Globalwafers Co., Ltd.

Memc Electronic Materials, Inc.

Emanuele Corsi

Ezio Bovio

Dennis Buese

Mark G Stinson

Larry Flannery

Madhavan S Esayanur

Antonio Maria Rinaldi

A polishing assembly for polishing of silicon wafers includes a polishing pad, a polishing head assembly, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The polishing head assembly holds a silicon wafer to position the silicon wafer in contact with the polishing pad. The polishing head assembly selectively varies a removal profile of the silicon wafer. The temperature sensor collects thermal data from a portion of the polishing pad. The controller is communicatively coupled to the polishing head assembly and the temperature sensor. The controller receives the thermal data from the temperature sensor and operates the polishing head assembly to selectively vary the removal profile of the silicon wafer based at least in part on the thermal data.

Semiconductor wafer thermal removal control

A polishing assembly for polishing of silicon wafers is provided. The polishing assembly includes a polishing pad, a polishing head assembly, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The polishing head assembly holds a silicon wafer to position the silicon wafer in contact with the polishing pad. The polishing head assembly selectively varies a removal profile of the silicon wafer. The temperature sensor collects thermal data from a portion of the polishing pad. The controller is communicatively coupled to the polishing head assembly and the temperature sensor. The controller receives the thermal data from the temperature sensor and operates the polishing head assembly to selectively vary the removal profile of the silicon wafer based at least in part on the thermal data.

Methods and systems for polishing pad control

A non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for operating a polishing assembly for polishing of silicon wafers is provided. When executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to receive thermal data of a portion of a polishing pad from a temperature sensor and determine a removal profile of a silicon wafer based at least in part on the thermal data. The computer-executable instructions cause the processor to operate a polishing head assembly to position the silicon wafer in contact with the polishing pad and to selectively vary the removal profile of the silicon wafer based at least in part on the thermal data.

A method for varying a removal profile of a silicon wafer during polishing using a polishing apparatus is provided. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing pad, a polishing head assembly configured to hold the silicon wafer, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The method includes receiving, at the controller, thermal data of a portion of the polishing pad from the temperature sensor and determining, by the controller, the removal profile of the silicon wafer based at least in part on the thermal data. The method further includes operating, by the controller, the polishing head assembly to position the silicon wafer in contact with the polishing pad and to selectively vary the removal profile of the silicon wafer based at least in part on the thermal data.

A dressing apparatus for dressing a polishing pad includes a dressing member engageable with the polishing pad. The dressing apparatus is adapted to change the amount of force exerted by the dressing member on the polishing pad as the dressing member moves radially along the polishing pad. A controller for controlling the dressing apparatus has pre-programmed recipes that are selectable based on the radial profile of a measured polished wafer.

Dressing a wafer polishing pad

A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer. The system includes a polishing apparatus having a rotatable polishing pad for polishing the wafer. A dressing apparatus is mounted adjacent the polishing pad for dressing the polishing pad. The dressing apparatus includes a dressing member engageable with the polishing pad. A cleaning apparatus is mounted adjacent the polishing pad for removing particulate and chemicals from the polishing pad. The system includes a controller for controlling the dressing apparatus and the cleaning apparatus.

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Novara, Italy

Emanuele Corsi