Lucent Technologies Inc.

Agere Systems Inc.

Agere Systems Guardian Corp.

Jose Omar Rodriguez

Frank Miceli

Charles A Storey

William Graham Easter

Alvaro Maury

Andres B Garcia

Arun Kumar Nanda

John A Maze, Iii

Margareth Seputro

Annette Margaret Crevasse

John Albert Maze, Iii

Laurence D Schultz

Frank Micelli

Richardson O Adebanjo

Kurt Stetzler

John F Thompson

Dale D Evans

Robert M Symons

A method and system are provided using an offset dial gage for alignment and adjustment of a polishing pad that has been attached to a turntable of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) device. In a described embodiment, an offset dial gage has a surface that contacts a side of a turntable, while a sensor tip contacts the edge of a polishing pad positioned on the turntable. This provides an assessment of radial displacement of the polishing pad edge at this measurement point relative to the side of the turntable. Based on one or more such measurements, the polishing pad may be found acceptably positioned, may be trimmed, or may be replaced. The method and system reduce or eliminate the occurrence of a defect pattern found to be related to side unloading of semiconductor wafers from a CMP turntable.

System of using offset gage for CMP polishing pad alignment and adjustment

Method and system of using offset gage for CMP polishing pad alignment and adjustment

Disclosed herein is a process for diminishing contamination of an integrated circuit wafer caused by residual slurry components disposed on a back side of a carrier for engaging an integrated circuit wafer. Also disclosed is a CMP machine configured to wash a back side of a carrier.

Method and apparatus for cleaning slurry depositions from a water carrier

A carrier head for supporting a wafer during a chemical mechanical polishing process is provided. In one exemplary implementation, the carrier head may comprise a wear ring, and a slidably movable pressure plate disposed within the wear ring. The pressure plate may be arranged to provide slidable movement relative to the wear ring. This degree of freedom can accommodate height dimensional changes that may occur in the wear ring.

Carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing

A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) pad is provided. The CMP pad includes a groove pattern disposed on a polishing surface of the pad. The groove pattern is formed of an alternating sequence of spaced apart grooves. The alternating sequence of grooves comprises a groove of a first size and a groove of a second size, wherein the first and second groove sizes are different relative to one another.

Chemical mechanical polishing pad with grooves alternating between a larger groove size and a smaller groove size

The present invention provides an improved conditioning wheel for conditioning polishing pads used to polish semiconductor wafers. In one embodiment, the conditioning wheel includes a planar body having a metal surface located thereon. The metal surface has abrasive particles embedded therein and a retainer coating deposited over the metal surface and the abrasive particles. The retainer coating inhibits the abrasive particles from dislodging during a conditioning process.

Conditioning wheel for conditioning a semiconductor wafer polishing pad and method of manufacture thereof

The present invention provides a terminal block extension for use with a terminal block having electrical contacts and that is electrically coupled to a wiring system. In one embodiment, the terminal block comprises an insulating body having first and second coupling ends and a first conductor disposed within the insulating body having first and second conducting ends. The first coupling end is configured to mechanically couple to the terminal block. The second coupling end is configured to mechanically couple to another terminal block extension. The first conducting end is configured to couple to one of the electrical contacts. The second conducting end is configured to receive a first wire of the wiring system and cooperatively engage a first coupling end of another terminal block extension.

Terminal block extension for greater wire packing efficiency

A non-destructive method for measuring the thickness loss of a polishing pad due to pad conditioning includes the use of rigid planar members placed on the surfaces of both the conditioned and non-conditioned sections of the polishing pad. Measurements are made using measurement instruments which overhang the depressed conditioned section and measure the height difference between the upper surfaces of the planar members. The measurement instruments may be repositioned and measurements repeated to obtain an average thickness loss.

Apparatus and method for in-situ measurement of polishing pad thickness loss

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 chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a top surface and an annular trench formed in the top surface and defining an annular configured polishing area in the polishing table. A drive mechanism rotates the polishing table. An annular diaphragm is positioned within the annular configured polishing area and has a top surface and bottom surface. An annular configured polishing pad is positioned on the diaphragm. A fluid actuated pressure mechanism is associated with the annular configured polishing area for exerting pressure upward onto the bottom surface of the annular diaphragm as a polishing table rotates for exerting an upward biasing pressure onto the polishing pad and imparting a desired counter force against any downward pressure exerted against a semiconductor wafer during chemical-mechanical polishing.

Chemical-mechanical polisher

A method for recycling a used silicon wafer on which ICs have been formed by IC fabrication equipment comprised of first grinding the wafer using a coarse grinding apparatus and then grinding the wafer suing a fine grinding apparatus. The coarse grinding apparatus and the fine grinding apparatus are identical to one another except for the nature of the respective grinding they perform. Deionized water is used during both grinding processes to reduce friction and to control dust. The used wafer is first mounted on a chuck of the coarse grinding apparatus that rotates at a first predetermined speed. A diamond wheel mounted on a grinding wheel holder of the coarse grinding apparatus rotates at a second predetermined speed that is faster than the first speed. The rotating wheel and the rotating wafer are brought into contact with one another and the wafer is ground until a predetermined amount of semiconductor material is removed from the face of the wafer. The wafer is then placed in the fine grinding apparatus and subjected to an identical grinding process. The loss of wafer thickness from both the coarse and fine grinding processes is no more than 50 microns. The resulting wafer is suitable for reuse in IC fabrication processes and has performance characteristics comparable with those of virgin wafers. The recycling process of the present invention typically takes only about 30-40 seconds.

Method for recycling wafers used for quality assurance testing of

A portable slurry distribution system comprising a first liquid tank containing a first liquid; a second liquid tank containing a second liquid; the first and the second liquid tanks being fluidly connected to a product mixing tank for receiving and mixing the first and the second liquids into a slurry; the product mixing tank being fluidly connected to a valve box having a valve for receiving the slurry; a means connected to the valve for distributing the slurry to a tool; and wherein the first liquid tank, the second liquid tank and the product mixing tank are on a wheeled cart.

Portable slurry distribution system

A method and apparatus for limiting or eliminating the edge effect in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising a substrate holder and a retaining ring spaced from and around the holder, a rotatable platen and a polishing pad on the platen, by essentially flattening the pad in the area in which it normally tends to deform. The invention is carried out by applying a fluid under pressure, preferably the polishing slurry, to the pad in the region of the gap between the retaining ring and the holder to substantially flatten the pad in the area around the edge of the substrate.

Chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus and method

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.

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

Jose Omar Rodriguez