Patent ID: 6500055
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: B24B,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for polishing a surface of a semiconductor substrate, the apparatus comprising:(a) a rotatable carrier adapted for securely holding the backside of at least one semiconductor substrate to expose a frontal surface of the substrate to be polished (b) a polishing pad supported on a platen spaced from the carrier; (c) means for imparting orbital motion to the platen, the means comprising: (i) a sleeve having mounted thereto a pair of rotary bearings, a first bearing of the pair mounted to the platen and the sleeve, the first bearing having a central axis offset from a central axis of a second bearing of the pair, the second bearing mounted to the sleeve and a support frame, and a drive motor to rotate the sleeve; and (ii) a shaft extending in an annular space of the sleeve having a first end mounted to an side of the platen opposite that supporting the polishing pad and a second end coupled to a means for at least partially rotating the shaft and the platen; whereby during polishing, the pad is brought into contact with a wafer in the carrier under pressure while the carrier rotates and the pad both at least partially rotates about a central axis and orbits about an orbital axis offset from the central axis.