Abstract: A pressure monitoring system arranged in a close loop circuit, intended to facilitate chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), is disclosed. The pressure monitoring circuit includes an air regulator, a pressure transducer, a pressure difference transducer and a pressure difference regulator. This hardware is equipped to facilitate finding three control parameters of the monitoring system—polishing pressure (Pp), pressure difference of the polishing pressure and a corresponding wafer pressure (Dp), and deviation of the output pressure difference from a set point pressure difference (Cp). By monitoring Pp, Dp and Cp, air streams in a CMP process can be effectively regulated on a real time basis and the troubleshooting procedure for the system hardware can be practically reduced.

Abstract: A pressure suppression device for a chemical mechanical polishing machine. The chemical mechanical polishing machine includes a polishing table and a polishing head. The polishing table has a polishing pad and a polishing gas input through which a polishing gas is charged. The polishing head holds a wafer and has a wafer gas input through which a wafer gas is charged. The pressure suppression device has a pressure releasing component and a gas input tube coupled to the wafer gas input and the pressure releasing component. When a polishing pressure applied to the polishing pad is smaller than a wafer pressure applied to the wafer, the pressure releasing component releases a part of the wafer pressure until the wafer pressure is smaller than the polishing pressure. As a result, this prevents the wafer slippage or broken wafer that occur when the wafer is blown off from the polishing head by too much wafer pressure.

Abstract: A controlled pressure regulation system generates the wafer-pressing pressures during a polishing operation. A wafer carrier head holds a wafer to be polished against a platen. A first and second pressure regulators respectively generate a first and second pressure onto the platen and the wafer carrier head to press the wafer to be polished. A first and second controllers are respectively connected to the first and second pressure regulators in control feedback loops to control the generation of the first and second pressures. The first and second pressures are controlled to obtain a desired difference of pressure between the first and second pressure.

Abstract: A controlled pressure regulation system generates the wafer-pressing pressures during a polishing operation. A wafer carrier head holds a wafer to be polished against a platen. A first and second pressure regulators respectively generate a first and second pressure onto the platen and the wafer carrier head to press the wafer to be polished. A first and second controllers are respectively connected to the first and second pressure regulators in control feedback loops to control the generation of the first and second pressures. The first and second pressures are controlled to obtain a desired difference of pressure between the first and second pressure.

Abstract: A pressure suppression device for a chemical mechanical polishing machine. The chemical mechanical polishing machine includes a polishing table and a polishing head. The polishing table has a polishing pad and a polishing gas input through which a polishing gas is charged. The polishing head holds a wafer and has a wafer gas input through which a wafer gas is charged. The pressure suppression device has a pressure releasing component and a gas input tube coupled to the wafer gas input and the pressure releasing component. When a polishing pressure applied to the polishing pad is smaller than a wafer pressure applied to the wafer, the pressure releasing component releases a part of the wafer pressure until the wafer pressure is smaller than the polishing pressure. As a result, this prevents the wafer slippage or broken wafer that occur when the wafer is blown off from the polishing head by too much wafer pressure.

Abstract: A detecting device for monitoring any abnormality in chemical-mechanical polishing. The detecting device includes a motor, an inverter, a control circuit, a rotation sensor, a current sensor, a relay controller and a chemical-mechanical controller. The inverter converts a direct current into an alternating current for driving the motor. The control circuit controls size and functioning of the output alternating current from the inverter. The rotation sensor is a transducer for converting the running speed of the motor into a rotation signal and transmitting the signal to the control circuit. The current sensor monitors the size of the alternating current flowing to the motor and then outputs a current signal. The relay controller receives the current signal from the current sensor and outputs a drive signal. The chemical-mechanical polishing controller receives the drive signal from the relay controller and outputs a system halt signal to the control circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, which reduce air sharp pressure on the polish head for preventing the breakage unpolished wafer. The improved chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of present invention is composed of a wafer head, a polish head, a damper and a sensor. The flowing speed of gas is reduced by making the diameter of the gas line connected to the damper air inlet smaller than the diameter of the gas line connected to the damper air outlet. The initial air sharp pressure is reduced and make &Dgr;P=Pwafer−Ppolish<0, by adding an air temporary storage machine in between the inlet and the outlet.

Abstract: A pad backer for a polishing head of a chemical mechanical polishing machine is described wherein scribe lines in the x-direction and in the y-direction are formed on the surface of the pad backer. Additional scribe lines are formed at angles of about 45 degrees and about 135 degrees from the x-direction scribe lines to increase the usage rate of the polishing pad.