By Optical Sensor Patents (Class 451/6)
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Patent number: 7927181Abstract: Machines and systems for removing materials from microfeature workpieces using fixed-abrasive mediums. One embodiment of a method for removing material from a microfeature workpiece comprises rubbing the workpiece against a surface of a fixed-abrasive medium having a matrix and abrasive particles attached to the matrix, and sensing a parameter indicative of frictional force at an interface between the workpiece and the surface of the fixed-abrasive medium. This method continues by moving at least one of the workpiece and the fixed-abrasive medium relative to each other in a direction transverse to the interface based on the parameter. For example, the workpiece and/or the fixed-abrasive medium can be vibrated or oscillated to reduce the frictional force and/or maintain a desired relative velocity between the workpiece and the fixed-abrasive medium.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2008Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Guy T. Blalock
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Patent number: 7927183Abstract: A polishing pad provides excellent optical detection accuracy properties over a broad wavelength range (particularly at the short-wavelength side). A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a process of polishing the surface of a semiconductor wafer with this polishing pad. The polishing pad has a polishing layer containing a polishing region and a light-transmitting region, wherein the light-transmitting region includes a polyurethane resin having an aromatic ring density of 2 wt % or less, and the light transmittance of the light-transmitting region is 30% or more in the overall range of wavelengths of 300 to 400 nm.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2007Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Fukuda, Junji Hirose, Yoshiyuki Nakai, Tsuyoshi Kimura
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Patent number: 7927184Abstract: A method and system are presented for monitoring a process sequentially applied to a stream of substantially identical articles by a processing tool, so as to terminate the operation of the processing tool upon detecting an end-point signal corresponding to a predetermined value of a desired parameter of the article being processed. The article is processed with the processing tool. Upon completing the processing in response to the end-point signal generated by an end-point detector continuously operating during the processing of the article, integrated monitoring is applied to the processed article to measure the value of the desired parameter. The measured value of the desired parameter is analyzed to determine a correction value thereof to be used for adjusting the end-point signal corresponding to the predetermined value of the desired parameter for terminating the processing of the next article in the stream.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.Inventor: Moshe Finarov
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Publication number: 20110081829Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting an accurate polishing endpoint of a substrate based on a change in polishing rate are provided. The method includes: applying a light to the surface of the substrate and receiving a reflected light from the substrate; obtaining a plurality of spectral profiles at predetermined time intervals, each spectral profile indicating reflection intensity at each wavelength of the reflected light; selecting at least one pair of spectral profiles, including a latest spectral profile, from the plurality of spectral profiles obtained; calculating a difference in the reflection intensity at a predetermined wavelength between the spectral profiles selected; determining an amount of change in the reflection intensity from the difference; and determining a polishing endpoint based on the amount of change.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2010Publication date: April 7, 2011Inventors: Shinrou OHTA, Atsushi Shigeta
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Patent number: 7918712Abstract: An wafer polishing pad assembly for use in CMP includes an optical sensor for sensing reflectivity of the wafer during polishing, and produces a corresponding signal, and transmits the signal from the rotating pad to a stationary portion of the assembly. The signal is transmitting off the pad through non-contact couplings such inductive coupling or optical couplings after being converted into signal formats enabling non-contact transmission.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2010Date of Patent: April 5, 2011Assignee: StrasbaughInventor: Stephan H. Wolf
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Patent number: 7899572Abstract: The machining of drills (1) includes an operation for chamfering the cutting edges (8) performed in two steps. In the first step the rotating grindstone (15) is directed to various locations of the cutting edge (8) and the point of contact is detected by an electronic appliance (17) whereof the electronic module (19) controls the stoppage of the grindstone, its return to the starting position and the recording of the position of the grindstone at the time of contact. In the second step the grindstone (15) is controlled to follow the left line obtained by connecting the points registered during the first step.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2006Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Rollomatic SAInventor: Patrick Fritschy
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Patent number: 7892070Abstract: A polishing pad can include a first layer and a second layer. The first layer can have a first polishing surface and a first opening. The second layer can have an attaching surface and a second opening substantially contiguous with the first opening. The polishing pad can further include, a pad window lying within the first opening. The pad window can include a second polishing surface. When the pad would be attached to a platen, the first and second polishing surfaces can lie along a same plane, and an opposing surface of the pad window can abut an exterior surface of a platen window. In another aspect, a polishing apparatus can include an exterior surface of a platen window abutting the polishing pad. In still another aspect, a process of polishing can include polishing a workpiece such that the pad window contacts the workpiece and the platen window simultaneously.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2008Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Brian E. Bottema, Stephen F. Abraham, Alex P. Pamatat
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Patent number: 7892069Abstract: A loading device of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment for processing semiconductor wafers is provided. The loading device includes a loading cup having a cup-like bath, a cup plate installed in the bath, and a loading plate supported on the cup plate for absorbing shock and seating the wafer. A driving device and a driving shaft horizontally pivot and vertically move the loading cup between a platen of a polishing apparatus and a spindle. An arm connects the loading cup and the driving shaft. At least one through hole is located in a mutually corresponding position of the bath, the cup plate, and the loading plate of the loading cup. A probe assembly optically detects a polished thickness at a polished point on the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2006Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: K.C. Tech Co., Ltd.Inventors: Young Min Na, Chang Il Kim, Young Su Heo
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Publication number: 20110034106Abstract: A polishing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a stage (20) configured to hold a substrate W, a stage-rotating mechanism (40) configured to rotate the stage, a polishing head (42) configured to polish a periphery of the substrate held by the stage, a controller (70) configured to control operations of the stage (20), the stage-rotating mechanism (40), and the polishing head (42), an image-capturing device (61) configured to capture an image of the periphery of the substrate through at least one terminal imaging element (60) arranged so as to face the periphery of the substrate, an image processor (62) configured to process the image captured by the image-capturing device, and a liquid ejector (51) configured to eject a light-transmissive liquid toward the periphery of the substrate to fill a space between the periphery of the substrate and the terminal imaging element with the liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2008Publication date: February 10, 2011Inventors: Toshifumi Kimba, Hiroaki Kusa, Masaki Fujii
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Patent number: 7874894Abstract: A polishing pad provides excellent optical detection accuracy properties over a broad wavelength range (particularly at the short-wavelength side) and is capable of preventing a slurry from leaking from the boundary between a polishing region and a light-transmitting region. The polishing pad includes at least a transparent support film laminated on one side of a polishing layer including a polishing region and a light-transmitting region; the light transmittance of an optical detection region containing at least the light-transmitting region and the transparent support film is 40% or more in the overall range of wavelengths of 300 to 400 nm.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2007Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Fukuda, Junji Hirose, Yoshiyuki Nakai, Tsuyoshi Kimura
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Publication number: 20110009031Abstract: The device for carrying out the present method is configured as a machining unit having a device (30) measuring the outside of a workpiece in a contactless manner. Said measuring device is arranged on the machine such that it opposes the surface of the workpiece to be measured at least some times. According to the present method, the workpiece is machined while clamped into the machining unit, and the machined surface of the same is measured in a contactless manner with the measuring device, specifically while the workpiece is still clamped into the machine. This method is suited for machining workpieces, particularly for grinding the surface of non-round workpieces.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2008Publication date: January 13, 2011Inventors: Daniel Honegger, Hugo Thurnherr
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Publication number: 20100330879Abstract: In one aspect, a polishing pad includes a homogeneous unitary polishing layer having a polishing surface, an opposed bottom surface, a recess in the polishing surface extending partially but not entirely through the polishing layer, and a solid light-transmissive window is secured in the recess. In another aspect, a polishing pad includes a polishing layer having a polishing surface, and the polishing surface includes a first region having a first plurality of grooves with a first depth extending partially but not entirely through the polishing layer and a second region surrounded by the first region and having a second plurality of grooves with a second depth extending partially but not entirely through the polishing layer, the second depth greater than the first depth.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2010Publication date: December 30, 2010Inventors: Young J. Paik, Christopher R. Mahon, Ashish Bhatnagar, Kadthala Ramaya Narendrnath
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Patent number: 7846008Abstract: A polishing pad includes a guide plate, a porous slurry distribution layer and a flexible under-layer. Polishing elements are interdigitated with one another through the slurry distribution layer and the guide plate. The polishing elements may be affixed to the compressible under-layer and pass through corresponding holes in the guide plate so as to be maintained in a substantially vertical orientation with respect to the compressible under-layer but be translatable in a vertical direction with respect to the guide plate. Optionally, a membrane may be positioned between the guide plate and the slurry distribution layer. The polishing pad may also include wear sensors to assist in determinations of pad wear and end-of-life.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2007Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Semiquest Inc.Inventor: Rajeev Bajaj
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Patent number: 7841926Abstract: A method of polishing a substrate includes holding the substrate on a polishing pad with a polishing head, wherein the polishing pad is supported by a platen, creating relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad to polish a side of the substrate, generating a light beam and directing the light beam towards the substrate to cause the light beam to impinge on the side of the substrate being polished. Light reflected from the substrate is at a detector to generate an interference signal. A measure of uniformity is computed from the interference signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2010Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Manoocher Birang, Grigory Pyatigorsky
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Patent number: 7841925Abstract: A polishing article includes a polishing layer having a polishing surface and a solid light-transmissive window in the polishing layer, the window having a first non-linear edge that extends along a first axis parallel to the polishing surface, the first non-linear edge including a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses extending parallel to the polishing surface and disposed in an alternating pattern along the first axis.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2009Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Gregory E. Menk, Peter McReynolds, Erik S. Rondum, Anand N. Iyer, Gopalakrishna B. Prabhu, Garlen C. Leung
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Publication number: 20100297917Abstract: An apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a wafer has a rotatable platen to hold a polishing pad, a polishing head for holding the wafer against the polishing pad, an optical monitoring system and a position sensor. The platen has a hole therein, the optical monitoring system includes a light source to direct a light beam through the aperture toward the wafer from a side of the wafer contacting the polishing pad and a detector to receive reflections of the light beam from the wafer, and the position sensor senses when the hole is adjacent the wafer such that the light beam generated by the light source can pass through the hole and impinge on the wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2010Publication date: November 25, 2010Inventors: Manoocher Birang, Nils Johansson, Allan Gleason
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Publication number: 20100297916Abstract: A method includes polishing a substrate on a first platen using a first set of parameters, obtaining a plurality of measured spectra from at least two zones, comparing the plurality of measured spectra with a reference spectrum to evaluate the thickness of each of the at least two zones of the substrate, comparing a thickness of a first zone with a thickness of a second zone, determining whether the thickness of the first zone falls within a predetermined range of the thickness of the second zone, and if the thickness does not fall within the predetermined range, at least one of a) adjusting at least one parameter of the first set and polishing a second substrate on the first platen using the adjusted parameters, or b) adjusting at least one parameter of a second set and polishing the substrate on a second platen using the adjusted parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2009Publication date: November 25, 2010Inventors: Jeffrey Drue David, Harry Q. Lee, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Dominic J. Benvegnu, Zhize Zhu, Wen-Chiang Tu
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Publication number: 20100279585Abstract: A polishing system includes a polishing pad with an aperture that extends through all layers of the polishing pad and a light transmissive film positioned on top of a light-generating or light-guiding element of an optical monitoring system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2009Publication date: November 4, 2010Inventors: Jimin Zhang, Alain Duboust, Doyle E. Bennett
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Patent number: 7824244Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: a base on which a substrate may be releasably coupled; a moving belt located with respect to the base such that a contact surface thereof is operable to remove material from a top surface of the substrate; and a plurality of actuators, at least two of which are independently controllable, located with respect to the base and the moving belt such that a corresponding plurality of pressure zones are defined to provide pressure between the moving belt and the top surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2007Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Gregory Eisenstock, John Christopher Thomas
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Publication number: 20100261413Abstract: A method of determining a physical property of a substrate includes recording a first spectrum obtained from a substrate, the first spectrum being obtained during a polishing process that alters a physical property of the substrate. The method includes identifying, in a database, at least one of several previously recorded spectra that is similar to the recorded first spectrum. Each of the spectra in the database has a physical property value associated therewith. The method includes generating a signal indicating that a first value of the physical property is associated with the first spectrum, the first value being determined using the physical property value associated with the identified previously recorded spectrum in the database. A system for determining a physical property of a substrate includes a polishing machine, an endpoint determining module, and a database.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2010Publication date: October 14, 2010Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Abraham Ravid, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Jeffrey Drue David, Jun Qian, Ingemar Carlsson, Dominic J. Benvegnu, Harry Q. Lee, Lakshmanan Karuppiah
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Publication number: 20100250171Abstract: The present invention is to provide a lens evaluation method capable of easily evaluating whether there is a difference which greatly changes locally in a lens, and evaluating the degree of the difference. According to the lens evaluation method of the present invention, first, power a distribution of a plurality of measurement point in an arbitrary direction. Next, a calculation power distribution (a design power distribution) is created. Further, a difference distribution between an actually measured power distribution, which indicates an actual power distribution, and a calculation power distribution is obtained. Further, the difference distribution is differentiated to obtain a difference index, and an evaluation is performed based on the difference index to evaluate whether there is a difference which greatly changes locally in a lens, and evaluate the degree of the difference.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2008Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: HOYA CORPORATIONInventor: Kazuma Kozu
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Publication number: 20100248591Abstract: A belt grinding machine tool with an operating head comprising an endless abrasive belt wound and stretched between at least two spaced rollers arranged parallel one another, of which a first is a driving roller and a second is a tensioning roller being supported to be adjustable in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to its axis of rotation. A device is provided for controlling the position of the abrasive belt which consists of at least a position sensor for sensing the position of the abrasive belt and at least an actuator for adjusting the position of the tensioning roller, in dependence of the position of the abrasive belt being sensed by the position sensor. The position sensor is a fork shaped optical sensor, or an optical sensor having an operatively equivalent shape, and the actuator is an electric drive.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: IMEAS S.P.A.Inventor: Dario Marconi
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Patent number: 7787982Abstract: The object is to aim at the reduction in the influence of noises in an output of an AE sensor in a working machine. In a working system comprising a working device for working a work W by causing a tool 14 to come into contact work W, an AE sensor 21, and an AE signal processing section 22 for processing an AE signal output from the AE sensor, AE signal processing section 22 comprises an A/D converter 33 for converting an AE signal into a digital signal, a frequency analysis section 34 for calculating the frequency characteristics of a digital AE signal, storage sections 35, 37 for storing the frequency characteristics when the tool is not in contact with the work or tool dresser as non-contact frequency characteristics, and a difference calculation section 35 for calculating a difference between the frequency characteristics of the detected digital AE signal and the non-contact frequency characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2006Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Tokyo Seimitsu Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kazuo Meki
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Publication number: 20100216373Abstract: A method for injecting slurry between the wafer and the pad in chemical mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers comprising a solid crescent shaped injector the concave trailing edge of which is fitted to the size and shape of leading edge of the polishing head with a gap of between 0 and 3 inches, the bottom surface facing the pad, which rests on the pad with a light load, and through which CMP slurry or components thereof are introduced through one or more openings in the top of the injector and travel through a channel or reservoir the length of the device to the bottom where it or they exit multiple openings in the bottom of the injector, are spread into a thin film, and are introduced at the junction of the surface of the polishing pad and the wafer along the leading edge of the wafer in quantities small enough that all or most of the slurry is introduced between the wafer and the polishing pad, wherein multiple inlets for the introduction of fluids to different points in the channel or directly to tType: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2009Publication date: August 26, 2010Applicant: ARACA, Inc.Inventors: Leonard Borucki, Yasa Sampurno, Sian Theng, Ara Philipossian
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Patent number: 7780503Abstract: A polishing apparatus makes it possible to polish and remove an extra conductive film while preventing the occurrence of erosion and without lowering of the throughput. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table having a polishing surface; a top ring for holding a workpiece having a surface conductive film, and pressing the conductive film against the polishing surface to polish the conductive film; an optical sensor for monitoring the polishing state of the conductive film by emitting light toward the conductive film of the workpiece held by the top ring, receiving reflected light from the conductive film, and measuring a change in the reflectance of the reflected light; and a control section for controlling a pressure at which the workpiece is pressed on the polishing surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2008Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Shinrou Ohta, Noburu Shimizu, Yoichi Kobayashi
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Patent number: 7775852Abstract: An apparatus and method of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a wafer employing a device for determining, in-situ, during the CMP process, an endpoint where the process is to be terminated. This device includes a laser interferometer capable of generating a laser beam directed towards the wafer and detecting light reflected from the wafer, and a window disposed adjacent to a hole formed through a platen. The window provides a pathway for the laser beam during at least part of the time the wafer overlies the window.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2005Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Manoocher Birang, Nils Johansson, Allan Gleason
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Publication number: 20100203806Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising a platen holding a polishing pad; a polishing head including a pressurizing mechanism which presses a surface of a processing target substrate onto the polishing pad; and a plurality of temperature adjusters being provided in the platen in a radial direction of the platen and being capable of adjusting temperatures thereof independently from one another, wherein, when the surface of the processing target substrate is polished by rotating the platen and the polishing head, the temperatures of the temperature adjusters are changed, so that temperature adjustment can be performed selectively on a region ranging on the surface of the processing target substrate in a radial direction thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2010Publication date: August 12, 2010Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Tomonori KITAKURA, Dai FUKUSHIMA, Keiji FUJITA
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Patent number: 7774086Abstract: A computer program product that determines a polishing endpoint includes obtaining spectra from different zones on a substrate during different times in a polishing sequence, matches the spectra with indexes in a library and uses the indexes to determining a polishing rate for each of the different zones from the indexes. An adjusted polishing rate can be determined for one of the zones, which causes the substrate to have a desired profile when the polishing end time is reached.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2008Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Drue David, Dominic J. Benvegnu, Harry Q. Lee, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Lakshmanan Karuppiah
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Patent number: 7764377Abstract: Methods and apparatus for spectrum-based endpointing. An endpointing method includes selecting a reference spectrum. The reference spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a first substrate and has a thickness greater than a target thickness. The reference spectrum is empirically selected for particular spectrum-based endpoint determination logic so that the target thickness is achieved when endpoint is called by applying the particular spectrum-based endpoint logic. The method includes obtaining a current spectrum. The current spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a second substrate when the film of interest is being subjected to a polishing step and has a current thickness that is greater than the target thickness. The method includes determining, for the second substrate, when an endpoint of the polishing step has been achieved. The determining is based on the reference and current spectra.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2005Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Dominic J. Benvegnu, Jeffrey Drue David, Bogdan Swedek
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Publication number: 20100184357Abstract: A polishing system includes a polishing pad having a solid light-transmissive window, an optical fiber having an end, and a spacer having a vertical aperture therethrough. A bottom surface of the spacer contacts the end of the optical fiber, a top surface of the spacer contacts the underside of the window, and the vertical aperture is aligned with the optical fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Inventors: Jun Qian, Dominic J. Benvegnu, Ningzhuo Cui, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Thomas H. Osterheld
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Publication number: 20100167627Abstract: A precision machining apparatus is structured such that a feed-screw mechanism and an actuator are mounted on a second mount which supports a rotating device that rotates a wheel, and grinding is performed while appropriately adjusting the amount of movement of the second mount in a rough grinding stage through an ultra-precision grinding stage. A posture control device is interposed between a first mount and a rotating device that rotates a grinding target body. The thickness and evenness of the grinding target body are measured by an optical probe and the measurement results are sent to a computer. A feedback command is then sent to the posture control device to reduce the difference between target values and the measurement values and posture control is performed accordingly.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2006Publication date: July 1, 2010Inventors: Sumio Kamiya, Hisao Iwase, Tetsuya Nagaike, Hiroshi Eda, Libo Zhou
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Publication number: 20100159803Abstract: Apparatus comprising a tool (2) for forming an aspherical surface on a material (14), and a support for supporting the material (12) for rotation about an axis, the arrangement being such that the tool (2) is restricted to movement with respect to the material (14) in two substantially linear axes transverse to each other. The apparatus may be a high-performance machine comprising a measuring arrangement (18) mounted so as to extend substantially across the surface of the material (14) and serving to measure the distance between the tool (2) and a referencing region (32) of the measuring arrangement (18) which can be in the form of a symmetrical metrology device (18), the metrology device being structurally unloaded. The apparatus is substantially symmetrical in two substantially vertical planes substantially perpendicular to and intersecting each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2006Publication date: June 24, 2010Inventors: Paul Raymond Shore, Paul Howard Morantz
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Patent number: 7741701Abstract: A method for treating an area of a semiconductor wafer surface with a laser for reducing stress concentrations is disclosed. The wafer treatment method discloses treating an area of a wafer surface with a laser beam, wherein the treated area is ablated or melted by the beam and re-solidifies into a more planar profile, thereby reducing areas of stress concentration and stress risers that contribute to cracking and chipping during wafer singulation. Preferably, the treated area has a width less than that of a scribe street, but wider than the kerf created by a wafer dicing blade. Consequently, when the wafer is singulated, the dicing blade will preferably saw through treated areas only. It will be understood that the method of the preferred embodiments may be used to treat other areas of stress concentration and surface discontinuities on the wafer, as desired.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2006Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Richard L. Mahle, Peter J. Sakakini
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Publication number: 20100144244Abstract: An wafer polishing pad assembly for use in CMP includes an optical sensor for sensing reflectivity of the wafer during polishing, and produces a corresponding signal, and transmits the signal from the rotating pad to a stationary portion of the assembly. The signal is transmitting off the pad through non-contact couplings such inductive coupling or optical couplings after being converted into signal formats enabling non-contact transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2010Publication date: June 10, 2010Inventor: Stephan H. Wolf
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Patent number: 7731566Abstract: A method of polishing a substrate includes holding the substrate on a polishing pad with a polishing head, wherein the polishing pad is supported by a platen, creating relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad to polish a side of the substrate, generating a light beam and directing the light beam towards the substrate to cause the light beam to impinge on the side of the substrate being polished. Light reflected from the substrate is at a detector to generate an interference signal. A measure of uniformity is computed from the interference signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2007Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Manoocher Birang, Grigory Pyatigorsky
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Patent number: 7734081Abstract: A grinding method includes the steps of: enabling an image-capturing device to capture a set of consecutive images containing a workpiece being ground by a grinding device; enabling an image-processing device to identify the workpiece from the images, to detect a top edge of the identified workpiece from a latest one of the images, to locate a set of image pixels that lie on the top edge of the workpiece, and to determine relative heights of the image pixels; and enabling a controlling device to control grinding operation of the grinding device with reference to the relative heights of the image pixels. A system that performs the grinding method is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2006Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Feng Chia UniversityInventors: Thong-Shing Hwang, Hsien-Yao Li, Oh-Chung Ho
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Publication number: 20100136886Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for removing surface roughness produced at a peripheral portion of a substrate, or for removing a film formed on a peripheral portion of a substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a housing for forming a polishing chamber therein, a rotational table for holding and rotating a substrate, a polishing tape supply mechanism for supplying a polishing tape into the polishing chamber and taking up the polishing tape which has been supplied to the polishing chamber, a polishing head for pressing the polishing tape against a bevel portion of the substrate, a liquid supply for supplying a liquid to a front surface and a rear surface of the substrate, and a regulation mechanism for making an internal pressure of the polishing chamber being set to be lower than an external pressure of the polishing chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2010Publication date: June 3, 2010Inventors: Akihisa Hongo, Kenya Ito, Kenji Yamaguchi, Masayuki Nakanishi
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Publication number: 20100130100Abstract: A method of controlling the polishing of a substrate includes polishing a substrate on a first platen using a first set of parameters, obtaining first and second sequences of measured spectra from first and second regions of the substrate with an in-situ optical monitoring system, generating first and second sequences of values from the first and second sequences of measured spectra, fitting first and second linear functions to the first and second sequences of values, determining a difference between the first linear function and the second linear function, adjusting at least one parameter of the first set of parameters based on the difference, and polishing the second substrate on the first platen using the adjusted parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Jeffrey Drue David, Harry Q. Lee, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Dominic J. Benvegnu, Zhize Zhu, Wen-Chiang Tu
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Publication number: 20100130101Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a method for polishing a substrate surface. The methods generally include storing processing components in multiple storage units during processing, and combining the processing components to create a slurry while flowing the processing components to a polishing pad. A substrate is polished using the slurry, and the thickness of a material layer disposed on the substrate is determined. The flow rate of one or more processing components is then adjusted to affect the rate of removal of the material layer disposed on the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Inventors: YUCHUN WANG, Long Cheng, Kuo-Lih Chang, Wei-Yung Hsu, Wen-Chiang Tu
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Publication number: 20100124870Abstract: While a substrate is polished, it is also irradiated with light from a light source. A current spectrum of the light reflected from the surface of the substrate is measured. A selected peak, having a first parameter value, is identified in the current spectrum. A value of a second parameter associated with the first parameter is determined from a lookup table using a processor. Depending on the value of the second parameter, the polishing of the substrate is changed. An initial spectrum of light reflected from the substrate before the polishing of the substrate can be measured and a wavelength corresponding to a selected peak of the initial spectrum can be determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2008Publication date: May 20, 2010Inventors: Dominic J. Benvegnu, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Jeffrey Drue David, Harry Q. Lee
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Publication number: 20100120331Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes polishing substrates simultaneously in a polishing apparatus. Each substrate has a polishing rate independently controllable by an independently variable polishing parameter. Measurement data that varies with the thickness of each of the substrates is acquired from each of the substrates during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system. A projected time at which each substrate will reach a target thickness is determined based on the measurement data. The polishing parameter for at least one substrate is adjusted to adjust the polishing rate of the at least one substrate such that the substrates reach the target thickness closer to the same time than without the adjustment.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2008Publication date: May 13, 2010Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Ingemar Carlsson, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Jimin Zhang, Stephen Jew, Thomas H. Osterheld
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Patent number: 7713106Abstract: A device grinding method comprising the steps of holding the undersurface of a protective member which supports a plurality of devices by affixing their front surfaces onto the top surface of the protective member, on the chuck table of a grinding machine and grinding the rear surfaces of the plurality of devices held on the chuck table through the protective member by a grinding means while the chuck table is rotated, to form the thicknesses of the plurality of the devices to have a predetermined value, wherein the metering portion of a non-contact thickness metering equipment is brought to a position right above the rotating rotation locus of a predetermined device out of the plurality of devices supported on the chuck table through the protective member, the rear surfaces of the plurality of devices are ground by the grinding means while the thickness of the rotating predetermined device is measured with the non-contact thickness metering equipment, and the grinding by the grinding means is terminated whenType: GrantFiled: April 3, 2008Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Disco CorporationInventor: Kazuma Sekiya
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Publication number: 20100112899Abstract: A visual feedback system and method for airfoil polishing is disclosed. In one aspect there is a system for providing visual feedback during a polishing operation of a workpiece. In this system there is a model having a representation of a desired shape of the workpiece. A scanning system generates a representation of a current shape of the workpiece while in-process during the polishing operation. A comparator compares the current shape of the workpiece to the desired shape of the workpiece. An illumination system highlights the workpiece with visible light during the polishing operation. The highlighting of the workpiece with visible light is a function of the comparison between the current shape and the desired shape. The illumination system highlights a portion of the workpiece that needs additional polishing to conform to the desired shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventor: Douglas Carl Hofer
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Publication number: 20100112901Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate polishing apparatus and a substrate polishing method for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat finish. The substrate polishing apparatus includes a polishing table (100) having a polishing surface (101), a substrate holder (1) for holding and pressing a substrate (W) against the polishing surface (101) of the polishing table (100), and a film thickness measuring device (200) for measuring a thickness of a film on the substrate (W). The substrate holder (1) has a plurality of pressure adjustable chambers (22 to 25), and pressures in the respective chambers (22 to 25) are adjusted based on the film thickness measured by the film thickness measuring device (200).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2010Publication date: May 6, 2010Inventors: Tetsuji TOGAWA, Koichi Fukaya, Mitsuo Tada, Taro Takahashi, Yasunari Suto
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Publication number: 20100112902Abstract: A method of polishing objects using an apparatus comprised of a rotary positioning device comprising a turret; a base mounted on the turret; a drive wheel connected to a rotatable shaft, the drive wheel having a perimeter, and the rotatable shaft disposed in a housing. The polishing wheel assembly may include an elongated arm including a proximal end joined to the base, and a distal end; a rotatable polishing wheel supported at the end of the elongated arm; and a polishing belt comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface engageable with the perimeters of the drive wheel and the polishing wheel. The method is comprised of contacting the outer surface of the polishing belt to a contact region of the surface of the object; and controlling the contact region by rotating the elongated arm around the turret axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2010Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: V.I. MFG., INC. DBA OPTIPRO SYSTEMSInventors: Michael J. Bechtold, Joseph Meisenzahl, David E. Mohring, Darryle E. Fowler, Robert Henderson, Thomas Williams, Alex DiNicola, Christopher Wood, Scott Bambrick
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Patent number: 7708623Abstract: A grinding method and to a cylindrical grinding machine grinds metal rod that is pushed through a chuck of a workpiece spindle head. Two backrest seats are ground on and two backrests are then seated. The support of an end area enables a front cone to be ground. A grinding wheel comprised of two different individual wheels serves to grind the front cone and is advanced toward the round rod in the X-direction. The front cone is lodged in a hollow punch at a front end of a quill by displacement of the quill. The desired cylindrical grinding a final contour of the end area is done. Working the rod is done with a single chucking and the end area is cut off from the round rod by one of the individual wheels.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2008Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Erwin Junker Maschinenfabrik GmbHInventor: Erwin Junker
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Publication number: 20100105290Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for polishing a substrate with a polishing tape. The polishing tape includes a first surface adapted to contact a substrate; and a second surface, wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces include a feature adapted to indicate an end condition. Numerous other aspects are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2008Publication date: April 29, 2010Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Clinton P. Sakata, Jim K. Atkinson, Eashwer Kollata, Gary C. Ettinger
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Publication number: 20100105288Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for spectrographic monitoring of a substrate during chemical mechanical polishing are described. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a first sequence of current spectra of reflected light from a first zone of a substrate. A second sequence of current spectra of reflected light from a second zone of the substrate is received. Each current spectrum from the first sequence of current spectra is compared to a plurality of reference spectra from a first reference spectra library to generate a first sequence of best-match reference spectra. Each current spectrum from the second sequence of current spectra is compared to a plurality of reference spectra from a second reference spectra library to generate a second sequence of best-match reference spectra. The second reference spectra library is distinct from the first reference spectra library.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2008Publication date: April 29, 2010Inventors: Jeffrey Drue David, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Harry Q. Lee
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Patent number: 7699684Abstract: This invention provides a method for polishing pad comprising a polymeric material having pores and a component that is disposed within the pores.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2007Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics CorporationInventor: Abaneshwar Prasad
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Publication number: 20100093260Abstract: A method of producing a diagram for use in selecting wavelengths of light in optical polishing end point detection is provided. The method includes polishing a surface of a substrate having a film by a polishing pad; applying light to the surface of the substrate and receiving reflected light from the substrate during the polishing of the substrate; calculating relative reflectances of the reflected light at respective wavelengths; determining wavelengths of the reflected light which indicate a local maximum point and a local minimum point of the relative reflectances which vary with a polishing time; identifying a point of time when the wavelengths, indicating the local maximum point and the local minimum point, are determined; and plotting coordinates, specified by the wavelengths and the point of time corresponding to the wavelengths, onto a coordinate system having coordinate axes indicating wavelength of the light and polishing time.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Inventors: Yoichi Kobayashi, Noburu Shimizu, Shinrou Ohta, Toshifumi Kimba, Masaki Kinoshita