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:
Jun. 01, 1999
Filed:
May. 18, 1995
Jon A Hoshizaki, Cupertino, CA (US);
Roger O Williams, Fremont, CA (US);
James D Buhler, Shingle Springs, CA (US);
Charles A Reichel, Fremont, CA (US);
William K Hollywood, San Carlos, CA (US);
Richard De Geus, Cupertino, CA (US);
Lawrence L Lee, Mountain View, CA (US);
Obsidian, Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for polishing wafers, preferably by chemical mechanical polishing. The apparatus includes a table defining a planar polishing surface adapted to contain a polishing medium and a wafer carrier assembly adapted to hold a wafer against the polishing surface. The wafer carrier assembly includes a wafer carrier and prevents rotation of the wafer carrier with respect to the polishing table even when the wafer carrier is moved in a circular or orbital path on the polishing surface. Polishing is carried out relative movement between the wafer carrier and the polishing surface in any direction within the plane of the polishing surface. The relative movement can be accomplished by moving the wafer carrier, the polishing table, or a combination of movements of the wafer carrier and polishing table.