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US 6,585,563 B1Granted
In-situ monitoring of linear substrate polishing operations
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsFred C. Redeker, Manoocher Birang, Shijian Li, Sasson Somekh
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Abstract
A substrate polishing scheme (apparatus and method) is described according to which a polishing surface of a polishing sheet is driven in a generally linear direction by a drive mechanism, a surface of a substrate is held against the polishing surface of the polishing sheet by a polishing head, and the substrate is probed through the polishing sheet by a monitoring system.
Claims16
A substrate polishing apparatus comprising:
- a polishing head to hold a substrate to be polished;
- a polishing surface having a plurality of opaque projecting surface features disposed across the polishing surface with a substantially uniform density;
- and
- an optical monitoring system to probe the substrate through the polishing surface, the monitoring system including a light source to generate a light beam that passes through the polishing surface and a detector to detect light reflected from the substrate;
- wherein the density of the projecting surface features is sufficiently low so as to not significantly affect the transmission of the light beam through the polishing surface.
2 more elements
A substrate polishing method, comprising:
- holding a substrate against a polishing surface of a polishing sheet, the polishing sheet having a plurality of opaque projecting surface features disposed across the polishing surface with a substantially uniform density;
- and
- probing the substrate through the polishing sheet by directing a light beam through the polishing sheet and detecting light reflected from the substrate, wherein the density of the projecting surface features is sufficiently low so as to not significantly affect the transmission of the light beam through the polishing surface.
A substrate polishing apparatus, comprising:
- a polishing head to hold a substrate;
- a platen having an aperture therethrough;
- a polishing sheet extending between the polishing head and the platen, the polishing sheet formed from material that is substantially opaque and including a discrete region extending substantially the length of the polishing sheet that is at least semi-transparent;
- a drive mechanism to drive the polishing sheet in a generally linearly direction;
- and
- a monitoring system including a light source to generate a light beam that passes through the aperture and the discrete region of the polishing sheet and a detector to detect light reflected from the substrate.
3 more elements
A substrate polishing method, comprising:
- driving a polishing sheet in a generally linear direction, the polishing sheet formed from material that is substantially opaque and including a discrete region extending substantially the length of the polishing sheet that is at least semi-transparent;
- supporting the polishing sheet with a platen that includes an aperture therethrough;
- holding a substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing sheet;
- directing a light beam through the aperture and the discrete region of the polishing sheet;
- detecting light reflected from the substrate.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.