Global planarization method and apparatus

An apparatus for globally planarizing a surface of an object, comprising:

• a press plate having a pressing surface;
• a rigid plate having a top surface opposing said pressing surface;
• and
• a flexible pressing puck member positioned on said top surface opposing said pressing surface to distribute a force applied to said flexible pressing puck member using said press plate and said rigid plate.

An apparatus for performing global planarization of a deformable surface of a wafer comprising:

• a chamber body having an interior surface and first and second ends;
• a base plate attached to and closing said first end of said chamber body, said base plate having an inner surface;
• a press plate attached to and closing said second end of said chamber body, said press plate having a pressing surface, said pressing surface, said inner surface and said interior surface defining a chamber;
• a rigid plate having a top surface and a bottom surface disposed within said chamber, said top surface being substantially parallel to said pressing surface;
• a pressing puck member having substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, said lower surface of said pressing puck member being seated on said top surface of said rigid plate, said upper surface of said pressing puck member being directly opposite and substantially parallel to said pressing surface;
• and
• a drive for uniformly applying force to said bottom surface of said rigid plate to drive said rigid plate and said pressing puck member toward said pressing surface.

An apparatus for globally planarizing a surface, comprising:

• a press plate having a pressing surface;
• a rigid plate having a top surface opposing said pressing surface;
• and
• a pressing puck positioned on said top surface of said rigid plate opposing said pressing surface to apply a force applied to said pressing puck using said press plate and said rigid plate.

An apparatus for performing global planarization of a deformable surface of a wafer comprising:

• a chamber body having an interior surface and first and second ends;
• a base plate attached to and closing said first end of said chamber body, said base plate having an inner surface;
• a press plate attached to and closing said second end of said chamber body, said press plate having a pressing surface, said pressing surface, said inner surface and said interior surface defining a chamber;
• a rigid plate having a top surface and a bottom surface disposed within said chamber, said top surface being substantially parallel to said pressing surface;
• a deformable puck having substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, said lower surface of said deformable puck being seated on said top surface of said rigid plate, said upper surface of said deformable puck being directly opposite and substantially parallel to said pressing surface;
• and
• a drive for applying a force to said bottom surface of said rigid plate to drive said rigid plate and said deformable puck toward said pressing surface.

A method for globally planarizing a surface of a semiconductor wafer comprising:

• providing a pressing surface;
• placing said wafer on one side of a pressing puck member;
• and
• applying a force to a rigid plate adjacent to another side of said pressing puck member to cause said surface of said wafer to correspond to said pressing surface.

A method for globally planarizing a surface of a wafer comprising:

• providing a pressing puck member seated on a rigid plate, and a planar pressing surface directly opposable to the pressing puck member, the pressing puck member being sufficiently deformable under an applied force to distribute the applied force between the rigid plate and the pressing surface;
• placing a wafer having a surface to be planarized on the pressing puck member;
• and
• applying a force using the rigid plate and the planar pressing surface to deform the pressing puck member which applies the force to the surface of the wafer to cause the surface to correspond to the planar pressing surface.

A method for globally planarizing a surface of a wafer comprising:

• providing a flexible pressing puck member seated on a rigid plate, and a planar pressing surface directly opposable to the flexible pressing puck member, the flexible pressing puck member being sufficiently deformable under an applied force to apply the force between the rigid plate and the pressing surface;
• placing a wafer having a surface to be planarized on the flexible pressing puck member;
• and
• applying a force using the rigid plate and the planar pressing surface to deform the flexible pressing puck member which applies the force to the surface of the wafer to cause the surface to correspond to the planar pressing surface.

A method for globally planarizing a surface of a semiconductor wafer comprising:

• providing a pressing surface;
• placing said wafer on one side of a deformable pressing puck member;
• and
• applying a force to a rigid plate adjacent to another side of said deformable pressing puck member to cause said surface of said wafer to correspond to said pressing surface.