Wafer polishing method and apparatus
AssigneeSpeedfam Corporation
InventorsChris E. Karlsrud, Anthony G. Van Woerkom, Shigeru Odagiri, Isao Nagahashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wafer polishing apparatus includes a wafer polishing assembly having a plurality of wafer carriers for substantially simultaneously polishing a plurality of wafers against a rotating polishing surface. A plurality of wafers to be polished are substantially simultaneously loaded into the plurality of wafer carriers by wafer holding apparatus of an index table. Similarly, a plurality of wafer carriers are substantially simultaneously unloaded into wafer holding apparatus of the index table. The wafer carriers are individually computer controlled for exact polishing and different polishing requirements can be met at the same time by different wafer carriers.
Claims14
Apparatus for polishing a surface of a thin wafer of material comprising:
- a polishing surface;
- a polishing assembly comprising a plurality of wafer carriers for polishing wafers against said polishing surface;
- index apparatus comprising a plurality of load means equal to the number of said wafer carriers, each said load means for holding a wafer to be polished;
- first means for positioning said wafer carriers adjacent individual ones of said load means;
- means for substantially simultaneously engaging wafers held by said load means with individual ones of said wafer carriers;
- second means for positioning said wafer carriers in polishing engagement against said polishing surface;
- and
- means for moving said polishing assembly from a position at said polishing surface to a position at said index means.
Apparatus for polishing the surface of a thin wafer of material comprising:
- a polishing surface;
- a polishing assembly comprising a plurality of wafer carriers each for holding a wafer in polishing contact with said polishing surface;
- index apparatus comprising a plurality of unload means equal to the number of said wafer carriers;
- means for moving said polishing assembly from a position at said polishing surface to a position at said index means;
- and
- means for substantially simultaneously placing wafers held by said wafer carriers into individual ones of said unload means.
Apparatus for polishing a surface of a thin wafer of material comprising:
- a polishing surface;
- a polishing assembly comprising a plurality of wafer carriers for polishing wafers against said polishing surface;
- index apparatus comprising a plurality of wafer holding means at least equal to the number of said wafer carriers, each said wafer holding means being capable of holding a wafer;
- first means for positioning said wafer carriers adjacent individual ones of said wafer holding means;
- means for substantially simultaneously exchanging a plurality of wafers between said wafer holding means and individual ones of said wafer carriers;
- second means for positioning said wafer carriers in polishing engagement against said polishing surface;
- and
- means for moving said polishing assembly between a position at said polishing surface and a position at said index means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.