Circumferentially oscillating carousel apparatus for sequentially polishing substrates
Patent 6136715 Issued on October 24, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date: 
July 26, 2019. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
July 26, 2019. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesInventorsApplicationNo. 360532 filed on 07/26/1999US Classes:438/692, Simultaneous (e.g., chemical-mechanical polishing, etc.)156/345.12, With mechanical polishing (i.e., CMP-chemical mechanical polishing)438/745Liquid phase etchingExaminersPrimary: Powell, William A.Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassH01L 021/00AbstractA polishing apparatus including a plurality of polishing pads on respective rotating platens. The polishing platens, and therefore the attached pads also, may be of substantially different diameters. Multiple wafer heads can simultaneously polish multiple wafers on the multiple polishing pads or at different positions on one of the pads. The wafer heads are suspended from a rotatable carousel, which provides positioning of the heads relative to the polishing surfaces. Additionally, a loading/unloading station is provided. The carousel selectively positions the heads on the polishing surfaces, or positions one of the heads over the loading/unloading station while the remaining heads are located over polishing stations for substrate polishing, at which positions the wafers can be polished. The carousel can rotate to sweep all wafer heads attached thereto over respective polishing pads that they overlie.Field of SearchCombined mechanical and chemical material removalSimultaneous (e.g., chemical-mechanical polishing, etc.) Utilizing particulate abradant Liquid phase etching PLANARIZING A NONPLANAR SURFACE Using film of etchant between a stationary surface and a moving surface (e.g., chemical lapping, etc.) Etchant contains solid particle (e.g., abrasive for polishing, etc.) Glass or stone abrading | |
