitive moving of the dresser and the measuring of the height of the upper surface of the polishing pad so as to measure the height of the upper surface of the polishing pad in all of the plural zones.

Abstract: A retainer ring of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a base portion having a ring shape, the base portion including a pressurizing surface and a combining surface opposite the pressurizing surface, slurry inflowing portions on the pressurizing surface of the base portion, the slurry inflowing portions having groove shapes, and minute grooves at least on a surface portion of the slurry inflowing portions.

Abstract: Flat-surfaced workpieces such as semiconductor wafers are attached to a rotatable floating workpiece holder carrier rotor that is supported by and rotationally driven by a bellows. The wafer carrier rotor is contained by a set of idlers that are attached to a stationary rotor housing to provide support against abrading forces that are imposed on the wafer by the moving abrasive coating on a rotary platen. The idlers allow low-friction operation of the abrading system to be provided at the very high abrading speeds used in high speed flat lapping with raised-island abrasive disks. The system is also well suited for lapping optical devices and rotary seals and for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) polishing of wafers using resilient pads. Pressurized air is injected into the bellows device to provide uniform abrading pressure across the full surface of the wafer. Wafers can be attached to the workpiece carrier with vacuum.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus has a polishing pad, a top ring for holding a semiconductor wafer, and a vertical movement mechanism operable to move the top ring in a vertical direction. The polishing apparatus also has a distance measuring sensor operable to detect a position of the top ring when a lower surface of the top ring is brought into contact with the polishing pad, and a controller operable to calculate an optimal position of the top ring to polish the semiconductor wafer based on the position detected by the distance measuring sensor. The vertical movement mechanism includes a ball screw mechanism operable to move the top ring to the optimal position.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a chemical mechanical polisher and a polishing pad component thereof. The chemical mechanical polisher comprises a polishing platen having a flat surface, and the polishing platen comprises: an electromagnet disposed under the flat surface and configured to fix a polishing pad base on the flat surface; and a switch configured to control the power-on and power-off of the electromagnet. The polishing pad component comprises a polishing pad base, and the polishing pad base is formed of a ferromagnetic material. The chemical mechanical polisher of this disclosure and the polishing pad component thereof can make polishing pad replacement easy, and can also save polishing pads and thus reduce the consumable cost of the chemical mechanical polishing.

Abstract: A CMP pad conditioner including a substrate having a transparency window represented by an average internal transmittance of not less than about 90% over a wavelength range extending from about 400 nm to about 500 nm along a path length extending through the substrate of not less than about 10 mm a bonding layer overlying a surface of the substrate, and abrasive grains contained within the bonding layer.

Abstract: In a method for polishing a semiconductor wafer by rotating a work carrier and a table while pressing the semiconductor wafer retained by the work carrier against a polishing cloth mounted on the table, at a time when the table and the work carrier both having been at rest are rotated, each at a predetermined number of revolutions, in a condition that the polishing cloth and the semiconductor wafer are pressed against each other, to thereby start polishing, a table acceleration is maintained smaller than a work carrier acceleration. By such maintaining the table acceleration smaller than the work carrier acceleration, vibrations to be generated when the polishing is started can be prevented. In the method for polishing a semiconductor wafer according to the present invention, the diameter of the semiconductor wafer is preferably defined to be 30% or more of the diameter of the table.

Abstract: A polishing system for polishing a semiconductor wafer includes a wafer support for holding the semiconductor wafer, and a first polishing pad for polishing a region of the semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer has a first diameter, and the first polishing pad has a second diameter shorter than the first diameter.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a polishing method comprises pressing a substrate being rotated against a polishing pad being rotated and supplying slurry on the polishing pad, measuring a surface temperature of the polishing pad, and when the surface temperature is not less than a predetermined temperature, jetting jet stream containing supercooled droplets from a nozzle having a narrow portion toward the polishing pad.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for releasbly attaching flexible abrasive disks to a flat-surfaced platen that floats in three-point abrading contact with three rigid equal-height flat-surfaced rotable fixed-position workpiece spindles that are mounted on a precision-flat abrading machine base where the spindle surfaces are in a common plane that is co-planar with the base surface. The three spindles are positioned to form a triangle of platen supports where the rotational-centers of each of the spindles are positioned at the center of the annular width of the platen abrading surface. Flat surfaced workpieces are attached to the spindles and the rotating floating-platen abrasive surface contacts all three rotating workpieces to perform single-sided abrading. The platen abrasive can be re-reflattened by attaching equal-thickness abrasive disks to the three spindles that are rotated while in abrading contact with the rotating platen abrasive. There is no wear of the abrasive-disk protected platen surface.