Patents by Inventor Michael K. Burleson

Michael K. Burleson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method for achieving a desired semiconductor wafer surface profile via selective polishing pad conditioning
    Patent number: 6607423
    Abstract: A system and method are presented for selectively conditioning a surface of a polishing pad of a CMP apparatus in order to achieve a desired surface profile of a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer may be subjected to a CMP operation using the CMP apparatus following the conditioning. The present CMP apparatus includes a polishing pad having an underside surface mechanically coupled to a substantially planar surface of a platen, an abrasive surface, and a measurement system. The platen and abrasive surface may be rotatable about respective rotational axes. The present conditioning method includes selecting a region of an upper “polishing” surface of the polishing pad (e.g., a CMP region) encircling a rotational axis of the platen and bounded by first and second radial distances from the rotational axis of the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Rigel G. Arcayan, Jose M. Pineda-Garcia, Michael K. Burleson
  • System and method for achieving a desired semiconductor wafer surface profile via selective polishing pad conditioning
    Patent number: 6309277
    Abstract: A system and method are presented for selectively conditioning a surface of a polishing pad of a CMP apparatus in order to achieve a desired surface profile of a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer may be subjected to a CMP operation using the CMP apparatus following the conditioning. The present CMP apparatus includes a polishing pad having an underside surface mechanically coupled to a substantially planar surface of a platen, an abrasive surface, and a measurement system. The platen and abrasive surface may be rotatable about respective rotational axes. The present conditioning method includes selecting a region of an upper “polishing” surface of the polishing pad (e.g., a CMP region) encircling a rotational axis of the platen and bounded by first and second radial distances from the rotational axis of the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Rigel G. Arcayan, Jose M. Pineda-Garcia, Michael K. Burleson