Abstract: A system may include a gimbal defining a plurality of pockets, where each pocket may include a first portion and a second portion that extends between the first portion and a base of the pocket. The second portion may have a greater diameter than the first portion. The system may include a plurality of conditioning disks, where each conditioning disk is seated within the first portion of a respective pocket. The system may include a plurality of gaskets, where each gasket is seated within the second portion of a respective pocket. The system may include a plurality o-rings, each o-ring disposed between a peripheral edge of one of the plurality of conditioning disks and a lateral wall of one of the plurality of pockets. The system may include a plurality of shoulder screws for coupling the gimbal with one of the plurality of gaskets and a conditioning disk.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes an inner platen to support an inner polishing pad, aan annular outer platen to support an outer polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate, a first motor to rotate the inner platen about a vertical axis at a first rotation rate, and a second motor to rotate the outer platen about the vertical axis at a second rotation rate. The outer polishing pad coaxially surrounds the inner platen, and an outer edge of the inner platen and an inner edge of the outer platen are separated by a gap.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes: an inner platen to support an inner polishing pad; an annular outer platen to support an outer polishing pad; a carrier head to hold a substrate; one or more motors to rotate the inner platen about a vertical axis at a first rotation rate and to rotate the outer platen about the vertical axis at a second rotation rate; and a controller configured to select values for multiple control parameters to minimize a difference between a target removal profile and an expected removal profile, the multiple control parameters including a first parameter representing a difference in rotational speeds between the inner and outer platens. The outer polishing pad can coaxially surround the inner platen, and an outer edge of the inner platen and an inner edge of the outer platen can be separated by a gap.

Abstract: Chemical mechanical polishing system and method include a substrate is loaded into a carrier head having a housing having an upper carrier body and a lower carrier body, and a membrane assembly beneath the lower carrier body. A space between the lower carrier body and the membrane assembly defines a pressurizable chamber, a distance from a sensor in the lower carrier body to the membrane assembly is measured, and pressure in the pressurizable chamber is controlled based on the measured distances to maintain a consistent total downforce on the membrane assembly as the distance between the sensor and the membrane assembly changes.

Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing includes a housing for attachment to a drive shaft, a membrane assembly arranged beneath the lower carrier body, and a flexure. The membrane assembly includes a membrane support and a flexible membrane secured to the membrane support to defining a plurality of pressurizable lower chambers, with the flexible membrane having a lower surface that provides a substrate mounting surface. A flexible seal forms a pressurizable upper chamber between the housing and the membrane support. The flexure connects the membrane support to the housing, and the flexure extends through the pressurizable upper chamber.

Abstract: A polishing system includes a carriage arm having an actuator disposed on a lower surface thereof. The actuator includes a piston and a roller coupled to a distal end of the piston. The polishing system includes a polishing pad and a substrate carrier suspended from the carriage arm and configured to apply a pressure between a substrate and the polishing pad. The substrate carrier includes a housing, a retaining ring, and a membrane. The substrate carrier includes an upper load ring disposed in the housing. The roller of the actuator is configured to contact the upper load ring during relative rotation between the substrate carrier and the carriage arm. The actuator is configured to apply a load to a portion of the upper load ring thereby altering the pressure applied between the substrate and the polishing pad.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards polishing modules for performing chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate. The substrate may be a semiconductor substrate. The polishing modules described have a plurality of pads, such as polishing pads, disposed within a single polishing station. The pads are configured to remain stationary during processing, such as during polishing or buff operations. Either an x-y gantry assembly or a head actuation assembly is coupled to a system body of a polishing module and is configured to move a carrier head over the pads. Between process operations the polishing pads may be indexed to expose a new polishing pad to the carrier head.

Abstract: Embodiments herein generally relate to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) systems used in the manufacturing of electronic devices. In one embodiment, a substrate carrier for polishing a surface of a substrate includes a retaining ring configured to surround a substrate during a polishing process. The retaining ring includes a first surface that is configured to contact a surface of a polishing pad during the polishing process, a second surface that is on a side of the retaining ring that is opposite to the first surface, and an array of recesses formed in the second surface.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a support configured to receive and hold a substrate in a plane, a polishing pad affixed to a cylindrical surface of a rotary drum, a first actuator to rotate the drum about a first axis parallel to the plane, a second actuator to bring the polishing pad on the rotary drum into contact with the substrate, and a port for dispensing a polishing liquid to an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen to support a polishing pad, an actuator, a carrier head to hold a surface of a substrate against the polishing pad, a motor to generate relative motion between the platen and the carrier head so as to polish an overlying layer on the substrate. The platen has a central section with an upper surface and an annular flexure surrounding or surrounded by the central section and having a top surface with a first edge adjacent to and coplanar with the upper surface and a second edge farther from the central section. The actuator is arranged to bend the annular flexure along an entire circumference of the annular flexure so as to modify a vertical position of the second edge of the annular flexure relative to the central section.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a support configured to receive and hold a substrate in a plane, a polishing pad affixed to a cylindrical surface of a rotary drum, a first actuator to rotate the drum about a first axis parallel to the plane, a second actuator to bring the polishing pad on the rotary drum into contact with the substrate, and a port for dispensing a polishing liquid to an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate.

Abstract: A membrane for a CMP carrier head includes a circular lower portion that provides a substrate mounting surface for a central region of a substrate, a first plurality of flaps that extend upward from the circular lower portion to form a plurality of inner chambers, an annular upper portion that provides a lower surface for applying pressure to an annular outer region of the substrate, and a second plurality of flaps that extend upward from the annular upper portion to form a plurality of independently pressurizable outer chambers. The annular upper portion surrounds the circular lower portion and is vertically offset from the circular lower portion such that the lower surface is positioned above a plane defined by the circular lower portion, and the annular upper portion is coupled to an outermost flap of the first plurality of flaps.

Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing includes a housing for attachment to a drive shaft, a membrane assembly beneath the housing with a space between the housing and the membrane assembly defining a pressurizable chamber, and a sensor in the housing configured to measure a distance from the sensor to the membrane assembly.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods of manufacturing polishing platens for use on a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system and polishing platens formed therefrom. A method of manufacturing a polishing includes positioning a polishing platen on a support of a manufacturing system. The manufacturing system includes the support and a cutting tool facing there towards. Here, the polishing platen includes a cylindrical metal body having a polymer layer disposed on a surface thereof and the polymer layer has a thickness of about 100 ?m or more. The method further includes removing at least a portion of the polymer layer using the cutting tool to form a polishing pad-mounting surface. Beneficially, the method may be used to form a pad-mounting surface having a desired flatness or shape, such as a concave or convex shape.

Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing includes a housing for attachment to a drive shaft, a membrane assembly beneath the housing with a space between the housing and the membrane assembly defining a pressurizable chamber, and a sensor in the housing configured to measure a distance from the sensor to the membrane assembly.

Abstract: A carrier head includes a housing, a support assembly having a support plate flexibly connected to the housing so as to be vertically movable, a plurality of fluid-impermeable barriers projecting from a bottom of the support plate to define a plurality of recesses that are open at bottom sides thereof, and pneumatic control lines. A volume between the support plate and the housing includes one or more independently pressurizable first chambers to apply pressure on a top surface of the support plate in one or more first zones. The barriers divide a volume between the support plate and the substrate into a plurality of second chambers. The pneumatic control lines are coupled to the plurality of recesses to provide a plurality of independently pressurizable second zones.

Abstract: A polishing system includes a carriage arm having an actuator disposed on a lower surface thereof. The actuator includes a piston and a roller coupled to a distal end of the piston. The polishing system includes a polishing pad and a substrate carrier suspended from the carriage arm and configured to apply a pressure between a substrate and the polishing pad. The substrate carrier includes a housing, a retaining ring, and a membrane. The substrate carrier includes an upper load ring disposed in the housing. The roller of the actuator is configured to contact the upper load ring during relative rotation between the substrate carrier and the carriage arm. The actuator is configured to apply a load to a portion of the upper load ring thereby altering the pressure applied between the substrate and the polishing pad.

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: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing includes a base assembly and a membrane assembly connected to the base assembly. The membrane assembly includes a membrane support, an inner membrane secured to the membrane support, wherein the inner membrane forms a plurality of individually pressurizable inner chambers between an upper surface of the membrane and the membrane support, and an outer membrane secured to the membrane support and extending below the inner membrane, the outer membrane having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer membrane defines a lower pressurizable chamber between the inner surface of the outer membrane and a lower surface of the inner membrane, wherein the inner surface is positioned for contact by a lower surface of the inner membrane upon pressurization of one or more of the plurality of chambers, and wherein the outer surface is configured to contact a substrate.

Abstract: A polishing system includes a platen having a top surface to support a main polishing pad. The platen is rotatable about an axis of rotation that passes through approximately the center of the platen. An annular flange projects radially outward from the platen to support an outer polishing pad. The annular flange has an inner edge secured to and rotatable with the platen and vertically fixed relative to the top surface of the platen. The annular flange is vertically deflectable such that an outer edge of the annular flange is vertically moveable relative to the inner edge. An actuator applies pressure to an underside of the annular flange in an angularly limited region, and a carrier head holds a substrate in contact with the polishing pad and is movable to selectively position a portion of the substrate over the outer polishing pad.