Abstract: A controller of a chemical mechanical polishing system is configured to cause a carrier head to sweep across a polishing pad in accord with a sweep profile. The controller is also configured to select values for a plurality of control parameters to minimize a difference between a target removal profile and an expected removal profile. The plurality of control parameters include a plurality of dwell time parameters. A relationship between the plurality of control parameters and a removal rate is stored in a data structure representing a first matrix which includes a plurality of columns including a column for each dwell time parameter and a row for each position on the substrate represented in the expected removal profile, and the controller is configured to, as part of selection of the values, calculate the expected removal profile by multiplying the first matrix by a second matrix representing control parameter values.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for dispensing polishing fluids onto a polishing pad within a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system are disclosed herein. In particular, embodiments herein relate to a CMP apparatus for processing a substrate including a pad disposed on a platen. The pad has a pad radius and a central axis from which the pad radius extends. The apparatus also include a carrier assembly configured to be disposed on a surface of the pad and having a carrier radius that extends from a rotational axis of the carrier assembly and a fluid delivery assembly comprising one or more nozzles, each nozzle coupled to a fast actuating valve.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for dispensing polishing fluids onto a polishing pad within a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system are disclosed herein. In particular, embodiments herein relate to a CMP polishing method including urging a substrate against a surface of a pad of a polishing system using a carrier assembly. A fluid is dispensed onto the pad from a fluid delivery assembly at a variable flow rate and a first flow rate of the variable flow rate is pulsed at a frequency and a duty cycle. The frequency refers to a number of pulses of the fluid at the first flow rate per rotation of the pad. The term duty cycle refers to a percentage of the pad exposed to fluid per rotation of the pad. The carrier assembly is translated across a surface of the pad while rotating the carrier assembly about a rotational axis.

Abstract: Embodiments herein generally relate to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) systems and methods for reducing non-uniform material removal rate at or near the peripheral edge of a substrate when compared to radially inward regions therefrom. In one embodiment, a polishing system includes a substrate carrier comprising an annular retaining ring which is used to surround a to-be-processed substrate during a polishing process and a polishing platen. The polishing platen includes cylindrical metal body having a pad-mounting surface. The pad-mounting surface comprises a plurality of polishing zones which include a first zone having a circular or annular shape, a second zone circumscribing the first zone, and a third zone circumscribing the second zone. A surface of the second zone is recessed from surfaces of the first and third zones adjacent thereto, and a width of the second zone is less than an outer diameter of the annular retaining ring.

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: Methods and apparatuses for dispensing polishing fluids onto a polishing pad within a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system are disclosed herein. In particular, embodiments herein relate to a CMP polishing method including urging a substrate against a surface of a pad of a polishing system using a carrier assembly. A fluid is dispensed onto the pad from a fluid delivery assembly at a variable flow rate and a first flow rate of the variable flow rate is pulsed at a frequency and a duty cycle. The frequency refers to a number of pulses of the fluid at the first flow rate per rotation of the pad. The term duty cycle refers to a percentage of the pad exposed to fluid per rotation of the pad. The carrier assembly is translated across a surface of the pad while rotating the carrier assembly about a rotational axis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a polishing pad thickness profile are described herein. A set of displacement sensors, including an arm displacement sensor and one or more conditioning disk displacement sensors are utilized to determine the orientation of a conditioning disk and the thickness of the polishing pad. The displacement sensors are non-contact sensors, such as a laser sensor, a capacitive sensor, or an inductive sensor. Once the thickness profile of the polishing pad is determined, one or more process conditions is altered to improve substrate polishing.

Abstract: A method for removing material from a substrate includes dispensing an abrasive slurry on a polishing pad, storing an indication of a relative charge on the abrasive agent, contacting a surface of a substrate to the polishing pad in the presence of the slurry, generating relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad, measuring a removal rate for the substrate, comparing a the measured removal rate to a target removal rate and determining whether to increase or decrease the removal rate based on the comparison, determining whether to increase or decrease a temperature of an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate based on the indication of the relative charge of the abrasive agent and on whether to increase or decrease the removal rate, and controlling a temperature of the interface as determined to modify the removal rate.

Abstract: A method for removing material from a substrate includes dispensing an abrasive slurry on a polishing pad, storing an indication of a relative charge on the abrasive agent, contacting a surface of a substrate to the polishing pad in the presence of the slurry, generating relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad, measuring a removal rate for the substrate, comparing a the measured removal rate to a target removal rate and determining whether to increase or decrease the removal rate based on the comparison, determining whether to increase or decrease a temperature of an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate based on the indication of the relative charge of the abrasive agent and on whether to increase or decrease the removal rate, and controlling a temperature of the interface as determined to modify the removal rate.

Abstract: Embodiments herein generally relate to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) systems and methods for reducing non-uniform material removal rate at or near the peripheral edge of a substrate when compared to radially inward regions therefrom. In one embodiment, a polishing system includes a substrate carrier comprising an annular retaining ring which is used to surround a to-be-processed substrate during a polishing process and a polishing platen. The polishing platen includes cylindrical metal body having a pad-mounting surface. The pad-mounting surface comprises a plurality of polishing zones which include a first zone having a circular or annular shape, a second zone circumscribing the first zone, and a third zone circumscribing the second zone. A surface of the second zone is recessed from surfaces of the first and third zones adjacent thereto, and a width of the second zone is less than an outer diameter of the annular retaining ring.

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 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: In one embodiment, a method for cleaning a surface of a polishing pad includes conditioning the polishing pad surface and rotating the conditioned polishing pad surface. The method also includes spraying the polishing pad surface to lift debris from the conditioned polishing pad surface. The method further includes vacuuming the debris from the polishing pad surface downstream from where the condition occurs, wherein downstream is defined by a rotational direction of the polishing pad. In another embodiment, a processing station including a rotatable platen, a substrate carrier head, a polishing fluid delivery system, a conditioner, a spray nozzle, and a vacuum system is provided. The conditioner is disposed between the substrate carrier head and the spray nozzle. The vacuum system is configured to vacuum the polishing pad surface. The vacuum system is downstream from the conditioner, defined by a rotation of the platen.

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: In one embodiment, a method for cleaning a surface of a polishing pad includes conditioning the polishing pad surface and rotating the conditioned polishing pad surface. The method also includes spraying the polishing pad surface to lift debris from the conditioned polishing pad surface. The method further includes vacuuming the debris from the polishing pad surface downstream from where the condition occurs, wherein downstream is defined by a rotational direction of the polishing pad. In another embodiment, a processing station including a rotatable platen, a substrate carrier head, a polishing fluid delivery system, a conditioner, a spray nozzle, and a vacuum system is provided. The conditioner is disposed between the substrate carrier head and the spray nozzle. The vacuum system is configured to vacuum the polishing pad surface. The vacuum system is downstream from the conditioner, defined by a rotation of the platen.

Abstract: A method for forming an integrated circuit is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a stop layer comprising carbon doped silicon nitride on a gate region on a substrate, the gate region having a poly gate and one or more spacers formed adjacent the poly gate, forming a dielectric layer on the stop layer, and removing a portion of the dielectric layer above the gate region using a CMP process, wherein the stop layer is a strain inducing layer having a CMP removal rate that is less than the CMP removal rate of the dielectric layer and equal to or less than the CMP removal rate of the one or more spacers.

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 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.