A system and method for polishing a substrate, and a retaining ring assembly therefor, are described herein. A retaining ring assembly is configured to be attached to a carrier head. The retaining ring assembly includes a retaining ring including a lower surface, an inner surface, an outer surface and a plurality of grooves, where the lower surface is configured to contact a polishing pad during a polishing process, and each of the plurality of grooves are formed in the lower surface and extend from the inner surface to the outer surface. The retaining ring assembly includes a plurality of retainers, each retainer including a movable tooth at least partially disposed in a respective groove of the retaining ring and moveable relative to the lower surface.

Grinding a surface of a workpieces is accomplished with a grinding machine having at least two grinding units. First, a target structure of the surface to be achieved is provided. Then, using predetermined grinding parameters, a first of the two grinding units is used to grind the surface of the structure. Then, the surface of the actual structure is captured and compared to the target structure. Based on the comparison, the grinding parameters are adjusted and the surface is then ground, using the adjusted parameters, with the second of the two grinding units.

Grinding a surface of a workpieces is accomplished with a grinding machine having at least two grinding units. First, a target structure of the surface to be achieved is provided. Then, using predetermined grinding parameters, a first of the two grinding units is used to grind the surface of the structure. Then, the surface of the actual structure is captured and compared to the target structure. Based on the comparison, the grinding parameters are adjusted and the surface is then ground, using the adjusted parameters, with the second of the two grinding units.

A method of optimizing a manufacturing process or a blade array of a razor cartridge using spatial information for a tip portion of a razor blade comprises the steps of: measuring, using an atomic force microscope including a probe having a high aspect ratio of a length to a half side angle and a probe tip with a radius less than a radius of an ultimate tip of the tip portion of the razor blade, the spatial information by traversing the probe across the tip portion of the razor blade; analyzing, by one or more processors, the spatial information as measured by the atomic force microscope, to determine one or more blade characteristics; and using the blade characteristics to adjust the manufacturing process to improve a design of the razor blade or to adjust a design characteristic of the blade array to improve a design of the razor cartridge.

A production apparatus includes: a rotating body configured to rotate a grindstone to cut a first surface of an object; a holding unit configured to contact a second surface of the object; and a displacement unit configured to displace at least a portion of the second surface of the object in a rotation axis direction of the rotating body.

A production apparatus includes: a rotating body configured to rotate a grindstone to cut a first surface of an object; a holding unit configured to contact a second surface of the object; and a displacement unit configured to displace at least a portion of the second surface of the object in a rotation axis direction of the rotating body.

A polishing method that can reduce influence of polishing liquid (e.g., slurry) on measuring of a film thickness of a workpiece and can achieve accurate measuring of the film thickness is disclosed. The polishing method includes pressing the workpiece against a polishing pad by a polishing head while polishing liquid is present on the polishing pad to polish the workpiece; during polishing of the workpiece, directing light from an optical sensor head onto the workpiece and receiving reflected light from the workpiece by the optical sensor head, the optical sensor head being disposed in the polishing table; determining a film thickness of the workpiece based on a spectrum of the reflected light; and during polishing of the workpiece, supplying cleaning liquid from a cleaning nozzle to a target position which is located just above the optical sensor head.

A polishing method that can reduce influence of polishing liquid (e.g., slurry) on measuring of a film thickness of a workpiece and can achieve accurate measuring of the film thickness is disclosed. The polishing method includes pressing the workpiece against a polishing pad by a polishing head while polishing liquid is present on the polishing pad to polish the workpiece; during polishing of the workpiece, directing light from an optical sensor head onto the workpiece and receiving reflected light from the workpiece by the optical sensor head, the optical sensor head being disposed in the polishing table; determining a film thickness of the workpiece based on a spectrum of the reflected light; and during polishing of the workpiece, supplying cleaning liquid from a cleaning nozzle to a target position which is located just above the optical sensor head.

A polishing apparatus includes a holding table having a holding surface that holds a wafer, a polishing unit in which a polishing pad having an opening at the center of a polishing surface that polishes the wafer is mounted to a spindle and is rotated, a slurry supply unit that supplies slurry to the polishing surface of the polishing pad, and an air supply unit that shuts an upper end of a penetrating path penetrating through the axial center of rotation of the polishing pad and the spindle and supplies air into the penetrating path.

A polishing apparatus includes a holding table having a holding surface that holds a wafer, a polishing unit in which a polishing pad having an opening at the center of a polishing surface that polishes the wafer is mounted to a spindle and is rotated, a slurry supply unit that supplies slurry to the polishing surface of the polishing pad, and an air supply unit that shuts an upper end of a penetrating path penetrating through the axial center of rotation of the polishing pad and the spindle and supplies air into the penetrating path.