CMP pad conditioner arrangement and method therefor
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (KPENV)
InventorsVictor J. Bass, Landon Vines
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for cleaning and enhancing CMP polishing pads. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a fluid source supplies cleaning elements to a CMP pad conditioner arrangement at pressure of about 20 PSI. A dispensing arrangement is coupled to the fluid source and is adapted to disperse the cleaning elements and to dispense the elements onto a CMP pad. The high-pressure cleaning of the CMP pad improves the ability to clean the pad over existing methods, reduces processing defects, increases the pad life, and improves the uniformity of the polish rate.
Claims28
A CMP pad conditioner arrangement, comprising:
- a fluid source adapted to supply cleaning elements at a pressure of at least about 20 PSI;
- a dispensing arrangement coupled to the fluid source and adapted to disperse the cleaning elements and to dispense the cleaning elements onto a CMP pad;
- and
- means, coupled to dispensing arrangement, for scrubbing while the dispensing arrangement disperses and dispenses the cleaning elements.
A CMP pad condition arrangement, comprising:
- a fluid source adapted to supply cleaning elements;
- a dispensing arrangement coupled to the fluid source and adapted to disperse the cleaning elements and to dispense the cleaning elements onto a CMP pad;
- and
- a rotation device adapted to rotate the CMP pad at a first polishing rotational speed and at a second cleaning rotational speed, wherein the second cleaning rotational speed is high enough to centrifugally eject the cleaning elements and residue from the pad.
A method for conditioning a CMP pad, the method comprising:
- receiving cleaning elements at a CMP pad conditioner at a fluid pressure of at least about 20 PSI;
- and
- dispersing the cleaning elements at the CMP pad conditioner and passing them onto a CMP pad while the pad is being scrubbed.
A method for conditioning a CMP pad, comprising:
- receiving cleaning elements at a CMP pad conditioner;
- dispersing the cleaning elements at the CMP pad conditioner and passing them onto a CMP pad;
- and
- rotating the CMP pad at a second rotational speed greater than a first rotational speed used during CMP polishing processes, the second rotational speed being high enough to centrifugally remove cleaning elements and residual polishing elements from the pad.
A CMP pad conditioner arrangement, comprising:
- means for receiving cleaning elements at a pressure greater than about 30 PSI;
- means for dispersing the cleaning elements and for dispensing the cleaning elements onto a CMP pad;
- and
- means for scrubbing coupled to dispersing means.
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:
- providing a conditioner apparatus having at least one inlet port adapted to receive cleaning elements, a distribution surface coupled to the inlet port, a scrubbing arrangement adjacent the distribution surface and a plurality of outlet ports adapted to pass cleaning elements at a flow rate of at least about 1.5 GPM and at a pressure of at least about 30 PSI onto a CMP pad;
- receiving cleaning elements via an inlet port;
- dispersing the cleaning elements via the distribution surface, dispensing the cleaning elements onto the CMP pad via the multitude of outlet ports while scrubbing the pad;
- introducing a slurry to the cleaned pad;
- and
- using the slurry and the cleaned, pad polishing the semiconductor wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.