Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the in-situ measurement of metrology parameters are disclosed herein. Some embodiments of the disclosure further provide for the real-time adjustment of process parameters based on the measure metrology parameters. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide for a multi-stage processing chamber top plate with one or more sensors between process stations.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a support configured to hold a substrate face-up, a polishing article having a polishing surface smaller than an exposed surface of the substrate, a port for dispensing a polishing liquid, one or more actuators to bring the polishing surface into contact with a first portion of the exposed surface of the substrate and to generate relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad and optically transmissive polymer window, an in-situ optical monitoring system, and a controller configured to receive a signal from the optical in-situ monitoring system and to modifying a polishing parameter based on the signal. The optical monitoring system includes a light source and a detector, the in-situ optical monitoring system configured to direct a light beam from above the support to impinge a non-overlapping second portion of the exposed surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a support configured to hold a substrate face-up, a polishing article having a polishing surface smaller than an exposed surface of the substrate, a port for dispensing a polishing liquid, one or more actuators to bring the polishing surface into contact with a first portion of the exposed surface of the substrate and to generate relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad and optically transmissive polymer window, an in-situ optical monitoring system, and a controller configured to receive a signal from the optical in-situ monitoring system and to modifying a polishing parameter based on the signal. The optical monitoring system includes a light source and a detector, the in-situ optical monitoring system configured to direct a light beam from above the support to impinge a non-overlapping second portion of the exposed surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the in-situ measurement of metrology parameters are disclosed herein. Some embodiments of the disclosure further provide for the real-time adjustment of process parameters based on the measure metrology parameters. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide for a multi-stage processing chamber top plate with one or more sensors between process stations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the in-situ measurement of metrology parameters are disclosed herein. Some embodiments of the disclosure further provide for the real-time adjustment of process parameters based on the measure metrology parameters. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide for a multi-stage processing chamber top plate with one or more sensors between process stations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the in-situ measurement of metrology parameters are disclosed herein. Some embodiments of the disclosure further provide for the real-time adjustment of process parameters based on the measure metrology parameters. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide for a multi-stage processing chamber top plate with one or more sensors between process stations.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for polishing a substrate are provided. The invention includes an upper platen; a torque/strain measurement instrument coupled to the upper platen; and a lower platen coupled to the torque/strain measurement instrument and adapted to drive the upper platen to rotate through the torque/strain measurement instrument. In other embodiments, the invention includes an upper carriage; a side force measurement instrument coupled to the upper carriage; and a lower carriage coupled to the side force measurement instrument and adapted to support a polishing head. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a substrate after chemical mechanical planarizing (CMP) is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing, a substrate holder rotatable on a first axis and configured to retain a substrate in a substantially vertical orientation, a first pad holder having a pad retaining surface facing the substrate holder in a parallel and spaced apart relation, the first pad holder rotatable on a second axis disposed parallel to the first axis, a first actuator operable to move the pad holder relative to the substrate holder to change a distance between the first axis and the second axis, and a second pad holder disposed in the housing, the second pad holder having a pad retaining surface facing the substrate holder in a parallel and spaced apart relation, the second pad holder rotatable on a third axis parallel to the first axis and the second axis.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for cleaning a substrate using a disk brush. One embodiment provides a substrate cleaner comprising a substrate chuck disposed in the processing volume, and a brush assembly disposed in the processing volume, wherein the brush assembly comprises a disk brush movably disposed opposing the substrate chuck, and a processing surface of the disk brush contacts a surface of the substrate on the substrate chuck.

Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes storing a desired ratio representing a ratio for a clearance time of a first zone of a substrate to a clearance time of a second zone of the substrate. During polishing of a first substrate, an overlying layer is monitored, a sequence of measurements is generated, and the measurements are sorted a first group associated with the first zone of the substrate and a second group associated with the second zone on the substrate. A first time and a second time at which the overlying layer is cleared is determined based on the measurements from the first group and the second group, respectively. At least one adjusted polishing pressure is calculated for the first zone based on a first pressure applied in the first zone during polishing the first substrate, the first time, the second time, and the desired ratio.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an electronic device processing system is provided that includes a processing tool having a first subsystem configured to carry out a first subset of processes on a substrate having pattern features, the first subsystem including a first conformal deposition chamber and a first etch chamber. The processing tool includes a second subsystem coupled to the first subsystem and configured to carry out a second subset of processes on the substrate, the second subsystem including a second conformal deposition chamber and a second etch chamber. The processing tool is configured to employ the first and second subsystems to perform pitch division on the substrate within the processing tool so as to form a reduced-pitch pattern on the substrate. Numerous other embodiments are provided.

Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a first substrate having an overlying layer on an underlying layer or layer structure. During polishing, the substrate is monitored with an in-situ monitoring system to generate a sequence of measurements. The measurements are sorted into groups, each group associated with a different zone of a plurality of zones on the substrate. For each zone, a time at which the overlying layer is cleared is determined based on the measurements from the associated group. At least one second adjusted polishing pressure for at least zone is calculated based on a pressure applied in the at least one zone during polishing the substrate, the time for the at least one zone, and the time for another zone. A second substrate is polished using the at least one adjusted polishing pressure.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for polishing a substrate are provided. The invention includes an upper platen; a torque/strain measurement instrument coupled to the upper platen; and a lower platen coupled to the torque/strain measurement instrument and adapted to drive the upper platen to rotate through the torque/strain measurement instrument. In other embodiments, the invention includes an upper carriage; a side force measurement instrument coupled to the upper carriage; and a lower carriage coupled to the side force measurement instrument and adapted to support a polishing head. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a processing surface of a cylindrical roller disposed in a brush box is described. In one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate is described. The method includes transferring a substrate to a tank, positioning the substrate between two cylindrical rollers disposed in the tank, moving each of the two cylindrical rollers into a first position where a processing surface of each of the cylindrical rollers contacts major surfaces of the substrate, processing the substrate by providing relative motion between at least one of the two cylindrical rollers and the substrate, moving each of the two cylindrical rollers to a second position that is spaced apart from the major surfaces of the substrate, the second position including contacting the processing surface with a conditioning device, and transferring the substrate out of the tank while conditioning the processing surface.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for spectrographic monitoring of a substrate during chemical mechanical polishing are described. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method includes storing a library having a plurality of reference spectra, each reference spectrum of the plurality of reference spectra having a stored associated index value, measuring a sequence of spectra in-situ during polishing to obtain measured spectra, for each measured spectrum of the sequence of spectra, finding a best matching reference spectrum to generate a sequence of best matching reference spectra, determining the associated index value for each best matching spectrum from the sequence of best matching reference spectra to generate a sequence of index values, fitting a linear function to the sequence of index values, and halting the polishing either when the linear function matches or exceeds a target index or when the associated index value from the determining step matches or exceeds the target index.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a processing surface of a cylindrical roller disposed in a brush box is described. In one embodiment, a brush box is described. The brush box includes a tank having an interior volume and a pair of cylindrical rollers at least partially disposed in the interior volume, each of the cylindrical rollers being rotatable about a respective axis, an actuator assembly coupled to each of the cylindrical rollers to move the respective cylindrical roller between a first position where the cylindrical rollers are in proximity and a second position where the cylindrical rollers are spaced away from each other, and a conditioning device for each of the cylindrical rollers, each conditioning device including a conditioner disposed in the interior volume, the conditioner contacting an outer surface of each of the cylindrical rollers when the rollers are in the second position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a substrate after chemical mechanical planarizing (CMP) is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing, a substrate holder rotatable on a first axis and configured to retain a substrate in a substantially vertical orientation, a first pad holder having a pad retaining surface facing the substrate holder in a parallel and spaced apart relation, the first pad holder rotatable on a second axis disposed parallel to the first axis, a first actuator operable to move the pad holder relative to the substrate holder to change a distance between the first axis and the second axis, and a second pad holder disposed in the housing, the second pad holder having a pad retaining surface facing the substrate holder in a parallel and spaced apart relation, the second pad holder rotatable on a third axis parallel to the first axis and the second axis.

Abstract: A cryogenic cleaning apparatus is disclosed. The cryogenic cleaning apparatus has a source of cryogen, a nozzle coupled to the source of cryogen, the nozzle including a main passage adapted to receive the cryogen, one or more auxiliary gas inlets adapted to supply an auxiliary gas to mix with the cryogen either within the nozzle or at a nozzle exit of the nozzle to produce cryogen droplets, and a heated holder adapted to receive a substrate to be cleaned. Cryogenic cleaning methods adapted to clean substrates are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an electronic device processing system is provided that includes a processing tool having a first subsystem configured to carry out a first subset of processes on a substrate having pattern features, the first subsystem including a first conformal deposition chamber and a first etch chamber. The processing tool includes a second subsystem coupled to the first subsystem and configured to carry out a second subset of processes on the substrate, the second subsystem including a second conformal deposition chamber and a second etch chamber. The processing tool is configured to employ the first and second subsystems to perform pitch division on the substrate within the processing tool so as to form a reduced-pitch pattern on the substrate. Numerous other embodiments are provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for spectrographic monitoring of a substrate during chemical mechanical polishing are described. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method includes storing a library having a plurality of reference spectra, each reference spectrum of the plurality of reference spectra having a stored associated index value, measuring a sequence of spectra in-situ during polishing to obtain measured spectra, for each measured spectrum of the sequence of spectra, finding a best matching reference spectrum to generate a sequence of best matching reference spectra, determining the associated index value for each best matching spectrum from the sequence of best matching reference spectra to generate a sequence of index values, fitting a linear function to the sequence of index values, and halting the polishing either when the linear function matches or exceeds a target index or when the associated index value from the determining step matches or exceeds the target index.