A coupling mechanism capable of preventing vibration of a rotating body from occurring due to a lower-bearing friction torque is disclosed. The coupling mechanism includes an upper spherical bearing and a lower spherical bearing disposed between a drive shaft and a rotating body. The upper spherical bearing has a first concave contact surface and a second convex contact surface, and the lower spherical bearing has a third concave contact surface and a fourth convex contact surface. The first concave contact surface, the second convex contact surface, the third concave contact surface, and the fourth convex contact surface are arranged concentrically. A lower-bearing radius of the lower spherical bearing is determined so that a lower-restoring torque is equal to or less than 0, the lower-restoring torque being the sum of a rotating-body friction torque generated in the rotating body due to a rotating-body frictional force between a polishing pad and the rotating body, and a lower-bearing friction torque generated in the rotating body due to a frictional force between the third concave contact surface and the fourth convex contact surface.

A processing apparatus includes a chuck table that holds a workpiece by a holding face, a processing unit that processes the workpiece with a grinding whetstone or a polishing pad, a movement unit for moving the chuck table and the processing unit parallel to the holding face, a processing feeding unit for moving the chuck table and the processing unit in a direction orthogonal to the holding face, an inspection unit to inspect a process mark of the workpiece during processing, a dressing unit to dress the grinding whetstone or the polishing pad of the processing unit, and a control unit. When a process mark of a size exceeding a threshold value is detected on the process face of the workpiece, the control unit stops processing of the workpiece, and after the grinding whetstone or the polishing pad is dressed, restarts processing.

A processing apparatus includes a chuck table that holds a workpiece by a holding face, a processing unit that processes the workpiece with a grinding whetstone or a polishing pad, a movement unit for moving the chuck table and the processing unit parallel to the holding face, a processing feeding unit for moving the chuck table and the processing unit in a direction orthogonal to the holding face, an inspection unit to inspect a process mark of the workpiece during processing, a dressing unit to dress the grinding whetstone or the polishing pad of the processing unit, and a control unit. When a process mark of a size exceeding a threshold value is detected on the process face of the workpiece, the control unit stops processing of the workpiece, and after the grinding whetstone or the polishing pad is dressed, restarts processing.

A sample preparation saw (10) has a base (130, 146, 14, 47), a housing (12, 76), a saw (10) assembly (30, 58) mounted to the base (130, 146, 14, 47), a dressing assembly (58), a sample clamping assembly (100) mounted to the base (130, 146, 14, 47), and a reservoir assembly (30, 58). The saw (10) assembly (30, 58) includes a blade assembly (30) with a rotating blade (24). The blade assembly (30) is movable along x-, y- and z-axes by at least two drives (27, 36). The dressing assembly (58) is operable to dress the rotating blade (24). The sample clamping assembly (100) includes a rail (102), a sample mount (104) removably positioned on the rail (102) and a saddle (106) operable to hold a sample. The reservoir assembly (30, 58) is operable to recirculate a rinse fluid sprayed on the rotating blade (24), and includes a basin (178) having a pump (180) and a series of weirs (188A, 188).

A sample preparation saw (10) has a base (130, 146, 14, 47), a housing (12, 76), a saw (10) assembly (30, 58) mounted to the base (130, 146, 14, 47), a dressing assembly (58), a sample clamping assembly (100) mounted to the base (130, 146, 14, 47), and a reservoir assembly (30, 58). The saw (10) assembly (30, 58) includes a blade assembly (30) with a rotating blade (24). The blade assembly (30) is movable along x-, y- and z-axes by at least two drives (27, 36). The dressing assembly (58) is operable to dress the rotating blade (24). The sample clamping assembly (100) includes a rail (102), a sample mount (104) removably positioned on the rail (102) and a saddle (106) operable to hold a sample. The reservoir assembly (30, 58) is operable to recirculate a rinse fluid sprayed on the rotating blade (24), and includes a basin (178) having a pump (180) and a series of weirs (188A, 188).

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multiple disk pad conditioner and methods of using the multiple disk pad conditioner during a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. The multiple disk pad conditioner has a plurality of conditioning heads having conditioning disks affixed thereto. The multiple disk pad conditioner can include a conditioning arm, and a plurality of conditioning heads attached to the conditioning arm. Each of the plurality of conditioning heads has a conditioning disk affixed thereto. In some embodiments, each of the conditioning heads include a rotational axis, wherein each of the rotational axes is disposed a distance apart in a first direction that extends along the length of the conditioning arm.

This invention relates to a conditioner for a chemical mechanical planarization pad, which is necessary for global planarization of a wafer in order to increase the degree of integration of a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a pad conditioner having a structure able to reduce friction with a pad so as to solve the problems caused by a lot of friction being generated upon conditioning, and to a method of manufacturing the same.

This invention relates to a conditioner for a chemical mechanical planarization pad, which is necessary for global planarization of a wafer in order to increase the degree of integration of a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a pad conditioner having a structure able to reduce friction with a pad so as to solve the problems caused by a lot of friction being generated upon conditioning, and to a method of manufacturing the same.

A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pad conditioning assembly that includes one or more support structures positioned between one or more abrasive regions of the pad conditioning assembly is disclosed. The support structures and abrasive regions can be separated by one or more channels. A top surface of the one or more support structures is not co-planar with the top surface of the abrasive regions of the pad conditioning assembly, and the height of the top surface of the one or more support structures when measured to the pad facing surface of the pad conditioning assembly backing plate is less than the height of the top surfaces of the abrasive regions when measured to the pad facing surface of the pad conditioning assembly.

A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pad conditioning assembly that includes one or more support structures positioned between one or more abrasive regions of the pad conditioning assembly is disclosed. The support structures and abrasive regions can be separated by one or more channels. A top surface of the one or more support structures is not co-planar with the top surface of the abrasive regions of the pad conditioning assembly, and the height of the top surface of the one or more support structures when measured to the pad facing surface of the pad conditioning assembly backing plate is less than the height of the top surfaces of the abrasive regions when measured to the pad facing surface of the pad conditioning assembly.