The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 23, 1997
Daniel D Desorcie, St. Albans, VT (US);
Richard J Lebel, Colchester, VT (US);
Charles A McKinney, Chazy, VT (US);
Rock Nadeau, Jericho, VT (US);
Timothy J Rickard, Jr, Milton, VT (US);
Paul H Smith, Jr, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Douglas K Sturtevant, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Matthew T Tiersch, Essex Junction, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for polishing a semiconductor wafer is provided which includes a wafer carrier having on its lower surface a non-uniform surface structure means to vary the force against a wafer during a polishing operation so that the polishing is enhanced and imparts a planar surface across the polished wafer. Preferred non-uniform surface structure means include use of a wafer carrier having on its lower surface a backing film having a first central portion having a predetermined compressibility and a second peripheral portion having a different compressibility than the first portion. Another non-uniform surface structure means to vary the force against the wafer comprises a wafer carrier having on its lower surface a raised circumferential region around the periphery of the carrier.