Method for manufacturing a workpiece and torque transducer module
A method for manufacturing a workpiece and a torque transducer module for material removal techniques, are disclosed, where machining friction varies in dependency of machining depth and the torque/deformation of a shaft is monitored for controlling material removal. The module has a body extending along a central axis and two end portions. Each end portion is part of an axial mount for a respective part to be axially mounted thereto. The module also includes a strain gage sensor arrangement with at least one electric output.
The present invention resulted from needs encountered in context with endpoint detection when polishing substrates in semiconductor processing. Thereby removing of material has often to be disabled as soon as a material interface separating one material from another is reached.
Nevertheless, the present invention is not restricted to endpoint detection in context with polishing during semiconductor processing, but may be applied to all material removal techniques along a substantially flat plane, where the machining friction varies in dependency of machining depth. Thus, the present invention may be applied
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- for endpoint detection of mechanical surface machining. Thereby the resistance which is presented by the workpiece to the machining tool varies unsteadily at such endpoint when a material interface is reached;
- for continuous monitoring of mechanical surface machining whenever the resistance which is presented by the workpiece to the machining tool varies as a function of depth of machining material removal.
As machining polishing and grinding are primarily considered, thereby especially Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP).
The invention may thus also be applied to polishing or grinding processing of optical workpieces during manufacturing, thereby and more generically to such machining of workpieces where thin coatings have selectively to be removed. It may also be applied to grinding in the pharmaceutical industry to control the particle sizes or size distribution as realized by grinding.
The invention may further be applied to non-surface machining, where the mechanical load on a rotating drive varies in time and is significant for a characteristic to be monitored. This is the case e.g. in monitoring varying viscosity of a material. Thus, the invention may also be applied e.g. for monitoring polymerization endpoint or progress in polymer synthesis.
In spite of the fact that the present invention may be applied to a large scale of techniques, we will base the description primarily on considerations in polishing—thereby in CMP technique.
A significant part of yield loss in Ultra-Large-Scale Integration (ULSI) and Very-Large-Scale-Integration (VLSI) microelectronics fabrication can be traced to problems associated with process control. Aggressive shrink of device dimension or increase of package density, or densely packaged workpieces becoming larger as in TFT, LCD and similar manufacturing art, places an increasing demand on process control.
In situ real-time and closed loop process control is recognized as a most effective solution for producing in time, production with high yield and of high quality products. It plays a critical role in achieving market competitiveness.
In the field of semiconductor processing CMP was first introduced as a process to remove and planarize a top layer of material in context with lithography patterning. It also provides a reliable way to form interconnects e.g. in copper and to form Shallow Trench Isolation (STI).
In the
According to
Very often it is crucial to stop the CMP process or more generically to react by varying parameters of such process at a selected material along a stack of at least one film on the substrate. Over-polishing, i.e. excessive removal of material, leads to device failure and loss of processing yield. Under-polishing, i.e. insufficient removal of material, requires that the polishing process be repeated which is tedious and costly due to significant reduction of production yield. Thus, it is of high importance to monitor polishing depth, thereby at least monitoring when polishing reaches a predetermined material interface.
Several approaches are known to resolve this problem. A first approach resides on simple timing. Thereby the process endpoint, i.e. reaching a predetermined material interface, is determined just by trial and error. Often over- or under-polishing occurs due to process parameter drift, changing properties of the workpiece to be polished etc.
A second approach resides on measuring the thickness of the unpolished workpiece, to determine polishing removal rate and to set processing time according to the removal rate and the desired removal depth. Due to the fact that frequent adjustment and readjustment of the polishing time is necessary and removal rate fluctuation may hardly be monitored during processing, this approach is far from being satisfactory.
A further approach is to monitor audio-sound which may change in a distinct manner at material interfaces. This approach has not gained industrial applicability.
In a still further approach polishing pad temperature is sensed which depends on the heat produced during polishing. This approach has only found industrial application for some specific tasks.
A still further approach is based on induction-sensing systems, which only work when dealing with electrically conductive surfaces.
From the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,036,015, 5,069,002 and 5,308,438 and further from the U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,388 an approach is known which is based on monitoring the torque with which e.g. shaft 5 of the embodiment of
According to the prior art documents mentioned, torque is monitored by monitoring the current of an electric motor loaded by such torque. Monitoring such motor current is of limited accuracy, especially when materials changing of low friction as e.g. Tungsten or Titanium Nitride are to be polished, more generically only small frictional changes during the polishing process. Additionally, accuracy of this approach is significantly affected by the fact that small changes or large signals have to be monitored, which leads to significant Signal to Noise problems.
Nevertheless, the present invention does reside on the generic approach of monitoring torque loading of such transmission shaft, the rotation of which at least contributing to the relative polishing movement between workpiece to be polished and a polishing surface.
Under this aspect there is known from the U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,846 to monitor the angle of torsion along a predetermined axial extent of such shaft due by the torque loading. Without teaching how to realize it is proposed to directly mount on or in the shaft a sensor detecting such deformation. More explicitly this document teaches to apply coaxial rings of reflective portions spaced in axial direction at the outer surface of the shaft and to measure the torque-dependent difference of angle torsion at the respective axially spaced loci by monitoring phase difference of laser beam reflection at the portions of the rings.
This approach suffers nevertheless from a severe drawback. For each transmission shaft a tedious calibration is required and very accurate mount of the reflector rings.
It is an object of the present invention to remedy such drawback and to propose an improved method for manufacturing a plate-like workpiece making use of surface polishing. This object is reached according to the present invention by the method for manufacturing a workpiece which comprises the steps of
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- providing a substrate which has a substantially flat surface
- removing material from said surface by moving the surface of the substrate relative to, on and along a polishing surface, wherein
- the relative moving includes a rotation about an axis by a selected transmission shaft which is motor-driven in a predetermined manner;
- there is provided along the transmission shaft a transducer shaft section which has a predetermined torque to specific torsion angle characteristic, which characteristic of the section being independent of torque to torsion angle specific characteristic of the transmission shaft;
- monitoring a torsion angle at the section as a torque indicative signal;
- controlling removing in dependency of the torque indicative signal and
- manufacturing the workpiece from the substrate having material removed by said removing.
Definition
We understand by the term “specific angle of torsion” the angle of torsion per unit of axial extent of the shaft or shaft section.
Thus, the present intention departs from the recognition that the torque to torsion angle characteristic as exploited in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,846 varies with varying cross-section of the transmission shaft as well as with the material thereof, further with operating time of such shaft and respective material fatigue. This makes in fact calibration necessary for every specific transmission shaft before processing.
According to the present invention this problem is resolved generically by applying along the transmission shaft a preferably exchangeable shaft section, whereat the addressed characteristic is independent of the characteristic of the transmission shaft and thus of its cross-sectional area, of its material and of its fatigue status. Thereby, it becomes possible to apply one and the same transducer shaft section to different shafts, e.g. of different material, different cross-sections and/or fatigue status without any need of recalibrating for accurate torque monitoring by torsion angle detection. The addressed transducer shaft section is tailored on one hand for optimum compromise of angle detection accuracy and mechanical stability to torque loading and to axial force loading.
Although it is possible not to apply to the transmission shaft the workpiece to be polished but the polishing pad, in a preferred embodiment the substrate or workpiece to be polished is carried and rotated by the transducer shaft.
In spite of the fact that, generically, the manufacturing method according to the present invention may be applied for monitoring polishing or, more generically, a material removal progress, as long as such progress varies the torque loading the transmission shaft, in a most preferred embodiment the method according to the present invention is applied where the substrate has at least one material interface between two different materials and substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate, whereby by monitoring the addressed deformation, i.e. angle of torsion, one monitors when material removing reaches such interface. Thus, a more generalized “endpoint” detection is realized. Reaching the interface is detected as endpoint of removing the first material and as an indication as to where the removal process stands. With this information removing is controlled dependent on the application of the polishing process. Removing may e.g. go on, e.g. transiting from a situation according to
In a further most preferred embodiment the deformation—torsion angle—is monitored by monitoring strain along the transducer section. Thereby, in a most preferred embodiment strain is monitored by means of the strain sensor arrangement which is mounted to the transducer section and which generates an electric output signal. With an eye on the optical phase-shift measurements according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,846, providing according to the present invention a dedicated transducer shaft section as outlined above, allows providing a sophisticated electronic sensor arrangement generating directly an electric output signal to such section, because one and the same transducer section is most flexibly applicable to different transmission shafts for different machining requirements.
Thus, a further most preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention is economically feasible, namely transmitting a signal which is dependent on the output signal of the sensor arrangement from the rotating transducer section to a system which is stationary with respect to the transducer section and thereby performing analogue to digital signal conversion of a signal dependent on the sensor output signal before performing the addressed transmission. Thereby, possibly after preamplification, filtering etc. the analogue output signal of the sensor arrangement is digitized before the critical signal transmission from moving shaft to stationary system is performed. Any signal distortion due to such transmission may easily be restored at the stationary system side due to the fact that the transmitted signal is digitalized.
In a still further preferred embodiment at least a part of the transmission shaft or possibly the entire transmission shaft is provided with a hollow inner space. The section is also provided with a hollow inner space. Both hollow spaces are brought in communication. A signal which is dependent on the output signal of the sensor arrangement is led toward the stationary system via the hollow spaces e.g. by having electrical or optical leads from the sensor arrangement running along these hollow spaces.
The same hollow shaft technique is preferably used for electric power supply to the sensor arrangement, whereby in a less preferred embodiment it is possible to electrically supply such sensor arrangement by a battery or accumulator arrangement integrated into the transducer shaft section or even in a hollow space within the neighboring transmission shaft.
In spite of the fact that it is absolutely possible to transmit a signal which is dependent on the output signal of the sensor arrangement wirelessly to the system stationary with respect to the transducer shaft section, it has turned out that in a most preferred embodiment such signal transmission is performed via a rotating slide contact arrangement. This is especially true if such signal to be transmitted has already been digitalized. Thereby, such slide contact arrangement is further preferably realized with at least two independent sliding contact arrangements forming redundant transmission paths for the measuring signal to be transmitted from rotary to stationary system.
In view of the fact that the addressed and inventively applied transducer shaft section has a significantly shorter axial extent than the transmission shaft and that the transmission shaft and the transducer shaft section are loaded by the same axial force F as of
Further, in a most preferred embodiment, the workpiece being manufactured by the method according to the present invention is a semiconductor workpiece, thereby preferably a Low-Scale or Ultra-Low-Scale Integrated microelectronic workpiece. Further preferred, the addressed material removal is performed by CMP, thereby applying a slurry to the polishing surface.
A torque transducer module especially suited for realizing the method of manufacturing according to the present invention comprises a body which extends along a central axis and which has two end portions. Each of the end portions is a part of an axial mount for a respective part to be axially mounted thereto. The module further comprises a strain gage sensor arrangement with at least one electric output. The module allows flexible mount to one end face of the transmission shaft as was described, the other end portion of the module being mounted to a substrate carrier or possibly a polishing table. Alternatively, the transducer module according to the present invention is mounted on both sides to respective parts of the transmission shaft.
Due to the fact that a strain gage sensor arrangement with an electric output is integrated in the module a most compact, self-contained concept for torque monitoring is provided, which may flexibly be mounted to rotating shafts for a polishing process being loaded by a torque which varies in dependency of polishing conditions as was already explained.
Preferred embodiments of the torque transducer module according to the present invention are further claimed in the claims 17 to 23.
A mechanical surface machining, especially polishing or grinding apparatus according to the present invention comprises a rotatable transmission shaft which is coupled to a drive. It further comprises a torque transducer module—preferable as has been addressed above—which module has a body and two end portions. At least one of the end portions of the transducer module is mounted to a respective end portion of the transmission shaft. The module has further a strain gage sensor arrangement with at least one electric output.
At the apparatus according to the present invention the transmission shaft and at least a part of the body of the torque transducer module are hollow. Electrical leads are provided in and along the hollow shaft and the hollow body and are operationally connected to the sensor arrangement. Further preferred embodiments of the polishing apparatus according to the present invention are specified in dependent claims 25 to 27.
The present invention further provides for a method for monitoring the load presented by a material on a rotating shaft which is in intimate contact with the material, whereby there is provided along the shaft a shaft section which has a predetermined torque/deformation characteristic. The torque/deformation characteristic of the section is independent of torque/deformation characteristic of the shaft. Deformation of the shaft section is monitored as a load indicative signal.
The present invention under the aspect of method for manufacturing, torque transducer module and polishing apparatus is additionally exemplified in the following description with the help of further figures.
The further figures show by way of examples:
In
The shaft arrangement 36 comprises a transmission shaft 39. In the embodiment of
Due to rotation of the surface 32 on and along polishing surface 34 the shaft arrangement 36 experiences a loading torque T. This torque T causes, as perfectly known to the skilled artisan, the shaft arrangement 36 to be twisted by a torsion angle. Per unit of axial extent, the shaft arrangement is twisted by the specific torsion angle φ, which latter is dependent on material, shape and dimension of the shaft arrangement at an axial locus considered. If we consider a slice 37 of thickness “1” of the shaft arrangement 36 at locus x37, it is the material of this slice 37 and the cross-section shape and dimension of that slice which govern the angle φ39 at a specific value of torque T.
Assuming that the transmission shaft 39 has a constant cross-section Q along the axis A36 and material does not change along that axis A36 the transmission shaft 39 has a characteristic of φ39(T), e.g. as qualitatively exemplified in
Whereas the transmission shaft 39 is conceived for standing the loading torque T, the axial force F and to provide by its axial extent L transmission-coupling from drive M to table 38, the transducer shaft section 40 of significantly smaller axial extent l<<L has in fact one task, namely to provide for a steep dφ40/dT-slope. It just must stand force F, but its short extent l results in negligible problems of bending.
The φ40(T) Characteristics at the section 40 is selectively tailored by respective selection of material and/or cross-sectional shape. The characteristic φ40(T) will not change when the transducer section, now as a flexibly applicable module, is applied to different transmission shafts 39 with different φ39(T) characteristics.
As shown in
As by signal A42 real-time monitoring of φ40 as a torque indicative entity is realized, which torque is indicative of the instantaneously prevailing characteristic of the polishing process, the unit 44 may be conceived with a difference forming unit 45. One input thereof is operationally connected to the output of sensor arrangement 42, the second to a setting unit 46 for a desired value of angle φ40 and thus of torque. The output of unit 45 is operationally connected to at least one control input of a unit 48, which adjusts the polishing process. Unit 48 may comprise at least one of motor drive M, force F generating unit 48a, slurry composition or flow control unit 48b. Thus a negative feedback control loop for the polishing process is realized whereat the signal A42 is the measured value and the parameter set at unit 46 is the desired torque-indicative value φ40W(TW).
In an open loop control manner, e.g. when A42 shall just be indicative of reaching a material interface (endpoint detection) the control unit 45 disables the polishing process, when A42 experiences e.g. a predetermined, preset time derivative as shown in dashed lines in
Although the surface of the substrate to be polished could possibly be provided instead of polishing surface 34 of
In
As shown in
There is provided a recess 56 in the base body 52, preferably at the outside surface of body 52 and in a most preferred form, as shown in
Within recess 56 the sensor arrangement 60 is mounted, preferably comprising strain gages affixed to the outer cylindrical surface of base body 52. The electric output signal as schematically shown at an electric output A60 of the strain gage sensor arrangement 60 is operationally connected, possibly via a filtering and/or preamplifier stage (not shown), to the analogue input of an analogue to digital converter unit 62. Thus, the sensing and signal processing electronics are mounted to the base body 52, as shown in
The cover 64 is preferably made of a metal shielding electromagnetic disturbances from the industrial surrounding.
The output A62 of the analogue to digital converter unit 62 is preferably fed through the wall of base body 52 into hollow inner space 7052 of body 52. The output signal of the sensing electronics, preferably in digitized form, is led via a conductor lead 72 along hollow space 7052, then along a hollow space 7039 of transmission shaft 39 to an end portion 73 of shaft 39.
As schematically shown in
By the fact that on one hand the analogue output signal of the sensor arrangement or a signal dependent therefrom is first converted to digital form, dealing with that signal is significantly simplified in view of introducing noise and distortions and allows the addressed transmission of this signal by friction contact from the dynamic rotary system to the stationary system. Providing redundancy by at least double-parallel transmission reduces transmission resistance and additionally improves uninterrupted signal transmission.
The electronic in recess 56 is supplied with electric energy preferably via the arrangement 78 as shown in the figure.
It must be emphasized that instead of the preferred rolling contact arrangement, as realized by the balls 84, a mere sliding system for signal transmission may be provided where contact between the rims 80 and 82 is established in a sliding rather than in a rolling manner.
In
With a transducer module substantially as has been exemplified with the help of
- Φ50: 26.54 mm
- Φ51, inner diameter: 22.54 mm
- Shaft Diameter Φ39: 46.99 mm
Both the shaft 39 as well as the base body 52 of the transducer module were made from hardened high-grade steel.
As sensor arrangement, exemplified by reference Nr. 60 in
The transducer module may further be implemented in the shaft driving the workpiece to be machined e.g. polished or in the shaft driving the machining table e.g. with the polishing pad. In a further embodiment one transducer module is implemented in the shaft driving the workpiece, one transducer module is implemented in the shaft driving the machining table.
The shaft driving the workpiece is rotating or rotatingly oscillating whereas the machining pad may rotate or may be moved linearly possibly in an oscillating manner. Further the sensing arrangement 60 may be mounted to the outer surface of the transducer module as shown in
Still further the signal transmission arrangement—between rotating system and stationary system as exemplified in
Then the torque remains substantially constant up to second material interface IB, which is reached at time tIB. Here again sharp slopes in torque and its derivative indicate very accurately reaching the second material interface IB. Both torque slopes at the respective material interfaces may accurately be exploited as machining endpoints.
As may be seen in
With the method, the module and the apparatus according to the present invention, it becomes possible to most accurately monitor the torque applied to a transmission shaft and especially for most accurate controlling polishing operation, especially CMP. Due to the exchangeability of the addressed transducer module calibration efforts are minimized and interruption of a manufacturing process is minimized. Whenever a transducer module is recognized causing problems, such module may quickly be exchanged.
Claims
1. A method for manufacturing a workpiece comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate having a substantially flat surface;
- removing material from said surface by moving said surface of said substrate relative to on and along a polishing surface;
- said moving including a rotation about an axis by a shaft driven in a predetermined manner;
- providing along said shaft a shaft section having a predetermined torque/deformation characteristic, said characteristic of said section being independent of torque/deformation characteristic of said shaft;
- monitoring deformation of said shaft section as a torque indicative signal;
- controlling said removing in dependency of said torque indicative signal;
- manufacturing said workpiece from said substrate having said material removed.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said shaft carries at one end thereof said substrate.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate has at least one material interface between two different materials and substantially parallel to said surface, thereby monitoring when said removing reaches said interface by said monitoring of said deformation.
4. The method of claim 3, said controlling comprising disabling said removing when reaching said interface is detected.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring said deformation by monitoring strain along said section.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising monitoring said strain by means of a strain sensor arrangement mounted to said section and generating an electric output signal.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a signal dependent on said output signal from said rotating section to a system which is stationary with respect to said section and performing analogue to digital signal conversion of a signal dependent on said output signal before performing said transmitting.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least a part of said shaft with a first hollow inner space and providing at least a part of said section with a second hollow inner space, said first and second hollow inner spaces being in communication, monitoring said deformation with a sensor arrangement mounted on said section and generating an electric output signal and transmitting a signal dependent on said output signal to a system stationary with respect to said rotating section through said first and second hollow spaces being in communication.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least a part said shaft with a first hollow inner space and providing at least a part of said section with a second hollow inner space, said first and second hollow spaces being in communication, monitoring said deformation by a sensor arrangement mounted on said section and providing electric supply to said sensor arrangement via said first and second hollow spaces in communication.
10. The method of claim 1, comprising monitoring said deformation by means of a sensor arrangement mounted on said section and generating an electric output signal, transmitting a signal dependent from said electric output signal from said rotating section to a system stationary with respect to said section via a slide contact arrangement.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing said transmitting via at least two independent sliding contact arrangements.
12. The method of claim 1, said shaft having an outer diameter, further comprising providing said section with an outer diameter smaller than said diameter of said shaft.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein said workpiece is a semiconductor workpiece.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein said workpiece is a low-scale or ultra-low-scale integrated microelectronic workpiece.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing said removal by chemical mechanical polishing, thereby applying a slurry to said polishing surface.
16. A torque transducer module comprising a body extending along a central axis and having two end portions, each of said end portions being a part of an axial mount for a respective part to be axially mounted thereto, a strain gage sensor arrangement with at least one electric output.
17. The transducer module of claim 16, further comprising at least one recess along said body, said sensor arrangement being mounted within said recess.
18. The module of claim 17, wherein said recess is defined between said two end portions.
19. The module of claim 16, said body being cylindrical with respect to said axis, said end portion being substantially cylindrical rims projecting from said body, said end portions and said body forming a cylindrical part substantially of I-shape in an axial cross-section with a reduced diameter cylindrical recess.
20. The module of claim 16, wherein said strain gage sensor arrangement is mounted within a recess in the outer surface of said body and further comprising a removable cover for said recess.
21. The module of claim 16, further comprising an analogue to digital converter arrangement with an input operationally connected to said at least one electric output.
22. The module of claim 16, further comprising an axially extending hollow space open at at least one of said end portions.
23. The module of claim 22, further comprising electrical leads in said hollow space being at least one of power supply leads for said sensor arrangement and of signal transmission leads operationally connected to said electric output of said sensor arrangement.
24. A mechanical surface machining apparatus, especially polishing or grinding apparatus, comprising a rotatable transmission shaft coupled to a drive, a torque transducer module with a body and two end portions, at least one of said transmission shaft, of said end portions being mounted to an end portion, said module having a strain gage sensor arrangement with at least one electric output, said transmission shaft and at least a part of said body being hollow, electrical leads in said hollow shaft and said hollow body operationally connected to said sensor arrangement.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said transducer module is a transducer module comprising a body extending along a central axis and having two end portions, each of said end portions being a part of an axial mount for a respective part to be axially mounted thereto, a strain gage sensor arrangement with at least one electric output.
26. The apparatus of claims 24, further comprising a slip-ring contact arrangement between said shaft and a part of said apparatus stationary with respect to said rotatable transmission shaft, said electric leads being operationally connected to said slip-ring contact arrangement.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein at least one of said leads is operationally connected to at least two independent slip-ring contact arrangements for redundant signal transmission between said shaft and said part.
28. A method for monitoring the load presented by a material on a rotating shaft in intimate contact with said material comprising:
- providing along said shaft a shaft section having a predetermined torque/deformation characteristic, said characteristic of said section being independent of torque/deformation characteristic of said shaft;
- monitoring deformation of said shaft section as a load indicative signal.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 4, 2004
Publication Date: Sep 8, 2005
Inventors: Leping Li (Poughkeepsie, NY), Werner Moser (Gebertingen), Yingru Gu (Hyde Park, NY)
Application Number: 10/791,828