Method, workpiece carrier and system for machining workpieces in a double-sided processing machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system and a workpiece carrier for processing a workpiece surface of a workpiece by means of a double-sided processing machine which has an upper working disc and a lower working disc, wherein the working discs each have flat working surfaces which are oriented parallel to one another for an operation for processing the workpiece surface, such that a surface-parallel working gap is formed between the upper working disc and the lower working disc, in which gap at least one workpiece carrier designed and configured for holding at least one workpiece is arranged, wherein the workpiece carrier holds the workpieces held thereon in such a manner that the workpieces, during the processing operation, are each processed only by means of the upper or the lower working disc.

Description

[0001] Method, workpiece carrier and system for machining workpieces in a double-sided machining center

[0002] The invention relates to a method for machining a workpiece surface of a workpiece by means of a double-sided machining machine with a workpiece carrier, a workpiece carrier, and a system comprising a double-sided machining machine and a workpiece carrier.

[0003] In double-sided machining centers of this type, flat workpieces such as wafers are typically machined simultaneously on both sides. These machines have an upper and a lower working disk, between which a working gap is formed in which the workpieces are guided during machining. The upper working disk is attached to an upper support element, such as a carrier disk, and the lower working disk is attached to a lower support element, such as a carrier disk. For machining, a relative rotation between the working disks is achieved by rotating at least one of the working disks together with its carrier disk. Double-sided machining centers are known in which so-called runner disks are guided in the working gap.The runner discs typically hold the workpieces to be machined in circular openings, allowing them to float freely. Suitable kinematics ensure that the runner discs also rotate within the working gap as the working discs rotate relative to each other. This causes the workpieces to move along cycloidal paths within the working gap, resulting in a particularly uniform surface finish.

[0004] Furthermore, single-sided machining machines are known from the prior art, which now have a single upper or lower working disk for the one-sided machining of disk-shaped workpieces such as wafers or the like. A counter bearing is arranged on the opposite side of the workpiece, with which a contact pressure can be generated between the workpiece and the working disk.

[0005] It has been shown that for some applications, the accuracy of surface finishing of a workpiece is higher in double-sided machining centers than in single-sided machining centers.

[0006] The invention is based on the objective of providing a method, a workpiece carrier and a system with which the accuracy of surface finishing can be improved in the one-sided machining of a workpiece.

[0007] The problem is solved by a method according to claim 1, a workpiece carrier according to claim 15 and a system according to claim 16. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0008] According to the invention, a method for machining the surface of a workpiece using a double-sided machining machine, which has an upper working disk and a lower working disk, wherein the working disks each have flat working surfaces which are aligned parallel to each other for a machining operation of the workpiece surface, so that a surface-parallel working gap is formed between the upper working disk and the lower working disk, in which at least one workpiece carrier designed and configured to hold at least one workpiece is arranged, wherein the workpiece carrier holds the workpieces held on it in such a way that the workpieces are machined exclusively by means of the upper or the lower working disk during the machining operation.

[0009] The invention also solves the problem by a system comprising a double-sided machining machine, wherein the double-sided machining machine has an upper working disk and a lower working disk, wherein the working disks each have flat working surfaces which are aligned parallel to each other for a machining operation of the workpiece surface, so that a surface-parallel working gap is formed between the upper working disk and the lower working disk, and comprising at least one workpiece carrier arranged in the working gap, designed and equipped to hold at least one workpiece, wherein the workpiece carrier holds the workpieces held on it in such a way that the workpieces are machined exclusively by means of the upper or the lower working disk during the machining operation.

[0010] The workpiece carrier is inserted into the working gap for the machining process in such a way that one of its surface sides points towards the upper working surface of the double-sided machining machine and the second surface side points towards the lower working surface of the double-sided machining machine.

[0011] The workpiece carrier is preferably disc-shaped or circular-cylindrical, with its two surfaces aligned parallel to the working surfaces of the machining discs during the machining process. The surfaces of the workpiece carrier can be designed such that they rest against the working surface of a first machining disc of the double-sided machining machine during the machining process, while a workpiece held on the opposite surface rests with its surface to be machined against the working surface of the opposite machining disc. Alternatively or additionally, spacers can be arranged on one surface of the workpiece carrier, which, instead of the surface itself, rest against a first working surface during the machining process. Such spacers can, for example, be held in workpiece fixtures provided for holding workpieces.Preferably a double-sided machining machine is used in which the upper working disk is arranged on and attached to an upper support element, and in which the lower working disk is arranged on and attached to a lower support element, and in which the upper working disk and the lower working disk are arranged coaxially to each other and in which each support element can be driven to rotate by means of a drive motor.

[0012] The working discs are preferably driven separately and independently of each other, so that the relative movement of the working discs to each other can be adapted to the respective application. It may also be provided that the direction of rotation and / or the rotational speed are adjustable.

[0013] A double-sided machining machine of this type has a preferably annular first upper working disk, which is attached to an upper support element, and a second lower working disk, which is attached to a lower support element. The first working disk and the second working disk can each be driven by a drive shaft so that they rotate relative to each other, with a working gap formed between the first working disk and the counter bearing element for machining flat workpieces on both sides. A pressure chamber can be arranged between the upper support element and the upper working disk, which is connected to a pressure fluid supply that can be controlled such that a pressure can be built up in the pressure chamber by means of which a predetermined deformation of the upper working disk can be generated. Temperature control channels for temperature control of the upper working disk can also be provided, which are connected to a temperature control fluid supply.Similarly, a pressure chamber can be arranged between the lower support element and the lower working disc, connected to a pressure fluid supply that can be controlled to build up pressure within the chamber, thereby generating a predetermined deformation of the lower working disc. Furthermore, temperature control channels for the lower working disc, also connected to a temperature control fluid supply, can be provided.

[0014] The work surfaces can be covered with a work surface, for example, polishing cloths. Any support elements holding the work discs can also be ring-shaped, at least on the side facing the work discs, or at least have ring-shaped support sections to which the work discs are attached. Preferably, the support elements are disc-shaped. More than one support element per work disc can also be provided.

[0015] Further details of the double-sided machining machine can be designed analogously to the double-sided machining machine known from the earlier patent application DE 102020125246 Al, which is expressly and fully included here for this purpose.

[0016] To enable the workpieces to be set into further rotary movements during a machining operation, it may be provided that a workpiece carrier is used which has a runner ring arranged on its outer circumference, which interacts with a workpiece carrier drive device of the double-sided machining machine during the machining operation in such a way that the workpiece carrier is rotated about at least one axis of rotation running orthogonally to the working surfaces of the work discs that define the working gap.

[0017] Preferably, the workpiece carrier drive unit has a drive element arranged radially inside the working gap and a drive element arranged radially outside. The rotor ring meshes with one or both drive elements of the workpiece carrier drive unit for interaction with the workpiece carrier drive unit. It is also conceivable that the workpiece carrier drive unit has only an inner or only an outer drive element. The drive elements of the workpiece carrier drive unit can each be designed, for example, as a ring of pins, for instance, arranged in a circle. Instead of a ring of pins, the drive elements can also be designed differently, for example, as a gear ring. Preferably, the workpiece carrier drive unit can be designed to be fully and / or partially retractable and / or removable.This allows lateral access to the working gap, for example for inserting or removing a workpiece carrier into the working gap.

[0018] Preferably, the runner ring of the workpiece carrier is designed and arranged such that tooth-like drivers in a plane of the working gap with respect to the workpiece carrier point radially outwards as external teeth and engage with complementary tooth-like drivers of the workpiece carrier drive device projecting into the working gap and / or reachable from the runner ring out of the working gap to transmit a torque.

[0019] One or both of the drive components of the workpiece carrier drive unit can be driven by rotation, particularly independently of the rotational movement of the work discs of the double-sided machining center. This allows for a particularly high degree of flexibility in adjusting the rotational movement of the workpieces during a machining operation in the double-sided machining center. It is also conceivable to couple the rotational movement of the workpiece carrier drive unit with the rotational movement of the work discs.

[0020] Depending on the embodiment preferred by the user or advantageous for the application, it is intended that a workpiece carrier is used which is designed in one piece or is modular, such that the workpiece carrier can be assembled from several functional parts into a configuration suitable for the selected application.

[0021] The modular design of the workpiece carrier allows for particularly flexible adaptation to the specific application. For the configuration of the workpiece carrier, individual or all functional components can be connected to each other in their assembled state by force-fit, form-fit, and / or material-fit connections. For example, individual or all functional components can be glued, screwed, riveted, welded, or otherwise fixed to one another.

[0022] For a modular design, it is particularly intended that a workpiece carrier be used in which the runner ring is designed to be removable from the workpiece carrier.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, a workpiece carrier is used in which the runner ring has at least one driver which, in a connected position arranged on the workpiece carrier, engages positively in a driver receptacle of the workpiece carrier. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the runner ring can be fixed to the workpiece carrier in a force-fit position arranged on the workpiece carrier. For example, the runner ring can have at least one driver which, as mentioned above, can be fixed to an inner functional part of the workpiece carrier via a driver receptacle. It is also conceivable that the inner functional part of the workpiece carrier has outwardly projecting drivers which, in a connected position of the parts, engage in driver receptacles arranged on the runner ring. It is also conceivable that a runner ring without drivers or...Drive plates are used. In this variant, the rotor ring can, for example, be attached to an inner functional part of the workpiece carrier with screws. In one embodiment, the double-sided machining machine can comprise an inner drive ring, for example, designed as a pin ring, and an outer drive ring, for example, designed as a pin ring. The workpiece carrier can have external teeth on its circumference, for example, on the rotor ring. The external teeth of the workpiece carrier mesh with the inner drive ring and the outer drive ring. In this way, a rolling device is formed, whereby the workpiece carrier is driven by rotation when the inner drive ring and / or the outer drive ring rotates.The workpieces held on the workpiece carrier can thus be moved, for example, along cycloidal paths through the annular working gap formed between the upper work disk and the lower work disk.

[0024] In principle, it is possible to use a workpiece carrier that is designed and configured such that at least one workpiece can be arranged on just one surface. According to an advantageous embodiment that allows the simultaneous machining of at least two workpieces on both sides of the workpiece carrier, it is conceivable to use a workpiece carrier that is designed and configured such that at least one workpiece can be arranged on each of the two surfaces of the workpiece carrier facing a work surface.

[0025] To facilitate simple and rapid loading of the workpiece carrier with one or more workpieces to be processed, it is intended that a workpiece carrier be used which has at least one workpiece receptacle on one of the surface sides facing a work surface for the arrangement and holding of a workpiece.

[0026] For efficient use of the double-sided machining machine for single-sided machining of multiple workpieces, it may be provided that a workpiece carrier is used which has at least one workpiece holder on each of its two surface sides facing a working surface for the arrangement and holding of one workpiece each.

[0027] The workpiece holders of the workpiece carrier according to the invention can be designed such that the workpieces can be inserted into the workpiece carrier from above or from the side. For example, in a simple embodiment, the workpiece holders can be designed as recesses, such as blind or through holes, on the surface of the workpiece carrier, their contours adapted to a holding area of ​​the workpieces. The workpieces can be inserted into these recesses from above. Such recesses can also be formed on the underside of the workpiece carrier. To arrange workpieces in recesses on the underside of the workpiece carrier, it is conceivable that the workpieces are first aligned on a surface and the workpiece carrier is placed onto the workpieces from above, so that the holding areas of the workpieces are inserted into the recesses.A workpiece carrier loaded with workpieces at the top and / or bottom can be moved into the working gap, for example, the workpiece carrier can be pushed or lifted into the working gap.

[0028] To enable efficient arrangement of the workpieces on the workpiece carrier and to support the lowest possible overall height of the workpiece carrier, it may be possible to use a workpiece carrier in which the workpiece holders arranged on the two surface sides are offset from each other on the workpiece carrier.

[0029] The intention is that the longitudinal axes of the workpiece fixtures, which run orthogonally to the work surfaces, are not coaxial but exaxial to each other. In particular, it can be provided that the surfaces of an orthogonal projection of the workpiece fixtures do not overlap with respect to a projection surface parallel to the work surfaces, or only overlap partially.

[0030] For holding the workpieces on the workpiece carrier, it is intended that a workpiece carrier is used in which the workpiece holders are designed in such a way that the workpieces can be fixed in the workpiece holders in a form-fit and / or force-fit manner.

[0031] A force-fit holding or fixation of the workpieces to the workpiece carrier or in a workpiece holder can be achieved, for example, by means of adhesive force. For instance, a disc-shaped workpiece, such as a wafer, can be placed on a wet surface of the workpiece carrier and adhere to the carrier by means of an adhesive force that develops between the surface of the workpiece carrier and the underside of the workpiece not being machined. A form-fit fixation can be achieved, for example, if the contour of the workpiece holder is adapted to the contour of a holding area of ​​the workpiece, so that the holding area of ​​the workpiece in the workpiece holder is secured against lateral slippage during the machining process. A floating mounting of the workpieces in a workpiece holder can also be provided. This is particularly advantageous for disc-shaped workpieces such as wafers.For a floating mounting, the workpiece holder can have a larger diameter than the workpiece, allowing the workpiece to slide within limits during machining. Because it limits the lateral movement of the workpiece, the floating mounting can be considered a positive-locking fixation.

[0032] In one possible embodiment, a workpiece carrier is used in which the workpiece holders are designed as recesses in a body of the workpiece carrier, into which the workpieces can be inserted. To ensure a defined distance between the workpieces and the working surface of the work disc, the workpiece holders can be provided with a depth stop. A depth stop can, for example, be designed as the shoulder surface of a stepped bore. Particularly in an embodiment of the workpiece carrier with a workpiece holder where the workpieces are inserted into the workpiece carrier from the side, it is conceivable that the workpieces are screwed or clamped to the workpiece holder by means of a force-fit connection. The workpiece itself can, for example, have a thread that is screwed into a threaded counterpart in a holding area of ​​the workpiece holder.Specifically, the workpiece can, for example, have an external thread. The workpiece is placed from the side into a lateral recess and inserted, with the external thread facing upwards, into a workpiece holder designed as a through-hole. A shoulder area abuts a lower edge of the workpiece holder, and from above, the workpiece is clamped securely in the workpiece holder by means of a threaded nut with an internal thread.

[0033] It is conceivable, in principle, that a workpiece carrier is designed and configured such that exactly one workpiece can be positioned on each of its two surfaces. It is also conceivable that a workpiece carrier is designed and configured such that exactly one workpiece can be positioned on each of its two surfaces. This is particularly advantageous for very large or complex workpieces. For the simultaneous machining of multiple workpieces, it is possible to use a workpiece carrier that has several workpiece holders on at least one surface, arranged rotationally and / or axially symmetrically to the workpiece carrier.A symmetrical arrangement, for example a circular or oval arrangement of the workpieces, supports the even distribution of the contact pressure acting on the workpieces during a machining operation in the double-sided machining center.

[0034] To ensure a uniform force distribution within the working gap, a preferred embodiment provides for at least two, and preferably at least three, workpiece carriers to be arranged in the working gap of the double-sided machining center and used during the machining process. The workpiece carriers can be arranged as symmetrically as possible within the working gap, thus allowing for torque compensation and preventing uneven loads between the working discs of the double-sided machining center.

[0035] Furthermore, it may be provided that the working discs of the double-sided machining machine are configured for a machining operation in such a way that during the machining operation a first operation such as grinding, polishing or lapping can be carried out with the upper working disc, while at the same time a second operation, different from the first operation, can be carried out with the lower working disc.

[0036] For example, it is conceivable that the workpieces are processed in a first pass with one work wheel, such as polishing, and then processed in a second pass with the same work wheel, such as lapping. For this, the workpiece carrier can be moved into the working gap in such a way that the workpieces are initially processed with the first work wheel. For the second pass, the workpiece carrier can be reversed and moved into the working gap so that the workpieces are now processed with the second work wheel. This eliminates the otherwise necessary changeover time for switching between the work wheels. Alternatively, the workpieces can be removed from the workpiece carrier after the first pass and arranged on the opposite surface. This eliminates the need to reverse the workpiece carrier itself.

[0037] According to the invention, a workpiece carrier with the features relating to the workpiece carrier of one of the preceding claims is also a workpiece carrier. Advantageous embodiments of the workpiece carrier according to the invention and the respective advantages and effects can be found in the above explanations of the method according to the invention.

[0038] According to the invention, a system also consists of a double-sided machining center with the features relating to the double-sided machining center of one of the preceding claims and a workpiece carrier with the features relating to the workpiece carrier of one of the preceding claims. It is understood that advantageous embodiments of the workpiece carrier and the double-sided machining center according to the invention, as well as their respective advantages and effects, can be found in the above explanations of the method according to the invention.

[0039] Finally, according to the invention, the use of a previously described system for processing the surface of a semiconductor wafer is possible.

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. They schematically show:

[0041] Figure 1 shows a double-sided machining center with workpiece carriers in a perspective view.

[0042] Figure 2a shows a working gap between an upper and lower working disk with workpiece carriers arranged between them; Figure 2b shows a possible distribution scheme for several workpiece carriers inserted into the working gap.

[0043] Figure 3 shows an exploded view of a modular workpiece carrier according to the invention with various functional parts, and

[0044] Figures 4-10 show workpiece carriers according to the invention in different perspectives.

[0045] Figure 1 schematically shows a double-sided machining machine 28 with planetary kinematics. The double-sided machining machine 28 has an upper pivot arm 44, which can be pivoted about a vertical axis by means of a pivoting device 48 mounted on a lower base 46. An upper working disc 30, for example designed as a grinding, polishing, or lapping disc, is held on the pivot arm 44 and can be driven by a drive motor (not shown). On its underside (not shown in Figure 1), the upper working disc 30 has an annular working surface 34 (see Figure 2a). The lower base 46 has a trough 50 that supports a lower working disc 32, for example designed as a grinding, polishing, or lapping disc, which has an annular working surface 36 on its upper side facing the upper working disc 30, corresponding to the working surface 34 of the upper working disc 30.The upper working disc 30 can be aligned coaxially with the lower working disc 32 via the swivel arm 44. In the illustrated example, the lower working disc 32 can also be driven by a drive motor (not shown) to rotate about an axis of rotation A (see Figure 2a), in particular in the opposite direction to the upper working disc 30. Of course, it is also possible to design only one of the working discs 30, 32 to be rotatably driven.

[0046] On the working surface 36 of the lower work disk 32, several workpiece carriers 10 are arranged in the illustrated example. Each of these carriers has workpiece holders 26 on its upper surface 22 for workpieces 14 to be machined, for example, wafers, in particular diamond, carbide, or sapphire wafers. For illustrative purposes, only one of the workpiece holders 26 of one of the six workpiece carriers 10 is shown with workpieces 14. It is understood that during operation of the double-sided machining center 28, all workpiece holders 26 of the workpiece carriers 10 can be equipped with workpieces 14 to be machined. The workpiece carriers 10 each engage with an external toothing in an inner drive ring 52, which in this case is designed as a pin ring, and an outer drive ring 54, which in this case is also designed as a pin ring. In this case, the inner drive ring 52 and / or the outer drive ring 54 are part of a workpiece carrier drive unit.In this way, a rolling device is formed, whereby the workpiece carriers 10 can also be set into rotation when the lower work disk 32 rotates. The workpieces 14, which are, for example, floatingly mounted in the workpiece holders 26 of the workpiece carriers 10, then move along cycloidal paths through the annular working gap 38 formed between the upper work disk 30 and the lower work disk 32. During operation of the double-sided machining machine 28, a liquid operating medium, such as cooling, grinding, or polishing fluids, or a lapping compound with loose lapping particles, is also introduced into the working gap 38 via a feeding device integrated, for example, into the swivel arm 44. The upper work disk 30 and, if applicable, also the lower work disk 32 can have corresponding feed openings for this purpose.If a liquid processing medium is also supplied via the lower working disc 32, a corresponding supply device can also be integrated into the base 46.

[0047] Figure 2a schematically shows an upper work disk 30 and a lower work disk 32, each attached to approximately disc-shaped upper and lower support elements 40, 42. A working gap 38 is formed between the work disks 30, 32, in which workpiece carriers 10 are arranged. A runner ring 16, which is arranged on the workpiece carriers 10, is shown schematically. The workpiece carriers 10 each hold two workpieces 14, the surface of which is machined on one side by an upper work surface 34 and on the other by a lower work surface 36 of the work disks 30, 32. As can be seen in Fig. 2a, one surface side 22 of the workpiece carrier 10 runs on a working disk 30, 32 and on the opposite surface side 24 workpieces 14 are held which during a machining operation in the working gap 38 of the double-sided machining machine are each machined on one side by means of the working disks 30, 32.

[0048] Figure 2b shows a possible distribution of workpiece carriers 10 on a work surface 36 of a work disk 32 within a working gap 38. The workpiece carriers 10 marked with a plus sign are oriented in a first direction, and the workpiece carriers marked with a minus sign are oriented in a second direction within the working gap 38. In the examples in Figures 2a and 2b, the workpiece carriers 10 are designed such that workpieces 14 are held on only one surface 24 at a time. Different orientations of the workpiece carriers 10 mean different, alternating sides, from which the workpieces 14 are machined on their surface 12 by the work disks 30, 32.

[0049] Figure 3 schematically shows, in an exploded view and a section, a variant of a modular workpiece carrier 10, which is composed of various functional parts 16, 60, and 58. Inside are two carrier parts 58, arranged one above the other in alignment. A ring adapter 60 and a runner ring 16 are arranged on the circumference of the carrier parts 58. The ring adapter 60 provides a positive-locking connection to the associated carrier part 58 and thus contributes to the stable support and fixation of the functional parts to one another. The runner ring 16 has an external toothing, in this case designed as a toothed ring, which, as described above, is intended for a rotary drive of the workpiece carrier 10. The ring adapter 60 is connected to the runner ring by means of pins 62. This allows for precise alignment and fixation between the runner ring 16 and the ring adapter 60.As shown, the locking pins 62 can be inserted into the drive lugs 18 of the runner ring 16 and the ring adapter 60. The drive lugs 18 are inserted into the drive lugs 20 of the carrier parts 58 to manufacture the workpiece carrier 10. This creates a positive-locking connection between the runner ring 16 and ring adapter 60 and the respective carrier part 58.

[0050] Figure 3 further shows workpieces 14 which are inserted into workpiece holders 26 on the lower surface 24 of the workpiece carrier 10. On the upper surface 22, the workpieces 10 are shown above the workpiece holders 26, which in this case are designed as stepped bore holes.

[0051] As further illustrated in Figure 3, the workpiece carrier 10 can be provided with operating fluid passages 58 through which liquids such as cooling, grinding, or polishing fluids can be guided during the machining of the workpieces 10 in order to support process-optimized or gentle machining of the workpieces 14 by means of the work discs 30, 32. In the present example, the operating fluid passages 56 are designed as through-holes in the carrier parts 58 radially within the workpiece holders 26.

[0052] Figures 4 to 9 show the workpiece carrier 10 from Figure 3 in its assembled state from different perspectives. In Figure 4, the workpieces 14 are already inserted into the workpiece holders 26 on the upper surface 22 of the workpiece carrier 10. Figures 5 to 8 show the workpieces 10 above and below their respective workpiece holders 26. Figures 8 and 9 each show a sectional view of the workpiece carrier 10. It is clearly visible that the upper and lower workpiece holders 26 are aligned coaxially with each other. A sufficiently large height of the workpiece carrier 10 is necessary to ensure that the workpieces 14, arranged on both surfaces 22 and 24, do not touch each other when inserted. This is achieved by using two carrier sections 58.The support parts 58 are identical in the example shown and only need to be rotated relative to each other, i.e., assembled bottom side to bottom side, to produce a workpiece carrier 10 with workpiece holders 26 on both surface sides 22, 24. An offset, exaxial arrangement of the workpiece holders 26 is conceivable to reduce the overall height of the workpiece carrier 10. This would allow, for example, the use of a single support part 58 that has workpiece holders 26 on both sides.

[0053] Figure 9 shows the workpiece carrier 10 in reversed orientation. Here, the upper surface is oriented downwards. It is conceivable that the workpiece carrier can be inserted and used in the working gap 38 of the double-sided machining center in both orientations. Depending on the application, the external teeth of the rotor ring 16 may be used to drive the workpiece carrier 10. A rotor ring 16 with external teeth arranged on only one side requires a corresponding design of the workpiece carrier drive unit so that the rotor ring 16 can interact with the workpiece carrier drive unit on both sides.

[0054] Figure 10 shows the workpiece carriers 10 from Figures 3 to 10 in a sectional view, with the workpiece holders 26 each equipped with an anti-rotation device 64 in this example. These anti-rotation devices 64 serve to prevent the workpieces 14 from rotating about their own axis in their positions inserted in the workpiece holders during the machining process. An anti-rotation device 64 may be particularly necessary if rotation of the workpieces 14 during the machining process is to be prevented and the holding area of ​​the workpieces 14 to be inserted into the workpiece holders 26 is circular, thus allowing rotational movement in the workpiece holder 26. This allows torques introduced by a rotation of the workpiece carrier 10 in the working gap 38 and transmitted to the workpieces 14 to be compensated.In the example shown, the approximately oval-shaped end faces of the workpieces 14, which are opposite the surfaces 12 to be machined, can be inserted into complementary oval-shaped recesses in the base area of ​​the workpiece holders 26, which serve as anti-rotation devices.

[0055] In particular, the sectional views in Figures 8 to 10 clearly show a stepped design of the workpiece holders 26. The stepped shoulder within the workpiece holders 26 can serve as a stop for a defined insertion depth of the workpieces 14. This ensures that all workpieces 14 use the same height reference and thus have the same height dimensions after machining.

[0056] Reference symbol list

[0057] 10 workpiece carriers

[0058] 12 W work piece surface

[0059] 14 workpieces

[0060] 16 runner wreath

[0061] 18 drivers

[0062] 20 drive pin

[0063] 22, 24 surface side

[0064] 26 W workpiece holder

[0065] 28 Double-sided machining machine

[0066] 30 upper work disc

[0067] 32 lower working disc

[0068] 34 upper work surface

[0069] 36 lower work surface

[0070] 38 working gap

[0071] 40 upper support element

[0072] 42 lower support element

[0073] 44 Swivel arm

[0074] 46 sockets

[0075] 48 S ch swing direction

[0076] 50 tub

[0077] 52 Inner drive ring

[0078] 54 Outer drive ring

[0079] 56 B etri eb mittel durchgang

[0080] 58 Carrier part

[0081] 60 wreath adapters

[0082] 62 Connecting pin

[0083] 64 Rotation lock

Claims

Claims 1. Method for machining a workpiece surface (12) of a workpiece (14) using a double-sided machining machine (28) which has an upper working disk (30) and a lower working disk (32), wherein the working disks (30, 32) each have flat working surfaces (34, 36) which are aligned parallel to each other for a machining operation of the workpiece surface (12), so that a surface-parallel working gap (38) is formed between the upper working disk (30) and the lower working disk (32), in which at least one workpiece carrier (10) designed and configured to hold at least one workpiece (14) is arranged, wherein the workpiece carrier (10) holds the workpieces (14) held on it in such a way that the workpieces (14) are machined exclusively by means of the upper or the lower working disk (30, 32) during the machining operation.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a double-sided machining machine (28) is used, wherein the upper working disk (30) is arranged on and attached to an upper support element (40), and wherein the lower working disk (32) is arranged on and attached to a lower support element (42), and wherein the upper working disk (30) and the lower working disk (32) are arranged coaxially to each other and wherein each support element (40, 42) can be driven in a rotating manner by means of a drive motor.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used which has a runner ring (16) arranged on its outer circumference, which interacts with a workpiece carrier drive device of the double-sided machining center (28) during the machining process such that the workpiece carrier (10) is rotated by at least one dimension orthogonal to the working gap (38) The working surfaces (34, 36) of the working discs (30, 32) are rotated along the axis of rotation.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used which is designed in one piece or is designed modularly, such that the workpiece carrier (10) can be assembled from several functional parts into a configuration suitable for the selected application case for different applications.

5. Method according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used in which the runner ring (16) is designed to be removable from the workpiece carrier (10).

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used in which the runner ring (16) has at least one driver (18) which engages in a positive-locking manner in a connecting position arranged on the workpiece carrier (10) in a driver receptacle (20) of the workpiece carrier (10).

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used which is designed and configured in such a way that at least one workpiece (14) can be arranged on each of the two surface sides (22, 24) of the workpiece carrier (10) which each point towards a working surface (34, 36).

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used which has at least one workpiece receptacle (26) for the arrangement and holding of a workpiece (14) on one of the surface sides (22, 24) facing towards a working surface (34, 36).

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used which has at least one workpiece receptacle (26) on each of its two surface sides (22, 24) which each point towards a working surface (34, 36) for the arrangement and holding of one workpiece (14).

10. Method according to one of claims 8 to 9, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used in which the workpiece receptacles (26) are designed such that the workpieces (14) can be fixed in the workpiece receptacles (26) in a form-fit and / or force-fit manner.

11. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used in which the workpiece receptacles (26) are formed as recesses in a body of the workpiece carrier (10) into which the workpieces (14) can each be inserted.

12. Method according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that a workpiece carrier (10) is used which has several workpiece receptacles (26) on at least one surface side (22, 24) which are arranged rotationally symmetrically and / or axially symmetrically to the workpiece carrier (10).

13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two and preferably at least three workpiece carriers (10) are arranged in the working gap (38) of the double-sided machining machine (28) and are used during the machining process.

14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the working discs (30, 32) of the double-sided machining machine (28) are configured for a machining operation such that are that during the processing operation with the upper working disc (30) a first work operation such as grinding, polishing or lapping can be carried out, while at the same time a second work operation, which differs from the first work operation, can be carried out with the lower working disc (32).

15. Workpiece carrier (10) with the features relating to the workpiece carrier (10) of at least one of the preceding claims.

16. System comprising a double-sided machining machine (28), wherein the double-sided machining machine (28) has an upper working disk (30) and a lower working disk (32), wherein the working disks (30, 32) each have flat working surfaces (34, 36) which are aligned parallel to each other for a machining operation of the workpiece surface (12), such that a surface-parallel working gap (38) is formed between the upper working disk (30) and the lower working disk (32), and comprising at least one workpiece carrier (10) arranged in the working gap (38) and designed and configured to hold at least one workpiece (14), characterized in that the workpiece carrier (10) holds the workpieces (14) held on it in such a way that the workpieces (14) are machined exclusively by means of the upper or the lower working disk (30, 32) during the machining operation.

17. System according to claim 16, characterized in that the double-sided machining machine (28) has the features relating to the double-sided machining machine (28) of at least one of claims 1 to 15, and that the workpiece carrier (10) has the features relating to the workpiece carrier (10) of at least one of claims 1 to 15.

18. Use of a system according to one of claims 16 or 17 for processing a surface of a semiconductor wafer.

Images