Polishing pad conditioning apparatus for wafer planarization process
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsJoseph R. Breivogel, Loren R. Blanchard, Matthew J. Prince
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved apparatus for polishing a thin film formed on a semiconductor substrate includes a rotatable table covered with a polishing pad. The table and the pad are then rotated relative to the substrate which is pressed down against the pad surface during the polishing process. Means is provided for generating a plurality of grooves in the pad while substrates are being polished. The continually formed grooves help to facilitate the polishing process by channeling slurry between the substrate and the pad.
Claims16
An apparatus for polishing a thin film formed on a semiconductor substrate, said apparatus comprising:
- rotatable table;
- means for rotating said table;
- a pad covering said table, said pad having an upper surface into which have been formed a plurality of preformed grooves, said preformed grooves facilitating the polishing process by creating a corresponding plurality of point contacts at the pad/substrate interface;
- means for depositing an abrasive slurry on said upper surface of said pad;
- means for forcibly pressing said substrate against said pad such that rotational movement of said table relative to said substrate together with said slurry results in planarization of said thin film;
- and
- means for providing a plurality of microchannel grooves into said upper surface of said pad while polishing said substrate wherein said microchannel grooves aid in facilitating said polishing process by channeling said slurry between said substrate and said pad.
In a semiconductor substrate polishing apparatus of the type which includes a rotatable table covered with a pad onto which is deposited an abrasive slurry, a means for rotating said table and a means for pressing said substrate against the surface of said pad such that the rotational movement of said table relative to said substrate in the presence of said slurry results in planarization of a thin film formed on said semiconductor substrate, an improvement for increasing and stabilizing the polishing rate which comprises:
- means for generating a plurality of grooves in said pad while polishing said substrate wherein said grooves aid in facilitating said polishing process by channeling slurry between said substrate and said pad.
An apparatus for polishing a surface of a material, said apparatus comprising:
- rotatable table;
- means for rotating said table;
- a pad covering said table, said pad having an upper surface into which have been formed a plurality of preformed grooves, said preformed grooves facilitating the polishing process by creating a corresponding plurality of point contacts at the pad/material interface;
- means for depositing an abrasive slurry on said upper surface of said pad;
- means for forcibly pressing said material against said pad such that rotational movement of said table relative to said material together with said slurry results in planarization of said material;
- and
- means for providing a plurality of microchannel grooves into said upper surface of said pad while polishing said material wherein said microchannel grooves aid in facilitating said polishing process by channeling said slurry between material and said pad.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.