Semiconductor substrate holder for chemical-mechanical polishing containing a movable plate
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsMark Hollatz, Peter Lahnor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A substrate holder is described which has a movable plate elastically mounted inside a main body. With the substrate holder, a polishing operation can be performed in two basic operation modes corresponding to two different vertical end positions of the movable plate. In a first (downward) mode the movable plate stays in mechanical contact with the substrate whereas in a second (upward) mode an air cushion is generated in a chamber between the movable plate and the substrate for pressurizing the substrate onto the polishing pad.
Claims15
A semiconductor substrate holder for holding a semiconductor substrate to be polished by chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), the semiconductor substrate holder comprising:
- a main body for holding the semiconductor substrate in a predetermined position relative to said main body, said main body having a base plate and a ring-shaped elevation with an inner wall extending from said base plate;
- a pressurizing device for pressurizing the semiconductor substrate from inside said ring-shaped elevation towards an underlying polishing pad, said pressurizing device having a movable plate disposed inside said ring-shaped elevation, said movable plate mounted to said main body such that said movable plate being movable in a direction toward and away from the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- a support member disposed on a portion of said inner wall of said ring-shaped elevation, said support member having a support surface for supporting the semiconductor substrate.
An apparatus for polishing a semiconductor substrate by chemical-mechanical polishing, the apparatus comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate holder containing:
- a main body for holding the semiconductor substrate in a predetermined position relative to said main body, said main body having a base plate and a ring-shaped elevation with an inner wall extending from said base plate;
- a pressurizing device for pressurizing the semiconductor substrate from inside said ring-shaped elevation towards an underlying polishing pad, said pressurizing device having a movable plate disposed inside said ring-shaped elevation, said movable plate mounted to said main body such that said movable plate being movable in a direction toward and away from the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- a support member disposed on a portion of said inner wall of said ring-shaped elevation, said support member having a support surface for supporting the semiconductor substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.