A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a rotatable platen to hold a polishing pad, a rotatable carrier to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process, a polishing liquid supply port to supply a polishing liquid to the polishing surface, a thermal control system including a movable nozzle to spray a medium onto the polishing surface to adjust a temperature of a zone on the polishing surface, an actuator to move the nozzle radially relative to an axis of rotation of the platen, and a controller configured to coordinate dispensing of the medium from the nozzle with motion of the nozzle across the polishing surface.

A polishing apparatus capable of monitoring a distribution of an amount of liquid, such as a polishing liquid or a chemical liquid, on a polishing surface of a polishing pad, and capable of polishing an object, such as a wafer, under appropriate polishing conditions. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to support a polishing pad; a polishing head configured to press the object against a polishing surface of the polishing pad; a liquid supply device configured to supply liquid onto the polishing surface; a liquid monitoring device configured to obtain optical information contained in light from a plurality of points on the polishing surface; an optical information analyzer configured to determine a distribution of amount of the liquid on the polishing surface from the optical information; and an operation controller configured to control operations of the polishing apparatus.

A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen to support a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad, a motor to generate relative motion between the platen and the carrier head so as to polish an overlying layer on the substrate, an in-situ vibration monitoring system including a light source to emit a light beam and a sensor that receives a reflection of the light beam from a reflective surface of the polishing pad, and a controller configured to detect exposure of an underlying layer due to the polishing of the substrate based on measurements from the sensor of the in-situ pad vibration monitoring system.

A polishing method is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. A method of polishing a substrate by a polishing apparatus includes a polishing table (100) having a polishing surface, a top ring (1) for holding a substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface, and a vertically movable mechanism (24) for moving the top ring (1) in a vertical direction. The top ring (1) is moved to a first height before the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface, and then the top ring (1) is moved to a second height after the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface.

A wafer polishing head is provided. The wafer polishing head includes a carrier head, a plurality of piezoelectric actuators disposed on the carrier head, and a membrane disposed over the plurality of piezoelectric actuators. The plurality of piezoelectric actuators is configured to provide mechanical forces on the membrane and generate an electrical charge when receiving counterforces of the mechanical forces through the membrane. A wafer polishing system and a method for polishing a substrate using the same are also provided.

The present disclosure includes methods of lapping that include energizing one or more elements that are located proximal to a first magnetoresistive element in a transducer region and generate heat and cause the first magnetoresistive element to selectively expand in the lapping direction relative to one or more other magnetoresistive elements. The present disclosure also includes methods of lapping that use one or more thermal sensors located proximal to the first magnetoresistive element to help control lapping in the lapping direction. The present disclosure includes related lapping systems and sliders.

Embodiments of a high-speed rotatable workpiece abrasive polishing head are disclosed that allow flat surfaced hard material workpieces or sapphire or semiconductor wafers to be polished at high abrading speeds that can use water-mist cooled quick-change fixed abrasive island-type discs. Workpieces can be quickly attached with vacuum to a rotatable workpiece plate having a curved (e.g., spherical) bearing with an offset spherical center of rotation located at the workpiece abraded surface. Abrading contact there prevents lateral abrading friction forces from tilting workpieces and causing non-flat workpiece surfaces. The workpiece carrier plate can be rotationally driven by a floating drive shaft having a spherical spline head that contacts the workpiece carrier plate at a position close to the workpiece abraded surface to avoid tilting of the workpiece due to the shaft-applied workpiece rotation forces. The workpiece head can allow the workpieces to either float in contact with the abrasive or be held in rigid contact with the abrasive.

A system and method for thinning an integrated circuit (IC) wafer. The system includes a support structure to hold the IC wafer and a mechanism to operate on the IC wafer. The support structure includes one or more inductive coils configured to transmit a power signal to the IC wafer and receive a feedback signal from the IC wafer. The system further includes a process controller to control the operation based at least in part on the feedback signal received from the IC wafer.

A system and method for thinning an integrated circuit (IC) wafer. The system includes a support structure to hold the IC wafer and a mechanism to operate on the IC wafer. The support structure includes one or more inductive coils configured to transmit a power signal to the IC wafer and receive a feedback signal from the IC wafer. The system further includes a process controller to control the operation based at least in part on the feedback signal received from the IC wafer.

A polishing apparatus is a polishing apparatus polishing a target object formed on a surface of a film-shaped substrate. A polishing apparatus includes: a rotatable polishing tool acting on the target object; a slurry nozzle supplying a polishing slurry; and a polishing stage pressing the polishing tool against the target object. A surface of the polishing stage has an unevenness shape.