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Samsung patents chip polishing tool that uses electricity to smooth wafers

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Samsung has filed a patent for a machine that smooths silicon wafers using a combination of mechanical pressure and electrical current. The device uses a special polishing pad with conductive and non-conductive sections to help remove material from the chip surface more precisely.

Why it mattersThis is a routine improvement to the manufacturing process for computer chips, helping make the production of electronics more efficient.

In the filing’s own words

An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, includes a plate; a polishing pad disposed above the platen, and including a first pad portion having a groove formed concavely inwardly on an upper surface thereof, a conductive portion formed of a conductive material, and a non-conductive portion formed of a non-conductive material, and a second pad portion disposed below the first pad portion and including a conductive material; a polishing head including a retainer ring supporting a wafer and including a conductive material, and disposed above the polishing pad to press the wafer; and an electrode disposed below the polishing pad, and connected to the second pad portion.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising: a platen; a polishing pad disposed above the platen, and including a first pad portion having a groove formed concavely inwardly on an upper surface of the first pad portion, a conductive portion formed of a conductive material, and a non-conductive portion formed of a non-conductive material, and a second pad portion disposed below the first pad portion and including a conductive material; a polishing head including a retainer ring supporting a wafer and including a conductive material, and disposed above the polishing pad to press the wafer; and an electrode disposed below the polishing pad, and connected to the second pad portion.

Facts

Company
Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
Official title
ELECTROCHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS
Publication number
US20260316222A1
Application number
19374741
Filed
Oct 30, 2025
Published
Oct 15, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

B24B 57/02 Operations & transportB24B 37/107 Operations & transportB24B 37/32 Operations & transport
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.