US5733181A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for polishing the notch of a wafer
Assignee: Matsushiro Seismological Observatory
•
Filing: 1994-10-27
•
Granted: 1998-03-31
•
Expires: 2014-10-27
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for polishing the notch of a wafer in an effective and efficient way, which comprises: a flexible tape carrying abrasive grains in the working face thereof; an infeed reel for feeding the tape stored thereon: a take-up reel for taking up the tape fed from the infeed reel; a motor for driving to rotate the take-up reel; a means for blowing a fluid to the backside surface to the edge portion of the notch to be in direct contact along the full periphery of the notch; and a means for oscillating the tape sideways.
Inventors
- 👤 Fumihiko Hasegawa
- 👤 Tatsuo Ohtani
- 👤 Yasuyoshi Kuroda
- 👤 Koichiro Ichikawa
- 👤 Yasuo Inada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 13:04
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B21/00; B24B21/002; B24B9/00; B24B9/02; B24B9/06; B24B9/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer which comprises: a flexible abrasive tape having an abrasive surface and a back surface; a feed reel from which said flexible abrasive tape can be fed from a stored position thereon; a take-up reel for receiving said flexible abrasive tape from said feed reel; means for rotating said take-up reel; a means for pressing said abrasive surface of said flexible abrasive tape against a full periphery of the notch, said means for pressing comprising means for generating and directing a fluid stream against the back surface of said flexible abrasive tape; and means for oscillating said flexible abrasive tape sideways.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer which comprises: a flexible abrasive tape having an abrasive surface and a back surface; a feed reel from which said flexible abrasive tape can be fed from a stored position thereon; a take-up reel for receiving said flexible abrasive tape from said feed reel; means for rotating said take-up reel; a means for pressing said abrasive surface of said flexible abrasive tape against a full periphery of the notch, said means for pressing comprising means for generating and directing a fluid stream against the back surface of said flexible abrasive tape; and means for oscillating said flexible abrasive tape sideways.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer which comprises: a flexible abrasive tape having an abrasive surface and a back surface; a feed reel from which said flexible abrasive tape can be fed from a stored position thereon; a take-up reel for receiving said flexible abrasive tape from said feed reel; means for rotating said take-up reel; a means for pressing said abrasive surface of said flexible abrasive tape against a full periphery of the notch, said means for pressing comprising means for generating and directing a fluid stream against the back surface of said flexible abrasive tape; means for oscillating said flexible abrasive tape sideways; and means for changing an angle defined between said flexible abrasive tape and a planar surface of the notched wafer for contouring the periphery of the notch.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer which comprises: a flexible abrasive tape having an abrasive surface and a back surface; a feed reel from which said flexible abrasive tape can be fed from a stored position thereon; a take-up reel for receiving said flexible abrasive tape from said feed reel; means for rotating said take-up reel; a means for pressing said abrasive surface of said flexible abrasive tape against a full periphery of the notch, said means for pressing comprising means for generating and directing a fluid stream against the back surface of said flexible abrasive tape; means for oscillating said flexible abrasive tape sideways; and means for changing an angle defined between said flexible abrasive tape and a planar surface of the notched wafer for contouring the periphery of the notch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer according to claim 2, wherein said flexible abrasive tape comprises a base material and abrasive grains secured to said base material by an adhesive layer.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
175 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer which comprises: a flexible abrasive tape having an abrasive surface and a back surface; a feed reel from which said flexible abrasive tape can be fed from a stored position thereon; a take-up reel for receiving said flexible abrasive tape from said feed reel; means for rotating said take-up reel; a means for pressing said abrasive surface of said flexible abrasive tape against a full periphery of the notch, said means for pressing comprising means for generating and directing a fluid stream against the back surface of said flexible abrasive tape; means for oscillating said flexible abrasive tape sideways; and four guide rollers, a first pair of which are located near the feed and take-up reels, and a second pair of which are located near the notch of the wafer, said first pair of guide rollers having axes which are parallel with a surface of the wafer and said second pair of guide rollers having axes which are perpendicular with the surface of the wafer.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
175 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer which comprises: a flexible abrasive tape having an abrasive surface and a back surface; a feed reel from which said flexible abrasive tape can be fed from a stored position thereon; a take-up reel for receiving said flexible abrasive tape from said feed reel; means for rotating said take-up reel; a means for pressing said abrasive surface of said flexible abrasive tape against a full periphery of the notch, said means for pressing comprising means for generating and directing a fluid stream against the back surface of said flexible abrasive tape; means for oscillating said flexible abrasive tape sideways; and four guide rollers, a first pair of which are located near the feed and take-up reels, and a second pair of which are located near the notch of the wafer, said first pair of guide rollers having axes which are parallel with a surface of the wafer and said second pair of guide rollers having axes which are perpendicular with the surface of the wafer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer according to claim 4, wherein the means for generating and directing a fluid stream comprises means for generating and directing a stream of water.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer according to claim 5, wherein said flexible abrasive tape comprises a base material and abrasive grains secured to said base material by an adhesive layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer according to claim 4, wherein the means for generating and directing a fluid stream comprises means for generating and directing a stream of air.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer according to claim 7, wherein said flexible abrasive tape comprises a base material and abrasive grains secured to said base material by an adhesive layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus for polishing the notch of a notched wafer according to claim 4, wherein said flexible abrasive tape comprises a base material and abrasive grains secured to said base material by an adhesive layer.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of polishing a notch of a wafer which comprises the steps of: feeding a flexible abrasive tape from a feed reel into a notch of a wafer; blowing a narrow fluid stream from a jet nozzle towards an apex portion of the notch, said narrow fluid stream contacting and pressing said flexible abrasive tape against the apex of the notch; and withdrawing said flexible abrasive tape from the notch onto a take-up reel, wherein the force of the fluid stream prevents said flexible abrasive from bending widthwise.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of polishing a notch of a wafer which comprises the steps of: feeding a flexible abrasive tape from a feed reel into a notch of a wafer; blowing a narrow fluid stream from a jet nozzle towards an apex portion of the notch, said narrow fluid stream contacting and pressing said flexible abrasive tape against the apex of the notch; and withdrawing said flexible abrasive tape from the notch onto a take-up reel, wherein the force of the fluid stream prevents said flexible abrasive from bending widthwise.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of polishing a notch of a wafer according to claim 10, wherein said fluid stream comprises a liquid stream.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS58120460A
Cited
JPS609653A
Cited
JPS63312056A
Cited
US4796387A
Cited
EP0349653B1
Cited
JPH03142158A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-03-30 | 2001-09-29 | 2002-03-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-30 | 2005-09-29 | 2006-03-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-30 | 2009-09-29 | 2010-03-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |