Multi-wafer polishing tool

A wafer polishing tool, comprising:

• a polishing platen rotatable about a central platen axis;
• a wafer carrier supporting a wafer for rotational movement to cause a portion of a surface of said wafer to only intermittently contact a polishing surface of said platen while said wafer rotates during polishing, while a center of said wafer at least intermittently contacts said polishing surface during said polishing, wherein said wafer carrier rotates said wafer from an edge thereof.

A wafer polishing tool, comprising:

• a polishing platen rotatable about a central platen axis;
• and
• a wafer carrier supporting a wafer for rotational movement and in uninterrupted contact with said platen over less than an entire surface of said wafer while said wafer rotates during polishing while a center of said wafer at least intermittently contacts said polishing surface during said polishing, said wafer carrier having a center-driven wafer bed, wherein said center-driven wafer bed is rotated by a belt-drive mechanism coupled to transmit rotational force from a motor onto a pulley secured to said wafer bed.

A wafer polishing tool, comprising:

• a polishing platen rotatable about a central platen axis;
• and
• a wafer carrier supporting a wafer for rotational movement and in uninterrupted contact with said platen over less than an entire surface of said wafer while said wafer rotates during polishing while a center of said wafer at least intermittently contacts said polishing surface during said polishing, wherein said wafer carrier rotates said wafer from an edge thereof.

A wafer polishing tool, comprising:

• a polishing platen rotatable about a central platen axis;
• and
• a wafer carrier supporting a wafer for rotational movement and in uninterrupted contact with said platen over less than an entire surface of said wafer while said wafer rotates during polishing while a center of said wafer at least intermittently contacts said polishing surface during said polishing, wherein said wafer carrier further comprises a pivotable frame member and a selectively engageable frame member, said pivotable and said selectively engageable frame members permitting said wafer carrier to pivot between a platen engaged position and a platen disengaged position and wherein said wafer carrier imparts oscillating motion to said wafer in a direction about said pivotable frame member.

A wafer polishing tool, comprising:

• a plurality of vertically stacked polishing platens rotatable about a central platen axis;
• a plurality of vertically stacked wafer carriers, each said carrier supporting a wafer for rotational movement and vertical movement into contact with one of said polishing platens.

A wafer polishing tool, comprising:

• a plurality of vertically stacked polishing platens rotatable about a central platen axis;
• and
• a wafer carrier pack imparting rotational motion to a plurality of wafers, said carrier pack maintaining said wafers in uninterrupted contact with said platen over less than entire surfaces of said wafers.