Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080254722 | PAD CONDITIONER - A pad conditioner is provided for conditioning a polishing pad in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). The pad conditioner comprises a plastic abrasive portion having a first hardness and optionally a brush portion having a second hardness less than the first hardness. The plastic abrasive portion comprises a base plate and a plurality of plastic nodules formed on a surface of the base plate, each of the plastic nodules having a planar top surface, wherein the planar top surface is positioned to substantially contact a polishing pad. The brush portion may be positioned adjacent to the plastic abrasive portion, the brush portion having a plurality of brush elements positioned to substantially contact the pad. | 10-16-2008 |
20080305729 | THIN POLISHING PAD WITH WINDOW AND MOLDING PROCESS - A polishing pad is described that has a polishing layer with a polishing surface, an adhesive layer on a side of the polishing layer opposite the polishing layer, and a solid light-transmitting window extending through and molded to the polishing layer. The window has a top surface coplanar with the polishing surface and a bottom surface coplanar with a lower surface of the adhesive layer. A method of making a polishing pad includes forming an aperture through a polishing layer and an adhesive layer, securing a backing piece to the adhesive layer on a side opposite a polishing surface of the polishing layer, dispensing a liquid polymer into the aperture, and curing the liquid polymer to form a window. | 12-11-2008 |
20090221223 | MULTILAYER RETAINING RING FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a retaining ring having a flexible lower portion and a rigid upper portion. | 09-03-2009 |
20090275265 | ENDPOINT DETECTION IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING USING MULTIPLE SPECTRA - A computer implemented method includes obtaining at least one current spectrum with an in-situ optical monitoring system, comparing the current spectrum to a plurality of different reference spectra, and determining based on the comparing whether a polishing endpoint has been achieved for the substrate having the outermost layer undergoing polishing. The current spectrum is a spectrum of light reflected from a substrate having an outermost layer undergoing polishing and at least one underlying layer. The plurality of reference spectra represent spectra of light reflected from substrates with outermost layers having the same thickness and underlying layers having different thicknesses. | 11-05-2009 |
20100081360 | USE OF PAD CONDITIONING IN TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED CMP - A method and apparatus for temperature control for a chemical mechanical polishing process is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises polishing the substrate with a surface of a polishing pad assembly, measuring a real-time temperature of the surface of the polishing pad assembly, determining whether the real-time temperature of the surface of the polishing pad assembly is within a predetermined processing temperature range, and contacting the surface of the polishing pad assembly with a pad conditioner to adjust the temperature of the surface of the polishing pad assembly to fall within the predetermined temperature range. | 04-01-2010 |
20100099334 | Eddy Current Gain Compensation - In-situ monitoring during processing of a substrate includes processing a conductive film on a substrate in a semiconductor processing apparatus and generating a signal from an eddy current sensor during processing. The signal includes a first portion generated when the eddy current sensor is adjacent the substrate, a second portion generated when the eddy current sensor is adjacent a metal body and not adjacent the substrate, and a third portion generated when the eddy current sensor is adjacent neither the metal body nor the substrate. The second portion of the signal is compared to the third portion of the signal and a gain is determined based at least on a result of the comparing, and the first portion of the signal is multiplied by the gain to generate an adjusted signal. | 04-22-2010 |
20100120330 | ENDPOINT CONTROL OF MULTIPLE-WAFER CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A computer-implemented method includes polishing substrates simultaneously in a polishing apparatus. Each substrate has a polishing rate independently controllable by an independently variable polishing parameter. Measurement data that varies with the thickness of each of the substrates is acquired from each of the substrates during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system. A projected thickness that each substrate will have at a target time is determined based on the measurement data. The polishing parameter for at least one substrate is adjusted to adjust the polishing rate of the at least one substrate such that the substrates have closer to the same thickness at the target time than without the adjustment. | 05-13-2010 |
20100120331 | ENDPOINT CONTROL OF MULTIPLE-WAFER CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A computer-implemented method includes polishing substrates simultaneously in a polishing apparatus. Each substrate has a polishing rate independently controllable by an independently variable polishing parameter. Measurement data that varies with the thickness of each of the substrates is acquired from each of the substrates during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system. A projected time at which each substrate will reach a target thickness is determined based on the measurement data. The polishing parameter for at least one substrate is adjusted to adjust the polishing rate of the at least one substrate such that the substrates reach the target thickness closer to the same time than without the adjustment. | 05-13-2010 |
20100184357 | Polishing Pad and System with Window Support - A polishing system includes a polishing pad having a solid light-transmissive window, an optical fiber having an end, and a spacer having a vertical aperture therethrough. A bottom surface of the spacer contacts the end of the optical fiber, a top surface of the spacer contacts the underside of the window, and the vertical aperture is aligned with the optical fiber. | 07-22-2010 |
20100279435 | TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus including a platen for holding a pad having a polishing surface, a subsystem for holding a substrate and the polishing surface together during a polishing step, and a temperature sensor oriented to measure a temperature of the polishing surface, wherein the subsystem accepts the temperature measured by the sensor and is programmed to vary a polishing process parameter in response to the measured temperature. In an aspect, a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus having a platen for holding a pad having a polishing surface, a fluid delivery system for transporting a fluid from a source to the polishing surface, and a temperature controller which during operation controls the temperature of the fluid transported by the delivery system. | 11-04-2010 |
20120018093 | MULTILAYER RETAINING RING FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a retaining ring having a flexible lower portion and a rigid upper portion. | 01-26-2012 |
20120021671 | REAL-TIME MONITORING OF RETAINING RING THICKNESS AND LIFETIME - A method and apparatus for monitoring the condition of a surface of a retaining ring disposed on a carrier head in a polishing module is described. In one embodiment, a method for monitoring at least one surface of a retaining ring coupled to a carrier head is provided. The method includes moving the carrier head adjacent a sensor device disposed in a polishing module, transmitting energy from the sensor device toward the retaining ring, receiving energy reflected from the retaining ring, and determining a condition of the retaining ring based on the received energy. | 01-26-2012 |
20120028813 | Selecting Reference Libraries For Monitoring Of Multiple Zones On A Substrate - A method of configuring a polishing monitoring system includes receiving user input selecting a plurality of libraries, each library of the plurality of libraries comprising a plurality of reference spectra for use in matching to measured spectra during polishing, each reference spectrum of the plurality of reference spectra having an associated index value, for a first zone of a substrate, receiving user input selecting a first subset of the plurality of libraries, and for a second zone of the substrate, receiving user input selecting a second subset of the plurality of libraries. | 02-02-2012 |
20120325395 | METHOD OF ASSEMBLY OF RETAINING RING FOR CMP - A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a retaining ring having a flexible lower portion and a rigid upper portion. | 12-27-2012 |
20130111678 | BRUSH BOX MODULE FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING CLEANER - Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a method and apparatus for cleaning a substrate. Particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus and method for cleaning a substrate using a scrub brush. One embodiment provides a brush box assembly for cleaning a substrate. The assembly comprises a chamber body having a cleaning chamber disposed therein, a rotatable chuck disposed in the cleaning chamber, and an edge cleaner module positioned adjacent the chuck. | 05-09-2013 |
20130189841 | ENGINEERING DIELECTRIC FILMS FOR CMP STOP - A method for forming an integrated circuit is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a stop layer comprising carbon doped silicon nitride on a gate region on a substrate, the gate region having a poly gate and one or more spacers formed adjacent the poly gate, forming a dielectric layer on the stop layer, and removing a portion of the dielectric layer above the gate region using a CMP process, wherein the stop layer is a strain inducing layer having a CMP removal rate that is less than the CMP removal rate of the dielectric layer and equal to or less than the CMP removal rate of the one or more spacers. | 07-25-2013 |
20130203321 | RETAINING RING MONITORING AND CONTROL OF PRESSURE - A load cup apparatus for transferring a substrate in a processing system includes a pedestal assembly having a substrate support, an actuator, and a controller. The actuator is configured to move the pedestal assembly into a loading position in contact with a retaining ring of a carrier head and to generate a retaining ring thickness signal based on a distance travelled by the pedestal assembly. The controller is configured to receive the retaining ring thickness signal from the actuator. | 08-08-2013 |
20130276979 | RETAINING RING FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING - A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a retaining ring having a flexible lower portion and a rigid upper portion. | 10-24-2013 |
20130309951 | THIN POLISHING PAD WITH WINDOW AND MOLDING PROCESS - A polishing pad is described that has a polishing layer with a polishing surface, an adhesive layer on a side of the polishing layer opposite the polishing layer, and a solid light-transmitting window extending through and molded to the polishing layer. The window has a top surface coplanar with the polishing surface and a bottom surface coplanar with a lower surface of the adhesive layer. A method of making a polishing pad includes forming an aperture through a polishing layer and an adhesive layer, securing a backing piece to the adhesive layer on a side opposite a polishing surface of the polishing layer, dispensing a liquid polymer into the aperture, and curing the liquid polymer to form a window. | 11-21-2013 |
20140004626 | TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING | 01-02-2014 |
20140113524 | ENDPOINTING WITH SELECTIVE SPECTRAL MONITORING - A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate, monitoring the substrate during polishing with an in-situ spectrographic monitoring system to generate a sequence of measured spectra, selecting less than all of the measured spectra to generate a sequence of selected spectra, generating a sequence of values from the sequence of selected spectra, and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the sequence of values. | 04-24-2014 |
20140141695 | Multi-Platen Multi-Head Polishing Architecture - A polishing apparatus includes a plurality of stations supported on a platform, the plurality of stations including at least two polishing stations and a transfer station, each polishing station including a platen to support a polishing pad, a plurality of carrier heads suspended from and movable along a track such that each polishing station is selectively positionable at the stations, and a controller configured to control motion of the carrier heads along the track such that during polishing at each polishing station only a single carrier head is positioned in the polishing station. | 05-22-2014 |
20140141696 | Polishing System with In-Sequence Sensor - A polishing apparatus includes a plurality of stations supported on a platform, the plurality of stations including at least two polishing stations and a transfer station, each polishing station including a platen to support a polishing pad, a plurality of carrier heads suspended from and movable along a track such that each polishing station is selectively positionable at the stations, and a controller configured to control motion of the carrier heads along the track such that during polishing at each polishing station only a single carrier head is positioned in the polishing station. | 05-22-2014 |
20140199840 | CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS AND METHODS - In one aspect, a substrate polishing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a polishing platform having two or more zones, each zone adapted to contain a different slurry component. In another aspect, a substrate polishing system is provided having a holder to hold a substrate, a polishing platform having a polishing pad, and a distribution system adapted to dispense, in a timed sequence, at least two different slurry components selected from a group consisting of an oxidation slurry component, a material removal slurry component, and a corrosion inhibiting slurry component. Polishing methods and systems adapted to polish substrates are provided, as are numerous other aspects. | 07-17-2014 |
20140242878 | WEIGHTED REGRESSION OF THICKNESS MAPS FROM SPECTRAL DATA - A method of controlling a polishing operation includes measuring a plurality of spectra at a plurality of different positions on a substrate to provide a plurality of measured spectra. For each measured spectrum of the plurality of measured spectra, a characterizing value is generated based on the measured spectrum. For each characterizing value, a goodness of fit of the measured spectrum to another spectrum used in generating the characterizing value is determined. A wafer-level characterizing value map is generated by applying a regression to the plurality of characterizing values with the plurality of goodnesses of fit used as weighting factors in the regression. A polishing endpoint or a polishing parameter of the polishing apparatus is adjusted based on the wafer-level characterizing map, and the substrate or a subsequent substrate is polished in the polishing apparatus with the adjusted polishing endpoint or polishing parameter. | 08-28-2014 |
20140242879 | PATH FOR PROBE OF SPECTROGRAPHIC METROLOGY SYSTEM - A method of operating a polishing system includes polishing a substrate at a polishing station, the substrate held by a carrier head during polishing, transporting the substrate to an in-sequence optical metrology system positioned between the polishing station and another polishing station or a transfer station, measuring a plurality of spectra reflected from the substrate with a probe of the optical metrology system while moving the carrier head to cause the probe to traverse a path across the substrate and while the probe remains stationary, the path across the substrate comprising either a plurality of concentric circles or a plurality of substantially radially aligned arcuate segments, and adjusting a polishing endpoint or a polishing parameter of the polishing system based on one or more characterizing values generated based on at least some of the plurality of spectra. | 08-28-2014 |
20140242881 | FEED FORWARD PARAMETER VALUES FOR USE IN THEORETICALLY GENERATING SPECTRA - A method of controlling a polishing operation is described. A controller stores an optical model for a layer stack having a plurality of layers and a plurality of input parameters including a first parameter and a second parameter. The controller stores data defining a plurality of default values for the first parameter and measures an optical property of a substrate and generates a second value. Using the optical model and the second value and iterating over the first values, a number of reference spectra are calculated. A spectrum is measured and the measured spectrum is matched to the reference spectra and the best matched reference spectrum is determined. The first value of the best matched reference spectrum is determined and is used to adjust a polishing endpoint or a polishing parameter of a polishing apparatus. | 08-28-2014 |
20140242883 | DETERMINATION OF WAFER ANGULAR POSITION FOR IN-SEQUENCE METROLOGY - A polishing apparatus includes a carrier head configured to hold a wafer in a first plane, the wafer having a perimeter and a fiducial, a drive shaft having an axis perpendicular to the first plane and configured to rotate the carrier head about the axis, a light source configured to direct light onto an outer face of the wafer at a position adjacent the perimeter of the wafer; a detector configured to detect the light collected from the wafer while the drive shaft rotates the carrier head and the wafer; and a controller configured to receive a first signal indicating an angular position of the drive shaft and receive a second signal from the detector, the controller configured to determine based on the first signal and the second signal an angular position of the fiducial with respect the carrier head. | 08-28-2014 |
20140273749 | DYNAMIC RESIDUE CLEARING CONTROL WITH IN-SITU PROFILE CONTROL (ISPC) - A method for controlling the residue clearing process of a chemical mechanical polishing (“CMP”) process is provided. Dynamic in-situ profile control (“ISPC”) is used to control polishing before residue clearing starts, and then a new polishing recipe is dynamically calculated for the clearing process. Several different methods are disclosed for calculating the clearing recipe. First, in certain implementations when feedback at T0 or T1 methods are used, a post polishing profile and feedback offsets are generated in ISPC software. Based on the polishing profile and feedback generated from ISPC before the start of the clearing process, a flat post profile after clearing is targeted. The estimated time for the clearing step may be based on the previously processed wafers (for example, a moving average of the previous endpoint times). The calculated pressures may be scaled to a lower (or higher) baseline pressure for a more uniform clearing. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273752 | PAD CONDITIONING PROCESS CONTROL USING LASER CONDITIONING - A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad used in a substrate polishing process. In one embodiment, a method for conditioning a polishing pad utilized to polish a substrate is provided. The method includes providing relative motion between an optical device and a polishing pad having a polishing medium disposed thereon, and scanning a processing surface of the polishing pad with a laser beam to condition the processing surface, wherein the laser beam has a wavelength that is substantially transparent to the polishing medium, but is reactive with the material of the polishing pad. | 09-18-2014 |
20140323017 | METHODS AND APPARATUS USING ENERGIZED FLUIDS TO CLEAN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL PLANARIZATION POLISHING PADS - Methods adapted to clean a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) pad are disclosed. The methods include positioning an energized fluid delivery assembly over a CMP polishing pad; rotating the polishing pad on a platen; energizing a fluid within the energized fluid delivery assembly; applying the energized fluid to the polishing pad to dislodge slurry residue and debris; and removing the dislodged slurry residue and debris using a vacuum suction unit. Systems and apparatus for carrying out the methods are provided, as are numerous additional aspects. | 10-30-2014 |