Applied Materials, Inc.

Daniel F Kennedy

Victor Belitsky

Boris Fishkin

Kyle A Brown

Ginetto Addiego

Boris Fuksshimov

Tom Osterheld

Jeff Beeler

Arul Shanmugasundram

A method and an apparatus for automatically replacing a used polishing pad in a chemical mechanical polishing system are described. A controller places a mechanical device against the used polishing pad while the pad is on the polishing platen and activates a pad chucking mechanism that affixes the used pad to the mechanical device. The controller then moves the mechanical device and the pad toward a used pad receptacle, where the pad chucking mechanism is deactivated to release the used pad into the receptacle. The controller then places the mechanical device against a clean polishing pad in a clean pad dispenser and reactivates the pad chucking mechanism to affix the clean pad to the mechanical device. The mechanical device and the clean pad are moved toward the platen, where the pad chucking mechanism is deactivated to release the clean polishing pad onto the platen.

Method and apparatus for automatically changing a polishing pad in a chemical mechanical polishing system

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for delivering one or more rinse agents to a surface, such as a polishing pad surface and preferably one or more polishing fluids. The invention also provides a method of cleaning one or more surfaces, such as a polishing pad surface and a substrate surface, by delivering a spray of one or more rinse agents to the surface and, preferably, causing the rinse agent to flow across the surface from a central region to an outer region where unwanted debris and material is collected.

Combined slurry dispenser and rinse arm

Combined slurry dispenser and rinse arm and method of operation

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Daniel F Kennedy