Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing that has a base, a mounting assembly connected to the base having a surface for contacting a substrate, and a retaining ring secured to the base. The retaining ring can include perfluoroalkoxy, polyetherketoneketone, polybenzimidazole, a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polyester, or a long molecular chain molecule produced from poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide.

Abstract: A polishing system can have a polishing pad with a polishing surface and a bottom surface that includes a recess with a thickness less than the thickness of the polishing pad. An in-situ monitoring module can be positioned in a cavity formed in part by the recess. A vent path is provided with an opening to the cavity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for automatic gain control. A film on a substrate is polished by a chemical mechanical polisher that includes a polishing pad and an in-situ monitoring system. The polishing pad includes a first portion, and the in-situ monitoring system includes a light source and a light detector. The light source emits light, and light emitted from the light source is directed through the first portion and to a surface of the film being polished. Light reflecting from the surface of the film being polished and passing through the first portion is received at the light detector. An electronic signal is generated based on the light received at the light detector. When the electronic signal is evaluated not to satisfy one or more constraints, a gain for the light detector is adjusted so that the electronic signal would satisfy the one or more constraints.

Abstract: A CMP tool can be closed loop controlled by using data, for a first polished wafer, obtained by an in-line metrology station, an in-situ monitoring system, and/or an inter-platen monitoring system to continually monitor and qualify polishing rates for the processing of subsequent polished wafers.

Abstract: Conductive elements of a chemical mechanical polishing system may generate undesired eddy currents under the influence of a time-dependent magnetic field used in an eddy current monitoring system. To improve the accuracy of an eddy current monitoring system, elements that may contribute an undesired signal to the sensed eddy current signal may be fabricated from a non-conductive material such as plastic or ceramic. In some implementations, elements may be fabricated from non-magnetic materials.

Abstract: An improved chemical-mechanical polishing method and apparatus is provided. A brush is employed to continually brush slurry particles from surface features, e.g., grooves, on a polishing pad. In this manner slurry is prevented from becoming compacted within the grooves as the slurry passes beneath and is subjected to compressive forces of a wafer polishing head. The invention may be practiced by use of a stationary brush operatively coupled to the polishing pad surface, or by an improved conditioning assembly having both a diamond surface for conditioning the polishing pad and a brush for cleaning the pad's surface features. The brush portion of the conditioning assembly may or may not rotate as it is scanned across the surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: An improved chemical-mechanical polishing method and apparatus is provided. A brush is employed to continually brush slurry particles from surface features, e.g., grooves, on a polishing pad. In this manner slurry is prevented from becoming compacted within the grooves as the slurry passes beneath and is subjected to compressive forces of a wafer polishing head. The invention may be practiced by use of a stationary brush operatively coupled to the polishing pad surface, or by an improved conditioning assembly having both a diamond surface for conditioning the polishing pad and a brush for cleaning the pad's surface features. The brush portion of the conditioning assembly may or may not rotate as it is scanned across the surface of the polishing pad.