Biased retaining ring
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsAntoine Manens, Feng Liu, Paul Butterfield, Alain Duboust, Rashid Mavliev
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A retaining ring for electrochemical mechanical processing is described. The ring has a conductive portion having an upper surface and a lower surface and an insulating portion. The insulating portion has one or more openings extending therethrough, exposing the lower surface of the conductive portion. An upper surface of the insulating portion contacts the lower surface of the conductive portion. In an electrochemical mechanical polishing process, the retaining ring can be biased separately from a substrate being polished.
Claims42
A retaining ring for electrochemical mechanical processing, comprising:
- a conductive portion having an upper surface and a lower surface;
- and
- an insulating portion having one or more openings extending through the insulating portion and exposing the lower surface of the conductive portion, wherein an upper surface of the insulating portion contacts the lower surface of the conductive portion.
A carrier head for electrochemical mechanical processing, comprising:
- a base;
- and
- a retaining ring attached to the base, wherein the retaining ring comprises:
- a conductive portion having an upper surface and a lower surface;
- and
- an insulating portion having one or more openings extending through the insulating portion and exposing the lower surface of the conductive portion, wherein an upper surface of the insulating portion contacts the lower surface of the conductive portion.
A system for electrochemical mechanical processing, comprising:
- a polishing pad support;
- a carrier head, configured to contact the polishing pad support, the carrier head comprising:
- a base;
- and
- a retaining ring attached to the base, wherein the retaining ring comprises:
- a conductive portion having an upper surface and a lower surface;
- and
- an insulating portion having one or more openings extending through the insulating portion and exposing the lower surface of the conductive portion, wherein an upper surface of the insulating portion contacts the lower surface of the conductive portion;
- and
- a first voltage source electrically coupled to the conductive portion of the retaining ring.
A method of operating a system for electrochemical mechanical processing, comprising:
- contacting an insulating portion of a conductive retaining ring with a surface of a polishing pad;
- electrically biasing the polishing pad assembly at a first voltage;
- electrically biasing the conductive retaining ring at a second voltage, wherein the first voltage is different from the second voltage;
- and
- creating a relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad, wherein the substrate is retained by the conductive retaining ring.
A method of forming a conductive retaining ring for electrochemical mechanical processing, comprising:
- providing a substantially annular conductive portion;
- and
- fastening an insulating portion to a lower surface of the conductive portion, wherein the insulating portion has one or more openings extending through the insulating portion and exposing the lower surface of the conductive portion, wherein an upper surface of the insulating portion contacts the lower surface of the conductive portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.