Abstract: A polishing head of a wafer polishing apparatus is provided with: a membrane head that can independently control a center control pressure pressing a center portion of a wafer, and an outer periphery control pressure pressing an outer peripheral portion of the wafer; an outer ring integrated with the membrane head so as to configure the outer peripheral portion of the membrane head; and a contact type retainer ring provided outside the membrane head. The membrane head has a central pressure chamber of a single compartment structure that controls the center control pressure, and an outer peripheral pressure chamber that is provided above the central pressure chamber, and that controls the outer periphery control pressure. A position of a lower end of the outer ring reaches at least a position of an inner bottom surface of the central pressure chamber.

Abstract: A polishing head of a wafer polishing apparatus is provided with: a membrane head that can independently control a center control pressure pressing a center portion of a wafer, and an outer periphery control pressure pressing an outer peripheral portion of the wafer; an outer ring integrated with the membrane head so as to configure the outer peripheral portion of the membrane head; and a contact type retainer ring provided outside the membrane head. The membrane head has a central pressure chamber of a single compartment structure that controls the center control pressure, and an outer peripheral pressure chamber that is provided above the central pressure chamber, and that controls the outer periphery control pressure. A position of a lower end of the outer ring reaches at least a position of an inner bottom surface of the central pressure chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for storing a raw material inside a mold or a crucible, comprising the steps of: closing an opening of the mold filled with the raw material of a sintered metal or an opening of the crucible filled with the raw material for encouraging growth of a crystal for a semiconductor of a gallium arsenide crystal and a silicon single crystal or a polycrystalline silicon by a cap provided with a supply pipe and a vacuum evacuation pipe; vacuuming the inside the mold or crucible to a high vacuum state of 10?4 torr or less via the vacuum evacuation pipe; drying by heating the raw material in the mold or crucible filled with a heated inert gas in the range of 50 C. to 200 C. via the supply pipe; and storing the raw material in the mold or the crucible covered with the cap.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for storing a raw material inside a mold or a crucible, comprising the steps of: closing an opening of the mold filled with the raw material of a sintered metal or an opening of the crucible filled with the raw material for encouraging growth of a crystal for a semiconductor of a gallium arsenide crystal and a silicon single crystal or a polycrystalline silicon by a cap provided with a supply pipe and a vacuum evacuation pipe; vacuuming the inside the mold or crucible to a high vacuum state of 10?4 torr or less via the vacuum evacuation pipe; drying by heating the raw material in the mold or crucible filled with a heated inert gas in the range of 50 C. to 200 C. via the supply pipe; and storing the raw material in the mold or the crucible covered with the cap.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for storing a raw material inside a mold or a crucible, comprising the steps of: closing an opening of the mold filled with the raw material of a sintered metal or an opening of the crucible filled with the raw material for encouraging growth of a crystal for a semiconductor of a gallium arsenide crystal and a silicon single crystal or a polycrystalline silicon by a cap provided with a supply pipe and a vacuum evacuation pipe; vacuuming the inside the mold or crucible to a high vacuum state of 10?4 torr or less via the vacuum evacuation pipe; drying by heating the raw material in the mold or crucible filled with a heated inert gas in the range of 50 C to 200 C via the supply pipe; and storing the raw material in the mold or the crucible covered with the cap.

Abstract: A resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder is coupled for fluid communication to a first pressurized pneumatic fluid to define a first pneumatic zone and is attached to a first surface of the wafer stop plate adjacent the retaining ring interior cylindrical surface to receive the wafer and to support the wafer at a peripheral edge. The resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder defines a second pneumatic zone radially interior to the first pneumatic zone and extends between the first surface of the wafer stop plate and the wafer when the wafer is attached to the polishing head during a polishing operation and is coupled for fluid communication to a second pressurized pneumatic fluid. The wafer attachment stop plate is operative during non polishing periods to prevent the wafer from flexing excessively from an applied vacuum force used to hold the wafer to the polishing head during wafer loading and unloading operations.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is provided for removing material from a surface of a substrate. The apparatus includes a polishing head for positioning a surface of a substrate against a polishing surface of the apparatus. The polishing head includes a subcarrier adapted to hold the substrate during a polishing operation, and a retaining ring having an inner edge disposed about the subcarrier and a lower surface in contact with the polishing surface during the polishing operation, the lower surface of the retaining ring having a number of radial recesses formed therein to distribute a chemical between the substrate held on the subcarrier and the polishing surface when there is relative motion between the substrate and the polishing surface, thereby inhibiting non-planar polishing of the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder is coupled for fluid communication to a first pressurized pneumatic fluid to define a first pneumatic zone and is attached to a first surface of the wafer stop plate adjacent the retaining ring interior cylindrical surface to receive the wafer and to support the wafer at a peripheral edge. The resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder defines a second pneumatic zone radially interior to the first pneumatic zone and extends between the first surface of the wafer stop plate and the wafer when the wafer is attached to the polishing head during a polishing operation and is coupled for fluid communication to a second pressurized pneumatic fluid. The wafer attachment stop plate is operative during non polishing periods to prevent the wafer from flexing excessively from an applied vacuum force used to hold the wafer to the polishing head during wafer loading and unloading operations.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method for planarizing a circular disc-type semiconductor wafer or other substrate. The method includes the steps of pressing a retaining ring surrounding the wafer against a polishing pad at a first pressure; pressing a first peripheral edge portion of the wafer against the polishing pad with a second pressure; and pressing a second portion of the wafer interior to the peripheral edge portion against the polishing pad with a third pressure. The second pressure may be provided through a mechanical member in contact with the peripheral edge portion; and the second pressure may be a pneumatic pressure against a backside surface of the wafer. Desirably, the pneumatic pressure is exerted through a resilient membrane, or is exerted by gas pressing directly against at least a portion of the wafer backside surface.

Abstract: A resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder is coupled for fluid communication to a first pressurized pneumatic fluid to define a first pneumatic zone and is attached to a first surface of the wafer stop plate adjacent the retaining ring interior cylindrical surface to receive the wafer and to support the wafer at a peripheral edge. The resilient pneumatic annular sealing bladder defines a second pneumatic zone radially interior to the first pneumatic zone and extends between the first surface of the wafer stop plate and the wafer when the wafer is attached to the polishing head during a polishing operation and is coupled for fluid communication to a second pressurized pneumatic fluid. The wafer attachment stop plate is operative during non polishing periods to prevent the wafer from flexing excessively from an applied vacuum force used to hold the wafer to the polishing head during wafer loading and unloading operations.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method for planarizing a circular disc-type semiconductor wafer or other substrate. The method includes the steps of pressing a retaining ring surrounding the wafer against a polishing pad at a first pressure; pressing a first peripheral edge portion of the wafer against the polishing pad with a second pressure; and pressing a second portion of the wafer interior to the peripheral edge portion against the polishing pad with a third pressure. The second pressure may be provided through a mechanical member in contact with the peripheral edge portion; and the second pressure may be a pneumatic pressure against a backside surface of the wafer. Desirably, the pneumatic pressure is exerted through a resilient membrane, or is exerted by gas pressing directly against at least a portion of the wafer backside surface.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus (100) is provided for polishing a substrate (102) that has slurry distributor (125) which improves planarization uniformity. Generally, apparatus (100) includes: (i) platen (106) with polishing surface (110); (ii) head (116) adapted to hold substrate (102) against polishing surface; (iii) mechanism to rotate platen (106) during polishing; (iv) dispenser (124) having nozzles (126, 128) to dispense slurry on the surface (110); and (v) distributor (125) between the nozzles (126, 128) and head (116). In one embodiment, apparatus (100) further includes a wiper (180) between head (116) and distributor (125) to remove used slurry and polishing byproducts from surface (110), thereby reducing agglomerations or deposits that can damage substrate (102) and improving yield. Optionally, apparatus (100) further includes dispenser (186) for dispensing a fluid before and/or after wiper (180) to substantially eliminate buildup of deposits. Method for polishing and substrate polished according to method.

Abstract: A system (100) and method for polishing and planarizing a substrate (105) is provided that reduces non-uniformities in the removal of material from the edge of the substrate due to a rebound effect. In one embodiment system (100) includes a polishing head (140) having a carrier (155), a subcarrier (160) carried by the carrier and adapted to hold the substrate during a polishing operation, and a retaining ring (170) having an inner edge (220) disposed about the subcarrier. A lower surface (210) of the retaining ring (170) is in contact with a polishing surface (125) during the polishing operation, and has at least one annular recess (215) formed therein to enable the polishing surface compressed under the retaining ring to rebound into the annular recess, thereby reducing the rebound effect and inhibiting non-planar polishing of the surface of the substrate (105).

Abstract: A polishing apparatus (100) is provided for polishing a substrate (102) that has slurry distributor (125) which improves planarization uniformity. Generally, the apparatus (100) includes: (i) a platen (106) with a polishing surface (110); (ii) a head (116) adapted to hold the substrate (102) against the polishing surface; (iii) a mechanism to rotate the platen (106) during polishing; (iv) a dispenser (124) having nozzles (126, 128) to dispense slurry on the surface (110); and (v) a distributor (125) between the nozzles (126, 128) and the head (116). In one embodiment, the apparatus (100) further includes a wiper (180) between the head (116) and the distributor (125) to remove used slurry and polishing byproducts from the surface (110), thereby reducing agglomerations or deposits that can damage the substrate (102) and improving yield.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method for planarizing a circular disc-type semiconductor wafer or other substrate. The method includes the steps of pressing a retaining ring surrounding the wafer against a polishing pad at a first pressure; pressing a first peripheral edge portion of the wafer against the polishing pad with a second pressure; and pressing a second portion of the wafer interior to the peripheral edge portion against the polishing pad with a third pressure. The second pressure may be provided through a mechanical member in contact with the peripheral edge portion; and the second pressure may be a pneumatic pressure against a backside surface of the wafer. Desirably, the pneumatic pressure is exerted through a resilient membrane, or is exerted by gas pressing directly against at least a portion of the wafer backside surface.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method are provided for polishing a substrate (105) that achieves a high-planarization uniformity. In one embodiment, the apparatus (100) includes a subcarrier (165) with a lower surface (170), a flexible member (245) extending across the lower surface, and a control-insert (280) disposed between the flexible member and the lower surface. The flexible member (245) has a surface adapted to press the substrate against a polishing pad. The control-insert (280) inhibits non-planar polishing by providing a variable removal rate across the substrate surface. The control-insert (245) can be an annular ring (280A) located near an outer edge of the flexible member (245) to control the removal rate near an edge of the substrate (105), or a disk (280B) near a center (290) of the flexible member to control the removal rate near a center of the substrate. The removal rate can be further controlled by varying a cross-sectional thickness of the control-insert (245).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for planarizing a substrate are provided. The apparatus (101) includes a subcarrier (354) having an outer surface (378) with an annular first membrane (376) coupled thereto. The first membrane (376) has a receiving surface (380) adapted to receive the substrate (356) thereon, and a lip (382) adapted to seal with a backside of the substrate to define a first chamber (384) therebetween. A second membrane (386) positioned above the first membrane (376), and coupled to the subcarrier (354) defines a second chamber (388). During a polishing operation pressurized fluid introduced into the second chamber (388) causes it to expand outward to exert a force on a portion of the backside of the substrate (356), thereby pressing a predetermined area (392) of the surface of the substrate against the polishing pad. The predetermined area (392) is directly proportional to the pressure of the fluid introduced into the second chamber (388).

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is provided for removing material from a surface of a substrate. The apparatus includes a polishing head for positioning a surface of a substrate against a polishing surface of the apparatus. The polishing head includes a subcarrier adapted to hold the substrate during a polishing operation, and a retaining ring having an inner edge disposed about the subcarrier and a lower surface in contact with the polishing surface during the polishing operation, the lower surface of the retaining ring having a number of radial recesses formed therein to distribute a chemical between the substrate held on the subcarrier and the polishing surface when there is relative motion between the substrate and the polishing surface, thereby inhibiting non-planar polishing of the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method for planarizing a circular disc-type semiconductor wafer or other substrate. The method includes the steps of pressing a retaining ring surrounding the wafer against a polishing pad at a first pressure; pressing a first peripheral edge portion of the wafer against the polishing pad with a second pressure; and pressing a second portion of the wafer interior to the peripheral edge portion against the polishing pad with a third pressure. The second pressure may be provided through a mechanical member in contact with the peripheral edge portion; and the second pressure may be a pneumatic pressure against a backside surface of the wafer. Desirably, the pneumatic pressure is exerted through a resilient membrane, or is exerted by gas pressing directly against at least a portion of the wafer backside surface.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus (100) is provided for polishing a substrate (102) that has slurry distributor (125) which improves planarization uniformity. Generally, the apparatus (100) includes: (i) a platen (106) with a polishing surface (110); (ii) a head (116) adapted to hold the substrate (102) against the polishing surface; (iii) a mechanism to rotate the platen (106) during polishing; (iv) a dispenser (124) having nozzles (126, 128) to dispense slurry on the surface (110); and (v) a distributor (125) between the nozzles (126, 128) and the head (116). In one embodiment, the apparatus (100) further includes a wiper (180) between the head (116) and the distributor (125) to remove used slurry and polishing byproducts from the surface (110), thereby reducing agglomerations or deposits that can damage the substrate (102) and improving yield.