Polishing system having a track

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a track system in a polishing system. One embodiment described herein provides a track system configured to transfer polishing heads in a polishing system. The track system comprises a supporting frame, a track coupled to the supporting frame and defining a path along which the polishing heads are configured to move, and one or more carriages configured to carry at least one polishing head along the path defined by the track, wherein the one or more carriages are coupled to the track and independently movable along the track.

1 . A track system configured to transfer at least one polishing head in a polishing system, comprising:
 a supporting frame;   a track coupled to the supporting frame and defining a path along which the at least one polishing head is configured to move;   a plurality of carriages configured to carry at least one polishing head along the path defined by the track, wherein the plurality of carriages are coupled to the track and independently movable along the track; and   one or more actuators operable to move the plurality of carriages along the path defined by the track.   
     
     
         2 . The track system of  claim 1 , wherein the path defined by the track is circular. 
     
     
         3 . The track system of  claim 1 , further comprising a shield assembly coupled with the supporting frame and isolating the track from a processing environment. 
     
     
         4 . The track system of  claim 1 , further comprises an encoder sensor configured to sense a position of each of the carriages along the path. 
     
     
         5 . The track system of  claim 4 , further comprising a carriage controller connected with the encoder sensor and configured to independently control movements of the respective carriage according to measurements from the encoder sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The track system of  claim 1 , wherein the track further comprises:
 a first circular guiding rail; and   a second circular guiding rail concentric to the first circular guiding rail.   
     
     
         7 . The polishing head of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a segment motor configured to move the respective carriage by reacting with a plurality of permanent magnetic segments disposed along the track. 
     
     
         8 . A track system for transferring at least one polishing head in a polishing system, comprising:
 a supporting frame;   a guiding rail coupled to the supporting frame, wherein the guiding rail defines a path along which the at least one polishing ahead is configured to travel;   a magnetic track; and   one or more sliding carriages movably coupled to the guiding rail and each configured to move at least one polishing head along the path, wherein each of the one or more sliding carriages comprises:
 a segment motor configured to independently actuate the respective sliding carriage by interacting with the magnetic track. 
   
     
     
         9 . The track system of  claim 8 , wherein the magnetic track comprises a plurality of permanent magnets disposed in a single line with each magnet having its magnetic field opposite to the magnet fields of neighboring magnets. 
     
     
         10 . The track system of  claim 8 , further comprising a track controller configured to independently control each of the one or more sliding carriages, wherein the track controller is connected with an encoder sensor and the segment motor of each one or more sliding carriages. 
     
     
         11 . The track system of  claim 10 , wherein the track controller is further configured to oscillate each of the one or more sliding carriages during polishing. 
     
     
         12 . The track system of  claim 8 , wherein the path, the guiding rail and the magnetic track are circular. 
     
     
         13 . The track system of  claim 12 , wherein the guiding rail comprises:
 an inner guiding rail disposed inward and concentric to the magnetic track; and   an outer guiding rail disposed outward and concentric to the magnetic track, and each of the one or more sliding carriages comprises:   two inner guiding blocks coupled to the inner guiding rail; and   two outer guiding blocks coupled to the outer guiding rail.   
     
     
         14 . A polishing head for a track polishing system, comprising:
 a carriage body;   one or more sliding blocks mounted on the carriage body, wherein the one or more sliding blocks are configured to couple with a guiding rail of the track polishing system and restrict movements of the carriage body to along the guiding rail;   a sliding actuator mounted on the carriage body and configured to move the carriage body along the guiding rail by reacting to a magnetic track of the track polishing system;   a first polishing assembly attached to the carriage body, wherein the first polishing assembly comprises:
 a first polishing motor; and 
 a first substrate carrier configured to secure a substrate during transferring and polishing, wherein the first substrate carrier is coupled to the first polishing motor and rotated by the first polishing motor during polishing. 
   
     
     
         15 . The polishing head of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more sliding blocks have curved sliding channels configured to adapt curvature of the guiding rail. 
     
     
         16 . The polishing head of  claim 14 , further comprising a first sweeping motor configured to oscillate the first polishing assembly by reacting with the magnetic track of the track polishing system during polishing. 
     
     
         17 . The polishing head of  claim 16 , further comprising a second polishing assembly attached to the carriage body, wherein the second polishing assembly comprises:
 a second polishing motor; and   a second substrate carrier configured to secure a substrate during transferring and polishing, wherein the second substrate carrier is coupled to the second polishing motor and rotated by the first polishing motor during polishing and first sweeping motor is configured to oscillate the first and second polishing assemblies simultaneously during polishing.   
     
     
         18 . The polishing head of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a second polishing assembly attached to the carriage body, wherein the second polishing assembly comprises:
 a second polishing motor; and 
 a second substrate carrier configured to secure a substrate during transferring and polishing, wherein the second substrate carrier is coupled to the second polishing motor and rotated by the first polishing motor during polishing; and 
   a second sweeping motor configured to oscillate the second polishing assembly by reacting with the magnetic track of the track polishing system during polishing.   
     
     
         19 . The polishing head of  claim 16 , wherein the sliding actuator is a segment motor configured to move the carriage body by reacting with a plurality of permanent magnetic segments disposed along the track. 
     
     
         20 . The polishing head of  claim 19 , wherein the sliding actuator is further configured to oscillate the carriage body about a position on the track to provide sweeping motion to the first substrate carrier during polishing.