Method and apparatus for substrate polishing
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsRalph Wadensweiler, Alain Duboust, Liang-Yuh Chen, Manoocher Birang, Ratson Morad, Paul D. Butterfield
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for polishing a substrate surface. In one aspect, an apparatus for polishing a substrate includes a conductive polishing pad and an electrode having a membrane disposed therebetween. The membrane is orientated relative the conductive pad in a manner that facilitates removal of entrained gas from electrolyte flowing towards the conductive pad. The apparatus may be part of an electro-chemical polishing station that may optionally be part of a system that includes chemical mechanical polishing stations.
Claims30
A polishing apparatus, comprising:
- a conductive polishing pad having an upper processing surface;
- an electrode having the conductive polishing pad disposed thereon;
- and
- a pad support supporting the electrode and having a plenum formed therein, the pad support having a port adapted to flow electrolyte from the plenum to the upper processing surface of the conductive polishing pad.
Apparatus for polishing a substrate, comprising:
- a rotatable pad support;
- a plenum cap coupled to the pad support and defining a plenum therebetween;
- a passage formed through a bottom of the pad support and coupled to the plenum;
- a plurality of apertures formed through the plenum cap and coupled to the plenum;
- a conductive polishing pad disposed on the pad support;
- and
- an electrode disposed between the plenum cap and conductive pad.
A polishing apparatus, comprising:
- a rotatable pad support;
- a conductive polishing pad disposed on the pad support and having an upward facing polishing surface;
- an electrode disposed between the conductive polishing pad and the pad support;
- at least one polishing head supported over the conductive polishing pad and adapted to place a substrate retained in the polishing head in contact with the conductive polishing pad;
- and
- an electrolyte delivery system coupled to the pad support and adapted to provide electrolyte through the pad support to the polishing surface.
A polishing apparatus, comprising:
- a) a chemical mechanical polishing station comprising:
- at least one platen;
- a polishing material disposed on the platen;
- and
- a polishing fluid delivery system adapted to provide a polishing fluid to the polishing material;
- b) an electro-chemical polishing station disposed adjacent the chemical mechanical polishing station, the electro-chemical polishing station comprising:
- at least one pad support;
- a conductive polishing pad retained by the pad support;
- an electrode disposed between the conductive polishing pad and the pad support;
- and
- an electrolyte delivery system adapted to provide electrolyte to a processing surface of the conductive polishing pad through the pad support and conductive polishing pad;
- and
- c) a transfer device comprising:
- at least one polishing head adapted to selectively lower a substrate retained in the polishing head to contact the conductive polishing pad or the polishing material.
A method for electro-chemical polishing a substrate, the method comprising:
- retaining a substrate in a polishing head against an upward facing polishing surface of a conductive pad;
- moving the substrate relative to the conductive polishing pad;
- flowing electrolyte upwards through an electrode and conductive polishing pad to the substrate;
- and
- biasing the substrate to flow current through the electrolyte between the electrode and the substrate.
The method of step 23, wherein the step of flowing electrolyte upwards through the electrode and conductive polishing pad to the substrate further comprises:
- flowing electrolyte into a plenum disposed in a pad support having the electrode disposed thereon.
The method of step 25, wherein the step of flowing electrolyte upwards through the electrode and conductive polishing pad to the substrate further comprises:
- flowing electrolyte from the plenum through a plurality of apertures to the electrode.
A method for electrochemical polishing a substrate, the method comprising:
- retaining a substrate in a polishing head against an upward facing polishing surface of a conductive pad;
- electrically biasing the substrate;
- processing the substrate on the conductive polishing pad;
- transferring the substrate retained in the polishing had to a chemical mechanical polishing pad;
- and
- polishing the substrate retain in the polishing head with a chemical mechanical polishing process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.