Speedfam Corporation

Anthony G Van Woerkom

Chris E Karlsrud

Isao Nagahashi

Shigeru Odagiri

Joseph V Cesna

Spencer Preston

A wafer polishing apparatus includes a wafer polishing assembly having a plurality of wafer carriers for substantially simultaneously polishing a plurality of wafers against a rotating polishing surface. A plurality of wafers to be polished are substantially simultaneously loaded into the plurality of wafer carriers by wafer holding apparatus of an index table. Similarly, a plurality of wafer carriers are substantially simultaneously unloaded into wafer holding apparatus of the index table. The wafer carriers are individually computer controlled for exact polishing and different polishing requirements can be met at the same time by different wafer carriers.

Wafer polishing method and apparatus

A wafer polishing apparatus includes a wafer polishing assembly having a plurality of wafer carriers for substantially simultaneously polishing a plurality of wafers against a rotating polishing surface. A plurality of wafers to be polished are substantially simultaneously loaded into the plurality of wafer carriers by wafer holding apparatus of an index table. Similarly, a plurality of polished wafers are substantially simultaneously unloaded from the plurality of wafer carriers into wafer holding apparatus of the index table. The wafer carriers are individually computer controlled for exact polishing and different polishing requirements can be met at the same time by different wafer carriers.

A device for conditioning the surface of a polishing pad covering a platen mounted on a polishing machine for rotation about a vertical axis, comprising a rigid carrier element carrying cutting means on its bottom surface and which is adapted for vertical movement into and out of engagement with the surface of a polishing pad and which is adapted for oscillating horizontal movement over the surface of the polishing pad. The cutting means are dispersed in a circular or ring configuration.

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Chandler, AZ, United States of America

Anthony G Van Woerkom