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.

An endless abrasive belt for a sanding machine includes a flexible support structure, on an upper side of the support structure, an active layer with a binder and abrasive grains held in the binder. A transponder device is affixed to an underside of the endless abrasive belt, the transponder device including an attachment region and a flag, the attachment region being glued onto the underside by an adhesive layer, the flag being held by the attachment region and projecting laterally away from the endless abrasive belt, and a transponder including a transponder chip and an aerial for a wireless data connection with the sanding machine is arranged in the flag.

An endless abrasive belt for a sanding machine includes a flexible support structure, on an upper side of the support structure, an active layer with a binder and abrasive grains held in the binder. A transponder device is affixed to an underside of the endless abrasive belt, the transponder device including an attachment region and a flag, the attachment region being glued onto the underside by an adhesive layer, the flag being held by the attachment region and projecting laterally away from the endless abrasive belt, and a transponder including a transponder chip and an aerial for a wireless data connection with the sanding machine is arranged in the flag.

The present invention relates to a device for polishing a specimen (104, 204). The device comprises a polishing platen (101, 201) rotatable about an axis, a polishing pad (103, 203) attached to the polishing platen (101, 201), a specimen holder (105, 205) for holding the specimen (104, 204) against the polishing pad (103, 203), means (107, 110, 207, 212) for measuring a physical quantity in a plurality of positions on the polishing pad (103, 203), the physical quantity being indicative of the moisture or the friction, and means (116, 119, 120, 121, 213, 215, 216, 217) for dispensing a polishing suspension, based on values of the measured physical quantity, to the plurality of positions on the polishing pad (103, 203). The invention also relates to a method for polishing a specimen (104, 204).

The present invention relates to a device for polishing a specimen (104, 204). The device comprises a polishing platen (101, 201) rotatable about an axis, a polishing pad (103, 203) attached to the polishing platen (101, 201), a specimen holder (105, 205) for holding the specimen (104, 204) against the polishing pad (103, 203), means (107, 110, 207, 212) for measuring a physical quantity in a plurality of positions on the polishing pad (103, 203), the physical quantity being indicative of the moisture or the friction, and means (116, 119, 120, 121, 213, 215, 216, 217) for dispensing a polishing suspension, based on values of the measured physical quantity, to the plurality of positions on the polishing pad (103, 203). The invention also relates to a method for polishing a specimen (104, 204).

Data received from an in-situ monitoring system includes, for each scan of a sensor, a plurality of measured signal values for a plurality of different locations on a layer. A thickness of a polishing pad is determined based on the data from the in-situ monitoring system. For each scan, a portion of the measured signal values are adjusted based on the thickness of the polishing pad. For each scan of the plurality of scans and each location of the plurality of different locations, a value is generated representing a thickness of the layer at the location. This includes processing the adjusted signal values using one or more processors configured by machine learning. A polishing endpoint is detected or a polishing parameter is modified based on the values representing the thicknesses at the plurality of different locations.

A novel polishing apparatus which determines a polishing end point of a substrate on the basis of a strain of a constituent element of the polishing apparatus caused by friction between a substrate such as a wafer and a polishing pad. The polishing apparatus includes a rotatable polishing table which supports a polishing pad, a polishing head which presses the substrate against the polishing pad, a rotating shaft connected to the polishing head, a support structure which rotatably supports the rotating shaft, a strain measuring instrument which measures a strain of the support structure, and an end point detector which determines a polishing end point of the substrate on the basis of a change in the strain. The strain measuring instrument includes at least one strain sensor fixed to the support structure.

A novel polishing apparatus which determines a polishing end point of a substrate on the basis of a strain of a constituent element of the polishing apparatus caused by friction between a substrate such as a wafer and a polishing pad. The polishing apparatus includes a rotatable polishing table which supports a polishing pad, a polishing head which presses the substrate against the polishing pad, a rotating shaft connected to the polishing head, a support structure which rotatably supports the rotating shaft, a strain measuring instrument which measures a strain of the support structure, and an end point detector which determines a polishing end point of the substrate on the basis of a change in the strain. The strain measuring instrument includes at least one strain sensor fixed to the support structure.

A method for controlling operation of an abrading system (500) comprises: —providing an abrading head (300), which comprises an abrading device (200) and a communication unit (MOD1), —providing parameter data (PAR1) associated with the abrading device (200), —storing the parameter data (PAR1) into a memory (MEM2) of the communication unit (MOD1), —transporting the abrading head (300) to an abrading site (SITE1), —electrically connecting the abrading head (300) to a driving unit (400) at the abrading site (SITE1), —transferring the parameter data (PAR1) from the communication unit (MOD1) to the driving unit (400) at the abrading site (SITE1), and —driving an electric motor (MOTOR1) of the abrading device (200) with the driving unit (400) according to the parameter data (PAR1).