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US 12,642,056 B2Granted
Systems and methods for suction pad assemblies
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsYu-Hsiang Chao, Chi-Ping Lei
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Abstract
A method and system includes: a pad comprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the first side is configured to receive a wafer during chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), and a platen adjacent the pad along the second side, wherein the platen comprises a suction opening that interfaces with the second side; a pump configured to produce suction at the suction opening to adhere the second side to the platen; and a sensor configured to collect sensor data characterizing a uniformity of adherence between the pad and the platen, wherein the pump is configured to produce the suction at the suction opening based on the sensor data.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- disposing a pad on a platen,
- wherein the platen comprises a plurality of suction openings that interface with the pad,
- wherein a first subset of the plurality of suction openings are formed in a first ring on the platen, and a second subset of the plurality of suction openings are formed in a second ring on the platen, the second ring being concentric with and internal to the first ring, and
- wherein each of the second subset of suction openings has a different cross-sectional area and a different shape than each of the first subset of suction openings;
- producing suction at the plurality of suction openings to adhere the pad on the platen;
- performing a chemical mechanical planarization process on the pad;
- detecting an abnormality at the pad or the platen during performance of the chemical mechanical planarization process,
- wherein detecting the abnormality comprises sensing insufficient suction force at a particular suction opening of the plurality of suction openings;
- and
- stopping the chemical mechanical planarization process based on the abnormality being detected.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a pad,
- wherein the pad comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and
- wherein the first side is configured to receive a wafer during chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process;
- providing a platen to the pad along the second side,
- wherein the platen comprises a plurality of suction openings that interface with the second side,
- wherein a first subset of the plurality of suction openings are formed in a first ring on the platen, and a second subset of the plurality of suction openings are formed in a second ring on the platen, the second ring being concentric with and internal to the first ring, and
- wherein each of the second subset of suction openings has a different cross-sectional area and a different shape than each of the first subset of suction openings;
- producing, via a pump coupled to at least one of the plurality of suction openings, suction at the at least one of the plurality of suction openings to adhere the second side to the platen;
- performing a chemical mechanical planarization process on the pad;
- detecting an abnormality at the pad or the platen during performance of the chemical mechanical planarization process,
- wherein detecting the abnormality comprises sensing insufficient suction force at a particular suction opening of the at least one of the plurality of suction openings;
- and
- stopping the chemical mechanical planarization process based on the abnormality being detected.
10 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a pad configured to receive a wafer during a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process,
- wherein the pad comprises a first side configured receive the wafer and a second side opposite the first side;
- providing a platen adjacent to the pad,
- wherein the platen comprises a plurality of suction openings that interface with the second side of the pad,
- wherein a first subset of the plurality of suction openings are formed in a first ring on the platen, and a second subset of the plurality of suction openings are formed in a second ring on the platen, the second ring being concentric with and internal to the first ring, and
- wherein each of the second subset of suction openings has a different cross-sectional area and a different shape than each of the first subset of suction openings;
- producing, via a first pump, suction at at least one of the plurality of suction openings to adhere the second side of the pad to the platen;
- collecting, via a first sensor, first sensor data characterizing a uniformity of adherence between the pad and the platen;
- detecting an abnormality at the pad or the platen during performance of the CMP process,
- wherein detecting the abnormality comprises sensing, via the first sensor, insufficient suction force at a particular suction opening of the at least one of the plurality of suction openings;
- and
- stopping the CMP process based on the abnormality being detected.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.