Method and Apparatus for Determining a Measure of a Thickness of a Polishing Pad of a Polishing Machine
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a measure of a thickness of a polishing pad of a polishing machine, the apparatus comprising:
- a detector configured to detect a position of a carrier of an element to be polished in a pressing direction while the element is pressed by the carrier in the pressing direction against the polishing pad with a defined pressure and to output a signal indicative of the position of the carrier; and
a determiner configured to determine the measure of the thickness of the polishing pad based on the signal indicative of the position of the carrier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for determining a measure of a thickness of a polishing pad of a polishing machine includes a detector and a determiner. The detector is configured to detect a position of a carrier of an element to be polished in a pressing direction while the element is pressed by the carrier in the pressing direction against the polishing pad with a defined pressure. The detector is further configured to output a signal indicative of the position of the carrier. The determiner is configured to determine the measure of the thickness of the polishing pad based on the signal indicative of the position of the carrier.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining a measure of a thickness of a polishing pad of a polishing machine, the apparatus comprising:
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a detector configured to detect a position of a carrier of an element to be polished in a pressing direction while the element is pressed by the carrier in the pressing direction against the polishing pad with a defined pressure and to output a signal indicative of the position of the carrier; and a determiner configured to determine the measure of the thickness of the polishing pad based on the signal indicative of the position of the carrier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for determining a measure of a thickness of a polishing pad of a polishing machine, the apparatus comprising:
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a detector configured to detect a position of a carrier of an element to be polished in a pressing direction while the element is pressed by the carrier in the pressing direction against the polishing pad with a defined pressure, wherein the detector is configured to output a signal indicative of the position of the carrier; and a determiner configured to determine the measure of the thickness of the polishing pad based on the signal indicative of the position of the carrier and on the basis of calibration data obtained in advance using the polishing pad of a known thickness, a predetermined pressure and a predetermined thickness of the element, wherein the determiner is configured to output an alarm-signal if the determined thickness of the polishing pad falls below a threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A polishing machine for polishing an element, the polishing machine comprising:
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a platen on which a polishing pad is to be fixed; a carrier of the element to be polished, wherein the carrier is configured to move in a pressing direction so as to press the element in the pressing direction against the polishing pad with a defined pressure, wherein the polishing machine is configured to cause a relative movement or rotation between the element and the polishing pad in parallel with the polishing pad; a detector configured to detect a position of the carrier while the element is pressed by the carrier in the pressing direction against the polishing pad with the defined pressure and to output a signal indicative of the position of the carrier; and a determiner configured to determine a measure of the thickness of the polishing pad based on the signal indicative of the position of the carrier. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for determining a measure of a thickness of a polishing pad of a polishing machine, the method comprising:
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detecting a position of a carrier of an element to be polished in a pressing direction while the element is pressed by the carrier in the pressing direction against the polishing pad with a defined pressure; outputting a signal indicative of the position of the carrier; and determining the measure of the thickness of the polishing pad based on the signal indicative of the position of the carrier. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor of an apparatus for determining a measure of a thickness of a polishing pad, causes the apparatus to perform a method comprising:
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detecting a position of a carrier of an element to be polished in a pressing direction while the element is pressed by the carrier in the pressing direction against the polishing pad with a defined pressure; outputting a signal indicative of the position of the carrier; and determining the measure of the thickness of the polishing pad based on the signal indicative of the position of the carrier.
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Specification