Apparatus for polishing a dielectric layer formed on a substrate
AssigneeDaewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorJae-Woo Roh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for polishing a dielectric layer deposited on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate includes a table, a semiconductor substrate, a carrier, a pipe, a nozzle and an actuator assembly provided with a base, a power source, a cavity and a thermally expanding material. The actuator assembly controls the vertical position of the table by supplying a current to the thermally expanding material.
Claims13
An improved polishing apparatus for polishing a dielectric layer deposited on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate, the apparatus having a base provided with a top and a bottom surfaces, a table placed on the top surface of the base and provided with a top surface made of a porous material capable of absorbing particulate matters and a bottom surface, means for holding the semiconductor substrate, means for delivering an abrasive material to the top surface of the table, means for rotating the holding means to cause a friction between the abrasive material and the dielectric layer, the rotating means being fixed on a predetermined position from the bottom surface of the base, wherein the improvement comprises:
- thermally expanding means disposed between the top surface of the base and the bottom surface of the table;
- heat insulating means, encompassing the thermally expanding means, for maintaining the temperature inside the thermally expanding means substantially constant;
- and
- means for applying heat to the thermally expanding means to thereby control a vertical position of the table.
A polishing table for use in a polishing apparatus, comprising:
- a table having a bottom surface;
- a base having a bottom surface;
- thermally expanding means disposed between the base and the bottom surface of the table, for controlling the height of the table, wherein the height is defined by a length between the bottom surface of the base and the top surface of the table;
- heat insulating means, enclosing the thermally expanding means, for maintaining substantially constant the temperature inside the thermally expanding means;
- and
- means for applying a heat to the thermally expanding means to thereby control a vertical position of the table.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.