Patent ID: 7014531
Filing Date: 2006-03-21
Classification: B24B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for measuring material removal during a polishing or grinding process, said apparatus comprising: a. a substantially circular rotatable grinding or polishing pad; and b. a sample holder for holding a sample, the sample having a top surface, a bottom surface and one or more side surfaces; wherein the sample holder is arranged to hold the bottom surface of the sample in contact with the grinding or polishing pad; the sample holder being connected to a moving device to move the sample to a position at least partially over the rim of the grinding or polishing pad during at least a part of the grinding or polishing process; and wherein the sample holder comprises a reference mark; said apparatus further comprising a detecting device for sampling, at the position at least partially over the rim of the grinding or polishing pad, the distance between the reference mark and a plane defined by the bottom surface of the sample during the process; and said detecting device is connected to a device for storing and/or comparing said distance with a stored reference distance between the reference mark and a target area in the sample.