Slurry flow rate monitoring in chemical-mechanical polisher using pressure transducer
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsBoris Fuksshimov, Jeff Rudd, Charles C. Garretson, Brian J. Brown
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Abstract
In a first aspect of the invention, a polishing device is provided. The polishing device includes a platen adapted to support a polishing pad and also includes a source of polishing slurry. Also included in the polishing device is a slurry supply line adapted to supply the polishing slurry from the source of polishing slurry to the polishing pad. The polishing device includes a pressure transducer installed along the slurry supply line and adapted to detect a pressure inside the slurry supply line. Numerous other aspects are provided.
Claims15
A polishing device comprising:
- a platen adapted to support a polishing pad;
- a source of polishing slurry;
- a slurry supply line adapted to supply the polishing slurry from the source of polishing slurry to a polishing pad supported by the platen;
- and
- a pressure transducer installed along the slurry supply line and adapted to detect a pressure inside the slurry supply line.
A method of measuring a flow rate of a polishing slurry, comprising:
- providing a polishing slurry supply line;
- installing a pressure transducer within the polishing slurry supply line;
- flowing polishing slurry through the polishing slurry supply line;
- measuring a pressure exerted on the pressure transducer by the polishing slurry;
- and
- determining a flow rate of the polishing slurry based on the pressure exerted on the pressure transducer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.