Abstract: A retaining ring includes a generally annular body having an inner surface to constrain a substrate, an outer surface, and a bottom surface. The bottom surface has a plurality of channels extending from the outer surface to the inner surface and a plurality of islands separated by the channels and providing a contact area to contact a polishing pad. Each channel includes a recessed region adjacent the outer surface such that the channel is deeper in the recessed region than in a remainder of the channel. The recessed region and the remainder of the channel each have substantially uniform depth.

Abstract: A retaining ring includes a generally annular body having an inner surface to constrain a substrate, an outer surface, and a bottom surface. The bottom surface has a plurality of channels extending from the outer surface to the inner surface and a plurality of islands separated by the channels and providing a contact area to contact a polishing pad. Each channel includes a recessed region adjacent the outer surface such that the channel is deeper in the recessed region than in a remainder of the channel. The recessed region and the remainder of the channel each have substantially uniform depth.

Abstract: Polishing pad cleaning systems and related methods are disclosed. A rotatable platen comprising a polishing pad in combination with a fluid, such as a polishing fluid, contacts a substrate to planarize material at the surface thereof and resultantly creates debris. A cleaning system introduces a spray system to remove debris from the polishing pad to prevent substrate damage and improve efficiency, a waste removal system for removing used spray, used polishing fluid, and debris from the polishing pad, and a polishing fluid delivery system for providing fresh polishing fluid to the polishing pad, such that the substrate only receives fresh polishing fluid upon each complete rotation of the platen. In this manner, within die performance is enhanced, the range of certain CMP processes is improved, scratches and contamination are avoided for each polished substrate and for later-polished substrates, and platen temperatures are reduced.

Abstract: A retaining ring includes a generally annular body having an inner surface to constrain a substrate and a bottom surface, the bottom surface having a plurality of channels extending from an outer surface to the inner surface, and a plurality of islands separated by the channels and providing a contact area to contact a polishing pad, wherein the contact area is about 15-40% of a plan area of the bottom surface.

Abstract: A virtual conference system that allows private sessions to happen simultaneously as and within the public conference is presented. The system allows a participant to join a public conference, wherein a degraded version of the participant's image and no sound from the participant will be available to other conference participants of the public conference. The participant may, while being in the public conference, engage in a private session with a subgroup of the conference participants. The participant's image and sounds from the participant will be available to the subgroup in the private session in normal quality at the same time that the degraded version of the participant's image is made available to conference participants who are in the public conference but not the private session.

Abstract: A retaining ring includes a generally annular body having an inner surface to constrain a substrate and a bottom surface, the bottom surface having a plurality of channels extending from an outer surface to the inner surface, and a plurality of islands separated by the channels and providing a contact area to contact a polishing pad, wherein the contact area is about 15-40% of a plan area of the bottom surface.

Abstract: A method of executing a virtual conference among a plurality of nodes including a first node, wherein there is a display device associated with the first node that is configured to display a virtual conference window containing images of participants at other nodes of the plurality of nodes, is presented. The method entails activating the virtual conference window in response to receiving a selection in the virtual conference window, wherein the activating of the virtual conference window triggers a process of identifying one of the nodes as an attention recipient and displaying the attention recipient's image differently than images of other nodes. Where private chat function is available, attention recipient may be identified based on who the participant at the first node is chatting with. Images may be augmented to add an illusion of space and distance.

Abstract: A system and a method for executing a virtual conference that conveys gaze information are presented. Where there are three nodes, input from the first node indicating a gaze recipient of a first participant is received, the gaze recipient being associated with one of the second and third nodes. A virtual space is constructed in which representations of the first participant, a second participant who is associated with the second node, and a third participant who is associated with the third node are positioned in a predetermined order. The gaze angle of the first participant in the virtual space is determined based on the position of the representation of the first participant's gaze recipient in the virtual space. An image that includes the first participant looking at his gaze recipient in the virtual space, as seen from the position of the second participant in the virtual space, is generated.

Abstract: A method of executing a virtual conference among a plurality of nodes including a first node, wherein there is a display device associated with the first node that is configured to display a virtual conference window containing images of participants at other nodes of the plurality of nodes, is presented. The method entails activating the virtual conference window in response to receiving a selection in the virtual conference window, wherein the activating of the virtual conference window triggers a process of identifying one of the nodes as an attention recipient and displaying the attention recipient's image differently than images of other nodes. Where private chat function is available, attention recipient may be identified based on who the participant at the first node is chatting with. Images may be augmented to add an illusion of space and distance.

Abstract: Polishing pad cleaning systems and related methods are disclosed. A rotatable platen comprising a polishing pad in combination with a fluid, such as a polishing fluid, contacts a substrate to planarize material at the surface thereof and resultantly creates debris. A cleaning system introduces a spray system to remove debris from the polishing pad to prevent substrate damage and improve efficiency, a waste removal system for removing used spray, used polishing fluid, and debris from the polishing pad, and a polishing fluid delivery system for providing fresh polishing fluid to the polishing pad, such that the substrate only receives fresh polishing fluid upon each complete rotation of the platen. In this manner, within die performance is enhanced, the range of certain CMP processes is improved, scratches and contamination are avoided for each polished substrate and for later-polished substrates, and platen temperatures are reduced.

Abstract: A system and a method for executing a virtual conference are presented. The method includes providing, to each participant, images of the plurality of nodes, receiving an active node selection input from a first participant of the plurality of participants, the active node selection input indicating which of the plurality of nodes the first participant selects as an active node for communication, and modifying an image quality of the active node provided to the first participant, so that the active node has a first image quality that is different from a second image quality that is assigned to other nodes, wherein image quality includes parameters that affect the perceived clarity of an image. Also provided is a system and method for obtaining the image of a participant from a desired angle by guiding the participant's gaze to a selected region of the screen relative to a camera.

Abstract: A system and a method for executing a virtual conference are presented. The method includes providing, to each participant, images of the plurality of nodes, receiving an active node selection input from a first participant of the plurality of participants, the active node selection input indicating which of the plurality of nodes the first participant selects as an active node for communication, and modifying an image quality of the active node provided to the first participant, so that the active node has a first image quality that is different from a second image quality that is assigned to other nodes, wherein image quality includes parameters that affect the perceived clarity of an image. Also provided is a system and method for obtaining the image of a participant from a desired angle by guiding the participant's gaze to a selected region of the screen relative to a camera.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical apparatus comprises a polishing platen, a roller pad assembly capable of advancing a polishing pad across the platen, a substrate carrier to press a substrate against the polishing pad, and a heater to heat the substrate to a temperature sufficiently high to provide a rate of removal of material from the substrate that compensates for the wear of the polishing pad.

Abstract: A system and a method for executing a virtual conference that conveys gaze information are presented. Where there are three nodes, input from the first node indicating a gaze recipient of a first participant is received, the gaze recipient being associated with one of the second and third nodes. A virtual space is constructed in which representations of the first participant, a second participant who is associated with the second node, and a third participant who is associated with the third node are positioned in a predetermined order. The gaze angle of the first participant in the virtual space is determined based on the position of the representation of the first participant's gaze recipient in the virtual space. An image that includes the first participant looking at his gaze recipient in the virtual space, as seen from the position of the second participant in the virtual space, is generated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for polishing or planarizing a pre-metal dielectric layer by a chemical mechanical polishing process are provided. The method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate having feature definitions formed thereon, forming a pre-metal dielectric layer over the substrate, wherein the as-deposited pre-metal dielectric layer has an uneven surface topography, and planarizing the uneven surface topography of the pre-metal dielectric layer using chemical mechanical polishing techniques, wherein planarizing the uneven surface topography comprises polishing the pre-metal dielectric layer with a fixed abrasive polishing pad and a first polishing composition to remove a bulk portion of the pre-metal dielectric layer and achieve a first predetermined planarity, and polishing the pre-metal dielectric layer with a non-abrasive polishing pad and high selectivity slurry to remove a residual portion of the pre-metal dielectric and achieve a second predetermined planarity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for polishing or planarizing a pre-metal dielectric layer by a chemical mechanical polishing process are provided. The method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate having feature definitions formed thereon, forming a pre-metal dielectric layer over the substrate, wherein the as-deposited pre-metal dielectric layer has an uneven surface topography, and planarizing the uneven surface topography of the pre-metal dielectric layer using chemical mechanical polishing techniques, wherein planarizing the uneven surface topography comprises polishing the pre-metal dielectric layer with a fixed abrasive polishing pad and a first polishing composition to remove a bulk portion of the pre-metal dielectric layer and achieve a first predetermined planarity, and polishing the pre-metal dielectric layer with a non-abrasive polishing pad and high selectivity slurry to remove a residual portion of the pre-metal dielectric and achieve a second predetermined planarity.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical apparatus comprises a polishing platen, a roller pad assembly capable of advancing a polishing pad across the platen, a substrate carrier to press a substrate against the polishing pad, and a heater to heat the substrate to a temperature sufficiently high to provide a rate of removal of material from the substrate that compensates for the wear of the polishing pad.

Abstract: A method for conditioning an Ecmp pad is provided. In one embodiment, a method for electrochemically processing a substrate includes the steps of providing an electrical bias voltage between the top surface of the pad assembly and an electrode, and electrochemically removing contaminants from the top surface of the pad.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electroprocessing a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, a method for electroprocessing a substrate includes the steps of biasing a first electrode to establish a first electroprocessing zone between the electrode and the substrate, and biasing a second electrode disposed radially inward of the first electrode with a bias that is different than the bias applied to the first electrode. In one embodiment, the first electrode is coated with an inert material and in this way the same polish rate is obtained with a lower potential level applied to the first electrode.

Abstract: An article of manufacture and apparatus are provided for processing a substrate surface. In one aspect, an article of manufacture is provided for polishing a substrate including polishing article comprising a body having at least a partially conductive polishing surface. An electrode is disposed below the polishing surface having a dielectric material therebetween. A plurality of apertures may be formed in the polishing surface and the dielectric material to at least partially expose the electrode to the polishing surface. A membrane may be disposed between the electrode and the polishing surface that is permeable to ions and current to promote continuity between the electrode and the polishing surface.