Semiconductor processing tool and methods of operation

Abstract

A planarization tool is configured to monitor and analyze the condition of a polishing pad over the life of the polishing pad. A piezoelectric pad monitoring device may be mounted to a polishing head of the planarization tool in place of a semiconductor wafer. The piezoelectric pad monitoring device may be pressed against the polishing pad. When pressed against the polishing pad, the piezoelectric pad monitoring device may generate a signal based on a quantity of pad contacts, on the polishing pad, that are in contact with the piezoelectric pad monitoring device. The signal may be provided to a processor of the planarization tool so that the processor may generate, based on the signal, a map of the pad contacts on the polishing pad. The processor may use the map of the pad contacts to determine properties of the polishing pad such as roughness and/or uniformity, among other examples.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.