Abstract: Chemical mechanical polishing can be used for “touch-up polishing” in which polishing is performed on a limited area of the front surface of the substrate. The contact area between the polishing pad and the substrate can be substantially smaller than the radius surface of the substrate. During polishing, the polishing pad can undergo an orbital motion. The polishing pad can be maintained in a fixed angular orientation during the orbital motion. The contact area can be arc-shaped. The contact area can be provided by one or more lower portions projecting downward from an upper portion of the polishing pad. A perimeter portion of the polishing pad can be vertically fixed to an annular member and a remainder of the polishing pad within the perimeter portion can be vertically free.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention comprise a machine adapted for polishing work pieces such as large silicon wafers. A wafer polishing machine in accord with the invention comprises a rotatable platen in a table base, above which is mounted a lid having a head moving assembly with four synchronously rotatable head assemblies. A motor and linkage connected to the head moving assembly imparts reciprocating linear motion to the head assemblies in a selected direction in a plane parallel to an upper surface of the platen. Embodiments of the invention produce a complex relative motion between a surface of a wafer to be polished and the platen. The complex relative motion, resulting from a combination of motions including rotation of the platen, rotation of the head assemblies, and translation of the head moving assembly, improves a uniformity of polish and a rate of polishing compared to wafer polishing machines known in the art.

Abstract: A polishing device includes an outer barrel, an inner barrel, polishing members, and an actuator. The outer barrel defines a chamber and includes inner surfaces substantially parallel to a central axis of the outer barrel. Each of the inner surfaces defines a holding groove for holding a workpiece. The inner barrel is received in the chamber and includes a side surface substantially parallel to the central axis. The side surface defines installation grooves. Each polishing member includes an elastic piece, a polishing motor connected to a bottom of a corresponding installation groove by the elastic piece and received in the corresponding installation groove, and a polishing plate connected to the polishing motor and capable of being driven to rotate by the polishing motor. The actuator is configured for driving the outer barrel to spin and move back and forth along the central axis.

Abstract: A centering device (13) is arranged to surround a loading table (11) on which a lens blank (1) is to be set, to set the geometric center of the lens blank (1) to coincide with the center of the loading table (11). The centering device (13) includes three clamp pins (31) which press the peripheral surface of the lens blank (1). When centering is ended, the loading table (11) on which the lens blank (1) is set is pushed up by a moving device (12) from a centering position (H1) to a block position (H2), and a peripheral portion of the lens blank (1) on a concave surface side is urged against the lower surfaces of locking portions (31A) of clamp pins (31). After a predetermined amount of wax (4) is dripped onto the lens blank (1), a lens holding unit (2) is moved downward by a predetermined amount and urged against the wax on the lens blank (1) to spread the wax thin and let the wax to solidify. Thus, the lens blank (1) and lens holding unit (2) are bonded to each other.

Abstract: A device for double-sided processing of flat workpieces has upper and lower working discs forming between them a working gap containing a carrier disc with cutout(s) for workpiece(s), the carrier disc having circumferential teeth by means of which it rolls on an inner and an outer gear wheel or pin ring, wherein the gear wheels or pin rings have a multiplicity of gear or pin arrangements which engage the teeth of the carrier discs during rolling, at least one of the pin arrangements having a guide which delimits movement of the margin of the carrier disc in at least one axial direction, the guide formed by a circumferential shoulder or a circumferential groove.

Abstract: A device for polishing the peripheral edge part of a semiconductor wafer includes a wafer stage for holding the wafer, a wafer stage unit including devices for rotating the wafer stage, causing the wafer stage to undergo a rotary reciprocating motion within the same plane as the surface of the wafer stage, and moving the wafer stage parallel to the surface, a notch polishing part for polishing the notch on the wafer and a bevel polishing part for polishing the beveled part of the wafer. Pure water is supplied to the wafer to prevent it from becoming dry as it is transported from the notch polishing part to the bevel polishing part.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a groove in the surface of a collector ring for use in an electrical device. The method and apparatus can be used to create a new groove in the surface of a collector ring having none, or can be used to enhance or re-form an existing groove in the surface of a collector ring. In some embodiments, the groove in the surface of the collector ring is created using a cutting tool that has a cutting action that functions independently from the motion of the collector ring. In other embodiments, a masking material is positioned over a portion of the surface of the collector ring to create a masked portion and an exposed portion of the surface of the collector ring. A groove is then created in the exposed portion of the surface of the collector ring. The masking material is then removed from the surface of the collector ring.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method thereof for material positioning and shaping. The apparatus includes a two-section positioning system which includes a guide and follower thereon for positioning along a path.

Abstract: A machine tool is provided, especially a multiple station grinding machine for the production of drill bits and similar elongate workpieces, which has at least one axially displaceable and rotatable workpiece holder which has its axial displacement and rotation drive in a sealed-off housing, at least one working tool arranged in a sealed-off working space, a sealing separation wall between the housing and the working space, at least one guide conduit arranged in sealing relationship in the separation wall for receipt of the workpiece holder, and guide elements for the workpiece disposed at the end of the guide conduit which extends into the working space.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is cleaned while a sponge or brush is pressed against the wafer with a constant forced applied utilizing a bias in a constant force pencil. The wafer is cleaned in the state wherein a collapsing portion of the constant force pencil with respect to the cleaning sponge cloth is set in such a way that the cleaning pressure, which is applied from the cleaning sponge to the wafer, can be constant and is adjustable. A method for cleaning wafers using a constant force pencil is also described.

Abstract: Disclosed is a grinding table apparatus for a liquid crystal display panel and a grinder using the adapt to various sizes of unit liquid crystal display panels for grinding edges of the corresponding liquid crystal display panel by adjusting a variable moving distance of the grinding tables instead of replacing the previous grinding table. The present invention includes at least two grinding tables displaced in a direction making the grinding tables get farther from or closer to each other to adapt to the size of the unit liquid crystal display panel to grind edges of the unit liquid crystal display panel.

Abstract: A cutting machine of a type having bellows means disposed at least on one side of a chuck table to be reciprocated. A protective sheet covering the upper surface of the bellows means is disposed. One end of the protective sheet is reciprocated in accordance with the reciprocation of the chuck table, while the other end of the protective sheet is connected to winding means. When the chuck table is moved forward or backward, the protective sheet is gradually wound up by the winding means. When the chuck table is moved backward or forward, the protective sheet is gradually wound off from the winding means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for handling planar structures, such as semiconductor wafers, with reduced breakage and cracking. The method includes the step of segmenting a wafer prior to grinding. The apparatus includes a segmented vacuum table for supporting wafer portions in position to be ground to a desired thickness. In another aspect of the invention, adhesive material is employed to individually secure wafer portions in position during the grinding process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for handling planar structures, such as semiconductor wafers, with reduced breakage and cracking. The method includes the step of segmenting a wafer prior to grinding. The apparatus includes a segmented vacuum table for supporting wafer portions in position to be ground to a desired thickness. In another aspect of the invention, adhesive material is employed to individually secure wafer portions in position during the grinding process.

Abstract: A wafer polisher head drive includes a head drive housing; a head portion extending from the housing for mounting an unpolished wafer when the head drive housing and head portion are in a horizontal orientation; a pivot mechanism extending from the head drive housing for pivoting the head drive housing and the head portion from the horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation juxtaposed to a transverse vertical portion of a continuous rotating polishing belt; a drive in the housing for moving the head portion and a mounted wafer outwardly from the housing against the transverse vertical portion of the rotating polishing belt; and a drive in the housing for rotating the head portion and the mounted wafer. The head drive housing may be pivoted from the vertical orientation in a sweeping arc extending perpendicularly from the belt transverse vertical portion or in a swinging arc extending parallel from the belt transverse vertical portion.

Abstract: This invention provides a clean and inexpensive apparatus and method of rapidly grinding an edge of a sheet of glass. The method involves: locating a sheet of glass on a support surface, lifting a sheet by a rotatable support which is movable along two axes, lifting the sheet by a rotatable support, moving the sheet along the first axis to a predetermined height, moving the sheet along the second axis until the sheet makes contact with the grinding wheel, translating the sheet to maintain contact with the grinding wheel while the glass is rotated, and replacing the glass on a support surface after the entire periphery of the glass is ground. Also disclosed is an apparatus for performing this method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for texturizing magnetic storage disks. The disk texturizing apparatus utilizes a combination of servomotors for rotating the disk and oscillating the disk towards and away from a texturizing media. The servomotors are controlled by a closed-loop control system which monitors and synchronizes the angular and linear position of the disk. Through such control, the disk rotation speed may be modulated in conjunction with the linear oscillation, thereby allowing a higher degree of triangularity in the texturization pattern. A pattern generation system and a graphical user interface for specifying, modeling, generating, modifying and displaying disk texturizing patterns are also disclosed. The texturizing pattern may be displayed in polar plot and linear plot form so that the user can more easily visualize and design the texturizing pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for polishing semiconductor wafers and, in particular, one in which the polishing pads are linear, that is, the polishing pads have a long linear dimension relative to their width and have a uniform cross-section along this linear dimension. In addition, the wafer holder travels in a straight line parallel to the long linear dimension of the polishing pads.

Abstract: A turntable with an abrasive cloth mounted thereon and a top ring positioned above the turntable are independently rotatably provided. The top ring holds a workpiece to be polished and presses the workpiece against the abrasive cloth. The turntable and the top ring are rotated to polish the surface of the workpiece to a flat mirror finish on the abrasive cloth. A rotatable brush pressed against the abrasive cloth is rotated about an axis substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the abrasive cloth, and oscillated substantially radially between radially inner and outer positions over the abrasive cloth. A cleaning solution is sprayed from a nozzle onto the abrasive cloth. The turntable has a bank along an outer circumferential edge thereof for preventing a protective solution, which is supplied to the abrasive cloth to keep the abrasive cloth wet and prevent it, from flowing off the turntable when the turntable is stationary.