Method of post CMP defect stability improvement
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsThomas H. Osterheld, Peter McKeever, Chad Garretson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for delivering one or more rinse agents to a surface, such as a polishing pad surface and preferably one or more polishing fluids. The invention also provides a method of cleaning one or more surfaces, such as a polishing pad surface and a substrate surface, by delivering a spray of one or more rinse agents to the surface and, preferably, causing the rinse agent to flow across the surface from a central region to an outer region where unwanted debris and material is collected.
Claims20
A method of polishing a substrate, comprising:
- a) positioning a substrate in contact with a polishing pad;
- b) applying pressure to a backside of the substrate;
- c) polishing the substrate with a polishing agent for a period of time;
- d) removing the pressure from the backside of the substrate and deliverng a rinsing agent to the pad while the pressure is removed from the backside of the substrate, but while the substrate remains in contact with the pad while transitioning between polishing and rinsing;
- e) rinsing the pad with the rinsing agent for a period of time;
- and
- f) re-applying a pressure to the backside of the substrate.
A method of polishing a substrate, comprising:
- polishing a substrate with a polishing agent at a polishing pad by disposing the substrate on the pad and applying a backside pressure to the substrate;
- and
- rising the polishing pad with a rinsing agent by delivering the rinsing agent to the pad while the pressure is removed from the backside of the substrate, but while the substrate remains in contact with the pad while tnitioning between polishing and rinsing.
A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
- disposing a substrate on a rotating pad;
- providing a backside pressure greater than about 2 psi to a backside of the substrate;
- polishing the substrate with a polishing agent on the pad;
- rinsing the substrate with a rinsing agent by delivering the rinsing agent to the pad and the substrate while the pressure is removed from the backside of the substrate, but while the substrate remains in contact with the pad while transitioning between polishing and rinsing;
- continuing to deliver the rinsing agent;
- and
- re-applying the backside pressure to the backside of the substrate while continuing to deliver the rinsing agent to the pad and the substrate.
A method of polishing a substrate, sequentially comprising:
- a) positioning a substrate in contact with a polishing pad;
- b) applying pressure to a backside of the substrate;
- c) polishing the substrate with a polishing agent for a period of time;
- d) removing the pressure from the backside of the substrate;
- e) delivering a rinsing agent to the pad while the substrate remains in contact with the pad;
- f) rinsing the pad with the rinsing agent for a period of time;
- and
- g) re-applying a pressure to the backside of the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.