Controlling groove dimensions for enhanced slurry flow
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorsEric J. Kirchner, Jayashree Kalpathy-Cramer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A polishing pad surface designed for chemical mechanical polishing of substrates is described. The polishing pad includes a first area of the surface having formed thereon a first set of grooves and a second area of the surface having formed thereon a second set of grooves, wherein the first set of grooves have a larger cross-sectional area than the second set of grooves.
Claims28
A polishing pad surface designed for chemical mechanical polishing of substrates, comprising:
- a first area of said surface having formed thereon a first set of grooves;
- and
- a second area of said surface having formed thereon a second set of grooves, wherein said first set of grooves have a larger cross-sectional area than said second set of grooves and said first area does not overlap said second area.
A process of providing a uniform film removal rate during chemical-mechanical polishing of a substrate, comprising:
- determining location of an underpolished region on said substrate;
- determining an area of a polishing pad surface that contacts said underpolished region of said substrate during chemical-mechanical polishing;
- and
- modifying cross-sectional areas of a plurality of grooves formed on said area of said polishing pad surface that contacts said underpolished region of said substrate to increase the amount of slurry flowing to said area.
The process of cl aim 14, wherein a center area of said polishing pad contacts said underpolished region of said substrate.
A process of providing a uniform film removal rate during chemical-mechanical polishing of a substrate, comprising:
- determining location of an area of a polishing pad surface that is worn out due to conditioning;
- and
- modifying cross-sectional area of a plurality of grooves formed on said area of said polishing pad surface to increase the amount of slurry flowing to said area.
A process of producing a substantially uniformly polished substrate surface, comprising:
- providing a polishing pad including
- a first area on a polishing pad surface having formed thereon a first set of grooves;
- and
- a second area on said polishing pad surface having formed thereon a second set of grooves, wherein said first set of grooves have a larger cross-sectional area than said second set of grooves and said first area does not overlap said second area;
- and
- polishing said substrate surface on said polishing pad to provide enhanced slurry flow in first set of grooves and thereby provide a substantially uniformly polished substrate surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.