System for real-time control of semiconductor wafer polishing
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsGurtej S. Sandhu, Trung Tri Doan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising a wafer polishing assembly for polishing a face of a semiconductor wafer at a polishing rate and a polishing uniformity, the wafer polishing assembly including a platen subassembly defining a polishing area, and a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and a controller selectively adjusting one of a plurality of adjustable polishing parameters during polishing of the wafer.
Claims29
A semiconductor substrate polisher comprising:
- a supporter configured to support a substrate while leaving a face of the substrate exposed;
- a polishing surface configured to be supported under the exposed face of the substrate;
- at least one applicator within the supporter, wherein the applicator is configured to sense a pressure of the polishing surface against the wafer, wherein the applicator is configured to exert a force against the semiconductor substrate to move at least a portion of the substrate toward the polishing surface;
- and
- a temperature sensor configured to be coupled to the substrate.
A planarization system configured to planarize a workpiece having a non-uniform surface, comprising:
- a pressure applicator configured to be oriented toward said non-uniform surface of said workpiece;
- a feedback/control system coupled to said pressure applicator, wherein said feedback/control system is configured to receive pressure information from said pressure applicator and to transmit pressure commands to said pressure applicator;
- a carrier pad between said pressure applicator and said non-uniform surface;
- a platen subassembly configured to receive said non-uniform surface;
- and
- a workpiece holder configured to support said workpiece and bias said workpiece against said platen subassembly.
A semiconductor substrate polisher, comprising:
- a supporter configured to support a substrate while leaving a face of said substrate exposed;
- a polishing surface configured to be supported under said exposed face of said substrate;
- a pressurizer configured to be positioned over said face and configured to exert a force against said semiconductor substrate to move at least a portion of said substrate toward said polishing surface;
- and
- a temperature sensor configured to be coupled to the substrate, wherein the pressurizer is responsive to a temperature of the substrate as determined by the temperature sensor.
A semiconductor substrate polisher comprising:
- a supporter configured to support a substrate while leaving a face of the substrate exposed;
- a polishing surface configured to be supported under the exposed face of the substrate;
- at least one applicator within the supporter, wherein the applicator is configured to sense a pressure of the polishing surface against the wafer, wherein the applicator is configured to exert a force against the semiconductor substrate to move at least a portion of the substrate toward the polishing surface;
- a temperature sensor configured to be coupled to the substrate;
- and
- a temperature controlling unit coupled to the polishing surface for changing a temperature of the substrate in response to a temperature from the temperature sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.