Abstract: The present invention comprises an apparatus for injecting slurry between the wafer and the pad in chemical mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers comprising a solid crescent shaped injector the concave trailing edge of which is fitted to the size and shape of the leading edge of the polishing head with a gap of up to 1 inch, the bottom surface of which faces the pad and rests on it with a light load, and through which CMP slurry or components thereof are introduced through one or more openings in the top of the injector and travel through a channel or reservoir the length of the device to the bottom where it or they exit multiple openings in the bottom of the injector, are spread into a thin film, and are introduced between the surface of the polishing pad and the wafer along the leading edge of the wafer in quantities such that all or most of the slurry is introduced between the wafer and the polishing pad and a method of use therefor.

Abstract: The present invention is a sample holder for confocal microscopy of CMP pad samples cut or otherwise removed from either new or used CMP pads that maintains a uniform load and pressure over the part of the sample visible to the confocal microscope by placing the pad behind a transparent window and holding it against the said window by a means comprising upper transparent window retaining means having an offset adjacent the transparent window having the same or essentially the same refractive index as the pad material so that when the pad is held against the transparent window, the edges of the pad are outside the outer edge of the transparent window; lower pad retaining means to press the pad under a known/load against the transparent window, which lower pad retaining means has a size less than the size of the pad; spherical force transmitting means pressed against the lower pad retaining means; through a load cell to measure the load transferred to the sample through lower pad retaining means, the spherical

Abstract: The present invention is a sample holder for confocal microscopy of CMP pad samples cut or otherwise removed from either new or used CMP pads that maintains a uniform load and pressure over the part of the sample visible to the confocal microscope by placing the pad behind a transparent window and holding it against the said window by a means comprising upper transparent window retaining means having an offset adjacent the transparent window having the same or essentially the same refractive index as the pad material so that when the pad is held against the transparent window, the edges of the pad are outside the outer edge of the transparent window; lower pad retaining means to press the pad under a known/load against the transparent window, which lower pad retaining means has a size less than the size of the pad; spherical force transmitting means pressed against the lower pad retaining means; through a load cell to measure the load transferred to the sample through lower pad retaining means, the spherical

Abstract: A method for injecting slurry between the wafer and the pad in chemical mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers comprising a solid crescent shaped injector the concave trailing edge of which is fitted to the size and shape of leading edge of the polishing head with a gap of between 0 and 3 inches, the bottom surface facing the pad, which rests on the pad with a light load, and through which CMP slurry or components thereof are introduced through one or more openings in the top of the injector and travel through a channel or reservoir the length of the device to the bottom where it or they exit multiple openings in the bottom of the injector, are spread into a thin film, and are introduced at the junction of the surface of the polishing pad and the wafer along the leading edge of the wafer in quantities small enough that all or most of the slurry is introduced between the wafer and the polishing pad, wherein multiple inlets for the introduction of fluids to different points in the channel or directly to t

Abstract: The present invention is a method for determining the location of and distinguishing aggressive diamonds from active diamonds on a diamond conditioner disc, comprising: (a) contacting a diamond conditioner disc with a hard surface, wherein the diamond-containing side of the diamond conditioning disc is facing the hard surface, (b) pushing the conditioner disc a sufficient distance that all diamonds could possibly be scratching the surface at the same time and at least a distance corresponding to the length of the said diamond conditioner disc (c) observing number and position of the scratches left by diamonds on the hard surface to determine the number and position of active diamonds on the diamond conditioner disc, and (d) selecting the diamonds, the marks for which are the most pronounced and which comprise 50% or more of the total furrow area observed for all of the active diamonds in descending order of furrow are plus any diamonds in excess of the number needed to achieve said 50% or more whose individua

Abstract: The present invention comprises an apparatus for injecting slurry between the wafer and the pad in chemical mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers comprising a solid crescent shaped injector the concave trailing edge of which is fitted to the size and shape of the leading edge of the polishing head with a gap of up to 1 inch, the bottom surface of which faces the pad and rests on it with a light load, and through which CMP slurry or components thereof are introduced through one or more openings in the top of the injector and travel through a channel or reservoir the length of the device to the bottom where it or they exit multiple openings in the bottom of the injector, are spread into a thin film, and are introduced between the surface of the polishing pad and the wafer along the leading edge of the wafer in quantities such that all or most of the slurry is introduced between the wafer and the polishing pad and a method of use therefor.

Abstract: The present invention is a planar template for a CMP tool polishing head possessing a means of securing a wafer in CMP polishing where the back surface of the template is held to the polishing head by retaining means and a method for using the planar template.

Abstract: A device for determining the coefficient of friction of diamond conditioner discs and a method of use thereof.

Abstract: A method for (a) determining the shear force between a wafer head and a polishing pad in a polishing tool using a CMP polishing tool with a plate above the wafer head which hangs or rests on the plate. The plate is connected to the CMP polishing tool by (b) low friction motion means (c). A load cell sensor is fixed to the framework of the polishing tool or another immovable structure. (d) The load cell determines the force from the leading edge of the plate when the wafer head is in contact with the polishing pad. (e) Signals from the load cell sensor reporting the shear force. A CMP polishing tool which includes elements corresponding to each of points (a)-(e) in the above method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the number of active diamonds on a conditioning disk. In particular, the method comprises (a) contacting a diamond conditioner disk with a hard surface, wherein the diamond-containing side of the diamond conditioning disk is facing the hard surface, (b) moving the diamond conditioner disk under a load across the hard surface so as to cause any active diamonds present on the diamond-containing side of the diamond conditioner disk to leave a mark corresponding to each active diamond, and (c) counting the marks to determine the number of active diamonds on the diamond conditioner disk.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the number of active diamonds on a conditioning disk. In particular, the method comprises (a) contacting a diamond conditioner disk with a hard surface, wherein the diamond-containing side of the diamond conditioning disk is facing the hard surface, (b) moving the diamond conditioner disk under a load across the hard surface so as to cause any active diamonds present on the diamond-containing side of the diamond conditioner disk to leave a mark corresponding to each active diamond, and (c) counting the marks to determine the number of active diamonds on the diamond conditioner disk.