Electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus conditioning method, and conditioning solution

An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising:

• a polishing table adapted to hold a conductive polishing pad having a polishing surface, said polishing table having a first electrode coupled to one of poles of a power source;
• a polishing head adapted to hold a workpiece having a conductive film and to press the workpiece against the polishing surface, said polishing head having a retainer ring shaped so as to surround a periphery of the workpiece;
• a second electrode provided on said retainer ring so as to face the polishing pad and coupled to another of the poles of the power source, said second electrode being brought into contact with the polishing pad so as to supply an electric current to the conductive film via the polishing pad;
• an electrolytic-solution supply section for supplying an electrolytic solution to the polishing surface;
• and
• a moving mechanism for providing relative movement between the polishing pad and the workpiece held by said polishing head.

An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising:

• a polishing table adapted to hold a conductive polishing pad having a polishing surface, said polishing table having a first electrode coupled to one of poles of a power source;
• a polishing head adapted to hold a workpiece having a conductive film and to press the workpiece against the polishing surface;
• an electric-supply section having a second electrode coupled to another of the poles of the power source and arranged so as not to contact said polishing head, said second electrode being brought into surface contact with the polishing surface so as to supply an electric current to the conductive film via the polishing pad;
• an electrolytic-solution supply section for supplying an electrolytic solution to the polishing surface;
• and
• a moving mechanism for providing relative movement between the polishing pad and the workpiece held by said polishing head.

An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising:

• a polishing table adapted to hold a conductive polishing pad having a polishing surface, said polishing table having a first electrode coupled to one of poles of a power source;
• a polishing head adapted to hold a workpiece having a conductive film and to press the workpiece against the polishing surface;
• an electric-supply section having a second electrode coupled to another of the poles of the power source, said second electrode being brought into contact with the polishing pad so as to supply an electric current to the conductive film via the polishing pad;
• an electrolytic-solution supply section for supplying an electrolytic solution to the polishing surface;
• and
• a moving mechanism for providing relative movement between the polishing pad and the workpiece held by said polishing head,
• wherein said second electrode has a contact portion to be in contact with the polishing pad, and
• the contact portion is movable relative to the polishing pad at a relative speed of not more than 0.1 m/s.

An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising:

• a polishing table adapted to hold a conductive polishing pad having a polishing surface, said polishing table having a first electrode coupled to one of poles of a power source;
• a polishing head adapted to hold a workpiece having a conductive film and to press the workpiece against the polishing surface;
• a second electrode coupled to another of the poles of the power source, said second electrode being brought into contact with the polishing pad so as to supply an electric current to the conductive film via the polishing pad;
• an electrolytic-solution supply section for supplying an electrolytic solution to the polishing surface;
• and
• a moving mechanism for providing relative movement between the polishing pad and the workpiece held by said polishing head,
• wherein the polishing surface of the polishing pad has a non-contact area which does not contact the conductive film during polishing,
• the polishing pad has through-holes therein, and
• the non-contact area and at least a part of inner surfaces of the through-holes have been subjected to an insulating treatment.

An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising:

• a polishing pad having vertically-extending through-holes and having an upper surface serving as a polishing surface;
• a polishing head adapted to press a substrate against said polishing surface;
• a first electrode coupled to one of poles of a power source and arranged below said polishing pad;
• a second electrode coupled to another of the poles of the power source and adapted to supply an electric current to a conductive film on the substrate;
• an electrolytic-solution supply section for supplying an electrolytic solution to said polishing pad;
• an electrolytic-solution path for directing an electrolytic solution, supplied from said electrolytic-solution supply section, to said through-holes from below said polishing pad;
• and
• a moving mechanism for providing relative movement between said polishing pad and the substrate held by said polishing head.

An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising:

• a polishing pad having vertically-extending through-holes and having an upper surface serving as a polishing surface;
• at least one liquid-retaining member embedded in said polishing surface;
• a polishing head adapted to press a substrate against said polishing surface;
• a first electrode coupled to one of poles of a power source and arranged below said polishing pad;
• a second electrode coupled to another of the poles of the power source and adapted to supply an electric current to a conductive film on the substrate;
• an electrolytic-solution supply section for supplying an electrolytic solution to said polishing pad;
• and
• a moving mechanism for providing relative movement between said polishing pad and the substrate held by said polishing head.

An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising:

• a polishing pad having vertically-extending through-holes and having an upper surface serving as a polishing surface;
• a polishing head adapted to press a substrate against said polishing surface;
• a first electrode coupled to one of poles of a power source and arranged below said polishing pad;
• a second electrode coupled to another of the poles of the power source and adapted to supply an electric current to a conductive film on the substrate;
• an electrolytic-solution supply section for supplying an electrolytic solution to said polishing pad;
• and
• a moving mechanism for providing relative movement between said polishing pad and the substrate held by said polishing head,
• wherein each of said through-holes has an upper opening with a smaller diameter than a diameter of a lower opening thereof.

A conditioning solution for use in conditioning a processing electrode and/or a polishing pad of an electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus, said conditioning solution comprising:

• at least one organic acid or its salt;
• and
• at least one strong acid having a sulfonic acid group,
• wherein said conditioning solution does not contain a corrosion inhibitor.