System, Method and Apparatus for Polishing Workpieces

Abstract

A method of polishing workpieces includes final tape polishing (FTP) a media disk by rotating the media disk; applying a liquid that is substantially pure to the media disk adjacent to an FTP tape; applying the FTP tape to the media disk at a pad load to polish the media disk, such that the liquid acts as a transient lubricant between the media disk and the FTP tape; and completing FTP. The FTP process is completely independent of the final disk lubricant, such that the final disk lubricant may be applied before or after FTP.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of polishing a workpiece, comprising:
 (a) rotating the workpiece;   (b) applying a liquid that is substantially pure to the workpiece adjacent to a polishing tape;   (c) applying the polishing tape to the workpiece at a pad load to polish the workpiece, such that the liquid acts as a lubricant between the workpiece and the polishing tape; and then   (d) completing polishing of the workpiece.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is a media disk, and further comprising sputtering the media disk with layers of material prior to step (a). 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is lubricated with a lubricant prior to step (a). 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the lubricant has a thickness of about 10 Å or less. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the lubricant is bonded to the workpiece, such that the lubricant is substantially unremoved by the liquid. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the lubricant is soluble in the liquid. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the lubricant is not bonded to the workpiece, and the lubricant is non-soluble in the liquid. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is lubricated after step (d). 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is applied to the workpiece without an abrasive, such that no abrasive is used in the method other than the polishing tape. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is a neat, undiluted volatile solvent that is applied via a pump-operated needle syringe. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a fluorinated hydrocarbon and is inert relative to the workpiece, such that the liquid does not texture the workpiece. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the pad load on the workpiece. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting an injection speed of the liquid onto the workpiece. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a linear velocity and a transverse velocity of the polishing tape relative to the workpiece. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising spin-coating the liquid onto the workpiece before step (c), and spinning off the liquid prior to step (d). 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid substantially completely evaporates from the workpiece prior to step (d). 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid substantially completely evaporates from the workpiece in less than about 10 seconds. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid substantially completely evaporates from the workpiece in less than about 1 second. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising circulating the liquid through a particle filtration system prior to step (b). 
     
     
         20 . A method of polishing workpieces, comprising:
 (a) rotating a workpiece having no lubricant;   (b) applying a liquid to the workpiece adjacent to a polishing tape;   (c) applying the polishing tape to the workpiece at a pad load to polish the workpiece, such that the liquid acts as a transient lubricant between the workpiece and the polishing tape; and then   (d) lubricating the workpiece.   
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the workpiece is a media disk and is sputtered with layers of material prior to step (a), the liquid is applied to the workpiece without an abrasive, and no abrasive is used in the method other than the polishing tape. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the liquid is a neat, undiluted volatile solvent that is applied via a pump-operated needle syringe. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the liquid comprises a fluorinated hydrocarbon and is inert relative to the workpiece, such that the liquid does not texture the workpiece; and further comprising at least one of:
 adjusting the pad load on the workpiece;   adjusting an injection speed of the liquid onto the workpiece; and   adjusting a linear velocity and a transverse velocity of the polishing tape relative to the workpiece.   
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising circulating the liquid through a particle filtration system prior to step (b), spin-coating the liquid onto the workpiece before step (c), and spinning off the liquid prior to step (d). 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the liquid substantially completely evaporates from the workpiece in less than about 1 second and prior to step (d).