Reducing polish platen corrosion during integrated circuit fabrication

An apparatus for polishing an integrated circuit, comprising:

• (a) a rotatable metal platen;
• (b) a polishing pad mounted on the metal platen to rotate with the metal platen;
• and
• (c) an anodic conducting material attached to the metal platen, wherein the integrated circuit is polished by:
• (1) introducing a chemically reactive slurry onto the rotating polishing pad;
• and
• (2) pressing the integrated circuit against the rotating polishing pad with the chemically reactive slurry interposed there between to polish a surface of the integrated circuit, wherein the anodic conducting material inhibits corrosion of the metal platen by the chemically reactive slurry.

A method for polishing an integrated circuit using a rotating polishing pad mounted on a metal platen, comprising the step of:

• (a) attaching, to the metal platen, a material whose potential is substantially more anodic than the platen, wherein, when the material and the platen are electrically coupled together, the potential of the material drives the platen to a cathodic state;
• (b) introducing a chemically reactive slurry onto the rotating polishing pad;
• and
• (c) pressing the integrated circuit against the rotating polishing pad with the chemically reactive slurry interposed there between to polish a surface of the integrated circuit, wherein the material electrochemically inhibits corrosion of the metal platen by the chemically reactive slurry.

An apparatus for polishing an integrated circuit, comprising:

• (a) a rotatable metal platen;
• (b) a polishing pad mounted on the metal platen to rotate with the metal platen;
• and
• (c) a material attached to the metal platen and whose potential is substantially more anodic than the platen, wherein, when the material and the platen are electrically coupled together, the potential of the material drives the platen to a cathodic state, wherein the integrated circuit is polished by:
• (1) introducing a chemically reactive slurry onto the rotating polishing pad;
• and
• (2) pressing the integrated circuit against the rotating polishing pad with the chemically reactive slurry interposed there between to polish a surface of the integrated circuit, wherein the material electrochemically inhibits corrosion of the metal platen by the chemically reactive slurry.