Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad used in chemical mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers is described. The apparatus includes a non-rotatable conditioning member configured to engage the polishing pad. The conditioning member includes a primary edge opposed to a secondary edge. The method includes providing a non-rotatable conditioning member configured to engage the polishing pad. The conditioning member includes a primary edge opposed to a secondary edge, wherein the primary edge and the secondary edge are both in contact with the polishing pad, and wherein the primary edge is generally parallel to the secondary edge. The method also includes moving the polishing pad in a forward direction, and pressing the conditioning member against the polishing pad.

Abstract: A system (100) and method for polishing and planarizing a substrate (105) is provided that reduces non-uniformities in the removal of material from the edge of the substrate due to a rebound effect. In one embodiment system (100) includes a polishing head (140) having a carrier (155), a subcarrier (160) carried by the carrier and adapted to hold the substrate during a polishing operation, and a retaining ring (170) having an inner edge (220) disposed about the subcarrier. A lower surface (210) of the retaining ring (170) is in contact with a polishing surface (125) during the polishing operation, and has at least one annular recess (215) formed therein to enable the polishing surface compressed under the retaining ring to rebound into the annular recess, thereby reducing the rebound effect and inhibiting non-planar polishing of the surface of the substrate (105).

Abstract: To provide a method having stable high polishing efficiency in the CMP of an LSI wafer and means for reducing the amount of use of consumable items such as a polishing liquid and a pad, an electric field is applied to the abrasive grains on a pad to attract the abrasive grains into a diffusion layer in the polishing liquid solvent near the surface of the pad, thereby holding the abrasive grains in the diffusion layer.

Abstract: A sweeping slurry dispensing device for use in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus for the uniform distribution of a slurry solution on top of a polishing pad is described. The sweeping slurry dispensing device consists of a drive wheel, a dispenser wheel, a push arm, a motor means and a slurry dispensing nozzle. A first end of the push arm is pivotally attached to the outer periphery of the dispenser wheel while a distal second end equipped with a roller for rollingly engaging in outer surface of the oval-shaped drive wheel. The slurry dispensing nozzle is attached to a bottom surface of the drive wheel for dispensing the slurry solution in an arcuate path when the dispenser wheel is turned by the drive wheel.

Abstract: An interlocking polishing belt apparatus is disclosed. The interlocking polishing belt apparatus includes an interlocking belt, which includes a plurality of studs each having an upper stud end and a lower stud end. In addition, the interlocking polishing belt apparatus includes a polishing belt that is in contact with the interlocking belt. The polishing belt has a plurality of polishing belt stud holes, each configured to interlock with an upper stud end.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a fixed abrasive tool in which fine abrasive grains are uniformly dispersed and fixed, supply systems for processing liquids each containing an oxidizing agent, an organic acid, an inhibitor and purified water, and a sizing dresser capable of dressing the surface of the fixed abrasive tool at a constant size, and adapted to flow a processing liquid for polishing copper at a higher speed in the initial stage of processing, change the polishing liquid to another polishing liquid capable of polishing copper and barrier film substantially at an identical speed just before or just after the exposure of the barrier film and conduct conditioning during processing by driving the sizing dresser, the polishing method and the polishing apparatus enabling to decrease the cost in the existent CMP for planarization of copper wirings requiring two or more steps of CMP, as well as enabling to reduce dishing or erosion resulting in recesses for the wiring shape after planarization, which decrease the s

Abstract: An method and apparatus for forming wafers of varying thickness'. The apparatus includes a template. The template is formed of a main disk including a plurality of cavities extending into a first side thereof and a backing plate positioned on a side of the main disk opposite the first side. Holding disks are moistened and positioned within respective cavities for releasably securing a wafer in the cavity. When the template is releasably secured to and rotatable with a rotating head and positioned such that the first side faces a lapping and polishing surface, wafers received by the cavities are lapped and polished upon rotation of the rotating head. A plurality of shims are selectively received within respective cavities between a base of the cavity and the holding disk for adjusting a depth of the cavity thereby adjusting an amount of a wafer to be lapped and polished. The shims have varying thickness' and are color coated, each color being representative of a predetermined thickness for the shim.

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 method of planarizing a wafer surface of a semiconductor wafer having an elevated portion extending therefrom is described. The method includes the step of positioning a fluid flow surface relative to the wafer surface so that (i) a space is defined between the wafer surface and the fluid flow surface, and (ii) the elevated portion of the semiconductor wafer is positioned in the space. The method also includes the step of advancing a fluid within the space so that the fluid contacts and erodes the elevated portion of the semiconductor wafer. An associated apparatus for planarizing a wafer surface of a semiconductor wafer having an elevated portion extending therefrom is also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, a planarizing pad for mechanical or chemical-mechanical planarization includes a base section and a plurality of embedded sections. The base section has a planarizing surface, and the base section is composed of a first material. The embedded sections are arranged in a desired pattern of voids, and each embedded section has a top surface below the planarizing surface to define a plurality of voids in the base section. The embedded sections are composed of a second material that is selectively removable from the first material. A planarizing pad in accordance with an embodiment of the invention can be made by constructing the embedded sections in the base section and then removing a portion of the embedded sections from the base section. By removing only a portion of the embedded sections, this procedure creates the plurality of voids in the base section and leaves the remaining portions of the embedded sections.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers, field emission displays and other microelectronic substrate assemblies. One method of planarizing a microelectronic substrate assembly in accordance with the invention includes pressing a substrate assembly against a planarizing surface of a polishing pad at a pad/substrate interface defined by a surface area of the substrate assembly contacting the planarizing surface. The method continues by moving the substrate assembly and/or the polishing pad with respect to the other to rub at least one of the substrate assembly and the planarizing surface against the other at a relative velocity. As the substrate assembly and polishing pad rub against each other, a parameter indicative of drag force between the substrate assembly and the polishing pad is measured or sensed at periodic intervals. The measured drag force can be used to generate a plot of work versus time.

Abstract: Detection of the endpoint for removal of a target film overlying a stopping film by removing the target film with a process that selectively generates a chemical reaction product (for example ammonia when polishing a wafer with a nitride film in a slurry containing KOH) with one of the stopping film and the target film, converting the chemical reaction product to a separate product, producing excited molecules from the separate product, and monitoring the level of light emitted from the excited molecules as the target film is removed.

Abstract: A improved dresser for dressing a polishing surface, easily be manufactured such that an object to be polished is not scratched when the object is polished. The dresser can dress the polishing surface of a polishing apparatus to effect surface correction and to correct a time-lapse change due to a polishing operation, a number of spired projections are formed on a surface of a metallic substrate and a wear-resistant hard film is formed on at least a portion of the surface of the metallic substrate on which the projections are formed.

Abstract: Detection of the endpoint for removal of a target film overlying a stopping film by removing the target film with a process that selectively generates a chemical reaction product (for example, ammonia when polishing a wafer with a nitride film in a slurry containing KOH) with either the target or stopping film, and monitoring the level of chemical reaction product as the target film is removed. The reaction product is extracted as a gas from the slurry and monitored using a threshold photoionization mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for releasably attaching a polishing pad to a support surface under the polishing pad. In one embodiment of the invention, a polishing pad has a first surface for planarizing a substrate assembly, a second surface contacting the support surface, and an interlocking element. The support surface has a retaining member configured to engage the interlocking element on the polishing pad. The interlocking element and retaining member can be any one of several configurations, including: tongue and groove, protuberance and depression, reciprocal elongated ridges, or teeth.

Abstract: Planarizing machines and methods for selectively using abrasive slurries on fixed-abrasive planarizing pads in mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic substrate assemblies. In one embodiment of a method in accordance with the invention, a microelectronic substrate is planarized by positioning a fixed-abrasive planarizing pad on a table of a planarizing machine, covering at least a portion of a planarizing surface on the pad with a first abrasive planarizing solution during a first stage of a planarizing cycle, and then adjusting a concentration of the abrasive particles on the planarizing surface at a second stage of the planarizing cycle after the first stage. The concentration of the second abrasive particles can be adjusted during the second stage of the planarizing cycle by coating the planarizing surface with a non-abrasive second planarizing solution without abrasive particles during the second stage.

Abstract: Systems and methods to remove a first material located on a top surface of a workpiece are presented according to one aspect of the present invention. According to an exemplary method, the pad including a second material is positioned proximate to the workpiece so that a front surface of the pad contacts an exposed surface of the first material. The front surface of the pad is mechanically moved against the exposed surface of the first material to initiate a chemical reaction between the first material and the second material that yields a reaction product. The reaction product may be removed by using a chemical solution, by using the mechanical movement of the pad against the exposed surface of the first material or both.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wafer polishing apparatus provided with a platen on the surface of which a polishing pad is affixed, and a wafer holding head for allowing one face of a wafer to contact the polishing pad by holding the wafer to be polished, the wafer being polished by a relative motion between the wafer holding head and the platen, wherein a dress ring is provided with an abrasive grain layer at the lower part at the outside of the wafer holding head so as to be rotatable while being in contact with the surface of the polishing pad.