Polishing fluid collection apparatus and methods related thereto

A polishing system, comprising:

• a rotatable polishing platen having a drainage basin at least partially disposed there beneath;
• a substrate carrier disposed above the polishing platen and facing there towards;
• and
• a polishing fluid catch basin assembly comprising a fluid catch basin sized to surround at least a portion of the polishing platen and to be spaced apart therefrom by a gap which allows the polishing platen to move relative thereto, the fluid catch basin comprising:
• an outer wall;
• a plurality of nozzles disposed through openings formed through the outer wall and facing inwardly therefrom;
• an inner wall disposed radially inward of the outer wall;
• and
• a base portion connecting the inner wall to the outer wall, wherein the outer wall, the inner wall, and the base portion collectively define a trough.

A method of polishing a substrate, comprising:

• dispensing a polishing fluid onto a surface of a polishing pad disposed on a polishing platen of a chemical mechanical polishing system;
• urging the substrate against the surface of the polishing pad while rotating the polishing platen;
• collecting the polishing fluid using a polishing fluid collection and reuse system, wherein
• the polishing fluid collection and reuse system comprises a fluid catch basin disposed about the polishing platen, the fluid catch basin having a ring shaped body comprising:
• an inner wall sized to circumscribe the polishing platen and spaced apart from the polishing platen by a gap to allow the polishing platen to move relative thereto;
• an outer wall circumscribing the inner wall;
• a base portion coupling the outer wall to the inner wall and forming a trough;
• and
• a plurality of vacuum nozzles disposed through the outer wall and facing inwardly therefrom,
• wherein at least some of the polishing fluid dispensed onto the polishing pad is collected in the trough of the fluid catch basin by the vacuum nozzles, and
• polishing fluid which is not collected into the fluid catch basin flows through the gap into a drainage basin disposed there beneath;
• and
• dispensing the polishing fluid collected using the polishing fluid collection and reuse system onto the surface of the polishing pad.