Jason T Price

US Patent:

7029382, Apr 18, 2006

Filed:

Dec 21, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/027935

Inventors:

Gerard S. Maloney - Milpitas CA, US
Jason Price - Eugene OR, US
Scott Chin - Palo Alto CA, US
Jiro Kajiwara - Cupertino CA, US
Malik Charif - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Ebara Corporation - Tokyo

International Classification:

B24B 29/00

US Classification:

451288, 451290, 451398

Abstract:

A resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder is coupled for fluid communication to a first pressurized pneumatic fluid to define a first pneumatic zone and is attached to a first surface of the wafer stop plate adjacent the retaining ring interior cylindrical surface to receive the wafer and to support the wafer at a peripheral edge. The resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder defines a second pneumatic zone radially interior to the first pneumatic zone and extends between the first surface of the wafer stop plate and the wafer when the wafer is attached to the polishing head during a polishing operation and is coupled for fluid communication to a second pressurized pneumatic fluid. The wafer attachment stop plate is operative during non polishing periods to prevent the wafer from flexing excessively from an applied vacuum force used to hold the wafer to the polishing head during wafer loading and unloading operations.

US Patent:

7311586, Dec 25, 2007

Filed:

Jan 31, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/345199

Inventors:

Gerard S. Maloney - Milpitas CA, US
Jason Price - Eugene OR, US
Scott Chin - Palo Alto CA, US
Jiro Kajiwara - Cupertino CA, US
Malik Charif - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Ebara Corporation - Tokyo

International Classification:

B24B 1/00
B24B 5/02

US Classification:

451 41, 451 63, 451288, 451398

Abstract:

A resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder is coupled for fluid communication to a first pressurized pneumatic fluid to define a first pneumatic zone and is attached to a first surface of the wafer stop plate adjacent the retaining ring interior cylindrical surface to receive the wafer and to support the wafer at a peripheral edge. The resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder defines a second pneumatic zone radially interior to the first pneumatic zone and extends between the first surface of the wafer stop plate and the wafer when the wafer is attached to the polishing head during a polishing operation and is coupled for fluid communication to a second pressurized pneumatic fluid. The wafer attachment stop plate is operative during non polishing periods to prevent the wafer from flexing excessively from an applied vacuum force used to hold the wafer to the polishing head during wafer loading and unloading operations.

US Patent:

6368189, Apr 9, 2002

Filed:

Sep 3, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/390142

Inventors:

Gerard S. Maloney - Milpitas CA
Jason Price - Eugene OR
Scott Chin - Palo Alto CA
Jiro Kajiwara - Cupertino CA
Malek Charif - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation - Tokyo

International Classification:

B24B 100

US Classification:

451 41, 451 63, 451288, 451398

Abstract:

A resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder is coupled for fluid communication to a first pressurized pneumatic fluid to define a first pneumatic zone and is attached to a first surface of the wafer stop plate adjacent the retaining ring interior cylindrical surface to receive the wafer and to support the wafer at a peripheral edge. The resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder defines a second pneumatic zone radially interior to the first pneumatic zone and extends between the first surface of the wafer stop plate and the wafer when the wafer is attached to the polishing head during a polishing operation and is coupled for fluid communication to a second pressurized pneumatic fluid. The wafer attachment stop plate is operative during non polishing periods to prevent the wafer from flexing excessively from an applied vacuum force used to hold the wafer to the polishing head during wafer loading and unloading operations.