Applied Materials, Inc.

Other

Allan Gleason

Manoocher Birang

William L Guthrie

Nils Johansson

John H Prince

Syed Hasan Askari

Mohsen Salek

An endpoint detection method includes processing an outer surface of a substrate, directing an incident light beam through a window in an opaque metal body onto the surface being processed, receiving at a detector a reflected light beam from the substrate and generating a signal from the detector, and generating a signal based on the reflected light beam received at the detector, and detecting a processing endpoint. The signal is a time-varying cyclic signal that varies as the thickness of the layer varies over time, and detecting the processing endpoint includes detecting that a portion of a cycle of the cyclic signal has passed, the portion being less than a full cycle of the cyclic signal.

Apparatus and method for in-situ endpoint detection for semiconductor processing operations

An apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a wafer has a rotatable platen to hold a polishing pad, a polishing head for holding the wafer against the polishing pad, an optical monitoring system and a position sensor. The platen has a hole therein, the optical monitoring system includes a light source to direct a light beam through the aperture toward the wafer from a side of the wafer contacting the polishing pad and a detector to receive reflections of the light beam from the wafer, and the position sensor senses when the hole is adjacent the wafer such that the light beam generated by the light source can pass through the hole and impinge on the wafer.

Apparatus and method for in-situ endpoint detection for chemical mechanical polishing operations

An apparatus and method of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a wafer employing a device for determining, in-situ, during the CMP process, an endpoint where the process is to be terminated. This device includes a laser interferometer capable of generating a laser beam directed towards the wafer and detecting light reflected from the wafer, and a window disposed adjacent to a hole formed through a platen. The window provides a pathway for the laser beam during at least part of the time the wafer overlies the window.

The polishing pad for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, and a method of making the same. The polishing pad has a covering layer with a polishing surface and a backing layer which is adjacent to the platen. A first opening in the covering layer with a first cross-sectional area and a second opening in the backing layer with a second, different cross-sectional area form an aperture through the polishing pad. A substantially transparent polyurethane plug is positioned in the aperture, and an adhesive material fixes the plug in the aperture.

Polishing assembly with a window

Polishing pad with window and method of fabricating a window in a polishing pad

Forming a transparent window in a polishing pad for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus

Method of forming a transparent window in a polishing pad

Polishing pad for in-situ endpoint detection

Method for in-situ endpoint detection for chemical mechanical polishing operations

The present invention provides a retaining ring having an resilient liner for protecting the substrate edge from being damaged during chemical mechanical polishing and a method for making the same. Retainers made of wear resistant ceramics, such as alumina, provide better overall performance, including wear resistance, and reduced particle formation than other retaining ring materials. By incorporating a resilient liner, such as an epoxy, on the inner surface of the wear resistant ring, the substrate edge is protected from damage that can be easily caused by the hard surface of the ceramic alone.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Allan Gleason