International Business Machines Corporation

Ecophysics Ag

Scott R Cline

Xinhui Wang

Leping Li

Steven G Barbee

James Albert Gilhooly

Cong Wei

Douglas P Nadeau

Paul A Manfredi

Kent R Becker

Willi O Kalvaitis

Theodore Gerard Van Kessel

Eric Jeffrey White

Richard John Lebel

Walter Imfeld

Stuart D Cheney

Werner Moser

Charles A McKinney

Adrian Siegrist

Davis H Moquin

Heinz Stunzi

Christopher E Harvey

An apparatus for measuring ammonia gas concentration in an ongoing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) cycle utilizing an acidic CMP slurry, having the following components:

Apparatus for detecting CMP endpoint in acidic slurries

An apparatus for measuring ammonia gas concentration in an ongoing mechanical polishing (CMP) cycle utilizing an acidic CMP slurry, having the following components:

Method for detecting CMP endpoint in acidic slurries

A purge/vent system ( ) for and method of purging/venting a brush arm bearing. The purge/vent system includes a driven mechanism ( ) and a support member ( ) having a first cavity ( ) for containing the driven mechanism. A gas supply system ( ) is in fluid communication with the first cavity proximate the upper end ( ) of the driven mechanism, and an evacuation system ( ) is in fluid communication with the first cavity proximate the lower end ( ) of the driven mechanism. In operation, the gas supply system supplies a gas to the first chamber and the evacuation system draws the gas from the first chamber. As the evacuation system draws the gas from the first chamber, the gas is drawn across and/or through the driven mechanism to keep the driven mechanism dry and/or remove foreign material from the first chamber.

System for and method of purging/venting a brush arm bearing

An apparatus and method of conditioning a CMP polishing pad to ensure consistent polishing throughout the polishing process. In particular, the apparatus consists of a translatable wedge-shaped conditioning plate, having a three point adjustable contact to ensure proper alignment with the polishing pad; a high pressure conditioning spray nozzle to clean the polishing pad and conditioning assembly throughout polishing; and a slurry dispensing nozzle to enhance planarization of the wafer. Further, the frequency of oscillation may be varied by the operator to prevent grooves from forming in the polishing pad.

In-situ automated CMP wedge conditioner

A semiconductor post-polishing processing apparatus and method employing a non-optical wafer sensor for detecting the presence of a semiconductor wafer within the processing stations. The apparatus comprising a wet processing station, a wafer transport track, and the non-optical sensor. Preferably, the non-optical wafer sensor is a transducer, and most preferably, a piezo element, which emits and detects sound waves. The sound waves are reflected back to the emitter signaling the presence of a semiconductor wafer. The signal is sent to a receiver linked to a processor which is adapted to move a wafer holder situated at the end of the transport track to receive a wafer in the next available empty slot of the holder. The non-optical wafer sensor is impervious to slurry and CMP residue, film build-up, bubbles, wafer color/hue variations, and other wet environment problems.

CMP wet application wafer sensor

In a chemical mechanical polishing process for planarization of semiconductor wafers, a pair of opposed grippers are used to move the wafer from one station to another. During this movement, the wafer is rotated and brushes along the periphery are placed in contact with the edge of the wafer to remove foreign material and residue which builds up along the edge of the wafer. Cleaning fluid may be introduced to flush away and/or breakup the residue buildup.

Wafer edge cleaning

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Belle Plaine, MN, United States of America

Scott R Cline