Speedfam-ipec Corporation

Speedfam Corporation

Thomas K Crosby

James Schlueter

Chris E Karlsrud

Clinton O Fruitman

Paul L Holzapfel

John Natalicio

Inki Kim

Larry Biddlingmeier

Richard J Kruse

Jim Schlueter

A carrier for semiconductor wafers to be polished comprises a backing pad vulcanized to a pressure plate. The backing pad is formed of a rubber material such as neoprene, SBR or natural rubber. An adhesive film of a thermosetting, thermally reactive material forms an integral bond between the backing pad and pressure plate. The backing pad, adhesive film and pressure plate together comprise a nearly ideally elastic assembly. The exposed face of the backing pad is profiled to a desired profile without effecting crumbling of the rubber material.

Method for manufacturing a workpiece carrier backing pad and pressure

A carrier for semiconductor wafers to be polished comprises a rigid upper housing, a rigid pressure plate and a gimbal mechanism connecting the plate and housing which permits the plate to gimbal or wobble relative to the housing. The pressure plate is a one-piece component and has a central cut-out portion in which the gimbal mechanism is disposed, thereby establishing a low gimbal point and reducing the incidence of tilting. The gimbal mechanism has an inner bearing ring which is fastened to the underside of the housing, and an outer bearing ring which is fastened to an outer portion of the pressure plate.

Workpiece carrier with monopiece pressure plate and low gimbal point

A conditioning ring having cutting elements brazed-bonded to the bottom surface of the ring and suitably adopted for conditioning a workpiece polishing pad by contact with the pad. The conditioning ring further includes a flange extending about the bottom periphery of the ring with the cutting elements being attached to the bottom surface of the flange. The flange includes cutout portions for permitting material to escape from the interior of the ring. The cutting elements are distributed substantially uniformly across the bottom surface of the flange and the elements are brazed-bonded to the flange with a braised metal alloy, creating an extremely strong bond between the cutting elements and the flange surface. Further, the conditioning ring may be attached to a plurality wafer carrier elements so that the conditioning process occurs during the actual polishing of the wafers, or the conditioning ring may be attached to a mechanical arm which engages the ring against the polishing pad in between wafer polishing steps. In either case, to enhance the conditioning process, the carrier element and the mechanical arm rotates the ring about its axis and oscillates the ring back and forth across the polishing pad.

Apparatus for conditioning polishing pads utilizing brazed diamond

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Gilbert, AZ, United States of America

Thomas K Crosby