Other

Accretech Usa, Inc.

Tsk America

Vladimir Volovich

Edmond Arzumau Abrahamians

William Jefferson Stone, Iii

Herbert Wayne Owens, Jr

Yakov Keyfes

Herb Wayne Owens, Jr

Igor Kravtsov

Edmond Arzuman Abrahamians

A wafer polishing apparatus includes a rotatable turntable for holding a polishing pad and at least one rotatable polishing head adapted for attachment of at least one wafer alignment assembly. A wafer alignment assembly includes an upper plate and a lower plate connected by three lever assemblies symmetrically positioned about a wafer alignment assembly axis of rotation. Each of the lever assemblies comprises a spherical joint, an elongated cylindrical hinge, and a kinematic axis which intersects a center of rotation for the spherical hinge, an axis of rotation for the elongated cylindrical hinge, and a gimbal point about which a wafer may tilt during polishing. The gimbal point may be positioned above, coincident with, or below a working surface of a polishing pad by adjustment of the lever assemblies. Some embodiments of the invention comprise steps in a method for polishing a wafer in a wafer polishing apparatus.

Wafer polishing apparatus and method

Embodiments of the invention comprise a machine adapted for polishing work pieces such as large silicon wafers. A wafer polishing machine in accord with the invention comprises a rotatable platen in a table base, above which is mounted a lid having a head moving assembly with four synchronously rotatable head assemblies. A motor and linkage connected to the head moving assembly imparts reciprocating linear motion to the head assemblies in a selected direction in a plane parallel to an upper surface of the platen. Embodiments of the invention produce a complex relative motion between a surface of a wafer to be polished and the platen. The complex relative motion, resulting from a combination of motions including rotation of the platen, rotation of the head assemblies, and translation of the head moving assembly, improves a uniformity of polish and a rate of polishing compared to wafer polishing machines known in the art.

Semiconductor wafer polishing machine

An apparatus and method is provided for polishing work pieces such as semiconductor wafers. The apparatus includes a variable number of independent heads, platensand polishing units. This polishing apparatus belongs to a group of polishing machines with wafers attached to the same headsthrough all polishing steps without undesirable reloading from one headto another between polishing steps. Each independent headis automatically coupled to and decoupled from any of the polishing unitsto optimize throughput and provide flexibility in accommodating different polishing processes. A head transfer subsystemprovides an independent means of transfer for each head, thus an infinite number of contemporaneous or overlapping polishing cycles can be completed on multiple wafers resulting in maximum processing throughput.

Polishing machine and method

A lightweight, carrier for wafer-like objects, including semiconductor wafers, is provided. The carrier may be used to secure and position a wafer during various polishing processes. The improved design of the lightweight carrier includes a relatively high number of ribs and an annular flange having an annular protrusion to provide uniform load onto the wafer during polishing operations. The relatively lower weight of the carrier facilitate manual loading and unloading of it (the carrier) into and from the polishing machine.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Vladimir Volovich