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US 6,283,829 B1Granted
In situ friction detector method for finishing semiconductor wafers
AssigneeBeaver Creek Concepts Inc
InventorCharles J Molnar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of using of using a friction detector for finishing semiconductor wafers. The method uses secondary friction sensors which can interpolate and add improved control to finishing. The method aids control of finishing while using lubricating boundary layers in the operative finishing interface. The method aids control of differential lubricating boundary layers and improved differential finishing of semiconductor wafers. Planarization and localized finishing can be improved using differential lubricating boundary layer methods of finishing. Defects can be reduced using the in situ friction detector method.
Claims32
A method of finishing of a workpiece surface being finished comprising the steps of:
- providing a finishing element finishing surface;
- positioning the workpiece surface being finished proximate to the finishing element finishing surface;
- providing at least one friction sensor probe having a friction sensor surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface and free of contact with the workpiece surface;
- applying an operative finishing motion to an operative finishing interface comprising the interface between the finishing element finishing surface and the workpiece surface being finished;
- applying an operative friction sensor motion between the friction sensor surface and the finishing element finishing surface and wherein the operative friction sensor motion comprises applying a movement to friction sensor surface;
- sensing a tangential friction force between the friction sensor surface and the finishing element finishing surface with a friction sensor subsystem;
- and
- controlling in situ a finishing control parameter with the friction sensor subsystem.
5 more elements
A method of finishing of a semiconductor wafer surface being finished comprising the steps of:
- providing a finishing element finishing surface;
- providing an organic boundary lubricant;
- positioning the semiconductor wafer surface being finished proximate to the finishing element finishing surface;
- providing at least one friction sensor probe having a friction sensor surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface and free of contact with the semiconductor wafer surface;
- applying an operative finishing motion in an operative finishing interface;
- applying an operative friction sensor motion between the friction sensor surface and the finishing element finishing surface and wherein the operative friction sensor motion comprises applying a movement to friction sensor surface;
- sensing the tangential friction force comprises sensing a change of friction in the operative finishing interface and wherein the operative finishing interface contains a differential organic lubricating boundary layer for at least for a portion of the finishing cycle time;
- and
- controlling in situ an operative finishing control parameter with the friction sensor subsystem.
6 more elements
A method of finishing of a semiconductor wafer surface being finished comprising the steps of:
- providing a fixed abrasive finishing element finishing surface;
- providing an organic boundary lubricant;
- positioning the semiconductor wafer surface being finished proximate to the finishing surface;
- providing at least one friction sensor probe having a friction sensor surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface and free of contact with the semiconductor wafer surface;
- applying an operative finishing motion between the workpiece surface being finished and the finishing surface forming an operative finishing interface;
- applying an operative friction sensor motion between the friction sensor surface and the finishing element finishing surface and wherein the operative friction sensor motion comprises applying a movement to friction sensor surface;
- sensing the tangential friction force comprises sensing a change of friction in the operative finishing interface and wherein the operative finishing interface contains a differential organic lubricating boundary layer for at least for a portion of the finishing cycle time;
- and
- controlling in situ an operative finishing control parameter with the friction sensor subsystem.
6 more elements
A method of finishing of a workpiece having a microelectronic surface being finished comprising the steps of:
- providing a finishing element finishing surface;
- positioning the workpiece having a microelectronic surface being finished proximate to the finishing element finishing surface;
- supplying an effective amount of a lubricant to reduce the coefficient of friction between the finishing element finishing surface and the workpiece having a microelectronic surface being finished;
- providing a plurality of friction sensor probes having a friction sensor surfaces which are separate and unconnected to the workpiece having a microelectronic surface being finished;
- applying an operative finishing motion to an operative finishing interface comprising the interface between the finishing element finishing surface and the workpiece having a microelectronic surface being finished and including the effective amount of lubricant;
- applying an operative friction sensor motion between a plurality of the friction sensor surfaces and the finishing element finishing surface and wherein the operative friction sensor motions comprises applying a movement to friction sensor surfaces;
- sensing a tangential friction force between the plurality of the friction sensor surface and the finishing element finishing surface with a friction sensor subsystem;
- and
- controlling in situ a finishing control parameter with the friction sensor subsystem.
6 more elements
A method of finishing of a semiconductor wafer surface being finished comprising the steps of:
- providing a finishing element finishing surface;
- positioning the semiconductor wafer surface being finished proximate to the finishing element finishing element finishing surface;
- supplying an effective amount of a lubricant to reduce the coefficient of friction between the finishing element finishing surface and the semiconductor wafer surface being finished;
- providing a plurality of friction sensor probes having a friction sensor surfaces which are separate and unconnected to the semiconductor wafer surface being finished;
- applying an operative finishing motion to an operative finishing interface comprising the interface between the finishing element finishing surface and the semiconductor wafer surface being finished and including the effective amount of lubricant;
- applying an operative friction sensor motion between a plurality of the friction sensor surfaces and the finishing element finishing surface and wherein the operative friction sensor motions comprises applying a movement to friction sensor surfaces;
- sensing a tangential friction force between the plurality of the friction sensor surface and the finishing element finishing surface with a friction sensor subsystem;
- and
- controlling in situ a finishing control parameter with the friction sensor subsystem.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.