3m Innovative Properties Company

Vincent J Laraia

Gilles J Benoit

Nicholas A Johnson

Brian D Goers

Frederick J Arsenault

Daniel B Pendergrass, Jr

Gary M Palmgren

Peter O Olson

Tyler W Olson

Junqing Xie

Boon Kiat Lim

Andrew H Behr

Matthew C Fritz

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for optimizing a process of polishing semiconductor wafers. In one aspect, the method comprises repeatedly performing the following: i) selecting a configuration of input settings for polishing a semiconductor wafer, based on a causal model that measures current causal relationships between input settings and a quality of semiconductor wafers; ii) receiving a measure of the quality of the semiconductor wafer polished with the configuration of input settings; and iii) adjusting, based on the measure of the quality of the semiconductor wafer polished with the configuration of input settings, the causal model.

Polishing semiconductor wafers using causal models

An abrasive article includes a plurality of abrasive features disposed on one or more abrasive elements. Each of the one or more abrasive elements includes a base having a first major surface from which the plurality of abrasive features extends. A first set of the plurality of abrasive features (i) has an average height, H, (ii) a standard deviation of less than 10% of H, and (iii) comprises between 5 and 130 abrasive features.

Abrasive elements with precisely shaped features, abrasive articles fabricated therefrom and methods of making thereof

A cathodically-protected pad conditioner for chemical mechanical planarization includes: an abrasive member including a metallic substrate, a support carrier, and an anode affixed to the peripheral edge of the support carrier. A cathodic protection circuit is configured to provide a cathodic protection current from the anode to the abrasive member if contacted with an electrolyte solution. A method of using the cathodically-protected pad conditioner is also disclosed.

Cathodically-protected pad conditioner and method of use

The disclosure relates to abrasive articles useful in chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), the articles including a substrate with opposite major surfaces, an abrasive material overlaying at least a portion of at least one of the major surfaces, and at least one of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a RFID tag reader, or a sensor for providing CMP information to a transmitter positioned near the substrate, the transmitter positioned near the substrate and adapted to wirelessly receive CMP information and wirelessly transmit the CMP information to a remote receiver. The disclosure also relates to a CMP pad conditioner for wirelessly communicating CMP information to a remote receiver, a CMP process monitoring system for wirelessly communicating CMP information to a remote receiver, and a method for conditioning a CMP pad using a CMP process monitoring system for wireless communicating CMP information to a remote receiver.

Abrasive articles, CMP monitoring system and method

Growing community of inventors

Houlton, WI, United States of America

Vincent J Laraia