Patent ID: 11919120
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 8:
9. The polishing system of claim 1, further comprising:
an aperture in the top surface of the platen in approximately the center of the platen;
a second annular flange projecting radially inward from the platen into the aperture to support an inner polishing pad, the second annular flange being a unitary body having an outer edge secured to and rotatable with the platen and vertically fixed relative to the top surface of the platen, the second annular flange being deformable and vertically deflectable such that an inner edge of the second annular flange is vertically movable relative to the outer edge; and
a second contactless actuator configured to apply pressure to an underside of the second annular flange in an angularly limited region without contacting the annular flange such that the angularly limited region of the second annular flange and an angularly limited portion of the inner polishing pad are lifted relative to an undeformed portion of the second annular flange.