Patent ID: 6257953
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: B24B,G01B

Abstract:
An apparatus for controlled polishing, comprising:a rotating platen with a replaceable resilient pad removably attached to the top of said rotating platen, said replaceable pad having a working surface opposed to said rotating platen, said rotating platen having an axis of rotation;a rotating head having an axis of rotation and being capable of performing rotary motions and radial movements with respect to said platen, said axis of rotation of said rotating head being offset with respect to said axis of rotation of said platen, said rotating head having means for supporting an object to be treated, said object having a front surface to be polished and at least a portion with properties changed as a result of polishing;sensing means for combined sensing of changes that occur on said front surface of said object being polished during said polishing and for generating output data signals, said sensing means comprising:first mechanical sensing means associated with said rotating platen and generating first data signal;second mechanical sensing means associated with said rotating head and generating second data signal;a plurality of groups of acoustical sensing means built into said rotating head and generating third data signal;a plurality of groups of electrical sensing means built into said platen and said pad, generating fourth data signal and arranged circumferentially in at least one circular row concentrically with respect to said axis of rotation of said platen; andmeasuring means for acquiring, measuring and conditioning said data signals obtained from said sensing means, said measuring means having a first friction measurement unit, a second friction measurement unit, a resistance measurement unit, a capacitance measurement unit, and an acoustic measurement unit;control means for combined control of said polishing; andconnecting means for connecting said measuring means to said control means, said connecting means comprising a first connecting unit and a second connecting unit.