Chemical mechanical planarization platen
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChang-Sheng LIN, Hsin-Hsien LU
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for planarizing or polishing a semiconductor wafer. The system includes a carrier adaptable to hold a semiconductor wafer, a polishing pad, and a platen having a substantially planar surface in contact with the polishing pad, the planar surface having a distribution of holes. The distributed holes are operatively connected to a vacuum system providing a vacuum pressure to hold the polishing pad against the platen during operation of the system. Relative movement between the carrier and polishing pad acts to planarize a surface of the wafer.
Claims20
A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system comprising:
- a carrier adaptable to hold a semiconductor wafer;
- a polishing pad;
- and
- a platen having a substantially planar surface in contact with the polishing pad, the planar surface having a distribution of holes,
- wherein the distributed holes are operatively connected to a vacuum system providing a vacuum pressure to hold the polishing pad against the platen during operation of the system, and
- wherein relative movement between the carrier and polishing pad acts to planarize a surface of the wafer.
A semiconductor polishing system comprising:
- a wafer carrier;
- a platen having a substantially planar surface in contact with a proximate surface of a polishing pad, the planar surface having a distribution of holes;
- and
- a vacuum system in connection with each of the distributed holes;
- wherein a distal surface of the polishing pad is kept substantially flat as a function of a uniform distribution of vacuum pressure applied to the proximate surface of the pad by the distributed holes.
A method of polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of:
- holding a semiconductor wafer in a carrier;
- holding a polishing pad onto a platen using a uniformly distributed vacuum pressure applied to a proximate surface of the polishing pad from the platen;
- and
- providing relative motion between the carrier and polishing pad to polish a surface of the wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.