Multiplanar Technologies Incorporated

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation

Ebara Corporation

Other

Multi Planar Technologyies, Inc.

Jiro Kajiwara

Gerard Moloney

Huey-Ming Wang

David Hansen

Alejandro Reyes

Scott Chin

Gerard S Maloney

Jason Price

Hiroshi Tanaka

Tatsunori Kobayashi

Malik Charif

Junsheng Yang

Jun Liu

Masahito Komasaki

Malek Charif

Cormac Walsh

Yoshie Kaido

Ernesto Saldana

A resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder is coupled for fluid communication to a first pressurized pneumatic fluid to define a first pneumatic zone and is attached to a first surface of the wafer stop plate adjacent the retaining ring interior cylindrical surface to receive the wafer and to support the wafer at a peripheral edge. The resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder defines a second pneumatic zone radially interior to the first pneumatic zone and extends between the first surface of the wafer stop plate and the wafer when the wafer is attached to the polishing head during a polishing operation and is coupled for fluid communication to a second pressurized pneumatic fluid. The wafer attachment stop plate is operative during non polishing periods to prevent the wafer from flexing excessively from an applied vacuum force used to hold the wafer to the polishing head during wafer loading and unloading operations.

Apparatus and method for chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) head having direct pneumatic wafer polishing pressure

A polishing apparatus is provided for removing material from a surface of a substrate. The apparatus includes a polishing head for positioning a surface of a substrate against a polishing surface of the apparatus. The polishing head includes a subcarrier adapted to hold the substrate during a polishing operation, and a retaining ring having an inner edge disposed about the subcarrier and a lower surface in contact with the polishing surface during the polishing operation, the lower surface of the retaining ring having a number of radial recesses formed therein to distribute a chemical between the substrate held on the subcarrier and the polishing surface when there is relative motion between the substrate and the polishing surface, thereby inhibiting non-planar polishing of the surface of the substrate. Preferably, the number of radial recesses comprise at least one groove adapted to transport the chemical from an area near an outer edge of the retaining ring to an area near an inner edge of the retaining ring. More preferably, the groove comprises a chevron shape between the outer and inner edge of the retaining ring.

Polishing head, retaining ring for use therewith and method fo polishing a substrate

Apparatus for chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) head having direct pneumatic wafer polishing pressure

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 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

A polishing apparatus () is provided for polishing a substrate () that has slurry distributor () which improves planarization uniformity. Generally, the apparatus () includes: (i) a platen () with a polishing surface (); (ii) a head () adapted to hold the substrate () against the polishing surface; (iii) a mechanism to rotate the platen () during polishing; (iv) a dispenser () having nozzles () to dispense slurry on the surface (); and (v) a distributor () between the nozzles () and the head (). In one embodiment, the apparatus () further includes a wiper () between the head () and the distributor () to remove used slurry and polishing byproducts from the surface (), thereby reducing agglomerations or deposits that can damage the substrate () and improving yield. Optionally, the apparatus () further includes a dispenser () for dispensing a cleaning fluid before and/or after the wiper () to substantially eliminate buildup of deposits.

Slurry distributor for chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method of using the same

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

A polishing apparatus ( ) and method for polishing and planarizing a substrate ( ) is provided that achieves a high-planarization uniformity across the substrate, while providing a more efficient use of slurry. In one embodiment, the apparatus ( ) includes a subcarrier ( ) with a flexible member ( ) attached to a lower surface ( ) of it on which the substrate is held. The flexible member ( ) has at least one hole ( ) therein so that a pressurized fluid introduced between the flexible member and the subcarrier ( ) directly presses the substrate ( ) against a polishing surface ( ) during operation. The number and size of the holes ( ) are selected to provide sufficient friction between the flexible member ( ) and the substrate ( ) to cause it to rotate when a drive mechanism rotates the subcarrier ( ). In another embodiment, the subcarrier ( ) further includes a port adapted to draw a vacuum on a cavity ( ) between the lower surface ( ) and the flexible member ( ), and the flexible member and the substrate ( ) serve as a valve ( ) to isolate the port from the cavity when a predetermined vacuum has been achieved.

Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method having a soft backed polishing head

A wafer-polishing head which has an increased flexible membrane life and improved wafer polishing accuracy has a principal head having a lower opening portion with an approximately circular shape. A flexible membrane which is positioned in the opening portion of the principal heal head for closing the opening portion and for holding a wafer W at the underside of an inward peripheral portion of the flexible membrane. A sealed pressurizing chamber is formed by closing the opening portion with the flexible membrane. A pressure regulator is provided for controlling the internal pressure of the pressurizing chamber . The flexible membrane is thicker in an outer peripheral portion thereof than in the inward peripheral portion which holds the wafer.

Wafer-polishing head and polishing apparatus having the same

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

The present invention provides a wafer polishing apparatus provided with a platen on the surface of which a polishing pad is affixed, and a wafer holding head for allowing one face of a wafer to contact the polishing pad by holding the wafer to be polished, the wafer being polished by a relative motion between the wafer holding head and the platen, wherein a dress ring is provided with an abrasive grain layer at the lower part at the outside of the wafer holding head so as to be rotatable while being in contact with the surface of the polishing pad.

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Jiro Kajiwara