Granted Patent B2

US 12,594,645 · App. 18/230,541 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Inventors: Stefano Ching Kiat Boon (Sarawak, MY); Guo Sheng Hii (Sarawak, MY); Yong Lee Mok (Sarawak, MY); Tiew Cheon Ling (Sarawak, MY)

Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

B24B41/067B24B7/00B24B7/04B24B7/24B24B37/08B24B37/28B24B57/02

Abstract

Claims (60)

1 . A carrier for retaining glass substrates during polishing, comprising:

a planar carrier body comprising a plurality of circular openings, each configured to receive a disk-shaped glass substrate;

wherein the carrier body comprises first grooves on a top surface of the carrier body;

wherein the carrier body comprises second grooves on a bottom surface of the carrier body;

wherein the carrier body is configured to be rotated relative to an adjacent polishing pad to polish a glass substrate; and

wherein the first and second grooves are configured to:

facilitate a flow of a polishing slurry between the carrier body and the polishing pad during the polishing; and

retain at least some of the polishing slurry near the glass substrates during the polishing.

2 . The carrier of claim 1 :

wherein the first grooves are offset from the second grooves along a plane that is substantially parallel to the planar carrier body.

3 . The carrier of claim 1 , further comprising a slurry passage hole configured to facilitate passage of the polishing slurry from one side of the carrier body to the other side of the carrier body.

4 . The carrier of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first grooves intersects with the slurry passage hole.

5 . The carrier of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first grooves intersects with at least one of the plurality of circular openings.

6 . The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the first grooves and the second grooves are substantially parallel to one another.

7 . The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the first grooves and the second grooves do not extend to an outer edge of the carrier.

8 . The carrier of claim 1 :

wherein the carrier body has a disk shape; and

wherein the plurality of circular openings include eight openings.

9 . A polishing machine comprising:

a central rotating mechanism configured to rotate the carrier of claim 1 ;

a first polishing pad in contact with the bottom surface of the carrier; and

a second polishing pad in contact with the top surface of the carrier.

10 . The polishing machine of claim 9 :

wherein the central rotating mechanism comprises a drive gear comprising a plurality of teeth; and

wherein a perimeter of the carrier comprises a plurality of teeth configured to engage the plurality of teeth on the drive gear.

11 . A carrier for retaining glass substrates during polishing, comprising:

a planar carrier body comprising a plurality of circular openings, each configured to receive a disk-shaped glass substrate;

wherein the carrier body further comprises a slurry passage hole configured to facilitate passage of a polishing slurry from one side of the carrier body to the other side of the carrier body;

wherein the carrier body comprises first grooves on a surface of the carrier body;

wherein the carrier body is configured to be rotated relative to an adjacent polishing pad so that the glass substrates are polished; and

wherein the first grooves are configured to facilitate a flow of the polishing slurry between the carrier body and the polishing pad during the polishing.

12 . The carrier of claim 11 :

wherein the carrier body comprises the first grooves on a top surface of the carrier body;

wherein the carrier body comprises second grooves on a bottom surface of the carrier body; and

wherein the first grooves are offset from the second grooves along a plane that is substantially parallel to the planar carrier body.

13 . The carrier of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first grooves intersects with the slurry passage hole.

14 . The carrier of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first grooves intersects with at least one of the plurality of circular openings.

15 . The carrier of claim 11 , wherein the first grooves are substantially parallel to one another.

16 . The carrier of claim 11 , wherein the first grooves do not extend to an outer edge of the carrier.

17 . The carrier of claim 11 :

wherein the carrier body has a disk shape; and

wherein the plurality of circular openings include eight openings.

18 . A polishing machine comprising:

a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the carrier of claim 11 ;

a first polishing pad in contact with a bottom surface of the carrier; and

a second polishing pad in contact with a top surface of the carrier.

19 . The polishing machine of claim 18 :

wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a drive gear comprising a plurality of teeth; and

wherein a perimeter of the carrier comprises a plurality of teeth configured to engage the plurality of teeth on the drive gear.

20 . A method for polishing glass substrates using a carrier for retaining the glass substrates during polishing, the method comprising:

providing the carrier comprising:

a planar carrier body comprising a plurality of circular openings, each configured to receive a disk-shaped glass substrate;

wherein the carrier body comprises first grooves on a top surface of the carrier body;

wherein the carrier body comprises second grooves on a bottom surface of the carrier body;

placing the carrier on a first polishing pad of a polishing machine;

placing glass substrates within the circular openings of the carrier;

placing a second polishing pad on the carrier;

providing a polishing slurry on the carrier, wherein the first and second grooves facilitate a spreading of the polishing slurry; and

rotating the carrier between the first and second polishing pads to polish the glass substrates,

wherein the first and second grooves are configured to facilitate a spreading of the polishing slurry and to retain at least some of the polishing slurry near the glass substrates during the polishing.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (13)