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.

Date of Patent:
Jul. 15, 2003

Filed:

Dec. 26, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:

John M. Boyd, Atascadero, CA (US);

Allan Paterson, Austin, TX (US);

Assignee:

Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B24B 5/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B24B 5/00 ;
Abstract

A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system having a polishing pad, a carrier plate and a wafer plate is provided with an active gimbal. The active gimbal is defined by a circular hollow ring having a wall thickness and a diameter. The circular hollow ring is configured by an elastomeric material for placement in a space between the carrier plate and the wafer plate, and the space preferably is defined in part by a cavity tightly receiving the ring. The circular hollow ring is filled with a gel-like material that flows from one portion of the ring that is squeezed and deformed when the wafer plate tilts relative to the carrier plate. The flow is to another portion of the ring that returns to an original configuration during such tilting. Methods of making the gimbal include operations for selecting materials for the hollow ring and the gel-like material.


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