Abstract: A polishing pad, a polishing method and a method of forming a polishing pad are provided. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer and a plurality of arc grooves. The arc grooves are disposed in the polishing layer. Each of the arc grooves has two ends, and at least one end thereof has an inclined wall. The angle between the inclined wall of each groove and the surface plane of the polishing layer is less than 90 degree.

Abstract: A polishing method, a polishing pad and a polishing system are provided. In the invention, the polishing pad is used to polish a polishing article. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer and a surface pattern disposed in the polishing layer. The polishing layer includes a polishing surface, a rotating central region, and a peripheral region. The surface pattern includes many grooves distributed from near the rotating central region and extending outward to near the peripheral region. The grooves include many groove cross sections along a circumferential direction of a same radius. Each of the groove cross sections has a left sidewall and a right sidewall. An included angle is formed by the polishing surface and one of a group of the left sidewalls and a group of the right sidewalls. The included angle is an obtuse angle.

Abstract: The edge effect or variation in polishing edge profile on a substrate undergoing CMP is reduced by structuring a retaining ring, housed in a carrier head for retaining the substrate, such that the polishing edge profile shifts back and forth with respect to the center of the substrate. Embodiments include structuring the retaining ring such that the width between inner and outer surfaces varies by an amount sufficient to compensate for polishing edge profile variation. Embodiments also include structuring the retaining ring such that the distance from the outer surface to the geometric inner surface varies. Embodiments further include structuring the retaining ring such that the distance between the outer surface to the perimeter of the substrate retained by the inner surface of the retaining ring varies.

Abstract: A polishing pad, a polishing method and a method of forming a polishing pad are provided. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer and a plurality of arc grooves. The arc grooves are disposed in the polishing layer. Each of the arc grooves has two ends, and at least one end thereof has an inclined wall. The angle between the inclined wall of each groove and the surface plane of the polishing layer is less than 90 degree.

Abstract: A polishing pad used in conjunction with a carrier ring to polish a substrate and has a motion direction when polishing is provided. The carrier ring has at least one carrier groove, and the substrate has a substrate radius. The polishing pad has a polishing layer and a surface pattern. The surface pattern has traversing grooves, and an angle between the tangent line of each traversing groove and the tangent line of the motion direction is not equal to 0 degree. Each traversing groove respectively has a traversing groove trajectory corresponding to the motion direction, and the traversing groove trajectory of the traversing groove has a trajectory width smaller than the substrate radius. At leading region of the carrier ring corresponding to the motion direction, the traversing grooves have at least one carrier compatible groove which aligns with the at least one carrier groove of the carrier ring.

Abstract: A polishing pad, comprising a mounting surface and an opposing polishing surface with a polishing pattern having at least one aperture thereon, is formed with an adhesive layer adhered to the mounting surface with uniform adhesive strength therebetween. Embodiments include applying an adhesive layer to the mounting surface with uniform pressure prior to forming the polishing pattern on the polishing surface. Embodiments also include forming the polishing pattern having at least one aperture, forming a fitter having a surface pattern opposite to the polishing pattern and having a projection, positioning the fitter on the polishing pattern so that the projection fills the aperture in the polishing pattern forming a composite having substantially parallel opposing surfaces, applying pressure to bond the adhesive layer to the mounting surface with substantially uniform adhesive strength therebetween, and removing the fitter.

Abstract: A polishing pad, a polishing method and a method of forming a polishing pad are provided. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer and a plurality of arc grooves. The arc grooves are disposed in the polishing layer. Each of the arc grooves has two ends, and at least one end thereof has an inclined wall. The angle between the inclined wall of each groove and the surface plane of the polishing layer is less than 90 degree.

Abstract: A polishing method and a polishing system are provided. By means of adjusting a rotational center of a polishing article corresponding to positions of a polishing pad or polishing pads, a polishing rate of the polishing article surface has a better uniformity, resulted from compensation of polishing rates at the rotational center of the polishing article.

Abstract: A polishing method, a polishing pad, and a polishing system are described. The polishing pad with a plurality of grooves is provided. The width of each groove is W and the pitch between two adjacent grooves is P. An oscillatory movement distance of a workpiece on the polishing pad is set. The oscillatory movement distance enables any particular point on the workpiece to cross the same number of grooves, when a direction between the particular point and the center of the workpiece is perpendicular to a tangential direction of the grooves. The workpiece is then polished with the oscillatory movement distance, so as to achieve a better polishing uniformity for the surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing method, a polishing pad and a polishing system are provided. In the invention, the polishing pad is used to polish a polishing article. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer and a surface pattern disposed in the polishing layer. The polishing layer includes a polishing surface, a rotating central region, and a peripheral region. The surface pattern includes many grooves distributed from near the rotating central region and extending outward to near the peripheral region. The grooves include many groove cross sections along a circumferential direction of a same radius. Each of the groove cross sections has a left sidewall and a right sidewall. An included angle is formed by the polishing surface and one of a group of the left sidewalls and a group of the right sidewalls. The included angle is an obtuse angle.

Abstract: A polishing pad, a polishing method and a method of forming a polishing pad are provided. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer and a plurality of arc grooves. The arc grooves are disposed in the polishing layer. Each of the arc grooves has two ends, and at least one end thereof has an inclined wall. The angle between the inclined wall of each groove and the surface plane of the polishing layer is less than 90 degree.

Abstract: The edge effect or variation in polishing edge profile on a substrate undergoing CMP is reduced by structuring a retaining ring, housed in a carrier head for retaining the substrate, such that the polishing edge profile shifts back and forth with respect to the center of the substrate. Embodiments include structuring the retaining ring such that the width between inner and outer surfaces varies by an amount sufficient to compensate for polishing edge profile variation. Embodiments also include structuring the retaining ring such that the distance from the outer surface to the geometric inner surface varies. Embodiments further include structuring the retaining ring such that the distance between the outer surface to the perimeter of the substrate retained by the inner surface of the retaining ring varies.

Abstract: The edge effect or variation in polishing edge profile on a substrate undergoing CMP is reduced by structuring a retaining ring, housed in a carrier head for retaining the substrate, such that the polishing edge profile shifts back and forth with respect to the center of the substrate. Embodiments include structuring the retaining ring such that the width between inner and outer surfaces varies by an amount sufficient to compensate for polishing edge profile variation. Embodiments also include structuring the retaining ring such that the distance from the outer surface to the geometric inner surface varies. Embodiments further include structuring the retaining ring such that the distance between the outer surface to the perimeter of the substrate retained by the inner surface of the retaining ring varies.

Abstract: A polishing method, a polishing pad, and a polishing system are described. The polishing pad with a plurality of grooves is provided. The width of each groove is W and the pitch between two adjacent grooves is P. An oscillatory movement distance of a workpiece on the polishing pad is set. The oscillatory movement distance enables any particular point on the workpiece to cross the same number of grooves, when a direction between the particular point and the center of the workpiece is perpendicular to a tangential direction of the grooves. The workpiece is then polished with the oscillatory movement distance, so as to achieve a better polishing uniformity for the surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing pad and a polishing method for polishing a substrate are described. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer and at least two grooves. The grooves form polishing tracks respectively. The polishing tracks collectively construct an even tracking zone. A better polishing uniformity of a substrate surface is achieved with the even tracking zone.

Abstract: The edge effect or variation in polishing edge profile on a substrate undergoing CMP is reduced by structuring a retaining ring, housed in a carrier head for retaining the substrate, such that the polishing edge profile shifts back and forth with respect to the center of the substrate. Embodiments include structuring the retaining ring such that the width between inner and outer surfaces varies by an amount sufficient to compensate for polishing edge profile variation. Embodiments also include structuring the retaining ring such that the distance from the outer surface to the geometric inner surface varies. Embodiments further include structuring the retaining ring such that the distance between the outer surface to the perimeter of the substrate retained by the inner surface of the retaining ring varies.

Abstract: A polishing pad, comprising a mounting surface and an opposing polishing surface with a polishing pattern having at least one aperture thereon, is formed with an adhesive layer adhered to the mounting surface with uniform adhesive strength therebetween. Embodiments include applying an adhesive layer to the mounting surface with uniform pressure prior to forming the polishing pattern on the polishing surface. Embodiments also include forming the polishing pattern having at least one aperture, forming a fitter having a surface pattern opposite to the polishing pattern and having a projection, positioning the fitter on the polishing pattern so that the projection fills the aperture in the polishing pattern forming a composite having substantially parallel opposing surfaces, applying pressure to bond the adhesive layer to the mounting surface with substantially uniform adhesive strength therebetween, and removing the fitter.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A gate dielectric layer is formed on a substrate, and several gate structures having a gate conductor, a cap layer and spacers are formed on the gate dielectric layer. A mask layer is formed over the substrate covering a portion of the gate structures. Removing the cap layer and spacers that are not covered by the mask layer. After the mask layer is removed, a dielectric layer is formed over the substrate covering the gate structures. A self-aligned contact hole is formed in the dielectric layer. A conductive layer is formed in the self-aligned contact hole and on the dielectric layer. Since the cap layer and spacers that are not covered by the mask layer are removed and substituted by the dielectric layer having lower dielectric constant property, the parasitic capacitance can be reduced.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A gate dielectric layer is formed on a substrate, and several gate structures having a gate conductor, a cap layer and spacers are formed on the gate dielectric layer. A mask layer is formed over the substrate covering a portion of the gate structures. Removing the cap layer and spacers that are not covered by the mask layer. After the mask layer is removed, a dielectric layer is formed over the substrate covering the gate structures. A self-aligned contact hole is formed in the dielectric layer. A conductive layer is formed in the self-aligned contact hole and on the dielectric layer. Since the cap layer and spacers that are not covered by the mask layer are removed and substituted by the dielectric layer having lower dielectric constant property, the parasitic capacitance can be reduced.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A gate dielectric layer is formed on a substrate, and several gate structures having a gate conductor, a cap layer and spacers are formed on the gate dielectric layer. A mask layer is formed over the substrate covering a portion of the gate structures. Removing the cap layer and spacers that are not covered by the mask layer. After the mask layer is removed, a dielectric layer is formed over the substrate covering the gate structures. A self-aligned contact-hole is formed in the dielectric layer. A conductive layer is formed in the self-aligned contact hole and on the dielectric layer. Since the cap layer and spacers that are not covered by the mask layer are removed and substituted by the dielectric layer having lowerdielectric constant property, the parasitic capacitance can be reduced.