A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate by bringing a polishing tool into sliding contact with the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate-holding mechanism configured to hold a substrate and rotate the substrate, a polishing mechanism configured to press a polishing tool against a periphery of the substrate so as to polish the periphery, and a periphery-supporting mechanism configured to support the periphery of the substrate by a fluid. The periphery-supporting mechanism is configured to support a surface of the substrate from an opposite side or the same side of the periphery of the substrate.

An apparatus and method of polishing a substrate is described. The polishing includes: rotating a substrate; pressing a first polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; and pressing a second polishing tool against the edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion. The second polishing tool is located more inwardly than the first polishing tool with respect to a radial direction of the substrate. The first polishing tool has a polishing surface rougher than a polishing surface of the second polishing tool.

According to one embodiment, a polishing device includes a stage, a polishing unit, a warp suppressing unit, and an adsorbing mechanism. A semiconductor wafer is mounted onto the stage. The stage is rotatable around a first shaft. The polishing unit applies a force to and polishes a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer mounted on the stage. The warp suppressing unit applies a force to, during the polishing, an outer circumferential part of a front surface of the semiconductor wafer. The adsorbing mechanism adsorbs, during the polishing, a first region in the rear surface of the semiconductor wafer. The first region is on a center side relative to an area at which the polishing is performed.

According to one embodiment, a polishing device includes a stage, a polishing unit, a warp suppressing unit, and an adsorbing mechanism. A semiconductor wafer is mounted onto the stage. The stage is rotatable around a first shaft. The polishing unit applies a force to and polishes a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer mounted on the stage. The warp suppressing unit applies a force to, during the polishing, an outer circumferential part of a front surface of the semiconductor wafer. The adsorbing mechanism adsorbs, during the polishing, a first region in the rear surface of the semiconductor wafer. The first region is on a center side relative to an area at which the polishing is performed.

The present invention relates to a polishing head for pressing a polishing tape against a substrate, such as a wafer. The present invention further relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate with such a polishing head. The polishing head (10) includes a pressing mechanism (12) configured to press a polishing tape (2) against a substrate W, and a tape hook (40) configured to restrict movement of an edge of the polishing tape (2) in a direction toward the substrate (W). The tape hook (40) has a tape positioning surface (47) that faces a polishing surface of the edge of the polishing tape (2).

A processing element for processing a profile-shaped or flat metallic workpiece, wherein the processing element is designed such that a plurality of similar processing elements can be arranged one behind the other on a supporting device in the longitudinal direction of the supporting device, wherein the supporting device can be driven in a circulating manner and the plurality of processing elements can be guided past the workpiece for surface processing at least approximately linearly by means of the supporting device. A rectangular or block-shaped main body having bearing surfaces for bearing on the supporting device is provided, and oblong ribs protruding outward in a web-like manner are provided on the main body on opposite flat longitudinal sides and overlap the corresponding opposite flat longitudinal sides of the main body on an identically embodied processing element, which is arranged between the ribs.

The present invention relates to a substrate polishing method of polishing a substrate, such as a wafer. The substrate polishing method includes: rotating a substrate (W) about its own axis, while causing the substrate (W) and a polishing head (10C) to make a circular motion relative to each other; and pressing a polishing tape (2B) against a surface (5a) of the substrate (W) by the polishing head (10C) while feeding the polishing tape (2B) in a longitudinal direction thereof to thereby polish a central region including a center (O1) of the substrate (W) and an outer region adjacent to the central region. A process of polishing the central region and the outer region includes at least two polishing processes performed under different polishing conditions. The at least two polishing processes include: a low polishing-rate process performed under a polishing condition such that a polishing rate in the central region is lower than a polishing rate in the outer region; and a high polishing-rate process performed under a polishing condition such that a polishing rate in the central region is higher than a polishing rate in the outer region.

The present invention relates to a substrate polishing method of polishing a substrate, such as a wafer. The substrate polishing method includes: rotating a substrate (W) about its own axis, while causing the substrate (W) and a polishing head (10C) to make a circular motion relative to each other; and pressing a polishing tape (2B) against a surface (5a) of the substrate (W) by the polishing head (10C) while feeding the polishing tape (2B) in a longitudinal direction thereof to thereby polish a central region including a center (O1) of the substrate (W) and an outer region adjacent to the central region. A process of polishing the central region and the outer region includes at least two polishing processes performed under different polishing conditions. The at least two polishing processes include: a low polishing-rate process performed under a polishing condition such that a polishing rate in the central region is lower than a polishing rate in the outer region; and a high polishing-rate process performed under a polishing condition such that a polishing rate in the central region is higher than a polishing rate in the outer region.

A method determines state information relating to a belt grinder. The belt grinder has at least one abrasive belt for grinding a workpiece. The method includes providing measurement data relating to the belt grinder, and determining the state information from the measurement data using a machine learning system. The machine learning system is configured to determine the state information based on the provided measurement data.

A device has laterally mobile pressure devices on belt sanders in throughfeed, which are brought into position so that workpieces detected by detectors are sanded in a laterally limited area in the longitudinal direction. An arrangement of such pressure arrangements represents, for example, a segmented sanding pad. The method of lateral movement of its segments and the devices created for this purpose enable, among other things, the sanding of frames in the wood grain direction of their individual parts and/or their center panel as well as the application of sanding patterns to workpiece surfaces.