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:
Jul. 30, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 15, 2000
Teruhiko Ichimura, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Ebara Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A polishing apparatus for polishing a plate-like member such as semiconductor wafer with a high degree of polished surface flatness is provided. The apparatus comprises a turntable having a surface provided on its upper surface with a polishing pad having an upper or polishing surface, and a carrier having an article holding surface for holding thereon a plate-like article. The carrier is adapted to press a surface of the plate-like article against the polishing surface of the polishing pad to polish and flatten the surface of the plate-like article by relative movement between the article and the polishing surface. An annular member is provided along the peripheral edge of the plate-like article between the article holding surface and the plate-like article to form a chamber therebetween, and a pressurized fluid source is fluidly connected to the chamber for supplying a pressurized fluid into the chamber. The polishing surface of the polishing pad is provided with grooves to divide the polishing surface into a number of sections. The chamber may be divided into outer and inner chamber sections so that the pressures in those chamber sections can be controlled, respectively.