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AssigneeAgere Systems Guardian Corp.
InventorsWilliam Graham Easter, John Albert Maze, Frank Miceli, Sudhanshu Misra, Allen Yen
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An apparatus for determining endpoint in the chemical mechanical polishing of a metal film using an acidic slurry includes a hydrogen sensor which senses the amount of hydrogen vapor being produced as a result of the reaction between the metal film and the acidic slurry. When the concentration of hydrogen vapor in the reaction area drops, endpoint is attained and the polishing operation may be terminated or otherwise adjusted. Hydrogen sensing elements include a palladium gate MOS transistor, expandable plastics and a tungsten oxide film.
In a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus which uses a polishing slurry, an endpoint detector comprising a hydrogen vapor sensor mounted in the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus in close proximity to an interface formed between a polishing pad and a surface being polished and adapted for sensing hydrogen vapor produced as a reaction product during a chemical mechanical polishing operation.
In a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus which uses a polishing slurry, an endpoint detector comprising
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.