Self-aligning cylindrical mandrel assembly and wafer preparation apparatus including the same
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsOliver David Jones, John G. Dewit
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-aligning mandrel assembly is provided. The assembly includes a cylindrical inner core and a fulcrum disposed on an outer surface of the cylindrical inner core. A mandrel shell surrounds the cylindrical inner core. The mandrel shell has a wafer preparation material affixed to an outer surface thereof, and the mandrel shell is pivotably supported by the fulcrum such that the mandrel shell aligns with a surface of a substrate when the wafer preparation material contacts the surface of the substrate.
Claims18
A self-aligning mandrel assembly, comprising:
- a cylindrical inner core, the cylindrical inner core having a hole therein and being coupled to a rotating gear;
- a fulcrum disposed on an outer surface of the cylindrical inner core;
- a mandrel shell surrounding the cylindrical inner core, the mandrel shell having a wafer preparation material affixed to an outer surface thereof and having a hole therethrough, and the mandrel shell being pivotably supported by the fulcrum such that the mandrel shell aligns with a surface of a substrate when the wafer preparation material contacts the surface of the substrate;
- and
- a connector disposed in the hole in the mandrel shell and the hole in the cylindrical inner core so as to transmit rotational power from the cylindrical inner core to the mandrel shell.
An apparatus for preparing a semiconductor wafer, the apparatus comprising:
- a pair of drive rollers disposed so as to support a semiconductor wafer in a substantially vertical orientation, each of the drive rollers being configured to be coupled to a drive belt for rotating the drive rollers;
- and
- a pair of wafer preparation assemblies movably disposed in an opposing relationship, each of the wafer preparation assemblies having a first wafer preparation member and a second wafer preparation member, the wafer preparation assemblies being movable into a first position in which each of the first wafer preparation members is positioned to perform a first wafer preparation operation on the wafer and into a second position in which each of the second wafer preparation members is positioned to perform a second wafer preparation operation on the wafer, wherein at least one of the first and second wafer preparation members of at least one of the wafer preparation assemblies is a cylindrical polishing pad comprising a self-aligning mandrel assembly.
A self-aligning mandrel assembly, comprising:
- a cylindrical inner core having an outer surface with a groove formed therein and further having a hole formed therein, an end of the cylindrical inner core being configured to be coupled to a rotating member;
- an O-ring seated in the groove in the outer surface of the cylindrical inner core;
- a mandrel shell surrounding the cylindrical inner core, the mandrel shell having a wafer preparation material affixed to an outer surface thereof and further having a hole formed therethrough, the mandrel shell being pivotably supported by the O-ring such that the mandrel shell aligns with a surface of a semiconductor wafer when the wafer preparation material contacts the surface of the wafer;
- and
- a connector disposed in the hole in the mandrel shell and the hole in the cylindrical inner core such that the mandrel shell is rotationally coupled to the cylindrical inner core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.