Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080227366 | COMBINED APPARATUS FOR MACHINING OF ARTICLES, IN PARTICULAR IN FORM OF SLABS - An apparatus for machining an article (L) in the form of a slab or the like comprises—in addition to a rotary tool ( | 09-18-2008 |
20080233835 | PIN ADAPTER FOR AIR BEARING SURFACE (ABS) LAPPING AND METHOD FOR USING THE SAME - A system for lapping a head on a wafer including at least one head each having an electrical lapping guide (ELG), a plurality of wafer contacts in electrical communication with the ELG, and a closure formed thereon defining a slot in which the wafer contacts are positioned, the system comprising a lapping cable coupled to a testing device, the lapping cable including a plurality of lapping cable contacts extending outwardly therefrom; wherein the lapping cable contacts are removably positionable in electrical communication with the wafer contacts during a lapping process. Additional systems and methods are also presented | 09-25-2008 |
20080248720 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS AND LENS FIXING CUP - In a two-step processing mode in which a cup for attaching a lens to a chuck axis is changed from a large diameter cup to a small diameter cup on the way of processing, a roughing path data computing unit for computing first roughing path data larger than the target lens shape data by a predetermined finishing margin, and second roughing path data having a radius vector larger by at least Δa than at least radius vector data of the large diameter cup; and a processing controller for roughing the peripheral edge of the lens based on the second roughing path data in response to a processing start signal, thereafter stopping the processing and further resuming the processing. The processing controller performs, when a processing resuming signal is inputted, processing control of either roughing and finishing, or finishing without roughing. | 10-09-2008 |
20080248721 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus comprising: | 10-09-2008 |
20080248722 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - In an eyeglass lens processing apparatus for beveling a peripheral edge of an eyeglass lens, if the high curve lens processing mode is selected by a mode selector, a computing unit acquires a high curve bevel path for locating the bevel apex on a front surface curve of the eyeglass lens or for locating the bevel apex at a position shifted by a predetermined quantity from the front surface curve toward the rear side on the basis of the edge position information acquired by the edge position detector, thereby providing high curve beveling data for the rear surface beveling grindstone, or for the front surface and rear surface beveling grindstones; and a beveling controller bevels the peripheral edge of the eyeglass lens by the rear surface beveling grindstone, or by the front surface and rear surface beveling grindstones on the basis of the high curve beveling data. | 10-09-2008 |
20080248723 | Polishing condition control apparatus and polishing condition control method of CMP apparatus - To eliminate the unevenness of the film thickness of the wafers, and increase the polishing efficiency, reduce the running cost and enhance the production yield. A CMP apparatus | 10-09-2008 |
20080254713 | PAD ASSEMBLIES FOR ELECTROCHEMICALLY ASSISTED PLANARIZATION - In one embodiment, a pad assembly for electro-processing a substrate is provided which includes a first conductive layer having a working surface to contact the substrate during a polishing process, an intermediate layer coupled to the first conductive layer, wherein the intermediate layer contains a plurality of perforations, channels, or combinations thereof, which have diameters within a range from about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm, and a second conductive layer coupled to the intermediate layer, wherein the second conductive layer has a plurality of independently electrically biasable zones and is configured to be coupled with a power delivery arrangement. The intermediate layer may contain a polymer material support disk, a backing layer, or combinations thereof. Generally, the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the intermediate layer are adhered or secured together and removable as a unitary replaceable body. | 10-16-2008 |
20080254714 | Polishing method and polishing apparatus - A polishing method enables to initiate a second polishing step of a workpiece with an optimal thickness of an uppermost-layer film to be polished. The polishing method comprises: measuring a thickness of an uppermost-layer film, and then carrying out a first polishing step to polish the uppermost-layer film partway and a second polishing step to polish the remaining uppermost-layer film and a next-layer film; determining the polishing rates of the uppermost-layer film in the first and second polishing steps; and measuring a thickness of an uppermost-layer film of a predetermined nth workpiece and setting a processing time for the first polishing step of the nth workpiece or a next predetermined nth workpiece. | 10-16-2008 |
20080268750 | Apparatus for Manufacturing a Face Gear - A precision grinding apparatus for grinding face gears having a gear table portion controllably driven for rotation about a central axis, and also being movable in a vertical plane along an axis in a controlled manner. The apparatus further includes a case hardened face mounted on the gear table portion. A grinding wheel mounted on the apparatus has controlled driven rotation about a central axis C, and is provided with a grinding surface of predetermined shape. The grinding wheel is movable in a controlled manner toward and away from the gear along a feed axis V, the grinding wheel being movable in a controlled manner in a tangential direction with respect to the gear and orthogonal to the feed axis along a tangential feed axis wherein the motion of the grinding wheel in the C, V and TF axes, and movement of the gear in B and W axes, is controlled by a central control means. | 10-30-2008 |
20080268751 | Polishing condition control apparatus and polishing condition control method of CMP apparatus - To eliminate the unevenness of the remaining film thickness of the wafers, and increase the polishing efficiency, reduce the running cost and enhance the yield. A CMP apparatus | 10-30-2008 |
20080293328 | O.D. Centerless Grinding Machine - In one aspect of the present invention, an outer diameter (O.D.) centerless grinding machine for use in grinding a diamond workpiece has a grinding wheel positioned parallel to a regulating wheel which is adapted to press a cylindrical workpiece into the grinding wheel as the regulating wheel rotates. Electronic equipment may be adapted to adjust a pressure of the regulating wheel against the grinding wheel. Also, a carrier may be adapted to house the workpiece, the carrier being attached to a translation mechanism adapted to move the carrier between the wheels such that the workpiece is in contact with both wheels. | 11-27-2008 |
20080293329 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING A SUBSTRATE EDGE PROFILE AND ADJUSTING THE PROCESSING OF THE SUBSTRATE ACCORDING TO THE IDENTIFIED EDGE PROFILE - Methods, apparatus and systems are provided for processing a selected substrate having an edge profile. The invention includes receiving substrate information at a substrate processing system wherein the substrate information is associated with at least one substrate; determining an identification code of a substrate selected for processing using the received substrate information; accessing edge profile information associated with the selected substrate from the received substrate information using the identification code of the selected substrate; and determining a processing recipe for the selected substrate based on the accessed edge profile information. Numerous other aspects are provided. | 11-27-2008 |
20090004951 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REMOVING MATERIAL FROM MICROFEATURE WORKPIECES - Machines and systems for removing materials from microfeature workpieces using fixed-abrasive mediums. One embodiment of a method for removing material from a microfeature workpiece comprises rubbing the workpiece against a surface of a fixed-abrasive medium having a matrix and abrasive particles attached to the matrix, and sensing a parameter indicative of frictional force at an interface between the workpiece and the surface of the fixed-abrasive medium. This method continues by moving at least one of the workpiece and the fixed-abrasive medium relative to each other in a direction transverse to the interface based on the parameter. For example, the workpiece and/or the fixed-abrasive medium can be vibrated or oscillated to reduce the frictional force and/or maintain a desired relative velocity between the workpiece and the fixed-abrasive medium. | 01-01-2009 |
20090011679 | METHOD OF REMOVAL PROFILE MODULATION IN CMP PADS - A polishing pad includes a plurality of polishing surfaces, a first group of the polishing surfaces made of a first material having a first coefficient of friction and a second group of the polishing surfaces made of a second material having a second coefficient of friction. The first and second groups of polishing surfaces may be arranged over the polishing pad so as to provide a non-planar material removal profile. The polishing surface layout may be designed by evaluating a material removal profile for an existing polishing pad of known characteristics, observing how variations in polishing surface densities and/or coefficients of friction affect that material removal profile, and then mapping the polishing surface coefficients of friction and density profiles to the subject polishing pad layout. | 01-08-2009 |
20090017726 | SPECTRA BASED ENDPOINTING FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - Methods and apparatus for spectrum-based endpointing. An endpointing method includes selecting two or more reference spectra. Each reference spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a first substrate and has a thickness greater than a target thickness. The reference spectra is selected for particular spectra-based endpoint determination logic so that the target thickness is achieved when endpoint is called by applying the particular spectra-based endpoint logic. The method includes obtaining two or more current spectra. Each current spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a second substrate when the film of interest is being subjected to a polishing step and has a current thickness that is greater than the target thickness. The method includes determining, for the second substrate, when an endpoint of the polishing step has been achieved. | 01-15-2009 |
20090023361 | CMP APPARATUS AND METHOD OF POLISHING WAFER USING CMP - A CMP apparatus is provided with a replaceable polishing pad, a film thickness sensor, and a polishing control unit for switching polishing conditions in response to a fact that an output value from the film thickness sensor has exceeded a threshold value. The polishing control unit has a memory unit for storing a threshold value corresponding to the thickness of a new polishing pad when the polishing pad is replaced. The memory unit also store conversion information that shows the relationship between the output value of the film thickness sensor and the thickness of the polishing pad when the thickness of the film being polished is constant. The polishing control unit accesses the conversion information, obtain the output value of the film thickness sensor that corresponds to the thickness of the new polishing pad, and record the output value as the threshold value. | 01-22-2009 |
20090029627 | POLISHING APPARATUS AND POLISHING METHOD - The present invention realizes a polishing apparatus capable of chamfering an end face of a large-sized substrate at a high precision for a table unit for mounting the substrate. A substrate is mounted on a table unit and is fixedly held in a predetermined reference state. A first polishing unit includes a polishing grind stone for polishing an end face of the substrate held on the table unit and substrate side edge portion supporting means for supporting the lower surface of a side edge portion of the substrate in the vicinity of the end face of the substrate to be polished by the polishing unit. The first polishing unit is moved together with the substrate side edge portion supporting means by a first polishing unit moving means along the end face of the substrate while the polishing grind stone is polishing the end face of the substrate. | 01-29-2009 |
20090029628 | Abrasive products with splice marks and automated splice detection - A coated abrasive product, comprising a first section and a second section, the first and the second sections being continuously joined together by a splice. The first section includes at least one first splice mark adjacent to the splice, wherein the first splice mark is a marking or a cluster of markings. A method of processing an article with such a coated abrasive product, and a method of acquiring information of such a coated abrasive product, respectively, includes detecting at least one characteristic of at least one first splice mark of the first section of the abrasive product, and comparing the detected characteristic to a database, wherein the detected characteristic of the first splice mark conveys approach of the splice and the end of the first section. The method of processing an article further includes providing a signal to skip the splice to thereby prevent the article being processed with splice area of the abrasive product. A method of preparing such a coated abrasive product includes forming the first and the second sections of the abrasive product. | 01-29-2009 |
20090029629 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR POLISHING AN EDGE OF A SUBSTRATE - Methods for polishing an edge of a substrate are provided. The invention includes rotating a substrate against a polishing film so as to remove material from the edge of the substrate; and detecting an amount of force exerted in pressing the polishing film against the substrate. Numerous other aspects are provided. | 01-29-2009 |
20090036024 | CMP APPARATUS AND METHOD OF POLISHING WAFER USING CMP - A CMP apparatus is provided with a polishing pad, a film thickness sensor for measuring a thickness of a film being polished on a wafer via the polishing pad, a polishing pad thickness measuring unit for measuring the thickness of the polishing pad, a dresser for dressing the polishing pad, and a polishing control unit for switching polishing conditions in response to a fact that an output value from the film thickness sensor has exceeded a threshold value. The polishing control unit has a memory unit for storing a threshold value corresponding to the thickness of the polishing pad after dressing when the polishing pad is dressed. | 02-05-2009 |
20090036025 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes:
| 02-05-2009 |
20090036026 | SUBSTRATE THICKNESS MEASURING DURING POLISHING - A computer program product that determines a polishing endpoint includes obtaining spectra from different zones on a substrate during different times in a polishing sequence, matches the spectra with indexes in a library and uses the indexes to determining a polishing rate for each of the different zones from the indexes. An adjusted polishing rate can be determined for one of the zones, which causes the substrate to have a desired profile when the polishing end time is reached. | 02-05-2009 |
20090036027 | Automated detection of characteristics of abrasive products during use - A method of processing an article with a coated abrasive product, including a repeat of a single marking, comprises detecting at least two characteristics of the repeat of a single marking. The repeat is placed along the length of the abrasive product at a first major surface, wherein each of the detected characteristics conveys independent information regarding the abrasive product. The method further includes comparing the information to a database. A method of acquiring information of the coated abrasive product includes detection and comparing steps. | 02-05-2009 |
20090042479 | Grinding apparatus and method of controlling grinding apparatus - A grinding wheel formed on an outer peripheral surface with a grinding surface is attached to a grinding wheel spindle supported by axial active magnetic bearings and radial active magnetic bearings in a noncontact manner axially and radially and rotated by an electric motor. A casing is axially positioned and then is radially moved and a ground part of a workpiece is ground. Before the casing moves radially and the grinding wheel comes in contact with the workpiece, the stiffness value of the radial magnetic bearings is set to an initialization value lower than a value at the usual grinding time and after the grinding surface of the grinding wheel comes in contact with the workpiece, the stiffness value of the radial magnetic bearings is set to a value higher than the initialization value for grinding the workpiece. | 02-12-2009 |
20090061733 | Method and device for forecasting/detecting polishing end point and method and device for monitoring real-time film thickness - [Problem to be Solved] To provide a method and device for forecasting/detecting a polishing end point and a method and device for monitoring a real-time film thickness to suppress Joule heat loss due to the eddy current to the minimum, to precisely forecast/detect an polishing end point, to precisely calculate the remaining film thickness to be removed, polishing rate and the like on the spot, and to precisely evaluate whether the predetermined conductive film is appropriately removed | 03-05-2009 |
20090068927 | METHOD FOR THE DISCONTINUOUS GRINDING OF BEVEL GEARS AND CORRESPONDING SOFTWARE FOR CONTROLLING A MULTIAXIS GRINDING MACHINE - Method for the chip-removing machining of the tooth flanks of a gear wheel having n teeth and n tooth gaps on a multiaxis grinding machine. A grinding disc which may be dressed is used for the machining and one of the n tooth gaps after another is machined using this grinding disc in the single indexing method. The grinding disc plunges into each of the n tooth gaps up to a predefined plunging depth (T | 03-12-2009 |
20090093191 | CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR GRINDING MACHINE - A circuit for a grinding machine has inputs for a sensor and a WHEEL START switch and an output to a grind wheel. The circuit initiates the wheel upon receiving a particular sensor signal after the WHEEL START switch is actuated. A grinding machine includes the circuit as well as working components including a grind wheel, a feed arm and a feed arm sensor. The circuit is responsive to the feed arm sensor, such that the control circuit does not initiate the grind wheel unless the feed arm is retracted. The grinding machine may be a centerless grinding machine and the circuit may control the regulating wheel and the grind wheel. A grinding machine can be operated by actuating a WHEEL START switch and receiving a sensor signal that indicates a condition on the grinding machine. The signal is compared to a predetermined value, and if the signal is correct, the grind wheel is initiated. | 04-09-2009 |
20090098804 | Apparatus for polishing a wafer and method for detecting a polishing end point by the same - A wafer polishing apparatus includes a polishing tape extending between two guide rollers, a first surface of the polishing tape contacting a surface of a wafer to be polished, a polishing head including a pusher pad, the pusher pad adapted to push the polishing tape against the surface of the wafer to be polished, a color image sensor adjacent to the polishing tape, the color image sensor being adapted to detect a color image of the polishing tape and to output a signal corresponding to the detected color image, and a controller connected to the color image sensor, the controller being adapted to receive the signal output from the color image sensor and to determine when a color of the color image detected by the color image sensor changes, a change in the color image indicating a polishing end point. | 04-16-2009 |
20090104846 | Simultaneous Double-Side Grinding Of Semiconductor Wafers - Correction of grinding spindle positions in double-side grinding machines for the simultaneous double-side machining of semiconductor wafers is achieved by torsionally coupling the two grinding spindles, each comprising a grinding disk flange for receiving a grinding disk, and providing a measuring unit with an inclinometer and two sensors for distance measurement, between the two grinding disk flanges such that the grinding spindles are essentially in the position they would have with mounted grinding disks during the grinding process, wherein the coupled grinding spindles are rotated while inclinometer and sensors determine radial and axial correction values of axial alignment to adjust the grinding spindles to a symmetrical orientation. The spindle positions may be corrected under the action of process forces. | 04-23-2009 |
20090104847 | Polishing monitoring method and polishing apparatus - The present invention provides a method of monitoring a change in film thickness during polishing using an eddy current sensor. This method includes acquiring an output signal of the eddy current sensor as a correction signal value during water-polishing of a substrate, during dressing of the polishing pad, or during replacement of the polishing pad, calculating a correcting amount from a difference between the correction signal value and a predetermined correction reference value, calculating an actual measurement signal value by subtracting the correction amount from the output signal of the eddy current sensor when polishing a substrate having a conductive film, and monitoring a change in thickness of the conductive film during polishing by monitoring a change in the actual measurement signal value. | 04-23-2009 |
20090111358 | Polishing apparatus and polishing method - The present invention provides a apparatus for polishing an object material such as a film on a substrate. This apparatus includes a polishing table for holding a polishing pad having a polishing surface, a motor configured to drive the polishing table, a holding mechanism configured to hold a substrate having an object material to be polished and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, a dresser configured to dress the polishing surface, and a monitoring unit configured to monitor a removal amount of the object material. The monitoring unit is operable to calculate the removal amount of the object material using a model equation containing a variable representing an integrated value of a torque current of the motor when polishing the object material and a variable representing a cumulative operating time of the dresser. | 04-30-2009 |
20090117827 | Grinding Machine, Computer Software to Operate Such a Machine, And Their Uses Therefore - An extremely precise computer controlled grinding machine having the capability to write its own computer programs for controlling the grinding machine to perform individual tasks, including both grinding and dressing to several millionths of an inch. A new device for dressing is included which is directly on the machine, alleviating the need for a separate dressing machine. The Windows-based computer program is easy to use, and includes numerous features for self-maintenance and reproducibility. | 05-07-2009 |
20090149115 | WAFER EDGE CHARACTERIZATION BY SUCCESSIVE RADIUS MEASUREMENTS - Systems and methods for performing one or more measurements of a substrate at one or more radii along the substrate are described. Thickness measurements taken at various radii along the substrate can be averaged together to obtain an average value that reflects an overall substrate thickness. A more accurate measurement of the overall substrate thickness can be obtained by performing multiple measurements and averaging the measurements together. Using the average value, polishing can be adjusted to ensure that the substrate achieves a desired planarized thickness profile. | 06-11-2009 |
20090156097 | METHOD FOR PROCESSING A WORK-PIECE - A method for processing a work-piece is disclosed herein. The method includes the step of removing material from a work-piece to a predetermined depth with a tool that changes size. The method also includes the step of passing the tool across the work-piece in one or more passes during the removing step such that a cutting depth into the work-piece changes during a particular pass. Each pass is defined by a pass depth. The method also includes the step of maintaining a substantially constant chip thickness during the removing step. The method also includes the step of selectively maximizing one of a feed rate and a pass depth of material removal at the expense of the other during the removing step to minimize the time of the passing step. | 06-18-2009 |
20090156098 | Automatic Gain Control - Methods and apparatus for automatic gain control. A film on a substrate is polished by a chemical mechanical polisher that includes a polishing pad and an in-situ monitoring system. The polishing pad includes a first portion, and the in-situ monitoring system includes a light source and a light detector. The light source emits light, and light emitted from the light source is directed through the first portion and to a surface of the film being polished. Light reflecting from the surface of the film being polished and passing through the first portion is received at the light detector. An electronic signal is generated based on the light received at the light detector. When the electronic signal is evaluated not to satisfy one or more constraints, a gain for the light detector is adjusted so that the electronic signal would satisfy the one or more constraints. | 06-18-2009 |
20090163114 | Systems and Methods for Dynamic Slurry Blending and Control - Systems and methods for dynamic slurry blending and control are described. A method comprises applying a slurry to a wafer during a polishing process, detecting a wafer property during the polishing process, and changing a slurry property during the polishing process based, at least in part, upon the detected wafer property. In another embodiment, a system comprises a slurry mixer, a polisher coupled to the slurry mixer via a slurry feeder, the polisher being configured to receive a slurry from the slurry mixer via the slurry feeder and to apply the slurry to a wafer during a polishing process, and a computer coupled to the slurry mixer and to the polisher, the computer being configured to receive a signal indicative of a detected wafer property and to control the slurry mixer to change a slurry property during the polishing process based, at least in part, upon the detected wafer property. | 06-25-2009 |
20090170402 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GRINDING THREADED PORTION OF WORKPIECE - An apparatus for grinding a threaded portion of a workpiece, is provided. The threaded portion has a spiral groove formed therein. The apparatus includes a motor, a grinding cord, a detector and a controller. The motor has a rotary portion for rotating the threaded portion of the workpiece about an axis. The grinding cord is configured for being looped around the threaded portion of the workpiece with a middle part thereof engagingly received in a given portion of turns of the spiral groove for grinding the thread portion of the workpiece. The detector is for detecting a rotating cycle of the rotary portion. The controller is communicatively coupled to the detector for controlling the rotary portion to selectively rotate in a first rotating direction or in a reverse second rotating direction based on the received signal from the detector. | 07-02-2009 |
20090170403 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes: a setting unit which sets points on an edge of a lens, where a line on a target lens shape and passing through the first and second points intersects a line on the target lens shape and passing through the third and fourth points; and a calculating unit which: obtains a first plane including a bisection point between the first and second points and perpendicular to the first line; obtains a second plane including a bisection point between the third and fourth points and perpendicular to the second line; obtains an intersection line of the first and second planes; obtains a bevel spherical surface so that a center of the bevel spherical surface is located on the intersection line and passes through a desired edge position; and obtains the bevel path on the basis of the bevel spherical surface and target lens shape data. | 07-02-2009 |
20090176441 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DRESSING A WAFER POLISHING PAD - A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer. The system includes a polishing apparatus having a rotatable polishing pad for polishing the wafer. A dressing apparatus is mounted adjacent the polishing pad for dressing the polishing pad. The dressing apparatus includes a dressing member engageable with the polishing pad. A cleaning apparatus is mounted adjacent the polishing pad for removing particulate and chemicals from the polishing pad. The system includes a controller for controlling the dressing apparatus and the cleaning apparatus. | 07-09-2009 |
20090186556 | System for Providing Quantitative Process Control of Finesse Polishing - A system for providing quantitative process control of a finesse polishing based upon feedback to the operator as to whether he/she is meeting the one or more predetermined key control characteristics (KCCs). One or more sensors provide data to a controller, wherein the controller provides the operator feedback regarding his/her operational compliance with respect to the KCCs, and disables operation in the event of operator noncompliance, with the intention to promote proper operator procedure and prevent operator error when polishing a flawed painted surface. | 07-23-2009 |
20090215361 | Method for near-net-shape machining of curved contours - A method relating to near-net-shape machining of curved contours such as those occurring, for example, in the fabrication of blades for propulsion engines and the like is described. Accordingly, the shape error in curve grinding is minimized by suitable compensation functions, in particular by interpolating and approximating cubic splines. The present method minimizes the number of tests required to set up a grinding machining operation and thus the number of semifinished products required to do so. At the same time, rejects in fabrication of curved workpieces are reduced by increasing the machining quality. The use of complex chucking devices is avoided and cutting performance is maximized. | 08-27-2009 |
20090233525 | Method for Detecting Polishing End in CMP Polishing Device, CMP Polishing Device, and Semiconductor Device Manufacturing Method - The spectral reflectance spectrum of an object of polishing that has reached the polishing endpoint is found ahead of time, the spectral reflectance spectrum of the object of polishing is found during polishing, and the correlation coefficient of these is seen as parameter | 09-17-2009 |
20090233526 | Apparatus and method for the prototype and small-batch production of gear wheels - This invention relates to an apparatus for the prototype and small-batch production of gear wheels with a dressing disk. In accordance with the invention, the dressing disk has an asymmetric flank shape and a defined head radius. Furthermore, this invention relates to a method for the prototype and small-batch production of gear wheels by using such dressing disk. | 09-17-2009 |
20090239446 | Polishing Apparatus and Polishing Method - A polishing apparatus is provided for polishing wafers at a high yield rate even if roll-off exists. The polishing apparatus polishes a wafer W by applying a pressure between a polishing member (polishing pad) | 09-24-2009 |
20090239447 | DETECTING DEVICE FOR ABNORMAL WORKPIECE ROTATION IN NON-CIRCULAR WORKPIECE GRINDING MACHINE - In a non-circular workpiece grinding machine, a proximity sensor is arranged to face a non-circular portion of a workpiece for sensing a maximum diameter portion of the non-circular portion to detect that the maximum diameter portion is rotating in a detection phase section when the work spindle is rotating in a low speed rotational phase region in which the work spindle is controlled by a numerical controller to rotate at a low speed. Abnormality judging means is provided for judging that an abnormal workpiece rotation is occurring when the maximum diameter portion of the non-circular portion is not detected by the proximity sensor in the state that the work spindle is rotating in the low speed rotational phase region. | 09-24-2009 |
20090239448 | MACHINING QUALITY JUDGING METHOD FOR WAFER GRINDING MACHINE AND WAFER GRINDING MACHINE - A machining quality judging method for a wafer grinding machine and wafer grinding machine are disclosed. The thickness of a wafer | 09-24-2009 |
20090247049 | POST-PROCESS SIZING CONTROL DEVICE FOR GRINDING MACHINE - A post-process sizing control device is provided with origin compensation means for controlling a size measuring device to measure an actual size of a workpiece portion and for compensating the origin of a wheel head by a position compensation amount which corresponds to a difference between the actual size and a theoretical size derived from calculation and size measuring interval setting means for setting the number of workpieces which should be ground during the next size measuring interval which begins after the preceding origin compensation operation and ends with the next origin compensation operation. The size measuring interval setting means sets the number of workpieces which should be ground during the next size measuring interval, based on an average position compensation amount derived by dividing a position compensation amount for the last workpiece ground during the present size measuring interval by the number of workpieces ground during the present size measuring interval. | 10-01-2009 |
20090247050 | GRINDING METHOD FOR GRINDING BACK-SURFACE OF SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER AND GRINDING APPARATUS FOR GRINDING BACK-SURFACE OF SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER USED IN SAME - A grinding method for grinding a back surface of a semiconductor wafer that performs infeed grinding of a back surface of a wafer laminated body, the method, during the grinding of the back surface of the wafer laminated body, having: measuring respectively a thickness of an outer peripheral portion and an inner peripheral portion of the wafer laminated body; calculating a thickness difference between the thickness of the outer portion and the thickness the inner portion; and tilting an axis of a grinding wheel by a predetermined angle in an arbitrary direction so as to reduce the calculated thickness difference. | 10-01-2009 |
20090247051 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes: an edge position detector which detects front and rear edge positions of an eyeglass lens based on target lens shape data; a bevel locus setting unit which includes: a) a provisional bevel locus calculator which obtains a provisional bevel locus by obtaining a bevel curve substantially equal to a frame curve; b) a nose-side bevel position determining unit which determines a corrected bevel apex position at a nose-side edge position; c) an ear-side bevel position determining unit which determines a corrected bevel apex position at an ear-side edge position; and d) a corrected bevel locus calculator which obtains a corrected bevel locus which has a curve value equal to the bevel curve; and a processing controller which obtains beveling information based on the corrected bevel locus and controls an operation of the apparatus according to the beveling data. | 10-01-2009 |
20090253351 | FRICTION SENSOR FOR POLISHING SYSTEM - A system method and apparatus to monitor a frictional coefficient of a substrate undergoing polishing is described. A polishing pad assembly includes a polishing layer including a polishing surface, and a substrate contacting member flexibly coupled to the polishing layer having a top surface to contact an exposed surface of a substrate. At least a portion of the top surface is substantially coplanar with the polishing surface. A sensor is provided to measure a lateral displacement of the substrate contacting member. Some embodiments may provide accurate endpoint detection during chemical mechanical polishing to indicate the exposure of an underlying layer. | 10-08-2009 |
20090258573 | Chemical Mechanical Polishing Method - Shape memory chemical mechanical polishing methods are provided that use shape memory chemical mechanical polishing pads having a polishing layer in a densified state, wherein the polishing pad thickness and/or groove depth is monitored and the polishing layer is selectively exposed to an activating stimulus causing a transition from the densified state to a recovered state. | 10-15-2009 |
20090270014 | Method and apparatus for stripping holes in a metal substrate - A method and apparatus for stripping foreign matter from holes in a substrate, such as a turbine component, which includes using a scanner to locate the hole and operating a water jet apparatus to direct a water jet or an abrasive water jet into the hole for stripping. A CAD model of the original turbine component may be used in the control system of the water jet apparatus to initially locate the scanner at the general or theoretical location of the hole. A reverse flow of low pressure water may be provided to further clear foreign matter from the hole. | 10-29-2009 |
20090275263 | Neck Portion Grinding Apparatus, Grinding Device Employed in the Neck Portion Grinding Apparatus, and Neck Portion Grinding Process - A neck portion grinding apparatus and method is designed to reduce working man-hours and to improve processing accuracy with respect to a processing of a workpiece. The neck portion grinding apparatus includes a grinding device having a disc-like grinding wheel and a wheel rotating device for rotating the grinding wheel, and a machine tool having a main shaft for rotatably supporting a rotating tool and a table mounting the grinding device thereon, and relatively moving the main shaft and the table by numeral control. A shape of a neck portion of the rotating tool can be changed by relatively moving the main shaft and the table while mutually rotating the rotating tool and the grinding wheel, and grinding the rotating tool by the grinding wheel. | 11-05-2009 |
20090275264 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTICAL ENDPOINT DETECTION DURING CMP BY USING AN ACROSS-SUBSTRATE SIGNAL - In a polishing process, the characteristics of the removal process may be monitored at different lateral positions to identify the clearance of the various device regions with a high degree of reliability. Consequently, upon forming sophisticated metallization structures, undue over-polishing may be avoided while at the same time providing reduced leakage currents due to enhanced material removal. | 11-05-2009 |
20090275265 | ENDPOINT DETECTION IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING USING MULTIPLE SPECTRA - A computer implemented method includes obtaining at least one current spectrum with an in-situ optical monitoring system, comparing the current spectrum to a plurality of different reference spectra, and determining based on the comparing whether a polishing endpoint has been achieved for the substrate having the outermost layer undergoing polishing. The current spectrum is a spectrum of light reflected from a substrate having an outermost layer undergoing polishing and at least one underlying layer. The plurality of reference spectra represent spectra of light reflected from substrates with outermost layers having the same thickness and underlying layers having different thicknesses. | 11-05-2009 |
20090280721 | CONFIGURING OF LAPPING AND POLISHING MACHINES - A lapping or polishing machine includes a material having a first finishing surface to process a surface of a work item, a measuring tool to measure a contour of the first finishing surface, and a conditioning tool having a second finishing surface to process the first finishing surface to reduce a difference between the measured contour and a desired contour of the first finishing surface. | 11-12-2009 |
20090298387 | POLISHING END POINT DETECTION METHOD - A method for detecting an end point of a polishing operation (e.g., a polishing stop point or a changing point of polishing conditions) of a film of a substrate is described. The method includes applying light to a surface of a substrate during polishing of the substrate; receiving reflected light from the surface of the substrate, monitoring a first characteristic value and a second characteristic value calculated from reflection intensities at different wavelengths; detecting a point when an extremal point of the first characteristic value and an extremal point of the second characteristic value appear within a predetermined time difference; after detecting the point, detecting a predetermined extremal point of the first characteristic value or the second characteristic value; and determining a polishing end point based on a point when the predetermined extremal point is detected. | 12-03-2009 |
20090305609 | CMP PAD IDENTIFICATION AND LAYER RATIO MODELING - The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for improving productivity of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes and lowering operating costs of CMP systems. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for improving the ratio of the layer thickness of composite polishing pads for improved removal rates. Embodiments of the present also provide specific polishing pad identification for monitoring and controlling processes developed for the specific pad to improve overall productivity and reduce downtime of the CMP system. | 12-10-2009 |
20090318059 | IMPROVED GRINDER/POLISHER - An improved grinder/polisher includes a base having a bowl, a rotating drive plate and a drive plate drive that is adapted to support a platen. The grinder/polisher includes a head configured to support a specimen holder. The head has a first drive for rotational drive of the specimen holder and a second drive for moving the specimen holder toward and away from the drive plate. The head includes a load cell operably connected to the first drive and a counter operably connected to the second drive. The counter is configured to determine movement and the extent of movement of the head toward and away from the drive plate. The grinder/polisher includes a control panel mounted within a housing and including a microprocessor controlled control system having a touch panel or screen. | 12-24-2009 |
20090318060 | CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL FOR EFFECTIVE PAD CONDITIONING - A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad is provided. The conditioning element is held by a conditioning arm rotatably mounted to a base at a pivot point. An actuator pivots the arm about the pivot point. The conditioning element is urged against the surface of the polishing pad, and translated with respect to the polishing pad to remove material from the polishing pad and roughen its surface. The interaction of the abrasive conditioning surface with the polishing pad surface generates a frictional force. The frictional force may be monitored by monitoring the torque applied to the pivot point, and material removal controlled thereby. The conditioning time, down force, translation rate, or rotation of the conditioning pad may be adjusted based on the measured torque. | 12-24-2009 |
20100003894 | Method and apparatus for selectively removing portions of an abradable coating using a water jet - A method and apparatus for forming raised ridges on the surface of a turbine component having an abradable coating formed on an outer surface thereof which includes a mask having a predetermined pattern of openings therein adjacent the abradable coating on a surface of the turbine component; and a high pressure water jet that has movement relative to the mask so that the high pressure water jet passes along the extent of the openings in the mask and passes through the openings in the mask to remove portions of the abradable coating on the turbine component located beneath the openings in the mask. | 01-07-2010 |
20100015889 | Processing end point detection method, polishing method,and polishing apparatus - The present invention relates to a processing end point detection method for detecting a timing of a processing end point (e.g., polishing stop, changing of polishing conditions) by calculating a characteristic value of a surface of a workpiece (an object of polishing) such as a substrate. This method includes producing a spectral waveform indicating a relationship between reflection intensities and wavelengths at a processing end point, with use of a reference workpiece or simulation calculation, based on the spectral waveform, selecting wavelengths of a local maximum value and a local minimum value of the reflection intensities, calculating the characteristic value with respect to a surface, to be processed, from reflection intensities at the selected wavelengths, setting a distinctive point of time variation of the characteristic value at a processing end point of the workpiece as the processing end point, and detecting the processing end point of the workpiece by detecting the distinctive point during processing of the workpiece. | 01-21-2010 |
20100022166 | Substrate processing apparatus - A substrate processing apparatus having a polishing unit for polishing a periphery of a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a polishing unit configured to polish a periphery of a substrate; an imaging module configured to take an image of the periphery of the substrate polished by the polishing unit; and an image processing section configured to inspect a polished state of the substrate based on the image taken by the imaging module. The imaging module is configured to take the image of the periphery of the substrate when the polishing unit is not polishing the periphery of the substrate. | 01-28-2010 |
20100029177 | Polishing apparatus and polishing method - The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus and a polishing method for polishing a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, to planarize the substrate. The polishing apparatus according to the present invention includes a polishing table ( | 02-04-2010 |
20100035515 | CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHER WITH HEATER AND METHOD - A chemical mechanical apparatus comprises a polishing platen, a roller pad assembly capable of advancing a polishing pad across the platen, a substrate carrier to press a substrate against the polishing pad, and a heater to heat the substrate to a temperature sufficiently high to provide a rate of removal of material from the substrate that compensates for the wear of the polishing pad. | 02-11-2010 |
20100035516 | POLISHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The present invention relates to a polishing method and apparatus for polishing and planarizing an object to be polished (substrate) such as a semiconductor wafer. The substrate as an object to be polished is pressed against a polishing surface on a rotating polishing table in the polishing method. During polishing of the substrate, the polishing table is rotated, and the surface, being polished, of the substrate is scanned by an eddy current sensor provided in the polishing table. An output of the eddy current sensor obtained by scanning the surface, being polished, of the substrate is monitored, and damage of the substrate is detected from a change in the output of the eddy current sensor. Further, an output of an endpoint detecting sensor obtained by scanning the surface, being polished, of the substrate is monitored, and the polishing end point is detected from a change in the output of the end point detecting sensor. After detecting the polishing end point, an output of the endpoint detecting sensor or a different sensor is monitored, and monitoring of the remaining film for detecting a film left on a part of the substrate is performed. | 02-11-2010 |
20100035517 | O.D. Centerless Grinding Machine - In one aspect of the present invention, an outer diameter (O.D.) centerless grinding machine for use in grinding a diamond workpiece has a grinding wheel positioned parallel to a regulating wheel which is adapted to press a cylindrical workpiece into the grinding wheel as the regulating wheel rotates. Electronic equipment may be adapted to adjust a pressure of the regulating wheel against the grinding wheel. Also, a carrier may be adapted to house the workpiece, the carrier being attached to a translation mechanism adapted to move the carrier between the wheels such that the workpiece is in contact with both wheels. | 02-11-2010 |
20100048099 | PROBE POLISHING METHOD, PROGRAM THEREFOR, AND PROBE APPARATUS - A probe polishing method is provided for polishing probes by brining a polishing member into slide-contact with probes through a mounting table having thereon the polishing member transferred from a first receiving part. The probe polishing method includes transferring the polishing member from the first receiving part to the mounting table; detecting a presence of foreign materials on a top surface of the polishing member mounted on the mounting table; transferring the polishing member from the mounting table to a second receiving part when the foreign materials are detected on the top surface of the polishing member; removing the foreign materials from the polishing member in the second receiving part; and transferring the polishing member from which the foreign materials are removed from the second receiving part to the first receiving part. | 02-25-2010 |
20100048100 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENDPOINT DETECTION - A method and system are presented for monitoring a process sequentially applied to a stream of substantially identical articles by a processing tool, so as to terminate the operation of the processing tool upon detecting an end-point signal corresponding to a predetermined value of a desired parameter of the article being processed. The article is processed with the processing tool. Upon completing the processing in response to the end-point signal generated by an end-point detector continuously operating during the processing of the article, integrated monitoring is applied to the processed article to measure the value of the desired parameter. The measured value of the desired parameter is analyzed to determine a correction value thereof to be used for adjusting the end-point signal corresponding to the predetermined value of the desired parameter for terminating the processing of the next article in the stream. | 02-25-2010 |
20100056023 | Adjusting Polishing Rates by Using Spectrographic Monitoring of a Substrate During Processing - A computer-implemented method includes receiving a sequence of current spectra of reflected light from a substrate; comparing each current spectrum from the sequence of current spectra to a plurality of reference spectra from a reference spectra library to generate a sequence of best-match reference spectra; determining a goodness of fit for the sequence of best-match reference spectra; and determining at least one of whether to adjust a polishing rate or an adjustment for the polishing rate, based on the goodness of fit. | 03-04-2010 |
20100062684 | POLISHING SYSTEM WITH IN-LINE AND IN-SITU METROLOGY - A computer-implemented method for process control in chemical mechanical polishing in which an initial pre-polishing thickness of a substrate is measured at a metrology station, a parameter of an endpoint algorithm is determined from the initial thickness of the substrate, a substrates is polished at a polishing station, and polishing stops when an endpoint criterion is detected using the endpoint algorithm. | 03-11-2010 |
20100075576 | POLISHING STATE MONITORING APPARATUS AND POLISHING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A polishing state monitoring apparatus measures characteristic values of a surface, being polished, of a workpiece to determine the timing of a polishing end point. The polishing state monitoring apparatus includes a light-emitting unit for applying light from a light source to a surface of a workpiece being polished, a light-receiving unit for receiving reflected light from the surface of the workpiece, a spectroscope unit for dividing the reflected light received by the light-receiving unit into a plurality of light rays having respective wavelengths, and light-receiving elements for accumulating the detected light rays as electrical information. The polishing state monitoring apparatus further includes a spectral data generator for reading the electrical information accumulated by the light-receiving elements and generating spectral data of the reflected light, and a processor for calculating a predetermined characteristic value on the surface of the workpiece based on the spectral data generated by the spectral data generator. | 03-25-2010 |
20100081360 | USE OF PAD CONDITIONING IN TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED CMP - A method and apparatus for temperature control for a chemical mechanical polishing process is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises polishing the substrate with a surface of a polishing pad assembly, measuring a real-time temperature of the surface of the polishing pad assembly, determining whether the real-time temperature of the surface of the polishing pad assembly is within a predetermined processing temperature range, and contacting the surface of the polishing pad assembly with a pad conditioner to adjust the temperature of the surface of the polishing pad assembly to fall within the predetermined temperature range. | 04-01-2010 |
20100081361 | DRESSING METHOD, METHOD OF DETERMINING DRESSING CONDITIONS, PROGRAM FOR DETERMINING DRESSING CONDITIONS, AND POLISHING APPARATUS - A method of dressing a polishing member with a diamond dresser having diamond particles arranged on a surface thereof is provided. The method includes determining dressing conditions by performing a simulation of a distribution of a sliding distance of the diamond dresser on a surface of the polishing member, and dressing the polishing member with the diamond dresser under the dressing conditions determined. The simulation includes calculation of the sliding distance corrected in accordance with a depth of the diamond particles thrusting into the polishing member. | 04-01-2010 |
20100081362 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR TESTING THE POLISHABILITY OF MATERIALS - A method and apparatus for measuring the polishability of a solid material such as a dental restorative material includes using a series of apparatus to perform the steps of forming the material into a desired specimen with a generally planar surface, conditioning the surface by abrasion, measuring the abraded surface with a profile determination device, optionally measuring the amount of material abraded from the surface and the gloss of the abraded surface, polishing a portion of the abraded surface with a polishing device at a controlled load for a pre-determined time and measuring the roughness and/or gloss of the polished surface followed by comparison thereof to the corresponding measurements of the unpolished, conditioned portion of the specimen surface. Polishing materials and devices may also be tested using the apparatus and method for polishing a standardized material. | 04-01-2010 |
20100087123 | Method For Assessing Workpiece Nanotopology Using A Double Side Wafer Grinder - A method of processing a semiconductor wafer using a double side grinder of the type that holds the wafer in a plane with a pair of grinding wheels and a pair of hydrostatic pads. The method includes measuring a distance between the wafer and at least one sensor and determining wafer nanotopology using the measured distance. The determining includes using a processor to perform a finite element structural analysis of the wafer based on the measured distance. | 04-08-2010 |
20100093259 | Chemical Mechanical Polish Process Control for Improvement in Within-Wafer Thickness Uniformity - A method of performing chemical mechanical polish (CMP) processes on a wafer includes providing the wafer; determining a thickness profile of a feature on a surface of the wafer; and, after the step of determining the thickness profile, performing a high-rate CMP process on the feature using a polish recipe to substantially achieve a within-wafer thickness uniformity of the feature. The polish recipe is determined based on the thickness profile. | 04-15-2010 |
20100093260 | Method of making diagram for use in selection of wavelength of light for polishing endpoint detection, method and apparatus for selecting wavelength of light for polishing endpoint detection, polishing endpoint detection method, polishing endpoint detection apparatus, and polishing monitoring method - A method of producing a diagram for use in selecting wavelengths of light in optical polishing end point detection is provided. The method includes polishing a surface of a substrate having a film by a polishing pad; applying light to the surface of the substrate and receiving reflected light from the substrate during the polishing of the substrate; calculating relative reflectances of the reflected light at respective wavelengths; determining wavelengths of the reflected light which indicate a local maximum point and a local minimum point of the relative reflectances which vary with a polishing time; identifying a point of time when the wavelengths, indicating the local maximum point and the local minimum point, are determined; and plotting coordinates, specified by the wavelengths and the point of time corresponding to the wavelengths, onto a coordinate system having coordinate axes indicating wavelength of the light and polishing time. | 04-15-2010 |
20100099333 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING SHEAR FORCE BETWEEN THE WAFER HEAD AND POLISHING PAD IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A method for (a) determining the shear force between a wafer head and a polishing pad in a polishing tool using a CMP polishing tool with a plate above the wafer head which hangs or rests on the plate. The plate is connected to the CMP polishing tool by (b) low friction motion means (c). A load cell sensor is fixed to the framework of the polishing tool or another immovable structure. (d) The load cell determines the force from the leading edge of the plate when the wafer head is in contact with the polishing pad. (e) Signals from the load cell sensor reporting the shear force. A CMP polishing tool which includes elements corresponding to each of points (a)-(e) in the above method. | 04-22-2010 |
20100099334 | Eddy Current Gain Compensation - In-situ monitoring during processing of a substrate includes processing a conductive film on a substrate in a semiconductor processing apparatus and generating a signal from an eddy current sensor during processing. The signal includes a first portion generated when the eddy current sensor is adjacent the substrate, a second portion generated when the eddy current sensor is adjacent a metal body and not adjacent the substrate, and a third portion generated when the eddy current sensor is adjacent neither the metal body nor the substrate. The second portion of the signal is compared to the third portion of the signal and a gain is determined based at least on a result of the comparing, and the first portion of the signal is multiplied by the gain to generate an adjusted signal. | 04-22-2010 |
20100105288 | MULTIPLE LIBRARIES FOR SPECTROGRAPHIC MONITORING OF ZONES OF A SUBSTRATE DURING PROCESSING - Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for spectrographic monitoring of a substrate during chemical mechanical polishing are described. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a first sequence of current spectra of reflected light from a first zone of a substrate. A second sequence of current spectra of reflected light from a second zone of the substrate is received. Each current spectrum from the first sequence of current spectra is compared to a plurality of reference spectra from a first reference spectra library to generate a first sequence of best-match reference spectra. Each current spectrum from the second sequence of current spectra is compared to a plurality of reference spectra from a second reference spectra library to generate a second sequence of best-match reference spectra. The second reference spectra library is distinct from the first reference spectra library. | 04-29-2010 |
20100105289 | GRINDING MACHINE AND GRINDING METHOD - A grinding machine includes: a workhead ( | 04-29-2010 |
20100112899 | VISUAL FEEDBACK FOR AIRFOIL POLISHING - A visual feedback system and method for airfoil polishing is disclosed. In one aspect there is a system for providing visual feedback during a polishing operation of a workpiece. In this system there is a model having a representation of a desired shape of the workpiece. A scanning system generates a representation of a current shape of the workpiece while in-process during the polishing operation. A comparator compares the current shape of the workpiece to the desired shape of the workpiece. An illumination system highlights the workpiece with visible light during the polishing operation. The highlighting of the workpiece with visible light is a function of the comparison between the current shape and the desired shape. The illumination system highlights a portion of the workpiece that needs additional polishing to conform to the desired shape. | 05-06-2010 |
20100112900 | Predictive Method to Improve within Wafer CMP Uniformity through Optimized Pad Conditioning - A method of conditioning a CMP polishing pad to attain a desired thickness profile in a polished layer on a wafer is disclosed. The incoming thickness profile of the layer to be polished, the thickness profile of the polishing pad, a polish rate of layer as a function of pressure and the removal rate of polishing pad material by a conditioning block are used to compute a sweep pattern for the conditioning block which will produce a desired thickness profile on the polishing pad. The method may be applied to maintaining the desired profile on the polishing pad during the course of polishing multiple wafers. The pad profile may be adjusted to keep pressure between the pad and the wafer to a safe limit to reduce polishing defects. | 05-06-2010 |
20100112901 | SUBSTRATE POLISHING APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE POLISHING METHOD - The present invention relates to a substrate polishing apparatus and a substrate polishing method for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat finish. The substrate polishing apparatus includes a polishing table ( | 05-06-2010 |
20100120330 | ENDPOINT CONTROL OF MULTIPLE-WAFER CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A computer-implemented method includes polishing substrates simultaneously in a polishing apparatus. Each substrate has a polishing rate independently controllable by an independently variable polishing parameter. Measurement data that varies with the thickness of each of the substrates is acquired from each of the substrates during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system. A projected thickness that each substrate will have at a target time is determined based on the measurement data. The polishing parameter for at least one substrate is adjusted to adjust the polishing rate of the at least one substrate such that the substrates have closer to the same thickness at the target time than without the adjustment. | 05-13-2010 |
20100120331 | ENDPOINT CONTROL OF MULTIPLE-WAFER CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A computer-implemented method includes polishing substrates simultaneously in a polishing apparatus. Each substrate has a polishing rate independently controllable by an independently variable polishing parameter. Measurement data that varies with the thickness of each of the substrates is acquired from each of the substrates during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system. A projected time at which each substrate will reach a target thickness is determined based on the measurement data. The polishing parameter for at least one substrate is adjusted to adjust the polishing rate of the at least one substrate such that the substrates reach the target thickness closer to the same time than without the adjustment. | 05-13-2010 |
20100120332 | WATERJET DEVICE - An abrasive waterjet apparatus comprising a water jet fluid flow circuit, a positive displacement pump connected to the water jet fluid flow circuit, a pressure fluctuation equalising device ( | 05-13-2010 |
20100120333 | In-Line Wafer Thickness Sensing - A method of forming bare silicon substrates is described. A bare silicon substrate is measured, wherein measuring is performed by a non-contact capacitance measurement device to obtain a signal at a point on the substrate. The signal or a thickness indicated by the signal is communicated to a controller. An adjusted polishing parameter according to the signal or thickness indicated by the signal is determined. After determining an adjusted polishing parameter, the bare silicon substrate is polished on a polisher using the adjusted polishing parameter. | 05-13-2010 |
20100120334 | AUTOMATED CHEMICAL POLISHING SYSTEM ADAPTED FOR SOFT SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS - At least one wafer is suspended on a respective jig shaft above a polishing platen. The degree of parallelism between the wafer and the polishing platen is controlled using a three-point suspension, which allows for planar pitch adjustments using vertical actuation algorithms. As the wafer is lowered into contact against the polishing platen, a load cell senses how much of the weight of the jig shaft, wafer mount and wafer continues to be supported by the jig. The vertical displacement of the wafer is controlled using a linear actuator responsive to a signal from the load cell. Vertical actuation of the wafer serves to increase or decrease this amount of supported weight, in turn decreasing or increasing the amount of applied down-force exerted between the wafer and the platen. A compression spring is used to increase the resolution of the pressure control. Finally, system components exposed to the work environment are encapsulated by chemically resistive components to prevent corrosion of system components. | 05-13-2010 |
20100124870 | Semi-Quantitative Thickness Determination - While a substrate is polished, it is also irradiated with light from a light source. A current spectrum of the light reflected from the surface of the substrate is measured. A selected peak, having a first parameter value, is identified in the current spectrum. A value of a second parameter associated with the first parameter is determined from a lookup table using a processor. Depending on the value of the second parameter, the polishing of the substrate is changed. An initial spectrum of light reflected from the substrate before the polishing of the substrate can be measured and a wavelength corresponding to a selected peak of the initial spectrum can be determined. | 05-20-2010 |
20100130099 | RETREAD TIRE BUFFING WITH MULTIPLE RESPONSE CURVES - A method and apparatus for buffing tread from a tire carcass, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a signal from a sensor, the signal generated as a function of a distance between the sensor and a belt in the tire and a tire characteristic; selecting a signal response curve from a plurality of signal response curves, the selected signal response curve representing the function of the distance between the sensor and the tire belt and the tire characteristic; determining from the response curve the distance between the sensor and the belt for the signal response received; buffing tread from the tire until the distance between the sensor and the belt reaches a final distance. | 05-27-2010 |
20100130100 | USING OPTICAL METROLOGY FOR WAFER TO WAFER FEED BACK PROCESS CONTROL - A method of controlling the polishing of a substrate includes polishing a substrate on a first platen using a first set of parameters, obtaining first and second sequences of measured spectra from first and second regions of the substrate with an in-situ optical monitoring system, generating first and second sequences of values from the first and second sequences of measured spectra, fitting first and second linear functions to the first and second sequences of values, determining a difference between the first linear function and the second linear function, adjusting at least one parameter of the first set of parameters based on the difference, and polishing the second substrate on the first platen using the adjusted parameter. | 05-27-2010 |
20100136883 | Weld Gun Tip Dressing - A method for dressing a pair of weld gun tips on a weld gun controlled by a robot is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: placing an alignment tool in a mounting head of a tip dresser tool, with the alignment tool including a central alignment bore having a diameter corresponding in size to a diameter of the pair of weld gun tips; teaching a robot path to cause the pair of weld gun tips to slide into the central alignment bore while the alignment tool is mounted in the mounting head; removing the alignment tool from the mounting head; inserting a cutter head into the mounting head; using the taught robot path to bring the pair of weld gun tips into contact with the cutter head; and dressing the weld gun tips with the cutter head. | 06-03-2010 |
20100136884 | SUBSTRATE POLISHING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF POLISHING SUBSTRATE USING THE SAME - Provided are a substrate polishing apparatus and a method of polishing a substrate using the same. The substrate polishing apparatus includes a substrate supporting member, a polishing unit, and a control unit. The substrate is seated on the rotatable substrate supporting member. The polishing unit includes a rotatable and swingable polishing pad to polish a top surface of the substrate. The control unit controls the substrate supporting member and the polishing unit during a polishing process to adjust a value of a polishing variable adjusting a polishing amount of the substrate according to a horizontal position of the polishing pad with respect to the substrate. Therefore, the substrate polishing apparatus may locally adjust the polishing amount of the substrate to improve polishing uniformity and product yield. | 06-03-2010 |
20100136885 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING PERIPHERY OF EYEGLASS LENS AND EYELGASS LENS PROCESSING METHOD - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus including a lens edge position detecting unit for obtaining edge positions, an edge corner processing tool for processing an edge corner of the lens, a correction data input unit for inputting correction data to avoid interference between an edge and a nose pad arm, wherein the correction data includes data on a position of interference between the nose pad arm and the edge, data necessary for setting an amount of processing at an interference position, and an edge processing range, a processing data computing unit for determining a path of processing the edge corner, based on edge position data and the correction data, to obtain data on correction processing and a processing controller for processing the edge corner of the lens by the edge corner processing tool in accordance with the correction processing data. | 06-03-2010 |
20100144243 | PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR GRINDING TYRES - A process and an apparatus for optimising tyres after vulcanization, in order to improve the dynamic behavior of the tyre itself. The process includes first of all the stages of measuring the curve of the radial force of the tyre, calculating the first harmonic of this radial force and identifying on the tyre a point corresponding to the maximum of the first harmonic. Subsequently, material is removed from the tread over an arc subtending a principal angle positioned either side of the maximum point of the first harmonic. The removal stage is performed by removing discrete circumferential portions of the arc with differentiated depths of removal, increasing from opposite ends of this arc toward the maximum point of the first harmonic. | 06-10-2010 |
20100151770 | SUBSTRATE POLISHING APPARATUS - A substrate polishing apparatus is provided for preventing excessive polishing and insufficient polishing, and enabling a quantitative setting of an additional polishing time. The substrate polishing apparatus comprises a mechanism for polishing a substrate to be polished; a film thickness measuring device for measuring the thickness of a thin film deposited on the substrate; an interface for entering a target thickness for the polished thin film; a storage area for preserving past polishing results; and a processing unit for calculating a polishing time and a polishing rate. The substrate polishing apparatus builds an additional polishing database for storing data acquired from the result of additional polishing in the storage area. | 06-17-2010 |
20100159803 | Apparatus and method - Apparatus comprising a tool ( | 06-24-2010 |
20100159804 | METHOD OF OBSERVING PATTERN EVOLUTION USING VARIANCE AND FOURIER TRANSFORM SPECTRA OF FRICTION FORCES IN CMP - A method of determining pattern evolution of a semiconductor wafer during chemical mechanical polishing prior to polishing end point by determining the periodic change in the variance and FT or FFT frequency spectra of shear force and change in variance and FT or FFT frequency spectra of COF, shear force and/or down force between the semiconductor wafer and the polishing pad. By comparing features of the data and spectra thus obtained, analysis leading to a deeper understanding of the changes that occur as CMP processes occur as well as diagnostic analysis of specific CMP processes and specific wafers can be accomplished | 06-24-2010 |
20100167627 | Precision Machining Apparatus and Precision Machining Method - A precision machining apparatus is structured such that a feed-screw mechanism and an actuator are mounted on a second mount which supports a rotating device that rotates a wheel, and grinding is performed while appropriately adjusting the amount of movement of the second mount in a rough grinding stage through an ultra-precision grinding stage. A posture control device is interposed between a first mount and a rotating device that rotates a grinding target body. The thickness and evenness of the grinding target body are measured by an optical probe and the measurement results are sent to a computer. A feedback command is then sent to the posture control device to reduce the difference between target values and the measurement values and posture control is performed accordingly. | 07-01-2010 |
20100167628 | Method of Grinding Bar-Shaped Workpieces, Grinding Machine for Carrying Out the Method, and Grinding Cell in Twin Arrangement - In order to grind bar-shaped workpieces which have a non-circular cross-section and flat faces which are parallel to each other, two partial operations are performed consecutively. First, the bar-shaped workpiece is rough ground and finished on the faces by way of double-disk face grinding. The bar-shaped workpiece is clamped on the longitudinal sides in the first clamping position thereof, and the bar-shaped workpiece is transported between two clamping jaws, which clamp the workpiece in the second clamping position thereof on the faces. The first clamping position is then released, and the bar-shaped workpiece is rotated by the clamping jaws. A CNC-controlled peripheral grinding step is performed based on CX interpolation principles. This rough grinds and finishes the longitudinal sides of the bar-shaped workpiece. Transport from the first to the second clamping position is effected by a clamping station, which concomitantly forms the holder for the face grinding operation. | 07-01-2010 |
20100167629 | METHOD OF DETERMINING PRESSURE TO APPLY TO WAFERS DURING A CMP - A method for uniformly planarizing a wafer that includes determining a first wafer warped value at a first zone on the wafer, determining a second wafer warped value at a second zone on the wafer, and calculating a pressure difference based on the first and second wafer warped values at the first and second zones is provided. The method also includes performing a chemical mechanical polishing of the wafer, applying a first pressure based on the first wafer warped value to the wafer at the first zone during the chemical mechanical polishing, and applying a second pressure based on the second wafer warped value to the wafer at the second zone during the chemical mechanical polishing, a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure based on the pressure difference. | 07-01-2010 |
20100178848 | PROTECTING DEVICE FOR PROCESSING TOOL OF MACHINE TOOL AND HONING MACHINE - This is to present a protecting device for processing tool of machine tool used in a machine tool of a type of machining such as grinding and cutting a work by rotating a processing tool mounted on a rotary spindle, for protecting the processing tool by preventing from damage or breakage due to excessive torque load. | 07-15-2010 |
20100184356 | DEVICE FOR MACHINING AN OPHTHALMIC LENS - The shaper device for shaping an ophthalmic lens comprises a blocking support on a blocking axis, a shaper tool, an electronic or computer unit for controlling the position of said shaper tool, and a man/machine interface connected to said electronic or computer unit, and comprising a display screen ( | 07-22-2010 |
20100197197 | POLISHING PAD THICKNESS MEASURING METHOD AND POLISHING PAD THICKNESS MEASURING DEVICE - A polishing pad thickness measuring method measures the thickness of a polishing pad attached to an upper surface of a surface plate. The polishing pad thickness measuring method measures a first distance between an upper surface of the polishing pad and a reference position on a vertical line perpendicular to the surface of the polishing pad and a second distance between an upper surface of the surface plate and the reference position on the vertical line, and calculates the thickness of the polishing pad from the difference between the first and second distances. | 08-05-2010 |
20100197198 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes: a lens rotation unit rotating a lens; a processing tool rotation unit processing the lens; an axis-to-axis distance changing unit for changing an axis-to-axis distance between the chuck shaft and the processing tool rotation shaft; a lens surface configuration acquiring unit which acquires a front surface curve configuration and a rear surface curve configuration of the lens; a lens outer diameter acquiring unit which acquires an outer diameter of a lens; a calculation unit which calculates a thickness of the lens and calculates a cutting depth of the lens, so that torque applied onto the chuck shaft in rough processing becomes substantially constant, based on the calculated lens thickness and a processing distance from the rotation center of the lens; and a control unit which controls the axis-to-axis distance changing unit in accordance with the calculated cutting depth and for rough processing the lens. | 08-05-2010 |
20100203805 | GRINDING CENTER AND METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS GRINDING OF A PLURALITY OF BEARINGS AND END-SIDE SURFACES OF CRANKSHAFTS - A grinding center for the simultaneous grinding of a plurality of main and rod bearings and/or central and end-side sections of crankshafts includes first and second stations. Two main bearing grinding spindles, of which the first is movable only in the Z-direction and the second only insignificantly movable in the X-direction, are mounted on a common rod bearing-compound slide. In the final phase of grinding, a correction of variations in size between the two processed rod bearings occurs via a separated drive of the second rod bearing-grinding spindle in accordance with a size or roundness correction. The variations are detected by measuring devices. An inclined profiled grinding wheel is provided for the grinding of the end sections. | 08-12-2010 |
20100210181 | PRE- AND POST-PROCESS BORE GAGING USING A HONING FEED SYSTEM EQUIPPED WITH FEED FORCE SENSING - The method of the invention provides a capability for accurately and uniformly determining the sizes of bores of workpieces, both pre- and post-process, to improve process control, particularly compensation for tool or stone wear and other factors, and process data collection. The present method makes all required bore measurements, including those in both the workpiece bore and the calibration ring or sample workpiece bore, with the honing tool, under controlled static, non-honing conditions, including expanding the tool in the bores in a predetermined manner, such as at a predetermined rate. The method of the invention has utility for honing multiple workpieces to a finished size with a single tool, and also for multiple spindle applications. | 08-19-2010 |
20100233937 | METHOD FOR PREDICTING WORKED SHAPE, METHOD FOR DETERMINING WORKING CONDITIONS, WORKING METHOD, WORKING SYSTEM, SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, COMPUTER PROGRAM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM STORAGE MEDIUM - The relationship between polishing conditions constituting elements and the worked shape (amount of polishing) obtained by means of these polishing conditions is input beforehand into polishing condition determining means along with the type of the object of polishing, and polishing conditions (invariable polishing conditions) that are used in common for the polishing of this object of polishing. The polishing condition determining means determine the polishing conditions on the basis of these conditions. Specifically, the above-mentioned polishing conditions constituting elements are given in a time series, or combinations of the above-mentioned polishing conditions constituting elements are converted into variations in the swinging velocity of the polishing body, and the swinging velocity corresponding to the swinging position is determined. The polishing apparatus control means input the polishing conditions determined by the polishing condition determining means, and control the polishing apparatus so that these polishing conditions are realized. As a result, working conditions for obtaining a specified worked shape in a working apparatus can be simply and accurately determined. | 09-16-2010 |
20100240281 | SUBSTRATE POLISHING METROLOGY USING INTERFERENCE SIGNALS - A method of polishing a substrate includes holding the substrate on a polishing pad with a polishing head, wherein the polishing pad is supported by a platen, creating relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad to polish a side of the substrate, generating a light beam and directing the light beam towards the substrate to cause the light beam to impinge on the side of the substrate being polished. Light reflected from the substrate is at a detector to generate an interference signal. A measure of uniformity is computed from the interference signal. | 09-23-2010 |
20100248590 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber; a pair of lens chuck shafts which chucks an eyeglass lens; a lens rotating unit including a motor for rotating the lens chuck shafts; a processing tool which processes a periphery of the lens; an axis-to-axis distance changing unit for changing an axis-to-axis distance between a rotating shaft attached to the processing tool and the lens chuck shafts; a data input unit for inputting processing condition data including a target lens shape; a processing controller which controls the lens rotating unit and the axis-to-axis changing unit to process the lens based on the input processing condition data a camera which is disposed in the processing chamber and takes a video picture of the processing of the lens; and a memory which stores video pictures and the processing condition data. | 09-30-2010 |
20100261411 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR MAINTENANCE OF GAS-TURBINE BLADES - The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for re-creation of an optimized contour of the leading edges of gas-turbine blades, in which a gas-turbine blade ( | 10-14-2010 |
20100261412 | CORRECTION OF CROWN LAYER VARIANCE DURING RETREADING - Methods, apparatus and computer programs for correcting a crown layer variance of a buffed tire carcass, the steps of the method including measuring a distance through a buffed crown layer at a plurality of locations around a tire carcass; identifying a maximum distance location from the distances determined at the plurality of locations around the tire carcass; inflating the tire carcass with the maximum distance location orientated at the 270 degree polar angle position; and, buffing the tire carcass. | 10-14-2010 |
20100261413 | Determining Physical Property of Substrate - A method of determining a physical property of a substrate includes recording a first spectrum obtained from a substrate, the first spectrum being obtained during a polishing process that alters a physical property of the substrate. The method includes identifying, in a database, at least one of several previously recorded spectra that is similar to the recorded first spectrum. Each of the spectra in the database has a physical property value associated therewith. The method includes generating a signal indicating that a first value of the physical property is associated with the first spectrum, the first value being determined using the physical property value associated with the identified previously recorded spectrum in the database. A system for determining a physical property of a substrate includes a polishing machine, an endpoint determining module, and a database. | 10-14-2010 |
20100273396 | POLISHING METHOD, POLISHING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MONITORING A SUBSTRATE - A method of polishing a substrate is described. The method includes rotating a polishing table having a polishing surface, holding a substrate by a top ring, bringing the substrate into contact with the polishing surface while swinging and rotating the top ring to polish the substrate, and monitoring a surface condition of the substrate by a monitoring sensor. A rotational speed of the polishing table and conditions of swing motion of the top ring are determined such that a position of the monitoring sensor, a position of a center of rotation of the top ring, and a direction of the swing motion of the top ring at a point of time when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after polishing of the substrate is started approximately coincide with their previous values at a point of time before the predetermined period of time has elapsed. | 10-28-2010 |
20100273397 | SERVO STROKING METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING SPECIAL SHAPES - A servo stroking method and system for honing wherein the cam stroking motion is controlled via combined acceleration and deceleration cam profiles to produce a finite jerk profile, a precision positioning capability for the honing element or elements, and accurate position feedback. The stroking motion is synchronized with one or more other parameters of the honing operation, such as the feed or rotational position of the honing tool, for generating non-cylindrical and special honed shapes such as tapered, barrel, and helical shapes. The cam profile can be selected for example from a simple harmonic profile, a cycloidal profile, a modified trapezoidal profile, a polynomial profile, and a modified sine profile, or a mix of cam profiles. The servo controlled stroker mechanism can include for instance a ball screw mechanism, a linear motor, a fluid cylinder, a chain drive or a belt drive. | 10-28-2010 |
20100285723 | POLISHING APPARATUS - A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) device for processing a wafer is provided which includes a plate for supporting the wafer to be processed in a face-up orientation, a polishing head opposing the plate, wherein the polishing head includes a rotatable polishing pad operable to contact the wafer while the polishing pad is rotating, and a slurry coating system providing a slurry to the polishing pad for polishing the wafer. | 11-11-2010 |
20100285724 | MODULAR INPUT/OUTPUT BRIDGE SYSTEM FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING EQUIPMENT - Apparatus and methods for providing an interface for a semiconductor processing tool are provided. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include an input/output bridge for receiving analog and state command system control signals from, and sending return data and status information to, a system controller, wherein the analog and state command system control signals are intended to control an analog device, and for converting the analog and state command system control signal into a digital system control signal intended to control a digital device; and an upper pneumatic assembly coupled to the input/output bridge for providing pressure control to one or more pressure zones located on a polishing apparatus coupled to the upper pneumatic assembly for the polishing of semiconductor wafers. | 11-11-2010 |
20100291836 | METHOD FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF DEFECTS AND RUNNING OF LAMINATION CYLINDER GRINDING | 11-18-2010 |
20100291837 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MACHINING CRANKSHAFTS - A crankshaft is machined by first securing it in first and second radially displaceable grippers of first and second holders rotatable about a common grinding axis and orienting the workpiece axis coaxial with the grinding axis. Then the crankshaft is released from the first gripper, and the second holder is rotated to align the first crankpin radially with the grinding axis. Subsequently the crankshaft is regripped by the first gripper and released by the second gripper and the second holder is rotated relative to the crankshaft until the second holder is aligned with its displacement direction lying in a common plane with the grinding axis and the displacement direction of the first gripper. Finally, both the grippers are shifted parallel to each other in their displacement directions to center the first crankpin on the grinding axis, and the crankshaft is about the grinding axis while machining the first crankpin. | 11-18-2010 |
20100297916 | METHODS OF USING OPTICAL METROLOGY FOR FEED BACK AND FEED FORWARD PROCESS CONTROL - A method includes polishing a substrate on a first platen using a first set of parameters, obtaining a plurality of measured spectra from at least two zones, comparing the plurality of measured spectra with a reference spectrum to evaluate the thickness of each of the at least two zones of the substrate, comparing a thickness of a first zone with a thickness of a second zone, determining whether the thickness of the first zone falls within a predetermined range of the thickness of the second zone, and if the thickness does not fall within the predetermined range, at least one of a) adjusting at least one parameter of the first set and polishing a second substrate on the first platen using the adjusted parameters, or b) adjusting at least one parameter of a second set and polishing the substrate on a second platen using the adjusted parameters. | 11-25-2010 |
20100297917 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IN-SITU ENDPOINT DETECTION FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING OPERATIONS - An apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a wafer has a rotatable platen to hold a polishing pad, a polishing head for holding the wafer against the polishing pad, an optical monitoring system and a position sensor. The platen has a hole therein, the optical monitoring system includes a light source to direct a light beam through the aperture toward the wafer from a side of the wafer contacting the polishing pad and a detector to receive reflections of the light beam from the wafer, and the position sensor senses when the hole is adjacent the wafer such that the light beam generated by the light source can pass through the hole and impinge on the wafer. | 11-25-2010 |
20100304642 | Gear Cutting Machine - The invention relates to a gear cutting machine for the grinding of external profiles and/or internal profiles of workpieces having at least one machining head which can be rotated about an axis and which has a grinding tool, and having a dressing unit. In accordance with the invention, the dressing unit is supported in the region of the pivot axis of the machining head such that it is pivotable about the common pivot axis together with the machining head and such that it can be moved along the pivot axis toward the grinding tool to be dressed. | 12-02-2010 |
20100311308 | Apparatus and Method for Deterministic Control of Surface Figure During Full Aperture Polishing - A polishing system configured to polish a lap includes a lap configured to contact a workpiece for polishing the workpiece; and a septum configured to contact the lap. The septum has an aperture formed therein. The radius of the aperture and radius the workpiece are substantially the same. The aperture and the workpiece have centers disposed at substantially the same radial distance from a center of the lap. The aperture is disposed along a first radial direction from the center of the lap, and the workpiece is disposed along a second radial direction from the center of the lap. The first and second radial directions may be opposite directions. | 12-09-2010 |
20100311309 | DRESSING APPARATUS, DRESSING METHOD, AND POLISHING APPARATUS - A dressing apparatus for use in a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate to planarize a surface of the substrate is disclosed. The dressing apparatus includes a dresser disk, a dresser drive shaft coupled to the dresser disk, a pneumatic cylinder configured to press the dresser disk against the polishing pad through the dresser drive shaft, a pressure-measuring device configured to measure pressure of the gas supplied to the pneumatic cylinder, a load-measuring device configured to measure a load acting on the dresser drive shaft, and a pressure controller configured to control the pressure of the gas supplied to the pneumatic cylinder. The pressure controller is configured to establish a relationship between the pressure of the gas and a pressing force of the dresser disk against the polishing pad, based on measurement values of the pressure-measuring device and the load-measuring device. | 12-09-2010 |
20100311310 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus comprising a processing control unit which performs polishing by controlling a lens rotating unit, a grindstone rotating unit and an axis-to-axis distance varying unit based on an input target lens shape so as to process a periphery of a lens, which has been finished, by a lens margin allowed for polishing by the polishing grindstone. The processing control unit controls the lens rotating unit, the grindstone rotating unit and the axis-to-axis distance varying unit based on a lens rotating speed V | 12-09-2010 |
20100317259 | SURFACE GRINDING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A SURFACE GRINDING MACHINE - The present disclosure relates to a surface grinder having at least one grinding tool, a workpiece holder for holding at least one workpiece, a drive unit for driving the workpiece holder in a rotational direction and a clutch device that provides a rotationally fixed connection between the drive unit and the workpiece holder that can be released at a specifiable limit torque. | 12-16-2010 |
20100330877 | DETERMINING THE BUFF RADIUS DURING TIRE BUFFING - Methods, apparatus and computer programs for correcting a buff of tread from a crown of a tire, the steps of the method including measuring the distance between the tire crown surface and the belt at each of the plurality of locations; calculating a projected distance between the crown surface and the belt at each of the plurality of transverse locations across the crown using proposed buff radii, choosing a new position of the buffing radius origin from the one or more proposed origin positions on the centerline of the tire; and buffing the tread from the tire crown along the arc described by the buff radius having the buffing radius origin at the new position. | 12-30-2010 |
20100330878 | POLISHING APPARATUS AND POLISHING METHOD - A polishing apparatus has a polishing table having a polishing surface and a top ring for pressing a substrate against the polishing surface while independently controlling pressing forces applied to a plurality of areas on the substrate. The polishing apparatus has a sensor for monitoring substrate conditions of a plurality of measurement points on the substrate, a monitor unit for performing a predetermined arithmetic process on a signal from the sensor to generate a monitor signal, and a controller for comparing the monitor signal of the measurement points with the reference signal and controlling the pressing forces of the top ring so that the monitor signal of the measurement point converges on the reference signal. | 12-30-2010 |
20110003534 | METHOD FOR GRINDING THE MAIN AND ROD BEARINGS OF A CRANKSHAFT BY EXTERNAL CYLINDRICAL GRINDING AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD - In the cylindrical grinding of the main and rod bearings of crankshafts, the rod bearings are ground prior to the main bearings. The advantage of this is that the deformations that unavoidably occur, mainly during grinding of the rod bearings due to the removal of ground material are taken into account and compensated for again during grinding of the main bearings. The rod bearings are ground through CNC-control in the pin-chasing grinding method, and the crankshaft is held in a rotating axis in the process, said axis defined by two bearing points in the longitudinal extension of the crankshaft main bearing which are only machined. Deviations in said actual rotating axis from the determining geometric longitudinal axis of the crankshaft are taken into account in the pin-chasing grinding method by the computer of the grinding machine. The finished ground rod bearings then have an exact relation to the main bearings, which would have been ground strictly according to the determining geometric longitudinal axis of the crankshaft. | 01-06-2011 |
20110014851 | POLISHING APPARATUS AND POLISHING METHOD - A polishing apparatus is provided for polishing wafers at a high yield rate even if roll-off exists. The polishing apparatus polishes a wafer by applying a pressure between a polishing member (polishing pad) | 01-20-2011 |
20110028071 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING OPTICAL ELEMENTS USING MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FINISHING - A method of finishing an optical element includes mounting the optical element in an optical mount having a plurality of fiducials overlapping with the optical element and obtaining a first metrology map for the optical element and the plurality of fiducials. The method also includes obtaining a second metrology map for the optical element without the plurality of fiducials, forming a difference map between the first metrology map and the second metrology map, and aligning the first metrology map and the second metrology map. The method further includes placing mathematical fiducials onto the second metrology map using the difference map to form a third metrology map and associating the third metrology map to the optical element. Moreover, the method includes mounting the optical element in the fixture in an MRF tool, positioning the optical element in the fixture; removing the plurality of fiducials, and finishing the optical element. | 02-03-2011 |
20110034106 | POLISHING APPARATUS - A polishing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a stage ( | 02-10-2011 |
20110034107 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECIPROCAL POLISHING - A polishing pad is located on a reciprocal motion generator. The polishing pad includes a plurality of discrete fluid channels. An abrasive article is located on the polishing pad. The abrasive article is reciprocally energized relative to the work piece. A fluid pressure in one or more of the discrete fluid channels is altered to selectively deform the abrasive article to preferentially remove material from the work piece. | 02-10-2011 |
20110034108 | TIRE PROFILE GENERATING MACHINE AND RELATED METHODS - A grinding assembly contacts a tire supported by a frame relative to the tire. The grinding assembly includes at least one section, and an axial positioning assembly supporting the at least one section. The axial positioning assembly enables the at least one section to be axially repositioned relative to the tire. The at least one section includes a grinding head, where the grinding head includes a grindstone rotatably supported thereon, the grindstone having rounded shoulders at its axial extremities. The grinding assembly further includes a radial positioning assembly supporting the grinding head for radial movement with respect to the tire. | 02-10-2011 |
20110045739 | Method and Apparatus for Roll Grinding - In one aspect, a process for roll grinding employs a grinding wheel that is porous and permeable. In another aspect, a process for grinding mill rolls includes dressing the grinding wheel as the wheel traverses the surface of a mill roll. Other aspects relate to a system, e.g., a mill roll grinding machine, or parts thereof, in which a dressing tool contacts the wheel as the wheel grinds the surface of the mill roll. In specific examples, the wheel and a rotary dressing tool are maintained in contact as the wheel traverses the surface of the mill roll. | 02-24-2011 |
20110045740 | Methods and Systems For Adjusting Operation Of A Wafer Grinder Using Feedback from Warp Data - Processing a wafer using a double side grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. Warp data is obtained by a warp measurement device for measuring warp of a wafer as ground by the double side grinder. The warp data is received and a nanotopography of the wafer is predicted based on the received warp data. A grinding parameter is determined based on the predicted nanotopography of the wafer. Operation of the double side grinder is adjusted based on the determined grinding parameter. | 02-24-2011 |
20110070807 | MACHINING APPARATUS USING ROTARY GRINDER - According to one embodiment, a machining apparatus includes a disk-like grinder, and a nozzle for discharging a cutting fluid toward the grinder. The grinder cuts or grooves a workpiece by rotating. The grinder is provided with a cutting portion at a periphery of the grinder. The nozzle is provided to face the cutting portion in a radial direction of the grinder and arranged adjustably in a width direction of the cutting portion. The nozzle has a rectangular or elliptic cross-section shape in which a dimension in a width direction of the grinder is larger than a dimension in a peripheral direction of the grinder. | 03-24-2011 |
20110070808 | SUBSTRATE POLISHING METROLOGY USING INTERFERENCE SIGNALS - A polishing pad assembly for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a polishing pad having a polishing surface and a surface opposite the polishing surface for attachment to a platen, and a solid light-transmissive window formed in the polishing pad. The light-transmissive window is more transmissive to light than the polishing pad. The light-transmissive window has a light-diffusing bottom surface. | 03-24-2011 |
20110076923 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus for processing a peripheral edge of an eyeglass lens, includes: a processing unit including a plurality of processing tools that process the peripheral edge of the eyeglass lens held by a lens chuck shaft; a calibrating lens; a mode selector that selects a calibration mode; a memory that stores calibration processing data for processing the calibrating lens to a predetermined shape; a detecting unit that includes a tracing stylus that contacts a surface of the calibrating lens which is processed by the processing unit based on the calibration processing data to detect the shape of the processed calibrating lens in the calibration mode; and a calculating unit that obtain calibration data by comparing a detected result by the detecting unit with the calibration processing data in the calibration mode. | 03-31-2011 |
20110081828 | EDGE BREAK DETAILS AND PROCESSING - A method and an apparatus for shaping an edge at a juncture of two adjoining surfaces of a part. A first surface and a second surface of the part are abraded by contacting a polishing surface of a polishing wheel to the first surface and to the second surface. The polishing surface spins in opposite rotational directions about an axis parallel to the edge when contacting the first and second surfaces respectively. The polishing surface moves at different translational speeds and the polishing wheel spins at different rotational speeds along straight segments and along curved segments of the edge. The shaped edge has a visually smooth and geometrically uniform appearance. | 04-07-2011 |
20110097971 | GRINDING MACHINE AND GRINDING METHOD - In a grinding machine, a retraction grinding is performed after a first advance grinding. Within a rotational range for a cylindrical workpiece to rotate from a present rotational phase to a target rotational phase in the retraction grinding, target grinding resistances in respective rotational phases are generated based on residual grinding amounts in the respective rotational phases of the cylindrical workpiece. Then, the retraction grinding is performed and controlled to make a grinding resistance detected by a force sensor agree with the target grinding resistances in respective rotational phases. | 04-28-2011 |
20110104987 | ENDPOINT METHOD USING PEAK LOCATION OF SPECTRA CONTOUR PLOTS VERSUS TIME - In one aspect, a method of polishing includes polishing a substrate, and receiving an identification of a selected spectral feature and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing. The method includes measuring a sequence of spectra of light reflected from the substrate while the substrate is being polished, where at least some of the spectra of the sequence differ due to material being removed during the polishing. The method of polishing includes determining a value of a characteristic of the selected spectral feature for each of the spectra in the sequence of spectra to generate a sequence of values for the characteristic, fitting a function to the sequence of values, and determining either a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the function. | 05-05-2011 |
20110104988 | Process and Apparatus for Automatically Grinding Edges of Glass Sheets Under Clean Room Conditions - An embodiment of the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the automatic edge grinding of glass sheets under clean room conditions, comprising the following: a) a multi-axis robot at a gripper arm thereof carries a suction frame having a plurality of suction units for receiving a glass sheet, b) a grinding unit having at least one rotatable grinding wheel that is supported in a stationary manner is installed in the usable pivot range of the gripper arm of the robot, c) the ground product occurring during operation of the grinding unit is extracted by an extraction system, d) the degree of wear and the state of the grinding wheel are monitored by a calibration device in conjunction with a detection device, and a computer program for carrying out the method. | 05-05-2011 |
20110124269 | EDDY CURRENT SENSOR AND POLISHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - An eddy current sensor is used for detecting a metal film (or conductive film) formed on a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The eddy current sensor includes a sensor coil disposed near a metal film or a conductive film formed on a substrate, and the sensor coil includes a detection coil operable to detect an eddy current produced in the metal film or the conductive film. The detection coil includes a coil formed by winding a wire by a single row and plural layers, the row being defined as a direction perpendicular to the substrate and the layer being defined as a direction parallel to the substrate. | 05-26-2011 |
20110136407 | Method for predicting the polishing characteristics and life-span of a soft polishing pad - A method for predicting the polishing characteristics and life-span of a soft polishing pad includes the steps of: (a) establishing a matching database by means of performing a series of dynamic analysis tests on a new soft polishing pad by a contact probe at different frequencies and under different loads and detecting the surface reaction of the new soft polishing pad, (b) performing a dynamic analysis test on a to-be-tested soft polishing pad by a contact probe at a predetermined frequency and under a predetermined load and detecting the surface reaction of the to-be-tested soft polishing pad, and (c) comparing the surface reaction data of the to-be-tested soft polishing pad with the matching database and predicting the polishing characteristics and life-span of the to-be-tested soft polishing pad subject to the comparison result. Subject to the aforesaid steps, the polishing characteristics and life-span of the to-be-tested soft polishing pad can be predicted without making an actual polishing test, thereby saving a large amount of time and cost. | 06-09-2011 |
20110143637 | METHOD OF PRODUCING RETREAD TIRE AND GRINDING APPARATUS FOR USED TIRE - An object of the present invention is to reliably detect a belt to form a base tire having a desired shape and dimensions even in a case where a belt layer or a belt reinforcing layer is made of a non-metal material. Specifically, the present invention provides a method of producing a retread tire by grinding and removing by a grinding means tread rubber of a used tire including a belt layer, the tread rubber being disposed on the outer side in the radial direction of the belt layer, comprising the steps of: measuring hardness of the tread rubber by a hardness measuring means; and completing grinding of the tread rubber by the grinding means when hardness of the tread rubber measured by the hardness measuring means has reached a predetermined hardness. | 06-16-2011 |
20110171882 | CHEMICAL-MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - A chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The apparatus includes: a spin chuck for supporting and rotating a semiconductor wafer; a polisher comprising a polishing pad for planarizing a surface of the semiconductor wafer, the polisher moving along the surface of the semiconductor wafer by a polishing arm; and a polisher supporting device for supporting the polisher and maintaining the polisher in a horizontal state, while polishing an edge part of the surface of the semiconductor wafer, in order to improve polishing uniformity of a center part and the edge part of the semiconductor wafer. Accordingly, polishing uniformity of the center part and edge part of the semiconductor wafer may be improved, and a height of the polisher supporting device may be optimized according to a polishing degree. Also, the polisher may be easily supported, wear and tear of the support head may be minimized, and the support head may function as a conditioner. | 07-14-2011 |
20110189924 | METHOD OF MACHINING BETWEEN CONTOURED SURFACES WITH CUP SHAPED TOOL - A method of machining a rotor disk includes the step of detecting accessible contact areas on a rotor surface and corresponding abrasive disk orientations at contact points within that contact area. The detected accessible area and orientations are then utilized to map a machining path and corresponding abrasive disk movements. Machine tool executable instructions are generated using the mapped machining path and corresponding abrasive disk movement for removing material on a rotor surface between two airfoils. | 08-04-2011 |
20110189925 | High Sensitivity Real Time Profile Control Eddy Current Monitoring System - An apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing includes a platen having a surface to support a polishing pad, and an eddy current monitoring system to generate an eddy current signal. The eddy current monitoring system includes a core and a coil wound around a portion of the core. The core includes a back portion, a first prong extending from the back portion in a first direction normal to the surface of the platen and having a width in a second direction parallel to the surface of the platen, and second and third prongs extending from the back portion in parallel with the first protrusion, the second and third prongs positioned on opposite sides of and equidistant from the first prong. A spacing between each of the second and third prongs and the first prong is approximately equal to twice the width of the first prong. | 08-04-2011 |
20110189926 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENDPOINT DETECTION - A method and system are presented for monitoring a process sequentially applied to a stream of substantially identical articles by a processing tool, so as to terminate the operation of the processing tool upon detecting an end-point signal corresponding to a predetermined value of a desired parameter of the article being processed. The article is processed with the processing tool. Upon completing the processing in response to the end-point signal generated by an end-point detector continuously operating during the processing of the article, integrated monitoring is applied to the processed article to measure the value of the desired parameter. The measured value of the desired parameter is analyzed to determine a correction value thereof to be used for adjusting the end-point signal corresponding to the predetermined value of the desired parameter for terminating the processing of the next article in the stream. | 08-04-2011 |
20110195635 | METHOD AND GRINDING MACHINE FOR THE COMPLETE GRINDING OF SHORT AND/OR ROD-SHAPED WORKPIECES - Short and/or rod-shaped workpieces are completely machined by grinding two parallel end faces and the longitudinal sides of the workpiece with very short cycle times. The grinding machine includes two grinding spindles that are arranged in a tandem arrangement with parallel rotational axes on a shared grinding headstock and that are jointly moved in the X direction. In cooperation with a special holding and transport device for the workpieces, two workpieces are each ground, at least partly concurrently, the end faces of the one workpiece being ground in one machining position and the final non-circular grinding of the exterior contour of a second workpiece occurring in a second machining station, the end faces of the second workpiece having already been ground. | 08-11-2011 |
20110195636 | Method for Controlling Polishing Wafer - A method for controlling polishing a wafer includes the following step. Firstly, a database storing a number of status data of a polished film of a wafer and a number of polishing parameters corresponding to the status data is established. Each of the polishing parameters includes a head sweep of a polishing head along a redial direction of a polishing platen. The head sweep refers to a movement distance range from a center of the polishing head to a center of the polishing platen during a polishing process. Subsequently, a first wafer having a predetermined status data is provided. Thereafter, the predetermined status data is compared with the status data in the database so as to find out the polishing parameter corresponding to the predetermined status data, thereby determining a first polishing parameter of the first wafer. Afterward, a first polishing process using the first polishing parameter is applied to the first wafer. The method can control the status of a polished film and optimize the polishing parameter. | 08-11-2011 |
20110201254 | Methods and Systems for Process Control During Backgrinding of Through-Via Substrates - Methods and systems for process control during backgrinding of a through-via substrate, such as an embedded through silicon via wafer. A process property value may be sensed and used to determine if a process endpoint has been reached. | 08-18-2011 |
20110201255 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING DEVICE - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes: a marking unit forming a mark on a lens; a mark position detector detecting a position of the mark; a controller performing roughing process and finishing process after the roughing process; and a positional deviation detector detecting a rotational deviation of the lens after the roughing process. The controller obtains a roughing path which allows, even if the lens rotates with respect to the lens chuck shafts by an angle at the time of the roughing process, the controller to perform the finishing process. The controller obtains an area in a process in which the mark and the target lens shape rotate on a chuck center of the lens chuck shafts by the angle, and computes the roughing path based on the area. The controller performs the roughing process based on the roughing path. | 08-18-2011 |
20110217905 | GRINDING MACHINE HAVING THE FUNCTION OF MEASURING DISTANCE - The invention relates to a grinding machine for grinding a workpiece, which has been set on a chuck top surface, by moving a rotating grinding wheel in relation to the workpiece. The grinding machine includes: a microscope configured to be vertically movable; a CCD camera configured to take an image viewed through the microscope; and an image processor configured to process the image taken by the CCD camera to measure a vertical distance between a reference plane of the microscope and an object of the microscope. The image processor is adapted to measure the vertical distance between the reference plane of the microscope and the object of the microscope based on sharpness of the image, which corresponds to how clear the microscope is focused. | 09-08-2011 |
20110223834 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING GLASS PLATE POLISHING STATE - Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for monitoring a glass plate polishing state. The apparatus may include a location measuring unit for measuring a location on a glass plate being polished by a polishing machine, a current measuring unit for measuring an electric current flowing into the polishing machine, a memory unit for storing a reference value of the electric current flowing into the polishing machine for each polishing location of the glass plate, and a control unit for determining whether a polishing state is faulty, by comparing a value of the electric current measured by the current measuring unit for each polishing location measured by the location measuring unit with a corresponding reference value of the electric current stored in the memory unit for each polishing location. | 09-15-2011 |
20110237159 | Grinding Machine and Measuring Apparatus - A first grinding head is provided on a base frame via a first movable body and a first grinding base. The proximal portion of the tilt arm is tiltably fitted in the housing of the grinding head. A measuring device is rotatably coupled to a distal portion of the tilt arm. A gauge and a measuring pin are coupled to the lower end of the measuring device, and the gauge is engaged with a crankpin of a crankshaft. A tilt center of the tilt arm is arranged on the same axis as the rotation center of the first grindstone ISA. When the tilt arm is tilted, the position of the measuring device is changed, accordingly. However, since the relational relationship between the first grindstone ISA and the gauge is not changed, the position of the gauge is easily adjusted in accordance with the diameter of the crankpin. Accordingly, a grinding machine is provided that simplifies the movement path of the gauge of the measuring device, thereby allowing the outer diameter of the workpiece to be quickly measured. | 09-29-2011 |
20110237160 | Hydrostatic Pad Pressure Modulation in a Simultaneous Double Side Wafer Grinder - Systems and methods are disclosed for modulating the hydrostatic pressure in a double side wafer grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. The systems and methods use a processor to measure the amount of electrical current drawn by the grinding wheels. Pattern detection software is used to predict a grinding stage based on the measured electrical current. The hydrostatic pressure is changed by flow control valves at each stage to change the clamping pressure applied to the wafer and to thereby improve nanotopology in the processed wafer. | 09-29-2011 |
20110237161 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING BY CONTROLLABLY MOVING A SLURRY OUTLET - A system and a method of operating a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system comprises a slurry delivering unit configured for locally varying the supply of slurry while polishing the substrate. To this end, the slurry delivering unit may comprise at least one slurry outlet over a polishing pad of the CMP system, wherein the at least one slurry outlet is controllably movable to distribute slurry over the polishing pad. | 09-29-2011 |
20110244759 | Orthopaedic Component Manufacturing Method and Equipment - A system for use in preparing an articulating surface of a component of an orthopaedic implant is provided. The system includes a magnetorheological polishing fluid including a carrier fluid and a plurality of particles suspendable in said carrier fluid. The system also includes a vessel for containing the Magnetorheological polishing fluid. The system also includes a mechanism for delivering the fluid to form a polishing zone and a holder for securing the component and for moveably positioning the articulating surface of the component relative to the polishing zone. The system further includes a controller for determining the rate of material removal from the object, for determining the direction and velocity of movement of the polishing zone relative to the object and for determining the number of cycles of polishing required. | 10-06-2011 |
20110250823 | Lens Blocking Method and Related Device - Method of blocking an unfinished optical lens to be machined, the unfinished optical lens comprising an unfinished face and a second face, the method comprising: an unfinished optical lens providing step in which the unfinished optical lens is provided; a positioning step in which the unfinished optical lens is positioned in a first reference position by positioning the unfinished face of the unfinished optical lens on the top of at least three pins; a preformed optical substrate block providing step in which a preformed optical substrate block is provided; a docking step in which the second face of the unfinished optical lens in the first reference position is docked to the docking surface of the preformed optical substrate block. | 10-13-2011 |
20110250824 | POLISHING METHOD AND POLISHING APPARATUS - A polishing method that carries out a multi-step polishing process with improved polishing conditions (polishing recipe) while omitting measurement of the surface conditions of a substrate, as carried out between polishing steps thereby increasing the throughput. The polishing method for polishing workpieces by repeating the sequential operations of taking a workpiece out of a cassette in which a plurality of workpieces are stored, carrying out multi-step polishing of a surface of the workpiece and returning the workpiece to the cassette, includes carrying out one of the following two polishing processes for the workpiece taken out of the cassette: a first polishing process comprising carrying out the multi-step polishing under preset conditions and measurement of the surface of the workpiece before and after each polishing step; and a second polishing process comprising carrying out a predetermined step of the multi-step polishing under polishing conditions which have been modified based on the results of the measurement. | 10-13-2011 |
20110256802 | CYCLIC SELF-LIMITING CMP REMOVAL AND ASSOCIATED PROCESSING TOOL - A cyclic method of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) a wafer having a surface includes placing the wafer on a platen in a CMP apparatus and then performing a multi-step CMP comprising process. The multi-step CMP process includes delivering a first chemical composition onto the wafer while on the platen for a first time duration, and without removing the wafer from the platen, delivering a second chemical composition different from the first composition onto the wafer for a second time duration after the first time duration. The multi-step CMP comprising process includes CMP removal using a slurry during one of the first and second time durations and a non-polishing process during the other of the first and second time durations. The multi-step CMP comprising process is repeated a plurality of times. | 10-20-2011 |
20110256803 | FLUIDIZED WEB POLISHING APPARATUS AND METHOD USING CONTACT PRESSURE FEEDBACK - An abrasive article with an abrasive element fabricated on a flexible foil suspended by a hydrostatic preloader, a gimball mechanism or a soft pad capable of selectively engaging with substrate to remove material while monitoring the contact pressure. A hydrostatic pressure bed is applied to the non-abrasive surface of the tensioned flexible foil to provide a contact pressure to the abrasive surface against the substrate. A series of fluid bearing surfaces are fabricated or imparted onto the abrasive side of the flexible foil to cause controlled interference and pressure with the substrate. A hydrostatic pressure emanating from the preloader supports the non-abrasive side of the flexible foil under tension while the abrasive side of the flexible foil engages a substrate. Alternatively the flexible foil web is constructed of a series of individual flexible foil bearings connected by non-straight links and housed in flexible holder pads capable of deforming and conforming to the substrate and wafer topography under applied externally applied load and moments. | 10-20-2011 |
20110256804 | METHOD FOR SHAPING AN OPHTHALMIC LENS FOR EYEGLASSES - The invention relates to a method of shaping an ophthalmic lens to have a desired outline ( | 10-20-2011 |
20110256805 | Adaptively Tracking Spectrum Features For Endpoint Detection - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate, monitoring a substrate during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system, generating a sequence of values from measurements from the in-situ monitoring system, fitting a non-linear function to the sequence of values, determining a projected time at which the non-linear function reaches a target value; and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the projected time. | 10-20-2011 |
20110269377 | Automatic Generation of Reference Spectra for Optical Monitoring of Substrates - A computer-implemented method of generating reference spectra includes polishing a first substrate in a polishing apparatus having a rotatable platen, measuring a sequence of spectra from the substrate during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system, associating each spectrum in the sequence of spectra with a index value equal to a number of platen rotations at which the each spectrum was measured, and storing the sequence of spectra as reference spectra. | 11-03-2011 |
20110275280 | METHOD OF AUTO SCANNING AND SCRAPING A WORK PIECE FOR A HARD RAIL - A method of auto scanning and scraping a work piece for a hard rail has a preparing step, a scanning step, a detecting step, an auto-scraping step and an analyzing step. The preparing step comprises preparing an auto scanning and scraping apparatus with a multi-axis machine tool, a control computer, an auto-scraping device and a position detector. The scanning step comprises scanning the surface of the work piece to read the roughness value and transporting the data to the control computer. The detecting step comprises forming a 3D-appearance drawing of the work piece and detecting the 3D-appearance drawing with multiple detection steps. The auto-scraping step comprises scraping the surface of the work piece by the auto-scraping device. The analyzing step comprises detecting the 3D-appearance drawing of the work piece that has been scraped with the preceding detection steps and scraping the work piece to meet the preceding detection steps. | 11-10-2011 |
20110275281 | Dynamically Tracking Spectrum Features For Endpoint Detection - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate and receiving an identification of a selected spectral feature, a wavelength range having a width, and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing. A sequence of spectra of light from the substrate is measured while the substrate is being polished. A sequence of values of the characteristic of the selected spectral feature is generated from the sequence of spectra. For at least some spectra from the sequence of spectra, a modified wavelength range is generated based on a position of the spectral feature within a previous wavelength range used for a previous spectrum in the sequence of spectra, the modified wavelength range is searched for the selected spectral feature, and a value of a characteristic of the selected spectral feature is determined. | 11-10-2011 |
20110281501 | FEEDBACK FOR POLISHING RATE CORRECTION IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A substrate having a plurality of zones is polished and spectra are measured. For each zone, a first linear function fits a sequence of index values associated with reference spectra that best match the measured spectra. A projected time at which a reference zone will reach the target index value is determined based on the first linear function, and for at least one adjustable zone, a polishing parameter adjustment is calculated such that the adjustable zone has closer to the target index at the projected time than without such adjustment. The adjustment is calculated based on a feedback error calculated for a previous substrate. The feedback error for a subsequent substrate is calculated based on a second linear function that fits a sequence of index values associated with reference spectra that best match spectra measured after the polishing parameter is adjusted. | 11-17-2011 |
20110281502 | SYSTEM AND METHOD PRE-BLOCKING OPHTHALMIC LENS FOR PROCESSING INCLUDING ARTICULATION EDGING - A method and system for pre-blocking ophthalmic lenses for processing including articulation edging is described. Lens blanks are blocked in this method without prior knowledge of lens prescription variables or frame size and shape dimensions. This blocking can be done at a remote mass production manufacturing facility. The pre-blocked lenses would then be inventoried at the lens manufacturing location. No de-blocking and re-blocking is required between the surfacing, for those lens blanks requiring surfacing, and edging processes so the lens blanks remain on their blocks from start to finish. If surfacing is required, both surfacing and edging are performed on the same machine with no interruptions between the two processes. Machine readable indicia on the Lens-Block Assemblies for Lens Blank species identification is described. Pre-blocking of finished uncut lenses for edging using articulation edging is also described. | 11-17-2011 |
20110281503 | Apparatus for grinding hand knives - An apparatus for grinding hand knives, in particular for meat processing, with at least one grinding tool is proposed, by means of which a knife ground finish, in particular during the reconditioning of hand knives after use, is made possible in a repeatable manner with reproducible grinding quality. This is achieved according to the invention in that a knife magazine ( | 11-17-2011 |
20110287692 | Automated determination of jet orientation parameters in three-dimensional fluid jet cutting - Methods, systems, and techniques for automatically determining jet orientation parameters to correct for potential deviations in three dimensional part cutting are provided. Example embodiments provide an Adaptive Vector Control System (AVCS), which automatically determines speeds and orientation parameters of a cutting jet to attempt to insure that a part will be cut within prescribed tolerances where possible. In one embodiment, the AVCS determines the tilt and swivel of a cutting head by mathematical predictive models that examine the cutting front for each of “m” hypothetical layers in a desired part, to better predict whether the part will be within tolerances, and to determine what corrective angles are needed to correct for deviations due to drag, radial deflection, and/or taper. | 11-24-2011 |
20110287693 | NUMERICAL CONTROLLER HAVING OSCILLATING OPERATION FUNCTION CAPABLE OF CHANGING SPEED IN OPTIONAL SECTION - A machine tool has an oscillating axis that reciprocates in an optional region. A numerical controller that controls the machine tool designates positions of a lower dead point and a upper dead point when the oscillating axis of the machine tool reciprocates, and a reference speed during the oscillating operation when the oscillating axis reciprocates. The numerical controller then calculates, from the current position of the oscillating axis, a current phase in the case where one stroke of the oscillating axis is defined as one cycle, and calculates the speed of the oscillating axis at the current phase based upon the calculated current phase and the reference speed. | 11-24-2011 |
20110287694 | PEAK-BASED ENDPOINTING FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A polishing system receives one or more target parameters for a selected peak in a spectrum of light, polishes a substrate, measures a current spectrum of light reflected from the substrate while the substrate is being polished, identifies the selected peak in the current spectrum, measures one or more current parameters of the selected peak in the current spectrum, compares the current parameters of the selected peak to the target parameters, and ceases to polish the substrate when the current parameters and the target parameters have a pre defined relationship. | 11-24-2011 |
20110294398 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING AN ELECTRONIC LAPPING GUIDE CORRESPONDING TO A NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER OF AN ENERGY ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING TRANSDUCER - A method and system for fabricating transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) is described. The method and system include providing at least one near-field transducer (NFT) film and providing an electronic lapping guide (ELG) film substantially coplanar with a portion of the at least one NFT film. The method and system also include defining a disk portion of an NFT from the portion of the at least one NFT film and at least one ELG from the ELG film. The disk portion corresponds to a critical dimension of the NFT from an ABS location. The method and system also include lapping the at least one transducer. The lapping is terminated based on a signal from the ELG. | 12-01-2011 |
20110294399 | Advanced finishing control - Methods of using in situ finishing information for finishing workpieces and semiconductor wafers are described. Methods of using yield information at least in part related to cost of manufacture for finishing workpieces and semiconductor wafers are described. Changes or improvements to cost of manufacture of a workpiece using current in-process cost of manufacture information, tracked current in-process cost of manufacture information, or current cost of manufacture parameters are discussed. Appreciable changes to quality or cost of manufacture of a workpiece using tracking, using in-process tracked information, networks including a multiplicity of apparatus, and using in situ finishing information are discussed. A factory, apparatus, and methods to change or improve process control are discussed. A factory, apparatus, and methods to change or improve real-time process control are discussed. A factory, apparatus, and methods to change or improve feedforward and feedback control are discussed. The workpieces can be tracked individually or by process group such as a process batch. | 12-01-2011 |
20110294400 | Determining Physical Property of Substrate - A method of determining a physical property of a substrate includes recording a first spectrum obtained from a substrate, the first spectrum being obtained during a polishing process that alters a physical property of the substrate. The method includes identifying, in a database, at least one of several previously recorded spectra that is similar to the recorded first spectrum. Each of the spectra in the database has a physical property value associated therewith. The method includes generating a signal indicating that a first value of the physical property is associated with the first spectrum, the first value being determined using the physical property value associated with the identified previously recorded spectrum in the database. A system for determining a physical property of a substrate includes a polishing machine, an endpoint determining module, and a database. | 12-01-2011 |
20110294401 | METHOD OF COMPENSATION FOR A FLUID CUTTING APPARATUS - A system and method for positioning a fluid stream for cutting a double contour workpiece includes a compensation module configured to receive information regarding a contour path in at least five degrees of freedom for cutting the double contour workpiece and a velocity of movement of the fluid stream during cutting and configured to provide as an output a modified contour path of said at least five degrees of freedom based on Kerf compensation errors. A motion controller is adapted to receive the modified contour path of said at least five degrees of freedom and the velocity and is configured to provide control signals. A positioner is configured to receive the control signals and position a fluid stream adjacent the workpiece accordingly. | 12-01-2011 |
20110294402 | Eddy Current System for In-Situ Profile Measurement - An eddy current monitoring system may include an elongated core. One or more coils may be coupled with the elongated core for producing an oscillating magnetic field that may couple with one or more conductive regions on a wafer. The core may be translated relative to the wafer to provide improved resolution while maintaining sufficient signal strength. An eddy current monitoring system may include a DC-coupled marginal oscillator for producing an oscillating magnetic field at a resonant frequency, where the resonant frequency may change as a result of changes to one or more conductive regions. Eddy current monitoring systems may be used to enable real-time profile control. | 12-01-2011 |
20110300775 | Control of Overpolishing of Multiple Substrates on the Same Platen in Chemical Mechanical Polishing - A polishing method includes simultaneously polishing two substrates, a first substrate and a second substrate, on the same polishing pad. A default overpolishing time is stored and an in-situ monitoring system monitors the two substrates. The in-situ monitoring system further determines a first polishing endpoint time and a second polishing endpoint time of the first and second substrates, respectively. The polishing method further includes calculating an overpolishing stop time where the overpolishing stop time is between the first polishing endpoint time plus the default overpolishing time and the second polishing endpoint time plus the default overpolishing time. Polishing of the first substrate is continued past the first polishing endpoint time and polishing of the second substrate is continued past the second polishing endpoint time. Polishing of both the first substrate and the second substrate is halted simultaneously at the overpolishing stop time. | 12-08-2011 |
20110306273 | CENTERLESS CYLINDRICAL GRINDING MACHINE AND CENTERLESS GRINDING METHOD WITH HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE REGULATING WHEEL - The present invention pertains to a centerless cylindrical grinding machine with a grinding wheel and a regulating wheel that can be laterally displaced toward a work piece that can be held between these wheels, and with a rest blade for supporting the work piece that is realized rigid in the vertical direction and arranged and dimensioned such that a rotational axis of the work piece and a rotational axis of the grinding wheel lie in a common plane, wherein a height adjustment of the rotational axis of the regulating wheel beyond the plane is kinematically decoupled from the lateral displacement of the regulating wheel and can be varied in order to position the regulating wheel on the supported work piece. | 12-15-2011 |
20110306274 | POLISHING APPARATUS AND POLISHING METHOD - A polishing apparatus has a polishing section ( | 12-15-2011 |
20110312247 | Apparatus for Polishing Rear Surface of Substrate, System for Polishing Rear Surface of Substrate, Method for Polishing Rear Surface of Substrate and Recording Medium Having Program for Polishing Rear Surface of Substrate - Provided are a rear substrate surface polishing device polishing a rear surface of a substrate, a rear substrate surface polishing system including the rear substrate surface polishing device, a rear substrate surface polishing method used in the rear substrate surface polishing device, and a storage medium for storing a program implemented with the rear substrate surface polishing method. In particular, the rear surface of the substrate is polished by a substrate polishing unit in accordance with information acquired from a prior process performed prior to the polishing process of the rear surface of the substrate at the substrate polishing unit. Further, the substrate polishing unit polishes the substrate with a polishing area determined on the basis of information acquired from a prior process. Furthermore, the polishing is performed by using any one or all of a plurality of substrate polishing units determined on the basis of information acquired from a prior process. | 12-22-2011 |
20110312248 | SYSTEM FOR MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FINISHING OF A SUBSTRATE - A system for magnetorheological finishing of a substrate. A spherical wheel meant for carrying a magnetorheological finishing fluid houses a variable-field permanent magnet system having north and south iron pole pieces separated by primary and secondary gaps with a cylindrical cavity bored through the center. A cylindrical permanent magnet magnetized normal to the cylinder axis is rotatably disposed in the cavity. An actuator allows rotation of the permanent magnet to any angle, which rotation changes the distribution of flux in the magnetic circuit through the pole pieces. Thus, one can control field intensity in the gaps by positioning the permanent magnet at whatever angle provides the required field strength. Because the field also passes above the pole pieces, defining a fringing field outside the wheel surface, the variable field extends through a layer of MR fluid on the wheel, thus varying the stiffness of the MR fluid as may be desired for finishing control. | 12-22-2011 |
20110318992 | Adaptively Tracking Spectrum Features For Endpoint Detection - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate having a second layer overlying a first layer, detecting exposure of the first layer with an in-situ monitoring system, receiving an identification of a selected spectral feature and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing, measuring a sequence of spectra of light from the substrate while the substrate is being polished, determining a first value for the characteristic of the feature at the time that the first in-situ monitoring technique detects exposure of the first layer, adding an offset to the first value to generate a second value, and monitoring the characteristic of the feature and halting polishing when the characteristic of the feature is determined to reach the second value. | 12-29-2011 |
20120003900 | Apparatus and Method for Refinishing a Surface In-Situ - A rotary grinding system includes a support frame and a grinding assembly coupled to the support frame for longitudinal movement, with respect to a workpiece attached to the support frame. A radial arm is suspended below the grinding assembly and rotated in a plane parallel to the workpiece. A grinding wheel traverses the radial arm, thereby working a circular, annular or sector portion of the workpiece. The height, and therefore the depth of cut, of the grinding wheel may be precisely adjusted via a single point adjustment screw or the like. Optionally, the grinding system may be controlled by a computer numeric controller (CNC) to automatically refinish programmed portions or all of the workpiece. Eccentric pins extending from the support frame and into the workpiece may be used to adjust the lateral position of the support frame, relative to the workpiece. Support members may be used to offload the weight of at least a portion of the grinding assembly, thereby relieving bearings of this weight, such as during shipment or storage of the system. | 01-05-2012 |
20120009847 | CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL OF CMP SLURRY FLOW - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate. The methods generally include measuring the thickness of a polishing pad having grooves or other slurry transport features on a polishing surface. Once the depth of the grooves on the polishing surface is determined, a flow rate of a polishing slurry is adjusted in response to the determined groove depth. A predetermined number of substrates are polished on the polishing surface. The method can then optionally be repeated. | 01-12-2012 |
20120009848 | METHOD FOR THE MACHINING OF GEAR TEETH, WORK PIECE WITH GEAR TEETH, AND MACHINE TOOL - Method for the machining of gear teeth whose tooth flanks deviate from their specified geometry by a machining allowance, wherein the machining allowance is removed through an infeed of at least two infeed steps, each of which is followed by a machining pass with a profiling tool that rotates about a tool axis, wherein for this operation the profiling tool—after it has been set to a position relative to the gear wheel that depends on the angle at which the plane of rotation of the tool which is orthogonal to the tool axis is tilted against the axis of the gear wheel—is brought into engagement with the gear teeth, wherein after each infeed step the material within the resultant engagement area of the tool is removed, wherein after the last infeed step with a tilt angle setting of the profiling tool that is determined by the design angle of the latter, the area of tool engagement extends over the entire flank height, so that the next machining pass will remove the amount of material required to attain the specified geometry, wherein in at least one infeed step which precedes the last infeed step, the profiling tool is set to a tilt angle which deviates from the angle that the tool was designed for and which results in a tool engagement area which, in comparison to the setting at the designed angle, is enlarged in the direction of the flank height. | 01-12-2012 |
20120021670 | Chemical Mechanical Polishing Apparatus - Disclosed herein is a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The apparatus comprises a carrier to hold a wafer and being capable of lifting, lowering and rotating, a polishing pad compressed onto the wafer through the lowering of the carrier to polish the wafer, a contact pressure sensor to detect contact pressure between the polishing pad and the wafer when the polishing pad is compressed onto the wafer, a support physical property controller to generate control signals corresponding to the contact pressure detected by the contact pressure sensor, a variable physical property support being adapted to come into close contact with the polishing pad and having physical properties varied in response to the control signals generated by the support physical property controller, and a rotational table to hold the variable physical property table. | 01-26-2012 |
20120028543 | GRINDING METHOD AND GRINDING MACHINE - A core grinding wheel that has a grinding layer on an outer periphery of a core is used. An ultrasonic wave is output from an ultrasonic sensor to the grinding layer via grinding fluid. An ultrasonic measuring device control unit calculates a thickness of the grinding layer on the basis of a sonic velocity in the grinding layer and an arrival time difference between a reflected wave from a surface of the grinding layer and a reflected wave from a surface of the outer periphery of the core. A grinding process and a truing process are controlled on the basis of an outside diameter of the grinding wheel, which is calculated on the basis of the measured thickness of the grinding layer and an outside diameter of the core. | 02-02-2012 |
20120034844 | SPECTROGRAPHIC MONITORING USING INDEX TRACKING AFTER DETECTION OF LAYER CLEARING - A method of controlling polishing includes storing a library having a plurality of reference spectra, each reference spectrum of the plurality of reference spectra having a stored associated index value, polishing a substrate having a second layer overlying a first layer, measuring a sequence of spectra of light from the substrate during polishing, for each measured spectrum of the sequence of spectra, finding a best matching reference spectrum to generate a sequence of best matching reference spectra, determining the associated index value for each best matching spectrum from the sequence of best matching reference spectra to generate a sequence of index values, detecting exposure of the first layer, fitting a function to a portion of the sequence of index values corresponding to spectra measured after detection of exposure of the first layer, and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the function. | 02-09-2012 |
20120034845 | TECHNIQUES FOR MATCHING MEASURED SPECTRA TO REFERENCE SPECTRA FOR IN-SITU OPTICAL MONITORING - A method of controlling polishing includes storing a library having a plurality of reference spectra, polishing a substrate, measuring a sequence of spectra of light from the substrate during polishing, for each measured spectrum of the sequence of spectra, finding a best matching reference spectrum using a matching technique other than sum of squared differences to generate a sequence of best matching reference spectra, and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the sequence of best matching reference spectra. Finding a best matching reference spectrum may include performing a cross-correlation of the measured spectrum with each of two or more of the plurality of reference spectra from the library and selecting a reference spectrum with the greatest correlation to the measured spectrum as a best matching reference spectrum. | 02-09-2012 |
20120058709 | POLISHING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A polishing is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a substrate holding apparatus configured to hold the substrate and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, and a controller. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane configured to form a substrate holding surface which is brought into contact with the substrate, a carrier provided above the elastic membrane, at least one pressure chamber formed between the elastic membrane and the carrier, and an infrared light detector configured to measure thermal energy from the elastic membrane. The controller calculates an estimate value of a temperature of the elastic membrane using a measured value of the infrared light detector. | 03-08-2012 |
20120064800 | POLISHING APPARATUS - A polishing apparatus includes: a table rotating motor configured to rotate the polishing table about its own axis; a top ring rotating motor configured to rotate the top ring about its own axis; a dresser configured to dress the polishing pad; a pad-height measuring device configured to measure a height of the polishing pad; and a diagnostic device configured to calculate an amount of wear of the polishing pad from the height of the polishing pad and to determine the end of a life of the polishing pad based on the amount of the wear of the polishing pad, the torque or current of the table rotating motor, and the torque or current of the top ring rotating motor. | 03-15-2012 |
20120077417 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MACHINING THE LEADING EDGE OF A TURBINE ENGINE BLADE - A method and a device for machining the leading edge of a turbine engine blade by a machining center for which parameters are set is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring a 3D profile of the leading edge of the blade; calculating at least one characteristic of the leading edge from the 3D profile; comparing the value of the calculated characteristic with a known theoretical value of the characteristic to obtain an elementary difference for the characteristic; calculating at least one undulation of the leading edge between at least two consecutive elementary sections from the 3D profile; optimizing the elementary differences obtained as a function of the undulation; setting the parameters of the machining center as a function of the optimized elementary differences for the elementary sections to define machining passes over the leading edge; and machining the leading edge of the blade with the machining center with parameters set. | 03-29-2012 |
20120083186 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - In an eyeglass lens processing apparatus, if a material selector selects a thermoplastic material for the lens, a control unit performs a first step and then a second step. In the first step, the control unit controls a lens rotating unit to position a lens in a plurality of lens rotation angles and controls an axis-to-axis distance changing unit to cause a roughing tool to cut into the lens up to a roughing path for each of the plurality of lens rotation angles, the lens being not rotated by the lens rotating unit when the roughing tool is cutting into the lens up to the roughing path. In the second step, the control unit controls the lens rotating unit and the axis-to-axis distance changing unit to rough the lens based on the roughing path while the lens rotating unit rotates the lens. | 04-05-2012 |
20120088437 | GLASS MANUFACTURING DEVICE - A glass manufacturing device includes a work container, a loading device, a sandblaster, a shield device, and a lift device. The loading device is received in the work container and loads a glass substrate in place. The sandblaster is arranged opposite to the loading device and sandblasts the glass substrate. The lift device is connected to the shield device and used for pressing the shield device onto the glass substrate during the process of sandblasting. The shield device includes a shield cover having a number of shield units. The surfaces of the shield units facing the bottom of the work container are engaged with elastic washers. The shield units are configured to shield portions of the glass substrate and prevent the portions of the glass substrate from being cut during sandblasting. | 04-12-2012 |
20120088438 | EDDY CURRENT SENSOR AND POLISHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - An eddy current sensor is used for detecting a metal film (or conductive film) formed on a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The eddy current sensor includes a sensor coil disposed near a metal film or a conductive film formed on a substrate, and the sensor coil includes a detection coil operable to detect an eddy current produced in the metal film or the conductive film. The detection coil includes a coil formed by winding a wire by a single row and plural layers, the row being defined as a direction perpendicular to the substrate and the layer being defined as a direction parallel to the substrate. | 04-12-2012 |
20120094577 | Method for Machining a Surface of an Optical Lens - Method for determining movement data representing the movement of a machining tool of an optical lens 3D machining device for machining a surface of an optical lens, wherein the method comprises: a machining tool data providing stage, a surface data providing stage, a machining rule providing stage, a 3D surface determining stage in which the 3D surface corresponding to the surface consisting of all the positions of the reference point of the machining tool that allow the profile of the cutting edge of the machining tool to tangent the derivable surface of the optical lens is determined, a movement data determining stage. | 04-19-2012 |
20120100779 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMPENSATION OF VARIABILITY IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING CONSUMABLES - Apparatus and methods for conditioning a polishing pad in a CMP system are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes performing a pre-polish process including urging a conditioner disk against a polishing surface of a polishing pad disposed in a polishing station, moving the conditioner disk relative to the polishing pad in a sweep pattern across the polishing surface while monitoring a rotational force value required to move the conditioner disk relative to the polishing pad, determining a metric indicative of an interaction between the conditioner disk and the polishing surface from the rotational force value, adjusting a polishing recipe in response to the metric, and polishing one or more substrates using the adjusted polishing recipe. | 04-26-2012 |
20120100780 | IMPROVED ABRASIVE SAW - An abrasive saw having an associated cutting wheel is used for cutting objects. The saw includes a base, a cutting assembly operably mounted to the base and a controller. The cutting assembly includes a pivot shaft, a drive shaft operably mounted to the pivot shaft, a drive, and a drive wheel. A flexible drive element operably connects the drive shaft and a drive wheel. The distance between the drive wheel axis of rotation and the drive shaft axis of rotation is variable to increase or decrease a tension in the flexible drive element. A feed table is operably mounted to the base and is movable forward and rearward in a direction of rotation of the associated cutting wheel. The cutting wheel is lockable in the cutting position and the feed table, with the object secured thereto, is moved, by the controller toward the associated cutting wheel to cut the object. An enclosure encloses the cutting assembly and has stationary sides and openable front and top panels hingedly mounted to one another and to a portion of one of the side panels to open as a unitary assembly for access to the cutting assembly. | 04-26-2012 |
20120108144 | PREDICTIVE CALCULATION METHOD FOR CALCULATING A SIMULATED SHAPE OF AN ENGAGEMENT RIDGE TO BE ARRANGED ON THE EDGE FACE OF AN OPHTHALMIC LENS OF A PAIR OF EYEGLASSES, AND A METHOD OF BEVELING - A predictive calculation method for calculating the shape of a cross-section of an engagement ridge of an ophthalmic lens obtained by beveling the lens with a beveling grindwheel driven in accordance with an initial path setting. The method includes the following steps: | 05-03-2012 |
20120122373 | PRECISE REAL TIME AND POSITION LOW PRESSURE CONTROL OF CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISH (CMP) HEAD - A method and system for detecting and controller wafer surface pressure distribution. Detecting and controlling wafer surface pressure distribution comprises measuring in situ wafer uniformity of a wafer at a plurality of locations of the wafer; and in response to the measured wafer uniformity controlling through a feedback loop in situ CMP head pressure applied at the plurality of locations of the wafer in real time to polish the wafer. | 05-17-2012 |
20120129431 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TARGET THICKNESS AND SURFACE PROFILE UNIFORMITY CONTROL OF MULTI-HEAD CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING PROCESS - An apparatus and method for providing target thickness and surface profile uniformity control of a multi-head chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process is disclosed. An exemplary method includes providing at least two wafers; determining a surface profile of each of the at least two wafers; determining an operation mode for a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process based on the surface profiles of the at least two wafers; determining a CMP polishing recipe for each of the at least two wafers based on the operation mode; and performing the CMP process on the at least two wafers based on the determined CMP polishing recipes. | 05-24-2012 |
20120129432 | AUTOMATED BORE FINISHING PROCESS - An automated bore finishing process particularly adapted for lapping automatically corrects one or more bore parameters, such as diameter, geometry, surface finish, in an iterative manner to reach a final value, controlled by algorithms that process feedback from a measurement process. The process determines bore parameter information and determines an optimum set of values for the process parameters, such as stroke position, stroke length and duration of the next lapping iteration. This optimization is targeted to achieve the desired final bore parameter or parameters within the specified bore size limits, and may be used to alter the stroke profile either for the entire next iteration or in a continuously changing manner, to minimize or eliminate bore defects over one or a succession of iterations. | 05-24-2012 |
20120129433 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SLIP OF WORK PIECE - A master servo motor and a slave servo motor that synchronously drive for rotation a master main spindle provided with a center that supports one end of a work piece and a slave main spindle provided with a center that supports the other end of the work piece are included. Before grinding, a slip detection cycle that detects a limit current value for the servo motors, at which the work piece and the centers slip, is executed and, during grinding, a grinding condition is changed to prevent a slip between the work piece and the centers in advance at the time when any one of current values of the servo motors has reached a slip threshold value set on the basis of the limit current value. | 05-24-2012 |
20120149280 | Method Of Deburring A Ball - A controller controls the position of an abrasive. The abrasive is moved to a first desired position adjacent a ball. The ball is rotated while in contact with the abrasive. The abrasive abrades the outer surface of the ball and burrs on the outer surface to remove the burrs. A sensor may be used to sense the position and size of the burrs. | 06-14-2012 |
20120149281 | DISTANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A distance measurement system comprises an optical distance sensor configured to generate a light beam, a first optical module, and a processor. The first optical module is configured to receive the light beam, and generate and selectively transmit a plurality of light beams having different light channels for projection onto one or more points of an object to generate one or more reflected light beams scattered from the respective one or more points of the object, and capture and transmit the one or more reflected light beams into the optical distance sensor to retrieve a plurality of distance data to the respective one or more points of the object. The processor is configured to process the distance data to determine position information of the respective one or more points of the object. A distance measurement method is also presented. | 06-14-2012 |
20120156963 | Method of Monitoring Gear Grinding Operations - A method for monitoring a grinding operation using a computer system is provided. The method includes determining, by the computer system, a first plurality of operating characteristics associated with a pre-grinding operation. The method also includes determining, by the computer system, a second plurality of operating characteristics associated with the grinding operation. The method further includes determining, by the computer system, a set of operating conditions based on the first plurality of operating characteristics with and the second plurality of operating characteristics. Moreover, the method includes comparing, by the computer system, the set of operating conditions with a set of predetermined operation conditions. | 06-21-2012 |
20120156964 | AUTOMATED INSTRUMENT SHARPENING AND CLEANING SYSTEM - An automated knife sharpening and cleaning system is provided. The system comprises a container body that is configured to hold a utensil holder that is configured to releasably couple to the container body, the utensil holder configured to hold a utensil. The system further includes a drive assembly and a gripper assembly, the gripper assembly being coupled to the drive assembly and the drive assembly being configured to move the gripper assembly within the three-dimensional coordinate space of the container body. The system further includes a grinding assembly that is configured to sharpen the utensil. During operation of the system, the gripper assembly is configured to grip the utensil and remove the utensil from the utensil holder, hold the utensil within the grinding assembly during sharpening, and replace and release the utensil in the utensil holder once the sharpening is complete. Moreover, the system may clean and sanitize the utensil. | 06-21-2012 |
20120156965 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF EXTRAORAL DENTAL PROSTHESES - The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for the extraoral production of a tooth replacement part, whereby the method comprises providing a base body ( | 06-21-2012 |
20120171931 | POLISHING METHOD, POLISHING APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A polishing method includes a first polishing step of halfway polishing a film to be polished formed on a substrate, and a second polishing step of further polishing the polished film, wherein a first film thickness profile showing an in-plane distribution of a film thickness of the polished film after the second polishing step for a first substrate is measured, and the first polishing step for a second substrate is executed to obtain a second film thickness profile which has a size relation in a film thickness opposite to the first film thickness profile. | 07-05-2012 |
20120184182 | METHOD FOR COMBINED FINE BORING AND HONING MACHINING, AND MACHINING PLANT FOR EXECUTING THE METHOD - A method for fine boring of internal surfaces of bore holes in work pieces as well as a machining plant for executing this method. The fine machining, fine boring, and honing include fine boring of a bore hole of a work piece using a fine boring tool; transferring the work piece into a honing device; measuring the fine bored bore hole with a measuring device associated with the honing device; and controlling the operation of the fine boring device depending on the bore hole measuring signal received by the measuring device. An output fine boring machining, arranged directly upstream of the transfer, is dimensioned as semi-finishing machining, and is carried out with a fine boring tool having at least one adjustable cutting edge. The position of the adjustable cutting edge is controlled depending on the bore hole measuring signal. | 07-19-2012 |
20120190272 | AUTOMATIC AIRFOIL ROOT PREP MACHINE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD - An apparatus for polishing an airfoil root includes a fixture for holding the airfoil, an actuation cylinder assembly for moving the fixture holding the airfoil, a brush, a motor for rotating the brush, a switch, and control circuitry. The actuation cylinder assembly is configured to move the fixture holding the airfoil toward the brush to trigger the switch, and the control circuitry is configured to run a timer when the switch is triggered to control contact between the airfoil and the brush for polishing. | 07-26-2012 |
20120190273 | POLISHING METHOD AND POLISHING APPARATUS - A polishing method polishes a surface (surface to be polished) of a substrate at a sufficient polishing rate and obtains a desired polishing profile while preventing an unpolished portion from remaining on the surface of the substrate after polishing. The polishing method polishes a surface to be polished with a polishing pad while controlling the temperature of the polishing pad by blowing a gas toward the polishing pad. The polishing method includes monitoring the polishing state of the substrate to be polished during polishing while PID-controlling the flow rate or the blow direction of the gas, and changing the control temperature of the polishing pad when a predetermined thickness of a film to be polished is reached. | 07-26-2012 |
20120196510 | MACHINING PROCESS AND TOOLS - A method and an apparatus for machining an exterior surface of a metal alloy casing of a portable electronic device to form a combination of a flat edge surface, a curved edge surface and a flat bottom surface is disclosed. The flat edge surface is abraded by contacting a first flat section of a rotating cutting tool along a first circuit of a pre-determined continuous spiral path. The curved edge surface is abraded by contacting a convex section of the rotating cutting tool along additional circuits of the first pre-determined continuous spiral path. The pitch of vertical movement of the cutting tool is adjusted for each circuit of the continuous spiral path based on a resulting curvature of the metal alloy casing. The bottom surface is abraded by contacting a flat section of the cutting tool along a second pre-determined alternating direction linear path. | 08-02-2012 |
20120208436 | Method for Hard Fine Machining of the Tooth Flanks of a Gear Wheel - The invention relates to a method for hard fine machining of a pre-manufactured flank ( | 08-16-2012 |
20120220194 | SMART AUTOMATION OF ROBOTIC SURFACE FINISHING - A method and an apparatus for smart automation of robotic surface finishing of a three-dimensional surface of a work piece is described. A three-dimensional motion path is created along the surface of the work piece. A variable contact force profile is specified along the three-dimensional motion path. The three-dimensional motion path is modified based on the specified variable contact force profile. The surface of the work piece is finished using one or more surface finishing tools along the modified three-dimensional motion path. The surface of the work piece includes at least a flat region and a curved region. | 08-30-2012 |
20120231701 | FEEDBACK FOR POLISHING RATE CORRECTION IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A substrate having a plurality of zones is polished and spectra are measured. For each zone, a first linear function fits a sequence of index values associated with reference spectra that best match the measured spectra. A projected time at which a reference zone will reach the target index value is determined based on the first linear function, and for at least one adjustable zone, a polishing parameter adjustment is calculated such that the adjustable zone has closer to the target index at the projected time than without such adjustment. The adjustment is calculated based on a feedback error calculated for a previous substrate. The feedback error for a subsequent substrate is calculated based on a second linear function that fits a sequence of index values associated with reference spectra that best match spectra measured after the polishing parameter is adjusted. | 09-13-2012 |
20120231702 | METHOD OF PHASING THREADED GRINDING STONE, AS WELL AS GEAR GRINDING MACHINE - A method of phasing a threaded grinding stone and a gear grinding machine are disclosed, wherein phasing of the threaded grinding stone with respect to a gear to be machined or to a dresser can be performed at high speed. A threaded grinding stone is phased with respect to a workpiece or a disk dresser prior to engagement. The phase of the threaded grinding stone is adjusted so that a tooth tip of the workpiece or a blade tip of the disk dresser faces the central position of an edge groove of the grinding stone. Subsequently an edge surface of the threaded grinding stone contacts an edge surface of the workpiece or an edge surface of the disk dresser. The phase of the threaded grinding stone is adjusted so that the tooth tip of the workpiece or the blade tip of the disk dresser is disposed in this latter phase. | 09-13-2012 |
20120252315 | EYEGLASS LENS PERIPHERY PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens periphery processing apparatus for processing an eyeglass lens includes: a lens shuck shaft holding the eyeglass lens; a data input unit inputting target lens shape data and layout data of an optical center of the lens with respect to the target lens shape; left and right lens selecting unit inputting a selection signal as to whether the lens held by the lens chuck shaft is a right lens or a left lens; a lens shape detecting unit detecting the lens shape; a confirming unit confirming whether the lens held by the lens chuck shaft is the correct one of the right lens and the left lens based on the detecting result of the lens shape detecting unit, the layout data and the selection signal; and a notifying unit notifying the confirming result of the confirming unit. | 10-04-2012 |
20120252316 | GRINDING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR GRINDING AND DEBURRING - The present invention relates to a grinding machine for grinding a workpiece, in particular cams, with a grinding wheel having a profile with a grinding region running substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel and at least one profile section which does not run parallel to the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel, a control unit for controlling the grinding process, wherein the control unit is configured in such a manner that, with reference to position information on positions of edges of the workpiece in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the workpiece, the edges of the workpiece are successively deburred or chamfered by the at least one profile section of the grinding wheel during or after the grinding of the workpiece. | 10-04-2012 |
20120252317 | METHOD OF MAKING BARREL-SHAPED WORM-LIKE TOOL - Provided is a method of making a barrel-shaped worm-like tool whereby a barrel-shaped worm-like tool capable of efficiently performing grinding without unequal wear can easily be made. The aforementioned method comprises making the barrel-shaped worm-like tool ( | 10-04-2012 |
20120252318 | TOOTH-PROFILE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR SHAVING-CUTTER GRINDING MACHINE - A personal computer has correction coefficients (α) for tooth-profile error correction and correction coefficients (β) for meshing position correction which are set for each number of times a shaving cutter is sharpened, and for each cutter feature of the shaving cutter. Target tooth-profile data (Do), tooth-profile error data (ΔD) which is the difference between the target tooth-profile data (Do) and measured tooth-profile data (Dm), and the correction coefficient (α) and the correction coefficient (β) captured in correspondence with the number of times sharpening is performed, and the cutter features are applied to an equation Dcc=Do+α·ΔD+β to find aimed tooth-profile data (Dcc). Shaving-cutter tooth-profile data (ds) is found from the aimed tooth-profile data (Dcc). Thus, the shaving cutter can be sharpened appropriately even when the outer diameter and tooth thickness of the shaving cutter are reduced by sharpening the shaving cutter. | 10-04-2012 |
20120258647 | GEAR CUTTING MACHINE - The present disclosure relates to a gear cutting machine, having a workpiece mount and a first tool mount for a respective workpiece and tool. The first tool mount can be set into rotation about a first axis of rotation of the gear cutting machine and the workpiece mount can be set into rotation about a second axis of rotation of the gear cutting machine. The first tool mount is arranged at a machining head which is movable parallel to the second axis of rotation of the workpiece mount at a machining head over at least one first linear movement axis of the gear cutting machine. In accordance with the present disclosure, the gear cutting machine furthermore has a second machining head having a second tool mount which is movable over a second linear movement axis parallel to the first linear movement axis independently of the first machining head. | 10-11-2012 |
20120258648 | GRINDING MACHINE COMPRISING TWO SPINDLE SETS - The invention relates to a grinding machine for grinding workpieces, in particular for the simultaneous grinding of two workpieces which are arranged in a tightly adjacent manner. The grinding machine comprises at least two first grinding spindles and at least two second grinding spindles which in each case have a grinding disk receptacle and are mounted pivotably via a support on the spindle block of one of the first grinding spindles, with the result that they can be pivoted about the rotational axis of the respective first grinding spindle. | 10-11-2012 |
20120276814 | AUTOMATIC SELECTION OF REFERENCE SPECTRA LIBRARY - A computer-implemented method of generating reference spectra includes polishing a plurality of set-up substrates, the plurality of set-up substrates comprising at least three set-up substrates, measuring a sequence of spectra from each of the plurality of set-up substrates during polishing with an in-situ optical monitoring system to provide a plurality of sequences of spectra, generating a plurality of sequences of potential reference spectra from the plurality of sequences of spectra, determining which sequence of potential reference spectra of the plurality of sequences provides a best match to remaining sequences of the plurality of sequences, and storing the sequence of potential reference spectra determined to provide the best match as reference spectra, and selecting and storing the sequence of potential reference spectra. | 11-01-2012 |
20120276815 | VARYING OPTICAL COEFFICIENTS TO GENERATE SPECTRA FOR POLISHING CONTROL - A method of generating a library of reference spectra includes storing an optical model for a layer stack having at a plurality of layers, receiving user input identifying a set of one or more refractive index functions and a set of one or more extinction coefficient functions a first layer from the plurality of layers, wherein the set of one or more refractive index functions includes a plurality of different refractive index functions or the set of one or more extinction coefficient functions includes a plurality of different extinction coefficient functions, and for each combination of a refractive index function from the set of refractive index functions and an extinction coefficient function from the set of extinction coefficient functions, calculating a reference spectrum using the optical model based on the refractive index function, the extinction coefficient function and a first thickness of the first layer. | 11-01-2012 |
20120295516 | MULTI-CARRIAGE SYMMETRICAL NUMERICALLY CONTROLLED COORDINATE GRINDING MACHINE - The present invention includes a base, a work table, upright posts, several carriages and a grinding head. Wherein, the upright posts include for example a first upright post and a second upright post which are installed in parallel to each other on the base, and the carriages include a first carriage, a second carriage and several of third carriages; the base is connected to the first carriage and the work table is connected to the first carriage; the second carriage is positioned between the first upright post and the second upright post, the grinding head is installed on the second carriage and the third carriages are symmetrically installed on the outer sides of the first upright post and the second upright post, and each of the third carriages has a slider. The grinding machines of this invention can be used to significantly improve the operating stability and machining precision. | 11-22-2012 |
20120329367 | Golf Ball Having An Aerodynamic Coating Including Micro Surface Roughness - A golf ball kit having an abrasive material adapted for imparting enhanced micro surface roughness to an exterior surface of a golf ball. The enhanced micro surface roughening affects the aerodynamic properties of the ball as compared to golf balls having the same set of construction specifications but without enhanced micro surface roughness. The kit includes an instruction device having a plurality of correlations between at least one performance parameter and micro surface roughness for at least a first golf ball. | 12-27-2012 |
20130017762 | Method and Apparatus for Determining a Measure of a Thickness of a Polishing Pad of a Polishing MachineAANM Thaldorf; ChristianAACI Ottendorf-OkkrillaAACO DEAAGP Thaldorf; Christian Ottendorf-Okkrilla DEAANM Hildebrandt; SvenAACI LaussnitzAACO DEAAGP Hildebrandt; Sven Laussnitz DE - An apparatus for determining a measure of a thickness of a polishing pad of a polishing machine includes a detector and a determiner. The detector is configured to detect a position of a carrier of an element to be polished in a pressing direction while the element is pressed by the carrier in the pressing direction against the polishing pad with a defined pressure. The detector is further configured to output a signal indicative of the position of the carrier. The determiner is configured to determine the measure of the thickness of the polishing pad based on the signal indicative of the position of the carrier. | 01-17-2013 |
20130017763 | WAFER POLISHING METHODAANM Takaishi; KazushigeAACI TokyoAACO JPAAGP Takaishi; Kazushige Tokyo JPAANM Takanashi; KeiichiAACI TokyoAACO JPAAGP Takanashi; Keiichi Tokyo JPAANM Taniguchi; TetsurouAACI TokyoAACO JPAAGP Taniguchi; Tetsurou Tokyo JPAANM Ogata; ShinichiAACI TokyoAACO JPAAGP Ogata; Shinichi Tokyo JPAANM Mikuriya; ShunsukeAACI TokyoAACO JPAAGP Mikuriya; Shunsuke Tokyo JP - An object of the present invention is to provide a method of polishing silicon wafers, capable of suppressing generation of undesired sounds from carriers and reducing the thickness variation of the wafers after polished. | 01-17-2013 |
20130059499 | Semi-Quantitative Thickness Determination - While a substrate is polished, it is also irradiated with light from a light source. A current spectrum of the light reflected from the surface of the substrate is measured. A selected peak, having a first parameter value, is identified in the current spectrum. A value of a second parameter associated with the first parameter is determined from a lookup table using a processor. Depending on the value of the second parameter, the polishing of the substrate is changed. An initial spectrum of light reflected from the substrate before the polishing of the substrate can be measured and a wavelength corresponding to a selected peak of the initial spectrum can be determined. | 03-07-2013 |
20130084778 | Process for Controlling a Lens Manufacturing Process - A process for controlling a lens manufacturing process comprising the steps of a) manufacturing a master lens according to a manufacturing process using a manufacturing device, b) measuring by using at least a measuring device at least one parameter of the master lens of step a), c) recording the value of the parameter, d) repeating regularly step a) to c) and checking the evolution of the parameter over time, wherein the evolution of at least one parameter of the manufacturing device used during the lens manufacturing process is checked over time and the evolution over time of at least one parameter of the master lens is related with the evolution over time of the at least one parameter of the manufacturing device. | 04-04-2013 |
20130084779 | SCRIBING FOR POLISHING PROCESS VALIDATION - The described embodiment relates generally to the polishing of a device housing. The device housing can be formed of a thermoplastic, or a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. More particularly, a method and an apparatus are described for calibrating a polishing process in which a precise amount of material can be removed. Accurate measurement of such a polishing process can be especially helpful in accurately determining material removal rates and pad wear occurring across curved surfaces and edges where such parameters tend to be difficult to predict. | 04-04-2013 |
20130084780 | MATERIAL REMOVAL DEPTH MEASUREMENT BY SCRIBING - The described embodiment relates generally to the polishing of a device housing. The device housing can be formed of a thermoplastic, or a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. More particularly, a method and an apparatus are described for accurately measuring the amount of material removed during a polishing process. Accurate measurement of such a polishing process can be especially helpful in measuring material removal on curved surfaces and edges where material removal rates tend to be less predictable. | 04-04-2013 |
20130084781 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WORKING AN OPTICAL LENS - An apparatus and a method for processing an optical lens are proposed, whereby the desired optical data of the lens can be input into the device and lens-production data and/or geometric data of the lens are determined therefrom to control the processing of a surface side of the lens. | 04-04-2013 |
20130090038 | LASER ALIGNMENT APPARATUS FOR ROTARY SPINDLES - There are three flat-surfaced rotary workpiece abrasive lapping spindles that are spaced apart from each other in a circle and are attached to the flat surface of a granite lapping machine base. Flat-surfaced workpieces are attached to the flat rotary surfaces of the workpiece spindles. Flexible abrasive disks are attached to the annular abrading surface of a rotary platen that is positioned to be concentric with the three spaced workpiece spindles. The platen is moved where the disk abrasive surface contacts the workpieces that are attached to the workpiece spindles. Both the platen and the workpieces spindles are rotated at high speeds to flat lap the exposed surfaces of the workpieces. Laser alignment devices are attached to an alignment rotary spindle that is positioned at the center of the workpiece spindle circle. These laser alignment distance sensors are used to co-planar align the top flat surfaces of the workpiece spindles. | 04-11-2013 |
20130090039 | COPLANAR ALIGNMENT APPARATUS FOR ROTARY SPINDLES - There are three flat-surfaced rotary workpiece abrasive lapping spindles that are spaced apart from each other in a circle and are attached to the flat surface of a granite lapping machine base. Flat-surfaced workpieces are attached to the flat rotary surfaces of the workpiece spindles. Flexible abrasive disks are attached to the annular abrading surface of a rotary platen that is positioned to be concentric with the three spaced workpiece spindles. The platen is moved where the disk abrasive surface contacts the workpieces that are attached to the workpiece spindles. Both the platen and the workpieces spindles are rotated at high speeds to flat lap the exposed surfaces of the workpieces. A laser alignment device having laser distance sensors is attached to one of the rotary workpiece spindles. These laser alignment distance sensors are used to co-planar align the top flat surfaces of all of the workpiece spindles. | 04-11-2013 |
20130109277 | ROBOTIC END EFFECTOR INCLUDING MULTIPLE ABRASION TOOLS | 05-02-2013 |
20130109278 | POLISHING METHOD AND POLISHING APPARATUS | 05-02-2013 |
20130115854 | End Point Detection in Grinding - A method for performing grinding includes selecting a target wheel loading for wafer grinding processes, and performing a grinding process on a wafer. With the proceeding of the grinding process, wheel loadings of the grinding process are measured. The grinding process is stopped after the target wheel loading is reached. The method alternatively includes selecting a target reflectivity of wafer grinding processes, and performing a grinding process on a wafer. With a proceeding of the grinding process, reflectivities of a light reflected from a surface of the wafer are measured. The grinding process is stopped after one of the reflectivities reaches the target reflectivity. | 05-09-2013 |
20130130593 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - Some embodiments provide methods of processing wafers comprising: positioning a stacked wafer into a position to be ground, wherein the stacked wafer comprises a first wafer secured with a carrier-wafer, wherein the first wafer is secured with the carrier-wafer such that a surface of the first wafer is exposed to be ground; initiating a grinding of the first wafer while supported by the carrier-wafer; activating one or more sensors relative to the first wafer while grinding the first wafer; determining, while grinding the first wafer, a thickness of the first wafer separate from a thickness of the carrier-wafer as a function of data from the one or more sensors; determining whether the determined thickness of the first wafer has a predefined relationship with a first thickness threshold; and halting the wafer grinding when the thickness of the first wafer has the predefined relationship with the first thickness threshold. | 05-23-2013 |
20130137341 | ACTUAL GRINDING DEPTH MEASUREMENT METHOD, MACHINING METHOD, AND MACHINE TOOL - In a machining method of supporting a workpiece having a cylindrical machined portion such that the workpiece is rotatable and feeding a grinding wheel in a radial direction, a start diameter that is a diameter including a measurement start point on a surface of the machined portion is measured, and, after the measurement start point passes through a machining application portion, an end diameter that is a diameter including a measurement end point is measured. An actual grinding depth at the time when the measurement start point is machined is computed by the equation, U=|D | 05-30-2013 |
20130137342 | RETREAD TIRE BUFFING WITH MULTIPLE RESPONSE CURVES - A method and apparatus for buffing tread from a tire carcass, the method comprising the steps of: positioning a sensor at a first lateral location along a width of the tread; receiving a first signal from the sensor, the first signal generated as a function of a distance between the sensor and a belt in the tire and a tire characteristic; selecting a first signal response curve from a plurality of signal response curves based upon the first lateral location of the sensor, the selected signal response curve representing the function of the distance between the sensor and the tire belt and the tire characteristic; determining from the response curve the distance between the sensor and the belt for the signal response received; buffing tread from the tire until the distance between the sensor and the belt reaches a final distance. The steps are repeated at a second lateral location. | 05-30-2013 |
20130143471 | GEAR GRINDING MACHINE AND GEAR GRINDING METHOD - The actual axial center position of a helical gear relative to the axial center position of a rotary table is calculated on the basis of input gear dimensions and information from a touch probe. Correction values for the positions and motions of the rotary table and a grindstone are calculated on the basis of the actual axial center position of the helical gear. Operation values for the rotary table, a column, a saddle, and a grindstone head are calculated by adding the correction values to reference values for the positions and motions of the rotary table and the grindstone. Motors are controlled in such a way that operation is carried out at the operation values to thereby carry out form grinding. | 06-06-2013 |
20130165019 | COMPUTER NUMERICAL CONTROL MACHINE TOOL FOR GRINDING TWO SIDES OF A PLANE BY SHIFTING SELF-ROTATION AND ULTRASONIC VIBRATION - A computer numerical control machine tool for grinding two sides of a plane by shifting self-rotation ultrasonic vibration, wherein a pillar ( | 06-27-2013 |
20130171912 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING PERIODIC TOOTH FLANK MODIFICATIONS, MACHINE TOOL, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM - The present invention relates to a method for producing periodic tooth flank modifications, wherein a tool is used during a first stroke carried out relative to a tooth flank of a tooth of a workpiece along an axis, which is rotated by a helix angle β relative to a center axis of the workpiece and which produces an enshrouding plane. The invention further relates to a machine tool, which is designed to carry out said method, and to a computer-readable medium having instructions, which lead to the open- or closed-loop control of a machine tool according to the method above when executed by a processor. | 07-04-2013 |
20130171913 | DIGITALLY CONTROLLED GRINDER, PARTICULARLY FOR GLASS SHEETS WITH STRAIGHT SIDES - Digitally controlled grinder, particularly for glass sheets with straight sides, comprising at least one first conveyance guide which defines a loading surface for at least one glass sheet to be ground and is adapted to convey it into a grinding station, which defines a grinding surface that is adjacent to the loading surface, with the glass sheet to be ground resting, on the loading surface, measurement elements being further comprised, combined rotary and translational motion elements adapted for the combined rotary and translational motion of the loading surface with respect to the grinding surface, and processing and control elements which are functionally connected both to the measurement elements and to the combined rotary and translational motion elements and are adapted to actuate the latter elements as a function of the measurements made by the measurement elements and of the final geometry to be obtained of the glass sheet. | 07-04-2013 |
20130189903 | SYSTEM AND APPARTUS FOR REMOVAL OF TURBINE BUCKET COVERS - A method system and apparatus for cutting turbine bucket covers on a turbine rotor includes marking a cut path on a surface of the turbine bucket cover. The cut path includes a plurality of finite lines defined by a pair of end points, then directing a laser at each end point of each line of the cut path, storing a set of position coordinates of each end point for every line of the cut path; generating the cut path based on the respective end points; and following the cut path on the turbine bucket cover with a grinding machine attached to a robotic device; and cutting the turbine bucket cover according to the cut path. | 07-25-2013 |
20130203321 | RETAINING RING MONITORING AND CONTROL OF PRESSURE - A load cup apparatus for transferring a substrate in a processing system includes a pedestal assembly having a substrate support, an actuator, and a controller. The actuator is configured to move the pedestal assembly into a loading position in contact with a retaining ring of a carrier head and to generate a retaining ring thickness signal based on a distance travelled by the pedestal assembly. The controller is configured to receive the retaining ring thickness signal from the actuator. | 08-08-2013 |
20130203322 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - In an eyeglass lens processing apparatus, a roughing tool for roughing a periphery of an eyeglass lens cuts the periphery up to a roughing path without rotating an eyeglass lens in a first stage and the roughing tool moves along the roughing path while rotating the eyeglass lens in a second stage. A calculating unit for obtaining control data of the lens rotating unit at the second stage. The calculating unit obtains a first load torque applied to a lens chuck shaft at every rotation angle of the lens based on condition data, and obtains a rotation speed of the lens at which the first load torque per unit time becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined reference value. | 08-08-2013 |
20130237126 | System For Machining Seed Rods For Use In A Chemical Vapor Deposition Polysilicon Reactor - A method for machining a profile into a silicon seed rod using a machine. The silicon seed rod is capable of being used in a chemical vapor deposition polysilicon reactor. The machine includes a plurality of grinding wheels. The method includes grinding a v-shaped profile into a first end of the silicon seed rod with one of the plurality of grinding wheels and grinding a conical profile in a second end of the silicon seed rod with another of the plurality of grinding wheels. | 09-12-2013 |
20130237127 | GRINDING MACHINE CONTROL METHOD AND CONTROL SYSTEM EMPLOYING THE METHOD - A grinding machine control method and a control system employing the method is disclosed. The grinding machine control method includes the step of providing a plurality of sub processing procedures each dominating a grinding machine to execute a respective processing step, the step of providing a processing scheduling processing to link the sub processing procedures into a main processing procedure, and the step of executing the main processing procedure to enable the grinding machine to run subject to the processing steps executed by the respective sub processing procedures. | 09-12-2013 |
20130237128 | FITTING OF OPTICAL MODEL TO MEASURED SPECTRUM - A method of controlling a polishing operation includes polishing a first layer of a substrate, during polishing, obtaining a sequence over time of measured spectra with an in-situ optical monitoring system, for each measured spectrum from the sequence of measured spectra, fitting an optical model to the measured spectrum, the fitting including finding parameters that provide a minimum difference between an output spectrum of the optical model and the measured spectrum, the parameters including an endpoint parameter and at least one non-endpoint parameter, the fitting generating a sequence of fitted endpoint parameter values, each endpoint parameter value of the sequence associated with one of the spectra of the sequence of measured spectra, and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment of a pressure to the substrate from the sequence of fitted endpoint parameter values. | 09-12-2013 |
20130260640 | POLISHING DEVICE FOR CREATING FLAT SURFACE - A polishing device includes a movable base, a polishing head fixed on the movable base and a flatness detecting unit fixed on the movable base. The polishing head polishes a surface of a workpiece under driving of the movable base to achieve complete flatness. The flatness detecting unit moves along with the polishing head, for detecting the flatness of the surface of the workpiece polished by the polishing head. | 10-03-2013 |
20130260641 | METHOD OF CALCULATING CIRCUMFERENCE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SPECTACLE LENS, CIRCUMFERENCE CALCULATING DEVICE AND CIRCUMFERENCE CALCULATING PROGRAM - There is provided a circumference calculating device including an expected shape specifying part | 10-03-2013 |
20130260642 | METHOD OF EDGING A SPECTACLE LENS, SPECTACLE LENS EDGING SYSTEM AND SPECTACLE LENS EDGING PROGRAM - A controller | 10-03-2013 |
20130260643 | Device and Method for Machining Bevel Gears Using an Eccentrically Moved Grinding Tool - A device has a work piece spindle for accommodating a bevel gear work piece, a tool spindle for accommodating a grinding wheel having an abrasive surface, and a plurality of drives for machining the bevel gear work piece. During machining of the bevel gear work piece, the grinding wheel rotates about the rotational axis of the tool spindle and engages the bevel gear work piece to remove material. The rotation is superimposed with an eccentric movement such that the grinding wheel only engages the bevel gear work piece at n contact regions of the abrasive surface. The device is configured to allow adjustment of the eccentric movement after a first machining phase and to specify m contact regions of the abrasive surface in a further machining pase, wherein the m contact regions do not overlap with the n contact regions. | 10-03-2013 |
20130267148 | RUN-TO-RUN CONTROL FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL PLANARIZATION - A method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a partitioned chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) model having a plurality of model parameters that include (i) device specific model parameters and (ii) at least one common parameter. (i) include a pre-CMP thickness of a film including a first material on an in-process device, a post-CMP target thickness for the film on the in-process device, and device group properties that account for device structure for the in-process device. (ii) includes a polish rate from an unpatterned pilot wafer having a second material thereon. The second material need not be the same as the first material. The polish time is automatically determined using the partitioned CMP model. A CMP process is performed on a patterned product wafer having a plurality of the in-process devices using a recipe including the polish time. | 10-10-2013 |
20130273810 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FINISHING GLASS SHEETS - A method of finishing glass sheets includes forming a stack comprising alternating layers of unfinished glass sheets and spacer pads. The stack is such that there is no physical contact between any two adjacent unfinished glass sheets and outer edges of the spacer pads are recessed relative to outer edges of the unfinished glass sheets. The stack is secured by clamping the unfinished glass sheets and spacer pads together and then supported on a working surface. The unfinished glass sheets of the stack are finished simultaneously while the stack is supported on the working surface. After the finishing, the stack comprises alternating layers of finished glass sheets and spacer pads. | 10-17-2013 |
20130273811 | Grind Hardening Method and Apparatus - A method of grind hardening a workpiece is provided. The method may include securing the workpiece in a workpiece retainer and a grind tool in a tool retainer, rotating the grind tool in a first angular direction at a first angular speed, controlling the workpiece and tool retainers such that the grind tool engages the workpiece, and controlling the workpiece and tool retainers such that the grind tool is guided along a grinding track of the workpiece. The grind tool may engage and/or disengage the workpiece at portions of sacrificial material disposed thereon. Coolant and cleaning nozzles may be provided and controlled such that at least a portion of the coolant from the coolant nozzle is diverted to the cleaning nozzle in a manner which reduces heat dissipation, improves thermal efficiency of the grind hardening and reduces loading of the grind tool. | 10-17-2013 |
20130273812 | FEEDBACK FOR POLISHING RATE CORRECTION IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A substrate having a plurality of zones is polished and spectra are measured. For each zone, a first linear function fits a sequence of index values associated with reference spectra that best match the measured spectra. A projected time at which a reference zone will reach the target index value is determined based on the first linear function, and for at least one adjustable zone, a polishing parameter adjustment is calculated such that the adjustable zone has closer to the target index at the projected time than without such adjustment. The adjustment is calculated based on a feedback error calculated for a previous substrate. The feedback error for a subsequent substrate is calculated based on a second linear function that fits a sequence of index values associated with reference spectra that best match spectra measured after the polishing parameter is adjusted. | 10-17-2013 |
20130280989 | USER-INPUT FUNCTIONS FOR DATA SEQUENCES IN POLISHING ENDPOINT DETECTION - A method of controlling polishing includes receiving user input through a graphical user interface selecting a function, the function including at least one parameter that can be varied, polishing a substrate, monitoring a substrate during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system, generating a sequence of values from measurements from the in-situ monitoring system, fitting the function to the sequence of values, the fitting including determining a value of the at least one parameter that provides a best fit of the function to the sequence of values, determining a projected time at which the function equals a target value, and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the projected time. | 10-24-2013 |
20130288570 | FITTING OF OPTICAL MODEL WITH DIFFRACTION EFFECTS TO MEASURED SPECTRUM - A method of controlling a polishing operation includes obtaining a sequence over time of measured spectra with an in-situ optical monitoring system during polishing. For each measured spectrum from the sequence an optical model is fit. The optical model includes dimensions of a repeating structure and the fitting includes calculating a output spectrum using diffraction effects of the repeating structure, and parameters of the optical model include an endpoint parameter and a parameter of the repeating structure. The fitting generates the sequence of fitted endpoint parameter values, and at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment of a pressure to the substrate is determined from the sequence of fitted endpoint parameter values. | 10-31-2013 |
20130288571 | FEED FORWARD AND FEED-BACK TECHNIQUES FOR IN-SITU PROCESS CONTROL - During polishing of a substrate at a first platen and prior to a first time, a first sequence of values is obtained for a first zone of the first substrate and a second sequence of values is obtained for a different second zone of the substrate with an in-situ monitoring system. A first function is fit to a portion of the first sequence of values obtained prior to the first time, and a second function is fit to a portion of the second sequence of values obtained prior to the second time. At least one polishing parameter is adjusted based on the first fitted function and the second fitted function so as to reduce an expected difference between the zones. A second substrate is polished on the first platen using an adjusted polishing parameter calculated based on the first fitted function and the second fitted function. | 10-31-2013 |
20130288572 | Linear Prediction For Filtering Of Data During In-Situ Monitoring Of Polishing - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate, during polishing monitoring the substrate with an in-situ monitoring system, the monitoring including generating a signal from a sensor, and filtering the signal to generate a filtered signal. The signal includes a sequence of measured values, and the filtered signal including a sequence of adjusted values. The filtering includes for each adjusted value in the sequence of adjusted values, generating at least one predicted value from the sequence of measured values using linear prediction, and calculating the adjusted value from the sequence of measured values and the predicted value. At least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate is determined from the filtered signal. | 10-31-2013 |
20130316618 | APPARATUS FOR GRINDING A SUBSTRATE AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME - An apparatus for grinding a substrate includes a stage part configured to support a substrate thereon, a grinding part, a camera part, a replacing part and a control unit. The grinding part includes a grinding wheel configured to grind an edge of the substrate. The camera part is configured to take a picture of the grinding wheel, analyze the picture of the grinding wheel and generate information about the grinding wheel. The replacing part includes a spare grinding wheel and is configured provide the spare grinding wheel to the grinding part or pick up the grinding wheel from the grinding part. The control unit is configured to receive the grinding wheel information from the camera part and offset compensate a position of the grinding wheel on the basis of the grinding wheel information or communicate with the replacing part to replace the grinding wheel on the basis of the grinding wheel information. | 11-28-2013 |
20130331003 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MACHINE POLISHING A PATTERN ONTO METAL USING ABRASIVE DISKS - Implementations of the metal polishing processes of the present disclosure machine polish patterns onto metal using various abrasive disks. The abrasive disks can be machine controlled using programmed commands. In some implementations, the programmed commands are derived based on the desired pattern using computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technology. The programmed commands automatically operate a machine to polish a pattern onto metal using the abrasive disks. | 12-12-2013 |
20130337722 | POLISHING METHOD AND POLISHING APPARATUS - A polishing method is used for polishing a film formed on a substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing pad. The polishing method includes preparing, in advance, an algorithm for correction of polishing time from a relationship between a known amount of wear of the polishing pad or a known thickness of the polishing pad, and a polishing time and a polishing amount; setting a polishing target value for the film; and measuring an amount of wear of the polishing pad or a thickness of the polishing pad. The polishing method further includes determining an optimal polishing time for the polishing target value from the measured amount of wear of the polishing pad or the measured thickness of the polishing pad and from the algorithm; and polishing the film for the determined optimal polishing time. | 12-19-2013 |
20130344773 | POLISHING APPARATUS AND POLISHING METHOD - The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for polishing a substrate having a film formed thereon. The method includes: rotating a polishing table supporting a polishing pad by a table motor; pressing the substrate against the polishing pad by a top ring; obtaining a signal containing a thickness information of the film; producing from the signal a polishing index value that varies in accordance with a thickness of the film; monitoring a torque current value of the table motor and the polishing index value; and determining a polishing end point based on a point of time when the torque current value has reached a predetermined threshold value or a point of time when a predetermined distinctive point of the polishing index value has appeared, whichever comes first. | 12-26-2013 |
20140004772 | POLISHING PAD AND CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS FOR POLISHING A WORKPIECE, AND METHOD OF POLISHING A WORKPIECE USING THE CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS | 01-02-2014 |
20140004773 | PROCESSING END POINT DETECTION METHOD, POLISHING METHOD, AND POLISHING APPARATUS | 01-02-2014 |
20140017979 | BALANCED ABRADING TOOL AND METHODS FOR ABRADING - Exemplary embodiments of the subject invention comprise methods and apparatus concerning balanced abrading of a tire surface by an abrading tool. Such an abrading tool may comprise a pair of counter-rotating, driven abrading members, each of the abrading members having a rotational axis generally extending laterally across the tool, the abrading members being spaced apart in a lateral direction of the tool by a desired distance, each of the abrading members having an abrading surface defined by at least one outer diameter, the abrading surface extending axially relative to the rotational axis of the abrading member, wherein each of the abrading has a shaft upon which each abrading member is arranged, each of the shafts being adapted to be driven by a driving source. The tool further includes a body to which each shaft and abrading member is attached. | 01-16-2014 |
20140024291 | Endpoint Detection During Polishing Using Integrated Differential Intensity - A method of controlling a polishing operation includes polishing a substrate, during polishing obtaining a sequence over time of measured spectra from the substrate with an in-situ optical monitoring system, for each measured spectrum from the sequence of measured spectra determining a difference between the measured spectrum and an immediate previous spectrum from the sequence, accumulating the difference for each measured spectrum to generate a total difference, comparing the total difference to a threshold, and detecting a polishing endpoint based on the comparison of the total difference to the threshold. | 01-23-2014 |
20140024292 | Polishing Control Using Weighting With Default Sequence - A method of controlling polishing includes storing a sequence of default values, polishing a substrate, monitoring the substrate during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system, generating a sequence of measured values from measurements from the in-situ monitoring system, combining the sequence of measured values with the sequence of default values to generate a sequence of modified values, fitting a function to the sequence of modified values, and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the function. | 01-23-2014 |
20140024293 | Control Of Overpolishing Of Multiple Substrates On the Same Platen In Chemical Mechanical Polishing - A polishing method includes simultaneously polishing a first substrate and a second substrate on the same polishing pad, storing a default overpolishing time, determining first and second polishing endpoint times of the first and substrates with the in-situ monitoring system, determining a difference between the first and second polishing endpoint times, and determining whether the difference exceeds a threshold. If the difference is less than the threshold, then an overpolishing stop time is calculated and polishing of the first substrate and the second substrates is halted simultaneously at the overpolishing stop time. If the difference is greater than the threshold, then first and second overpolishing stop times that equal the first and second endpoint times plus the default overpolishing time are calculated, and polishing of the first and second substrates is halted at the first and second overpolishing stop times, respectively. | 01-23-2014 |
20140030956 | CONTROL OF POLISHING OF MULTIPLE SUBSTRATES ON THE SAME PLATEN IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A polishing method includes positioning two substrates in contact with the same polishing pad. Prior to commencement of polishing and while the two substrates are in contact with the polishing pad, two starting values are generated from an in-situ monitoring system. Either a starting polishing time or a pressure applied to one of the substrates can be adjusted so that the two substrates have closer endpoint conditions. During polishing the two substrates are monitored with the in-situ monitoring system to generate a two sequences of values, and a polishing endpoint can be detected or an adjustment for a polishing parameter can be based on the two sequences of values. | 01-30-2014 |
20140051333 | Methods and apparatus for nanolapping - A lapping system for lapping portions of a workpiece. The lapping system includes, a lap that is defined by a surface. Portions of the surface are a lapping surface. The lapping surface has a coating that enhances material removal from a workpiece in a lapping process. The lapping system further includes, a scanning probe microscope having a tip and a substrate. The scanning probe microscope controls lapping motion of the lap and workpiece. | 02-20-2014 |
20140087628 | METHOD FOR MEASURING MATERIAL REMOVAL DURING SURFACE FINISHING ON CURVED SURFACES - The described embodiment relates generally to the development of a finishing process for a device housing. The device housing can be formed of a thermoplastic, or a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. A method and an apparatus are described for accurately measuring the amount of material removed during a finishing process. More particularly embodiments described within this application disclose a method of accurately measuring material removal during a finishing process across a curved or spline shaped surface by drilling an array of pockets along a surface of the device housing, where the drilled pockets can be used to measure material removal rates with a high degree of accuracy. | 03-27-2014 |
20140087629 | PRESSURE REGULATOR, POLISHING APPARATUS HAVING THE PRESSURE REGULATOR, AND POLISHING METHOD - A pressure regulator includes: a pressure-regulating valve configured to regulate pressure of a fluid supplied from a fluid supply source; a first pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure regulated by the pressure-regulating valve; a second pressure sensor located downstream of the first pressure sensor; a PID controller configured to produce a correction pressure command value for eliminating a difference between a pressure command value and a pressure value of the fluid measured by the second pressure sensor; and a regulator controller configured to control operation of the pressure-regulating valve so as to eliminate a difference between the correction pressure command value and a pressure value of the fluid measured by the first pressure sensor. | 03-27-2014 |
20140087630 | Automatic grinding machine for end mills for wood, programmable with optical reading of the geometric characteristics and computerized shapening - An automatic grinding machine for end mills for wood, programmable with optical reading of geometric features and for computerized sharpening, has a compact structure, which includes a computerized control panel actuating various assemblies adapted for automated sharpening. A first optical reading assembly has an arm for automatic movement from an inactive position to a position suited for detecting the geometric features of the end mill. A second assembly for holding the end mill is configured to move on command forward and backward and/or simultaneously rotate the mill about its own axis. A third assembly for supporting a cup grinding wheel is mounted on the vertical frame, which rests on a rotatable circular and horizontal base. The grinding wheel can move above and below, longitudinally along the mill and/or in front of it, on the right and left side to sharpen end mills for wood with a left-handed or right-handed helix. | 03-27-2014 |
20140113524 | ENDPOINTING WITH SELECTIVE SPECTRAL MONITORING - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate, monitoring the substrate during polishing with an in-situ spectrographic monitoring system to generate a sequence of measured spectra, selecting less than all of the measured spectra to generate a sequence of selected spectra, generating a sequence of values from the sequence of selected spectra, and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the sequence of values. | 04-24-2014 |
20140113525 | METHODS FOR FINISHING SURFACES USING TOOL CENTER POINT SHIFT TECHNIQUES - The described embodiments relate generally to lapping, polishing or sanding operations of three dimensional objects having curved surfaces. More specifically, methods and apparatuses are described for providing a smooth and consistent looking surface along curved or spline shaped features. In some embodiments, a robot arm is used in conjunction with a computer numerical control (CNC) machine. Methods involve varying the location of a tool center point with respect to a finishing tool depending on the location of the finishing tool with respect to the tool control path. | 04-24-2014 |
20140113526 | WAFER PROCESS CONTROL - A system for controlling a manufacturing process of a substrate, the system may include an illumination module that is arranged to illuminate multiple regions of a substrate with electromagnetic radiation; a detection module that is arranged to detect electromagnetic signals resulting from the illumination of the multiple regions; and a processor that is arranged to: determine dimensions of multiple vias that are deposited within a substrate of the substrate to provide first via measurement results; determine substrate thickness at multiple locations to provide first substrate thickness results; and provide information related to at least one out of (a) the first substrate thickness results and (b) the first via measurement results to at least one out of (i) a thinning device arranged to thin the substrate and (ii) a manufacturing device that differs from the thinning device and is arranged to participate in a manufacturing of the substrate. | 04-24-2014 |
20140113527 | IDENTIFYING LIQUID JET CUTTING SYSTEM COMPONENTS - A consumable component of a liquid jet cutting system is provided. The consumable component includes a body defining a conduit for a liquid jet and a signal device located on or within the body for transmitting a signal associated with the consumable component to a reader. | 04-24-2014 |
20140127971 | IN-SITU MONITORING SYSTEM WITH MONITORING OF ELONGATED REGION - A method of chemical mechanical polishing a substrate includes polishing a layer on the substrate at a polishing station, monitoring the layer during polishing at the polishing station with an in-situ monitoring system, the in-situ monitoring system monitoring an elongated region and generating a measured signal, computing an angle between a primary axis of the elongated region and a tangent to an edge of the substrate, modifying the measured signal based on the angle to generate a modified signal, and at least one of detecting a polishing endpoint or modifying a polishing parameter based on the modified signal. | 05-08-2014 |
20140127972 | GRINDING MACHINE AND GRINDING METHOD - With the center position CP of a support shaft | 05-08-2014 |
20140134923 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR USE IN GRIND SHAPE CONTROL ADAPTATION - A method of grinding wafers includes determining thickness variations in a wafer; determining incremental adjustments to spindle alignment based on best fit predictions of wafer shaper; and implemented the incremental adjustments to spindle alignment of a grind module. | 05-15-2014 |
20140134924 | SUBSTRATE HOLDING APPARATUS AND POLISHING APPARATUS - A substrate holding apparatus holds a substrate and presses the substrate against a polishing pad. The substrate holding apparatus includes a top ring configured to hold the substrate and press the substrate against the polishing pad, a vertical movement mechanism configured to vertically move the top ring, a torque detector configured to detect a torque of the vertical movement mechanism when the top ring is being lowered or being lifted by the vertical movement mechanism, and a controller in which a torque of the vertical movement mechanism when the top ring is brought into contact with a surface of the polishing pad at the time of a pad search is preset as a torque limit value. The controller calculates a torque correction amount from the torque detected by the torque detector and a preset reference value, and corrects the torque limit value by using the torque correction amount. | 05-15-2014 |
20140141694 | In-Sequence Spectrographic Sensor - A method of controlling a polishing system includes polishing a substrate at a first polishing station, transporting the substrate to an in-line optical metrology system positioned between the first polishing station and a second polishing station, at the in-line optical metrology system measuring a spectrum reflected from the substrate, and generating a characterizing value from the spectrum, determining that the substrate needs rework based on the characterizing value, returning the substrate to the first polishing station and performing rework of the substrate at the first polishing station; and transporting the substrate to the second polishing station and polishing the substrate at the second polishing station. | 05-22-2014 |
20140148081 | GRINDING MACHINE AND GRINDING METHOD - Teaching (contacting) operation is performed, and from the contact position (SX), the workpiece ( | 05-29-2014 |
20140154953 | CORRECTING CURRENT CROWDING IN ROW BAR AND VIAS FOR SINGLE PAD BONDING - Embodiments described herein generally relate to connecting electronic lapping guides (ELGs) to a lapping controller to prevent the effects of current crowding while reducing connections to the ELGs in single pad lapping. Devices and systems can include a row of sliders including a magnetoresistive (MR) element, a plurality of high resistance ELGs connected to both the wafer and to at least one bonding pad and at least two peripheral grounding vias connected to the wafer. Methods and systems include a wafer comprising a plurality of sliders wherein each slider is connected to a lapping controller and the delivery of current to the ELGs is sequential to groups of sliders such that only one group of ELGs is being measured at any time. | 06-05-2014 |
20140199916 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PROCESSING CONTROL DATA GENERATING PROGRAM - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus configured to form, on a peripheral edge of a lens, a bevel or a groove for fitting the lens to a frame of an eyeglass, includes: a data calculating unit for calculating data of the bevel or the groove to be formed on the peripheral edge of the lens based on frame shape data of the frame or demonstration lens shape data which is shape data of a demonstration lens having the bevel or the groove fitted to the shape of the frame; and a correction unit for approximating a front-side foot width, which is a width between a position of the bevel or the groove to be formed on the lens and a position of a front edge of the lens, to a target value by correcting the data of the bevel or the groove calculated by the data calculating unit. | 07-17-2014 |
20140199917 | EYEGLASS LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS - An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes: a lens rotation unit configured to rotate a lens chuck shaft; a processing tool rotational shaft to which a processing tool is attached; a shaft-to-shaft distance change unit that includes a carriage which holds the lens chuck shaft or the processing tool rotational shaft and is movable in a direction where a shaft-to-shaft distance between the lens chuck shaft and the processing tool rotational shaft changes by driving a motor, a movement member that is moved in the shaft-to-shaft distance direction, a connection member that connects the movement member and the carriage, and a deformation detecting sensor configured to detect a deformation of the connection member; and a controller configured to control the driving of the motor based on a detection result of the deformation detecting sensor. | 07-17-2014 |
20140199918 | PROCESS FOR SURFACING A SURFACE OF A SPECTACLE LENS - A method of surfacing a surface of a spectacle lens, includes a step of determining a fixed rotation speed (Vrot) of the lens based on geometric characteristics of the surface, wherein the step of determining the rotation speed (Vrot) includes the following steps: generating ( | 07-17-2014 |
20140206258 | MILLING AND GRINDING DEVICE AND MACHINING METHOD USING THE SAME - A milling and grinding device, for machining a workpiece, includes a rack, a positioning tool, a spindle, a tool magazine, a milling cutter, a grinding wheel, and a controller. The rack defines a receiving chamber, and includes a workstation at a bottom of receiving chamber. The positioning tool is mounted on the workstation to position the workpiece. The milling cutter and the grinding wheel are received in the tool magazine. The milling cutter is capable of milling the workpiece to form a hole. The grinding wheel is capable of grinding the hole of the workpiece. The controller is mounted on the rack, and capable of controlling the spindle to receive the milling cutter or the grinding wheel from the tool magazine, to mill or grind the workpiece. The tool setting gauge is mounted on the workstation, and capable of sharpening the grinding wheel in a different grinding precision. | 07-24-2014 |
20140213147 | MEASURING METHOD AND GRINDING MACHINE - In a measuring method in which a sizing device is activated only for a prescribed measurement time (t | 07-31-2014 |
20140220862 | FILM THICKNESS MONITORING METHOD, FILM THICKNESS MONITORING DEVICE, AND POLISHING APPARATUS - In accordance with an embodiment, a film thickness monitoring method includes polishing an opaque film on a transparent film on a substrate, irradiating the substrate with light concurrently with the polishing of the substrate, obtaining a first signal by detecting reflected light from the substrate, acquiring first data from the first signal, and calculating a polishing amount of the opaque film using the first data. The polishing is performed by relative rotation of the substrate and a polishing table to which a polishing pad is attached. The first data is obtained by grouping the first signals obtained from positions each remote from a central position of the substrate by a same distance, and by performing data processing. | 08-07-2014 |
20140235140 | METHOD FOR DRILLING AT LEAST ONE HOLE INTO A WORKPIECE - The method is used to drill at least one hole into a front wall section of a workpiece ( | 08-21-2014 |
20140235141 | APPARATUSES AND SYSTEMS FOR FINISHING THREE-DIMENSIONAL SURFACES - A method and an apparatus for smart automation of robotic surface finishing of a three-dimensional surface of a work piece is described. A three-dimensional motion path is created along the surface of the work piece. A variable contact force profile is specified along the three-dimensional motion path. The three-dimensional motion path is modified based on the specified variable contact force profile. The surface of the work piece is finished using one or more surface finishing tools along the modified three-dimensional motion path. The surface of the work piece includes at least a flat region and a curved region. | 08-21-2014 |
20140242877 | SPECTROGRAPHIC METROLOGY WITH MULTIPLE MEASUREMENTS - A method of controlling a polishing system includes transporting a substrate to an in-line optical metrology system positioned in a chemical mechanical polishing system, at the in-line optical metrology system, moving a probe relative to the substrate to measure a plurality of spectra reflected from the substrate at a plurality of different positions on the substrate, for each measured spectrum of the plurality of spectra, determining a goodness of fit of the measured spectrum to a reference spectrum; and adjusting a polishing endpoint or a polishing parameter of the polishing system based on one or more characterizing values generated based on a subset of the plurality of spectra that includes only spectra of the plurality of spectra for which the goodness of fit meets a matching threshold. | 08-28-2014 |
20140242878 | WEIGHTED REGRESSION OF THICKNESS MAPS FROM SPECTRAL DATA - A method of controlling a polishing operation includes measuring a plurality of spectra at a plurality of different positions on a substrate to provide a plurality of measured spectra. For each measured spectrum of the plurality of measured spectra, a characterizing value is generated based on the measured spectrum. For each characterizing value, a goodness of fit of the measured spectrum to another spectrum used in generating the characterizing value is determined. A wafer-level characterizing value map is generated by applying a regression to the plurality of characterizing values with the plurality of goodnesses of fit used as weighting factors in the regression. A polishing endpoint or a polishing parameter of the polishing apparatus is adjusted based on the wafer-level characterizing map, and the substrate or a subsequent substrate is polished in the polishing apparatus with the adjusted polishing endpoint or polishing parameter. | 08-28-2014 |
20140242879 | PATH FOR PROBE OF SPECTROGRAPHIC METROLOGY SYSTEM - A method of operating a polishing system includes polishing a substrate at a polishing station, the substrate held by a carrier head during polishing, transporting the substrate to an in-sequence optical metrology system positioned between the polishing station and another polishing station or a transfer station, measuring a plurality of spectra reflected from the substrate with a probe of the optical metrology system while moving the carrier head to cause the probe to traverse a path across the substrate and while the probe remains stationary, the path across the substrate comprising either a plurality of concentric circles or a plurality of substantially radially aligned arcuate segments, and adjusting a polishing endpoint or a polishing parameter of the polishing system based on one or more characterizing values generated based on at least some of the plurality of spectra. | 08-28-2014 |
20140242880 | OPTICAL MODEL WITH POLARIZATION DIRECTION EFFECTS FOR COMPARISON TO MEASURED SPECTRUM - A method of controlling a polishing operation includes storing an optical model for a layer stack having a plurality of layers. The optical model has a plurality of input parameters, the plurality of input parameters including a first parameter and a second parameter. The second parameter is a polarization angle or a relative contribution between two orthogonal polarizations. A spectrum reflected from the substrate is measured with an in-sequence or in-situ monitoring system to provide a measured spectrum. The optical model is fit to the measured spectrum, or a plurality of reference spectra are calculated using the optical model and a best matching reference spectrum from the plurality of reference spectra is determined. | 08-28-2014 |
20140242881 | FEED FORWARD PARAMETER VALUES FOR USE IN THEORETICALLY GENERATING SPECTRA - A method of controlling a polishing operation is described. A controller stores an optical model for a layer stack having a plurality of layers and a plurality of input parameters including a first parameter and a second parameter. The controller stores data defining a plurality of default values for the first parameter and measures an optical property of a substrate and generates a second value. Using the optical model and the second value and iterating over the first values, a number of reference spectra are calculated. A spectrum is measured and the measured spectrum is matched to the reference spectra and the best matched reference spectrum is determined. The first value of the best matched reference spectrum is determined and is used to adjust a polishing endpoint or a polishing parameter of a polishing apparatus. | 08-28-2014 |
20140242882 | GRINDING MACHINE AND GRINDING METHOD - There are provided a grinding machine and a grinding method that make it possible to achieve a high degree of accuracy of the roundness of a workpiece. As at least one of a coolant dynamic pressure and a grinding efficiency varies depending on a phase of the workpiece, a pressing force in the cut-in direction, which an eccentric cylindrical portion of the workpiece receives from a grinding wheel, varies and a degree of deflection of the eccentric cylindrical portion also varies. In the grinding machine, the degree of deflection during grinding is acquired based on the coolant dynamic pressure and the grinding efficiency, a first correction value for a command position of the grinding wheel relative to the eccentric cylindrical portion is computed, and the command position is corrected based on the first correction value. | 08-28-2014 |
20140256223 | Machining Method for Hard-Fine Machining of Noise-Optimized Gears on a Gear-Cutting Machine - The present invention relates to a method for hard-fine machining of tooth flanks with corrections and/or modifications on a gear-cutting machine, wherein respective toothed wheel pairings which mesh with one another within a transmission or a test device are machined while taking account of the respective mating flanks, and wherein the tooth flanks of the relevant workpieces are provided with periodic waviness corrections or waviness modifications. In accordance with the invention, the rotational error extent is determined by means of rotational distance error measurement of the toothed wheel pairs in a gear measuring device and/or transmission. This measurement result serves as an input value for defining the amplitude, frequency and phase position for the periodic flank waviness corrections on the tooth flanks of the toothed wheel pairings for production in the gear-cutting machine. | 09-11-2014 |
20140256224 | METHOD FOR ASCERTAINING TOPOGRAPHY DEVIATIONS OF A DRESSING TOOL IN A GRINDING MACHINE AND CORRESPONDINGLY EQUIPPED GRINDING MACHINE - The invention relates to a method for ascertaining topography deviations of a dressing tool. The method includes executing a predefined relative movement of a dressing tool in relation to a dressable grinding tool, wherein during the execution of the relative movement, at least one contour region of the dressing tool is transferred into a transfer region of the grinding tool. A plunging body made of material which can be ground in the machine is provided. The transfer region of the grinding tool is moved into the vicinity of the plunging body by a relative infeed movement. A rotational movement of the grinding tool around an axis of rotation is executed. Plunging the transfer region of the grinding tool into the material of the plunging body, to thus perform a transfer of the topography of the transfer region into an imaging region of the plunging body. A scanning movement of the topography is performed of the plunging body using a coordinate scanning sensor and a computational ascertainment by means of a computer of at least one item of coordinate information, which permits a statement about the actual geometry of the dressing tool. | 09-11-2014 |
20140273748 | SINGLE SIDE POLISHING USING SHAPE MATCHING - A method of polishing a wafer is disclosed that includes determining a removal profile. The wafer is measured to determine a starting wafer profile and then the wafer is polished. The wafer is again measured after being polished to determine a polished wafer profile. The starting wafer profile and the polished wafer profile are compared to each other to determine the removal profile by computing the amount and shape of material removed from the first wafer during polishing. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273749 | DYNAMIC RESIDUE CLEARING CONTROL WITH IN-SITU PROFILE CONTROL (ISPC) - A method for controlling the residue clearing process of a chemical mechanical polishing (“CMP”) process is provided. Dynamic in-situ profile control (“ISPC”) is used to control polishing before residue clearing starts, and then a new polishing recipe is dynamically calculated for the clearing process. Several different methods are disclosed for calculating the clearing recipe. First, in certain implementations when feedback at T0 or T1 methods are used, a post polishing profile and feedback offsets are generated in ISPC software. Based on the polishing profile and feedback generated from ISPC before the start of the clearing process, a flat post profile after clearing is targeted. The estimated time for the clearing step may be based on the previously processed wafers (for example, a moving average of the previous endpoint times). The calculated pressures may be scaled to a lower (or higher) baseline pressure for a more uniform clearing. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273750 | Programmable Coolant Nozzle System for Grinding - A programmable coolant nozzle system and method for grinding wheel machines. The system comprises a fluid manifold block that automatically or manually follows the wear of the grinding wheel, to position coolant jets tangential to the wheel surface throughout the life of the grinding wheel. The positioning is by an arcuate motion, through a parallelogram mechanism, to ensure that the coolant jets remain at the same angle to the grinding wheel surface throughout the entire range of motion. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273751 | DEVICE FOR INSPECTING/FINISHING SURFACES OF A WORK PIECE - A device and method for finishing a surface of a work piece. The device includes a finishing apparatus which cooperates with the surface of the work piece. A mounting member is provided which cooperates with the surface of the work piece to removably mount the device to the surface of the work piece. At least one support member extends between the mounting member and the finishing apparatus. The finishing apparatus is moveable relative to the mounting member to allow the finishing apparatus to perform a finishing operation on the surface of the work piece. | 09-18-2014 |
20140287653 | METHOD OF ADJUSTING PROFILE OF A POLISHING MEMBER USED IN A POLISHING APPARATUS, AND POLISHING APPARATUS - The method includes the steps of measuring a surface height of a polishing member | 09-25-2014 |
20140295736 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BLENDING ADDED MATERIAL WITH BASE MATERIAL ON A MANUFACTURED COMPONENT - The present relates to an apparatus and method for blending added material with base material on manufactured components. The apparatus comprises an abrasive device having an abrasive surface for removing exceeding added material, and a guide fixed to the abrasive device. The method determines a trajectory of the abrasive surface with respect to a manufactured component: determines which of a plurality of contact points of the guide shall be in contact with the manufactured component along the trajectory; actuates the abrasive device; and controls position and angle of the abrasive surface en the manufactured component along the trajectory, while keeping the determined contact point in contact with the manufactured component. A force is applied to the abrasive device when the abrasive surface is in contact with the manufactured component and transferred when the guide gets in contact with the base material. | 10-02-2014 |
20140295737 | POLISHING APPARATUS AND WEAR DETECTION METHOD - There is provided a polishing apparatus capable of detecting uneven wear occurring on a polishing pad and detecting an appropriate replacement timing of the polishing pad. The polishing apparatus detects, every predetermined time, a value of rotation speed or a value of rotation torque of a table drive shaft for rotationally driving a polishing table or a dresser drive shaft for driving a dresser, or a value of swing torque of a dresser swing shaft for driving the dresser; calculates a change quantity thereof based on the value of the detected rotation speed, the value of the detected rotation torque, or the value of the detected swing torque; determines whether or not the change quantity exceeds a predetermined value; and notifies a user of a warning when a determination is made that the change quantity exceeds the predetermined value. | 10-02-2014 |
20140302749 | EDGING SYSTEM OF SPECTACLE LENS, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SPECTACLE LENS, AND LENS EDGER - In a lens edging system using a lens edger and an edging control terminal, the lens edger includes a calculation switching section configured to switch a setting of a calculating section so as to select either one of a first calculating section and a second calculating section for calculating edging shape data, and a data acquisition section configured to acquire the edging shape data calculated by the second calculating section from the edging control terminal, wherein when the calculation switching section switches the setting of a calculating section so as to select the second calculating section for calculating the edging shape data, the edging shape data calculated by the second calculating section is acquired by a data acquisition section, and a lens edging section performs edging using the acquired edging shape data. | 10-09-2014 |
20140308877 | METHOD FOR GRINDING TOOTHED WORKPIECES AND APPARATUS DESIGNED THEREFOR - The invention concerns a method of grinding a toothed workpiece in which a central axis of the toothed contour profile is defined, wherein the method encompasses at least two work operations. In a first work operation a grinding zone of a grinding tool whose selection is determined by the grinding process to be performed, which rotates about an axis of rotation and is set up for an infeed in the direction of the shortest distance between said central axis and the rotation axis, is brought into grinding engagement with a tooth flank of the workpiece. In a later, second work operation, the tooth flank is brought into grinding engagement with a grinding zone of a grinding tool whose selection is determined by the grinding process to be performed and which is advanced in the infeed direction of the first operation. The grinding zone that is active in the first work operation is dressed in a first dressing operation with a dressing tool, and the grinding zone that is active in the second work operation is dressed in a second dressing operation with a dressing tool, wherein in the first dressing operation a first dressing tool zone is brought into dressing engagement with the grinding zone that is to be dressed, and in the second dressing operation a second dressing tool zone which is spatially separate from the first dressing tool zone is brought into dressing engagement with the grinding zone that is to be dressed. | 10-16-2014 |
20140323016 | POLISHING METHOD AND POLISHING APPARATUS - A method of polishing a substrate is disclosed. The method includes irradiating the substrate with light; measuring intensity of the reflected light; producing spectral waveform representing relationship between relative reflectance and wavelength of the light; performing a Fourier transform process on the spectral waveform to determine a thickness of the film and a corresponding strength of frequency component; determining whether the determined thickness of the film is reliable or not by comparing the strength of frequency component with a threshold value; calculating a defective data rate representing a proportion of the number of unreliable measured values to the total number of measured values; and changing the threshold value based on the defective data rate. | 10-30-2014 |
20140329439 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR ACOUSTICAL MONITORING AND CONTROL OF THROUGH-SILICON-VIA REVEAL PROCESSING - A TSV (through silicon via) reveal process using CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) may be acoustically monitored and controlled to detect TSV breakage and automatically respond thereto. Acoustic emissions received by one or more acoustic sensors positioned proximate a substrate holder and/or a polishing pad of a CMP system may be analyzed to detect TSV breakage during a CMP process. In response to detecting TSV breakage, one or more remedial actions may automatically occur. In some embodiments, a polishing pad platen may have one or more acoustic sensors integrated therein that extend into a polishing pad mounted on the polishing pad platen. Methods of monitoring and controlling a TSV reveal process are also provided, as are other aspects. | 11-06-2014 |
20140329440 | Dynamically Tracking Spectrum Features For Endpoint Detection - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate and receiving an identification of a selected spectral feature, a wavelength range having a width, and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing. A sequence of spectra of light from the substrate is measured while the substrate is being polished. A sequence of values of the characteristic of the selected spectral feature is generated from the sequence of spectra. For at least some spectra from the sequence of spectra, a modified wavelength range is generated based on a position of the spectral feature within a previous wavelength range used for a previous spectrum in the sequence of spectra, the modified wavelength range is searched for the selected spectral feature, and a value of a characteristic of the selected spectral feature is determined. | 11-06-2014 |
20140335761 | DETECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING CONDITIONER - The present invention relates to a detection apparatus of chemical mechanical polishing conditioner, comprising: a working platform with a working plane; a placement base disposed on the working plane of the working platform, for carrying a chemical mechanical polishing conditioner; an image capture device forming one or a plurality of captured images on different regions of the chemical mechanical polishing conditioner; a display device; an image recognition module, wherein the captured images are performed a color matching by the image recognition module to determine one or a plurality of risk diamonds on the chemical mechanical polishing conditioner, and the coordinate location of the risk diamonds are outputted into the display device; and a mobile platform for moving the risk diamonds to specified locations. A detection method of the above mentioned detection apparatus is also disclosed. | 11-13-2014 |
20140349551 | PATTERN SANDER DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD - The invention relates to a device and method for using same for sanding a predetermined impression into a workpiece. The device has a pattern belt positioned inside the area formed by a sanding belt. A pad is positioned inside the area formed by the pattern belt. A raised pattern is formed on the outer surface of the pattern belt. In use, the pad is selectively controlled to contact the pattern belt, thereby urging the raised pattern of the pattern belt to contact the sanding belt. The portion of the sanding belt contacted by the pattern belt is urged toward the workpiece so that the predetermined impression is sanded into the workpiece. | 11-27-2014 |
20140364038 | CYLINDRICAL LAPPING - The described embodiments relate generally to lapping operations and related systems and apparatuses. Various embodiments of lapping tables are described for applying a lapping operation to a non-planar surface of a workpiece. For example, methods and apparatus are described which allow a lapping operation to be applied to a curved outer surface portion of a cylindrical workpiece. Lapping of non-planar outer surfaces of workpieces is conducted by rotating the workpieces during the lapping operations. | 12-11-2014 |
20140370785 | COMPUTER CONTROLLED MULTIPLE AXIS GRINDING MACHINE FOR GRINDING SAW BLADES - A saw grinding apparatus comprises a saw blade mount for mounting a saw blade thereto; a tool rack comprising multiple tool bays each for storing a grinding tool; and at least one computer numerically controlled (CNC) multiple axes grind wheel manipulator which uses each grinding tool to perform a saw grinding operation. The manipulator includes a spindle connectable to a grinding tool and is movable to a grinding position wherein a grinding operation can be performed on a saw blade mounted to the saw blade mount. The manipulator is also movable to a tool change position wherein the spindle can engage a grinding tool stored in a tool bay and can deposit a grinding tool in an empty tool bay. | 12-18-2014 |
20150017879 | DESTRUCTIVE AND VISUAL MEASUREMENT AUTOMATION SYSTEM FOR WEB THICKNESS OF MICRODRILLS AND METHOD THEREOF - An improved destructive and visual measurement automation system and a method for measuring a web thickness of a microdrill are provided. When a dual-axis motion platform module moves the microdrill to a first position, a reflection module reflects a first image in a first direction toward a second direction. A vision module receives the reflected first image in the second direction and outputs the received first image to a computer. According to the first image, the computer performs a positioning procedure and a grinding procedure to drive a drill grinding module to grind the microdrill to a sectional position to be measured of the microdrill. When the microdrill is moved to a second position, the vision module outputs a second image to the computer. According to the second image, the computer performs an image computing procedure to obtain the web thickness at the sectional position to be measured. | 01-15-2015 |
20150017880 | FILM-THICKNESS MEASURING APPARATUS, FILM-THICKNESS MEASURING METHOD, AND POLISHING APPARATUS HAVING THE FILM-THICKNESS MEASURING APPARATUS - A film-thickness measuring apparatus and a film-thickness measuring method capable of improving an accuracy of the film-thickness measurement are disclosed. The film-thickness measuring apparatus includes a substrate stage configured to support a substrate horizontally, a rinsing water supply structure configured to supply rinsing water onto an entire surface of the substrate on the substrate stage, a film-thickness measuring head configured to transmit light to a measurement area of the surface of the substrate on the substrate stage, produce a spectrum of reflected light from the measurement area, and determine a film thickness of the substrate from the spectrum, and a fluid supply structure configured to form a flow of a gas on a path of the light and supply the flow of the gas onto the measurement area. | 01-15-2015 |
20150024659 | Method of Controlling Polishing - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate of a non-metallic layer undergoing polishing and a metal layer underlying the non-metallic layer; storing a metal reference spectrum, the metal reference spectrum being a spectrum of light reflected from a same metal material as the metal layer; measuring a sequence of raw spectra of light reflected from the substrate during polishing with an in-situ optical monitoring system; normalizing each raw spectrum in the sequence of spectra to generate a sequence of normalized spectra, of which normalizing includes a division operation where the measured spectrum is in the numerator and the metal reference spectrum is in the denominator; and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on at least one normalized predetermined spectrum from the sequence of normalized spectra. | 01-22-2015 |
20150038053 | Method For Polishing an Optical Surface By Means of a Polishing Tool - Polishing method comprising a step of receiving a surface to be polished, a configuration step during which the polishing machine is configured, and a polishing step during which the optical surface is polished, wherein the angle of inclination of the pin is between 2° and 20°, the inner cusp point is between −10 mm and 10 mm, the outer cusp point is between R−15 mm and R−5 mm, the speed of advance is between 100 mm/min and 2000 mm/min; the speed of rotation is between 500 rpm and 3000 rpm; and the bearing force is between 50 N and 180 N. | 02-05-2015 |
20150044945 | METHOD FOR GRINDING ELECTRODE TIP - Provided is a method for grinding electrode tips such that the method is capable of detecting irregular grinding when the maximum torque does not occur. Specifically, a tip dresser includes a holder holding a cutter, a servo motor unit allowing the holder to rotate, and a controller controlling the operation of the servo motor unit. The servo motor unit outputs a torque occurrence signal to the controller when a load torque reaches a predetermined value in regular grinding of a pair of electrode tips. The controller detects irregular grinding when not receiving the torque occurrence signal within a time that corresponds to an elapsed time in the regular grinding. | 02-12-2015 |
20150087205 | ADAPTIVE UNIFORM POLISHING SYSTEM - An adaptive uniform polishing system is equipped with feedback control to apply localized adjustments during a polishing operation. The adaptive uniform polishing system disclosed has particular application to the semiconductor industry. Such an adaptive uniform polishing system includes a rotatable head that holds a semiconductor wafer, and a processing unit structured to be placed in contact with an exposed surface of the wafer. The processing unit includes a rotatable macro-pad and a plurality of rotatable micro-pads that can polish different portions of the exposed surface at different rotation speeds and pressures. Thus, uniformity across the exposed surface can be enhanced by applying customized treatments to different areas. Customized treatments can include the use of different pad materials and geometries. Parameters of the adaptive uniform polishing system are programmable, based on in-situ data or data from other operations in a fabrication process, using advanced process control. | 03-26-2015 |
20150093967 | METHOD FOR GRINDING WORKPIECES, IN PARTICULAR FOR CENTERING GRINDING OF WORKPIECES SUCH AS OPTICAL LENSES - The invention relates to a method for centering grinding of workpieces, for example optical lenses by a grinding tool using an actuator for generating an advancing movement between the grinding tool and the workpiece, wherein the actuator and a current regulator for an actuator current which determines an advancing force of the actuator are integrated in a position control loop using a predetermined control cycle. For each control cycle: (i) a desired direction of movement (R | 04-02-2015 |
20150099423 | TSV Wafer Thinning Controlling Method and System - A TSV wafer thinning controlling method and system is provided, which can improve the accuracy of the wafer thinning technique. The system includes a chuck table used for carrying a wafer and a grinding device used for thinning the wafer; and further includes: an infrared sensor equipped on the chuck table or grinding device, and a measurement feedback system connected with the infrared sensor and the grinding device; wherein, the infrared sensor comprises an infrared emitting and receiving circuit, signal amplifying and filtering circuit and a data processor. | 04-09-2015 |
20150099424 | POLISHING METHOD - A polishing method includes: rotating a polishing table that supports a polishing pad; polishing a conductive film by pressing a substrate having the conductive film against the polishing pad; obtaining a film thickness signal with use of an eddy current film-thickness sensor disposed in the polishing table; determining a thickness of the polishing pad based on the film thickness signal; determining a polishing rate of the conductive film corresponding to the determined thickness of the polishing pad; calculating an expected amount of polishing of the conductive film to be polished at the determined polishing rate for a predetermined polishing time; calculating a temporary end-point film thickness by adding the expected amount of polishing to a target thickness; and terminating polishing of the conductive film when the predetermined polishing time has elapsed from a point of time when the thickness of the conductive film has reached the temporary end-point film thickness. | 04-09-2015 |
20150111468 | Lapping Head with a Sensor Device on the Rotating Lapping Head - The application discloses embodiments of a lapping head including a sensor device in the base structure of the rotating lapping head. For operation, rotation is imparted to the lapping head through a drive motor coupled to the lapping head through a rotating shaft. As disclosed, the sensor device is electrically connected to one or more electronic components or circuitry through the rotating shaft and a rotating electrical connector coupled to the rotating shaft. In embodiments disclosed, the sensor device is an eddy current sensor configured to measure a gap dimension between a sensor element on the lapping head and a conductive platen to provide an in-situs measurement of workpiece thickness. | 04-23-2015 |
20150111469 | CMP HEAD STRUCTURE - A CMP structure for CMP processing and a method of making a device using the same are presented. The apparatus comprises a polishing pad on a platen table, a head assembly for holding a wafer against the polishing pad, wherein the head assembly includes a retaining ring, a sensor for sensing the depth of grooves on the retaining ring and a controller for determining an update pressure to apply to the retaining ring based on the depth of the grooves and applying the updated pressure to the retaining ring during processing. | 04-23-2015 |
20150111470 | ACTIVE TORQUE METHOD OF LAPPING GEARS - Method and apparatus for lapping gears which includes an active torque system to substantially improve the lapping process with respect to run-out and other longer-term motion transmission errors without compromising tooth-to-tooth performance. Motion transmission error measurements provide the basis for calculating a corrective active torque component which is combined with conventional process torque to reduce or eliminate part run-out. | 04-23-2015 |
20150111471 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SMOOTHING WELDED MEMBER - A smoothing method and a smoothing apparatus uses a belt grinding apparatus, including an endless grinding belt and a press pad that presses the grinding belt against a welded area, and uses this belt grinding apparatus in two different modes after obtaining information on heights of surfaces of two welded members along a weld bead of the two welded members. The first mode corresponds to a bead removing step in which the grinding belt is pressed against a welded area by the press pad to reduce the height of the weld bead. The next mode corresponds to a smoothing step in which the grinding belt presses against the welded area by the press pad while being made to move along the surfaces of the two welded members to smooth the welded area. | 04-23-2015 |
20150111472 | GRINDING MOTOR AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME FOR RAIL APPLICATIONS - Methods and apparatus for orienting and operating grinding motors and their associated mechanical parameters for rail applications are described. A method for determining a parameter for operation of grinding motors on a grinding vehicle, may include: receiving a rail profile, comparing the rail profile with a target rail template to provide a comparison result, and determining, by a processor, based on the comparison result, one or more of a grinding motor's orientation, power, and speed. | 04-23-2015 |
20150118938 | TOOTH FLANK MACHINING DEVICE AND GEAR MANUFACTURING METHOD - A tooth flank machining device includes a helical teeth grinding wheel, a position adjusting unit] capable of moving a relative position of a rotational axis of the helical teeth grinding wheel to a rotational axis of a work gear, and a controlling unit having a relative position controller activating the position adjusting unit to adjust the relative position of the rotational axis of the helical teeth grinding wheel to the rotational axis of the work gear so that the helical teeth grinding wheel engages the work gear with a grinding wheel tooth flank of the helical teeth grinding wheel abutting on only one of work tooth flanks forming a tooth of the work gear, a grinding wheel rotating unit controller activating a grinding wheel rotating unit, and a torque controlling unit controller activating a rotational torque controlling unit to adjust rotational torque within a predetermined range. | 04-30-2015 |
20150133032 | Polishing Cleaning Mechanism, Substrate Processing Apparatus, and Substrate Processing Method - There is disclosed a polishing cleaning mechanism configured to be in contact with a rear surface of a substrate which is held in a substrate holding unit for holding the rear surface of the substrate and perform a polishing process and a cleaning process on the rear surface of the substrate, including a cleaning member configured to clean the rear surface of the substrate, a polishing member configured to polish the rear surface of the substrate, and a support member configured to support the polishing member and the cleaning member to face the rear surface of the substrate held in the substrate holding unit, wherein a surface of the polishing member facing the substrate and a surface of the cleaning member facing the substrate differ in relative height from each other. | 05-14-2015 |
20150140899 | MULTI-CARRIAGE DUAL-SPINDLE SYMMETRICAL GRINDING PROCESSING CENTER - A multi-carriage dual-spindle symmetrical grinding processing center, wherein: A work table with a rotary table therein is positioned on a first carriage which is attached to a front base; first and second upright posts are positioned in a gantry form on a back base; a horizontal grinding head is connected to a second carriage between the upright posts; a third left carriage and a third right carriage are slidingly connected to the first and second upright posts, respectively, and a left slider and a right slider are connected to the third left carriage and the third right carriage, respectively; a vertical grinding head is installed at the front end of the right slider; an automatic tool changing device is equipped with the vertical grinding head, and a grinding wheel profile dressing device can be installed on the second carriage and on the left slider. | 05-21-2015 |
20150140900 | CMP APPARATUS - Provided is a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus that includes a swing unit installed apart from a platen, on which a CMP pad to be conditioned is placed, at a predetermined interval, a connector installed on an upper end of the swing unit at one end thereof in a perpendicular direction to the swing unit and pivoting around the swing unit above the CMP pad, a rotator rotatably installed on the other end of the connector, a CMP pad conditioner coupled to the rotator and conditioning the CMP pad when rotated, and a vibration meter installed on the connector and detecting vibrations to measure a vibration acceleration of the CMP pad conditioner, thereby predicting a wear rate of the CMP pad based on the vibration acceleration and a state in which the CMP pad conditioner is installed or being used. | 05-21-2015 |
20150147940 | Adjustment of Polishing Rates During Substrate Polishing With Predictive Filters - A measured characterizing value dependent on a thickness of a region of a substrate is input into a first predictive filter. The first predictive filter generates a filtered characterizing value. A measured characterizing rate at which the measured characterizing value changes is input into a second predictive filter. The second predictive filter generates a filtered characterizing rate of the region of the substrate. The measured characterizing value and the measured characterizing rate are determined based on in-situ measurements made at or before a first time during a polishing process of the substrate. A desired characterizing rate is determined to be used for polishing the region of the substrate after the first time and before a second, later time based on the filtered characterizing value and the filtered characterizing rate. | 05-28-2015 |
20150290762 | LENS EDGING SYSTEM, EDGING SIZE MANAGEMENT DEVICE, EDGING SIZE MANAGEMENT METHOD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SPECTACLE LENS - A lens edging system includes: edgers to edge a spectacle lens; and an edging size management device used in connection with the edgers. The edging size management device has a memory unit configured to store and hold information for each model of the edger. When a lens material is edged using an edging tool of the edger, in association with a type of the lens material to be edged by the edger, and a type of the edging tool used by the edger, information is stored and held in the memory unit regarding edging characteristics of the edger obtained by at least one of the edgers, and an edger of the same model as at least one of the edgers has a correction unit configured to correct an edging parameter based on the information when edging is performed to the lens material using the edging tool of the edger. | 10-15-2015 |
20150298278 | LENS EDGING SYSTEM, EDGING SIZE MANAGEMENT DEVICE, EDGING SIZE MANAGEMENT METHOD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SPECTACLE LENS - A lens edging system includes: an edger configured to perform edging to a spectacle lens in accordance with three-dimensional edging locus data obtained from edging shape data by calculation; a three-dimensional circumferential length measurement device configured to measure a circumferential length of the spectacle lens edged by the edger; and an edging size management device configured to correct a calculation parameter used for calculating the edging locus data, based on a difference between a measured circumferential length obtained by a three-dimensional circumferential length measurement device, and a theoretical circumferential length obtained by calculation. | 10-22-2015 |
20150298288 | SYSTEM AND METHODS OF REMOVING A MULTI-LAYER COATING FROM A SUBSTRATE - A system for use in removing a multi-layer coating from a substrate is provided. The multi-layer coating includes a first coating applied to the substrate and a second coating applied over the first coating. The first coating is formed from a first material and the second coating is formed from a second material different from the first material. The system includes a grinding mechanism configured to remove the multi-layer coating from the substrate, and a controller coupled in communication with the grinding mechanism. The controller is configured to position the grinding mechanism against the multi-layer coating, initiate a first removal mode that directs the grinding mechanism to traverse across the substrate, monitor a variable operating parameter of the grinding mechanism during the first removal mode, and evaluate a value of the variable operating parameter against a predetermined threshold to determine whether the second coating has been removed from the substrate. | 10-22-2015 |
20150306724 | GRINDING MACHINE FOR BEARING RINGS AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING SUCH A MACHINE - A grinding machine for bearing rings, the machine includes a frame, a rotating grinding wheel movable in rotation around a first rotation axis, a working station where a bearing ring stands during a grinding operation of one of its surfaces and holding means for holding a bearing ring in the working station, these holding means being rotatable around a second rotation axis and supported by a support plate movable with respect to the frame. The machine includes a first electric actuator for moving the support plate in rotation with respect to the frame, around a third axis perpendicular to the first and second rotation axes and a second electric actuator for moving the holding means in translation along the second rotation axis. | 10-29-2015 |
20150306732 | WORKPIECES PROCESSING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE DIMENSIONS OF WORKPIECES IN SUCH A MACHINE - A workpiece processing machine comprising a handler for loading a working station of the machine with workpieces for processing. The machine includes a laser detection cell and a computation apparatus configured to compute a first dimension of the workpiece based upon a position of the handler when the workpiece crosses a laser beam of the laser detection cell while being moved by the handler in a first direction. The method automatically controls dimensions of workpieces processed in a working station thereof. The method includes steps of: a) picking a workpiece in an inlet station, b) moving the workpiece using a handler in a direction towards a laser beam of the laser detection cell, c) detecting the position of the handler when the workpiece crosses the laser beam along the direction and d) computing a dimension of the workpiece on the basis of the position of the handler (in step c). | 10-29-2015 |
20150314411 | LENS EDGEING SYSTEM, METHOD OF DETECTING A TOOL EXCHANGE TIME AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SPECTACLE LENS - A lens edging system of the present invention includes: an edger configured to perform edging of a spectacle lens using an edging tool; a shape measurement device configured to measure an edging shape of a circumferential edge of the spectacle lens after edging by the edger; a memory part configured to store information regarding a reference shape of the edging tool used by the edger; a shape comparing and judging part configured to compare a measurement result obtained by the shape measurement device and a reference shape of the edging tool specified from the information stored in the memory part, and judge necessity/non-necessity for exchanging the edging tool based on a comparison result; and an information output part configured to output information regarding necessity for exchange when the shape comparing and judging part so judges. | 11-05-2015 |
20150314414 | Common Rail Valve Seat Refurbishing Tool and Apparatus - A tool and apparatus to refurbish a valve seat having a compound geometry, such as a valve seat in a valve body for a common rail fuel injector is disclosed. The tool includes a body with a head portion having substantially the same geometry as the valve seat to be refurbished. The tool further includes a radiused portion located between two angled surfaces of the tool that functions to provide a chamfered cut at the intersection of the valve seat and diffuser passage to be refurbished. The apparatus includes a collet to secure the tool, and the collet may be mounted or secured to a fixture which is in turn mounted on a preloaded biased base so movement of the tool in the Z axis is controllable. The apparatus also comprises a slide moveable in an X and Y axis for adjustment of the tool. | 11-05-2015 |
20150314416 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING A POLISHING SURFACE OF A POLISHING PAD USED IN POLISHING APPARATUS - A method is capable of monitoring the polishing surface of the polishing pad without removing the polishing pad from the polishing table. The method includes: conditioning the polishing surface of the polishing pad by causing a rotating dresser to oscillate on the polishing surface; measuring a height of the polishing surface when the conditioning of the polishing surface is performed; calculating a position of a measuring point of the height on a two-dimensional surface defined on the polishing surface; and repeating the measuring of the height of the polishing surface and the calculating of the position of the measuring point to create height distribution in the polishing surface. | 11-05-2015 |
20150328740 | Method Of Manufacturing An Optical Lens - Method of manufacturing an optical lens, the method comprising: a lens member providing step (S | 11-19-2015 |
20150328741 | Method For Taping An Optical Lens Member - Method of taping an optical lens member ( | 11-19-2015 |
20150343541 | Saw Blade Indexing Assembly - A circular saw blade indexing assembly includes a frame and a circular saw blade mounting assembly coupled to the frame. The circular saw blade mounting assembly includes a shaft configured to support a circular saw blade and that extends along a longitudinal axis defined by the circular saw blade mounting assembly. The circular saw blade indexing assembly includes an indexing mechanism rotatably coupled to the circular saw blade mounting assembly and having a feed finger disposed at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis. The indexing mechanism is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis between a first arc position and a second arc position to rotate a saw blade between the first arc position and the second arc position. | 12-03-2015 |
20150343594 | POLISHING APPARATUS - A polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table | 12-03-2015 |
20150353412 | METHOD OF PROCESSING TEMPERED GLASS AND APPARATUS OF PROCESSING TEMPERED GLASS - To provide a method of processing a tempered glass in a simple and appropriate manner while a degree of freedom of processing is secured. Vibration of the processing device is controlled in a feedback fashion such that a vibration amplitude and a vibration frequency of the processing device approach to a target vibration amplitude and a target vibration frequency not to keep them in a range where a value of worsening the quality is generated. Further, a specified sample cycle of 0.3 msec or less in the feedback control is employed. | 12-10-2015 |
20160001413 | SPECTACLE LENS MANUFACTURING SYSTEM, MANUFACTURING DEVICE, MANUFACTURING METHOD, MANUFACTURING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, MANUFACTURING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT DEVICE, AND MANUFACTURING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT METHOD - A spectacle lens manufacturing system, includes an edger installed at a manufacturing side; an edging information acquisition part acquiring edging information calculated to consider lens deformation between when a spectacle lens is present in an ordering side environment and when a spectacle lens is present in a manufacturing side environment, based on request side information such as spectacle lens, frame, prescription value, and ordering side area information, and manufacturing side information including edger information, environment information such as environment information at an ordering side and such as environment information at a manufacturing side of the spectacle lens, and lens deformation information according to an environment. The spectacle lens is manufactured by the edger under a manufacturing side environment so that the spectacle lens is fitted into a frame even under an ordering side environment, in accordance with edging information transmitted to the edger from the edging information acquisition part. | 01-07-2016 |
20160008945 | DEVICE FOR CUTTING AN OPHTHALMIC LENS | 01-14-2016 |
20160016289 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING AND MAINTAINING ABRASIVE BLASTING MACHINES - A system and method for managing abrasive blasting may include timing duration of blast media being blown in performing abrasive blasting using an abrasive blasting machine. Time duration that an operator worked in association with the duration of the blast media being blown may be received. A blasting efficiency ratio may be computed based on the duration of the blasting media being blown and duration of that the operator worked. The blasting efficiency ratio may be displayed to a user. | 01-21-2016 |
20160023319 | LENS PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR LENS PROCESSING - A method for lens processing includes the steps of: holding an optical member as a processing target such that an optical axis of the optical member is orthogonal to a central axis of a ring-shaped grinding tool; and grinding the optical member by causing the optical member to abut on an end face of the grinding tool while rotating at least the grinding tool around the central axis. The grinding of the optical member includes causing at least one of the optical member and the grinding tool to move relatively to the other along the optical axis while rotating only the grinding tool to grind a part of an outer periphery of the optical member in a planar shape. | 01-28-2016 |
20160031058 | LENS EDGING METHOD, LENS EDGING PROGRAM AND EDGING CONTROLLER - A lens edging method of performing edging to a spectacle-lens, using an edger equipped with a plurality of types of edging tools, including: a step of dividing an edging portion to be edged during edging of the spectacle-lens, into a plurality of shape element portions, based on three-dimensional shape data of the spectacle-lens; a step of allocating an edging tool used for edging each of the plurality of shape element portions, from the plurality of types of edging tools, in accordance with a previously set tool selection reference; an step of determining a using order of each edging tool allocated to each of the plurality of shape element portions, in accordance with a previously set using priority order; and a step of making the edger perform edging using each edging tool allocated in the tool allocation step, in accordance with the using order determined in the edging order determination step. | 02-04-2016 |
20160031062 | WAFER POLISHING APPARATUS - Disclosed is a wafer polishing apparatus including a base, a lower surface plate disposed on the upper surface of the base, an upper surface plate disposed on the lower surface plate and a first shape adjustment unit configured to deform the shape of the lower surface of the upper surface plate so that the lower surface of the upper surface plate has one of a concave shape, a flat shape and a convex shape in a first direction, and the first direction is a direction from the lower surface plate to the upper surface plate. | 02-04-2016 |
20160059373 | SHAPE DIVISION METHOD, SHAPE DIVISION PROGRAM AND DATA PROCESSING DEVICE, AND LENS DATA PROCESSING METHOD, LENS EDGING METHOD AND LENS DATA PROCESSING PROGRAM - A shape division method is provided for dividing spectacle lens three-dimensional shape data into data regarding shape element portions used for edging the spectacle lens, including: acquiring data regarding a projection shape of a circumferential edge of the spectacle lens as projection shape data based on the three-dimensional shape data; obtaining a prescribed circumscribed graphic shape circumscribing a projection shape specified by the projection shape data at each prescribed angle while changing a relative angle of the projection shape and the circumscribed graphic shape, and extracting data regarding a shape of an inside area common to each of all obtained circumscribed graphic shapes, as outermost edging shape data; and obtaining a differential area between a shape specified by the outermost edging shape data and the projection shape specified by the projection shape data, and extracting data regarding a shape portion of the obtained differential area as penetrated edging shape data. | 03-03-2016 |
20160074986 | POLISHING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR POLISHING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER - 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. | 03-17-2016 |
20160074987 | FILM THICKNESS SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS, POLISHING APPARATUS, FILM THICKNESS SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD, AND POLISHING METHOD - The present invention improves the accuracy of film thickness detection. A film thickness signal processing apparatus | 03-17-2016 |
20160074996 | FILTERS, SCREENS, SCREEN INSERTS, AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME - A method of making a filter or screen can include directed a high pressure cutting jet against a hard material at a plurality of positions to be cut that are separated by a portion of the material that is to remain uncut. Prior to moving from a first position to a second position, the abrasive can be replaced with a liquid or gaseous interference medium in such a way that reduces an energy density of the cutting jet from an energy density sufficient to remove or cut the material to an energy density insufficient to remove or cut the material. Once moved from the first position to the second position, the interference medium can be replaced with the abrasive in such a way that increases the energy density of the cutting jet from an energy density insufficient to remove the material to an energy density sufficient to remove the material. | 03-17-2016 |
20160089765 | SLURRY DISPERSION SYSTEM WITH REAL TIME CONTROL - A slurry dispersion system is provided, and includes a slurry source system, an in-line analyzer and a controller. The slurry source system provides a slurry for a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. The in-line analyzer measures at least one parameter of a sampled slurry sampled from the slurry dispersion system, and generates an indication signal based on the parameter, in which the indication signal indicates at lease one characteristic of the slurry. The controller receives the indication signal, and generates a control signal based on the indication signal for performing a real time control on the slurry dispersion system for controlling quality of the slurry. | 03-31-2016 |
20160114454 | GRINDING WHEEL WITH IDENTIFICATION TAG - A grinding wheel assembly for use in a sharpening system includes a grinding wheel configured to be mounted in the sharpening system to carry out sharpening operations in which the grinding wheel removes material from a blade to be sharpened, such as the blade of an ice skate. The grinding wheel assembly further includes an identification tag attached to the grinding wheel, the identification tag having (1) secure memory including a usage location for persistently and securely storing a usage tracking value, and (2) interface circuitry for engaging in communication with a transceiver of the sharpening system to enable electronic circuitry of the sharpening system to both read from and write to the usage location to track usage of the grinding wheel for sharpening operations. The memory may also store other data including user-specific system parameters usable to customize operation, and fault information usable to diagnose fault conditions. | 04-28-2016 |
20160114455 | METHOD OF DETECTING ABNORMALITY IN POLISHING OF A SUBSTRATE AND POLISHING APPARATUS - A method of detecting an abnormality in polishing of a substrate is provided. The method includes: rotating the substrate; pressing a polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; measuring a position of the polishing tool relative to a surface of the substrate; determining an amount of polishing of the substrate from the position of the polishing tool; calculating a polishing rate from the amount of polishing of the substrate; and judging that an abnormality in polishing of the edge portion of the substrate has occurred if the polishing rate is out of a predetermined range. | 04-28-2016 |
20160129546 | POLISHING METHOD - A method of polishing a substrate is disclosed. The method includes irradiating the substrate with light; measuring intensity of the reflected light; producing spectral waveform representing relationship between relative reflectance and wavelength of the light; performing a Fourier transform process on the spectral waveform to determine a thickness of the film and a corresponding strength of frequency component; determining whether the determined thickness of the film is reliable or not by comparing the strength of frequency component with a threshold value; calculating a defective data rate representing a proportion of the number of unreliable measured values to the total number of measured values; and changing the threshold value based on the defective data rate. | 05-12-2016 |
20160129550 | Dynamically Tracking Spectrum Features For Endpoint Detection - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate and receiving an identification of a selected spectral feature, a wavelength range having a width, and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing. A sequence of spectra of light from the substrate is measured while the substrate is being polished. A sequence of values of the characteristic of the selected spectral feature is generated from the sequence of spectra. For at least some spectra from the sequence of spectra, a modified wavelength range is generated based on a position of the spectral feature within a previous wavelength range used for a previous spectrum in the sequence of spectra, the modified wavelength range is searched for the selected spectral feature, and a value of a characteristic of the selected spectral feature is determined. | 05-12-2016 |
20160136774 | CMP HEAD STRUCTURE - A CMP structure for CMP processing and a method of making a device using the same are presented. The apparatus comprises a polishing pad on a platen table, a head assembly for holding a wafer against the polishing pad, wherein the head assembly includes a retaining ring, a sensor for sensing the depth of grooves on the retaining ring and a controller for determining an update pressure to apply to the retaining ring based on the depth of the grooves and applying the updated pressure to the retaining ring during processing. | 05-19-2016 |
20160136782 | WORKPIECE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - The present invention is related to a workpiece processing apparatus and method for processing a warping workpiece. The workpiece processing apparatus comprises a base, a carrier and an adjusting device. The carrier comprises a loading surface and a plurality of suction units, wherein each of the plurality of suction units is disposed inside the carrier. The adjusting device comprises an adjusting surface, and at least one adjusting portion is protruded from the adjusting surface. A first surface of the workpiece partially contacts to the loading surface of the carrier. At least one of the adjusting device and the carrier is movably connected to the base. By generating a relative movement between the adjusting device and the carrier, the first surface contacts the loading surface in a more even condition so as to make the workpiece become an adjusted workpiece. | 05-19-2016 |
20160144475 | GRINDING MACHINE AND GRINDING METHOD - A grinding machine includes a wheel spindle stock in which a wheel spindle is rotatably provided. The wheel spindle moves between first and second spindles so that a third rotation axis of the wheel spindle moves in the direction perpendicular to first and second rotation axes on an XZ plane extending through the first and second rotation axes. The grinding wheel that is held by the wheel spindle grinds a first workpiece as the wheel spindle stock moves toward a first headstock, and grinds a second workpiece as the wheel spindle stock moves toward a second headstock. | 05-26-2016 |
20160151877 | BELT TRANSMISSION DEVICE AND GRINDING APPARATUS | 06-02-2016 |
20160151880 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MIRROR SUBSTRATE BLANK OF TITANIUM-DOPED SILICA GLASS FOR EUV LITHOGRAPHY, AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE POSITION OF DEFECTS IN A BLANK | 06-02-2016 |
20160158908 | DETERMINATION OF GAIN FOR EDDY CURRENT SENSOR - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate at a first polishing station, monitoring the substrate with a first eddy current monitoring system to generate a first signal, determining an ending value of the first signal for an end of polishing of the substrate at the first polishing station, determining a first temperature at the first polishing station, polishing the substrate at a second polishing station, monitoring the substrate with a second eddy current monitoring system to generate a second signal, determining a starting value of the second signal for a start of polishing of the substrate at the second polishing station, determining a gain for the second polishing station based on the ending value, the starting value and the first temperature, and calculating a third signal based on the second signal and the gain. | 06-09-2016 |
20160167191 | SINGLE SIDE POLISHING APPARATUS FOR WAFER | 06-16-2016 |
20160172221 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS | 06-16-2016 |
20160176015 | Apparatus for Robotic-Supported Abrasive Machining | 06-23-2016 |
20160184960 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING SURFACE PROPERTIES OF POLISHING PAD - A polishing pad surface property measuring method which can measure surface properties of a polishing pad that reflect CMP performance by applying a laser beam to the polishing pad at a plurality of incident angles is disclosed. The method includes applying a laser beam to a surface of the polishing pad, and receiving light reflected by the surface of the polishing pad and performing Fourier transform on the received light to determine surface properties of the polishing pad. The laser beam is applied to the polishing pad at a plurality of incident angles. | 06-30-2016 |
20160184961 | POLISHING APPARATUS AND CONTROLLING THE SAME - A polishing apparatus according to one embodiment includes: a turn table on which a polishing pad for polishing a substrate is provided; a turn table rotation mechanism configured to rotate the turn table; a dresser configured to dress the polishing pad by cutting a surface of the polishing pad; a pressing mechanism configured to press the dresser onto the polishing pad; a dresser rotation mechanism configured to rotate the dresser; a swinging mechanism configured to swing the dresser on the polishing pad; and a controller configured to control the pressing mechanism, the turn table rotation mechanism or the dresser rotation mechanism based on a position and a swinging direction of the dresser. | 06-30-2016 |
20160184962 | GRINDING APPARATUS WITH LOAD CONTROL - The present disclosure relates to grinding apparatus for grinding the hard metal inserts of rock drill bits, said grinding apparatus having said grinding machine equipped with a grinding cup driven by a motor to rotate about its longitudinal axis wherein the support system comprises an arm or lever system to control vertical movement of the grinding machine and means to provide grinding pressure, wherein the means to provide grinding pressure may be a linear actuator and load cell assembly pivotally connected to the arm or lever system. | 06-30-2016 |
20160193711 | METHOD FOR EVALUATING POLISHING PAD AND METHOD FOR POLISHING WAFER | 07-07-2016 |
20160199963 | METHOD FOR COMPENSATING TEMPARATURE-INDUCED DEVIATIONS IN A GRINDING MACHINE AND MACHINE BEING EQUIPPED CORRESPONDINGLY | 07-14-2016 |
20160250734 | AUTOMATED POLISHING SYSTEM AND METHOD | 09-01-2016 |
20160250736 | Multi-Angle Automated Polishing System And Polishing Method | 09-01-2016 |
20160375538 | POLISHING OF COMPLEX INTERNAL GEOMETRIES - This invention concerns improvements in the polishing of internal surfaces and structures of components, particularly components with a complex internal geometry. Embodiments of the invention use an alternating current electromagnet ( | 12-29-2016 |
20170232572 | IN-SITU TEMPERATURE CONTROL DURING CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING WITH A CONDENSED GAS | 08-17-2017 |
20190143475 | PREDICTIVE FILTER FOR POLISHING PAD WEAR RATE MONITORING | 05-16-2019 |
20220134509 | GRINDING METHOD OF WORKPIECE - A grinding method includes a first grinding step of executing grinding feed of a rough grinding unit and grinding the workpiece to a predetermined thickness while supplying grinding water with a first grinding water amount that allows suppression of wear of grinding abrasive stones and a second grinding step of, after executing the first grinding step, promoting dressing of the grinding abrasive stones to prepare for processing of the next workpiece through executing grinding feed of the rough grinding unit and grinding the workpiece to the finished thickness while supplying the grinding water with a second grinding water amount that increases wear of the grinding abrasive stones and promotes self-sharpening through reduction relative to the first grinding water amount. | 05-05-2022 |