Lucent Technologies Inc.

Agere Systems Guardian Corp.

Agere Systems Inc.

John A Maze, Iii

William Graham Easter

Frank Miceli

Annette Margaret Crevasse

Sailesh Mansinh Merchant

Jose Omar Rodriguez

Frank Micelli

Charles Walter Pearce

Alvaro Maury

Yifeng Winston Yan

Robert M Symons

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for polishing substrate surfaces. The method can include the steps of holding a substrate against a polishing surface and depositing slurry on the polishing surface. The method can further include the step of moving the holding device in a substantially curvilinear path relative to the polishing surface, or the step of moving the polishing surface in a substantially curvilinear path relative to the holding device. The apparatus comprises a polishing surface, a holding device for holding a substrate against the polishing surface, and a slurry supply system for depositing slurry on the polishing surface. The apparatus further includes a moving structure for moving the holding device in a substantially curvilinear path along the polishing surface, or a moving structure for moving the polishing surface in a substantially curvilinear path relative to the holding device. The substantially curvilinear path is preferably substantially a figure eight path.

Curvilinear chemical mechanical planarization device and method

A slurry container includes an outer surface and a cavity within the outer surface. Slurry is deposited in the cavity of the container and subsequently used for a variety of different purposes. Air pockets occurring within the cavity of the container are reduced in order to regulate particle size of the slurry.

Slurry container

An apparatus for the electrochemical mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers includes a rotatable platen and a polishing pad disposed on the platen. The polishing pad has top and bottom surfaces. A wafer carrier is disposed proximate to the platen for pressing a semiconductor wafer against the platen. At least one carrier electrode is disposed on the carrier and is adapted to electrically connect an electrically conducting surface of the semiconductor wafer to an electrolytic circuit including a potential source. A platen electrode is operatively connected to the platen. The platen electrode electrically connects an electrolytic solution disposed on the polishing pad to the potential source and to the electrode on the wafer carrier to complete the electrolytic circuit. The platen electrode has a substantially circular circumference for discharging electrons into the electrolytic solution. The platen electrode is substantially devoid of portions under the bottom surface of the polishing pad.

Electrochemical mechanical planarization apparatus and method

An apparatus and method for removing a polishing pad from a platen during a CMP process is disclosed. The invention facilitates the removal of a polishing pad from a platen by providing a polishing pad having at least one protuberance portion extending from the main portion of the pad such that the polishing pad may be removed manually or with the assistance of a device by engaging the protuberance portion.

Apparatus and method for removing a polishing pad from a platen

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit using a conditioning wheel status indicator with a polishing apparatus having a conditioning wheel and a polishing pad. In one embodiment, the conditioning wheel status indicator comprises a drive motor, an ammeter, and an indicator. The drive motor is coupled to the conditioning wheel and configured to rotate the conditioning wheel against the polishing pad at a prescribed rotation rate. The ammeter is coupled to the drive motor and configured to measure a current of the drive motor. The current registered is a nominal current when the conditioning wheel is new. The indicator is coupled to the ammeter and configured to register an excess current that exceeds the nominal current when the conditioning wheel has incurred an undesirable degree of wear.

Apparatus and method for determining a need to change a polishing pad conditioning wheel

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a polishing apparatus having a polishing pad conditioning wheel. In one embodiment, the polishing pad conditioning wheel comprises a conditioning head, a setting alloy, an abrasive material, and a corrosion resistant coating. The conditioning head has opposing first and second faces with the first face being coupleable to the polishing apparatus. The setting alloy is coupled to the conditioning head at the second face, and the abrasive material is embedded in the setting alloy, which is substantially covered by the corrosion resistant coating.

Corrosion-resistant polishing pad conditioner

The present invention provides a wafer carrier for use with a semiconductor wafer polishing apparatus. In one embodiment, the wafer carrier comprises a carrying head having opposing first and second surfaces, a primary channel system formed in the second surface, and a secondary channel system formed in the second surface. The first surface is coupleable to the semiconductor polishing apparatus and the second surface is adapted to receive a semiconductor wafer to be polished. The primary channel system comprises first and second intersecting channels. The secondary channel system intersects the primary channel system so that the secondary channel system and the primary channel system cooperate to occupy a substantial portion of a surface area of the second surface. Therefore, the primary channel system and the secondary channel system decrease an amount of force required to remove the semiconductor wafer from the second surface.

Wafer carrier modification for reduced extraction force

A technique for reducing corrosion over a steel platen used during semiconductor wafer polishing. An anodic metal plate is attached to the steel platen to cathodically protect the surface of the steel platen via an electrochemical process. This cathodic protection inhibits the formation of localized anodic sections formed on the steel platen. Since the steel platen now has fewer, if any, localized anodic sections present in the prior art, the steel platen is less likely to corrode. The anodic metal may be made of an inexpensive metal material such as magnesium, aluminum, or some other appropriate metal. The metal plate is also replaceable in nature, i.e., it may be replaced after the metal plate has been corroded.

Reducing polish platen corrosion during integrated circuit fabrication

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit using a polishing head in a semiconductor wafer polishing apparatus. The polishing head preferably comprises a wafer carrier head and a protuberance coupled to the wafer carrier head. The wafer carrier head has a back surface that contacts the wafer when it is positioned within the carrier head and a carrier ring depends from the carrier head to form an annulus. The annulus has an inner surface, which is typically an inner surface of the carrier ring, and it forms a cavity with the wafer carrier head that is configured to receive a semiconductor wafer therein. The protuberance is located within the annulus proximate the inner surface and is configured to cooperate with a concavity in a periphery of the semiconductor wafer. This cooperation prevents the semiconductor wafer from rotating with respect to the wafer carrier head during polishing of the semiconductor wafer.

Wafer carrier head for prevention of unintentional semiconductor wafer rotation

The present invention provides, for use with a polishing apparatus, a carrier structure comprising a first magnetic body, a second magnetic body, and a retaining ring. In one advantageous embodiment, the first magnetic body has a first side coupleable to the polishing apparatus, and a second side. The second magnetic body has a first side proximate and juxtaposed the second side of the first magnetic body. The second magnetic body is coupled to the first magnetic body to allow undulant motion with respect to the first magnetic body. The first and second magnetic bodies are configured to have a like polarity. The retaining ring is coupled to the second side of the second magnetic body and forms a retaining cavity configured to receive an object to be polished. Thus, the first and second magnetic bodies may cooperate to form a frictionless gimbal.

Magnetic frictionless gimbal for a polishing apparatus

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit using a polishing head release mechanism. The polishing head release mechanism is for use with a polishing tool having a polishing head and a polishing platen. In one embodiment, the polishing head release mechanism comprises a platen protective shield, shield-to-platen retainers, and retaining clamps. The shield-to-platen retainers are configured to removably couple the platen protective shield to the polishing platen. The retaining clamps are couplable to the platen protective shield and configured to couple the polishing head to the platen protective shield.

Polishing head release mechanism

The present invention provides a polishing apparatus having a drive motor, a carrier head and a polishing platen with a magnetic region formed in either the carrier head or the polishing platen. The magnetic region is configured to create an attracting force between the carrier head and the polishing platen. The drive motor is capable of producing a rotational polishing force. The carrier head is configured to retain an object to be polished, while the polishing platen has a polishing pad and is juxtaposed the carrier head.

Magnetic force carrier and ring for a polishing apparatus

The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method for eliminating agglomerate particles in a polishing slurry. In this particular embodiment, the method includes transferring a slurry that has a design particle size from a slurry source to an energy source. In many instances, the slurry forms an agglomerate that has an agglomerated particle size, which is substantially larger than the design particle size. This larger particle size is highly undesirable because it can damage the semiconductor wafer surface as it is polished. The method further includes subjecting the agglomerate to energy, such as an ultra sonic wave emanating from the energy source, and transferring energy from the energy source to the slurry to reduce the agglomerated particle size to substantially the design particle size.

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

John A Maze, Iii