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

Abstract: A wheel truing apparatus adapted for use in a cylindrical grinding machine wherein a work head with a work spindle for support of a workpiece and a wheel head with a grinding wheel for grinding the workpiece are mounted on a bed for relative movement in a Z-axis direction parallel with the rotation axis of the work spindle and in an X-axis direction crossing the Z-axis direction, characterized in that the wheel truing apparatus comprises a rotary drive portion mounted on the work head or a member united therewith, and a wheel truing tool supported on the rotary drive portion for rotation therewith, the wheel truing tool being provided at its outer periphery with a truing portion for truing a grinding surface of the wheel brought into contact therewith, wherein the rotary drive portion is placed in a position adjacent to said work head in a tooling area defined by a stroke of the relative movements of said wheel head and said work head in the Z-axis direction and apart from said work spindle radially outward a

Abstract: Provided are a single type substrate treating apparatus and method. A polishing unit is disposed in a process chamber for polishing a substrate chemically and mechanically, and a cleaning unit is disposed in the same process chamber for cleaning the substrate. Therefore, according to the single substrate treating apparatus and method, a polishing process and a cleaning process can be performed on a substrate in the same process chamber by a single substrate treating method in which substrates are treated one by one.

Abstract: A truing apparatus for a grinding wheel is provided with a truing tool which is held so as to rotate, and the grinding wheel which is rotating is subjected to truing by the truing tool. The truing tool includes a peripheral surface truer having a truer surface formed on its rotating peripheral surface, and an end surface truer having a truer surface formed on its end surface in a direction of a rotation axis thereof. The rotation axis of the truing tool is arranged substantially perpendicularly to a rotation axis of the grinding wheel so that an end surface of the grinding wheel may be corrected with the peripheral surface truer, and a peripheral surface of the grinding wheel may be corrected with the end surface truer.

Abstract: A method of reconditioning a medical device may include removing a portion of the medical device, and attaching to the medical device a replacement piece formed from nickel carbide and sized, shaped, and positioned to replace the portion removed.

Abstract: A neck portion grinding apparatus and method is designed to reduce working man-hours and to improve processing accuracy with respect to a processing of a workpiece. The neck portion grinding apparatus includes a grinding device having a disc-like grinding wheel and a wheel rotating device for rotating the grinding wheel, and a machine tool having a main shaft for rotatably supporting a rotating tool and a table mounting the grinding device thereon, and relatively moving the main shaft and the table by numeral control. A shape of a neck portion of the rotating tool can be changed by relatively moving the main shaft and the table while mutually rotating the rotating tool and the grinding wheel, and grinding the rotating tool by the grinding wheel.

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing pad conditioner that enables stabilization of brazing metal melting point, minimization of abrasive grain detachment by uniformizing and stabilizing abrasive grain brazing condition, and enhancement of flatness by minimizing thermal deformation of the metal support. The polishing pad conditioner is fabricated by brazing multiple abrasive grains to the surface of a metal support with brazing metal, wherein the composition of the brazing metal expressed in mass % is such that 70%?Ni+Fe?90% (provided that 0?Fe/(Ni+Fe)?0.4), 1%?Cr?25%, 2%?Si+B?15% (provided that 0?B/(Si+B)?0.8), and 0.1%?P?8%.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring polishing pad conditioning mechanisms is provided. In one embodiment, a semiconductor substrate polishing system includes a rinse station, a polishing surface, a conditioning element, and a conditioning mechanism. The conditioning mechanism selectively positions the conditioning element over the polishing surface and over the rinse station. At least one sensor is provided and is configured to detect a first position and a second position of the conditioning element when disposed over the rinse station.

Abstract: A dresser supply device of a grinding tool which supplies powdery dresser to a grinding tool having an abrasive grain layer on cutting blade tips, the dresser supply device comprising: an air supply source which supplies air; a dresser supply air pipe including a base end which is connected to the air supply source; a dresser tank which holds the dresser; a dresser supply pipe which connects the dresser tank and the dresser supply air pipe to each other, is smaller in diameter than the dresser supply air pipe at a connecting portion with the dresser supply air pipe, has a first tip inserted and projecting into the dresser supply air pipe, and is located at a space from an inner peripheral surface of the dresser supply air pipe; and an opening-and-closing valve which is provided in the dresser supply air pipe between the connecting portion and the air supply source side.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes a polishing process of a substrate, wherein the polishing process includes the steps of applying a chemical mechanical polishing process to the substrate on a polishing pad while using slurry, and conditions a surface of the polishing pad, the conditioning step including the step of grinding the surface of said polishing pad by at least first and second conditioning disks of respective, different surface states.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning is provided. In one embodiment, a conditioning disk includes a plurality of conditioning elements each having an abrasive working surface, and a flexible foundation having the conditioning elements coupled thereto. The flexible foundation has physical properties that retain the working surfaces in a substantially coplanar orientation with respect to the pad surface.

Abstract: A CMP conditioner having excellent corrosion resistance around abrasive grains includes a grindstone base having, formed on one side, an abrasive grain layer including abrasive grains fixed in a metallic bonding phase treated to form a first protective layer comprising an oxide on the surface of the metallic bonding phase of the abrasive grain layer by the sol-gel method. Subsequently, an aerosol obtained by dispersing fine particles of a brittle material in a gas is jetted and caused to strike on the surface of the first protective layer to form a second protective layer comprising a thick oxide film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a gear grinding machine, with the following operating phases of the gear grinding machine: machining a workpiece on the gear grinding machine by means of a grinding disk and/or grinding worm and dressing a profiling tool for profiling a grinding disk and/or grinding worm on the gear grinding machine.

Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus includes a substrate holding mechanism having a head for holding a substrate to be polished, and a polishing mechanism including a polishing table with a polishing pad mounted thereon. The substrate held by the head is pressed against the polishing pad on the polishing table to polish the substrate by relative movement of the substrate and the polishing pad. The substrate polishing apparatus also includes a substrate transfer mechanism for delivering the substrate to be polished to the head and receiving the polished substrate. The substrate transfer mechanism includes a substrate to-be-polished receiver for receiving the substrate to be polished, and a polished substrate receiver for receiving the substrate which has been polished.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to an edge deletion module positioned within an automated solar cell fabrication line. The edge deletion module may include a grinding wheel device for removing material from edge regions of a solar cell device and cleaning the edge regions of the solar cell device after removing the material. The edge deletion module may also include an abrasive element, a portion of which is ground as it is periodically, laterally advanced toward the grinding wheel device. A controller is provided for controlling the operation and function of various facets of the module.

Abstract: Elastic member bundled by pencil band is mounted to the lower edge of support part. Elastic member is composed with tungsten wires which are 25 mm in the length and 0.15 mm in diameter bundled with every 30 wires in one bundle. The tip part of each element wire of elastic member contacts polishing pad with the tip end cut round and performs dressing of polishing pad. The wire size of the tip part of each element wire of elastic member is made to be fine and the cutting width on polishing pad is made to be narrow, and at the same time, the rigidity of elastic member is made to be enhanced by bundling each element wire of elastic member with pencil band, and a large pressure is made to be pressed to the fine tip part of each element wire. Therefore, the tip part of elastic member can give an effective incision depth to polishing pad.

Abstract: An efficiently processible polishing tool, particularly used for a CMP pad conditioner, capable solving problems in a fixing strength for fixing abrasive grains to a base plate and problems in nonuniform polished surface and a method of effectively manufacturing the polishing tool. The polishing tool (1) comprises a polishing part formed of a super abrasive grain sintered body sintered integrally with the lining material of a cemented carbide. The polishing part comprises a plurality of polishing units (2) with top parts. The top parts are positioned on an approximately same plane. The polishing units (2) are formed by forming a linear groove (3) group in the polishing part.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conditioner device for polishing pad and a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus having the same. The conditioner device of the present invention comprises a rotable support plate including a support plate surface comprising a center area located about the rotational axis of the support plate, a mid area surrounding the center area, and a peripheral area surrounding the mid area, a plurality of conditioning zones located within a portion of the mid area of the support plate surface. A plurality of hard particles which are densely arranged within the conditioning zones and are attached to the support plate surface. A plurality of passages defined by the conditioning zones within which a slurry flows, the passages occupying a portion of the mid area which is not occupied by the conditioning zones, the center area and the peripheral area.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning polishing pads that utilize an apertured conditioning disk for introducing operation-specific slurries, without the need for additional tooling, platens, and materials handling. The method and apparatus utilize a vacuum capability to pull waste material out of the conditioning pad and through the apertured conditioning disk to evacuate the apparatus through an outlet port, the apparatus may also include self-contained flushing means and a piezo-electric device for vibrating the pad conditioning apparatus.

Abstract: An abrasive grain 1 includes a crystal defect CD in its crystal structure CS. The crystal defect CD is formed by a laser irradiation.

Abstract: CMP pad dressers with superabrasive particles oriented into an attitude that controls CMP pad performance, and methods associated therewith are disclosed and described. The controlled CMP pad performance may be selected to optimize CMP pad dressing rate and dresser wear.

Abstract: An apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad, or conditioner, includes a supporting substrate and abrasive elements. The abrasive elements of the conditioner are used to condition a polishing pad to be used in abrasive, or at least partially mechanical, semiconductor substrate treatment processes, such as chemical-mechanical polishing or chemical-mechanical planarization processes. The abrasive elements are formed from a material that may be degraded or dissolved by at least one chemical that will not substantially degrade or dissolve a material of the polishing pad. Any residue or particles of, or from, the abrasive elements that stick to or become embedded in the polishing pad are removed therefrom by exposing the polishing pad to the at least one chemical so as to degrade or dissolve the residue or particles without substantially degrading or dissolving a material of the polishing pad.

Abstract: A dresser adapted to a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus is used to perform dressing on a polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor wafer such that a circular-shaped support surface thereof is positioned opposite to and in contact with the polishing surface of the polishing pad. In the dresser, at least three polish retainers having band-like shapes are formed and elongated in radial directions from substantially the center of the support surface so as to form a plurality of sectorial regions. A plurality of parallel portions are formed in parallel with the polish retainer in each sectorial region. A plurality of band-shaped non-polish retainers are formed between the polish retainer and its parallel portion in each sectorial region. The dresser ensures adequate fuzziness of the polishing pad by way of dressing; hence, it is possible to maintain desired polishing performance of the polishing pad for a long time.

Abstract: Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) devices, a pad conditioner assembly and a polishing pad conditioning method thereof are provided. The CMP device planarizes a wafer by rotating a carrier, which has a wafer mounted on a lower surface of the carrier, over a rotating polishing table while supplying a slurry onto a polishing pad attached to an upper surface of the rotating polishing table. The CMP device may include a pad conditioner assembly that conditions the polishing pad by supplying a pad conditioning liquid onto the polishing pad and simultaneously transferring a megasonic vibration to the pad conditioning liquid to remove foreign substances from a surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: A wafer polishing method, in which the outer circumferential edge of a polishing member is first cut by a cutting tool fixed to a table base, thereby forming the polishing member into a completely round shape and also positioning the polishing member in a Y direction at a Y-directional reference position of the table base. Thereafter, a polishing unit is once lifted in the condition where the table base remains still at the reference position. Thereafter, the table base is horizontally moved toward a column in the Y direction to thereby position the polishing member in the Y direction so that only a peripheral portion of the wafer is polished by the polishing member. At this time, the horizontal travel of the table base is preliminarily obtained from the Y-directional positional relation between the cutting tool and the wafer held on a chuck table and from the width of the peripheral portion to be polished.

Abstract: A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer. The system includes a polishing apparatus having a rotatable polishing pad for polishing the wafer. A dressing apparatus is mounted adjacent the polishing pad for dressing the polishing pad. The dressing apparatus includes a dressing member engageable with the polishing pad. A cleaning apparatus is mounted adjacent the polishing pad for removing particulate and chemicals from the polishing pad. The system includes a controller for controlling the dressing apparatus and the cleaning apparatus.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding a workpiece comprises a machine frame, a bearing device provided on the machine frame and movable along guides, in which a cup-shaped grinding wheel is rotatably drivable about a grinding wheel axis and electrically insulated. The grinding wheel is electrically connected to a generator. The device for profile dressing, sharpening and cleaning the grinding wheel consists of a single cup-shaped electrode, which is drivable about its central axis and is placed on a slide, which allows a working gap to exist between the machining surface of the cup-shaped electrode and the annular abrasive surface. A spark erosion discharge occurs in the gap when a voltage is applied. The grinding wheel can thereby be optimally conditioned by electric discharge machining.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a grinding wheel truing tool, its manufacturing method, and a truing apparatus, a method for manufacturing a grinding wheel and a wafer edge grinding apparatus using the same. The grinding wheel truing tool of the present invention compensates a groove of a fine-grinding wheel for fine-grinding a wafer edge, and includes a truer having an edge of the same angle as a slanted surface of the groove of the fine-grinding wheel and a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the groove. The present invention uses the truing tool to easily process the groove of the grinding wheel for fine-grinding the wafer edge.

Abstract: An apparatus for conditioning polishing pads that utilizes an apertured conditioning disk for introducing operation-specific slurries, without the need for additional tooling, platens, and materials handling. The apparatus utilizes a vacuum capability to pull waste material out of the polishing pad and through the apertured conditioning disk to evacuate the apparatus through an outlet port. The apparatus also includes a force adjustment system for providing measurement and control of the force applied by the conditioning disk to the polishing pad.

Abstract: Methods for making polishing tools and associated tools are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of making a polishing tool is provided. Such a method may include truing a working surface of a nano-diamond impregnated substrate. The method may further include forming asperities on the working surface with a polycrystalline diamond dresser, where the asperities have a height to distance ratio of from about 1:5 to about 5:1 and where the average asperity diameter is less than about 175 ?m.

Abstract: A CMP pad conditioner is provided with a grinding part formed by fixing abrasive grains on a metal base by soldering, wherein the grinding part has a flat part near an inner periphery and an inclined part near an outer periphery, wherein abrasive grains having regular shapes are fixed to the flat part, and wherein abrasive grains having acute shapes are fixed to the inclined part.

Abstract: A system (46) for adjusting an end effector (48) of an apparatus (44) includes a linear actuator (58) attachable with an arm (52) of the apparatus (44). The system (46) further includes a first link member (64) having a first segment (68) operatively coupled with the linear actuator (58), and a second link member (66) maintained in parallel alignment with a second segment (70) of the first link member (64). The first and second link members (64, 66) pivotally attach to the end effector (48), and movement of the first segment (68) powered by the actuator (58) causes the first and second link members (64, 66) to pivot producing movement of the end effector (48) relative to a workpiece (26). A force transducer (76) interposed between the actuator (58) and the first link member (64) is utilized to control a pressure of the end effector (48) against the workpiece (26).

Abstract: A system for in-situ monitoring at least one aspect of a chemical mechanical planarization process can include a CMP pad, CMP pad dresser with at least a translucent portion, and an optical sensor. The optical sensor can be configured to optically engage the CMP pad through the translucent portion of the CMP pad dresser. Methods of monitoring chemical mechanical planarization processes can include using such CMP pad dresser to view a performance characteristic through the CMP pad dresser.

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

Abstract: An edge section of a wafer can be polished, and at same time, a polishing surface of a polishing member can be dressed by a dresser mechanism. A polishing member has annular concave trenches, which are coaxially formed in the front surface thereof, and at least an inner surface of the concave trenches is composed of an inclined polishing surface for polishing an edge section of the wafer, and a wafer pressing mechanism presses the edge section of the wafer against the inner surfaces in at least one side of the concave trench of the polishing member, and a dresser mechanism dresses at least the inner surfaces in at least one side of the concave trench of the polishing member.

Abstract: A non-glazing dressing wheel (10) suitable for dressing a grinding wheel surface to be used for maintaining a certain tolerance to assure reliability and quality control of ground parts during the grinding operation. The dressing wheel includes at least a first dressing wheel component (12) including at least one interrupted cutting outer surface, wherein the interrupted cutting surface is embodied in a cutting wheel (10) with a plurality of tips (12) extending outwardly from the outer surface. The plurality of tips (12) contact the grinding wheel during the grinding operation, thereby alleviating glazing and heat expansion of the grinding wheel while being dressed. Other preferred embodiments include sandwiching the interrupted cutting surface between two flat grinding surfaces, preferably being made of diamond or Borazon.

Abstract: An extremely precise computer controlled grinding machine having the capability to write its own computer programs for controlling the grinding machine to perform individual tasks, including both grinding and dressing to several millionths of an inch. A new device for dressing is included which is directly on the machine, alleviating the need for a separate dressing machine. The Windows-based computer program is easy to use, and includes numerous features for self-maintenance and reproducibility.

Abstract: A pad conditioner for chemical mechanical polishing includes a dressing component for conditioning a pad and a housing for accommodating the dressing component. The housing includes at least one fluid hole surrounding the dressing component for providing at least a fluid.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for extending the life of abrasive disks used in the conditioning of polishing pads used in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) of polishing pads used to polish and/or planarize the surfaces of semiconductor wafers during the production of integrated circuits. The invention consists of the a disk comprising a plurality of abrasive segments, each of which is fixed in tangential and radial relationship to one another about the common axis of rotation of the conditioning disk. Means are provided for movement of the abrasive segments, individually or in sets, into or out of the plane of the active abrasive surface of the conditioning disk according to the present invention.

Abstract: A polishing pad conditioner is provided. The polishing pad includes a substrate, at least one surface-conditioning unit, and at least one groove-cleaning unit. The surface-conditioning unit and the groove-cleaning unit are both disposed on a surface of the substrate. In addition, the surface-conditioning unit is integrally formed with the groove-cleaning unit form.

Abstract: A method of dressing a grindstone for processing an eyeglass lens, comprises the step of pressing a melamine resin foam, which is used as a dressing tool, against a rotating grindstone.

Abstract: A CMP pad conditioner comprises a plurality of abrasive segments. Each abrasive segment includes a segment blank and an abrasive layer attached to the segment blank, the abrasive layer including a superhard abrasive material. A pad conditioner substrate is also provided. Each of the plurality of abrasive segments is permanently affixed to the pad conditioner substrate in an orientation that enables removal of material from a CMP pad by the abrasive layer as the pad conditioner and the CMP pad are moved relative to one another.

Abstract: A wafer polishing carrier apparatus and a chemical mechanical polishing equipment employing the same includes a drive rotary union rotating on an axis and receiving a flow of fluid through a first conduit in a sealed-up state; driven rotary unions revolving on their own axis at different sides of the drive rotary union, and receiving the flow of fluid from the drive rotary union through a second conduit in a sealed-up state; a carrier attached to an end part of the driven rotary union to adsorb/detach a wafer using a fluid pressure provided through a third conduit connected through the second conduit; and a filter filtering pollution material in the fluid flowing in and out of the third conduit on the periphery of the carrier to prevent the pollution material from escaping external to the carrier, the pollution material generated from rotation of the drive rotary union and driven rotary unions.

Abstract: A glass substrate for an information recording medium is manufactured by polishing the surface of a raw material glass plate. The polishing of the raw material glass plate is divided into a step for performing a first polishing process to roughly polish the surface of the raw material glass plate to be smooth and a step for performing a second polishing process to finely polish the surface of the roughly polished raw material glass plate to be smoother. The first polishing process uses a polishing pad made of a synthetic resin foam and slides the polishing pad on the raw material glass plate surface while supplying a polishing agent to roughly polish the surface. A pad dressing process is performed on the polishing pad before being used in the first polishing process. The pad dressing process polishes the surface of the polishing pad by sliding the polishing pad on a pad dresser including abrasive grains.

Abstract: A study of several key conditioner design parameters has been conducted. The purpose was to improve conditioner performance by considering factors such as wafer defects, pad life, and conditioner life. For this study, several key conditioner design parameters such as diamond type, diamond size, diamond shape, diamond concentration and distribution, were selected to determine their effect on CMP performance and process stability. Experimental validations were conducted. Conditioner specifications were matched to each specific CMP environment (intended application) in order to improve process stability and CMP performance particularly for emerging technology nodes. Several conditioner designs were developed and run successfully in the field. Significant planarity improvement for a 300 mm CMP process was achieved in accordance with one embodiment, and an increase of pad life and wafer polish rate was simultaneously achieved with another embodiment.

Abstract: CMP pad dressers with superabrasive particles oriented into an attitude that controls CMP pad performance, and methods associated therewith are disclosed and described. The controlled CMP pad performance may be selected to optimize CMP pad dressing rate and dresser wear.

Abstract: A method for making a pad conditioner, includes: (a) providing a first substrate having a grain-mounting surface, and a plurality of diamond abrasive grains, each of which has a retained portion and a cutting portion with at least one sharp corner; (b) forming a plurality of recesses in the first substrate, each of the recesses having a sharp closed end and an enlarged open end, and diverging from the sharp closed end to the enlarged open end in a manner to have a shape corresponding to that of the sharp corner of each of the diamond abrasive grains; (c) disposing each of the diamond abrasive grains in a respective one of the recesses; (d) forming a second substrate on the grain-mounting surface of the first substrate; and (e) removing the first substrate.

Abstract: A pad conditioner of semiconductor wafer polishing apparatus and a pad conditioner manufacturing method thereof are provided with a uniform conditioning for a polishing pad of a polishing apparatus, the polishing apparatus being for evenly planarizing a metal layer formed on the surface of wafer in a semiconductor device manufacturing processor. The pad conditioner may include a substrate constructed of a flat plate of disk shape, a coating part formed with a given thickness on the substrate, and a plurality of protrusion parts formed on the coating part, the plurality of protrusion parts having a plurality of polishing members based on the same size in a predetermined grouping or pattern.

Abstract: A CMP pad dresser for dressing a polishing pad of a CMP apparatus is provided with a dressing pad having abrasive grains, a purified water supply unit provided to an external periphery of the dressing pad, and a drive mechanism for sliding the dressing pad in a radial direction of the polishing pad. The dressing pad is slidable to the outer side of the polishing pad. The purified water supply unit supply purified water at a prescribed pressure so that particles of abrasive grains that are dislodged from the dresser accumulate in the dressing pad.

Abstract: A reconditioning system for reconditioning a damaged polishing pad is disclosed. The reconditioning system includes a reconditioning disk including a plurality of diamonds for reconditioning the polishing pad, wherein each diamond fluoresces when being exposed to a light energy source.