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US 6,439,981 B1Granted
Arrangement and method for polishing a surface of a semiconductor wafer
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorsJayanthi Pallinti, Ron Nagahara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An arrangement for polishing a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. The arrangement includes a plurality of preassembled polishing pad assemblies which can be selectively coupled to, and decoupled from, an actuating mechanism for rotating the polishing pad assemblies. An associated method of polishing a semiconductor wafer is also disclosed.
Claims8
An arrangement for polishing a surface of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- a first polishing pad assembly which includes (i) a first support member having a first pad receiving surface and (ii) a first polishing pad attached to said first pad receiving surface;
- an actuating mechanism for rotating said first polishing pad assembly when said first polishing pad assembly is coupled to said actuating mechanism;
- a wafer carrier configured to receive and support said semiconductor wafer, said wafer carrier being positioned in an opposing relationship relative to said first pad receiving surface when said first polishing pad assembly is coupled to said actuating mechanism;
- and
- an attachment mechanism operatively linked to said actuating mechanism, said attachment mechanism being selectively operable between (i) a first coupling mode of operation and (ii) a decoupling mode of operation,
- wherein (i) when said attachment mechanism is operated in said first coupling mode of operation said first polishing pad assembly is (A) attached to said attachment mechanism and (B) coupled to said actuating mechanism and (ii) when said attachment mechanism is operated in said decoupling mode of operation said first polishing pad assembly is (A) detached from said attachment mechanism and (B) decoupled from said actuating mechanism.
3 more elements
An arrangement for polishing a semiconductor wafer supported on a wafer carrier, comprising:
- a first polishing pad assembly which includes (i) a first support member having a first pad receiving surface and (ii) a first polishing pad attached to said first pad receiving surface;
- a second polishing pad assembly which includes (i) a second support member having a second pad receiving surface and (ii) a second polishing pad attached to said second pad receiving surface,
- an actuating mechanism for rotating at least one of said first polishing pad assembly and said second polishing pad assembly when said at least one of said first polishing pad assembly and said second polishing pad assembly is coupled to said actuating mechanism;
- and
- an attachment mechanism operatively linked to said actuating mechanism, said attachment mechanism being selectively operable between (i) a first coupling mode of operation, (ii) a second coupling mode of operation, and (iii) a decoupling mode of operation,
- wherein (i) when said attachment mechanism is operated in said first coupling mode of operation said first polishing pad assembly is (A) attached to said attachment mechanism and (B) coupled to said actuating mechanism, (ii) when said attachment mechanism is operated in said second coupling mode of operation said second polishing pad assembly is (A) attached to said attachment mechanism and (B) coupled to said actuating mechanism, and (iii) when said attachment mechanism is operated in said decoupling mode of operation said first polishing pad assembly and said second polishing pad assembly are (A) detached from said attachment mechanism and (B) decoupled from said actuating mechanism.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.