Polishing apparatus, polishing head, and retainer ring
AssigneeEbara Corporation
InventorsHozumi Yasuda, Makoto Fukushima, Osamu Nabeya
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A polishing apparatus which can allow easy replacement of a retainer ring and can allow the retainer ring to be secured to a drive ring without causing deformation of the retainer ring is disclosed. The polishing head includes a head body having a substrate contact surface, a drive ring coupled to the head body, and a retainer ring surrounding the substrate contact surface and coupled to the drive ring. A first screw thread is formed on the drive ring, a second screw thread, which engages with the first screw thread, is formed on the retainer ring. The second screw thread extends in a circumferential direction of the retainer ring.
Claims29
A polishing apparatus comprising:
- a polishing table for supporting a polishing pad;
- a polishing head for pressing a substrate against the polishing pad;
- and
- a head motor for rotating the polishing head,
- wherein the polishing head includes:
- a head body having a substrate contact surface;
- a drive ring coupled to the head body;
- and
- a retainer ring surrounding the substrate contact surface and coupled to the drive ring,
- a first screw thread is formed on the drive ring,
- a second screw thread, which engages with the first screw thread, is formed on the retainer ring, and
- the second screw thread extends in a circumferential direction of the retainer ring;
- and wherein:
- the drive ring includes an annular drive ring body and an annular protrusion which protrudes downwardly from a lower surface of the annular drive ring body;
- an annular recess, which houses the annular protrusion therein, is formed in an upper surface of the retainer ring;
- and
- the first screw thread is formed on a side surface of the annular protrusion, and the second screw thread is formed on a side surface of the annular recess.
A polishing apparatus, comprising:
- a polishing table for supporting a polishing pad;
- a polishing head for pressing a substrate against the polishing pad;
- and
- a head motor for rotating the polishing head,
- wherein the polishing head includes:
- a head body having a substrate contact surface;
- a drive ring coupled to the head body;
- and
- a retainer ring surrounding the substrate contact surface and coupled to the drive ring,
- a first screw thread is formed on the drive ring,
- a second screw thread, which engages with the first screw thread, is formed on the retainer ring, and
- the second screw thread extends in a circumferential direction of the retainer ring;
- and wherein:
- the retainer ring includes an annular retainer ring body and an annular protrusion which protrudes upwardly from an upper surface of the annular retainer ring body;
- an annular recess, which houses the annular protrusion therein, is formed in a lower surface of the drive ring;
- and
- the first screw thread is formed on a side surface of the annular recess, and the second screw thread is formed on a side surface of the annular protrusion.
A polishing head, comprising:
- a head body having a substrate contact surface;
- a drive ring coupled to the head body;
- and
- a retainer ring surrounding the substrate contact surface and coupled to the drive ring,
- wherein a first screw thread is formed on the drive ring,
- a second screw thread, which engages with the first screw thread, is formed on the retainer ring, and
- the second screw thread extends in a circumferential direction of the retainer ring;
- and wherein:
- the drive ring includes an annular drive ring body and an annular protrusion which protrudes downwardly from a lower surface of the annular drive ring body;
- an annular recess, which houses the annular protrusion therein, is formed in an upper surface of the retainer ring;
- and
- the first screw thread is formed on a side surface of the annular protrusion, and the second screw thread is formed on a side surface of the annular recess.
A polishing head, comprising:
- a head body having a substrate contact surface;
- a drive ring coupled to the head body;
- and
- a retainer ring surrounding the substrate contact surface and coupled to the drive ring,
- wherein a first screw thread is formed on the drive ring,
- a second screw thread, which engages with the first screw thread, is formed on the retainer ring, and
- the second screw thread extends in a circumferential direction of the retainer ring;
- and wherein:
- the retainer ring includes an annular retainer ring body and an annular protrusion which protrudes upwardly from an upper surface of the annular retainer ring body;
- an annular recess, which houses the annular protrusion therein, is formed in a lower surface of the drive ring;
- and
- the first screw thread is formed on a side surface of the annular recess, and the second screw thread is formed on a side surface of the annular protrusion.
A retainer ring for use in a polishing head which includes a head body having a substrate contact surface and a drive ring coupled to the head body, the retainer ring comprising:
- a second screw thread which can engage with a first screw thread formed on the drive ring, the second screw thread extending in a circumferential direction of the retainer ring, wherein an annular recess is formed in an upper surface of the retainer ring, and the second screw thread is formed on a side surface of the annular recess.
The retainer ring for use in a polishing head which includes a head body having a substrate contact surface and a drive ring coupled to the head body, the retainer ring comprising:
- a second screw thread which can engage with a first screw thread formed on the drive ring, the second screw thread extending in a circumferential direction of the retainer ring;
- an annular retainer ring body;
- and
- an annular protrusion which protrudes upwardly from an upper surface of the annular retainer ring body, the second screw thread being formed on a side surface of the annular protrusion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.