CMP Pads and Method of Creating Voids In-Situ Therein
OwnerChien-Min Sunginventor
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Abstract
A method of creating pores in a CMP pad in-situ includes impregnating a first material with a second material to form a CMP pad. The second material can have a resistance to frictional erosion that is less than that of the first material. The CMP pad thus has two materials with differing frictional erosion resistances. The working surface of the CMP pad can be contacted to a wafer to be polished wherein the second material can be frictionally eroded during polishing.
Claims20
A method of creating pores in a CMP pad in-situ during a CMP polishing event, comprising:
- impregnating a first material having a first resistance to frictional erosion with a second material having resistance to frictional erosion that is less than that of the first material to form a CMP pad having two materials with different frictional erosion resistances;
- contacting a working surface of the CMP pad to a wafer to be polished;
- and
- frictionally eroding the second material during the polishing process by operating the pad against the wafer.
A method of creating effective pores in a CMP pad in-situ during a CMP polishing event, comprising:
- impregnating a polyurethane material with graphite particles or agglomerates to form a CMP pad;
- contacting a working surface of the CMP pad to a wafer to be polished;
- introducing a chemical polishing agent on at least a portion of the working surface;
- and
- frictionally eroding the graphite during the polishing process by operating the CMP pad against the wafer, such that the graphite erosion creates effective pores in the CMP pad.
A tool for polishing a wafer, comprising:
- a first material suitable for forming a CMP pad and having a first resistance to frictional erosion, said first material forming a portion of the CMP pad;
- a second material dispersed in the first material, said second material having a second resistance to frictional erosion that is less than that of the first material and configured to selectively erode based on differing resistance to frictional erosion, upon frictional contact with the wafer such that the erosion leaves effective pore voids in the solid substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.