Wafer back-side polishing system and method for integrated circuit device manufacturing processes

A wafer polishing tool, comprising:

• a first polisher configured to receive a wafer having a front side and a back side with integrated circuit component devices disposed on the front side of the wafer, the first polisher configured to polish a central portion of the back side of the wafer by using a first polishing pad having a first grit;
• a second polisher configured to buff first central portion of the back side of the wafer using a first buffing pad having a second grit, the second grit being finer than the first grit;
• and
• a third polisher configured to receive the wafer and buff an annular peripheral portion of the back side without buffing the central portion of the wafer, the buffing of the annular peripheral portion being carried out using a second buffing pad, which has a third grit that is finer than the first grit.

A wafer polishing tool for processing a wafer, the wafer having a front side and a back side with integrated circuit component devices on the front side, the wafer polishing tool comprising:

• a first polisher comprising a first polishing pad having a first grit, the first polisher configured to polish a first portion of the back side of the wafer with the first polishing pad;
• a second polisher comprising a first buffing pad having a second grit, which is finer than the first grit, the second polisher configured to buff the first portion of the back side of the wafer with the first buffing pad;
• and
• a third polisher comprising a second polishing pad having a third grit, which is coarser than the second grit, the third polisher configured to polish a second portion of the back side of the wafer with the second polishing pad and configured to polish a bevel region of the wafer which spans a circumferential edge of the wafer between the front side and the back side.