Abstract: A work piece carrier head for a CMP or other polishing apparatus is configured to eliminate the slow band associated with the polishing of the surface of a work piece. The carrier head includes a wear ring that is positioned circumferentially about the work piece and that together with the work piece is pressed against a moving polishing pad. The wear ring is resiliently coupled to the body of the carrier head in a manner to avoid any overturning moment on the ring caused by the frictional force of the polishing pad against the wear ring.

Abstract: A laminated wear ring for a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) apparatus provides improved control of the removal rate of material from the edge of a wafer during a polishing/planarization operation. The laminated wear ring includes a high stiffness stainless steel base and a plastic laminate. The high stiffness stainless steel base avoids flexing of the wear ring during polishing and thus provides control of the flexing of a polish pad against which the wafer surface is pressed. The plastic laminate protects the stainless steel base from attack by the polishing slurry and provides a buffer that protects the stainless steel base from mechanically damaging the wafer and vice versa.

Abstract: The invention is a carrier that determines if a wafer has been properly loaded. The carrier includes a body having a cavity covered by a membrane, thereby forming an initial plenum. One or more annular ribs may extend from the body to the membrane to divide the initial plenum into a plurality of plenums. A sensor is positioned within one of the plenums to detect the presence of the wafer. Pump(s) with pressure regulators may be used to pressurize the plenum(s). A first plenum may be pressurized sufficient to hold the wafer to the membrane by creating a partial vacuum between the membrane and the wafer. A second plenum may be pressurized sufficient to urge the membrane away from the sensor if the wafer is not properly loaded in the carrier. If the membrane is near the sensor, the wafer has been properly loaded into the carrier.

Abstract: A fluid delivery system is provided for delivering a fluid to a polishing surface of a chemical mechanical polishing tool. The system includes a polishing pad having a plurality of apertures, a plurality of layers having a network of grooves and a platen having an aperture. A fluid may be communicated to the aperture in the platen, through the grooves in the plurality of layers and finally through the plurality of apertures in the polishing pad. The size, position and number of apertures in the platen and the polishing pad and the size, position and number of grooves in each of the layers may be varied to control the distribution of fluid across the top surface of the polishing pad. Preferably, the distance a fluid must travel from the platen aperture through the grooves to any of the apertures in the polishing pad is substantially the same.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving uniformity of the rate of removal of material from the surface of a semiconductor substrate by chemical mechanical polishing. In accordance with the invention, the semiconductor substrate is subjected to a combination of polishing motions, including orbital motion, and at least one additional polishing motion selected from rotational, oscillating, sweeping, and linear polishing motions. The invention also provides an improved method for conditioning polishing pads to provide more uniform conditioning and to extend their useful life span.

Abstract: The present invention delineates a carrier for an apparatus (10) which polishes a surface of a semiconductor wafer (56, 124). In a preferred embodiment, the carrier includes a rigid plate (34) connected to one or more diaphragms (40, 42) of soft, flexible material that provide pressurizable cavities (50, 52) having respective surfaces for contacting the back surface of the wafer. A plurality of conduits (28a, 28c) are used to selectively pressurize the diaphragm cavities. The carrier head may also include an inter-diaphragm cavity (54) formed between a portion of one diaphragm, a portion of another diaphragm, and the semiconductor wafer. The inter-diaphragm cavity is provided with its own conduit (28b) by which a source of pressurized fluid and a source of vacuum are selectively connected to the inter-diaphragm cavity. During operation, pressure and/or vacuum may be applied through one or more cavities to chuck (90) a wafer, and to pressurize (96) the cavities during polishing.

Abstract: An apparatus for planarizing a work piece includes an easily assembled work carrier. The carrier includes a carrier insert having a work piece bladder clamped to a carrier backing plate with a plurality of clamps to form a plurality of web plenums. The outer edge of the bladder is supported by a rib that is coupled to a carrier plenum. By adjusting the pressure in the carrier plenum, the pressure exerted on the edge of a work piece during a planarization operation can be adjusted. The carrier also includes a floating wear ring that surrounds the work piece bladder and a work piece mounted on that bladder. By adjusting the force exerted by the wear ring on a polishing pad, independently of the pressure exerted by the rib at the edge of the bladder, the material removal rate near the edge of the work piece can be controlled.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for planarizing a wafer in a carrier with adjustable pressure zones and adjustable barriers between zones. The carrier has an independently controlled central zone and concentric surrounding zones for distributing the pressure on the backside of a wafer while the wafer is being pressed against an abrasive surface in a chemical-mechanical polishing tool. The pressure zones may be created by mounting an elastic web diaphragm to a carrier housing that has a plurality of recesses. A corresponding plurality of elastic ring shaped ribs may extend from the web diaphragm opposite the recesses. The plurality of ring shaped ribs thereby defines a central zone surrounded by one or more concentric surrounding zones. The zones and barriers may be individually pressurized by utilizing corresponding fluid communication paths during the planarization process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for planarizing a wafer in a carrier with adjustable pressure zones and adjustable barriers between zones. The carrier has an independently controlled central zone and concentric surrounding zones for distributing the pressure on the backside of a wafer while the wafer is being pressed against an abrasive surface in a chemical-mechanical polishing tool. The pressure zones may be created by mounting an elastic web diaphragm to a carrier housing that has a plurality of recesses. A corresponding plurality of elastic ring shaped ribs may extend from the web diaphragm opposite the recesses. The plurality of ring shaped ribs thereby defines a central zone surrounded by one or more concentric surrounding zones. The zones and barriers may be individually pressurized by utilizing corresponding fluid communication paths during the planarization process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for a carrier that is able to create independently controllable pressure zones on the back surface of a wafer while the front surface of the wafer is being planarizing against an abrasive surface. The carrier has a central disk shaped recess surrounded by a plurality of concentric ring shaped recesses. The recesses are covered by a diaphragm thereby creating a central disk shaped plenum and a plurality of surrounding ring shaped plenums. A central disk shaped piston and a plurality of surrounding ring shaped pistons are suspended on the diaphragm so that a portion of each piston may move in and out of their corresponding plenum in the carrier. An independently controllable fluid communication path is placed in fluid communication with each plenum thereby allowing the pressure exerted on each piston to be independently controllable.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving uniformity of the rate of removal of material from the surface of a semiconductor substrate by chemical mechanical polishing. In accordance with the invention, the semiconductor substrate is subjected to a combination of polishing motions, including orbital motion, and at least one additional polishing motion selected from rotational, oscillating, sweeping, and linear polishing motions. The invention also provides an improved method for conditioning polishing pads to provide more uniform conditioning and to extend their useful life span.

Abstract: An axially rotating circular polishing pad is conditioned by a rotating end effector that has an abrasion disc in contact with a polishing surface of the pad. The end effector moves along a radius of the polishing pad surface at a velocity that varies to compensate for locations on the polishing pad surface having linear velocities that are directly related to their respective radii. A desired contact force is maintained between the end effector and the polishing pad surface.