Edging Patents (Class 451/44)
  • Patent number: 8021213
    Abstract: An acrylic polisher includes: a base with two oppositely disposed sideboards with a notch on each of them and a disposition surface in between, a cutting blade set performing a cutting process along the edge of the disposition surface, a stopping board driven by a driving device to move up and downs with respect to the disposition surface. When the stopping board moves downward to the side of the disposition surface, a machining span is formed between the stopping board and the disposition surface. Therefore, as the stopping board lowers to the side of the base, the operator only needs to push an acrylic object toward the stopping board and can quickly obtain the required machining span. The notches on the sideboards of the base form an open space around the disposition surface. The length of the acrylic object is thus not restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Inventor: Chun-Hui Chiang
  • Patent number: 8021212
    Abstract: An apparatus for polishing an edge surface of a glass substrate for magnetic recording media. The apparatus includes a grindstone including abrasive grains mixed with a resin. The grindstone is configured to polish at least the edge surface of the glass substrate. The grindstone has a reentrant groove with a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces such that the bottom surface of the reentrant groove contacts the edge surface of the glass substrate and the sidewall surfaces of the reentrant groove contacts chamfered sidewalls of the glass substrate. The reentrant groove and sidewall surfaces are formed in the resin of the grindstone by pressing the glass substrate into the resin of the grindstone with a force higher than a pressing force during polishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shohei Chida, Masami Kaneko, Mitsuhiko Komakine
  • Patent number: 8016645
    Abstract: A chamfering apparatus is used to chamfer a peripheral edge of a glass substrate. The chamfering apparatus includes a grindstone having a cylindrical hollow end portion; a grindstone driving unit that rotates the grindstone around an axis of the cylindrical hollow end portion; a substrate rotation-driving unit that rotates the glass substrate around either one of an axis of the outer periphery and an axis of the center circular hole; and a pressing unit that presses the grindstone to the glass substrate such that an annular end surface of the grindstone contacts with an edge of either one of the outer periphery and the inner periphery of the glass substrate while the cylindrical hollow end portion of the grindstone faces with one of the outer periphery and the inner periphery of the glass substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignees: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Shoda Techtron Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nakiri, Yoshio Kawakami, Tetsuo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8002923
    Abstract: A glass block is formed by stacking, fixing, and integrating a plurality of thin glass plates having a predetermined thickness. An annular glass block is formed by coring the glass block. Surfaces of an inside circumference and an outside circumference of the annular glass block are ground. The annular glass block of which the surfaces of the inside circumference and the outside circumference are ground are separated into individual annular glass substrates, and separated annular glass substrates are cleaned. Then, edge portions of the inside circumference and the outside circumference of a cleaned annular glass substrate are chamfered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Suzuki, Yoshio Kawakami
  • Patent number: 7997957
    Abstract: A process for edging an optical lens for conforming the optical lens to the size and shape of a lens frame into which the optical lens is to be accommodated, said process comprising: a) providing an optical lens having a convex surface, the convex surface being provided with an anti-smudge topcoat rendering the optical lens inappropriate for edging; b) fixing a mounting element on the convex surface of the optical lens, preferably on its center, by means of an adhesive pad adhering both to the mounting element and the convex surface of the optical lens to form a mounting element/optical lens assembly; c) placing the mounting element/optical lens assembly in a grinding machine so that the optical lens is firmly maintained; and d) edging the optical lens to the intended size and shape, wherein, prior to step (b) of fixing the mounting element, the anti-smudge topcoat on the convex surface of the optical lens is pre-treated with a solvent selected from the group consisting of alkanols and dialkylketones under a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Essilor International Compagnie Generale d'Optique
    Inventors: Gerald Fournand, Agnes De Leuze-Jallouli, Bruce Keegan
  • Patent number: 7988532
    Abstract: A cut section checking/aligning unit simultaneously checks cut sections of unit liquid crystal display panels that are separated from within first and second base substrates and aligns the unit liquid crystal display panels to a reference position. A grinding unit grinds edges of the unit liquid crystal display panels. The cut section checking/aligning unit and the grinding unit are integrated within a grinding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hun-Jun Choo, Sang-Sun Shin, Jong-Go Lim, Ho-Kyun Kim, Sang-Chul Lee
  • Patent number: 7976361
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus is suitable for use in polishing a periphery of a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus includes a holding section configured to hold a workpiece and a polishing head configured to bring a polishing tape into contact with the workpiece. The polishing apparatus also includes a supply reel configured to supply the polishing tape to the polishing head, a rewind reel configured to rewind the polishing tape that has contacted the workpiece, and a swinging mechanism configured to cause the polishing head to perform a swinging motion with its pivot at a predetermined point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Tamami Takahashi, Masaya Seki, Hiroaki Kusa, Kenya Ito
  • Publication number: 20110143639
    Abstract: A glass-plate working apparatus includes a glass-plate supporting portion 20a of a feed conveyor 7, a glass-plate supporting portion 20b of a cutting section 2, a glass-plate supporting portion 20c of a bend-breaking section 4, a glass-plate supporting portion 20d of a grinding section 3, and a glass-plate supporting portion 20e of a discharge conveyor 8; a cutting head 9, a bend-breaking device 66, and a grinding head 10 for processing glass plates 5 which are respectively supported by the supporting portions 20b, 20c, and 20d; and a transporting device 89 for transporting the glass plate 5 on the supporting portion 20a onto the supporting portion 20b, the glass plate 5 on the supporting portion 20b onto the supporting portion 20c, the glass plate 5 on the supporting portion 20c onto the supporting portion 20d, and the glass plate 5 on the supporting portion 20d onto the supporting portion 20e, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventor: Kazuaki Bando
  • Patent number: 7959492
    Abstract: The disk-shaped substrate inner circumference polishing method for polishing an inner circumference of a disk-shaped substrate including a portion having an opening hole at the center thereof includes inserting a brush having a shaft core into the portion having the opening hole of the disk-shaped substrate; fixing one end and the other end of the brush to a pair of rotating shafts that are provided at mutually detached positions and pulling at least any one of the one end and the other end of the brush and applying tension in the axial direction to the shaft core of the brush; and rotating the brush and polishing the inner circumference of the disk-shaped substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignees: Showa Denko K.K., Citizen Seimitsu Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Haneda, Kunizo Watanabe, Yosuke Sato
  • Publication number: 20110104988
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the automatic edge grinding of glass sheets under clean room conditions, comprising the following: a) a multi-axis robot at a gripper arm thereof carries a suction frame having a plurality of suction units for receiving a glass sheet, b) a grinding unit having at least one rotatable grinding wheel that is supported in a stationary manner is installed in the usable pivot range of the gripper arm of the robot, c) the ground product occurring during operation of the grinding unit is extracted by an extraction system, d) the degree of wear and the state of the grinding wheel are monitored by a calibration device in conjunction with a detection device, and a computer program for carrying out the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: GRENZEBACH MASCHINENBAU GMBH
    Inventor: Egbert Wenninger
  • Publication number: 20110097975
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor wafer sliced from a single crystal includes rounding an edge using a grinding disk containing abrasives with an average grain size of 20.0-60.0 ?m. A first simultaneous double-side material-removing process is performed wherein the semiconductor wafers are processed between two rotating ring-shaped working disks, each working disk having a working layer containing abrasives having an average grain size of 5.0-20.0 ?m, wherein the semiconductor wafer is placed in a cutout in one of a plurality of carriers rotatable by a rolling apparatus such that the semiconductor wafer lies in a freely movable manner in the carrier and the wafer is movable on a cycloidal trajectory. A second simultaneous double-side material-removing process is performed including processing the semiconductor wafers between two rotating ring-shaped working disks, each working disk having a working layer containing abrasives having an average grain size of 0.5-15.0 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Juergen SCHWANDNER, Thomas BUSCHHARDT, Diego FEIJOO, Michael KERSTAN, Georg PIETSCH, Guenter SCHWAB
  • Publication number: 20110081837
    Abstract: A complex geographical edge finishing system includes a fixture that holds an external part having a complex three-dimensional edge, a track disposed around the fixture and surrounding the edge of the part held in the fixture, and one or more finishing apparatuses that can sand, polish, buff, paint and/or apply coatings to the complex three-dimensional edge. The finishing apparatuses move about the track such that the three-dimensional edge of the part can be polished. The path of the track can substantially match, mimic or otherwise correspond to the path of the three-dimensional edge, such that special requirements for the finishing apparatuses are not required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Johannessen
  • Publication number: 20110053466
    Abstract: A glass substrate spacer separating apparatus includes: a cassette adapted to load a plurality of glass substrates with spacers attached thereto in such a state that the plurality of glass substrates are separated piece by piece; a liquid tank adapted to store a liquid in which the cassette is to be submerged; and a bubble generating mechanism configured to generate bubbles which move towards an interior of the cassette which is submerged in the liquid of the liquid tank, wherein the spacers are separated individually from the plurality of glass substrates to which the spacers are attached by bringing the bubbles generated from the bubble generating mechanism into contact with surfaces of the plurality of glass substrates with spacers attached thereto which are loaded in the cassette in the liquid of the liquid tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomohiro HOSHINO, Takeshi MIYAWAKI, Haruo WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20110025940
    Abstract: An edge narrowing method for a display panel is disclosed. The display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a sealant and a light-shielding area. The sealant is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The light-shielding area is disposed between the first substrate and the sealant. The method includes the steps of providing the display panel, a grinding apparatus and a polishing apparatus; tilting the display panel so that the first substrate and a grinding member of the grinding apparatus have a first grinding angle therebetween; grinding the first substrate and the light-shielding area with the grinding apparatus while the display panel is tilted at the first grinding angle, thereby forming a first grinding end surface; stopping grinding of the first substrate and the light-shielding area when the width of the light-shielding area is between 0.35 and 1 mm; and polishing the first grinding end surface with the polishing apparatus to form a first end surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Chen LIU, Chung Wei LIU, Shu Chih WANG, Chia Shin WENG
  • Publication number: 20110021116
    Abstract: A method for beveling a thin glass plate by simultaneously grinding an edge of the glass using multiple abrasive cup wheels, wherein the edge of the glass plate is extended from the fixturing device. The extension of the glass plate allows the glass plate to bend in response to forces applied by the abrasive cup wheels, thereby reducing the sensitivity of the grinding process to variations in position of the abrasive wheels. The axes of rotation of the abrasive wheels are separated by a distance selected to prevent deflection in the glass plate caused by a first abrasive wheel to influence the deflection in the glass plate caused by a second (adjacent) abrasive wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: James W. Brown, Tadashi Kitamura, Gautam N. Kudva, Siva Venkatachalam
  • Publication number: 20110003537
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus according to the present invention includes a substrate holder (32) configured to hold and rotate a substrate (W), a press pad (50) configured to press a polishing tape (41) having a polishing surface against a bevel portion of the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a feeding mechanism (45) configured to cause the polishing tape to travel in its longitudinal direction. The press pad (50) includes a hard member (51) having a pressing surface (51a) for pressing the bevel portion of the substrate through the polishing tape, and at least one elastic member (53) for pressing the hard member against the bevel portion of the substrate through the belt-shaped polishing tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Dai Fukushima, Atsushi Shigeta, Tamami Takahashi, Kenya Ito, Masaya Seki, Hiroaki Kusa
  • Publication number: 20100330885
    Abstract: A method for polishing the edge of a semiconductor wafer comprises (a) providing a semiconductor wafer which has been polished on its side surfaces and which has a rounded edge; (b) polishing the edge of the wafer by fixing the semiconductor wafer on a centrally rotating chuck, delivering the wafer to a centrally rotating polishing drum, which is inclined with respect to the chuck and to which a polishing pad containing fixedly bonded abrasives is applied, and pressing semiconductor wafer and polishing drum onto one another while a polishing agent solution containing no solids is continuously supplied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventor: Juergen Schwandner
  • Publication number: 20100304645
    Abstract: A grinding assembly (3) is described, for a grinding head (1) for a grinding machine of glass slabs (2), comprising: a first (5) (and possibly a second (7)) grinding wheel adapted to tangentially work on the glass edge (2) and whose rotation axis A is parallel to the glass edge (2) to be ground; and a handling system for the grinding wheel (5) for adjusting the removal of glass (2) in an oscillating way or in parallel with the plane of the slab (2) to be ground. A grinding head (1) equipped with the above grinding assembly (3) is further described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: FORVET S.R.L.
    Inventor: Davide Gariglio
  • Publication number: 20100291839
    Abstract: A grinding method of a strip glass comprises: the strip glass to be ground is absorbed to a vacuum suction plate, then the strip glass is transferred to the glass edge chamfering apparatus by the vacuum suction plate. Grinding a side of the strip glass forms a predefined slant. Also, the strip glass is turned over and is absorbed to vacuum suction plate, then the strip glass is transferred to the glass edge chamfering apparatus and grinding the other side of strip glass forms a slant, which is the same as the predefined slant. This invention can grind a strip glass having a width of 10 mm or great smaller. The present method prevents a waste of the strip glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventor: Leiming Luo
  • Publication number: 20100279588
    Abstract: The corners of a sheet of glass travelling in a longitudinal direction are ground by a corner bevelling assembly having a fixed frame; a movable frame; a grinding wheel; a supporting arm supporting the grinding wheel and fitted to the movable frame; and an actuating device interposed between the fixed frame and the movable frame, and having a first powered guide-slide assembly for moving the movable frame in a direction parallel to a longitudinal travelling direction of the sheet, and a second powered guide-slide assembly for moving the movable frame with respect to the fixed frame in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; the corner bevelling assembly also having a reference locator which, in use, is positioned against a longitudinal lateral surface, parallel to the longitudinal direction, of the sheet; a relative-motion assembly for enabling movement, parallel to the transverse direction, of the reference locator with respect to the supporting arm; and a device for detecting the
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Mario Balbi, Salvatore Cantoro, Andrea Tonda Roch, Giovanni Vidotto
  • Publication number: 20100279589
    Abstract: The corners of a sheet of glass travelling in a longitudinal direction are ground by a grinding assembly having a fixed frame; a movable frame; a grinding wheel; a supporting arm supporting the grinding wheel and fitted to the movable frame; and an actuating device interposed between the fixed frame and the movable frame, and having a first powered guide-slide assembly for moving the movable frame in a direction parallel to a longitudinal travelling direction of the sheet, and a second powered guide-slide assembly for moving the movable frame with respect to the fixed frame in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; the grinding assembly also having a locator fixed to the supporting arm and defining a stop to keep the sheet at a distance from the grinding wheel; and a compensating device interposed between the supporting arm and the movable frame, and having a third guide-slide assembly and a flexible controlled-damping device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Mario Balbi, Salvatore Cantoro, Andrea Tonda Roch, Giovanni Vidotto
  • Patent number: 7806751
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a disk substrate includes a disk substrate forming step of forming a disk substrate; and an outer chamfering step of chamfering an outer edge of the disk substrate. The outer chamfering step includes chamfering the outer edge by bringing an end surface of a cylindrical-shaped outer chamfering grindstone having a hollow portion on its end into contact with the outer edge such that the hollow portion faces the outer edge while rotating each of the outer chamfering grindstone and the disk substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignees: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Shoda Techtron Corp.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Suzuki, Yoshio Kawakami, Kazuhiro Nakiri
  • Patent number: 7798889
    Abstract: A chamfering apparatus is used to chamfer a peripheral edge of a glass substrate. The chamfering apparatus includes a grindstone having a cylindrical hollow end portion; a grindstone driving unit that rotates the grindstone around an axis of the cylindrical hollow end portion; a substrate rotation-driving unit that rotates the glass substrate around either one of an axis of the outer periphery and an axis of the center circular hole; and a pressing unit that presses the grindstone to the glass substrate such that an annular end surface of the grindstone contacts with an edge of either one of the outer periphery and the inner periphery of the glass substrate while the cylindrical hollow end portion of the grindstone faces with one of the outer periphery and the inner periphery of the glass substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignees: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Shoda Techtron Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nakiri, Yoshio Kawakami, Tetsuo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100190416
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods for chemical and mechanical polishing of the edge of a semiconductor substrate that includes a protruding residual topography in a peripheral region of the substrate resulting from a layer transfer process based on an ion implantation step, a bonding step and a detachment step, such as Smart-Cutâ„¢. To be able to remove this step-like region, exemplary devices include a polishing pad, wherein the polishing pad is arranged and configured such that its cross section in a plane perpendicular to the surface of a substrate holder is curved. The disclosure furthermore relates to a pad holder used certain exemplary devices and methods for polishing a semiconductor substrate that has a protruding residual topography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: S.O.I.TEC Silicon on Insulator Technologies
    Inventors: Walter Schwarzenbach, Sebastien Kerdiles, Aziz Alami-Idrissi
  • Patent number: 7758404
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for cleaning a substrate edge include a composite applicator that cleans bevel polymers deposited on wafer edges using frictional contact in the presence of fluids. The composite applicator includes a support material and a plurality of abrasive particles distributed within and throughout the support material. The composite applicator cleans the edge of the wafer by allowing frictional contact of the plurality of abrasive particles with the edge of the wafer in the presence of fluids, such as liquid chemicals, to cut, rip and tear the bevel polymer from the edge of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Jason A. Ryder, Ji Zhu, Mark Wilcoxson, Fritz Redeker, John P. Parks, Charles Ditmore, Jeffrey G. Gasparitsch
  • Publication number: 20100178851
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a periphery of a substrate includes a substrate holder configured to rotate the substrate, a first polishing section configured to polish the periphery of the substrate by bringing a polishing layer of a first polishing tool into contact with the periphery of the substrate when rotated by the substrate holder, and a second polishing section configured to polish the periphery of the substrate by bringing a polishing layer of a second polishing tool into contact with the periphery of the substrate when rotated by the substrate holder. The polishing layer of the first polishing tool has hard first abrasive grains, and the polishing layer of the second polishing tool has second abrasive grains that are softer than the first abrasive grains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: Masayuki NAKANISHI, Kenya Ito, Tamami Takahashi, Kumiko Miyamoto, Kenji Kodera
  • Publication number: 20100178850
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to techniques for edge deleting coatings supported by coated articles while a temporary protective coating is applied thereto. More particularly, a stationary, enlarged, and higher powered aspirator is connected to flexible tubing, which itself has an enlarged diameter, that has a nozzle located proximate to a grinding wheel on an edge deletion unit is provided in connection with an edge deletion table. Advantageously, the edge deletion table and aspirator of certain example embodiments are capable of performing edge deletion and removal of a temporary protective coating substantially simultaneously (e.g., from a common area of interest), during which process the debris produced when edge deletion is performed is controlled and removed from the substrate of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C), Dudelange
    Inventor: Peter Sondag
  • Patent number: 7744445
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus has a polishing tape (21), a supply reel (22) for supplying the polishing tape (21) to a contact portion (30) at which the polishing tape (21) is brought into contact with a notch portion (11) of a substrate (10), and a take-up reel (23) for winding up the polishing tape (21) from the contact portion (30). The polishing apparatus also has a first guide portion (24) having as guide surface (241) for supplying the polishing tape (21) directly to the contact portion (30), and a second guide portion (25) having a guide surface for supplying the polishing tape (21) tot the take-up reel (23). The guide surface (241) of the first guide portion (24) and/or the guide surface of the second guide portion (25) has a shape corresponding to a shape of the notch portion (11) of the substrate (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Kubota, Atsushi Shigeta, Gen Toyota, Tamami Takahashi, Daisaku Fukuoka, Kenya Ito
  • Patent number: 7740525
    Abstract: A device for working of material plates (1), such as glass panes, has a supporting member (25, 26, 29) for the material plate (1) and a tool (12, 18) for working the material plates (1). The supporting member (25, 26, 29) has paired supporting elements (25?, 25?, 26?, 26?, 29?, 29?) with supporting surfaces (27?, 27?, 30?, 30?) facing one another, between which the material plate (1) is held. There are openings (31) for liquid emerging under pressure in the supporting surfaces (27?, 27?, 30?, 30?). The material plate (1), especially the glass pane, is therefore not mechanically supported, as is conventional in the prior art, but uses a liquid film which is formed under pressure in the gap between the material plate (1) and the supporting surfaces (27?, 27?, 30?, 30?) of the supporting elements (25?, 25?, 26?, 26?, 29?, 29?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Inventor: Peter Lisec
  • Publication number: 20100112910
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for grinding or polishing at least one edge of a glass substrate. The apparatus includes a grinding unit configured to remove a predetermined amount of material from the edge when in an aligned position. The grinding unit applies a predetermined force normal to the edge. An air bearing slide system is coupled to the grinding unit. The air bearing slide system is configured to slide along a predetermined axis on a thin film of pressurized air that provides a zero friction load bearing interface. A linear actuation motor is coupled to the air bearing slide system. The linear actuation motor is configured to control the movement of the air bearing slide system such that the grinding unit is moved from a non-aligned position to the aligned position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: James William Brown, Babak Robert Raj
  • Publication number: 20100112909
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of and an apparatus for abrading outer peripheral parts of a semiconductor wafer having a protective sheet adhesively attached to its surface where semiconductor elements are formed. The semiconductor wafer is held horizontally and an abrading tape held inside an abrading head is run and pressed against the outer peripheral part of the semiconductor wafer. The abrading tape has abrading particles attached to a base sheet by electrostatic spraying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: NIHON MICRO COATING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiro Yamaguchi, Yasuo Matsumoto, Kenji Katoh, Takashi Hiraga
  • Publication number: 20100105294
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for reducing tension on a polishing roller. In some aspects, a polishing head may be provided that is adapted to contact a substrate. The polishing head includes: a polishing unit having a polisher and at least one pair of tension distributors adapted to reduce tension on the polisher; and one or more pairs feed guides. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Gary C. Ettinger, Wendy Luo, Antoine P. Manens
  • Publication number: 20100105291
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided to polish a notch of a substrate. The invention includes a polishing head adapted to apply a polishing tape against the notch of the substrate, including: a plunger; and an actuator, wherein the actuator is adapted to move the plunger with respect to the polishing tape. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Gary C. Ettinger, Paul D. Butterfield, Antoine P. Manens, Sen-Hou Ko
  • Patent number: 7704126
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafers with profiled edges, are produced with decreased losses due to edge or other damage by separating a semiconductor wafer from a crystal; profiling the edge in a profile producing step wherein the edge is mechanically machined to a profile that is true to scale with respect to a predefined target profile; mechanically machining the wafer to reduce the a thickness of the semiconductor wafer; and machining the edge profile to acquire the target profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Joachim Mattes, Anton Huber, Joerg Moser
  • Publication number: 20100096728
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor substrate includes a front surface, a rear surface on an opposite side to the front surface, and a first edge portion including a chamfered edge on the front surface. A ratio of an average surface roughness of the front surface to an average surface roughness of the first edge portion is not more than 0.01. The substrate may include a second edge portion including a chamfered edge on the rear surface. A ratio of an average surface roughness of the rear surface to an average surface roughness of the second edge portion is not more than 0.01. The first edge portion has a visible light transmissivity not more than 0.2 times that of the front surface. The second edge portion has a visible light transmissivity not more than 0.2 times that of the rear surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Watanabe, Takehiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7690969
    Abstract: There are disclosed a polishing method and a polishing device in which cleaning of a glass substrate surface can be achieved to a high level. A glass substrate (MD substrate 1) in the shape of a circular disc having a circular hole in a center portion is polished with an abrasive liquid 50 containing free abrasive grains being supplied, and an inner peripheral end surface of the glass substrate is polished using the abrasive liquid containing the free abrasive grains by rotating a rotary brush 4 or a polishing pad in contact with the inner peripheral end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Takemi Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20100022166
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus having a polishing unit for polishing a periphery of a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a polishing unit configured to polish a periphery of a substrate; an imaging module configured to take an image of the periphery of the substrate polished by the polishing unit; and an image processing section configured to inspect a polished state of the substrate based on the image taken by the imaging module. The imaging module is configured to take the image of the periphery of the substrate when the polishing unit is not polishing the periphery of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kimba, Hiroaki Kusa
  • Publication number: 20090324896
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a chamfering apparatus for a silicon wafer to chamfer outer edge of a silicon wafer by using a chamfering grindstone, the chamfering apparatus including at least: a holder holding and rotating a silicon wafer; a chamfering grindstone chamfering the outer edge of the silicon wafer held by the holder; and a control apparatus for controlling a chamfered shape by controlling a relative position of the outer edge of the silicon wafer and the chamfering grindstone by numerical control, wherein the control apparatus controls and changes the relative position of the outer edge of the silicon wafer and the chamfering grindstone at the time of chamfering depending on the circumferential position of the silicon wafer held by the holder, a production method, and an etched silicon wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadahiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20090325465
    Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing apparatus and a polishing method capable of calculating outside diameters of rolls of a polishing tape on a polishing-tape supply reel and a polishing-tape recovery reel and capable of calculating a remaining amount of the polishing tape and a consumption of the polishing tape from the outside diameters of the rolls. This polishing apparatus includes a polishing-tape supply reel (46), a polishing head (44), a polishing-tape drawing-out mechanism G1, and a polishing-tape supply and recovery mechanism (45) configured to recover the polishing tape (43) from the polishing-tape supply reel (46) via the polishing head (44).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Tamami Takahashi, Kenya Ito, Masaya Seki, Hiroaki Kusa
  • Publication number: 20090311948
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is produced by a method comprising a slicing step, a fixed grain bonded abrasive grinding step and a beveling step, in which the kerf loss is reduced and the flatness is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Hashii, Yuichi Kakizono
  • Publication number: 20090311522
    Abstract: A wafer is polished by a method comprising a slicing step of cutting out a wafer from a single crystal ingot and a step of polishing at least one of both surfaces and an end face of the wafer, wherein the at least one surface and end face of the wafer are simultaneously subjected to a mirror polishing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroaki Sato
  • Publication number: 20090291621
    Abstract: Chamfer correction is performed to a chamfered portion at least on a front side of a silicon wafer after an incoming inspection. Thereby, a thickness of the chamfered portion on the front side of the wafer is restored, and thus the number of reclamation cycles of the silicon wafer can be increased. In addition, the chamfered portion is not deformed even after reclamation is repeated for a plurality of times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasunori YAMADA
  • Patent number: 7621799
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a polishing method for polishing the end surface of a wafer by using a polishing tape, wherein the end surface of the wafer is polished in the condition where a polishing liquid containing an oxidizing agent is supplied to the end surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Sakairi
  • Publication number: 20090275269
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wafer polishing device including: an abrasive member driving device adapted to run a belt-like abrasive member in a direction crossing an outer circumferential end-edge of a wafer which is a wafer to be polished while bringing a belt-like abrasive member into contact with outer circumferential end-edge of the wafer, the abrasive member having non-abrasive sections disposed on both sides of an abrasive grain section; and a guide member having two guide surfaces shaped to conform to the outer circumferential end-edge of the wafer, the two guide surface being adapted to press, from rear sides of the non-abrasive sections, the respective non-abrasive sections of the abrasive member run by the abrasive member driving device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Sakairi
  • Patent number: 7607967
    Abstract: A holding mode is selectively switched, in accordance with the content of processing of a substrate, among three holding modes: (a) a first holding mode in which while first support pins F1 through F12 abut on the back surface of a substrate W and support the substrate W, the substrate W is held because of nitrogen gas which is supplied to the front surface of the substrate W; (b) a second holding mode in which while second support pins S1 through S12 abut on the edge surface of the substrate W as the substrate W moves along the horizontal direction, thereby restricting horizontal movement of the substrate W, and abut on the back surface of the substrate W, thereby supporting the substrate W, the substrate W is held because of nitrogen gas which is supplied to the back surface of the substrate W; and (c) a third holding mode in which while the first and the second support pins F1 through F12 and support pins S1 through S12 abut on the back surface of the substrate W, the substrate W is held because of nitroge
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Naoki, Katsuhiko Miya
  • Patent number: 7607971
    Abstract: A cut section checking/aligning unit simultaneously checks cut sections of unit liquid crystal display panels that are separated from within first and second base substrates and aligns the unit liquid crystal display panels to a reference position. A grinding unit grinds edges of the unit liquid crystal display panels. The cut section checking/aligning unit and the grinding unit are integrated within a grinding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hun-Jun Choo, Sang-Sun Shin, Jong-Go Lim, Ho-Kyun Kim, Sang-Chul Lee
  • Publication number: 20090247055
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the manufacture of silicon wafers, and more particularly to edge etching apparatus and methods for etching the edge of a silicon wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Henry F. Erk, Peter D. Albrecht, Eugene R. Hollander, Thomas E. Doane, Judith A. Schmidt, Roland R. Vandamme, Guoqiang (David) Zhang
  • Publication number: 20090233529
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass substrate for a magnetic disk is provided, by which polishing accuracy on an inner circumferential end face of a glass substrate is improved, and a thermal asperity trouble can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaaki Ueda
  • Publication number: 20090227187
    Abstract: An apparatus for polishing an edge surface of a glass substrate for magnetic recording media. The apparatus includes a grindstone including abrasive grains mixed with a resin. The grindstone is configured to polish at least the edge surface of the glass substrate. The grindstone has a reentrant groove with a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces such that the bottom surface of the reentrant groove contacts the edge surface of the glass substrate and the sidewall surfaces of the reentrant groove contacts chamfered sidewalls of the glass substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shohei Chida, Masami Kaneko, Mitsuhiko Komakine
  • Patent number: 7559826
    Abstract: To facilitate handling of a wafer in processing or carrying of the wafer after the wafer has been reduced in thickness by grinding, the whole back of a wafer is ground to provide the wafer with a predetermined thickness. The wafer surface includes a device region, with a plurality of devices formed therein, and a peripheral surplus region enclosing the device region. After grinding of the whole back surface, a region of the back surface corresponding to the device region on the wafer surface is ground to form a concave portion having a predetermined thickness, so that a ring-like reinforcement portion is formed about a periphery of the concave portion, such that the wafer is easily handled in a subsequent step or in wafer carrying between respective steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuma Sekiya