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. 12, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1999
Liming Zhang, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Andrew Black, San Antonio, TX (US);
Landon Vines, San Antonio, TX (US);
VLSI Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a fluid dispensing fixed abrasive polishing pad CMP system and method that utilizes fixed abrasive components to remove a portion or entire layer of a wafer while dispensing a fluid without suspended abrasive particles onto the wafer surface. A fluid dispensing fixed abrasive polishing pad is pressed against a wafer surface while rotating and fixed abrasive component apply a frictional force that planarizes a wafer surface. The fluid dispensed by the fluid dispensing fixed abrasive polishing pad assist the fixed components achieve wafer planarization in numerous ways, including minimizing scratching of the wafer surface, chemically reacting with the wafer surface to soften it, and aiding in the removal of particulate contaminants. The fluid flow in the present invention is strong enough to remove the waste (e.g., reaction products, wafer shavings, particulate contaminants, etc.) from the surface of the wafer and the fixed abrasive polishing pad during the polishing process. In one embodiment of the present invention, waste particles become suspended in the fluid and are sucked back through fluid dispensing ducts of the fluid dispensing fixed abrasive polishing pad.