A platen for a metallographic grinder has an outer peripheral rim with an upper surface having a lower height. Also, fingers engaging a specimen are allowed to move laterally (i.e., wobble) to minimize the tipping forces on the specimen during the grinding process. Either one or both of these structures can be employed and results in a much flatter specimen surface for use in subsequent analysis.

A platen for a metallographic grinder has an outer peripheral rim with an upper surface having a lower height. Also, fingers engaging a specimen are allowed to move laterally (i.e., wobble) to minimize the tipping forces on the specimen during the grinding process. Either one or both of these structures can be employed and results in a much flatter specimen surface for use in subsequent analysis.

There is provided a device and method for accurately positioning a substrate on a stage by a simple method using power of a movement mechanism provided for a movable stage. A substrate holding device for holding a substrate is provided. The substrate holding device includes a substrate stage for supporting the substrate, a stage drive mechanism for causing the substrate stage to move, positioning pin for positioning the substrate on the substrate stage, first urging members each urging the positioning pin, and a stopper member capable of applying a force against the urging member to the positioning pin. The positioning pin is configured to move together with the substrate stage by the stage drive mechanism. The positioning pin moving together with the substrate stage allows the substrate to be positioned on the substrate stage.

There is provided a device and method for accurately positioning a substrate on a stage by a simple method using power of a movement mechanism provided for a movable stage. A substrate holding device for holding a substrate is provided. The substrate holding device includes a substrate stage for supporting the substrate, a stage drive mechanism for causing the substrate stage to move, positioning pin for positioning the substrate on the substrate stage, first urging members each urging the positioning pin, and a stopper member capable of applying a force against the urging member to the positioning pin. The positioning pin is configured to move together with the substrate stage by the stage drive mechanism. The positioning pin moving together with the substrate stage allows the substrate to be positioned on the substrate stage.

A carrier head for a polishing system includes a housing, a flexible membrane, a first plurality of pressure supply lines, a second plurality of pressure supply lines, and a valve assembly. The flexible membrane defines a multiplicity of independently pressurizable chambers. The valve assembly has a multiplicity of valves with each respective valve of the multiplicity of valves coupled to a respective pressure chamber from the multiplicity of independently pressurizable chambers. Each respective valve is configured to selectively couple the respective pressure chamber to one pressure supply line from a pair of pressure supply lines that include a pressure supply line from the first plurality of pressure supply lines and a pressure supply line from the second plurality of pressure supply lines.

A carrier head for a polishing system includes a housing, a flexible membrane, a first plurality of pressure supply lines, a second plurality of pressure supply lines, and a valve assembly. The flexible membrane defines a multiplicity of independently pressurizable chambers. The valve assembly has a multiplicity of valves with each respective valve of the multiplicity of valves coupled to a respective pressure chamber from the multiplicity of independently pressurizable chambers. Each respective valve is configured to selectively couple the respective pressure chamber to one pressure supply line from a pair of pressure supply lines that include a pressure supply line from the first plurality of pressure supply lines and a pressure supply line from the second plurality of pressure supply lines.

A carrier head includes a housing, a support assembly having a support plate flexibly connected to the housing so as to be vertically movable, a plurality of fluid-impermeable barriers projecting from a bottom of the support plate to define a plurality of recesses that are open at bottom sides thereof, and pneumatic control lines. A volume between the support plate and the housing includes one or more independently pressurizable first chambers to apply pressure on a top surface of the support plate in one or more first zones. The barriers are positioned and configured such that when a planar substrate is loaded into the carrier head the barriers contact the substrate and divide a volume between the support plate and the substrate into a plurality of second chambers. The pneumatic control lines are coupled to the plurality of recesses to provide a plurality of independently pressurizable second zones.

A carrier head includes a housing, a support assembly having a support plate flexibly connected to the housing so as to be vertically movable, a plurality of fluid-impermeable barriers projecting from a bottom of the support plate to define a plurality of recesses that are open at bottom sides thereof, and pneumatic control lines. A volume between the support plate and the housing includes one or more independently pressurizable first chambers to apply pressure on a top surface of the support plate in one or more first zones. The barriers are positioned and configured such that when a planar substrate is loaded into the carrier head the barriers contact the substrate and divide a volume between the support plate and the substrate into a plurality of second chambers. The pneumatic control lines are coupled to the plurality of recesses to provide a plurality of independently pressurizable second zones.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder, a first cleaning body, a first moving mechanism, a second cleaning body, a second moving mechanism, and a controller. The first cleaning body cleans one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder by ejecting fluid thereto or by coming into contact therewith. The second cleaning body cleans the other one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder by coming into contact therewith. The controller controls the first moving mechanism and the second moving mechanism to perform a both-surface cleaning processing in which the first cleaning body which ejects the fluid to one surface or is in contact with the upper surface and the second cleaning body which is in contact with the lower surface are horizontally moved in synchronization with each other.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder, a first cleaning body, a first moving mechanism, a second cleaning body, a second moving mechanism, and a controller. The first cleaning body cleans one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder by ejecting fluid thereto or by coming into contact therewith. The second cleaning body cleans the other one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder by coming into contact therewith. The controller controls the first moving mechanism and the second moving mechanism to perform a both-surface cleaning processing in which the first cleaning body which ejects the fluid to one surface or is in contact with the upper surface and the second cleaning body which is in contact with the lower surface are horizontally moved in synchronization with each other.