Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen to support a polishing pad having a polishing surface, a conduit having an inlet to be coupled to a gas source, and a dispenser coupled to the conduit and having a convergent-divergent nozzle suspended over the platen to direct gas from the gas source onto the polishing surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include a conditioning disk cleaning assembly, including a cleaning tank, a cleaning fluid resource, and a pad conditioning assembly. The cleaning tank includes at least one tank wall, forming an interior volume configured to hold a cleaning fluid and at least one transducer disposed on the tank wall opposite of the interior volume and electrically coupled to a generator, wherein the transducer is configured to generate a series of pressure waves in the cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid resource configured to supply the cleaning fluid to the interior volume. The pad conditioning assembly comprising a pad conditioner disk and one or more actuators, wherein the one or more actuators are configured to position the pad conditioner disk in a first position within the cleaning tank and a second position that is over a polishing surface of a polishing pad.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen to hold a polishing pad, a carrier to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process, and a temperature control system including a source of a fluid medium and one or more openings positioned over the platen and separated from the polishing pad and configured for the fluid medium to flow onto the polishing pad to heat or cool the polishing pad.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate, includes placing a front surface of a substrate disposed in a carrier head on a polishing surface of a pad. The method further includes delivering a first fluid onto the polishing surface using a first fluid delivery arm. The method further includes determining a location of a hot spot on the front surface. The method further includes determining a rotational orientation of the substrate relative to the carrier head. The method further includes treating the hot spot while polishing the front surface on the polishing surface using a second fluid delivery arm to deliver a second fluid to the polishing surface at a location that will intersect with the hot spot during polishing of the front surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen to support a polishing pad having a polishing surface, a conduit having an inlet to be coupled to a gas source, and a dispenser coupled to the conduit and having a convergent-divergent nozzle suspended over the platen to direct gas from the gas source onto the polishing surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen to hold a polishing pad, a carrier to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process, and a temperature control system including a source of a fluid medium and one or more openings positioned over the platen and separated from the polishing pad and configured for the fluid medium to flow onto the polishing pad to heat or cool the polishing pad.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen to hold a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad, and a controller. The polishing pad has a polishing control groove. The carrier is laterally movable by a first actuator across the polishing pad and rotatable by a second actuator. The controller synchronizes lateral oscillation of the carrier head with rotation of the carrier head such that over a plurality of successive oscillations of the carrier head such that when a first angular swath of an edge portion of the substrate is at an azimuthal angular position about an axis of rotation of the carrier head the first angular swath overlies the polishing surface and when a second angular swath of the edge portion of the substrate is at the azimuthal angular position the second angular swath overlies the polishing control groove.

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: Exemplary carrier heads for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus may include a carrier body. The carrier heads may include a flexible membrane coupled with the carrier body. The flexible membrane may include a substrate-receiving surface that faces away from the carrier body. The substrate-receiving surface may include a plurality of gripping elements that protrude away from the substrate-receiving surface. Each of the plurality of gripping elements may have a maximum lateral dimension that is no greater than 2 mm.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen to hold a polishing pad, a carrier to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process, a polishing liquid dispenser having a polishing liquid port positioned over the platen to deliver polishing liquid onto the polishing pad, a temperature control system including coolant liquid fluid reservoirs for containing coolant fluids, a thermal controller configured to control the temperature of the coolant fluid within the coolant fluid reservoirs, and a first dispenser having openings in fluid connection with the coolant fluid reservoirs, the openings positioned configured to spray an aerosolized coolant liquid directly onto the polishing pad, and a second dispenser having a coolant port in fluid connection with the coolant fluid reservoirs, the coolant port positioned over the platen and configured to flow a stream of coolant liquid directly onto the polishing pad.

Abstract: A method of fabrication of a substrate includes, after deposition of an outer layer on a substrate and before polishing of an exposed surface of the outer layer of the substrate, performing a hydroblasting treatment of a selected portion of the exposed surface by directing a treatment liquid from a nozzle at a sufficiently high velocity onto the selected portion to remove material from the selected portion such that a thickness non-uniformity of the outer layer is reduced. Then the outer layer of the treated substrate is subject to chemical mechanical polishing to planarize and reduce a thickness of the outer layer.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a support to hold a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate against the polishing pad during a polishing process, an in-situ monitoring system configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of material on the substrate, a temperature control system to control a temperature of the polishing process, and a controller coupled to the in-situ monitoring system and the temperature control system. The controller is configured to cause the temperature control system to vary the temperature of the polishing process in response to the signal.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing chamber may include a platen disposed within the chemical mechanical polishing chamber, the platen configured to support a polishing pad. The chamber may also include a slurry delivery arm configured to deliver a slurry to the polishing pad during a chemical mechanical polishing process. The chamber may include an arm may include one or more brackets, mechanically attached to an internal side of the chemical mechanical polishing chamber and positioned over the platen. The chamber may include a plurality of nozzles configured to deliver a gas to the polishing pad, the plurality of nozzles mechanically attached to the one or more brackets of the arm, each of the plurality of nozzles oriented such that an air gap is disposed between adjacent nozzles of the plurality of nozzles such that air may be pulled from the air gap and propelled with the gas towards the polishing pad.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a support to hold a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate against the polishing pad during a polishing process, an in-situ monitoring system configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of material on the substrate, a temperature control system to control a temperature of the polishing process, and a controller coupled to the in-situ monitoring system and the temperature control system. The controller is configured to cause the temperature control system to vary the temperature of the polishing process in response to the signal.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a first polishing station including a first platen to support a first polishing pad, a transfer station to receive a substrate from a robot, a carrier head movable on a predetermined path from the polishing station to the transfer station, a gas flow regulator having an input for a carrier gas, a liquid flow regulator having an input for a cleaning liquid, and a fluid jet cleaner at a position along the predetermined path. The fluid jet cleaner includes an atomizer nozzle including an input port coupled to the gas flow regulator, an injection port coupled to the liquid flow regulator, and an output port positioned to spray the cleaning liquid entrained in the carrier gas onto the substrate held by the carrier head when the carrier head is located above the fluid jet cleaner.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provided for a pad conditioner with multiple disks for chemical mechanical polishing. The pad conditioner includes a bearing ring connected to a lower portion of a shaft, an outer disk assembly connected to the lower portion of the shaft, the outer disk assembly, an outer disk flexure, a plurality of outer disks disposed on a bottom surface of the outer disk, and an inner disk assembly. Alternatively, the outer disk assembly includes a plurality of outer disk holders, an outer disk connector connecting the plurality of outer disk holders, and a plurality of outer disks disposed on a bottom surface of the outer disk holders. The inner disk assembly includes a flexure connected to the outer disk assembly, the inner disk assembly, and the shaft. The pad conditioner may include a spherical bearing assembly coupled to a lower portion of the shaft.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate in a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system, comprises determining an orientation of a substrate relative to a first carrier head. The method further includes initiating a polishing process of a surface of the substrate engaged with a polishing pad. The method further includes scanning, during the polishing process, a first portion of the surface of the substrate repeatedly using at least one endpoint sensor coupled to the polishing pad to generate orientation dependent scan data of a property of the first portion of the surface. The method further includes comparing the orientation dependent scan data to a library of orientation dependent scan data to determine when the endpoint of the polishing process has been reached.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes polishing a front surface of a substrate on a first pad coupled to a first platen. The method further includes transferring the substrate from the first pad to a second pad coupled to a second platen with a carrier head. The method further includes moving the carrier head to a scan position to place an edge of the substrate above an orientation sensor disposed at a rotational center of the second pad. The method further includes scanning the edge of the substrate with the orientation sensor to produce a signal. The method further includes analyzing the signal to locate a reference mark of the substrate to determine a rotational orientation of the substrate relative to the carrier head.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen to support a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate in contact with the polishing pad, a motor to generate relative motion, a steam generator, and an arm extending over the platen with and at least one opening to deliver steam from the steam generator onto the polishing pad. The steam generator includes a canister, a barrier in the canister dividing the canister into a lower chamber having a water inlet and an upper chamber having a steam outlet, a heating element configured to apply heat to a portion of lower chamber, and a nucleation surface positioned in the lower chamber. The barrier has apertures for steam to pass from the lower chamber to the upper chamber and allows for condensation to pass from the upper chamber to the lower chamber.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning a substrate. The method includes rotating a substrate disposed on a substrate support and spraying a front side of the substrate using steam through a front side nozzle assembly. A back side of the substrate is sprayed using steam through a back side dispenser assembly. A heated chemical is dispensed over the front side of the substrate.