# US 11,027,394 B2 · Load cup and chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method of manufacturing including the same

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- Number: US 11,027,394 B2
- Document ID: US11027394B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/022,166
- Filed: 2018-06-28
- Published: 2019-06-13
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-13
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Jieun Yang; Dong-il Yoon; Taemin Earmme; Gui Hyun Cho; Seok Heo; Jong Hwi Seo; Yong Won Choi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027394B2

## CPC

- B24B 37/345: {Feeding, loading or unloading work specially adapted to lapping}
- B24B 37/005: Control means for lapping machines or devices
- H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers}
- H10P 72/7618: {characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel}
- H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support}
- H10P 72/7626: {characterised by the construction of the shaft}
- B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Provided is a load cup including a cup having an internal space, a pedestal provided in the internal space, able to be lifted up and down, and loading a wafer onto or unloading a wafer from a polishing head, and a plurality of arrangement parts having a plurality of fastening portions disposed around the pedestal, and moved horizontally in a direction of a center of the pedestal, and arrangement part bodies coupled to the plurality of fastening portions, respectively, and rotated or reciprocated so as to contact a lateral surface of the polishing head, adjusting a center of the wafer to be aligned with a center of the polishing head. A polishing process may then be performed on a layer formed on the wafer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
receiving a semiconductor wafer on a pedestal in a cup having an internal space, wherein:
the pedestal is provided in the internal space, and is configured to be lifted up and lowered down, and
a plurality of arrangement parts having a plurality of respective base portions and a plurality of respective arrangement part bodies coupled thereto are disposed around the pedestal;
lowering the pedestal within the cup so that the wafer is disposed between wafer fixation portions of the arrangement part bodies;
lowering a polishing head into the cup so that at least part of the polishing head is disposed between polishing head connection portions of the arrangement part bodies;
moving each of the plurality of arrangement parts horizontally in a direction toward a center of the pedestal, wherein as a result of the moving, the arrangement part bodies are rotated or reciprocated so as to contact a lateral surface of the polishing head, thereby adjusting a center of the wafer to be aligned with a center of the polishing head;
picking up the wafer with the polishing head; and
performing a polishing process on a layer formed on the wafer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
driving parts disposed below the plurality of arrangement parts, respectively; and
using the driving parts to move the plurality of base portions horizontally, respectively, in the direction toward the center of the pedestal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of arrangement parts comprise a first arrangement part including a first arrangement part body and a second arrangement part including a second arrangement part body, and the driving parts move the first arrangement part and the second arrangement part symmetrically toward a center of the pedestal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein as the first arrangement part and the second arrangement part are moved horizontally, the first arrangement part body and second arrangement part body rotate or reciprocate so that the lateral surface of the wafer contacts the wafer fixation portions of the first and second arrangement part bodies and the lateral surface of the polishing head contacts the polishing head connection portions of the first and second arrangement part bodies.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement part bodies are coupled to the plurality of base portions, respectively, by one of a ball bearing, a linear motion guide, a ball bush, and a spring.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of arrangement parts comprises:
a polishing head connection portion shaped to contact the lateral surface of the polishing head;
a sliding guide portion extending from the polishing head connection portion, and comprising an inclined surface; and
a wafer fixation portion extending from the sliding guide portion, and shaped to contact the lateral surface of the wafer so as to adjust an arrangement position of the wafer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein lowering the pedestal within the cup further includes:
causing the wafer to contact the sliding guide portion of at least one of the plurality of arrangement parts, thereby horizontally shifting the position of the wafer as the pedestal is lowered within the cup.

### Claim 8

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using chemical mechanical polishing, the method comprising:
providing a base part having a polishing pad and a load cup;
providing a polishing head,
wherein the load cup comprises:
a pedestal having a seating surface on which a wafer is seated,
a cup having the pedestal disposed therein, and
a plurality of arrangement parts disposed around the pedestal;
placing a wafer on the pedestal;
lowering the pedestal within the load cup;
moving the arrangement parts horizontally in a direction toward a center of the pedestal,
wherein as a result of the moving:
a polishing head connection portion of each arrangement part contacts a lateral surface of the polishing head,
a wafer fixation portion of each arrangement part contacts a lateral surface of the wafer, and
the wafer is aligned with the polishing head;
picking up the wafer with the polishing head; and
performing a polishing process on a layer formed on the wafer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising using driving parts disposed below the plurality of arrangement parts, respectively, to move the plurality of arrangement parts horizontally in the direction toward the center of the pedestal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein lowering the pedestal within the load cup further comprises:
shifting the wafer horizontally by a sliding guide portion of an arrangement part, the sliding guide portion extending from the polishing head connection portion of the arrangement part and comprising an inclined surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of arrangement parts comprises:
a fastening portion coupled to a respective driving part; and
an arrangement part body coupled to the fastening portion by a coupling member so as to enable a rotary or reciprocating motion, and having the wafer fixation portion, the sliding guide portion, and the polishing head connection portion sequentially disposed thereon.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method apparatus of claim 11, wherein the coupling member is one of a ball bearing, a linear motion guide, a ball bush, and a spring.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the arrangement part body comprises a plurality of regions divided in a circumferential direction of the wafer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of regions comprises the coupling member coupled to the fastening portion.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the polishing head connection portion has a curved surface corresponding to the lateral surface of the polishing head.

### Claim 16 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the wafer fixation portion has a curved surface corresponding to the lateral surface of the wafer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein prior to moving, the plurality of arrangement parts are disposed around the pedestal at equal intervals.

### Claim 18 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the polishing head and the wafer are aligned such that a center of the polishing head and a center of the wafer are superimposed.

### Claim 19

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a base part having a load cup, the load cup including a pedestal having a seating part for mounting a wafer and a cup in which the pedestal is received and having an upper surface with a through hole;
inserting a polishing head in the through hole;
providing a plurality of alignment parts having a plurality of respective fastening portions and a plurality of respective alignment part bodies disposed around the pedestal;
using a plurality of respective driving parts, moving the plurality of alignment parts horizontally in a direction toward a center of the pedestal;
rotating or reciprocating alignment part bodies coupled to the plurality of fastening portions, respectively, so as to contact a lateral surface of the polishing head, and adjust a center of the wafer to be aligned with a center of the polishing head;
picking up the wafer with the polishing head; and
performing a polishing process on a layer formed on the wafer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
spraying a cleaning fluid into the cup using a plurality of nozzles; and
removing the cleaning fluid through a hollow portion of a support part that supports the seating part.