US 5,692,947 A · Linear polisher and method for semiconductor wafer planarization

Abstract

A wafer polisher and method for the chemical mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers. The polisher includes a wafer holder for supporting the semiconductor wafer and a linear polishing assembly having a polishing member positioned to engage the surface of the wafer. The polishing member is movable in a linear direction relative to the wafer surface to uniformly polish the surface of the wafer. A pivotal alignment device may be used to pivotally support one of the wafer holder and the polishing member relative to the other of the wafer holder and the polishing member with the surface of the wafer and the polishing member retained in parallel alignment during operation of the polisher. The polisher optionally includes a conditioning station for conditioning the polishing member.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A wafer polishing machine for the chemical mechanical planarization of a surface of a semiconductor wafer with an abrasive polishing agent comprising:

a wafer support assembly having a wafer holder shaped to receive said wafer and support said wafer with said surface projecting from said wafer holder;
a linear polishing assembly having a polishing member positioned to engage said surface of said wafer, said polishing member being movable in a linear direction relative to said wafer to continuously apply a uniform polishing force across said surface of said wafer during operation of said wafer polishing machine for uniformly polishing said surface of said wafer,
said polishing member comprising a plurality of reciprocating bars having a polishing material mounted to said bars, said bars being movable in a linear direction relative to said wafer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Linear polisher and method for semiconductor wafer planarization

Life of this patent

Linear polisher and method for semiconductor wafer planarization

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10