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:
Jan. 27, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 22, 2000
Miguel A. Saldana, Fremont, CA (US);
Damon Vincent Williams, Fremont, CA (US);
Miguel A. Saldana, Fremont, CA (US);
Damon Vincent Williams, Fremont, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
CMP systems and methods implement instructions for moving a polishing pad relative to a wafer and a retainer ring and for applying pressure for CMP operations. Feedback of polishing pad position is coordinated with determinations of desired inputs of variable forces by which changing areas of the wafer, a pad conditioning puck, and the retainer ring are separately urged into contact with the polishing pad so that the pressure on each such area is separately controlled. Processing workload is evaluated according to criteria related to the characteristics of the instructions. If none of the criteria is exceeded, a central CMP processor is used for the processing. If any of the criteria is exceeded, the force determinations are made separately from the central CMP processor by a force controller, and the central processor manages data transfer to the force controller.