Air platen for leading edge and trailing edge control
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsAnthony de la Llera, Xuyen Pham, Cangshan Xu, David Wei, Tony Luong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air platen assembly is described and includes a platen that has a plurality of concentric rings. Each of the rings has a plurality of openings in order to provide a cushion of air to a CMP belt. At least one of the rings extends beyond an outer edge of a wafer to be planarized by the CMP belt. A support is attached with the platen and has a plurality of air ports for pressurized air to pass to the rings of the platen. A gasket is positioned between the support and the platen and has a plurality of cutouts that align with the openings and the air ports. A base is also included and supports the support.
Claims24
An air platen assembly comprising:
- a platen having a plurality of concentric rings, each of said rings having a plurality of openings in order to provide a cushion of air to a CMP belt, at least one of said plurality of rings extending beyond an outer edge of a wafer to be planarized by said CMP belt;
- a support attached with said platen, said support having a plurality of air ports for pressurized air to pass to said rings of said platen;
- a gasket positioned between said support and said platen, said gasket having a plurality of cutouts that align with said openings and said air ports;
- and
- a base that supports said support.
An air platen comprising:
- a plurality of concentric rings each having a plurality of channels in order to provide a cushion of air to a CMP belt, said plurality of rings, except for two inner-most rings, each having a top quarter, a bottom quarter, a leading edge quarter, and a trailing edge quarter, each of said quarters and said inner-most rings being an independent air passage for receiving a supply of pressurized air, wherein at least one of said plurality of rings is oriented to extend beyond an outer edge of a wafer to be planarized by said CMP belt;
- one pressure regulator connected with each of said inner-most rings;
- and
- three pressure regulators connected with each of the remaining of said rings.
An air platen, comprising:
- eight concentric rings, each having a plurality of channels in order to provide a cushion of air to a CMP belt, an outer six rings each having a top quarter, a bottom quarter, a leading edge quarter, and a trailing edge quarter, each of said quarters and two inner-most rings being an independent air passage for receiving a supply of pressurized air;
- one pressure regulator connected with each of said inner-most rings;
- three pressure regulators connected with each of said six outer rings, one of said three regulators being connected with said top quarter and said bottom quarter, a second of said three regulators being connected with said leading edge quarter, and a third of said three regulators being connected with said trailing edge quarter of each of said remaining rings;
- and
- two channels passing through said air platen, said channels each having a plurality of passages extending upwardly from said channel to a top surface of said air platen;
- whereby at least one of said outer six rings extends beyond an outer edge of a wafer to be planarized by said CMP belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.