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. 21, 2006
Filed:
Nov. 21, 2000
Ezio Bovio, Bellinzago Novarese, IT;
Paride Corbellini, Trecate, IT;
Marco Morganti, Novara, IT;
Giovanni Negri, Sizzano, IT;
Peter D. Albrecht, O'Fallon, MO (US);
Ezio Bovio, Bellinzago Novarese, IT;
Paride Corbellini, Trecate, IT;
Marco Morganti, Novara, IT;
Giovanni Negri, Sizzano, IT;
Peter D. Albrecht, O'Fallon, MO (US);
MEMC Electronic Materials, SpA, Novara, IT;
Abstract
A wafer polishing apparatus for polishing a semiconductor wafer. The polisher comprises a base (), a turntable (), a polishing pad () and a drive mechanism () for driven rotation of a polishing head (). The polishing head is adapted to hold at least one wafer () for engaging a front surface of the wafer with a work surface of the polishing pad. A spherical bearing assembly () mounts the polishing head () on the drive mechanism for pivoting of the polishing head about a gimbal point (p) lying no higher than the work surface when the polishing head holds the wafer in engagement with the polishing pad. This pivoting allowing the plane of the front surface of the wafer to continuously align itself to equalize polishing pressure over the front surface of the wafer, while rotation of the polishing head is driven by the driving mechanism. This maintains the front surface and work surface in a continuously parallel relationship for more uniform polishing of a semiconductor wafer, particularly near the lateral edge of the wafer. A cassette of wafers and method of polishing are also disclosed.