Equipment and method for cleaning polishing cloth

Abstract

The equipment for cleaning polishing cloth is capable of increasing pressure of washing water received by the polishing cloth, securely removing deposits from the polishing cloth and improving polishing efficiency. The equipment is used in a polishing apparatus, in which a work piece is pressed onto the polishing cloth adhered on a polishing plate and the work piece is relatively moved with respect to the polishing plate with supplying slurry to the polishing cloth so as to polish the work piece. The equipment comprises a nozzle unit having a nozzle capable of spraying high-pressure washing water toward the polishing cloth so as to clean the polishing cloth. The nozzle is a straight nozzle capable of linearly spraying the washing water and perpendicularly spraying the washing water with respect to the polishing cloth.

1 . An equipment for cleaning polishing cloth, which is used in a polishing apparatus in which a work piece is pressed onto the polishing cloth adhered on a polishing plate and the work piece is relatively moved with respect to the polishing plate with supplying slurry to the polishing cloth so as to polish the work piece,
 comprising:   a nozzle unit having a nozzle capable of spraying high-pressure washing water toward the polishing cloth so as to clean the polishing cloth,   wherein the nozzle is a straight nozzle capable of linearly spraying the washing water and perpendicularly spraying the same with respect to the polishing cloth.   
     
     
         2 . The equipment according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said nozzle unit includes a plurality of the nozzles.   
     
     
         3 . The equipment according to  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a unit for moving said nozzle unit on the polishing plate.   
     
     
         4 . The equipment according to  claim 2 ,
 further comprising a unit for moving said nozzle unit on the polishing plate.   
     
     
         5 . A method for cleaning polishing cloth, which is used in a polishing apparatus in which a work piece is pressed onto the polishing cloth adhered on a polishing plate and the work piece is relatively moved with respect to the polishing plate with supplying slurry to the polishing cloth so as to polish the work piece,
 comprising the step of:   spraying high-pressure washing water, from a nozzle of a nozzle unit, toward the polishing cloth so as to clean the polishing cloth,   wherein the nozzle is a straight nozzle, and   the straight nozzle linearly sprays the washing water and perpendicularly sprays the same with respect to the polishing cloth.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein pressure of the washing water which is received by the polishing cloth is nearly equal to or greater than polishing load which is applied to the work piece while polishing the work piece.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein pressure of the washing water which is received by the polishing cloth is 150-350 gf/cm 2 .   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the pressure of the washing water which is received by the polishing cloth is 150-350 gf/cm 2 .   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein a main material of the polishing cloth is foamed polyurethane.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the nozzle unit is moved on the polishing plate, with spraying the washing water from the straight nozzle, while cleaning the polishing cloth.