Did You Know...
...that after Parker Brothers executives turned down the game of Monopoly because it had "52 fundamental errors" (including taking too long to play), a copy of the game wound up in the home of the company president who stayed up until 1 a.m. to finish playing it? He was so impressed by the game that the next day he wrote to inventor Charles Darrow and offered to buy it!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8021215 | Carrier head with retaining ring and carrier ring A carrier head that has a housing, a base assembly, a retaining ring, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The base assembly is vertically movable relative to the housing. The retaining ring is connected to and vertically movable relative to the bas... | 09/20/2011 |
| 7950985 | Flexible membrane for carrier head A carrier head that has a base assembly, a retaining ring assembly, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The flexible membrane has a main portion and an outer annular portion, wherein a junction between the main portion and the outer annular portion... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7927190 | Retaining ring with shaped surface A retaining ring can be shaped by machining or lapping the bottom surface of the ring to form a shaped profile in the bottom surface. The bottom surface of the retaining ring can include flat, sloped and curved portions. The lapping can be performed using a machine ... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7883397 | Substrate retainer A retainer is used with an apparatus for polishing a substrate. The substrate has upper and lower surfaces and a lateral, substantially circular, perimeter. The apparatus has a polishing pad with an upper polishing surface for contacting and polishing the lower face... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7731572 | CMP head A CMP head includes a membrane support and a membrane. The membrane support is disk-shaped, having an origin and a radius R. The membrane support has at least a ventilator disposed in a central region within the range between origin and (⅔) R, and at least a diver... | 06/08/2010 |
| 7727055 | Flexible membrane for carrier head A carrier head that has a base assembly, a retaining ring assembly, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The flexible membrane has a main portion and an outer annular portion, wherein a junction between the main portion and the outer annular portion... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7654888 | Carrier head with retaining ring and carrier ring A carrier head that has a housing, a base assembly, a retaining ring, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The base assembly is vertically movable relative to the housing. The retaining ring is connected to and vertically movable relative to the bas... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7497767 | Vibration damping during chemical mechanical polishing A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing is described. The carrier head includes a backing assembly, a housing and a damping material. The backing assembly includes a substrate support surface. The housing is connectable to a drive shaft to rotate with the d... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7402098 | Carrier head for workpiece planarization/polishing An edge control system for deployment on a CMP carrier head comprising a bladder and a carrier head housing having a passage extending therethrough. The bladder includes a flexible diaphragm and is coupled to the carrier head housing. The edge control system compris... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7370681 | Substrate bonding apparatus for liquid crystal display device A substrate bonding apparatus for fabricating an LCD device aligns upper and lower stages to accurately bond first and second substrates. The distance to which the upper and lower substrates are spaced apart from each other during bonding is adjustable depending on ... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7366575 | Wafer polishing control Methods of controlling polishing of wafers are disclosed. In one aspect, a method may include measuring one or more pre-polish thicknesses of one or more layers of a wafer. The one or more layers may then be polished. Then a post-polish thickness of a layer of the w... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7347767 | Retaining rings, and associated planarizing apparatuses, and related methods for planarizing micro-device workpieces Retaining rings and associated planarizing apparatuses, and related methods for planarizing micro-device workpieces are disclosed herein. A carrier head configured in accordance with one embodiment of the invention can be used to retain a micro-device workpiece duri... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7344434 | Retaining ring with shaped surface A retaining ring can be shaped by machining or lapping the bottom surface of the ring to form a shaped profile in the bottom surface. The bottom surface of the retaining ring can include flat, sloped and curved portions. The lapping can be performed using a machine ... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7338353 | Loading device for chemical mechanical polisher of semiconductor wafer The present invention related to a loading device for a chemical mechanical polisher of semiconductor wafers comprising: a loading cup on wherein a cup plate is installed in a cup-shaped bath, a loading plate for receiving wafers sits on the cup plate, and a plurali... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7335092 | Carrier head for workpiece planarization/polishing A carrier head for supporting a workpiece is provided. The carrier head comprises a mount plate having an aperture therethrough, and a clamp ring having a foot portion and a first leg portion extending therefrom. The first leg portion extends through the aperture, a... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7326105 | Retaining rings, and associated planarizing apparatuses, and related methods for planarizing micro-device workpieces Retaining rings and associated planarizing apparatuses, and related methods for planarizing micro-device workpieces are disclosed herein. A carrier head configured in accordance with one embodiment of the invention can be used to retain a micro-device workpiece duri... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7326103 | Vertically adjustable chemical mechanical polishing head and method for use thereof The invention provides a vertically adjustable chemical mechanical polishing head having a pivot mechanism and method for use thereof. ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7316602 | Constant low force wafer carrier for electrochemical mechanical processing and chemical mechanical polishing A carrier head for holding a workpiece during processing of a workpiece surface is provided. The carrier head includes a carrier housing, a base and a pressure member. The base is configured to hold the workpiece and is movable with respect to the carrier housing. T... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7311586 | Apparatus and method for chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) head having direct pneumatic wafer polishing pressure A resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder is coupled for fluid communication to a first pressurized pneumatic fluid to define a first pneumatic zone and is attached to a first surface of the wafer stop plate adjacent the retaining ring interior cylindrical surfa... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7303461 | Method of machining airfoils by disc tools A method for machining a rotor having a disc and a plurality of integral airfoils projecting outwardly from the disc, according to one aspect of the invention, comprises a step of machining each airfoil with a disc tool having a grinding periphery thereof adapted fo... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7287445 | Apparatus for precision steeling/conditioning of knife edges An apparatus for manually steeling or conditioning the edge of a knife blade comprises a precision angle guide attached to a manual sharpening steel. The angle guide establishes a guiding surface that provides for sustained sliding or rolling contact with the face o... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7267600 | Polishing apparatus Apparatus for polishing are provided. An apparatus comprises a fluid controller, a polishing apparatus and a fluid interface membrane. The fluid controller is fluidly coupled to the polishing apparatus by way of at least one conduit. The fluid interface membrane is ... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7258599 | Polishing machine, workpiece supporting table pad, polishing method and manufacturing method of semiconductor device A pedestal pad (workpiece supporting table pad) is arranged on the top of a pedestal (workpiece supporting table) for temporarily placing and holding a pre-polished or post-polished wafer (workpiece). This pedestal pad is formed of resin, and at least a surface of t... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7258595 | Polishing apparatus A polishing apparatus comprises a polishing table having a polishing surface and a top ring for holding a substrate to be polished, in which the substrate when held by the top ring is pressed against the polishing surface of the polishing table and thus polished. A ... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7255637 | Carrier head vibration damping A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing that has a base having at least a portion formed of a polymer, a mounting assembly connected to the base having a surface for contacting a substrate, a retainer secured to the portion of the base to prevent the substr... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7255771 | Multiple zone carrier head with flexible membrane A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate includes a base and a flexible membrane extending beneath the base. The flexible membrane includes a central portion with an outer surface providing a substrate receiving surface, a perimeter portion co... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7247083 | Polishing apparatus The polishing apparatus is capable of precisely controlling polishing pressure, correctly positioning a press plate and uniformly polishing a workpiece. In the polishing apparatus, a holding head comprises: first pressing means for introducing a pressurized fluid in... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7238083 | Wafer carrier with pressurized membrane and retaining ring actuator A wafer carrier for controlling downward force and edge effect during chemical mechanical planarization. A retaining ring actuator is disposed within the retaining ring to control the height of the retaining ring relative to the bottom surface of the wafer carrier. ... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7223158 | Method for polishing a semiconductor wafer An apparatus for polishing a wafer comprises a supporting portion having an abrasive pad disposed thereon, and a polishing head disposed over the abrasive pad. The polishing head comprises a carrier having at least two fluid passages, a retainer ring disposed on a l... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7217175 | Polishing apparatus and polishing method A polishing apparatus comprises a first polishing table having a first polishing surface, a substrate carrier for holding a substrate and positioning the substrate so as to bring a surface of the substrate into contact with the first polishing surface, a pressing me... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7217176 | Polishing tool with several pressure zones The invention refers to a polishing tool for optical lenses with at least one polishing pad adaptable at least partially to the shape of a lens surface of said lenses and drivable by means of a drive shaft, said polishing pad having a membrane, wherein said polishin... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7214435 | Dental mill blank assembly A mill blank assembly for a dental prosthesis includes a milling section and a support section for supporting the assembly in a milling machine. In certain embodiments, the milling section is adhesively bonded to the support section by a direct chemical bond that pr... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7210991 | Detachable retaining ring The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for polishing semiconductor substrates with improved throughput. Embodiments of the present invention eliminate load cups from a polishing system, hence improve throughput by reducing system footprint and subs... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7210985 | Shaped polishing pads for beveling microfeature workpiece edges, and associated systems and methods Systems and methods for beveling microfeature workpiece edges are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment is configured to remove material from a microfeature workpiece having a first face, a second face facing opposite from the first face, an edge sur... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7210984 | Shaped polishing pads for beveling microfeature workpiece edges, and associated systems and methods Systems and methods for beveling microfeature workpiece edges are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment is configured to remove material from a microfeature workpiece having a first face, a second face facing opposite from the first face, an edge sur... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7198561 | Flexible membrane for multi-chamber carrier head A flexible membrane for use with a carrier head of a substrate chemical mechanical polishing apparatus has a central portion with an outer surface providing a substrate receiving surface, a perimeter portion for connecting the central portion to a base of the carrie... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7198276 | Adaptive electrostatic pin chuck Disclosed is an electrostatic chuck and system for maintaining a device flat within the electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck has a plate, height adjustment mechanisms connected to the plate; and electrostatic chuck pins connected to the height adjustment mec... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7196011 | Apparatus and method for treating substrates The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish, and more particularly to a polishing apparatus having a workpiece transfer robot for transferring a workpiece from one operation t... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7189313 | Substrate support with fluid retention band An apparatus and method for supporting a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for supporting a substrate includes a body having a band extending therefrom. The band is adapted to retain a fluid on the body thereby forming a shallow processing bath ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7189153 | Retaining rings, planarizing apparatuses including retaining rings, and methods for planarizing micro-device workpieces Retaining rings, planarizing apparatuses including retaining rings, and methods for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of micro-device workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a carrier head for retaining a micro-device workpiece during m... | 03/13/2007 |
