Magnetic carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing

Claim 2

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a system flange connectable to a drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates, said second plurality of magnetic plates generally facing said first plurality of magnetic plates, and said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engaging said first plurality of magnetic plates to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange; and a generally flat substrate mounting surface coupled to said carrier head flange to hold a substrate.

Claim 3

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates having side surfaces and extending outward form said system flange, said first plurality of magnetic plates generally arranged annularly about said drive shaft; and a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates having side surfaces and extending from said carrier head flange toward said system flange, said second plurality of magnetic plates generally arranged annularly about said drive shaft, said side surfaces of said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engaging said side surfaces of said first plurality of magnetic plates to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange.

Claim 4

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates having side surfaces and extending outward form said system flange, said first plurality of magnetic plates generally arranged annularly about said drive shaft; and a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates having side surfaces and extending from said carrier head flange toward said system flange, said second plurality of magnetic plates generally arranged annularly about said drive shaft, said side surfaces of said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engaging said side surfaces of said first plurality of magnetic plates to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange.

Claim 5

The carrier head assembly of claim 2, wherein said second plurality of magnetic platens includes a plurality of inner plates and a plurality of outer plates, and the carrier head assembly further comprises an annulus joining said inner plates to said outer plates, and wherein a respective one of said inner plates, a respective one of said outer plates, and the annulus joining said respective inner plate to said respective outer plate generally form a "U"-shaped configuration.

Claim 6

The carrier head assembly of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of shunts on said carrier head flange positioned Generally adjacent to said second plurality of magnetic plates, such that when said carrier head flange is rotated relative to said system flange, said first plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engages said plurality of shunts to form a magnetic circuit, such that said system flange is magnetically decoupled from said carrier head flange.

Claim 7

The carrier head assembly of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of shunts mounted to said system flange positioned generally adjacent to said first plurality of magnetic plates, such that when said carrier head flange is rotated relative to said system flange, said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engages said plurality of shunts to form a magnetic circuit, such that said system flange is magnetically decoupled from said carrier head flange.

Claim 8

The carrier head assembly of claim 2, wherein each of said first and second plurality of magnetic plates comprise a partially soft magnetic material.

Claim 9

The carrier head assembly of claim 6, wherein said partially soft magnetic material is selected from the group consisting of samarium-cobalt, neodymium-iron-boron, or nickel cobalt.

Claim 10

The carrier head assembly of claim 2, wherein each of said first plurality of magnetic plates has a radial direction of magnetization opposite to that of its neighboring magnetic plates.

Claim 11

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to and approximately concentric with said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates arranged in an approximately circular manner; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates, said second plurality of magnetic plates generally facing said first plurality of magnetic plates, said second plurality of magnetic plates further including an inner plurality of magnetic plates and an outer plurality of magnetic plates, said inner and outer pluralities of magnetic plates being equal in number, and wherein each of said inner plurality of magnetic plates is radially separated from a corresponding one of said outer plurality of magnetic plates, such that said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engages said first plurality of magnetic plates to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange.

Claim 12

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to and approximately concentric with said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates arranged in an approximately circular manner; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates, said second plurality of magnetic plates generally facing said first plurality of magnetic plates, said second plurality of magnetic plates further including an inner plurality of magnetic plates and an outer plurality of magnetic plates, said inner and outer pluralities of magnetic plates being equal in number, and wherein each of said inner plurality of magnetic plates is radially separated from a corresponding one of said outer plurality of magnetic plates, such that said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engages said first plurality of magnetic plates to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange.

Claim 13

The carrier head assembly of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of shunts mounted to said carrier head flange and positioned generally adjacent to said second plurality of magnetic plates, such that when said carrier head flange is rotated relative to said system flange, said first plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engages said plurality of shunts to form a magnetic circuit, such that said system flange is magnetically decoupled from said carrier head flange.

Claim 14

The carrier head assembly of claim 10, wherein a number of said inner plurality of magnetic plates, a number of said outer plurality of magnetic plates, a number of said first plurality of magnetic plates, and a number of shunts are equal.

Claim 15

The carrier head assembly of claim 11, wherein the number of said first plurality of magnetic plates is eight.

Claim 16

The carrier head assembly of claim 9, wherein each of said first and second plurality of magnetic plates comprise a partially soft magnetic material.

Claim 17

The carrier head assembly of claim 13, wherein said partially soft magnetic alloy is selected from the group consisting of samarium-cobalt, neodymium-iron-boron, or nickel cobalt.

Claim 18

The carrier head assembly of claim 9, wherein each of said first plurality of magnetic plates or said second plurality of magnetic plates has a radial direction of magnetization opposite to that of its circumferentially neighboring magnetic plates.

Claim 19

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to and approximately concentric with said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates generally facing said first plurality of magnetic plates; said second plurality of magnetic plates including an inner plurality of magnetic plates and an outer plurality of magnetic plates, said inner and outer pluralities of magnetic plates each having a generally circular shape, said inner plurality of magnetic plates radially separated from said outer plurality of magnetic plates; each of said inner and outer pluralities of magnetic plates defining breaks between each magnetic plate and the circumferentially neighboring magnetic plates; and such that said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engages said first plurality of magnetic plates to couple said carrier head flange to said system flange when each of said first plurality of magnetic plates is between said breaks.

Claim 20

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to and approximately concentric with said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates generally facing said first plurality of magnetic plates; said second plurality of magnetic plates including an inner plurality of magnetic plates and an outer plurality of magnetic plates, said inner and outer pluralities of magnetic plates each having a generally circular shape, said inner plurality of magnetic plates radially separated from said outer plurality of magnetic plates; each of said inner and outer pluralities of magnetic plates defining breaks between each magnetic plate and the circumferentially neighboring magnetic plates; and such that said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engages said first plurality of magnetic plates to couple said carrier head flange to said system flange when each of said first plurality of magnetic plates is between said breaks.

Claim 21

The carrier head assembly of claim 16, wherein when each of said first plurality of magnetic plates is co-radial with a break, said system flange is magnetically decoupled from said carrier head flange.

Claim 22

The carrier head assembly of claim 16, wherein each of said first plurality of magnetic plates has a radial direction of magnetization opposite to that of its neighboring magnetic plates.

Claim 25

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates, said second plurality of magnetic plates generally facing said first plurality of magnetic plates, and said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engaging said first plurality of magnetic plates to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange, said second plurality of magnetic plates including a plurality of inner plates and a plurality of outer plates; and an annulus joining said inner plates to said outer plates, wherein a respective one of said inner plates, a respective one of said outer plates, and the annulus joining said respective inner plate to said respective outer plate generally form a "U"-shaped configuration.

Claim 26

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates, said second plurality of magnetic plates generally facing said first plurality of magnetic plates, and said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engaging said first plurality of magnetic plates to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange, said second plurality of magnetic plates including a plurality of inner plates and a plurality of outer plates; and an annulus joining said inner plates to said outer plates, wherein a respective one of said inner plates, a respective one of said outer plates, and the annulus joining said respective inner plate to said respective outer plate generally form a "U"-shaped configuration.

Claim 27

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates, said second plurality of magnetic plates generally facing said first plurality of magnetic plates, and said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engaging said first plurality of magnetic plates to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange; and a plurality of shunts on said carrier head flange and positioned generally adjacent to said second plurality of magnetic plates, such that when said carrier head flange is rotated relative to said system flange, said first plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engages said plurality of shunts to form a magnetic circuit, such that said system flange is magnetically decoupled from said carrier head flange.

Claim 28

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a drive shaft; a system flange connected to said drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnetic plates; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnetic plates, said second plurality of magnetic plates generally facing said first plurality of magnetic plates, and said second plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engaging said first plurality of magnetic plates to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange; and a plurality of shunts on said carrier head flange and positioned generally adjacent to said second plurality of magnetic plates, such that when said carrier head flange is rotated relative to said system flange, said first plurality of magnetic plates magnetically engages said plurality of shunts to form a magnetic circuit, such that said system flange is magnetically decoupled from said carrier head flange.

Claim 29

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a system flange connectable to a drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnets; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnets, said second plurality of magnets positioned to magnetically engage said first plurality of magnets to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange; and a generally flat substrate mounting surface coupled to said carrier head flange to hold a substrate.

Claim 30

A carrier head assembly, comprising: a system flange connectable to a drive shaft, said system flange including a first plurality of magnets; a carrier head flange including a second plurality of magnets, said second plurality of magnets positioned to magnetically engage said first plurality of magnets to magnetically couple said carrier head flange to said system flange; and a generally flat substrate mounting surface coupled to said carrier head flange to hold a substrate.