A polishing apparatus has a polishing pad, a top ring for holding a semiconductor wafer, and a vertical movement mechanism operable to move the top ring in a vertical direction. The polishing apparatus also has a distance measuring sensor operable to detect a position of the top ring when a lower surface of the top ring is brought into contact with the polishing pad, and a controller operable to calculate an optimal position of the top ring to polish the semiconductor wafer based on the position detected by the distance measuring sensor. The vertical movement mechanism includes a ball screw mechanism operable to move the top ring to the optimal position.

A polishing apparatus has a polishing pad, a top ring for holding a semiconductor wafer, and a vertical movement mechanism operable to move the top ring in a vertical direction. The polishing apparatus also has a distance measuring sensor operable to detect a position of the top ring when a lower surface of the top ring is brought into contact with the polishing pad, and a controller operable to calculate an optimal position of the top ring to polish the semiconductor wafer based on the position detected by the distance measuring sensor. The vertical movement mechanism includes a ball screw mechanism operable to move the top ring to the optimal position.

Provided with a holding unit 4 configured to hold and release a polishing holder 3 to which an optical fiber ferrule 2 can be detachably attached; a turntable 5 arranged below the polishing holder 3 held by the holding unit 4, a polishing plate 6 being replaceably installed on turntable 5; a rotation unit 7 configured to rotate and revolve the turntable 5 for polishing an end face of the optical fiber ferrule 2 attached to the polishing holder 3 by the polishing plate 6 installed on the turntable 5; and a controller 8 for operating the rotation unit 7 to move the turntable 5 to a predetermined revolution position after a polishing using the rotation unit 7 is finished.

Provided with a holding unit 4 configured to hold and release a polishing holder 3 to which an optical fiber ferrule 2 can be detachably attached; a turntable 5 arranged below the polishing holder 3 held by the holding unit 4, a polishing plate 6 being replaceably installed on turntable 5; a rotation unit 7 configured to rotate and revolve the turntable 5 for polishing an end face of the optical fiber ferrule 2 attached to the polishing holder 3 by the polishing plate 6 installed on the turntable 5; and a controller 8 for operating the rotation unit 7 to move the turntable 5 to a predetermined revolution position after a polishing using the rotation unit 7 is finished.

A grinding apparatus includes a first grinding mechanism, a second grinding mechanism, and a third grinding mechanism for grinding wafers held on respective chuck tables. The first grinding mechanism and the second grinding mechanism are positioned with respect to the chuck tables such that a second ground mark produced on a wafer by second grindstones of the second grinding mechanism as it grinds the wafer extends across a first ground mark produced on the wafer by first grindstones of the first grinding mechanism as it grinds the wafer. The second grinding mechanism and the third grinding mechanism are positioned with respect to the chuck tables such that a third ground mark produced on the wafer by third grindstones of the third grinding mechanism as it grinds the wafer extends across the second ground mark produced on the wafer by the second grindstones.

A servo driven compliant mechanism is provided. The servo driven compliant mechanism includes a holder, a first pivot, a grinding tool, a posture sensor, a displacement sensor, an inner frame, and a first servomotor. The first pivot is perpendicular to an axial direction of the grinding tool. The posture sensor is used for sensing a posture of the grinding tool and sending a posture signal to be transformed into a torque compensation value for an effect of gravity. The displacement sensor is used for sensing a displacement of the grinding tool along the first pivot. The grinding tool is disposed in the inner frame, and the first pivot is movably disposed in the inner frame. The first servomotor is disposed in the inner frame and drives the grinding tool to rotate along the first pivot according to the torque compensation value and the displacement.

A servo driven compliant mechanism is provided. The servo driven compliant mechanism includes a holder, a first pivot, a grinding tool, a posture sensor, a displacement sensor, an inner frame, and a first servomotor. The first pivot is perpendicular to an axial direction of the grinding tool. The posture sensor is used for sensing a posture of the grinding tool and sending a posture signal to be transformed into a torque compensation value for an effect of gravity. The displacement sensor is used for sensing a displacement of the grinding tool along the first pivot. The grinding tool is disposed in the inner frame, and the first pivot is movably disposed in the inner frame. The first servomotor is disposed in the inner frame and drives the grinding tool to rotate along the first pivot according to the torque compensation value and the displacement.

Method for machining an optical surface of an optical lens, including: a lens blank providing step, during which a lens blank blocked on a lens blocker is provided; a clamping step, during which the lens blocker is clamped in a lens machining device; a tilting step, during which the lens blank and lens blocker are tilted relative to the rotation axis of the lens machining device; a surface position determining step, during which the position of the surface to be machined is determined based on the tilt angle of the lens blank and lens blocker relative to the rotation axis of the lens machining device; and a machining tool configuration step, during which the operational parameters of the lens machining tool are configured to manufacture the surface to be manufactured according to the determined surface position so the desired optical properties of the optical lens are respected.

A carrier head for holding a substrate in a polishing system has a housing including a carrier plate, a first flexible membrane secured to the housing, and a plurality of independently operable piezoelectric actuators secured to the carrier plate. The first flexible membrane has an upper surface and having a lower surface that provides a substrate mounting surface. The piezoelectric actuators are positioned above the first flexible membrane so as to independently adjust compressive pressure on the upper surface of the first flexible membrane.

A workpiece processing device includes a workpiece supporting unit configured to support a workpiece so that the workpiece is rotatable around a first axis parallel to a central axis of the workpiece, a cutting unit having a blade configured to cut a surface of the workpiece, a detecting unit configured to calculate a position of a vertex of the surface in a direction along a second axis which is perpendicular to the first axis and parallel to the blade, and a control unit configured to control the workpiece supporting unit so that a cutting position on the surface is located at a vertex in the direction along the second axis, and relatively move the workpiece supporting unit and the cutting unit so that an incision direction of the blade is on a plane defined by the central axis and the cutting position, thereby forming a groove at the cutting position.