Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus is disclosed that includes a polishing platform having two or more zones, each zone adapted to receive a different slurry component. A substrate polishing system is provided having a holder to hold a substrate, a polishing platform having a polishing pad, and a distribution system adapted to dispense, in a timed sequence, at least two different slurry components selected from a group consisting of an oxidation slurry component, a material removal slurry component, and a corrosion inhibiting slurry component. Polishing methods and systems adapted to polish substrates are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus is disclosed that includes a polishing platform having two or more zones, each zone adapted to receive a different slurry component. A substrate polishing system is provided having a holder to hold a substrate, a polishing platform having a polishing pad, and a distribution system adapted to dispense, in a timed sequence, at least two different slurry components selected from a group consisting of an oxidation slurry component, a material removal slurry component, and a corrosion inhibiting slurry component. Polishing methods and systems adapted to polish substrates are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus is disclosed that includes a polishing platform having two or more zones, each zone adapted to receive a different slurry component. A substrate polishing system is provided having a holder to hold a substrate, a polishing platform having a polishing pad, and a distribution system adapted to dispense, in a timed sequence, at least two different slurry components selected from a group consisting of an oxidation slurry component, a material removal slurry component, and a corrosion inhibiting slurry component. Polishing methods and systems adapted to polish substrates are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

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 substrate polishing apparatus is disclosed that includes a polishing platform having two or more zones, each zone adapted to receive a different slurry component. A substrate polishing system is provided having a holder to hold a substrate, a polishing platform having a polishing pad, and a distribution system adapted to dispense, in a timed sequence, at least two different slurry components selected from a group consisting of an oxidation slurry component, a material removal slurry component, and a corrosion inhibiting slurry component. Polishing methods and systems adapted to polish substrates are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: Among other things, a method comprises polishing a surface of a substrate by applying a pressure between the surface of a substrate and a surface of a polishing pad. The surface of the polishing pad defines one or more grooves separated by one or more partition regions. The one or more grooves have an initial depth before the polishing starts and extend from an initial outer surface of the one or more partition regions to an initial bottom of the one or more grooves. The method also comprises removing material below an initial bottom of the one or more grooves such that a distance between an outer surface of the one or more partition regions and a bottom of the one or more grooves remain substantially the same as the initial depth.

Abstract: A pad conditioner may include multiple independently mounted conditioning elements configured to condition a polishing pad used in, e.g., a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. In some embodiments, the pad conditioner may include a main assembly disk and a main assembly base plate attached to the main assembly disk via a gimbal connection. A plurality of pad conditioner assemblies may be attached to the main assembly base plate. In some embodiments, each pad conditioner assembly may include a pad conditioner disk attached to the main assembly base plate, a pad conditioner base attached to the pad conditioner disk via a gimbal connection, and a conditioning element attached to the pad conditioner base. Methods of conditioning a polishing pad are also provided, as are other aspects.

Abstract: Among other things, a method comprises polishing a surface of a substrate by applying a pressure between the surface of a substrate and a surface of a polishing pad. The surface of the polishing pad defines one or more grooves separated by one or more partition regions. The one or more grooves have an initial depth before the polishing starts and extend from an initial outer surface of the one or more partition regions to an initial bottom of the one or more grooves. The method also comprises removing material below an initial bottom of the one or more grooves such that a distance between an outer surface of the one or more partition regions and a bottom of the one or more grooves remain substantially the same as the initial depth.

Abstract: In one aspect, a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The scrubber brush assembly includes a scrubber brush having a body of open-cell foam including an interior surface, a sleeve received in contact with the scrubber brush, the sleeve including peripherally-spaced, longitudinal walls and reinforcing segments interconnecting adjacent ones of the longitudinal walls and forming elongated pockets along the length, the sleeve having raised ribs extending along the length, and a mandrel having recesses formed on an outer surface, the mandrel being coupled to the sleeve by receiving the raised ribs within the recesses. Scrubber brush subassemblies, high stiffness mandrels, and methods of assembly are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for a pre-CMP semiconductor substrate buffing module. The invention includes a polishing pad assembly adapted to be rotated against a major surface of a substrate; a chuck adapted to hold the substrate and to rotate the substrate against the polishing pad assembly as the polishing pad assembly is rotated; and a lateral motion motor adapted to oscillate the polishing pad assembly laterally across the major surface of the substrate while the polishing pad assembly is rotated against the rotating substrate. Numerous additional features are disclosed.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system includes a substrate held in a substrate holder having a substrate retaining ring, the substrate having a peripheral edge supported by the substrate retaining ring, the retaining ring including a polymer ring having a polymer contact portion in contact with at least a portion of the peripheral edge, wherein the polymer contact portion has a hardness that is greater than a remaining portion of the polymer ring. CMP methods and retaining ring apparatus for CMP are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: A pad conditioner may include multiple independently mounted conditioning elements configured to condition a polishing pad used in, e.g., a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. In some embodiments, the pad conditioner may include a main assembly disk and a main assembly base plate attached to the main assembly disk via a gimbal connection. A plurality of pad conditioner assemblies may be attached to the main assembly base plate. In some embodiments, each pad conditioner assembly may include a pad conditioner disk attached to the main assembly base plate, a pad conditioner base attached to the pad conditioner disk via a gimbal connection, and a conditioning element attached to the pad conditioner base. Methods of conditioning a polishing pad are also provided, as are other aspects.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for polishing a substrate edge without mechanical contact are disclosed. The apparatus includes a rotatable chuck configured to secure a substrate, an ion milling machine configured to project an ion beam on an edge of the substrate and to sputter off matter from the substrate, and an endpoint detection sensor configured to determine if a material removal endpoint of the substrate has been reached. Numerous additional features are disclosed.

Abstract: In one aspect, a substrate polishing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a polishing platform having two or more zones, each zone adapted to contain a different slurry component. In another aspect, a substrate polishing system is provided having a holder to hold a substrate, a polishing platform having a polishing pad, and a distribution system adapted to dispense, in a timed sequence, at least two different slurry components selected from a group consisting of an oxidation slurry component, a material removal slurry component, and a corrosion inhibiting slurry component. Polishing methods and systems adapted to polish substrates are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for a pre-CMP semiconductor substrate buffing module. The invention includes a polishing pad assembly adapted to be rotated against a major surface of a substrate; a chuck adapted to hold the substrate and to rotate the substrate against the polishing pad assembly as the polishing pad assembly is rotated; and a lateral motion motor adapted to oscillate the polishing pad assembly laterally across the major surface of the substrate while the polishing pad assembly is rotated against the rotating substrate. Numerous additional features are disclosed.

Abstract: In one aspect, a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The scrubber brush assembly includes a scrubber brush including exterior molded surfaces and a mounting passage having interior molded surfaces, the interior molded surfaces having molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features, and a mandrel including recesses directly coupled to the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features of the scrubber brush to prevent slippage. Scrubber brushes and methods of assembly are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: In some aspects, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus is provided that includes a polishing head having (a) a rotatable spindle; (b) a membrane coupled to the rotatable spindle and adapted to press a substrate against a polishing pad during polishing of the substrate; and (c) a retaining ring rotatable coupled to the spindle and adapted to surround a substrate being pressed against a polishing pad during polishing and to limit lateral movement of the substrate relative to the polishing head. The CMP apparatus also includes a drive mechanism coupled to the retaining ring and adapted to drive the retaining ring at a different rate of rotation than the spindle during polishing. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: In one aspect, a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The scrubber brush assembly includes a scrubber brush having a body of open-cell foam including an interior surface, a sleeve received in contact with the scrubber brush, the sleeve including peripherally-spaced, longitudinal walls and reinforcing segments interconnecting adjacent ones of the longitudinal walls and forming elongated pockets along the length, the sleeve having raised ribs extending along the length, and a mandrel having recesses formed on an outer surface, the mandrel being coupled to the sleeve by receiving the raised ribs within the recesses. Scrubber brush subassemblies, high stiffness mandrels, and methods of assembly are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

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: 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.