Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate at a first polishing station, monitoring the substrate with a first eddy current monitoring system to generate a first signal, determining an ending value of the first signal for an end of polishing of the substrate at the first polishing station, determining a first temperature at the first polishing station, polishing the substrate at a second polishing station, monitoring the substrate with a second eddy current monitoring system to generate a second signal, determining a starting value of the second signal for a start of polishing of the substrate at the second polishing station, determining a gain for the second polishing station based on the ending value, the starting value and the first temperature, and calculating a third signal based on the second signal and the gain.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method of controlling polishing includes receiving a measurement of an initial thickness of a conductive film on a first substrate prior to polishing the first substrate from an in-line or stand-alone monitoring system, polishing one or more substrates in a polishing system, the one or more substrates including the first substrate, during polishing of the one or more substrates, monitoring the one or more substrates with an eddy current monitoring system to generate a first signal, determining a starting value of the first signal for a start of polishing of the first substrate, determining a gain based on the starting value and the measurement of the initial thickness, for at least a portion of the first signal collected during polishing of at least one substrate of the one or more substrates, and calculating a second signal based on the first signal and the gain.

Abstract: In fabrication of an integrated circuit having a layer with a plurality of conductive interconnects, a layer of a substrate is polished to provide the layer of the integrated circuit. The layer of the substrate includes conductive lines to provide the conductive interconnects. The layer of the substrate includes a closed conductive loop formed of a conductive material in a trench. A depth of the conductive material in the trench is monitored using an inductive monitoring system and a signal is generated. Monitoring includes generating a magnetic field that intermittently passes through the closed conductive loop. A sequence of values over time is extracted from the signal, the sequence of values representing the depth of the conductive material over time.

Abstract: A method of chemical mechanical polishing a substrate includes polishing a layer on the substrate at a polishing station, monitoring the layer during polishing at the polishing station with an in-situ monitoring system, the in-situ monitoring system monitoring an elongated region and generating a measured signal, computing an angle between a primary axis of the elongated region and a tangent to an edge of the substrate, modifying the measured signal based on the angle to generate a modified signal, and at least one of detecting a polishing endpoint or modifying a polishing parameter based on the modified signal.

Abstract: Among other things, a method of controlling polishing during a polishing process is described. The method includes receiving a measurement of a thickness, thick(t), of a conductive layer of a substrate undergoing polishing from an in-situ monitoring system at a time t; receiving a measured temperature, T(t), associated with the conductive layer at the time t; calculating resistivity ?T of the conductive layer at the measured temperature T(t); adjusting the measurement of the thickness using the calculated resistivity ?T to generate an adjusted measured thickness; and detecting a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing parameter based on the adjusted measured thickness.

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: A method of chemical mechanical polishing a substrate includes polishing a metal layer on the substrate at a polishing station, monitoring thickness of the metal layer during polishing at the polishing station with an eddy current monitoring system, and controlling pressures applied by a carrier head to the substrate during polishing of the metal layer at the polishing station based on thickness measurements of the metal layer from the eddy current monitoring system to reduce differences between an expected thickness profile of the metal layer and a target profile, wherein the metal layer has a resistivity greater than 700 ohm Angstroms.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method of controlling polishing includes receiving a measurement of an initial thickness of a conductive film on a first substrate prior to polishing the first substrate from an in-line or stand-alone monitoring system, polishing one or more substrates in a polishing system, the one or more substrates including the first substrate, during polishing of the one or more substrates, monitoring the one or more substrates with an eddy current monitoring system to generate a first signal, determining a starting value of the first signal for a start of polishing of the first substrate, determining a gain based on the starting value and the measurement of the initial thickness, for at least a portion of the first signal collected during polishing of at least one substrate of the one or more substrates, and calculating a second signal based on the first signal and the gain.

Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate at a first polishing station, monitoring the substrate with a first eddy current monitoring system to generate a first signal, determining an ending value of the first signal for an end of polishing of the substrate at the first polishing station, determining a first temperature at the first polishing station, polishing the substrate at a second polishing station, monitoring the substrate with a second eddy current monitoring system to generate a second signal, determining a starting value of the second signal for a start of polishing of the substrate at the second polishing station, determining a gain for the second polishing station based on the ending value, the starting value and the first temperature, and calculating a third signal based on the second signal and the gain.

Abstract: A difference between a first expected required polish time for a first substrate and a second expected required polish time for a second substrate is determined using a first pre-polish thickness and a second pre-polish thickness measured at an in-line metrology station. A duration of an initial period is determined based on the difference between the first expected required polish time and the second expected required polish time. For the initial period at a beginning of a polishing operation, no pressure is applied to whichever of the first substrate and the second substrate has a lesser expected required polish time while simultaneously pressure is applied to whichever of the first substrate and the second substrate has a greater expected required polish time. After the initial period, pressure is applied to both the first substrate and the second substrate.

Abstract: A method of chemical mechanical polishing a substrate includes polishing a layer on the substrate at a polishing station, monitoring the layer during polishing at the polishing station with an in-situ monitoring system, the in-situ monitoring system monitoring an elongated region and generating a measured signal, computing an angle between a primary axis of the elongated region and a tangent to an edge of the substrate, modifying the measured signal based on the angle to generate a modified signal, and at least one of detecting a polishing endpoint or modifying a polishing parameter based on the modified signal.

Abstract: A difference between a first expected required polish time for a first substrate and a second expected required polish time for a second substrate is determined using a first pre-polish thickness and a second pre-polish thickness measured at an in-line metrology station. A duration of an initial period is determined based on the difference between the first expected required polish time and the second expected required polish time. For the initial period at a beginning of a polishing operation, no pressure is applied to whichever of the first substrate and the second substrate has a lesser expected required polish time while simultaneously pressure is applied to whichever of the first substrate and the second substrate has a greater expected required polish time. After the initial period, pressure is applied to both the first substrate and the second substrate.

Abstract: A polishing method includes positioning two substrates in contact with the same polishing pad. Prior to commencement of polishing and while the two substrates are in contact with the polishing pad, two starting values are generated from an in-situ monitoring system. Either a starting polishing time or a pressure applied to one of the substrates can be adjusted so that the two substrates have closer endpoint conditions. During polishing the two substrates are monitored with the in-situ monitoring system to generate a two sequences of values, and a polishing endpoint can be detected or an adjustment for a polishing parameter can be based on the two sequences of values.

Abstract: A polishing method includes simultaneously polishing a first substrate and a second substrate on the same polishing pad, storing a default overpolishing time, determining first and second polishing endpoint times of the first and substrates with the in-situ monitoring system, determining a difference between the first and second polishing endpoint times, and determining whether the difference exceeds a threshold. If the difference is less than the threshold, then an overpolishing stop time is calculated and polishing of the first substrate and the second substrates is halted simultaneously at the overpolishing stop time. If the difference is greater than the threshold, then first and second overpolishing stop times that equal the first and second endpoint times plus the default overpolishing time are calculated, and polishing of the first and second substrates is halted at the first and second overpolishing stop times, respectively.

Abstract: A polishing method includes simultaneously polishing two substrates, a first substrate and a second substrate, on the same polishing pad. A default overpolishing time is stored and an in-situ monitoring system monitors the two substrates. The in-situ monitoring system further determines a first polishing endpoint time and a second polishing endpoint time of the first and second substrates, respectively. The polishing method further includes calculating an overpolishing stop time where the overpolishing stop time is between the first polishing endpoint time plus the default overpolishing time and the second polishing endpoint time plus the default overpolishing time. Polishing of the first substrate is continued past the first polishing endpoint time and polishing of the second substrate is continued past the second polishing endpoint time. Polishing of both the first substrate and the second substrate is halted simultaneously at the overpolishing stop time.

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: A method of chemical mechanical polishing a substrate includes polishing a metal layer on the substrate at a polishing station, monitoring thickness of the metal layer during polishing at the polishing station with an eddy current monitoring system, and halting polishing when the eddy current monitoring system indicates that residue of the metal layer is removed from an underlying layer and a top surface of the underlying layer is exposed.

Abstract: A method of chemical mechanical polishing a substrate includes polishing a plurality of discrete separated metal features of a layer on the substrate at a polishing station, using an eddy current monitoring system to monitor thickness of the metal features in the layer, and controlling pressures applied by a carrier head to the substrate during polishing of the layer at the polishing station based on thickness measurements of the metal features from the eddy current monitoring system to reduce differences between an expected thickness profile of the metal feature and a target profile.

Abstract: A method of chemical mechanical polishing a substrate includes polishing a metal layer on the substrate at a polishing station, monitoring thickness of the metal layer during polishing at the polishing station with an eddy current monitoring system, and controlling pressures applied by a carrier head to the substrate during polishing of the metal layer at the polishing station based on thickness measurements of the metal layer from the eddy current monitoring system to reduce differences between an expected thickness profile of the metal layer and a target profile, wherein the metal layer has a resistivity greater than 700 ohm Angstroms.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes polishing substrates simultaneously in a polishing apparatus. Each substrate has a polishing rate independently controllable by an independently variable polishing parameter. Measurement data that varies with the thickness of each of the substrates is acquired from each of the substrates during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system. A projected thickness that each substrate will have at a target time is determined based on the measurement data. The polishing parameter for at least one substrate is adjusted to adjust the polishing rate of the at least one substrate such that the substrates have closer to the same thickness at the target time than without the adjustment.