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:
Nov. 25, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 22, 2002
Norman Shendon, San Carlos, CA (US);
Michael Sherwood, Fremont, CA (US);
Harry Lee, Mountain View, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A wafer polishing head utilizes a wafer backing member having a wafer facing pocket which is sealed against the wafer and is pressurized with air or other fluid to provide a uniform force distribution pattern across the width of the wafer inside an edge seal feature at the perimeter of the wafer to urge (or press) the wafer uniformly toward a polishing pad. A pressure controlled bellows supports and presses the wafer backing member toward the polishing pad and accommodates any dimensional variation between the polishing head and the polishing pad as the polishing head is moved relative to the polishing pad. An integral, but independently retractable and extendable retaining ring assembly is provided around the wafer backing member and wafer to uniformly and independently control the pressure of a wafer perimeter retaining ring on the polishing ad of a wafer polishing bed.