Polishing apparatus including attitude controller for turntable and/or wafer carrier
First Claim
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1. A polishing apparatus comprising:
- a polishing surface that is to come into sliding contact with an object to be polished;
a support to tiltably support said polishing surface; and
an attitude controller to control an attitude or an orientation of said polishing surface.
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Abstract
There is provided a polishing apparatus comprising an attitude controller for controlling an attitude or orientation of a turntable having a polishing surface and/or a carrier for holding an article to be polished in a sliding contact relation with the polishing surface. The turntable and carrier are connected to their drive shafts through universal joints. The attitude controllers control angles of tilting of the turntable and the carrier relative to their drive shafts.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A polishing apparatus comprising:
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a polishing surface that is to come into sliding contact with an object to be polished;
a support to tiltably support said polishing surface; and
an attitude controller to control an attitude or an orientation of said polishing surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
an electromagnetic device fixedly provided on said stationary frame; and
an armature fixedly provided on said turntable and adapted to be moved by an electromagnetic force that is generated by said electromagnetic device.
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5. The polishing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a stationary frame, and wherein said attitude controller includes a cylinder device fixed to said stationary frame and engaged with a lower surface of said turntable, whereby said attitude controller is to control the attitude or the orientation of said turntable via extension and retraction of said cylinder device.
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6. A polishing apparatus comprising:
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a polishing surface;
a carrier to hold an article to be polished in sliding contact with said polishing surface;
a drive shaft connected to said carrier via a universal joint that allows said carrier to tilt relative to said drive shaft, with said drive shaft to drivingly rotate said carrier and press said carrier towards said polishing surface while the article is in contact with said polishing surface; and
an attitude controller to control an attitude or an orientation of said carrier by causing said carrier to tilt relative to said drive shaft. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
an electromagnetic device fixedly provided on said frame; and
an armature fixedly provided on said carrier and adapted to be moved by an electromagnetic force that is generated by said electromagnetic device.
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9. The polishing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said attitude controller further includes a sensor to sense an attitude or an orientation of said carrier, whereby said attitude controller is to control the attitude or the orientation of said carrier in response to the attitude or the orientation as sensed by said sensor.
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10. The polishing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:
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a pressing device positioned radially outside of said carrier and axially movable independently of said carrier;
an urging device to urge said pressing device; and
a bearing to support said pressing device on said carrier, whereby said carrier is allowed to rotate relative to said pressing device.
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11. The polishing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said carrier includes:
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a mounting member connected to said drive shaft; and
an article holding member, with a gap between said mounting member and said article holding member, wherein said article holding member is flexible and has a lower surface to hold an article to be polished, whereby said article holding member can be deformed in an axial direction by controlling a pressure in said gap such that said lower surface exhibits either a concave configuration or a convex configuration.
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12. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said carrier further includes a retainer ring positioned about an outer periphery of said article holding member to confine the article held on said lower surface of said article holding member, with said retainer ring being axially movable relative to said article holding member, and wherein said carrier further includes a pressing device to press said retainer ring axially against said polishing surface.
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13. A polishing apparatus comprising:
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a polishing surface;
a support to tiltably support said polishing surface;
a first attitude controller to control an attitude or an orientation of said polishing surface;
a carrier to hold an article to be polished in sliding contact with said polishing surface;
a pressing member connected to said carrier and adapted to press said carrier towards said polishing surface while the article is in contact with said polishing surface; and
a second attitude controller to control an attitude or an orientation of said carrier. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
an electromagnetic device fixedly provided on said stationary frame; and
an armature fixedly provided on said turntable and adapted to be moved by an electromagnetic force that is generated by said electromagnetic device.
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17. The polishing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a stationary frame, and wherein said first attitude controller includes a cylinder device fixed to said stationary frame and engaged with a lower surface of said turntable, whereby said first attitude controller is to control the attitude or the orientation of said turntable via extension and retraction of said cylinder device.
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18. The polishing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said pressing member comprises a drive shaft connected to said carrier via a universal joint that allows said carrier to tilt relative to said drive shaft, with said drive shaft to drivingly rotate said carrier.
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19. The polishing apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a frame to support said drive shaft such that said drive shaft can rotate about its axis, and wherein said second attitude controller includes:
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an electromagnetic device fixedly provided on said frame; and
an armature fixedly provided on said carrier and adapted to be moved by an electromagnetic force that is generated by said electromagnetic device.
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20. The polishing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said second attitude controller further includes a sensor to sense an attitude or an orientation of said carrier, whereby said second attitude controller is to control the attitude or the orientation of said carrier in response to the attitude or the orientation as sensed by said sensor.
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21. The polishing apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:
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a pressing device positioned radially outside of said carrier and axially movable independently of said carrier;
an urging device to urge said pressing device; and
a bearing to support said pressing device on said carrier, whereby said carrier is allowed to rotate relative to said pressing device.
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22. The polishing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said carrier includes:
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a mounting member connected to said drive shaft; and
an article holding member, with a gap between said mounting, member and said article holding member, wherein said article holding member is flexible and has a lower surface to hold an article to be polished, whereby said article holding member can be deformed in an axial direction by controlling a pressure in said gap such that said lower surface exhibits either a concave configuration or a convex configuration.
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23. The polishing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said carrier further includes a retainer ring positioned about an outer periphery of said article holding member to confine the article held on said lower surface of said article holding member, with said retainer ring being axially movable relative to said article holding member, and wherein said carrier further includes a pressing device to press said retainer ring axially against said polishing surface.
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24. The polishing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:
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a pressing device positioned radially outside of said carrier and axially movable independently of said carrier;
an urging device to urge said pressing device; and
a bearing to support said pressing device on said carrier, whereby said carrier is allowed to rotate relative to said pressing device.
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25. The polishing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said carrier includes:
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a mounting member connected to said pressing member; and
an article holding member, with a gap between said mounting member and said article holding member, wherein said article holding member is flexible and has a lower surface to hold an article to be polished, whereby said article holding member can be deformed in an axial direction by controlling a pressure in said gap such that said lower surface exhibits either a concave configuration or a convex configuration.
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26. The polishing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said carrier further includes a retainer ring positioned about an outer periphery of said article holding member to confine the article held on said lower surface of said article holding member, with said retainer ring being axially movable relative to said article holding member, and wherein said carrier further includes a pressing device to press said retainer ring axially against said polishing surface.
Specification