Carrier head with flexible membrane
OwnerHung Chih Chen, Steven M. Zuniga +1inventors
InventorsHung Chih Chen, Steven M. Zuniga, Ramakrishna Cheboli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate has a flexible membrane extending beneath a base to define a chamber. The flexible membrane provides a substrate receiving surface, and can be configured so that a pressure profile applied to a substrate is substantially insensitive to retaining ring wear.
Claims30
A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate, comprising:
- a base;
- a retaining ring to surround a substrate on a substrate receiving surface;
- and
- a flexible membrane extending beneath the base to define a chamber and provide the substrate receiving surface and the flexible membrane configured so that a pressure profile applied to a substrate is substantially insensitive to retaining ring wear.
A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate, comprising:
- a base;
- and
- a flexible membrane extending beneath the base to define a chamber and provide a substrate receiving surface, the flexible membrane including a central portion with the substrate receiving portion and a flexure portion having a first end coupled to the base.
A flexible membrane for use with a carrier head of a substrate chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, the membrane comprising:
- a central portion including a substrate receiving portion;
- and
- a flexure portion having a first end to be coupled to a base of the carrier head, wherein the flexure portion is configured so that a pressure profile applied to a substrate by the central portion is substantially insensitive to relative vertical movement of the vertical position of the central portion relative to the first end of the flexure portion.
A method of polishing a substrate comprising:
- mounting a substrate on a carrier head of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus so that a first side the substrate is adjacent to the carrier head, the carrier head including a base portion, a retaining ring and a flexible membrane including a central portion providing a mounting surface for the substrate;
- and
- polishing the substrate using a polishing pad contacting a second side of the substrate on a side opposite from the first side of the substrate,
- wherein the flexible membrane moves during polishing so that a pressure profile applied to a substrate during polishing is substantially insensitive to ring wear.
A method of operation of a flexure portion of a flexible membrane, the flexure portion connected between a carrier head and a perimeter portion of the flexible membrane, the method comprising:
- maintaining a position of a flexure portion that is substantially parallel to a substrate mounted on a central portion of a flexible membrane while a retaining ring of a carrier head maintains its original dimensions, the flexure portion connected at a first end to the carrier head;
- pivoting an extension portion toward the retaining ring as the polishing progresses, the extension portion connecting a second end of the flexure portion to a perimeter portion of the flexible membrane;
- and
- pivoting the extension portion toward the flexure as the retaining ring wears down.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.