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:
Jul. 15, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 16, 2000
James F. Vanell, Tempe, AZ (US);
James A. Grootegoed, Chandler, AZ (US);
Laura John, Chandler, AZ (US);
Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, US;
Abstract
A wafer carrier ( ) for a CMP tool is adjustable to provide center fast to edge fast material removal from a semiconductor wafer. The wafer carrier ( ) holds the semiconductor wafer without vacuum. The semiconductor wafer is held by a carrier ring ( ). An elastically flexed wafer support structure ( ) is a support surface for the semiconductor wafer. Elastically flexed wafer support structure ( ) can be bowed outward or bowed inward in an infinite number of different contours. The semiconductor wafer conforms to the contour of the elastically flexed wafer support structure ( ) when a down force is applied to the wafer carrier ( ) during a polishing process. Changing the contour is used to produce different material removal rates across the radius of the semiconductor wafer to increase wafer planarity in a polishing process.