US 2004/0018809 A1 · Polishing pad for use in chemical/mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers having a transparent window for end-point determination and method of making

Abstract

A porous polishing pad for use chemical/mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers is provided with a transparent section formed in a section of the porous polishing pad by direct injection of a polymeric material into a modified portion of the pad. The modified section may be either a low density area, or may be created by removing a complete vertical section of the pad. The injected polymer forms an integral window with the pad by flowing into the matrix of the pad at the pad/window interface. No additional reinforcement is required to hold the window in place; however, adhesive and/or another impervious layer may be attached behind the window for additional support. In an alternative embodiment, a separate and distinct window-plug is inserted into a cutout section of the pad, and bonded to the pad by one or more binding film layers on the back, non-working surface of the pad.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A polishing pad for use in chemical mechanical polishing of substrates, said polishing pad having a polishing surface, comprising:

a porous fibrous matrix comprising paper-making fiber;
a binder for binding said fibers;
said fibrous matrix forming a porous structure by which polishing slurry and polishing debris during chemical mechanical polishing of substrates are temporarily stored for subsequent rinsing away, and for enhanced flow-distribution of the polishing slurry;
said fibrous matrix comprising an end-point-detection transparent window section for allowing light beams from an end-point detection apparatus to pass therethrough.

1 more element

A method of forming an end-point-detection window in a polishing pad for use in chemical mechanical polishing of substrates, said polishing pad having a polishing surface and comprising a porous fibrous matrix made of paper-making fibers, and a binder for binding said paper-making fibers;

said fibrous matrix having a working polishing surface and a back, non-working surface, said method comprising:
forming an area through said fibrous matrix from said working polishing surface to said back, non-working surface;
said step of forming comprising creating in said fibrous matrix a region that is transparent to light beams emanating from a CMP end-point detection device;
and
filling said region of said step of creating with material that is transparent to light beams emanating from a CMP end-point detection device.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/390,555Filed 17 Mar 2003

Priority

18 Mar 2002

Published

29 Jan 2004

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B24B 37/205
Lapping pads for working plane surfaces: provided with a window for inspecting the surface of the work being lapped
B24B 37/24
Lapping pads for working plane surfaces: characterised by the composition or properties of the pad materials
B24B 37/26
Lapping pads for working plane surfaces: characterised by the shape of the lapping pad surface, e.g. grooved
B24D 3/32
Resins or natural or synthetic macromolecular compounds: for porous or cellular structure

Family

Application60/365,100Us provisional application · filed 18 Mar 2002

Application10/349,201Continuation in part · filed 22 Jan 2003

Application10/390,555Continuation in part · filed 17 Mar 2003

US 2004/0142638 A1Published application

US 6,852,020 B2Related patent

US 6,875,077 B2Related patent

US 2004/0018809 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Polishing pad for use in chemical/mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers having a transparent window for end-point determination and method of making

Life of this patent

Polishing pad for use in chemical/mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers having a transparent window for end-point determination and method of making

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23