Abstract: The present invention improves versatility of a film thickness measuring device. The trigger sensor 220 includes a proximity sensor 222 and a dog 224, and outputs a trigger signal indicating that a polishing table 110 makes one revolution. The eddy current sensor 210 measures a film thickness of a subject to be polished 102 at a timing based on the trigger signal output from the trigger sensor 220. The dog 224 is disposed in an opposite region 250 located at the opposite side of a rotation axis CW of the top ring 116 with respect to a rotation axis CT of the polishing table 110. Further, the eddy current sensor 210 and the proximity sensor 222 are disposed at the polishing table 110 so as to be located in the opposite region 250 when the trigger signal is output from the trigger sensor 220.

Abstract: A wheel carrier assembly (104) for a vehicle (110) is clamped on a frame (14) and a carbon composite brake disc 41 of the assembly is bedded by pneumatically applying the brake pads to the brake disc so as to heat the disc in cycles, the wheel carrier assembly then being removed from the frame and fitted to the vehicle.

Abstract: A polishing pad auxiliary plate including: a lower auxiliary plate overlapping a top surface of a rotating surface plate of a polishing device; a first adhering member adhering the lower auxiliary plate to the rotating surface plate; an upper auxiliary plate with a pad support surface on which the polishing pad is overlapped and adhered, while overlapping a top surface of the lower auxiliary plate; a second adhering member adhering the upper auxiliary plate to the lower auxiliary plate; and an alignment member for mutually aligning the lower and upper auxiliary plates and matching center axes thereof. By removing the upper auxiliary plate from the lower auxiliary plate, the polishing pad is removed from the rotating surface plate while being adhered to the pad support surface of the upper auxiliary plate, and the removed upper auxiliary plate is reattached and aligned to the lower auxiliary plate by the alignment member.

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.

Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to lapping operations and related systems and apparatuses. Various embodiments of lapping tables are described for applying a lapping operation to a non-planar surface of a workpiece. For example, methods and apparatus are described which allow a lapping operation to be applied to a curved outer surface portion of a cylindrical workpiece. Lapping of non-planar outer surfaces of workpieces is conducted by rotating the workpieces during the lapping operations.

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 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: 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: A skewed burnishing head arrangement is provided for burnishing the surface of a disc. The skewing of the burnishing head relative to the diameter perpendicular to a sweeping direction provides improved wiping action that catches loose particles and surface contamination, as well as performing aggressive asperity cutting and surface conditioning, while preventing particles from being embedded into a disc surface.

Abstract: A method for polishing lens surfaces, in which a) prior to the polishing process, for the purpose of determining an abrasion profile, at least one point of a workpiece is polished by means of a polishing tool to be used, using at least one pre-defined parameter; b) the polishing abrasion thus achieved on the workpiece side is determined by measuring; c) on the basis of the abrasion profile, at least one parameter is set for a subsequent polishing process, and the polishing process is completed at least partially. A method for polishing lens surfaces, in which the polishing point is places at least outside of the workpiece center at a distance a from a plane which is tensioned by the tool spindle axis and the workpiece spindle axis.

Abstract: A device for finish-machining of the optically effective surfaces of, in particular, spectacle lenses has a spindle shaft, which has a tool mount section and which is mounted in a spindle housing to be rotatable about a workpiece rotational axis (A). An electric rotary drive has a rotor and a stator by which the spindle shaft operatively connected with the rotor is drivable to rotate about the tool rotational axis. An adjusting device axially displaces the tool mount section with respect to the spindle housing in the direction of the tool rotational axis (linear movement Z). The rotor and the stator are arranged coaxially with the spindle shaft, wherein at least the rotor together with the spindle shaft is axially displaceable with respect to the spindle housing in the direction of the tool rotational axis by the adjusting device.

Abstract: A seasoning plate is placed on a polishing pad and performs seasoning of the polishing pad by abrading the polishing pad through the friction caused by rotation of the polishing pad. The seasoning plate includes: conditioners that abrade the polishing pad; a round flexible substrate that has the conditioners attached to the lower face thereof; an O-ring that is placed on the upper face of the flexible substrate, the O-ring forming a circle concentric with the flexible substrate; and a weight plate serving as a weight portion that is placed on the O-ring and applies weight for deforming the flexible substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to the planarization of substrates. In one embodiment, an apparatus for polishing a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a rotatable platen having a textured upper surface, at least one groove formed in the upper surface, and a pad disposed on the textured upper surface and bridging the at least one groove.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus capable of uniformly grinding an polishing pad. Further, the present invention provides a method of grinding an polishing pad by using the grinding apparatus.

Abstract: A wafer polishing apparatus includes a rotatable turntable for holding a polishing pad and at least one rotatable polishing head adapted for attachment of at least one wafer alignment assembly. A wafer alignment assembly includes an upper plate and a lower plate connected by three lever assemblies symmetrically positioned about a wafer alignment assembly axis of rotation. Each of the lever assemblies comprises a spherical joint, an elongated cylindrical hinge, and a kinematic axis which intersects a center of rotation for the spherical hinge, an axis of rotation for the elongated cylindrical hinge, and a gimbal point about which a wafer may tilt during polishing. The gimbal point may be positioned above, coincident with, or below a working surface of a polishing pad by adjustment of the lever assemblies. Some embodiments of the invention comprise steps in a method for polishing a wafer in a wafer polishing apparatus.

Abstract: A blade sharpening system is provide that includes a base and a pendulous arm having a first end rotatably coupled to the base by a pivot joint. The blade sharpening system also includes a sharpener suspended by the pendulous arm and configured to engage a generally circular agricultural implement blade while mounted on the agricultural implement. The pendulous arm is configured to enable movement of the sharpener to accommodate lateral variations in blade profile.

Abstract: A carrier head that has a base assembly, a retaining ring assembly, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The flexible membrane has a main portion and an outer annular portion, wherein a junction between the main portion and the outer annular portion comprises a peripheral edge hinge and an annular recess above the hinge along the outer wall of the outer annular portion.

Abstract: A structure for installing a split style diamond disk, having a fixing plate, a spring press plate, a connection plate, and a plurality of fast installation grinding blocks. The spring press plate is fixed to the fixing plate through screws with springs sleeved thereon, and the connection plate runs through the spring press plate and connects with the fixing plate by screws. The fixing plate has a plurality of L-shaped grooves provided therein, through which the fast installation grinding blocks are mounted on the fixing plate. The fast installation structure is mounted on an equipment shaft through the connection plate. The structure improves the capacity utilization and work efficiency of the grinding blocks.

Abstract: A template for polishing Silicon Carbide, Sapphire, Germanium, Silicon and pattern wafers having a slurry inlet, channels, outlets and pockets for holding said wafers terminating in peripheral vacuum ports in order to facilitate an efficient flow of slurry over the semiconductor wafers during a polishing process.

Abstract: An optical disc polishing device includes a housing in which a disc turntable assembly is arranged for carrying an optical disc on a rotation surface thereof. The housing includes a cover that carries a polishing assembly. The cover forms a slot serving as a track extending in a radial direction of the optical disc. The polishing assembly includes a positioning member, a polishing wheel, and a locking knob. A threaded section is provided on the positioning member and the polishing wheel is coupled to the positioning member to be opposite to the threaded section. The threaded section is set through the track slot to threadingly engage the locking knob in a releasable and re-tightenable manner so as to allow for position adjustment of the polishing assembly with respect to the track slot. The polishing assembly can thus be positionable to oppose a scratch formed on the disc.

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.

Abstract: Crankshaft rod bearings are pre-ground and finish-ground in a first grinding station and the crankshaft main bearings are then pre-ground and finish-ground in a second grinding station. The crankshaft is first mounted centered between the two points of the rotary drive. The chuck has two support members which can be moved in the radial direction and which are then positioned against the main bearing in a self-equalizing manner. In the engaged position, the support members are locked tightly to the chuck by locking pins. A pivoting clamping member is then clamped with the operating end thereof against the main bearing.

Abstract: A polishing disc for a tool for the fine machining of optically active surfaces, particularly on spectacle lenses as workpieces, comprises a main body which has a center axis and on which there is fixed an intermediate layer which is softer than the main body and on which a polishing agent carrier rests. The intermediate layer has, with respect to the center axis, a radial inner region of substantially constant axial thickness and an adjoining radial outer region. The latter is formed or is fixed to the main body in a particular way so as to prevent the edge of the polishing disc from being imprinted on the machined surface of the workpiece in the form of very fine, scratch-like microstructures. Also proposed is a simple method which can be used to produce such a polishing disc.

Abstract: A wafer grinding method and a wafer grinding machine are disclosed for grinding a wafer by executing both the rough grinding process and the finish grinding process. After the rough grinding process before the finish grinding process, the wafer thickness is measured with a noncontact-type thickness gauge, and during the finish grinding process, the finish thickness is finely adjusted by use of a contact-type thickness gauge and referring to the measurement data of the noncontact-type thickness gauge.

Abstract: The present invention is a polishing head provided with an annular rigid ring, a rubber film bonded to the rigid ring with a uniform tension, a mid plate joined to the rigid ring and forming a space portion together with the rubber film and the rigid ring, and an annular template provided concentrically with the rigid ring in a peripheral portion on a lower face part of the rubber film and having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the rigid ring, in which a pressure of the space portion can be changed by a pressure adjustment mechanism, a back face of a work is held on the lower face part of the rubber film, and a surface of the work is brought into sliding contact with the polishing pad attached onto a turn table for performing polishing, and an inner diameter of the template is smaller than an inner diameter of the rigid ring, and a ratio between an inner diameter difference between the rigid ring and the template and a difference between the inner diameter and an outer diameter of the templ

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus including a table top, a transfer station mounted on the table top, a plurality of polishing stations mounted on the table top, a plurality of washing stations, and a plurality of carrier heads supported by a support member rotatable about an axis. Each washing station is located between a first polishing station and either a second polishing station or the transfer station, and the transfer station and the plurality of polishing stations are arranged at approximately equal angular intervals about the axis.

Abstract: A polishing pad has a polishing layer and a backing layer secured to the polishing layer. The polishing layer has a polishing surface, a first thickness, a first compressibility, and a hardness between about 40 to 80 Shore D. The backing layer has a second thickness and has a second compressibility greater than the first compressibility. The first thickness, first compressibility, second thickness and second compressibility are such that the polishing surface deflects more than the thickness non-uniformity of the polishing layer under an applied pressure of 1.5 psi or less.

Abstract: A rotatable abrasive lapper machine platen assembly is attached to a lapper machine frame. The assembly has at least: a) a circular-shaped rotatable horizontal platen having i) a front surface and ii) a back surface; b) the circular platen having a platen radius, a platen outer circumference and a platen outer periphery; c) the circular platen front surface having an outer annular planar portion where the platen outer annular planar portion extends radially to the circular platen outer circumference; and d) a flexible abrasive disk secured in conformable flat contact with the circular platen front surface outer annular planar portion wherein the abrasive disk is positioned concentric with the circular platen.

Abstract: To provide a high-rigidity flat grinding device, a substrate flat grinding device has three fastening plate lifting-and-lowering mechanisms that have kinematic couplings and a cylinder rod that move the fastening plate upward or downward. Being a high-rigidity grinding device in which the load of the fastening plate 6 also is a load on the grindstone 14 that does the grinding, there is little deflection in the thickness distribution of the substrates that are obtained, even if they are semiconductor substrates having a large substrate diameter of 450 mm.

Abstract: A polishing tool (1) for finishing an ophthalmic lens includes a drive plate (4) which is equipped with elements (2) for mounting same to the spindle of a polishing machine; a removable polishing pad (5) designed to be rotated by the drive plate (4); positioning elements to block the radial movement of the pad (5) in relation to the plate (4) as well as to enable the pad (5) to slide axially in relation the plate (4); retaining elements which limit the axial sliding movement of the pad (5) in relation to the plate (4) to a pre-determined sliding range; and elements for stopping the rotational movement, having at least one tooth which can be engaged in a slot having a corresponding shape, one of the elements being provided on the plate (4) and the other on the pad (5).

Abstract: A carrier head that has a housing, a base assembly, a retaining ring, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The base assembly is vertically movable relative to the housing. The retaining ring is connected to and vertically movable relative to the base assembly and has a lower surface configured to contact a polishing pad and an inner surface configured to circumferentially surround the edge of a substrate to retain the substrate. The carrier ring is connected to and vertically fixed relative to the base assembly, circumferentially surrounds the retaining ring to prevent lateral motion of the retaining ring, and has a bottom surface configured to contact a polishing pad.

Abstract: A flexible membrane assembly for a wafer carrier in a CMP system. The flexible membrane assemble has a flat, flexible membrane joined to a rigid cylindrical sidewall.

Abstract: A carrier head that has a base assembly, a retaining ring assembly, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The flexible membrane has a main portion and an outer annular portion, wherein a junction between the main portion and the outer annular portion comprises a peripheral edge hinge and an annular recess above the hinge along the outer wall of the outer annular portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for polishing media discs by removing or reducing scratches or substances from the surface of damaged discs, including computer data CDs, DVDs, gaming discs and other media discs. The apparatus enables removal or reduction of scratches and materials that prevent the information or data contained on the disc from being read by a conventional disc reading device. The polishing pressure and time are uniformly controlled at predetermined and precision levels sufficient to remove or reduce scratches from the surface of the disc. Also disclosed is a method of removing or reducing scratches from the surface of media discs by using the apparatus of the present invention. The method can be repeated as many times as necessary or desired in order to obtain a finely polished disc from which data is obtainable by conventional disc reading devices.

Abstract: A platen assembly is provided for supporting a polish pad of the type utilized to planarize a wafer. The platen assembly comprises a sensor system and a polish platen having a first surface for supporting the polish pad. The sensor system comprises a flexible sensor and a flexible circuit operatively coupled to the sensor controller. The flexible circuit includes a first flexible sensor disposed proximate the first surface.

Abstract: A retainer is used with an apparatus for polishing a substrate. The substrate has upper and lower surfaces and a lateral, substantially circular, perimeter. The apparatus has a polishing pad with an upper polishing surface for contacting and polishing the lower face of the substrate. The retainer has an inward facing retaining face for engaging and retaining the substrate against lateral movement during polishing of the substrate. The retaining face engages a substrate perimeter at more than substantially a single discrete circumferential location along the perimeter.

Abstract: A carrier head that has a base assembly, a retaining ring assembly, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The flexible membrane has a main portion and an outer annular portion, wherein a junction between the main portion and the outer annular portion comprises a peripheral edge hinge and an annular recess above the hinge along the outer wall of the outer annular portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for polishing objects, such as semiconductor wafers, uses at least one object cleaner, which may be a movable object cleaner. The movable object cleaner allows access to different parts of the apparatus for maintenance.

Abstract: A retainer ring and a method of using the retainer ring are provided. The retainer ring has openings along a bottom surface. Grooves encompass the openings and extend to an interior portion of the retainer ring wherein a semiconductor wafer may be held. In operation, a semiconductor wafer is placed inside the retainer ring. As the retainer ring and the semiconductor wafer are moved relative to an underlying polishing pad, slurry is dispensed through the openings in the retainer ring. The grooves in the retainer ring allow the slurry to flow from the openings to the interior portion of the retainer ring and the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A polishing pad has a polishing layer and a backing layer secured to the polishing layer. The polishing layer has a polishing surface, a first thickness, a first compressibility, and a hardness between about 40 to 80 Shore D. The backing layer has a second thickness greater than the first thickness and a second compressibility greater than the first compressibility. The first thickness, first compressibility, second thickness and second compressibility are such that the polishing surface deflects at least 2 mil under an applied pressure of 1 psi or less.

Abstract: A carrier head that has a housing, a base assembly, a retaining ring, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The base assembly is vertically movable relative to the housing. The retaining ring is connected to and vertically movable relative to the base assembly and has a lower surface configured to contact a polishing pad and an inner surface configured to circumferentially surround the edge of a substrate to retain the substrate. The carrier ring is connected to and vertically fixed relative to the base assembly, circumferentially surrounds the retaining ring to prevent lateral motion of the retaining ring, and has a bottom surface configured to contact a polishing pad.

Abstract: The present invention intends to provide an optical disk restoration apparatus that is simple structured and small sized to reduce the production cost, and that can evenly apply a substantially uniform pressing force. This object can be achieved by an optical disk restoration apparatus, including a turntable 41 on which an optical disk 10 is set via a non-slip sheet 45, a polishing body holder 47 for holding a polishing body 46, a pressing mechanism for pressing the polishing body 46 and the optical disk 10 onto each other with a predetermined pressure required for the polishing process, and a motor 48 for rotating at least the polishing holder 47 and the polishing body 46 to polish the surface of the optical disk 10, where the surface of the turntable 41 and/or the sheet 45 is provided with at least one of an inclined, step-like or curved profile.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus including a table top, a transfer station mounted on the table top, a plurality of polishing stations mounted on the table top, a plurality of washing stations, and a plurality of carrier heads supported by a support member rotatable about an axis. Each washing station is located between a first polishing station and either a second polishing station or the transfer station, and the transfer station and the plurality of polishing stations are arranged at approximately equal angular intervals about the axis.

Abstract: To provide a high-rigidity flat grinding device, a substrate flat grinding device has three fastening plate lifting-and-lowering mechanisms that have kinematic couplings and a cylinder rod that move the fastening plate upward or downward. Being a high-rigidity grinding device in which the load of the fastening plate 6 also is a load on the grindstone 14 that does the grinding, there is little deflection in the thickness distribution of the substrates that are obtained, even if they are semiconductor substrates having a large substrate diameter of 450 mm.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus is provided that creates a uniform kinematical pattern on the surface of a wafer being polished. The apparatus may have a polishing pad comprising a polishing pad surface having a center point that lies within an axis of motion for the polishing pad and a plurality of grooves entrenched in the polishing pad surface and defining a pattern of shapes. The pattern has an axis of symmetry that is offset from the polishing pad surface center point. The apparatus may be operated in a manner such that the kinematics of the CMP process are uniform across the surface of the wafer.

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.

Abstract: An apparatus for turning a hard and/or brittle material includes a precision workpiece spindle, a workpiece support, a hard and/or brittle workpiece rigidly coupled to the workpiece support, and a diamond tool blade rigidly coupled to a spin-turner mechanism. The diamond tool blade is formed to include a cutting edge arranged to confront the hard and/or brittle workpiece to remove material from the workpiece to form precision-turned components such as optical lenses, mirrors, and optical molds.

Abstract: A two part retaining ring is described that has a lower ring and an upper ring. The lower ring contacts a polishing surface during chemical mechanical polishing. The upper surface and the lower surface of the lower ring have thick and thin subportions to increase the flexibility of the lower ring.

Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing is described. The carrier head includes a backing assembly, a housing and a damping material. The backing assembly includes a substrate support surface. The housing is connectable to a drive shaft to rotate with the drive shaft about a rotation axis. In one implementation, the damping material is in a load path between the backing assembly and the housing to reduce transmission of vibrations from the backing assembly to the housing.

Abstract: A polishing pad includes a guide plate, a porous slurry distribution layer and a flexible under-layer. Polishing elements are interdigitated with one another through the slurry distribution layer and the guide plate. The polishing elements may be affixed to the compressible under-layer and pass through corresponding holes in the guide plate so as to be maintained in a substantially vertical orientation with respect to the compressible under-layer but be translatable in a vertical direction with respect to the guide plate. Optionally, a membrane may be positioned between the guide plate and the slurry distribution layer. The polishing pad may also include wear sensors to assist in determinations of pad wear and end-of-life.