Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Cheng-Ping Chen

Sheng-Tai Peng

Tsung-Lung Lai

Shih-Chung Chen

Ren-Dou Lee

Chien-Wei Chang

Hung-Lin Chen

Tzi-Yi Shieh

Rong-Long Hung

Chun Yan Chen

Ching-Wen Cheng

Ping-Shen Chou

A polishing pad conditioning apparatus includes a base, a fiber, and a polymer protruding from a surface of the base and encompassing the fiber.

Polishing pad conditioning apparatus

In an embodiment, a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system includes: a monolithic platen within a platen housing, wherein the monolithic platen is formed of a single piece of material, wherein the monolithic platen includes: a first portion within a first opening, and a second portion within a second opening, wherein the first portion has a different diameter than the second portion; and a polishing fluid delivery module above the monolithic platen, wherein the polishing fluid delivery module is configured to deliver slurry to the monolithic platen during performance of CMP.

Monolithic platen

A fitting for an upper brush in a double brush scrubbing chamber of a wafer cleaning system is disclosed. The fitting includes a base plate, a flanged pipe, and a threaded connector. The base plate includes a threaded hole with a stop surface therein and a channel extending from the stop surface through a lower surface of the base plate. The flanged pipe is inserted into the base plate such that the flange at the top end of a hollow tube rests on the stop surface and the hollow tube passes through the channel of the base plate. The threaded connector has a passage therethrough, and engages the threaded hole of the base plate to fix the flanged pipe in place. This structure is able to provide fluid while minimizing particle generation.

Fittings for wafer cleaning systems

The present disclosure provides a chemical mechanical polishing system having a unitary platen. The platen includes one or more recesses within the platen to house various components for the polishing/planarization process. In one embodiment, the platen includes a first recess and a second recess. The first recess is located under the second recess. An end point detector is placed in the first recess and a detector cover may be placed in the second recess. A sealing mean is provided in a space between the end point detector and the detector cover to prevent any external or foreign materials from coming in contact with the end point detector. A fastener used for fastening the detector cover to the platen also provides addition protection to prevent foreign materials from coming in contact with components received in the recesses.

Single bodied platen housing a detection module for CMP systems

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) tool. The CMP tool includes a carrier and a malleable membrane coupled to the carrier and having a lower surface facing away from the carrier. The lower surface of the malleable membrane includes a first malleable material within a central region of the lower surface and a second malleable material within a peripheral region of the lower surface, which surrounds the central region. The first malleable material provides the central region of the lower surface with a first stiffness and the second malleable material provides the peripheral region of the lower surface with a second stiffness that is different than the first stiffness.

Chemical mechanical planarization membrane

In some embodiments, the present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming a CMP membrane. The method is performed by providing a malleable material within a cavity within a membrane mold. The cavity has a central region and a peripheral region surrounding the central region. The malleable material within the cavity is cured to form a membrane. Curing the malleable material is performed by heating the malleable material within the central region of the membrane mold to a first temperature and heating the malleable material within the peripheral region of the membrane mold to a second temperature that is greater than the first temperature.

Growing community of inventors

Taichung, Taiwan

Cheng-Ping Chen