Abstract: A superabrasive tool such as a superabrasive grindstone (101; 102), a superabrasive dresser (103; 104; 105) or a superabrasive lap surface plate (106) includes a base (20) of steel and a superabrasive layer (10) formed on the base (20). The superabrasive layer (10) includes superabrasive grains (11) consisting of diamond grains, cubic boron nitride grains or the like and a holding layer consisting of a nickel plating layer (16) and a bond layer (17), or a brazing filler metal layer (18), holding the superabrasive grains (11) and fixing the same onto the base (20). Grooves (12) or holes (14) are formed on flat surfaces (19) of the superabrasive grains (11) exposed from the holding layer (16, 17; 18). The holding layer (16, 17; 18) holding and fixing the superabrasive grains (11) so that the surfaces of the grains are partially exposed is formed on the base (20).

Abstract: The polishing pad for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, and a method of making the same. The polishing pad has a covering layer with a polishing surface and a backing layer which is adjacent to the platen. A first opening in the covering layer with a first cross-sectional area and a second opening in the backing layer with a second, different cross-sectional area form an aperture through the polishing pad. A substantially transparent polyurethane plug is positioned in the aperture, and an adhesive material fixes the plug in the aperture.

Abstract: Accessories for an angle grinder include a tool comprising a rotary disk having releasably attached to its surface, an annular attachment having a cutting or abrading, (“shaping”), surface, and rest means in a rest zone for supporting the grinder on a surface to be shaped. The rest means may be a non-rotating nose beneath the grinder; a rubbing contact mounted on a flat tool or simply part of the surface of a convex tool. Tilting the grinder about the rest means gives effective control of the tool. Steeper tilts cause the cutting or abrading surface to bite more deeply into the surface to be shaped. The grinder is preferably stroked toward the user with the cutting or abrading zone trailing. Most disks are perforated. Work to be shaped can be seen through the spinning disk during use. The annular attachment can have a variety of cutting or abrading surfaces.

Abstract: A polishing pad for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The polishing pad includes a plurality of circular concentric grooves. The polishing pad may include multiple regions with grooves of different widths and spacings.

Abstract: The invention concerns a rotatable grinding/polishing tool, an apparatus with such a tool and a method for using such a tool. The tool has grinding elements in the shape of grinding/polishing flaps extending radially outward from a roller. Reinforcing support brushes also extend radially outward and adjacent to the flaps. Furthermore, the tool has holding elements, preferably in the shape of brushes, likewise extending radially outwards from the roller. The holding brushes have substantially lesser length than the flaps and the reinforcing support brushes. At the same time, the tangential stiffness of the holding brushes is considerably greater than the tangential stiffness of the flaps and the support brushes. The length of the grinding flaps is preferably so that by grinding or polishing, the flaps are capable of extending beyond an adjacent holding element.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system is provided having one more polishing stations. The polishing stations include a platen and pad mounted to an upper surface of the platen. The upper surface of the platen is patterned to define a raised area and a recessed area. The raised area provides a rigid mounting surface for the pad and the recessed area provides the pad a desired degree of flexibility and compliance of the pad when brought into contact with a substrate.

Abstract: An innovative method of manufacturing polishing pads using photo-curing polymers and photolithography. The photolithography enables the creation of useful surface patterns not possible with conventional machining techniques and enables the use of pad materials otherwise too soft to pattern by conventional machining techniques.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing high-frequency oscillator elements from a workpiece material includes a tool holder formed of magnetic material providing a magnetic field at a tip thereof and a spherical whetstone made of a magnetic material. A grinding mount is made of a magnetic material installed on a main rotating shaft proximate the tool holder through which flux of the magnetic field is channeled. The spherical whetstone held at the tip of the tool holder by magnetic attraction. The workpiece material is mounted on the grinding mount and the tool holder is rotated around an axis coincident with a center of the spherical whetstone while bringing the spherical whetstone into engagement with the workpiece material to lap the workpiece material.

Abstract: A tool including abrasive segments, which can be superabrasive segment, mounted to a mounting plate and a method for making the same. The abrasive segments include hard particles and are formed by sintering layers of hard particles with layers of bond material to form a laminated sheet. The abrasive segments are then cut from the laminated sheet and mounted to a planar face of the mounting plate to form a portion of a working region of the tool. Each segment has a grinding surface which can be formed perpendicular to the layers of bond material and layers of hard particles so that the concentration of hard particles at the grinding surface is relatively high. This allows the portion of working surface made up of the abrasive segments to relatively small. The segments can also be mounted to the substrate disc such that the grinding surface of each segment is at an angle to the planar face.

Abstract: A polishing cloth according to the present invention includes: a polishing cloth substrate; a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer laminated on one face of the polishing cloth substrate; and a release sheet attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer in a releasable manner. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer includes an adhesive composition containing a polymer, the polymer having a first-order melt transition in a temperature range narrower than 15° C. Thus, the present invention provides a polishing cloth and a method for attaching/detaching the polishing cloth to/from a base plate of a polishing machine such that the polishing cloth can be peeled off the base by simply cooling the base plate and the adhesive layer of the polishing cloth.

Abstract: There is disclosed a polishing machine capable of flattening a wafer surface uniformly. The machine can modify the flatness of the surface during polishing. The machine has an index table and a polishing head 18. The table attracts the wafer to be polished such that the wafer faces upward. The table rotates to the primary polishing station. The polishing head has a pressure application cylinder 21 and a base plate 22. The cylinder is held to a carrier at a given angle. The base plate holds polishing cloth 24 and is mounted to the cylinder so as to be swingable in three dimensions. The cloth touches the wafer surface and rotates at a high speed, thus flattening it. At the second polishing station, polishing cloth attached to another polishing head touches the wafer surface and rotates at a high speed, thus finally polishing the wafer surface.

Abstract: A polishing pad for chemical mechanical polishing capable of simultaneously realizing a reduction of process costs by the reduction of the amount of usage of a polishing slurry and an improvement of a polishing quality of a wafer surface, and a polishing apparatus and a polishing method using the same, provided with a first area A at a side of a predetermined radial line R of the polishing pad in the direction of rotation or advance 30 of the polishing pad, a second area B at an opposite side thereof, and grooves having projecting portions 203 in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation or advance 30 of the polishing pad formed only in the second area B.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a plurality of concentric rotatable platens for polishing a substrate. A polishing pad is attached to each platen. Each platen may be rotated independently in either clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

Abstract: The disclosed polishing apparatus includes a lower pad and an upper pad. The upper pad is disposed over the lower pad and has an upper abrasive surface. The lower pad has an upper surface defining one or more grooves. When the upper pad is placed over the lower pad, channels may form in the upper pad abrasive surface over the grooves. These channels improve the distribution of slurry in the polishing apparatus. The upper pad may define a first polishing region and a second polishing region, the total area of channels in the first polishing region being greater than the total area of the channels in the second polishing region.

Abstract: Material removing machining is for wafer shaped workpieces, in particular semiconductor wafers. There is a method for achieving a wear performance which is as linear as possible for a tool which has an essentially planar working surface for the material removing machining of wafer shaped workpieces. The tool has a wear performance which is as linear as possible. There are also a method and a device for measuring a wear profile on an essentially planar working surface for the material removing machining of wafer shaped workpieces. There is also a carrier which is used for the two-sided material removing machining of wafer shaped workpieces.

Abstract: A molded abrasive brush having a backing with a plurality of bristles extending therefrom. The backing and bristles are preferably integrally molded. The brush is molded from a moldable polymer such a thermoset polymer, thermoplastic polymer, or thermoplastic elastomer. The moldable polymer includes a plurality of organic or inorganic abrasive particles interspersed throughout at least the bristles, and can be interspersed throughout the brush. The moldable brush can include an attaching means molded integrally with the backing. Also disclosed is a method of making a molded abrasive brush and a method of refining a workpiece surface with a molded abrasive brush.

Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing pad, which includes a plurality of annular grooves and a plurality of streamline grooves designed according to principles of the hydrodynamics. The streamline grooves of polishing pad are designed according to flow equations derived from source flow and vortex flow, and the streamline grooves of polishing pad uniformly distribute the slurry on the polishing pad. An angle and a depth of the streamline groove, which are calculated by boundary layer effect of the streamline groove function, are used to design an optimum structure for polishing pad.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a polishing layer formed of forming resin and having a plurality of mechanical polishing particles contained in the polishing layer so as to be partially exposed from a polishing surface thereof. An object to be polished and the polishing layer are rotated relative to each other so that the object is polished with the mechanical polishing particles, in a state in which the object is allowed to contact with the polishing surface of the polishing layer.

Abstract: A polishing pad used for polishing a film on a semiconductor wafer and made of a plastic includes a polishing pad body, and a large number of convex portions, which are provided on the surface of the polishing pad body just like so many islands and each have a flat top surface. An average length L of respective sides or diameters of the convex portions on the top surface thereof is in the range from 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm, both inclusive; an average height H of the convex portions is in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, both inclusive; and H.ltoreq.L.ltoreq.2S is met, where S is an average space between the convex portions.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing system which is particularly well suited for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices or the like. The invention is directed to a self-dressing, polishing pad comprising a high modulus phase and a low modulus phase. The multi-phase polishing pads are very efficient and effective in providing high performance polishing along an entire polishing surface interface.

Abstract: An apparatus for polishing a semiconductor wafer includes a polishing pad to be in contact with the semiconductor wafer; a turn table which rotates the polishing pad; and an elastic member which is arranged between the turn table and the polishing pad. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer which is made of a material having a good characteristic of slurry holding; and a support layer which is made of a rigid material having an optimum thickness to prevent the polishing layer from loosening. The polishing pad is attached to the turn table by a stretch-holding technique without adhesive bonding.

Abstract: An improvement in a polishing apparatus for planarizing substrates comprises a tenacious coating of a low-adhesion material to the platen surface. An expendable polishing pad is adhesively attached to the low-adhesion material, and may be removed for periodic replacement at much reduced expenditure of force. Polishing pads joined to low-adhesion materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) by conventional adhesives resist distortion during polishing but are readily removed for replacement.

Abstract: An innovative method of manufacturing polishing pads using photocuring polymers and photolithography. The photolithography enables the creation of useful surface patterns not possible with conventional machining techniques and enables the use of pad materials otherwise too soft to pattern by conventional machining techniques.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing chemical-mechanical polishing is disclosed in which the pad is secured to the platen without the use of adhesives. A polishing pad and a platen are secured together by a releasable attractive force; the force may comprise a vacuum or electromagnetic force, and the pad has a hard or magnetic backside layer for facing the plating and responding to the attractive force. This invention has particular application to chemical-mechanical polishing for use in planarizing dielectrics.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing system which is particularly well suited for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices or the like. The invention is directed to a self-dressing, hydrophilic polishing pad capable of releasing particles during polishing. Such a pad design is very efficient in providing polishing particles over the entire polishing surface interface. Since the polishing pad produces polishing particles, the polishing fluid can comprise very low loadings of polishing particles, if any.

Abstract: This invention provides polishing pad tiles which, by virtue of their geometry and surface features, can be arranged to form mosaic pads having channels at the seams which facilitate the flow of polishing fluid during polishing of a workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing pad for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The polishing pad includes a plurality of concentric circular grooves. The polishing pad may include multiple regions with grooves of different widths and spacings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for knurling a workpiece in which the knurl pattern has an oblique helix angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical workpiece. Also disclosed is a method of molding a molded article with the knurled workpiece to impart the inverse of the knurl pattern onto the molded article, such a molded article, a method of forming a structured abrasive article with the molded article, and such an abrasive article.

Abstract: An improved process for lapping a surface according to the present invention comprises:a) providing a work piece with two surfaces to be lapped,b) providing two rotatable platens, each having i) a back surface and ii) a front surface,c) providing a sheet of abrasive material having an abrasive face and a back side, the back side being on the front surface of each of the two rotatable platens with the abrasive faces of each sheet facing the other sheet,d) placing the work piece with two surfaces to be lapped between the two rotatable platens, so that each abrasive face faces only one of the two surfaces to be lapped,e) rotating the two platens at a rotational speed of at least 500 revolutions per minute,f) contacting each of the abrasive faces with the only one of the two surfaces to be lapped, andg) lapping said two surfaces of said work piece simultaneously.

Abstract: A polishing method and apparatus thereof that selectively or continuously uses multiple kinds of polishing materials which have different polishing characteristics. The polishing materials used are based on appropriate polishing requirements of the object polished. In addition, the polishing rate and uniformity rate can be enhanced by arranging the polishing materials based on their degree of their polishing characteristics.

Abstract: A polishing pad for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The polishing pad includes a plurality of concentric circular grooves uniformly spaced over the polishing surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: The apparatus (method) for polishing semiconductor device is equipped with a polish pad which comprises an upper layer material and a lower layer material of differing degrees of hardness overlying one another, whereby a semiconductor wafer is polished while being pressed against the polish pad, the degree of hardness of the upper layer material of the polish pad being set at Shore spring A hardness 92-98.5, and the degree of hardness of the lower layer material of the polish pad at Shore spring A hardness 78-87.5.

Abstract: A surface leveling tool for sanding wooden, painted and plastic surfaces without gouging. The tool comprises a handle of variable length attached to a head with a clamping element which holds a flexible plastic sandpaper insert. A specially formatted sandpaper sheet is adhered to the flexible plastic insert. The plastic insert has a cross-section analogous to a J-shape and is clamped only by the hooked portion. This arrangement provides for space between the unclamped portion of the sandpaper covered insert and the clamp. The clamp utilizes fasteners which are tightened. and loosened by a hidden screwdriver in the grip of the handle.

Abstract: A polishing pad made of a flexible material includes a first major surface, a second major surface, and a large number of holes. The first major surface is urged by a rotatable polishing target member to polish a polishing target surface of the urged polishing target member by using a slurry. The second major surface is adhered to a rotatable platen. The large number of holes extend between the first and second major surfaces and serve as slurry reservoirs. The holes have a larger opening area on the second major surface than that on the first major surface. A polishing apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: The grinding wheel has its cooling fluid supply system through its own body (1). It has central bores (4) that each open into a side chamber (2) and distribution holes (3) opening out into grooves (11) made in the abrasive deposit (10), preferably alternately inclined. Application to truing wheels made in cubic boron nitride.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding a wafer includes a pressure sensing grinding wheel having a disk portion, an annular portion depending from the disk portion that includes a plurality of cavities, a grinding tooth disposed in each cavity, and a pressure sensor disposed in each cavity between the tooth and the disk portion. The pressure sensor provides a signal indicative of the pressure applied by the grinding wheel against the wafer to a controller. Based on the signal received, the controller provides control signals to the drive motor and to a feed rate mechanism to maintain optimum grinding action. A method for grinding a wafer includes the steps of receiving a pressure signal from the grinding wheel and changing the feed rate in response to the pressure signal. The controller can also receive, and use for control purposes, additional inputs indicative of the current draw of a drive motor and of the rotational speed of a spindle shaft attached to the grinding wheel.

Abstract: A texturing device for texturing a disc substrate of the type used in forming a thin-film medium is described. The device includes a rotatable assembly having a first pad attached to one end of a spindle and an annular ring having a second pad attached on one surface. Each pad defines a texturing surface for texturing the inner and outer regions of the disc substrate.

Abstract: A unitary lap blank has a front polishing portion and a rear disk portion contoured for coupling the disk to a chuck of the lathe and also to a chuck of the polishing machine. Preferably, the disk has a circular channel in its face opposed to its base and a pair of seats in the opposed face symmetrically diametrically aligned in a land defined by the channel. The channel is of diameter, width and depth and the seats are spaced for mating with complementary components on the lathe chuck. The disk also has a circular seat centered in the land and a pair of parallel side walls disposed along symmetrically opposed cords of the disk transverse to a line connecting the pair of seats, the side walls being spaced apart by a distance and the seat being of diameter and depth for mating with complementary components on the polishing machine chuck.

Abstract: The present invention defines an optical polishing lap comprising a thermoplastic polymer resin of uniform density, porosity, and texture throughout including the surface of the lap. The optical lap is of unitary construction formed having a solid main body with a generally domed-shaped upper head portion of substantially monolithic form providing an upper curved surface. The optical lap includes a lower flat surface having an attachment means defining an integral base portion extending downward opposite the lower flat surface offset from the main body. The integral base portion defines webbing having a continuous peripheral rail extending around the edge.

Abstract: A polishing tool having a polishing wheel that forms a set of pockets wherein the pockets receive a stream of water and are formed such that a high hydrostatic pressure builds in the pockets as the polishing tool rotates in a high precision grinding machine and addresses a surface of a substrate. The high hydrostatic pressure removes material from the surface of the substrate while preserving the precise thickness variation control of the high precision grinding machine.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a light weight and easily interchangeable cloth cartridge of high deformation resistance. The cloth cartridge is made by bonding a polishing cloth to a cartridge base member which includes a honeycomb structure member which can be sandwiched between top and bottom aluminum thin plates. Honeycomb structure member of various cell sizes and materials available in the marketplace can be used for this purpose quite effectively. The honeycomb structure members made of an aluminum material provides a stiff and thermally resistant cartridge base member. Cell spaces in the honeycomb structure member can be cooled or heated, depending on a nature of the polishing slurry used, by passing an appropriate fluid through the base member. This is made possible by providing flow holes in the cell walls separating the honeycomb cells. This approach is effective in producing optimum polishing performance by the cloth cartridge.

Abstract: A molded abrasive brush having a backing with a plurality of bristles extending therefrom. The backing and bristles are preferably integrally molded. The brush is molded from a moldable polymer such a thermoset polymer, thermoplastic polymer, or thermoplastic elastomer. The moldable polymer includes a plurality of organic or inorganic abrasive particles interspersed throughout at least the bristles, and can be interspersed throughout the brush. The moldable brush can include an attaching means molded integrally with the backing. Also disclosed is a method of making a molded abrasive brush and a method of refining a workpiece surface with a molded abrasive brush.

Abstract: A self-propelled battery operated stone floor polishing machine having dual rotating heads with detachable stone grinding, honing, and polishing pads. The polishing machine includes an integral solution tank for applying a liquid lubrication to the floor through the heads, a recovery tank for collecting the slurry generated by the grinding, honing, and polishing action, and an integral squeegee system that removes the liquid and particle slurry and thereafter transfers the slurry to the recovery tank. The grinding pads are integrated with metallic alloys, bonding industrial diamond abrasives for grinding marble, granite, poured terrazzo, precast terrazzo, cement, concrete, porcelain tile, ceramic tile, teracotta tile, but are not limited to these stone surfaces. A single operator may grind, hone, and polish up to 1,500 square feet of stone floors in a normal work day.

Abstract: A polishing disc of spherical polishing device for polishing optical end surface capable of minimizing optical loss due to reflection in a returning direction. With this polishing disc of polishing device for polishing a spherical surface on optical fiber end surface, a tip end of a ferrule supporting an optical fiber is pressed against a surface of the polishing disc and a relative movement for polishing is caused between the ferrule tip end and the polishing disc surface to polish a tip end of the optical fiber into a spherical surface. The polishing disc A is constituted by a flat plate made of an elastic material and a soft plastic film which is provided on said flat plate as a film surface without containing abrasive and which has rugged patterns having a surface roughness of several microns or less. The surface of the soft plastic film is preferably a rough surface having rugged patterns of a surface roughness of 2 .mu.m or less.

Abstract: The present invention uses a surface plate 8 made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics which is installed on a turntable 4, and an emery cloth 6 is adhered on the surface of the surface plate 8. This surface plate 8 is detachably installed on the turntable 4 by means of key blocks 22 or screws 26. If the turntable 4 is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics, the entire weight of a polishing machine can be reduced.

Abstract: A polishing tool includes a tool body and a polishing member which is mounted rotatably on the tool body and which has a central hole unit formed through the polishing member. The working surface of the polishing member has a plurality radially extending slots which are spaced apart from each other in an angularly equidistant relation and which extend from the inner periphery of the working surface to the outer periphery of the working surface. A plurality of flat working surface sections are defined on the working surface of the polishing member by the slots. When a slurry consisting of a lubricating liquid and abrasive grains flows onto the working surface of the polishing member via the central hole unit and when the polishing member is rotated on the tool body, each of the abrasive grains moves across all of the slots and from the inner periphery of the working surface to the outer periphery of the working surface, by hydrodynamic effect, so as to polish positively and effectively the workpiece.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a grinding wheel for surface cutting of workpieces, comprising a carrier wheel and an abrasive lining which is composed of a plurality of individual hexagonal and equilateral grinding portions which are secured to the carrier plate.

Abstract: This invention provides a lap capable of reducing the pole recession produced between the substrate and the magnetic film when the air-bearing surface of a thin-film magnetic head is lapped, a lapping liquor used for such lapping, and a thin-film magnetic head having its air-bearing surface lapped by using them. Lapping is carried out by using a lap made of a material having both a phase of tin and a phase of brass with a greater rigidity in supporting the abrasive grains than tin, and a lapping liquor prepared by mixing an anionic surfactant (15) and an ampholytic surfactant (16). According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the pole recession in the thin-film magnetic heads and to accordingly shorten the recording bit length of the magnetic discs.

Abstract: A lap blank and holder assembly includes a lap blank having two spaced apart flat surfaces separated by a given thickness and formed from a material capable of compressing about a member inserted into it. The holder has a projection extending outwardly from a front face thereof and is inserted into the material making up the lap to secure it against rotational and shifting movement while being cut in a surfacing machine. This arrangement further allows the assembly to be placed as an assembly in a finishing machine for subsequent polishing of a cut lens surface in an off-axis polishing procedure.