Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chen-Chia Chiu

Yu-Sheng Shen

Chih-I Peng

Chin-Tsan Jan

Yu-Chia Chang

Fang-Lin Lu

Kuo-Pao Yeh

A method and apparatus for preventing flow rate errors derived from an ultrasonic flow meter utilized in semiconductor fabrication operations. The ultrasonic flow meter is generally configured to include an extension chamber connected to a thin branch tube of the ultrasonic flow meter. A venturi tube can be positioned at an outflow location of the ultrasonic flow meter, such that the thin branch tube is broached into the venturi tube, wherein bubbles contained in a slurry flow are forced directly into the outflow location to thereby prevent inaccurate flow measurements derived from the ultrasonic flow meter. The extension chamber may be configured to reduce an inflow velocity associated with the slurry slow and ensure that the bubbles with not drift with the slurry flow. Additionally, a diameter of the branch tube may be configured such that the diameter is much smaller than a diameter associated with an inflow and/or outflow tube of the ultrasonic flow meter.

Bubble ultrasonic flow meter

An apparatus and a method for removing an adhesive bonded pad from a backing plate are disclosed. The apparatus and the method are particularly suitable for removing a polishing pad in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, however, they can be used for removal of any other adhesively bonded pad on a rigid surface. The removal apparatus can be advantageously used without causing any danger to a machine operator even when a slippage of the tool has occurred. The T-shaped removal tool can be operated in a rotational motion such that an adhesive bond existed between a pad and a backing surface may be broken by shear force. A minimal amount of force is required due to the large T-shaped handle used for the removal operation.

Apparatus and method for removing an adhesive bonded pad

An apparatus for calibrating the centering of polishing heads in a polishing machine that is equipped with a plurality of spindles onto which polishing heads are mounted and a method for using such apparatus are disclosed. In the apparatus, a calibration disc is provided which has a hollow shaft mounted at a center of the bottom surface of the disc. A centering pin slidingly engaging an elongated cavity in the hollow shaft such that its protruded tip portion may be adjusted by using a locking device such as a set screw for different calibration procedures. The present invention novel apparatus can be used to calibrate the positioning of a polishing head mounted in a spindle with a pedestal in a load cup that is equipped with a center alignment aperture. The calibration can be conducted not only in the X, Y direction (or in the circumferential direction) of the spindle movement, but also in the Z direction (or a sweep direction) of the traversing spindle that occurs during a polishing operation.

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Tainan, Taiwan

Chen-Chia Chiu