The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 06, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 17, 1998
Applicant:
Inventors:
John A. Adams, Escondido, CA (US);
Everett D. Smith, Escondido, CA (US);
Stephen C. Schultz, Gilbert, AZ (US);
Assignee:
SpeedFam-IPEC Corporation, Chandler, AZ (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 2/1302 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 2/1302 ;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for improving uniformity of the rate of removal of material from the surface of a semiconductor substrate by chemical mechanical polishing. In accordance with the invention, the semiconductor substrate is subjected to a combination of polishing motions, including orbital motion, and at least one additional polishing motion selected from rotational, oscillating, sweeping, and linear polishing motions. The invention also provides an improved method for conditioning polishing pads to provide more uniform conditioning and to extend their useful life span.