Floating subcarriers for wafer polishing apparatus

An assembly for polishing one of two generally parallel opposed surfaces of each of at least two thin wafers, each of which has height deviations in an area of said one surface, said assembly comprising:

• a. a main carrier having a first face;
• b. at least two subcarrying means mounted independently on the first face of said main carrier for independent angular movement relative to each other and to said main carrier and carrying a single wafer respectively, each of said subcarrying means having a first side and a second side, said first side having a face area conforming in shape to an area of said opposed wafer surface which is directly opposed to said area of said one wafer surface having said height deviations, to provide support from said subcarrying means through said wafer for said area of said one wafer surface and resist deformation thereof during polishing;
• and
• c. means for applying polishing force to a wafer adhered to said subcarrying means through pressure exerted onto said second side of the associated carrier while simultaneously allowing each of said subcarrying means to move angularly relative to said main carrier independently of one another, whereby said one surface of each of said wafers is uniformly polished with said area supported so that the height deviations therein are substantially eliminated.

An assembly for polishing one of two generally parallel opposed surfaces of each of a plurality of thin wafers, each of which has height deviations in an area of said one surface, comprising:

• a main carrier having a first face;
• a plurality of subcarriers, each of which has a first side and a second side, said first side having a face area conforming in shape to an area of said opposed wafer surfaces of each of said wafers which is directly opposed to said area of said one wafer surface of each having said height deviations to provide support from said respective subcarrying means through said wafers for said area of said one wafer surface during polishing and resist deformation thereof;
• means for independently suspending each of said subcarriers from said main carrier and for providing independent angular movement of said subcarriers with respect to said main carrier and with respect to one another;
• and
• means for providing an polishing pressure said subcarriers while simultaneously allowing said subcarriers to move angularly relative to said main carrier independently whereby said one surface of each wafer is uniformly polished with said area supported to substantially eliminate height deviations therein.