Abstract: A method and apparatus for mechanically and/or chemical-mechanically planarizing microelectronic substrates. In one embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a microelectronic substrate is planarized or polished on a planarizing medium having a thin film and a plurality of micro-features on the film. The film may be an incompressible sheet or web substantially impervious to a planarizing solution, and the micro-features may be configured in a selected pattern on the film to restrain fluid flow of the planarizing solution across the surface of the film under the substrate. The micro-features, for example, may be configured in a selected pattern that has a plurality of support points and at least one cavity to entrap a substantially contiguous, uniform distribution of the solution under the substrate during planarization.

Abstract: Generally, a method and apparatus for supporting a web of polishing material. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a platen and a blocker valve. The platen includes a support surface adapted to support the polishing material and a port fluidly coupled to the support surface. A housing that includes a supply port and an exit port has a venturi body disposed therein. The blocker valve has a first state whereby a flow through the housing and blocker valve causes vacuum to be drawn through the port disposed in the platen by the venturi body. In another embodiment, the flow through the venturi may be reversed by changing the state of the blocker valve to blow air through the port disposed in the platen, thereby placing the polishing material and the support surface of the platen in a spaced-apart relation.

Abstract: A hand band sander (10) with a housing (11) that contains a drive (15) for the sanding band (18) comprising a motor (16) with gear (17), which sanding band (18) can be driven in circulating fashion by way of a drive pulley (19) that can be driven in rotary fashion, and preferably by way of a return pulley (20), is smaller, easier to handle, and more reasonably priced due to the fact that the drive pulley (19) is arranged and supported coaxially to the drive (15) and is driven directly by the output of the gear (17).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for polishing a surface of a semiconductor wafer using a pad or belt moveable in both forward and reverse directions. In both VLSI and ULSI applications, polishing the wafer surface to complete flatness is highly desirable. The forward and reverse movement of the polishing pad or belt provides superior planarity and uniformity to the surface of the wafer. The wafer surface is pressed against the polishing pad or belt as the pad or belt moves in both forward and reverse directions while polishing the wafer surface. During polishing, the wafer is supported by a wafer housing having novel wafer loading and unloading methods.

Abstract: The present invention includes a polishing pad or belt secured to a mechanism that allows the pad or belt to move in a reciprocating manner, i.e. in both forward and reverse directions, at high speeds. The constant bidirectional movement of the polishing pad or belt as it polishes the wafer provides superior planarity and uniformity across the wafer surface. When a fresh portion of the pad is required, the pad is moved through a drive system containing rollers, such that the rollers only touch a back side of the pad, thereby minimizing sources of friction other than the wafer that is being polished from the polishing side of the pad, and maximizing the lifetime of the polishing pad.

Abstract: A method for optimizing the planarizing length of a polishing pad is disclosed that includes forming a substantially constant network of islands and trenches into a first side of a polishing pad. The trenches are formed to a pre-determined distance apart. The polishing pad is fit to a chemical-mechanical polishing system. A surface layer of a semiconductor wafer is planarized with the first side of the polishing pad. Upon completion of the polishing process, the planarized wafer surface layer is observed. If the wafer surface layer is planarized to an amount outside of a set target polishing range, the distance between the trenches on the first side of the polishing pad is uniformly decreased. The above steps are repeated until the wafer surface layer is planarized to an amount within the set target polishing range.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated, non-continuous polishing pad oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal to allow planarizing liquids and materials removed from the microelectronic substrate to flow off the polishing pad under the force of gravity. Two such polishing pads can be positioned opposite each other in a vertical orientation and can share either a common platen or a common substrate carrier. The polishing pads can be pre-attached to both a supply roll and a take-up roll to form a cartridge which can be easily removed from the apparatus and replaced with another cartridge.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated, non-continuous polishing pad oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal to allow planarizing liquids and materials removed from the microelectronic substrate to flow off the polishing pad under the force of gravity. Two such polishing pads can be positioned opposite each other in a vertical orientation and can share either a common platen or a common substrate carrier. The polishing pads can be pre-attached to both a supply roll and a take-up roll to form a cartridge which can be easily removed from the apparatus and replaced with another cartridge.

Abstract: A polishing system such as a chemical mechanical belt polisher includes a hydrostatic fluid bearing that supports polishing pads and incorporates one or more of the following novel aspects. One aspect uses compliant surfaces surrounding fluid inlets in an array of inlets to extend areas of elevated support pressure around the inlets. Another aspect modulates or reverses fluid flow in the bearing to reduce deviations in the time averaged support pressure and to induce vibrations in the polishing pads to improve polishing performance. Another aspect provides a hydrostatic bearing with a cavity having a lateral extent greater than that of an object being polished. The depth and bottom contour of cavity can be adjusted to provide nearly uniform support pressure across an area that is surrounded by a retaining ring support. Changing fluid pressure to the retaining ring support adjusts the fluid film thickness of the bearing.

Abstract: An expandable wheel for supporting an endless abrasive belt. The present invention relates more particularly to an expandable wheel for supporting an endless abrasive belt, which includes an hub having an axis and a plurality of wheel segments engaged with the hub, where the hub and the plurality of wheel segments are adapted to rotate about the axis, and where the plurality of wheel segments are movable between a first radial position and a second radial position.

Abstract: Planarizing machines, alignment systems for planarizing machines, and methods for planarizing microelectronic substrates using mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization. In one aspect of the invention, a planarizing machine for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of a microelectronic substrate comprises a table, a planarizing pad, and a substrate carrier. The table can have a support panel and an opening through the support panel. The planarizing pad is on the support panel, and the pad has a window aligned with the opening. The substrate carrier assembly has a carrier head configured to hold a microelectronic substrate and drive system coupled to the carrier head. The carrier head and/or the table are movable relative to each other to rub the substrate against the planarizing pad. The planarizing machine also comprises an alignment assembly having a carriage assembly alignable with the opening and an actuator assembly coupled to the carriage assembly.

Abstract: A polishing tape makes use of a foamed material such as polyurethane foam attached to a plastic backing material. The foamed material is elastic and some of its gas holes formed inside but near one of its surfaces are exposed externally. Because of its elastic nature, it can be deformed even if there are abnormally large abrading particles contained in a liquid slurry and such abrading particles do not become embedded in the target surface being textured. These externally exposed gas holes can also serve to absorb the debris generated by the texturing and to protect the target surface from being scratched thereby. Such a tape is used for a texturing process while dropping a liquid slurry containing abrading particles and rotating the disk substrate and pressing the tape against the target surface.

Abstract: A method for cutting a rare earth alloy using a wire with abrasive grains fixed to a core wire, including the step of cutting the rare earth alloy with the wire traveling in a state that a portion of the rare earth alloy to be cut with the wire is immersed in a coolant containing water as the main component, the coolant having a surface tension at 25° C. in a range of 25 mN/m to 60 mN/m.

Abstract: A sander for smoothing curvilinear surfaces includes a horizontal support surface having top and bottom sides. The support surface has two sets of inner and outer arcuate slots thereon. The inner arcuate slots each have idler rollers thereabove secured to a pivoting, spring biased circular plate therebelow. A continuous sanding belt encompasses the idler rollers and a drive roller and is moved along a substantially triangular path with a motor means. A section of the path defines a sanding portion immediately adjacent to which is a flexible plate. An adjustment mechanism is provided to bend the plate to a desired configuration to form a curved sanding portion. The plate has an anchoring post on each side that is received within an outer arcuate slot and is secured to the circular plate therebelow. The plates, idler rollers and anchoring posts maintain tension on the belt regardless of the orientation of the sanding surface.

Abstract: A polishing pad for use in a linear polisher, and more specifically, for a linear chemical mechanical polishing apparatus that has improved polishing uniformity is described. The polishing pad is provided with a top surface for engaging a wafer surface to be polished. The top surface has a center portion and two oppositely situated edge portions. The polishing pad is further provided with a multiplicity of voids situated in the top surface of the pad body such that the top surface has a void-to-surface ratio that is greater in the two edge portions than in the center portion of the top surface. The present invention novel polishing pad provides a more uniform polishing across a wafer surface, together with an improved planarity after polishing.

Abstract: Methods and machines for planarizing microelectronic substrate assemblies using mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarizing processes. One machine in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a table having a support surface with a planarizing zone, an elongated polishing pad configured to move across the support surface of the table along a pad travel path, and a pad advancing mechanism coupled to the pad. The elongated pad can have a length along an elongated dimension extending along the pad travel path, an elongated first edge, an elongated second edge opposite the first edge, an elongated first side region extending along the first edge, an elongated second side region extending along the second edge, and an elongated medial region having a width between the first and second side regions. The pad advancing mechanism can include a first roller about which an unused portion of the pad is wrapped and a second roller about which a used portion of the pad is wrapped.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus has a rotatable platen, a feed roller located in a cavity in the platen, a take-up roller, and a generally linear polishing sheet releasably secured to the platen to rotate with the platen. The polishing sheet has an exposed portion extending over a top surface of the platen for polishing the substrate, an unused portion wound around the feed roller, and a used portion wound around the take-up roller. A gas source direct a purge gas into the cavity containing the feed roller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mechanically and/or chemical-mechanically planarizing microelectronic substrates. In one embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a microelectronic substrate is planarized or polished on a planarizing medium having a thin film and a plurality of micro-features on the film. The film may be an incompressible sheet or web substantially impervious to a planarizing solution, and the micro-features may be configured in a selected pattern on the film to restrain fluid flow of the planarizing solution across the surface of the film under the substrate. The micro-features, for example, may be configured in a selected pattern that has a plurality of support points and at least one cavity to entrap a substantially contiguous, uniform distribution of the solution under the substrate during planarization.

Abstract: A method of producing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) polishing belt structure is disclosed that includes forming a strip of substantially rigid material into a support belt having an interior surface and an exterior surface. At least a portion of the exterior surface of the support belt is altered to form a plurality of gripping members integral with the exterior surface of the support belt. An interior surface of a seamless CMP belt is applied to the exterior surface of the support belt such that the plurality of gripping members engage the interior surface of the seamless CMP belt in a non-slip grip.

Abstract: A method of preparing a surface of a workpiece of solid ductile material to provide a transition zone between that material and a different material to be brought into intimate contact with the first material, involves relatively moving the workpiece surface and a substrate to which are bonded adhesive particles much harder than the ductile material through a contact zone while pressing the particles of abrasive into the material surface, such that the abrasive particles score recesses extending longitudinally of the material surface while displacing said ductile material from the scores to form processes integral with the material and extending outwardly from the surface and parallel to the second recesses into spaces between the material surface and the substrate, the recesses and processes together providing at the prepared surface a transition zone between the ductile material and the different material.

Abstract: A belt for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer in a chemical mechanical polishing system includes a polymeric layer forming an endless loop and having a polishing surface on one side of the endless loop. The belt is manufactured by molding a polymeric material such as urethane in a cylindrical mold. The belt is thus made from a single layer, reducing weight, size, cost and maintenance requirements.

Abstract: Providing an abrasive belt with a pattern of holes through the abrasive-containing layer greatly increases the flexibility of the belt and reducing the need for flexing to generate a pattern of potentially destructive cracks in the abrasive surface.

Abstract: A reciprocating-type abrasive device for a sanding machine is disclosed. In the present invention, one end of the support frame of the sanding module is provided with a driving roller having a motor, and the other end of the support frame is mounted with the reciprocating-type abrasive device having a driven roller, and the driven roller corresponds to the driving roller and both are surrounded by a sanding belt, and the reciprocating-type abrasive device comprises a driving structure and a reciprocating structure, and the reciprocating structure is mounted with a sanding wheel which reciprocates up and down by the driving structure, thereby the sanding wheel produces a reciprocating abrasive action and the entire sanding effect is improved.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus has a rotatable platen, a generally linear polishing sheet having an exposed portion extending over a top surface of the platen for polishing the substrate, and a drive mechanism to incrementally advance the polishing sheet in a linear direction across a top surface of the platen. The polishing sheet is releasably secured to the platen to rotate with the platen, and it has a width greater than a diameter of the substrate.

Abstract: My invention is a device to facilitate sanding concave and convex shapes more evenly on a belt sander. My invention raises the center of the sanding belt and provides a section of belt that has no backing support. The unbacked area of belt forms a variable concave sanding surface when the workpiece is held against it with varying degrees of pressure. The arched top of my invention provides a wide radius sanding surface for concave workpieces. The curvature of the arched top of my invention reduces the area of contact with the inner surface of the belt when in an unloaded or idling state and helps the belt and the belt lift accessory operate at lower temperatures. The dimensions of my invention may vary depending upon the particular host machine it is designed to fit. My invention is simple to mount and remove without the use of tools. My invention can be used in a variety of shop applications on wood, metal and plastics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting, cleaning and/or drying a polishing pad used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a cleaning head positioned adjacent a post-operative portion of the polishing pad to clean and/or dry the rear surface of the polishing pad. The cleaning head can include a heat source, a mechanical contact element, and/or orifices that direct fluid and/or gas toward the rear surface. The apparatus can further include a vessel through which the rear surface of the polishing pad passes to clean the rear surface. The apparatus can also include a flow passage in fluid communication with a region between the polishing pad and a support pad upon which the polishing pad rests during planarization. Gas moves through the flow passage toward or away from an interface region between the polishing pad and the support pad to draw the polishing pad toward or away from the support pad.

Abstract: Endpointing devices, planarizing machines with endpointing devices, and methods for endpointing mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic substrate assemblies. One endpointing apparatus in accordance with the invention includes a primary support member for supporting either a polishing pad or a substrate assembly, and a secondary support member coupled to the primary support member. The primary support member is movable with respect to the secondary support member in a lateral motion at least generally parallel to the planarizing plane in correspondence to the drag forces between the substrate assembly and the polishing pad. The endpointing apparatus also includes a force detector attached to at least one of the primary and secondary support members at a force detector site that can have a contact surface transverse to the planarizing plane.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated polishing pad that is moved over a platen either between or during the planarization cycles, and a support pad that is moved along with the polishing pad. The support pad can be an elongated member that extends between a supply roller and a take-up roller, or can include a continuous member that extends around the spaced apart rollers. The platen can also be movable along with the support pad and can be supported by fluid jets, rollers, or a rotating bladder. Cleaning devices and/or milling devices can treat the surfaces of the polishing pad, the support pad and/or the platen to reduce the likelihood for contaminants to become caught between these components as they engage with each other.

Abstract: Methods for predicting polishing characteristics of polishing pads in mechanical or chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic substrate assemblies, and methods and machines for planarizing microelectronic substrate assemblies. One embodiment of a method in accordance with the invention includes ascertaining a surface parameter of a bearing surface of at least one raised feature projecting from a base portion of a raised feature polishing pad. The raised feature, for example, can be a pyramidal structure having a first cross-sectional area at the base portion of the pad and a second cross-sectional area at the bearing surface. The first cross-sectional area is generally greater than the second cross-sectional area. To ascertain the surface parameter of the bearing surface, one particular embodiment of the invention involves determining an indication of the surface area of the bearing surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for grinding spherical objects into an exact spherical shape. The sphere-reshaping apparatus comprises a grinding section equipped with means for grinding spherical objects, an inlet section equipped with means for feeding spherical objects to the grinding section and an outlet section equipped with means for taking out reshaped spherical objects from the grinding section. The inlet section, grinding section and outlet section communicate by transporting means. The transporting means comprises an endless carrier belt having a series of apertures made for accepting spherical objects and a drive for driving the endless carrier belt. In the grinding section an endless grinding belt runs parallel with the endless carrier belt in same or counter direction relative to the endless carrier belt at such a speed that causes spherical objects to rub on the grinding belt.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting, cleaning and/or drying a polishing pad used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a cleaning head positioned adjacent a post-operative portion of the polishing pad to clean and/or dry the rear surface of the polishing pad. The cleaning head can include a heat source, a mechanical contact element, and/or orifices that direct fluid and/or gas toward the rear surface. The apparatus can further include a vessel through which the rear surface of the polishing pad passes to clean the rear surface. The apparatus can also include a flow passage in fluid communication with a region between the polishing pad and a support pad upon which the polishing pad rests during planarization. Gas moves through the flow passage toward or away from an interface region between the polishing pad and the support pad to draw the polishing pad toward or away from the support pad.

Abstract: Methods for predicting polishing characteristics of polishing pads in mechanical or chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic substrate assemblies, and methods and machines for planarizing microelectronic substrate assemblies. One embodiment of a method in accordance with the invention includes ascertaining a surface parameter of a bearing surface of at least one raised feature projecting from a base portion of a raised feature polishing pad. The raised feature, for example, can be a pyramidal structure having a first cross-sectional area at the base portion of the pad and a second cross-sectional area at the bearing surface. The first cross-sectional area is generally greater than the second cross-sectional area. To ascertain the surface parameter of the bearing surface, one particular embodiment of the invention involves determining an indication of the surface area of the bearing surface.

Abstract: The present invention includes a polishing pad or belt secured to a mechanism that allows the pad or belt to move in a reciprocating manner, i.e. in both forward and reverse directions, at high speeds. The constant bidirectional movement of the polishing pad or belt as it polishes the wafer provides superior planarity and uniformity across the wafer surface. When a fresh portion of the pad is required, the pad is moved through a drive system containing rollers, such that the rollers only touch a back side of the pad, thereby minimizing sources of friction other than the wafer that is being polished from the polishing side of the pad, and maximizing the lifetime of the polishing pad.

Abstract: An electronic component chip feeder enabling to feed electronic component chips in which electrodes on the outer surfaces thereof can be cleanly maintained and the reliability of electrical connections is excellent even when miniaturizing thereof is promoted, and a method for manufacturing electronic devices by using electronic component chips being excellent in the reliability of electrical connections are provided. The electronic component chip feeder for feeding electronic component chips includes a cleaning device disposed in an intermediate portion of a supplying system for supplying plural electronic component chips in an aligned relationship for cleaning outer surfaces of the electronic component chips.

Abstract: This invention relates to a flexible membrane polishing belt against which a substrate, for example a semiconductor wafer, is polished using chemical mechanical polishing principles. A fluidized layer is provided on a surface of a polishing member backing assembly which urges the moving polishing membrane toward the substrate held in a polishing head to be polished. The linear motion of the belt provides uniform polishing across the full width of the belt and provides the opportunity for a chemical mechanical polishing to take place. Several configurations are disclosed. They include belts which are wider than the substrate being polished, belts which cross the substrate being polished, but which provide relative motion between the substrate and the polishing belt, and polishing belt carriers having localized polishing areas which are smaller than the total area of the substrate to be polished.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated polishing pad that is moved over a platen either between or during the planarization cycles, and a support pad that is moved along with the polishing pad. The support pad can be an elongated member that extends between a supply roller and a take-up roller, or can include a continuous member that extends around the spaced apart rollers. The platen can also be movable along with the support pad and can be supported by fluid jets, rollers, or a rotating bladder. Cleaning devices and/or milling devices can treat the surfaces of the polishing pad, the support pad and/or the platen to reduce the likelihood for contaminants to become caught between these components as they engage with each other.

Abstract: Methods and machines for planarizing microelectronic substrate assemblies using mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarizing processes. One machine in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a table having a support surface with a planarizing zone, an elongated polishing pad configured to move across the support surface of the table along a pad travel path, and a pad advancing mechanism coupled to the pad. The elongated pad can have a length along an elongated dimension extending along the pad travel path, an elongated first edge, an elongated second edge opposite the first edge, an elongated first side region extending along the first edge, an elongated second side region extending along the second edge, and an elongated medial region having a width between the first and second side regions. The pad advancing mechanism can include a first roller about which an unused portion of the pad is wrapped and a second roller about which a used portion of the pad is wrapped.

Abstract: Polishing pads, planarizing machines and methods for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers, field emission displays or other microelectronic substrate assemblies. One planarizing machine of the invention is a web-format machine having a planarizing table to support a portion of the polishing pad in a planarizing zone, at least one roller to hold another portion of the polishing pad, and a carrier assembly for handling a microelectronic substrate assembly. A web-format polishing pad used with this machine can include a body having a planarizing medium, an elongated first side edge, and an elongated second side edge opposite the first side edge. The body has a length sufficient to extend across the planarizing zone and wrap around the roller.

Abstract: A technique for utilizing a sensor to monitor fluid pressure from a fluid bearing located under a polishing pad to detect a polishing end point. A sensor is located at the leading edge of a fluid bearing of a linear polisher, which is utilized to perform chemical-mechanical polishing on a semiconductor wafer. The sensor monitors the fluid pressure to detect a change in the fluid pressure during polishing, which change corresponds to a change in the shear force when the polishing transitions from one material layer to the next. In order to ensure that there is a noticeable difference in the shear force variation at the polishing end point, a slurry having a particular pH level is selected. The pH level ensures that the zeta potential changes noticeably from one material to the next, so as to induce a change in the shear force, which is detected by a change in the fluid pressure.

Abstract: A machine for the versatile removal of material for shaping an object. The machine includes a platform that provides support for three substantially horizontal and parallel plates. The uppermost plate or “table top” is height-adjustable and provides a working surface. The table top has a plurality of guide pins projecting downwardly therefrom and a centrally located aperture. The adjustable table top is supported by at least one height adjustment means such as a scissor jack interposed between the adjustable table top and an underlying support plate. The support plate is rigidly attached to the platform and has an aperture therein which underlies the aperture in the table top. A motor having a drive shaft with a belt drive thereon is attached to a motor mounting plate disposed below, and adjustably attached to, the overlying support plate.

Abstract: A sander includes a sander device supported above a base, and a working table for moving the work pieces up and down relative to the sander device. The working table has one or more poles and one or more bolts threaded with the poles to stably move the poles up and down when the bolts are rotated by a hand wheel. The sander device includes two wheels rotatably supported above the base, a sander belt engaged over the wheels, and a spring biasing the wheels away from each other to tighten the sander belt. An eccentric weight may vibrate and calibrate the sander belt.

Abstract: A conditioner assembly and a conditioner back support for conditioning a polishing pad of a chemical mechanical polishing device. The conditioner assembly comprises a conditioning head having a gimbal assembly, a shaft engaged to the conditioning head, and a linear torque bearing assembly slidably receiving the shaft. The linear torque bearing assembly is configured to operatively rotate the shaft assembly contemporaneously with allowing the shaft to extend and retract from a first open end of the linear torque bearing assembly. The conditioner assembly additionally comprises a bellows secured over the first open end and engaged to the conditioning head and a bearing housing disposed over a second open end of the linear torque bearing assembly. The conditioner back support respectively opposes the conditioner assembly such that the polishing belt supporting the polishing pad is disposed intermediate to the conditioner back support and the conditioner assembly.

Abstract: Polishing pads are provided for a linear chemical mechanical polishing apparatus used in manufacturing integrated circuits. The polishing pads, which are attached to a polishing belt, are grooved in patterns to advantageously transport slurry from the point of introduction to the point at which semiconductor wafers are polished. The patterns include at least one set of multiple parallel grooves extending across the polishing pads. The grooves form an angle with the direction of travel of the belt that is unequal to zero.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for polishing optical connector end faces and a small-sized, light and easily transportable machine for doing the same, which are able to polish optical fiber end faces to desired shapes. A tape support member (18) is disposed at the connection end face (3) side of a multiple-core optical connector (4) attached on a machine, The tape support member(18) is linked to a supporting rod (21) which is able to freely advance and retreat along side plates (23a) and (23b), a tape travelling plane (9) shaped so as to correspond to a desired end face shape of bare optical fibers of a multiple-core optical connector (4) is formed at the tip end of the tape support member (18). The leading end of a polishing tape (32) wound on the pay-out roller (30) is advanced along the tape travelling plane (9) and is taken up on the winding roller (31).

Abstract: Methods and machines for planarizing microelectronic substrate assemblies using mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarizing processes. One machine in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a table having a support surface with a planarizing zone, an elongated polishing pad configured to move across the support surface of the table along a pad travel path, and a pad advancing mechanism coupled to the pad. The elongated pad can have a length along an elongated dimension extending along the pad travel path, an elongated first edge, an elongated second edge opposite the first edge, an elongated first side region extending along the first edge, an elongated second side region extending along the second edge, and an elongated medial region having a width between the first and second side regions. The pad advancing mechanism can include a first roller about which an unused portion of the pad is wrapped and a second roller about which a used portion of the pad is wrapped.

Abstract: A CMP polishing pad improves overall material removal rate uniformity by combining multiple polishing pad sections in a serially linked manner, where the polishing pad sections are characterized by at least two different material removal rate profiles. The polishing pad is designed by determining a wafer polishing profile for each of a group of polishing pads where each polishing pad has a unique groove configuration, determining a combination of polishing pad segments, each of the segments constructed with one of the unique groove configurations, that will combine to achieve an improved uniformity in the polishing profile, and manufacturing a polishing pad having pad sections corresponding to the analytically determined pad sections.

Abstract: In a band grinding machine, especially well adapted for grinding wooden frames having transverse and longitudinal wooden pieces, a support table in the form of an endless belt transports the frames in an advancement direction, a transverse grinding assembly with a transversely moving grinding band extending over the width of the support table grinds the entire tops of frames, and two longitudinal grinding assemblies, located behind the transverse grinding assembly in the advancement direction, respectively grind the two longitudinal wooden pieces of each frame, with each longitudinal grinding assembly having a longitudinally moving grinding band with a width very small in comparison to the width of the table, and with at least one of the longitudinal grinding assemblies being adjustable transversely of the advancement direction to allow the spacing of the longitudinal grinding assemblies to be set to match the spacing of the longitudinal frame pieces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting, cleaning and/or drying a polishing pad used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a cleaning head positioned adjacent a post-operative portion of the polishing pad to clean and/or dry the rear surface of the polishing pad. The cleaning head can include a heat source, a mechanical contact element, and/or orifices that direct fluid and/or gas toward the rear surface. The apparatus can further include a vessel through which the rear surface of the polishing pad passes to clean the rear surface. The apparatus can also include a flow passage in fluid communication with a region between the polishing pad and a support pad upon which the polishing pad rests during planarization. Gas moves through the flow passage toward or away from an interface region between the polishing pad and the support pad to draw the polishing pad toward or away from the support pad.

Abstract: A sander includes a base having a platform for supporting a work piece. A casing is rotatably secured to the base at a pivot shaft and has a plate for supporting a sander member. A lock device may secure the casing and the sander member to the base at any selected angular positions. The casing has two rotatable barrels for supporting the sander member. A motor is secured to the casing and secured to one of the barrels for driving the sander member via the barrels. The barrels may be adjusted relative to each other to tighten the sander member.

Abstract: An orbiting head is rotatably mounted in the housing. The orbiting head has an axial end with a grinding surface for contact with the workpiece having its surface finished. The orbiting head defines a fluid passage with one end having an opening at the grinding surface. A spindle arbor is connected to the orbiting head and rotates with the orbiting head. The spindle arbor also defines a passage having one end connected to the passage of the orbiting head, and having another end connected to a fluid source. A drive is connected to the spindle arbor for driving the spindle arbor and the orbiting head in rotation. The orbiting head is rotated, and the grinding surface is placed into contact with the surface of the workpiece, and in relative rotation to the surface of the workpiece. Fluid is then moved through the passages from the fluid source to the opening in the grinding surface, and from the opening to an area between the grinding surface and the workpiece.