Self-powered carrier for polishing or planarizing wafers
US6213855A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 26, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 10, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 26, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB24B47/12
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A wafer carrier for polishing or planarizing semiconductor workpieces or wafers includes a pressure plate, an upper housing, and a lower housing. The pressure plate is configured to hold a wafer to be polished or planarized against a polishing pad, and further configured to rotate about the lower housing of the wafer carrier to rotate the wafer during the polishing or planarizing process. The wafer carrier includes an electric direct drive motor, with the stators of the motor disposed in the lower housing and the rotors of the motor disposed in the pressure plate, to rotate the pressure plate about the lower housing. Accordingly, when electric power is supplied to the stators of the direct drive motor, in response to the magnetic flux generated by the stators, the rotors of the motor rotate the pressure plate. The wafer carrier also includes a compliant material disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing of the wafer carrier to form a flexible joint which maintains the wafer in substantially parallel and in substantially full contact with the polishing pad. Additionally, the lower housing of the wafer carrier is pressurized to cause pressure to be applied across subst…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.