Dressing Patents (Class 451/443)
  • Patent number: 11894244
    Abstract: A cleaning member mounting mechanism has: a cleaning member holding part, to which a cleaning member assembly having a cleaning member for cleaning a substrate W can be mounted; a member rotation part for rotating the cleaning member assembly held by the cleaning member holding part; and a moving part which moves the cleaning member holding part along an axial direction when the cleaning member assembly is removed, thereby to bring the cleaning member holding part into a rotation fixed position to restrict a rotation of the cleaning member holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru Miyazaki, Tomoaki Fujimoto, Takuya Inoue
  • Patent number: 11850700
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for sequential application of cleaning fluids for improved maintenance of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) systems is disclosed. A method includes transferring a first substrate to a first polishing station of a plurality of polishing stations, polishing the first substrate at the first polishing station, transferring the first substrate to a second polishing station, and transferring a second substrate to the first polishing station. The method includes cleaning a first surface of a plurality of surfaces of the polishing system by dispensing a first cleaning fluid from a first one or more nozzles of a plurality of nozzles to direct the first cleaning fluid onto the first surface and dispensing a second cleaning fluid from the first one or more nozzles to direct the second cleaning fluid onto the first surface, where the second cleaning fluid is different from the first cleaning fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeonghoon Oh, Jamie Stuart Leighton, Roger M. Johnson, Van H. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11731232
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for predicting irregular motions of one or more mechanical components of a semiconductor processing apparatus. A mechanical motion irregular prediction system includes one or more motion sensors that sense motion-related parameters associated with at least one mechanical component of a semiconductor processing apparatus. The one or more motion sensors output sensing signals based on the sensed motion-related parameters. Defect prediction circuitry predicts an irregular motion of the at least one mechanical component based on the sensing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chunhung Chen, Yu Chi Tsai, Chin Wei Chuang, Bo-An Chen, Sheng-Chen Wang, Chen-Hua Tsai
  • Patent number: 11213927
    Abstract: A method of processing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) pad conditioners includes providing the CMP pad conditioner including conditioner substrate that is a metal, ceramic or a metal-ceramic material with a plurality of hard conditioner particles with a Vickers hardness greater than 3,000 Kg/mm2 bonded to a top surface of the conditioner substrate, and a slurry including an aqueous medium and a plurality of hard slurry particles having a hardness greater than 3,000 Kg/mm2. The surface of the pad conditioner is polished in a CMP apparatus using a polishing pad. After the polishing each conditioner particle has at least one exposed facet, and the plurality of hard conditioner particles have a maximum average protrusion-to-protrusion flatness (PPF) difference of 20 microns, and a sharpest edge measured by a value of a cutting edge radius (CER) that lies at an edge of the facet for at least 80% of the facets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: ENTREGIS, INC.
    Inventors: Rajiv K. Singh, Deepika Singh
  • Patent number: 11103972
    Abstract: In-plane uniformity of buff processing is improved. According to a first form, a buff processing device for executing buff processing of a substrate is provided. Such buff processing device has a rotatable shaft, a buff head body, a torque transmission mechanism for transmitting rotation of the shaft to the buff head body, and an elastic member for elastically supporting the buff head body in a longitudinal direction of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo Aizawa, Junji Kunisawa, Mitsuru Miyazaki, Naoki Toyomura
  • Patent number: 10968514
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate mounting table for use in a plasma-based processing apparatus that performs a plasma-based process on a substrate inside a processing container, which includes a substrate mounting portion having a front surface subjected to a mirroring treatment and on which the substrate is mounted, and an edge portion located around the substrate mounting portion and treated to have an uneven shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kohichi Satoh, Hideaki Yamasaki, Motoko Nakagomi, Junya Oka
  • Patent number: 10525567
    Abstract: The present invention provides a CMP abrasive pad conditioner, comprising a bottom substrate; an intermediate layer located on the bottom substrate, the intermediate layer including a hollow portion and an annular portion surrounding the hollow portion, the annular portion being provided with a plurality of bumps; and a diamond film located on the intermediate layer, and forming a plurality of abrasive projections corresponding to the bumps of the intermediate layer; in this case, a top surface of the abrasive projections is formed with a patterned configuration and the top surface is provided with a center line average roughness (Ra) between 2 and 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: KINIK COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Jui-Lin Chou, Chin-Chung Chou, Chung-Yi Cheng, Hsin-Chun Wang, Yu-Chau Hung
  • Patent number: 10217653
    Abstract: A substrate-treating apparatus according to an example embodiment of the inventive concepts includes a support unit on which a substrate is loaded, an optical measurement unit providing light to the substrate to obtain image data and checking whether the substrate is abnormal or not, based on the image data, and a control unit controlling the support unit and the optical measurement unit. The control unit processes the image data transmitted from the optical measurement unit. The control unit includes an interlock control part performing an interlock operation interrupting a process performed on the substrate if an abnormal signal is detected from the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dongseok Baek, Jin Shin, Sungman Kim
  • Patent number: 9849558
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a polishing pad dresser includes a first base portion, and first convex portions provided in a first region of the first base portion. Furthermore, a width of the first convex portions is 1 to 10 ?m, a height of the first convex portions is 0.5 to 10 ?m, and a density of the first convex portions in the first region is 0.1 to 50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakayama, Dai Fukushima
  • Patent number: 9808908
    Abstract: A method of monitoring dressing of a polishing pad is provided. The method includes: rotating a polishing table that supports the polishing pad; dressing the polishing pad by pressing a dresser against the polishing pad while causing the dresser to oscillate in a radial direction of the polishing pad; calculating a work coefficient representing a ratio of a frictional force between the dresser and the polishing pad to a force of pressing the dresser against the polishing pad; and monitoring dressing of the polishing pad based on the work coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinozaki
  • Patent number: 9768080
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing method includes several operations. One operation is catching an image of a predetermined location on a surface of a pad installed in a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus by a surface detector. One operation is transferring the image of the predetermined location to a processor. One operation is calculating a surface roughness value of the predetermined location from the image. One operation is comparing the surface roughness value with a threshold value by the processor to determine if the surface roughness condition at the predetermined location is smaller than the threshold value, and the surface is configured for polishing a to-be-polished surface of a wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD
    Inventors: Jia-Jhen Chen, Sheng-Chen Wang, Feng-Inn Wu
  • Patent number: 9666469
    Abstract: A lifting device 630b includes a lifting mechanism 640 and an adjustment member 660. The lifting mechanism 640 is provided between at least one of a plurality of units of a substrate processing apparatus and an installation surface of the unit, and adjusts height of the at least one unit with respect to the installation surface. The adjustment member 660 is provided with an extended section 664 extended from the lifting mechanism 640, and is capable of operating the lifting mechanism 640 through the extended section 664.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shinozaki, Kenji Shinkai, Tadakazu Sone, Hideo Aizawa, Hiroshi Aono, Toshio Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9550677
    Abstract: Provided is a carbon nanotube composite structural body including, on a base material, a plurality of carbon nanotube columnar structural bodies, the carbon nanotube composite structural body having an extremely high adhesion strength between the base material and the carbon nanotube columnar structural bodies. Also provided is a pressure-sensitive adhesive member including such carbon nanotube composite structural body. The carbon nanotube composite structural body of the present invention is a carbon nanotube composite structural body, including, on a base material, a plurality of carbon nanotube columnar structural bodies, in which: the carbon nanotube composite structural body further includes an intermediate layer between the base material and the carbon nanotube columnar structural bodies; the intermediate layer has a thickness of 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youhei Maeno
  • Patent number: 9511477
    Abstract: Provided is a gear grinding machine which can dress a grinding stone while a gear is held attached to the machine regardless of the size of the gear. To this end, the gear grinding machine (1) engages and mutually rotates a work (W) and the grinding stone (17) to thereby grind the work (W), wherein the gear grinding machine is equipped with a turning table (22) which holds the work (W) and rotates around a work rotating shaft (C), and a pivot table (31) which is pivotably supported around the work rotating shaft (C); and a dresser (40) which is capable of dressing the grinding stone (17) is provided on the pivot table (31), the pivot table (31) being pivoted to move the dresser (40) between a dressing position (D1) and a retreat position (D2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MACHINE TOOL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Katsuma, Kunihiro Watanabe, Toshimasa Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9452506
    Abstract: Vacuum cleaning systems and related methods are disclosed. A polishing pad in combination with a fluid, such as a slurry, contacts a substrate to planarize material at the surface thereof and resultantly creates debris. A cleaning system includes an enclosure body having an inlet opening which may be placed proximate to the polishing pad and an exit opening in communication with a vacuum source to remove the debris and the fluid from the polishing pad through a passageway connecting the inlet and exit openings. By including contact members secured to the enclosure body and configured to form an abutment against a working surface of the polishing pad, a Venturi effect zone between the enclosure body and the working surface of the polishing pad may be created to dislodge fluid and debris from the working surface. In this manner, scratches and contamination are avoided for later-polished substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul D. Butterfield, Shou-Sung Chang, Bum Jick Kim
  • Patent number: 9308623
    Abstract: A pad conditioner may include multiple independently mounted conditioning elements configured to condition a polishing pad used in, e.g., a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. In some embodiments, the pad conditioner may include a main assembly disk and a main assembly base plate attached to the main assembly disk via a gimbal connection. A plurality of pad conditioner assemblies may be attached to the main assembly base plate. In some embodiments, each pad conditioner assembly may include a pad conditioner disk attached to the main assembly base plate, a pad conditioner base attached to the pad conditioner disk via a gimbal connection, and a conditioning element attached to the pad conditioner base. Methods of conditioning a polishing pad are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hung Chen, Shou-Sung Chang, Jason Garcheung Fung, Matthew A. Gallelli, Paul D. Butterfield, Kevin Chou
  • Patent number: 9272390
    Abstract: A pad conditioning tool includes a sapphire substrate with a specific orientation plane, wherein the specific orientation plane is selected from a group consisting of a-plane, c-plane, r-plane, m-plane, n-plane and v-plane, the sapphire substrate further defining a mounting surface; and a plurality of sapphire dressing particles and a plurality of scrapers formed on the mounting surface of the substrate in a predetermined geometric arrangement, wherein the dressing particles are scattered between an adjacent pair of the scrapers. In case a wafer polishing pad is conditioned by the dressing particles of the pad conditioning tool, the scrapers are capable of removing abrasive waste and particles from the wafer polishing pad during a dressing operation, thereby forming new trenches and cilia structure on a polishing surface of the wafer polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: TERA XTAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wen-Yen Shen, Jun-Wen Chung
  • Patent number: 9079287
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical planarization apparatus includes a table, a polishing pad and a detector. The polishing pad is disposed at the table. The detector detects an abnormal condition of the polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ming Tsan Lai, Yu Hua Yeh
  • Publication number: 20150140900
    Abstract: Provided is a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus that includes a swing unit installed apart from a platen, on which a CMP pad to be conditioned is placed, at a predetermined interval, a connector installed on an upper end of the swing unit at one end thereof in a perpendicular direction to the swing unit and pivoting around the swing unit above the CMP pad, a rotator rotatably installed on the other end of the connector, a CMP pad conditioner coupled to the rotator and conditioning the CMP pad when rotated, and a vibration meter installed on the connector and detecting vibrations to measure a vibration acceleration of the CMP pad conditioner, thereby predicting a wear rate of the CMP pad based on the vibration acceleration and a state in which the CMP pad conditioner is installed or being used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicants: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., EHWA DIAMOND INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seh Kwang Lee, Youn Chul Kim, Joo Han Lee, Jae Kwang Choi, Jae Phil Boo
  • Publication number: 20150133036
    Abstract: CMP pad dressers having leveled tips and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, a CMP pad dresser can include a support substrate and a plurality of superabrasive particles secured to the support substrate with each superabrasive particle extending away from the support substrate to a protrusion distance, where a highest protruding tip of each of the plurality of superabrasive particles align along a designated profile with a tip variation of from about 5 microns to about 100 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Chien-Min Sung
  • Patent number: 9022840
    Abstract: An abrasive tool including a CMP pad conditioner having a substrate including a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and a side surface extending between the first major surface and the second major, wherein a first layer of abrasive grains is attached to the first major surface and a second layer of abrasive grains is attached to the second major surface. The conditioner further includes a first sealing member extending in a peripheral direction along a portion of the side surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignees: Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc., Saint-Gobain Abrasifs
    Inventors: Charles Dinh-Ngoc, Srinivasan Ramanath, Eric M. Schulz, Jianhui Wu, Thomas Puthanangady, Ramanujam Vedantham, Taewook Hwang
  • Patent number: 9022836
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for dressing a grinding wheel, comprising a sleeve to hold a corundum rod laterally and to guide it along its longitudinal axis, a ram to apply constant thrust force onto the corundum rod held in place and guided in the sleeve, to bring it into contact with the grinding wheel, means of rigidly connecting the ram shaft to the end of the corundum rod, and linear guide means for the sleeve for translating the corundum rod parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel while keeping the rod pressed against the grinding wheel with a constant force. Application to a centerless grinder in which the grinding wheel is used to grind nuclear fuel pellets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Areva NC
    Inventors: José Bened, Hervé Medina
  • Patent number: 9011209
    Abstract: A trimming apparatus for trimming two working layers, including bonded abrasive applied on mutually facing sides of an upper and a lower working disk of a grinding apparatus configured for simultaneous double-side processing of flat workpieces includes a trimming disk, a plurality of trimming bodies and an outer toothing, where the trimming bodies are configured to release abrasive substances upon contract with the working layers so as to effect material removal from the working layers. At least 80% of the area of the trimming bodies configured to come into contact with the working layers is arranged within a ring-shaped region on the trimming disk. The width of the ring-shaped region is between 1-25% of the diameter of the trimming disk and the area of the trimming bodies which comes into contact with the working layers occupies 20-90% of the total area of the ring-shaped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Georg Pietsch, Michael Kerstan
  • Patent number: 8998681
    Abstract: Provided is a gear grinding method capable of improving processing accuracy and easily adjusting the crowning shape by simplifying a processing operation. To this end, a work piece (W) is ground by a gear-shaped grinding stone (11) having a drum shape such that crowning along a tooth trace direction is applied to the work piece (W) by applying a relative feed in a feed direction (D1) that intersects a work piece rotation axis (C1) at a predetermined first diagonal angle (?1) between the work piece (W) and the gear-shaped grinding stone (11) while the work piece (W) and the gear-shaped grinding stone (11) are synchronously rotated in the state of being engaged so as to have a predetermined crossed axes angle (?), and the curvature in a grinding stone width direction, which defines the drum shape of the gear-shaped grinding stone (11), and the first diagonal angle (?1) are set according to the crowning shape of the work piece (W).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikoto Yanase, Masashi Ochi, Yasuhiro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 8991042
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes (a) depositing an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a recess in the insulating film; (c) depositing a conductive film on the insulating film while filling the recess with the conductive film; and (d) polishing the conductive film. Step (d) includes a first polishing substep of using a first polisher pad conditioned with a first dresser and a second polishing substep of using a second polisher pad conditioned with a second dresser different from the first dresser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Manabu Sakamoto, Tetsuya Shirasu, Naoki Idani
  • Publication number: 20150087212
    Abstract: A pad conditioner for a CMP polishing pad. The pad conditioner includes a features having textured or roughened surfaces, with superabrasive grit seeds such as diamond interspersed on the roughened surface. A coating such as polycrystalline diamond can be applied over the surfaces and the grit seeds. In one embodiment, the coating has a thickness that is in the range of 50% to 100% of the larger superabrasive grit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Patrick Doering, Andrew Galpin
  • Publication number: 20150072601
    Abstract: Superabrasive tools and methods for making and using the same are provided. In one aspect, for example, a CMP pad dresser includes a first monolayer of superabrasive particles disposed on and coupled to one side of a metal support layer and a second monolayer of superabrasive particles disposed on and coupled to the metal support layer on an opposite side from the first monolayer. The superabrasive particles of the second monolayer are positioned to have substantially the same distribution as the superabrasive particles of the first monolayer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventor: Chien-Min Sung
  • Publication number: 20150072595
    Abstract: Methods and systems for evaluating and/or increasing CMP pad dresser performance are provided. In one aspect, for example, a method of identifying overly-aggressive superabrasive particles in a CMP pad dresser can include positioning a CMP pad dresser having a plurality of superabrasive particles on an indicator substrate such that at least a portion of the plurality of superabrasive particles of the CMP pad dresser contact the indicator substrate, and moving the CMP pad dresser across the indicator substrate in a first direction such that the portion of the plurality of superabrasive particles create a first marking pattern on the substrate, wherein the first marking pattern identifies a plurality of working superabrasive particles from among the plurality of superabrasive particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventor: Chien-Min Sung
  • Patent number: 8974270
    Abstract: CMP pad dressers having leveled tips and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, a CMP pad dresser can include a matrix layer and a monolayer of a plurality of superabrasive particles embedded in the matrix layer, where each superabrasive particle in the monolayer protrudes from the matrix layer. The difference in the protrusion distance between the highest protruding tip and the next highest protruding tip of the monolayer of superabrasive particles is less than or equal to about 20 microns, and the difference in protrusion distance between the highest 1% of the protruding tips of the monolayer of superabrasive particles are within about 80 microns or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventor: Chien-Min Sung
  • Publication number: 20150065019
    Abstract: A dressing device capable of remedying wobbly rotation of a dresser disc, a CMP apparatus, and a dresser disc. The dressing device is capable of dressing a polishing pad and includes a holder which can be coupled to a dresser driving shaft capable of rotating and moving upward and downward, a dresser disc which can be mounted to the holder and has a dressing surface to be rubbed against a polishing pad, a set of concave and convex torque transmitting sections extending in a disc radial direction which are formed at the holder and the dresser disc and fit together when the dresser disc is mounted to the holder, and a set of contact surfaces in the shapes of flat surfaces which are formed as one surfaces around the set of torque transmitting sections and come into surface-to-surface contact at the time of transmitting torque of the dresser driving shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Hiroyuki SHINOZAKI
  • Patent number: 8968056
    Abstract: The system for machining the bottom of skis comprises a machine frame, in which a ski is stationary supported by roller carriers. The machining is performed by machining tools on a carriage, which extends throughout under the ski. During the machining, the carrier rollers that are alternately arranged behind each other, take over the support of the ski. There are always so many carrier rollers directly under the ski that its bottom remains in a stationary position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Spuhl AG
    Inventors: Mario Reut, Patrick Jung
  • Patent number: 8965555
    Abstract: A method dresses a polishing member with a diamond dresser having diamond particles arranged on a surface thereof. The method includes determining dressing conditions by performing a simulation of a distribution of a sliding distance of the diamond dresser on a surface of the polishing member, and dressing the polishing member with the diamond dresser under the determined dressing conditions. The simulation includes calculating the sliding distance corrected in accordance with a depth of the diamond particles thrusting into the polishing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Fukuda, Yoshihiro Mochizuki, Yutaka Wada, Yoichi Shiokawa, Hirokuni Hiyama
  • Publication number: 20150050871
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemical mechanical polishing conditioner made from a woven preform, comprising: a substrate; a bonding layer disposed on the substrate; and a plurality of abrasive particles embedded in the bonding layer and fixed on the substrate by the bonding layer; wherein the bonding layer is formed by heat-curing a woven preform, and the abrasive particles are fixed to the woven preform in advance. Therefore, the present invention can provide the bonding layer with a better flexibility by the woven preform, and solve the conventional problem of resin residue in a powder-form bonding layer, or thermal cracking or thermal deformation of a sheet-form bonding layer during the heating and curing process, and thus improve the polishing performance and service time of the chemical mechanical polishing conditioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Kinik Company
    Inventors: Chia Chun WANG, Chia-Feng CHIU, Wen-Jen LIAO, Chung-Yi CHENG
  • Publication number: 20150044950
    Abstract: A pad conditioning tool includes a sapphire substrate with a specific orientation plane, wherein the specific orientation plane is selected from a group consisting of a-plane, c-plane, r-plane, m-plane, n-plane and v-plane, the sapphire substrate further defining a mounting surface; and a plurality of sapphire dressing particles and a plurality of scrapers formed on the mounting surface of the substrate in a predetermined geometric arrangement, wherein the dressing particles are scattered between an adjacent pair of the scrapers. In case a wafer polishing pad is conditioned by the pad conditioning tool, the dressing particles are capable of removing abrasive waste and particles from the wafer polishing pad during a dressing operation, thereby forming new trenches and cilia structure on a polishing surface of the wafer polishing pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Wen-Yen Shen, Jun-Wen Chung
  • Patent number: 8951099
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) conditioner includes a ceramic substrate having a major surface, and an abrasive coating overlying the major surface. The major surface can include micro-protrusions arranged in a curved pattern. Alternatively, the micro-protrusions can be arranged in an irregular pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignees: Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc., Saint-Gobain Abrasifs
    Inventors: Jianhui Wu, Richard W. J. Hall, Eric M. Schulz, Srinivasan Ramanath
  • Patent number: 8926403
    Abstract: A dressing tool produces a plurality of first radial sections in a first flank of a first screw channel in a grinding worm, and a plurality of second radial sections in a second flank of a second screw channel in the grinding worm. Each radial section extends only a portion of a total radial height of the respective flank, the portion being less than the total radial height of the respective flank. Each first radial section in the first screw channel is radially displaced with respect to a corresponding second radial section in the second screw channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignees: KAPP GmbH, NILES Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Mueller
  • Publication number: 20150004787
    Abstract: A sapphire pad conditioner includes a sapphire substrate having multiple protrusions on a surface and a holder arranged to hold the sapphire substrate. The sapphire substrate is used for conditioning a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Jung-Lung Hung, Chi-Hao Huang, Jaw-Lih Shih, Hong-Hsing Chou, Yeh-Chieh Wang
  • Patent number: 8920211
    Abstract: A truing device of a grinding machine includes: a truer that corrects a shape of a grinding wheel; a swivel table that supports the truer such that the truer is swivelable about a swivel axis Ac; detecting means for directly detecting a distance from a truing edge position of the truer, which contacts the grinding wheel during correction of the shape of the grinding wheel, to a swivel center O of the swivel table; and control means for controlling the truing edge position of the truer with respect to the grinding wheel based on the distance L detected by the detecting means to true the grinding wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Wakazono, Tetsuro Furuhata, Hisanobu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8920214
    Abstract: Dual dressing systems for conditioning CMP pads, including associated methods, are provided. In one aspect, for example, a method of dressing a CMP pad can include applying a deglazing dresser to a working surface of a CMP pad, deglazing the working surface of the CMP pad with the deglazing dresser, applying an asperity-forming dresser to the working surface of the CMP pad, and forming asperities in the working surface of the CMP pad with the asperity-forming dresser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Inventor: Chien-Min Sung
  • Patent number: 8920218
    Abstract: An electrode dresser is provided. The electrode dresser includes a face cutting segment having a top surface and a face rake surface. The top surface intersects the face rake surface and forms a face cutting edge. The face cutting edge is configured to remove deposits located on a face of an electrode. The face rake surface forms a face rake angle with a line generally perpendicular to the top surface. A side cutting segment extends from the face cutting segment and has a top surface and a side cutting surface. The top surface intersects the side cutting surface thereby forming a side cutting edge. The side cutting edge is configured to dress a distorted tapered side of an electrode tip. The side cutting surface forms a side rake angle with a line perpendicular to the top surface. The face rake angle is different from the side rake angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Moision, Elizabeth T. Hetrick
  • Patent number: 8915768
    Abstract: Provided is a method of phasing a threaded grinding stone, as well as a device therefor, the aforementioned method and device being such that contact or non-contact of a threaded grinding stone with a disk dresser can be detected with high accuracy, with the result that the phasing of the threaded grinding stone can be accurately performed. For the purpose of achieving the above, a threaded grinding stone (14) is phased with respect to a disk dresser (32) prior to the engagement of the threaded grinding stone (14) with the disk dresser (32) during dressing. In performing this phasing, it is determined whether or not the threaded grinding stone (14) contacted the disk dresser (32), on the basis of a voltage (V) which is commensurate with the amplitude of the elastic wave generated in the threaded grinding stone (14) at the time when the threaded grinding stone (14) contacted the disk dresser (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikoto Yanase, Kazuyuki Ishizu, Tomohito Tani
  • Patent number: 8905823
    Abstract: An abrasive tool for conditioning CMP pads includes abrasive grains coupled to a substrate through a metal bond and a coating, e.g., a fluorine-doped nanocomposite coating. The abrasive grains can be arranged in a self-avoiding random distribution. In one implementation, an abrasive tool includes a coated plate and a coated abrasive article that has two abrading surfaces. Other implementations related to a process for producing an abrasive tool that includes a coating at one or more of its surfaces. Also described are methods for dressing a CMP pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc., Saint-Gobain Abrasifs
    Inventors: Jianhui Wu, Taewook Hwang, Ramanujam Vedantham, Charles Dinh-Ngoc, Thomas K. Puthanangady, Eric M. Schulz, Srinivasan Ramanath
  • Publication number: 20140357167
    Abstract: A disk dresser and a dressing method enable high-precision dressing of a drum-shaped gear-like grindstone and shaping of the cutting teeth of the grindstone without changing the shape of the cutting teeth of the disk dresser. A drum-shaped gear-like grindstone is brought into linear contact with a workpiece so as to link with the contours of the tooth right angle cross-section orthogonal to the twist direction of the workpiece teeth. The grindstone and a disk dresser, in an engaged state, are caused to rotate synchronously, thereby causing the drum-shaped grindstone to be dressed by the disk dresser. The disk dresser blade shape is made to match the tooth right angle cross-section shape of the teeth of the ground workpiece. The grindstone and the disk dresser are caused to move and revolve in accordance with the drum shape and the angle of twist of the grindstone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshikoto Yanase, Masashi Ochi, Yasuhiro Nakamichi
  • Publication number: 20140349552
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Satoshi Nagai, Suguru Ogura, Kaoru Hamaura
  • Patent number: 8882569
    Abstract: Provided is a gear grinding machine the maintainability of which can be improved and which is capable of being miniaturized. More specifically, provided is a gear grinding machine wherein a threaded grinding stone (17) and a workpiece (W) are engaged with each other and are rotated in this state, resulting in the workpiece (W) being ground, and wherein between a dressing position (P2) where the threaded grinding stone (17) can be dressed and a retreat position (P1) to which a retreat is made from the dressing position (P2) during grinding, a disk dresser (66) which, by being driven into rotation, dresses the threaded grinding stone (17) is swung about an axis (C2) which is parallel to an axis (C1) that is the rotational axis for the workpiece (W) and which intersects, at right angles, the direction in which the threaded grinding stone (17) is fed toward the workpiece (W).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Ochi, Yoshikoto Yanase
  • Patent number: 8882564
    Abstract: A gear grinding machine, whose tool spindle (18) is supported on a first swivel-motion unit (17) seated on a first linear-motion unit (15), has a second linear-motion unit (19) which is arranged on the first linear-motion unit (15) and carries a dressing spindle (21) that is capable of being driven in rotary movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Gleason-Pfauter Maschinenfabrik GmbH
    Inventor: Claus Kobialka
  • Patent number: 8870625
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuji Togawa, Keisuke Namiki, Satoru Yamaki
  • Publication number: 20140315473
    Abstract: A pad conditioner may include multiple independently mounted conditioning elements configured to condition a polishing pad used in, e.g., a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. In some embodiments, the pad conditioner may include a main assembly disk and a main assembly base plate attached to the main assembly disk via a gimbal connection. A plurality of pad conditioner assemblies may be attached to the main assembly base plate. In some embodiments, each pad conditioner assembly may include a pad conditioner disk attached to the main assembly base plate, a pad conditioner base attached to the pad conditioner disk via a gimbal connection, and a conditioning element attached to the pad conditioner base. Methods of conditioning a polishing pad are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Hung Chen, Shou-Sung Chang, Jason Garcheung Fung, Matthew A. Gallelli, Paul D. Butterfield, Kevin Chou
  • Publication number: 20140308883
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemical mechanical polishing conditioner which comprises: a substrate; a bonding layer, disposed on the substrate; and an abrasive layer, having a thin metal sheet and a first layer of abrasive particles, wherein the first layer of abrasive particles is disposed on the thin metal sheet, and the abrasive layer is coupled to the substrate with the bonding layer; wherein the first layer of abrasive particles comprises a plurality of abrasive particles, of which protruding tips has a planar leveling surface, so that the plurality of abrasive particles do not have one or more protruding tips of the plurality of abrasive particles having particular significant difference in protrusion distance, and the plurality of abrasive particles have a patterning arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Chien-Min Sung, Wen-Ting Yeh
  • Publication number: 20140302756
    Abstract: The present invention (utility model application in Taiwan) relates to a chemical mechanical polishing pad dresser, comprising: a substrate; a bonding layer disposed on the substrate; an electroplating layer disposed on the bonding layer; a fixed template disposed on the electroplating layer having a plurality of apertures; and a plurality of abrasive particles corresponding to and set in the apertures, wherein the plurality of abrasive particle fixed in the bonding layer and the substrate by means of the electroplating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Chien-Min Sung, Wen-Ting Yeh