Abstract: A surface treatment process employing pulsed laser energy enables selective texturizing and polishing of non-magnetizable substrate disks used in fabricating magnetic reading and recording media. Substrate surfaces are texturized over dedicated head contact zones to form multiple nodules that are highly uniform to precisely control surface roughness. Laser polishing of data zones causes localized flow of the substrate material, to remove the residual scratches of mechanical polishing without altering the non-magnetic character of the substrate at large. Between the data zones and contact zones, transition zones can be formed by selectively graduating the nodule heights in the radial direction. The rounded structure of the nodules increases surface resistance to intended or incidental transducing head contact.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes an enclosing structure having an outer wall and at least one door, a polishing section enclosed by the enclosing structure for polishing a surface of a workpiece by holding the workpiece and pressing the workpiece against a polishing surface of a turntable, a sensor for detecting an opening or closing of the door, and an exhaust system for exhausting ambient air from an interior of the enclosing structure. The polishing apparatus further includes an adjusting mechanism for adjusting an amount of air which is exhausted from the interior of the enclosing structure. The amount of air exhausted from the interior of the enclosing structure is reduced by the adjusting mechanism when the door is closed, and the amount of air exhausted from the interior of the enclosing structure is increased by the adjusting mechanism when the door is opened.

Abstract: A wafer is rotated on its axis, which is biased with regard to an axis of a grinding wheel, and revolves around an axis which is biased with regard to the axis of the wafer and the axis of the grinding wheel. In this state, the grinding wheel is abutted against the surface of the wafer. Thus, all abrasive grains on the grinding wheel can act on the whole surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for removing the information bearing surface and the data carried thereby from the substrate layer of a compact disc. The device includes a housing which has a first portion having an inner surface defining a first chamber. A second housing portion is selectively securable to the first housing portion to enclose the first chamber. A mechanism is provided for selectively mounting a compact disc within the first chamber. An apparatus is disposed within the chamber for removing the information bearing surface from the substrate layer of a compact disc positioned on the mounting mechanism by physically converting the information bearing surface to particulate material. The removal apparatus is biased against the information-bearing surface of a compact disc positioned on the mounting mechanism as the information-bearing surface is reduced to particulate material. Finally, a mechanism is provided for selectively actuating the physical removal apparatus within the first chamber.

Abstract: A wafer is rotated on its axis, which is biased with regard to an axis of a grinding wheel, and revolves around an axis which is biased with regard to the axis of the wafer and the axis of the grinding wheel. In this state, the grinding wheel is abutted against the surface of the wafer. Thus, all abrasive grains on the grinding wheel can act on the whole surface of the wafer.

Abstract: Polymer-based pads useful for polishing objects, particularly integrated circuits, having interconnected porosity which is uniform in all directions, and where the solid portion of said pad consists of a uniform continuously interconnected polymer material of greater than 50% of the gross volume of the article, are produced directly to final shape and dimension by pressure sintering powder compacts of thermoplastic polymer at a temperature above the glass transition temperature but not exceeding the melting point of the polymer and at a pressure in excess of 100 psi in a mold having the desired final pad dimensions. In a preferred version, a mixture of two polymer powders is used, where one polymer has a lower melting point than the other. When pressure sintered at a temperature not to exceed the melting point of the lower melting powder, the increased stiffness afforded by incorporation of the higher melting polymer component gives improved mechanical strength to the sintered product.

Abstract: A wafer carrier for chemical mechanical polishing. The carrier has a notch where wafers are placed for polishing and a ledge around the notch. An outer rim extends from the ledge and, during polishing, below the polished wafer compressing a polishing pad therebelow. Slurry is provided to the polishing pad, during polishing, by slurry channels through the carrier into the ledge. Excess slurry exits through the pad or, optionally, through a plurality of exit channels through the rim.

Abstract: A backing pad 7 is secured on the bottom of a ceramic plate 6. A template 1 is secured on the bottom of the backing pad 7. The thickness of the template 1 successively diminishes from the inner periphery wall 12 of the central accommodation opening for restraining the semiconductor wafer, toward the outer periphery wall 13 of the template 1, so that the bottom of the template 1 is inclined and the cross section of the template 1 is tapered.

Abstract: In semiconductor wafer polishing, a backing pad is sized smaller than the wafer being polished so as to produce a desired backset, allowing the wafer to bend, thereby reducing over-polish at the wafer edge.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of discovering optimal conditions such as the rotational speed ratio of an abrasive cloth and a dresser, to improve the flatness of the abrasive cloth after it has been dressed. A narrow annular dresser having an inner diameter of at least the width of a wide annular utilization region of the abrasive cloth is pressed while rotating against the abrasive cloth which is fixed onto a turn table. A rotational motion is imparted to the abrasive cloth in the same direction as the rotation of the dresser and at a predetermined rotational speed. The abrasive cloth is dressed thereby in such a manner that there is a uniform distribution of distances through which the grindstone slides over various points within the utilization region of the abrasive cloth.

Abstract: A pair of ring-shaped lapping plates 13, 23 are faced to both surfaces of a wafer 1. Each lapping plate 13, 23 has an outer diameter approximately equal to a radius of the wafer 1 and a lapping surface 14, 24 sliding in contact with the wafer 1. Each lapping plate 13, 23 is rotated along a direction reverse from the other, while an abrasion slurry A is fed into cavities 15, 25 of the lapping plates 13, 23 and discharged together with dusts separated from the wafer 1 through grooves engraved in the lapping surfaces 14, 24 and gaps between the wafer 1 and the lapping surfaces 14, 24. The lapping plate 23 is carried toward the stationary lapping plate 13 at a rate corresponding to abrasion of the lapping surfaces 14, 24. During lapping, the wafer 1 is rotated by drive rollers 31 and supported by guide rollers 32. In this way, both surfaces of the wafer 1 are simultaneously lapped.

Abstract: A grinding machine comprises a grinding member having a thickness greater than 10 mm and an outer contact surface extending in a thickness direction of the grinding member for contacting a surface of a workpiece. The grinding member is supported by a first rotational shaft for rotation about a first rotational axis. A first moving mechanism reciprocates the first rotational shaft along a first displacement axis. The workpiece is supported by a second rotational shaft for rotation about a second rotational axis perpendicular to the first displacement axis and the first rotational axis. A second moving mechanism moves at least one of the workpiece and the grinding member along a second displacement axis to bring the outer contact surface of the grinding member into linear contact with the surface of the workpiece to grind the workpiece. The linear contact between the outer contact surface of the grinding member and the surface of the workpiece has a contact length greater than 10 mm.

Abstract: A tool is provided for polishing, planarizing, cleaning or otherwise processing silicon wafers or other workpieces. It comprises a cylindrical roller mounted on a spindle above a platform or workstation on which a wafer is mounted. The roller is movable into and out of contact with the wafer, and is rotatable to polish the wafer. The wafer may also be rotatable and translatable on the platform. The roller has a linear region of contact with the wafer during processing operations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for repairing optical discs, wherein the apparatus includes an improved buffing wheel capable of applying a uniform buffing action across the readable surface of an optical disc, and wherein the method includes the step of mechanically buffing the damaged area of a disc with an abrasive means and thereafter buffing the buffed area with a non-abrasive means to remove fine scratches caused by the abrasive means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing silicon wafers initially having wavy surfaces, such as might result from having been cut from a boule by means of a wire saw. A vacuum is applied to one side of a porous ceramic plate, and a perforated resilient pad is applied to the opposite side of the porous ceramic plate. The resilient pad is affixed to the ceramic plate by a peelable adhesive, and the vacuum extends through the perforations of the resilient pad to permit a wafer to be mounted on the exposed side of the resilient pad. The perforations in the resilient pad are distributed uniformally across the wafer, so that the atmospheric pressure pushing the wafer against the resilient pad is also uniform across the wafer. However, the wafer is not deformed while it is held in place for grinding. Because the wafer is not held in an elastically deformed condition while it is ground, the wafer has no tendency to spring back to its original wavy shape.

Abstract: An apparatus (96) and method for reconditioning the protective coating (14) of a digital recording disc (10) is provided. The apparatus (96) includes a turntable (98) configured to receive the non-data center section (17) of the digital disc (10), a brake (100) for controlling the rotation speed of the turntable (98) and the disc (10), a turntable support (102) for attaching the turntable (98) to a base (104), a buffing element (52), a motor (54) for rotating the buffing element (52), a buffing element support (58) for attaching the buffing element (52) to the base (104), and a protective housing (106).

Abstract: A device is disclosed for removing the information bearing surface and the data carried thereby from the substrate layer of a compact disc. The device includes a housing having an upper portion defining a top surface and a central cavity and a lower portion having interior and exterior surfaces. The lower portion is selectively attachable to the upper portion to enclose the lower portion interior surface within the cavity, the interior surface being sized and shaped for selectively carrying a compact disc. A mechanism is disposed within the cavity for physically removing the information bearing surface of a compact disc positioned on the lower portion interior surface. A member is provided for continuously biasing the physical removal mechanism against the information bearing surface of a compact disc positioned on the interior surface as the information bearing surface is being removed. Finally, an element is provided for actuating the physical removal mechanism.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus can control the attitude of the top ring with respect to a surface of a turntable of a polishing apparatus is controlled so as to provide a uniform polish surface pressure across the entire polish surface. The polishing apparatus includes the turntable having an abrading surface, a top ring for holding an object to be polished to keep the object surface in moving contact with the abrading surface while rotating the turntable and the top ring, a magnetic bearing assembly for supporting a rotation shaft of the top ring by means of a thrust bearing device and at least one radial bearing device, and an attitude controller for controlling an orientation of the top ring with respect to the turntable through the magnetic bearing assembly.

Abstract: In a lapping apparatus including upper and lower lapping turn tables, and disc-shaped workpiece holding fittings which are held rotatably between the upper and lower lapping turn tables and defines a plurality of receiving holes in which flat workpieces are located in the receiving holes, respectively, and the flat workpieces are lapped while the workpieces are moved together with the workpiece holding fittings relative to the upper and lower lapping turn tables, the thickness of the workpiece holding fittings is set to be thinner than a finished thickness of the workpieces with a difference between the thickness of the workpiece holding fittings and the finished thickness of the workpieces being 70 .mu.m or more.

Abstract: An improved slurry for polish removal. One application of this slurry is for shallow trench isolation processing in semiconductor manufacturing. The improved slurry has an enhanced oxide to nitride polish removal selectivity. A modified slurry is formed by mixing a polishing slurry with tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide. In an alternative embodiment, the modified slurry is formed by mixing a salt of tetramethyl ammonium with a base and with hydrogen peroxide to form the modified slurry. The improved slurry when used during the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) step of an integrated shallow trench isolation manufacturing process allows the reverse pattern, etch and clean steps to be eliminated prior to CMP.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a brake disc assembly comprising the steps of inserting a fixture post (72) through a bore (22) in the hub (14) and disposing a nose-shaped pressure plate (74) into a pocket (73) within the circumference of the inner hub (14) with a washer/nut (78) over the pressure plate (74) to place the post (72) in tension against the bearing assembly to maintain a pre-load on the bearing assembly. The outer race (32) of the bearing assembly is clamped with the gage surface (54) drawn against a gage (84) to properly orient the outer race (32) about a fixed axis (A). A spoke or disc (77) extends radially from the pressure plate (74) and is disposed in axially spaced relationship to the base (26) of the brake disc to be in circumferential driving relationship with the studs (64).

Abstract: A planarizing system which significantly reduces the problems associated with non-uniform removal of surface material across the face of a semiconductor wafer or other comparable workpiece. The invention involves a planarizing apparatus that takes the leading edge of a wafer out of contact with the polishing pad while concomitantly enhancing slurry penetration and distribution at the polishing pad-wafer interface. This result is accomplished by combining: means for deflecting upward a portion of a flexible polishing pad as it passes in rotation beneath a wafer to form a raised polishing pad area, and means for positioning the wafer such that the wafer's leading edge overhangs the front edge of the raised polishing pad area during the planarization procedure. The invention also encompasses a method of using the planarizing apparatus to uniformly remove surface material across the face of a wafer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a double-side grinder capable of grinding double-sides of an aluminum disk highly efficiently and affording a ground aluminum disk free of end-face flaw and superior in both surface accuracy and dimensional accuracy while obviating the occurrence of grinding marks extending in different directions. A rough grinding mechanism having rough grinding wheels disposed opposedly to each other is mounted, a finish grinding mechanism having finish grinding wheels disposed opposedly to each other is mounted just after the rough grinding mechanism, and a belt-like carrier having a large number of pockets formed longitudinally of the carrier with aluminum disks engaged therein is passed between the rough grinding wheels and the finish grinding wheels, thereby allowing double-sides of each aluminum disk to be subjected to rough grinding and finish grinding in a continuous manner.

Abstract: A multi-directional abrading machine for surface conditioning in the flat for elongated components, in particular, bumpers for motor vehicles. The machine comprises a frame including an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper and lower portions are adjustable with respect to each other. The machine includes both rotating abrading drums and rotating abrading discs. The machine preferably includes a pair of top abrading drums as well as one bottom abrading drum. The two top abrading drums are provided at the infeed side of the machine while the one bottom abrading drum is provided at the outfeed side of the machine. A coolant spray is strategically directed to the abrading drums. Between the pair of top abrading drums and the bottom abrading drum are mounted two abrading discs.

Abstract: In a method of polishing a Ni--P plated aluminum alloy memory disk substrate, the present invention provides a polishing method which can efficiently form a good polished surface having slight polishing flaws, restrain the generation of a defect other than the polishing flaws and has a high productivity. That is, in the method according to the present invention, an alumina abrasive grain is used as a polishing compound. The present invention solves the problem by dividing the polishing process into two steps. In the first step, a first polishing is performed in which the main work pressure is 80 g/cm.sup.2 or more and the amount of polishing is 1 .mu.m or more. A second polishing is then peformed in which the main work pressure is 80 g/cm.sup.2 or less, preferably 50 g/cm.sup.2 or less, and the amount of one-sided polishing is 2 .mu.m or less. A final finish polishing is performed for 10-60 seconds prior to the completion of the second polishing step in which the main work pressure is 30 g/cm.sup.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a brake disc assembly comprising the steps of machining a radially extending gage surface (54) on the support flange (34) of an outer race (32) of a bearing assembly disposed around a hub (14) and inserting a fixture post (72) through a bore (22) in the hub (14). A pressure plate (74) presents tabs (90) simulating a vehicle wheel and is disposed in engagement with the base (26) of the brake disc with a washer/nut (78) over the pressure plate (74) to place the post (72) in tension against the bearing assembly to maintain a pre-load on the bearing assembly. The outer race (32) of the bearing assembly is clamped with the gage surface (54) drawn against a gage (84) to properly orient the outer race (32) about a fixed axis (A). Thereafter, the pressure plate (74) is engaged by a rotation member (86) which rotates about a floating axis (B).

Abstract: A polishing lap which is resistant to attack from corrosive and reactive ishing media and which has a surface which is sufficiently resilient to provide good finishes without hindering dimensional controlling and accuracy of the texturing comprises: a lap substrate wherein the surface of the lap substrate has an overall shape and a localized texture; and a replaceable lap film applied to the lap substrate surface and which is deformed to correspond to the localized texture of the lap substrate surface. The polishing lap can be easily reconditioned if contaminated or easily modified for use with different abrasives and polishing media.

Abstract: A method for polishing a glass workpiece is provided that includes contacting the glass workpiece having an initial Ra with an abrasive article comprising a three-dimensional abrasive coating bonded to a backing, applying a liquid at an interface between the glass workpiece and the abrasive article; moving the glass workpiece and the abrasive article relative to one another; and reducing the initial Ra to a final Ra. The abrasive articles are capable of rapid removal of glass stock from a glass test blank and reducing the surface finish using an RPP test procedure.

Abstract: A polishing system (10) is used to polish a semiconductor wafer (16) in accordance with the present invention. Polishing system (10) includes a wafer carrier (14) which includes a modulation unit (20). Modulation unit (20) includes a plurality of capacitors made up of a flexible lower plate (22) and a plurality of smaller upper plate segments (24). A controller (40) monitors the capacitance between each smaller upper plate segment (24) and lower plate (22), and compares the measured capacitance against a predefined set capacitance. To the extent the measured capacitance and predefined capacitance are different, controller (40) adjusts the voltage being applied to the respective upper plate segment (24) so that the measured capacitance and predefined capacitance are aligned. Thus, the present invention is able to achieve dynamic and localized control of the shape of the wafer as it is being polished.

Abstract: A method for polishing a semiconductor wafer is provided. A semiconductor wafer is detached from a polishing pad on a side of an upper polishing plate and is kept to be supported by a lower polishing plate. A contact area between the a wafer and the upper polishing plate is set to be less than a contact area between the wafer and the lower polishing plate. As a result, the wafer is definitely detached from the polishing pad on the side of the upper polishing plate and is to be kept supported by the lower polishing plate when the upper polishing plate is lifted.

Abstract: An improved slurry composition and methods of using it are provided for final polishing of silicon wafers. The composition comprises water, submicron silica particles at about 0.02 to about 0.5 percent by weight of this composition, a salt at a concentration of about 100 to about 1000 ppm, an amine compound at a concentration sufficient to effect a composition pH of about 8 to about 11, and a polyelectrolyte dispersion agent at a concentration of about 20 to about 500 ppm, wherein the composition has a total sodium and potassium content below about 1 ppm and an iron, nickel and copper content each below about 0.1 ppm, all ppm being parts per million by weight of the composition.

Abstract: An improved fiber optic cable connector is provided that exhibits a consistent return loss rating of -60 dB or better. The connector comprises matable connector housings that terminate the ends of respective optical cables to be joined. Within each housing, the optical fiber of the respective cable is secured within a ceramic ferrule that extends axially of the connector. The endface of each optical fiber is exposed at the end of its respective ferrule. The ends of the ferrules are ground and polished in such a way that the endfaces of the optical fibers exhibit a planar undercut with respect to the lip of the axial passageway in which the fibers are secured. When the ferrules are brought and pressed together end-to-end as the connectors are mated, the material of each ferrule compresses until the endfaces of the optical fibers engage each other with near null pressure.

Abstract: A method of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) useful in the manufacture of integrated circuits is disclosed. Waste slurry is examined and its conductivity, luminescence, or particulate mass evaluated to determine an endpoint for the CMP operation.

Abstract: A wavy face ring having a smooth face and a method of manufacturing this wavy face ring. In particular, the method includes providing a ring blank having a face surface and a peripheral surface and applying a predetermined force to the peripheral surface of the ring. This force deforms the face surface of the ring blank into a first deformation pattern. The face surface of the ring blank is then treated while the force is being applied to the peripheral surface of the ring blank. Finally, the force is removed from the peripheral surface of the ring blank to allow the face surface of the ring to relax and assume a second deformation pattern. A wavy face ring assembly is also provided that includes opposing rings mounted about a rotating shaft. One of the rings is stationary with respect to the other and one of rings has a wavy face treated by a lapping machine. The ring can be a seal ring or a thrust ring.

Abstract: An apparatus for variably texturing a first surface of a rigid-disk substrate having an annular inner recording head-landing zone and an annular outer data zone surrounding the head-landing zone is characterized by a stepped force-exerting cylindrical stepped roller which forces a movable tape having an abrasive containing slurry on its surface to variably texture the zones of the surface of the substrate. A method of variably texturing a surface of a rigid-disc substrate includes the steps of providing a movable abrasive-containing tape between the stepped cylindrical roller and disk substrate to force the tape against the substrate with greater pressure on a head landing zone than on a data zone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing lateral movement of a movable brake member of a brake assembly when in engagement with a rotatable brake member having a braking surface. The method includes creating a plurality of grooves in the braking surface. Each groove is parallel to adjacent grooves so that peaks are formed on a movable brake member which mirror the plurality of grooves. The peaks track within the grooves to prevent lateral movement of the movable brake member with respect to the braking surface. The apparatus includes a brake resurfacer for resurfacing a braking surface of a vehicle brake assembly while the braking surface is mounted to a vehicle. The resurfacer includes a substrate figured for mounting in the brake assembly in place of a movable brake member. The substrate supports cutting teeth, tines or an abrasive for removing braking surface material to resurface the braking surface.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polisher is provided comprising multiple polish platens to sequentially remove any fixed amount of oxide or metal on a semiconductor wafer. Each polish platen polishes a fraction of the total oxide removed. Total oxide removal is achieved after completing polishing on all available polish platens assigned for polishing. Reduced oxide removed enables a high oxide removal rate on each polish platen, thus reducing polish time. Sequential polishing on multiple polish platens reduces polish time especially for high oxide removal in the range greater than 0.5 micrometer to greater than 1 micrometer. A higher polish rate and shorter polish time results in shorter polish pad conditioning time. Multiple polish platens coupled with more than one consecutive wafer-carrier head, each following the previous wafer-carrier head in completing sequential polishing, improves machine throughput by eliminating machine idle time caused by events other than actual oxide or metal polishing.

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 disc streak pattern forming method and apparatus are provided which are capable of not only forming fine streak patterns on a disc in a single step, but also arbitrarily adjusting an angle of intersection of streak patterns in a precise manner to thereby reduce the cost of production facilities and the cost of manufacture as well as to improve the magnetic property and the finishing accuracy of the disc. The disc streak pattern forming apparatus is equipped with a drum 2, a pad rotating member 3, a first motor 5 and a second motor 6. Polishing pads 4 mounted on the pad rotating member 3 are placed in sliding contact with the disc in the form of a magnetic disc 200 with an information storage surface 201 thereof being disposed within a central bore 40 in each polishing pad 4.

Abstract: Reconditioning a fiber for laser applications by cleaving off its tip and shaping the cleaved end into a conical or pyramidal shape with a grinder. The cleaved end is grasped in a fiber holder. The grinder is driven, e.g., to rotate. The fiber holder is moved relative to the grinder to bring it into contact with the moving grinder. The fiber holder may be rotated during the contact. Preferably, the axis of symmetry of the fiber is substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the grinder to effect tangential grinding.

Abstract: An elastic polishing pad is adhered to the top face of a rotatable table. Above the table is provided a substrate holding apparatus for holding a substrate. The substrate holding apparatus comprises a rotary shaft, a substrate holding head in the form of a disc which is provided integrally with the lower edge of the rotary shaft, a sealing member in the form of a ring which is made of an elastic material and fastened to the peripheral portion of the lower face of the substrate holding head, and a guiding member in the form of a ring which is fastened to the back face of the substrate holding head to be located outside the sealing member. A fluid under pressure is introduced into a fluid flow path formed in the rotary shaft from one end thereof and supplied to a space from the other end of the fluid flow path so as to press the substrate against the polishing pad.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a soft, resilient backing pad adapted for attachment to a pressure plate for planarizing work pieces wherein the outer exposed surface of the pad has been abraded by means of dry abrasive particles fixed on a surface of a spherical convex lapping wheel.

Abstract: A method of automatically polishing a semiconductor wafer having a substrate and a surface film. A wafer mounting device, which may include a vacuum chuck, holds the semiconductor wafer without requiring that the wafer have a central aperture. The mounting device and wafer are moved with an orbit-within-an-orbit motion while a tape transport mechanism applies an abrasive polishing tape to the surface film of the moving wafer to polish one surface of the wafer to a flatness of less than two microns. The polishing tape passes arcuately around a roller and passes between the roller and the surface film and contacts the surface film in a line running across the width of the tape. The system determines the thickness of the wafer surface film during the polishing process with a real time measurement device such as an effipsometer, or by determining a work-performed factor and calculating an estimated film thickness from the work-performed factor.

Abstract: A wafer is rotated on its axis, which is biased with regard to an axis of a grinding wheel, and revolves around an axis which is biased with regard to the axis of the wafer and the axis of the grinding wheel. In this state, the grinding wheel is abutted against the surface of the wafer. Thus, all abrasive grains on the grinding wheel can act on the whole surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A collet system for mounting, holding, and rotating a rigid disk is described, the collet system including a collet and an expander, the collet having a base portion and fingers longitudinally extending therefrom, the fingers forming a disk contact ring opposite the base. The disk contact ring is less than the thickness of the disk to allow for full surface texturization of the disk. The disk contact ring is not coplanar with any locus of expansion contact points between the collet fingers and the expander, and is sufficiently distant therefrom such that the outward force exerted on the inner disk surface is determined by a cantilever spring deflection experienced by the fingers. This ensures substantially uniform and repeatable outward forces on the inner surface of the disk regardless of minor surface variations along the locus of expansion contact points.

Abstract: A burnishing head, which is used to polish the surface of carriers that hold magnetic media (e.g., disks for computer hard drives), includes a slider that is mounted on a suspension. The slider includes at least four protrusions that protrude toward the surface to be polished. The protrusions are arranged symmetrically relative to the center of the slider. The sum of the surface areas of the protrusions is no more than approximately 20% of the total surface area of the slider that faces the surface to be polished. Preferably the sum of the surface areas of the protrusions is no more than 10%, even more preferably, no more than 7%, of the total surface area of the slider that faces the surface to be polished.

Abstract: A spiral pattern abrading tool applies a cross hatch pattern to a flat surface in a single pass rather than two passes as has been used in the past. The abrading tool comprising an abrading holder having a plurality of abrasion members flexibly mounted from pre-determined points on the holder. The points being arranged in a pattern with a series of arcs extending out from the center of the holder, the points spaced apart at pre-determined distances along the arcs such that rotation of the holder in either direction provides a spiral pattern of abrasion members. To apply the cross hatch pattern, the flat surface is rotated and the abrading tool rotated so that a spiral pattern is applied to the flat surface.

Abstract: A grinding apparatus includes a disc-like carrier rotatably driven and having a plurality of holding holes formed in a circumferential direction thereof, the carrier transferring a work fitted in each of the holes, a ring-shaped holder member disposed at an outer peripheral part of the carrier and holding the carrier in a stretched state, an upper and a lower guide members for guiding upper and lower surfaces of the work fitted in the holding hole of the carrier and transferred by rotation of the carrier, and a first grindstone arranged at either an upper or a lower side of a processing position for grinding one of the upper and lower surfaces of the work while the other surface of the work is guided by means of either one of the guide members.

Abstract: A composition and method are described for repairing surface defects in plastic objects, particularly laser-readable discs such as audio compact discs, video laser discs and CD-ROM discs. Using the composition and method, a surface defect in the disc is smoothed over and filled with a waxy material having a refractive index approximating that of the plastic substrate, thereby forming a repair which does not distract the laser and permits continued use of the disc.

Abstract: A polishing machine for polishing a single side (e.g. a circuit side) of a workpiece (e.g. a semiconductor wafer) includes two platens. A first platen can be a workpiece-holding platen having slots or other structure for holding wafers or other workpieces. The second platen is a polishing platen and is covered with a polishing pad or other material used for polishing, e.g. glass or metal polishing. The two platens have laterally spaced axes of rotation such that, from a top view, the right side of one platen overlaps the left side of the other platen or vice versa. The two platens are both rotated at the same angular velocity i.e. at the same revolutions per minute (RPM) and both clockwise or both counterclockwise, and the two platens overlap such that the differences in velocity (i.e., relative velocity) between overlapping points on the two platens across a workpiece held on the first platen is constant.