Multiplanar Technologies Incorporated

Ebara Technologies Incorporated

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation

Multi Planar Technologyies, Inc.

Huey-Ming Wang

Gerard Moloney

Jiro Kajiwara

David Hansen

Alejandro Reyes

Peter Lao

Jun Liu

Masayuki Kumekawa

Scott Chin

William Dyson, Jr

Tanlin K Dickey

John J Geraghty

Junsheng Yang

Kunihiko Sakurai

Norio Kimura

Gerard S Moloney

The invention provides a vertically adjustable chemical mechanical polishing head having a pivot mechanism and method for use thereof.

Vertically adjustable chemical mechanical polishing head and method for use thereof

The invention provides a chemical mechanical polishing and pad dressing method based on differing the rotational of a pad dresser, head, and/or polishing pad to improve center removal slow profiling.

Chemical mechanical polishing and pad dressing method

In one aspect, the invention provides a method for planarizing a circular disc-type semiconductor wafer or other substrate. The method includes the steps of pressing a retaining ring surrounding the wafer against a polishing pad at a first pressure; pressing a first peripheral edge portion of the wafer against the polishing pad with a second pressure; and pressing a second portion of the wafer interior to the peripheral edge portion against the polishing pad with a third pressure. The second pressure may be provided through a mechanical member in contact with the peripheral edge portion; and the second pressure may be a pneumatic pressure against a backside surface of the wafer. Desirably, the pneumatic pressure is exerted through a resilient membrane, or is exerted by gas pressing directly against at least a portion of the wafer backside surface. A carrier or subcarrier for a CMP apparatus that includes: a plate having an outer surface; a first pressure chamber for exerting a force to urge the plate in a predetermined direction; a spacer coupled to a peripheral outer edge of the plate; a membrane coupled to the plate via the spacer and separated from the plate by a thickness of the spacer; and a second pressure chamber defined between the membrane and the plate surface for exerting a second force to urge the membrane in a third predetermined direction. Substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, processed or fabricated according to the invention.

System and method for CMP having multi-pressure zone loading for improved edge and annular zone material removal control

A chemical mechanical processing apparatus includes a polishing pad capable of polishing a substrate; a stepped retaining having an inner side, a bottom side, and an open region, the open region extending radially outward from the inner side and upward from the bottom side, the open region providing space for pad rebound, the open region further having a plurality of tips to hold a substrate in position during rotation of the substrate against the polishing pad, the stepped retaining ring capable of rotating the substrate against the polishing pad; and a dispenser capable of dispensing a slurry onto the pad.

Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus having a stepped retaining ring and method for use thereof

The system includes a polishing pad, a pad height sensor; a window; and a window raising mechanism. The polishing pad has an aperture with the window vertically moveable therein. The pad height sensor is positioned above the polishing pad and measures the vertical position of the pad before polishing. The window raising mechanism adjusts the vertical position of the window based on information from the pad height sensor. An endpoint measurement sensor can be disposed beneath the window for in-situ measurement of the polishing process.

Chemical mechanical polishing endpoint detection system and method

A system () and method for polishing and planarizing a substrate () is provided that reduces non-uniformities in the removal of material from the edge of the substrate due to a rebound effect. In one embodiment system () includes a polishing head () having a carrier (), a subcarrier () carried by the carrier and adapted to hold the substrate during a polishing operation, and a retaining ring () having an inner edge () disposed about the subcarrier. A lower surface () of the retaining ring () is in contact with a polishing surface () during the polishing operation, and has at least one annular recess () formed therein to enable the polishing surface compressed under the retaining ring to rebound into the annular recess, thereby reducing the rebound effect and inhibiting non-planar polishing of the surface of the substrate ().

Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method having a retaining ring with a contoured surface

An apparatus ( ) and method are provided for polishing a substrate ( ) that achieves a high-planarization uniformity. In one embodiment, the apparatus ( ) includes a subcarrier ( ) with a lower surface ( ), a flexible member ( ) extending across the lower surface, and a control-insert ( ) disposed between the flexible member and the lower surface. The flexible member ( ) has a surface adapted to press the substrate against a polishing pad. The control-insert ( ) inhibits non-planar polishing by providing a variable removal rate across the substrate surface. The control-insert ( ) can be an annular ring ( A) located near an outer edge of the flexible member ( ) to control the removal rate near an edge of the substrate ( ), or a disk ( B) near a center ( ) of the flexible member to control the removal rate near a center of the substrate. The removal rate can be further controlled by varying a cross-sectional thickness of the control-insert ( ).

Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus having edge, center and annular zone control of material removal

An apparatus and method for planarizing a substrate are provided. The apparatus ( ) includes a subcarrier ( ) having an outer surface ( ) with an annular first membrane ( ) coupled thereto. The first membrane ( ) has a receiving surface ( ) adapted to receive the substrate ( ) thereon, and a lip ( ) adapted to seal with a backside of the substrate to define a first chamber ( ) therebetween. A second membrane ( ) positioned above the first membrane ( ), and coupled to the subcarrier ( ) defines a second chamber ( ). During a polishing operation pressurized fluid introduced into the second chamber ( ) causes it to expand outward to exert a force on a portion of the backside of the substrate ( ), thereby pressing a predetermined area ( ) of the surface of the substrate against the polishing pad. The predetermined area ( ) is directly proportional to the pressure of the fluid introduced into the second chamber ( ).

System and method for CMP head having multi-pressure annular zone subcarrier material removal control

A polishing apparatus ( ) and method for polishing and planarizing a substrate ( ) is provided that achieves a high-planarization uniformity across the substrate. In one embodiment, the polishing head ( ) includes a carrier ( ), a subcarrier ( ) carried by the carrier and adapted to hold the substrate ( ) during a polishing operation and a retaining ring ( ) rotatably disposed about the subcarrier. The retaining ring ( ) has a lower surface ( ) that is substantially flush with the surface of the substrate ( ) and is in contact with a polishing surface ( ) during the polishing operation. The retaining ring ( ) is capable of rotating relative to the substrate ( ) held on the subcarrier ( ) to inhibit non-planar polishing of the surface of the substrate. In another embodiment, the polishing head ( ) further includes a backing ring ( ) in a facing relationship with an upper surface ( ) of the retaining ring ( ) and separated from the retaining ring by a bearing ( ).

Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method having a rotating retaining ring

System and method for pneumatic diaphragm CMP head having separate retaining ring and multi-region wafer pressure control

The invention provides structure and method for achieving a uniformly polished or planarized substrate such as a semiconductor wafer including achieving substantially uniform polishing between the center of the semiconductor wafer and the edge of the wafer. In one aspect the invention provides a polishing apparatus including a housing, a carrier for mounting a substrate to be polished, a retaining ring circumscribing the carrier for retaining the substrate, a first coupling attaching the retaining ring to the carrier such that the retaining ring may move relative to the carrier, a second coupling attaching the carrier to the housing such that the carrier may move relative to the housing, the housing and the first coupling defining a first pressure chamber to exert a pressure force against the retaining ring, and the housing and the second coupling defining a second pressure chamber to exert a pressure force against the subcarrier. In one embodiment, the couplings are diaphragms. In another embodiment, the invention includes a single-or multiple-chambered wafer carrier or subcarrier capable of modifying a differential polishing pressure across the surface of the wafer or other substrate. The chambered-subcarrier permits customization of polishing pressure across the surface of the wafer to achieve greater material removal uniformity. The invention also provides a retaining ring having a special edge profile that assists in smoothing an pre-compressing the polishing pad to increase polishing uniformity. A method for polishing and a semiconductor manufacture is also provided by embodiments of the invention.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Huey-Ming Wang