Submerge chemical-mechanical polishing
AssigneesChartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd., Lucent Technologies Inc.
InventorSebastian Ser Wee Quek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A new method of chemical mechanical polishing using a submerged polishing table is described. A polishing table is provided having a polishing pad thereon wherein the polishing table is fixed within a container. A channel exists between an outer edge of the polishing table and an inner edge of the container. Outlets lie in a bottom surface of the channel. A wafer carrier presses a wafer onto the polishing pad. Slurry is dispensed onto the polishing pad at a high rate wherein the slurry polishes the wafer and wherein the slurry flushes away particles from a surface of the polishing pad into the container and out through the outlets. Even heavy particles such as diamond bits from a diamond-embedded dresser on the polishing pad can be flushed away using the method and polishing table of the invention.
Claims14
A method of chemical mechanical polishing comprising:
- providing a polishing table having a polishing pad thereon wherein said polishing table is fixed within a container wherein a channel exists between an outer edge of said polishing table and an inner edge of said container and wherein outlets lie in a bottom surface of said channel;
- providing a wafer carrier to press a wafer onto said polishing pad;
- and
- dispensing slurry onto said polishing pad at a rate of velocity of more than one foot per second wherein said slurry polishes said wafer and wherein said slurry flushes away particles from a surface of said polishing pad into said container and out through said outlets.
A method of chemical mechanical polishing comprising:
- providing a polishing table having a polishing pad thereon wherein said polishing table is fixed within a container wherein a channel exists between an outer edge of said polishing table and an inner edge of said container and wherein outlets lie in a bottom surface of said channel;
- providing a wafer carrier to press a wafer onto said polishing pad;
- providing a diamond-embedded dresser on said polishing pad for conditioning said polishing pad;
- and
- dispensing slurry onto said polishing pad at a rate of velocity of more than one foot per second wherein said slurry polishes said wafer and wherein said slurry flushes away particles from a surface of said polishing pad into said container and out through said outlets and wherein said particles include diamond bits from said diamond-embedded dresser.
A method of chemical mechanical polishing comprising:
- providing a polishing table having a polishing pad thereon wherein said polishing table is fixed within a container wherein a channel exists between an outer edge of said polishing table and an inner edge of said container and wherein outlets lie in a bottom surface of said channel;
- providing a wafer carrier to press a wafer onto said polishing pad;
- dispensing slurry onto said polishing pad at a rate of more than one foot per second wherein said slurry polishes said wafer and wherein said slurry flushes away particles from a surface of said polishing pad into said container and out through said outlets;
- and
- recycling said slurry for a certain number of said wafers before replacing said slurry.
A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising:
- a polishing table having a polishing pad thereon wherein said polishing table is fixed within a container wherein a channel exists between an outer edge of said polishing table and an inner edge of said container and wherein outlets lie in a bottom surface of said channel;
- a wafer carrier to press a wafer onto said polishing pad;
- and
- means for dispensing slurry onto said polishing pad at a rate of velocity of more than one foot per second wherein said slurry polishes said wafer and wherein said slurry flushes away particles from a surface of said polishing pad into said container and out through said outlets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.