| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080291448 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FINDING A SUBSTRATE NOTCH CENTER - Methods and apparatus are provided for locating a notch and/or a center of the notch of a substrate. An exemplary method includes rotating a substrate; illuminating an edge of the substrate with a light beam as the substrate rotates; detecting a change in light intensity of the light beam as the substrate rotates; determining a rough location of a notch in the edge of the substrate based on a position of the substrate when the change in light intensity of the light beam is detected; and reversing a rotational direction of the substrate to determine a fine location of the notch in the edge of the substrate. Numerous other aspects are provided. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20090258574 | POLISHING SYSTEM HAVING A TRACK - Embodiments described herein relate to a track system in a polishing system. One embodiment described herein provides a track system configured to transfer polishing heads in a polishing system. The track system comprises a supporting frame, a track coupled to the supporting frame and defining a path along which the polishing heads are configured to move, and one or more carriages configured to carry at least one polishing head along the path defined by the track, wherein the one or more carriages are coupled to the track and independently movable along the track. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090270015 | HIGH THROUGHPUT CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING SYSTEM - Embodiments of a system and method for polishing substrates are provided. In one embodiment, a polishing system is provided that includes a polishing module, a cleaner and a robot. The robot has a range of motion sufficient to transfer substrates between the polishing module and cleaner. The polishing module includes at least two polishing stations, at least one load cup and at least four polishing heads. The polishing heads are configured to move independently between the at least two polishing stations and the at least one load cup. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090305610 | MULTIPLE WINDOW PAD ASSEMBLY - A method and apparatus for detecting and obtaining a metric indicative of a polishing process is described. The apparatus includes a polishing pad having an optically transparent region adapted to obtain polishing metric from at least one substrate from at least two distinct radial positions of the polishing pad. The method includes obtaining a polishing metric from at least two substrates being polished simultaneously on a single polishing pad. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20100003902 | MODULAR BASE-PLATE SEMICONDUCTOR POLISHER ARCHITECTURE - The present invention generally relates to a polishing system. Particularly, the present invention relates a polishing apparatus having one or more modular polishing stations, and a plurality of polishing heads movably connected to a transferring system. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100029178 | SMART CONDITIONER RINSE STATION - A method and apparatus for monitoring polishing pad conditioning mechanisms is provided. In one embodiment, a semiconductor substrate polishing system includes a rinse station, a polishing surface, a conditioning element, and a conditioning mechanism. The conditioning mechanism selectively positions the conditioning element over the polishing surface and over the rinse station. At least one sensor is provided and is configured to detect a first position and a second position of the conditioning element when disposed over the rinse station. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100041316 | METHOD FOR AN IMPROVED CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING SYSTEM - A method for polishing a substrate on a pad large enough to accommodate polishing at least two substrates simultaneously The method includes simultaneously pressing a first substrate and a second substrate against a single polishing surface of a polishing module, providing polishing fluid from a first fluid delivery arm in front of the first substrate while the first substrate is pressed against the polishing surface, providing polishing fluid from a second fluid delivery arm at a location in front of the second substrate while the second substrate is pressed against the polishing surface, conditioning the polishing surface with a first conditioner at a location behind the first substrate while the first substrate is pressed against the polishing surface, and conditioning the polishing surface with a second conditioner at a location behind the second substrate while the second substrate is pressed against the polishing surface. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100048106 | CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHER HAVING MOVABLE SLURRY DISPENSERS AND METHOD - A chemical mechanical polisher comprises a polishing platen capable of supporting a polishing pad, and first and second substrate carriers that are each capable of holding a substrate against the polishing pad. First and second slurry dispensers, each comprise (i) an arm comprising a pivoting end and a distal end, (ii) at least one slurry dispensing nozzle on the distal end, and (iii) a dispenser drive capable of rotating the arm about the pivoting end to swing the slurry dispensing nozzle at the distal end to dispense slurry across the polishing platen. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100130107 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LINEAR PAD CONDITIONING - A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad is described. The apparatus includes a base coupled to a platform, a first arm member having a first end coupled to the base, and a second arm member having a first end pivotably coupled to a second end of the first arm member and a conditioning disk coupled to a second end opposite the first end. The method includes rotating a polishing pad, urging a rotating conditioning disk against a polishing surface of the polishing pad, and moving the conditioning disk in a linear direction relative to the rotating polishing pad to perform a conditioning process. | 05-27-2010 |
