US 7,040,968 B2 · Polishing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus comprises a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring, and the workpiece is interposed between the polishing table and the top ring and pressed at a predetermined pressure to polish the workpiece. The polishing apparatus comprises at least two dressing units for dressing the polishing surface by being brought into contact with the polishing surface, which is a surface of a polishing cloth.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for dressing a polishing cloth provided in a polishing apparatus, comprising:

initially conditioning a polishing cloth, before use in a polishing process, by using a first dressing unit including a diamond dresser or an SiC dresser;
and
conditioning said polishing cloth, between processes of polishing a workpiece, by using a second dressing unit including a brush dresser,
wherein said second dressing unit is not used during the initial conditioning of said polishing cloth.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/113,084Filed 25 Apr 2005 · division

Priority

JP 2000-32429024 Oct 2000

Published

US 2005/0191949 A11 Sep 2005

Granted

9 May 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B24B 53/017
Devices or means for dressing or conditioning abrasive surfaces: devices or means for dressing, cleaning or otherwise conditioning lapping tools
B24B 29/005
Machines or devices for polishing surfaces on work by means of tools made of soft or flexible material with or without the application of solid…
B24B 53/003
Devices or means for dressing or conditioning abrasive surfaces: using at least two conditioning tools
H10P 52/402
Chemomechanical polishing [CMP]: of semiconductor materials

Family

PCT/JP01/00382Parent of this division · filed 22 Jan 2001

US 2005/0191949 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Sep 2005

Application09/787,121Parent of this division

US 6,939,208 B2Parent of this division

US 2002/0164932 A1Published application

US 7,040,968 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Polishing apparatus

Life of this patent

Polishing apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12