Patent ID: 6435956
Filing Date: 2002-08-20
Classification: B24B,H01L

Abstract:
A substrate holding apparatus for holding a substrate and pressing a surface of the substrate to be polished against a polishing surface on a polishing table, comprising:a holding plate having a holding surface for a substrate; a cover element for covering a backside surface of said holding plate to form a back pressure space between said cover element and the backside surface of said holding plate; a plurality of through-holes distributed over substantially the entire holding surface for allowing said holding surface to communicate with the back pressure space; sealing material for dividing the back pressure space into a plurality of co-planar predetermined sealed divisional spaces; a plurality of sealing grooves formed in said cover element or the backside surface of said holding plate for removably receiving said sealing material; and a back pressure controller for individually controlling back pressures in the sealed divisional spaces.