Multi-toothed, magnetically controlled retaining ring
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorBoguslaw A. Swedek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for polishing a substrate, and a retaining ring assembly therefor, are described herein. A retaining ring assembly is configured to be attached to a carrier head. The retaining ring assembly includes a retaining ring including a lower surface, an inner surface, an outer surface and a plurality of grooves, where the lower surface is configured to contact a polishing pad during a polishing process, and each of the plurality of grooves are formed in the lower surface and extend from the inner surface to the outer surface. The retaining ring assembly includes a plurality of retainers, each retainer including a movable tooth at least partially disposed in a respective groove of the retaining ring and moveable relative to the lower surface.
Claims16
A retaining ring assembly configured to be attached to a carrier head, the retaining ring assembly comprising:
- a retaining ring including a lower surface, an inner surface, an outer surface and a plurality of grooves, wherein the lower surface is configured to contact a polishing pad during a polishing process, and each of the plurality of grooves are formed in the lower surface and extend from the inner surface to the outer surface;
- and
- a plurality of retainers, each retainer including a movable tooth at least partially disposed in a respective groove of the retaining ring and moveable relative to the lower surface.
A system for polishing a substrate, comprising:
- a housing including a plurality of stationary magnets;
- a carrier head disposed adjacent to the housing;
- and
- a retaining ring assembly attached to the carrier head, the retaining ring assembly comprising:
- a retaining ring including a lower surface, an inner surface, an outer surface and a plurality of grooves, wherein the lower surface is configured to contact a polishing pad during a polishing process, and each of the plurality of grooves are formed in the lower surface and extend from the inner surface to the outer surface;
- a movable magnet disposed within a magnetic field of a first stationary magnet of the plurality of stationary magnets;
- and
- a movable tooth coupled to the movable magnet and disposed within a groove of the plurality of grooves.
A method for polishing a substrate, comprising:
- disposing the substrate in a polishing system, the polishing system comprising:
- a housing including a plurality of stationary magnets;
- a carrier head disposed adjacent to the housing;
- and
- a retaining ring assembly attached to the carrier head, the retaining ring assembly comprising:
- a retaining ring including a lower surface, an inner surface, an outer surface and a plurality of grooves, wherein the lower surface is configured to contact a polishing pad during a polishing process, and each of the plurality of grooves are formed in the lower surface and extend from the inner surface to the outer surface;
- a movable magnet;
- and
- a movable tooth coupled to the movable magnet and disposed within a groove of the plurality of grooves;
- rotating the carrier head to a first angular position relative to the housing, wherein the moveable tooth has a first vertical position when the carrier head is in the first angular position;
- and
- rotating the carrier head to a second angular position relative to the housing, wherein the second angular position is different from the first angular position, and wherein the moveable tooth moves to a second vertical position different from the first vertical position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.