Method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate with a tilted planarizing surface
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorScott E. Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated, non-continuous polishing pad oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal to allow planarizing liquids and materials removed from the microelectronic substrate to flow off the polishing pad under the force of gravity. Two such polishing pads can be positioned opposite each other in a vertical orientation and can share either a common platen or a common substrate carrier. The polishing pads can be pre-attached to both a supply roll and a take-up roll to form a cartridge which can be easily removed from the apparatus and replaced with another cartridge.
Claims18
An apparatus for planarizing first and second microelectronic substrates, comprising:
- a frame;
- a first supply spindle coupled to the frame and positioned to receive a first elongated polishing pad;
- a first take-up spindle coupled to the frame and positioned to receive a used portion of the first elongated polishing pad;
- a second supply spindle coupled to the frame and positioned to receive a second elongated polishing pad;
- a second take-up spindle coupled to the frame and positioned to receive a used portion of the second elongated polishing pad;
- and
- a substrate carrier having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being positioned proximate to the first polishing pad and having a first support surface positioned to engage a first microelectronic substrate and bias the first microelectronic substrate toward the first polishing pad, the second portion being positioned proximate to the second polishing pad and having a second support surface positioned to engage a second microelectronic substrate and bias the second microelectronic substrate toward the second polishing pad.
An apparatus for planarizing first and second microelectronic substrates, comprising:
- a frame;
- a first supply spindle coupled to the frame and positioned to receive a first elongated polishing pad;
- a first take-up spindle coupled to the frame and positioned to receive a used portion of the first elongated polishing pad;
- a second supply spindle coupled to the frame and positioned to receive a second elongated polishing pad;
- a second take-up spindle coupled to the frame and positioned to receive a used portion of the second elongated polishing pad;
- and
- a platen unit positioned between the take-up spindles and the supply spindles, the platen unit having a first generally flat support surface between the first supply spindle and the first take-up spindle, the platen unit further having a second generally flat support surface facing opposite the first support surface between the second supply spindle and the second take-up spindle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.