Disk for conditioning polishing pads
AssigneeRodel Holdings, Inc.
InventorsBernard Foster, Paul J. Freeman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A conditioning disk including a unitary thermoplastic polymer sheet material cut a unitary circular plate formed with gear teeth along its circular edge, and formed with block form protrusions that are impelled in a sweeping motion by rotation of the unitary plate as a planetary gear in meshed engagement with a sun gear and a ring gear of a polishing apparatus.
Claims11
A conditioning disk for use with a double-sided polishing apparatus comprising an upper platen with a polishing pad adhered thereto, a lower platen with a polishing pad adhered thereto, a ring gear, and a sun gear, wherein said conditioning disk comprises a thermoplastic polymer disk having:
- a. raised areas to facilitate the removal of debris,
- b. and gear teeth along the circumference of the disk;
- wherein said gear teeth engage and rotate with said ring and sun gears of said polishing apparatus during the conditioning step of a polishing cycle.
A method for conditioning polishing pads with at least one conditioning disk comprising:
- a. placing said conditioning disk on a polishing machine comprising an upper and a lower platen with polishing pads adhered thereto, and gear rotating means,
- b. lowering said upper platen until it contacts said conditioning disk,
- c. applying a downforce to the upper platen,
- d. dispensing a rinsing liquid onto the surface of said polishing pads,
- e. rotating said upper and lower platens,
- f. rotating said disk by the gear rotating means,
- g. raising said upper platen and removing said conditioning disk,
- h. and rinsing away any residual debris from the surface of said pads.
A conditioning disk comprising:
- an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene disk having raised areas and gear teeth along its circumference.
A conditioning disk comprising:
- a unitary circular plate formed with gear teeth along its circular edge, and formed with block form protrusions on at least one of two opposite major surfaces of the plate, which protrusions are impelled in a sweeping motion by rotation of the unitary plate as a planetary gear in meshed engagement with a sun gear and a ring gear of a polishing apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.