Patent · US Expired

CMP apparatus and method

US7229339B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
4References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 2, 2004
Grant dateJun 12, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 2, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB24B37/345
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) of a surface of a work piece. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises a plurality of CMP systems, a plurality of load cups for loading unprocessed work pieces into and unloading processed work pieces from the plurality of CMP systems, a plurality of cleaning stations for cleaning processed work pieces unloaded from the CMP systems, and a single robot configured to transfer unprocessed work pieces to the plurality of load cups and to transfer processed work pieces from the load cups to the plurality of cleaning stations.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.