US 6,660,125 B2Granted

Sputter PM procedures with polish tool to effectively remove metal defects from target surface nodules (residue)

AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

InventorsMing-Tsong Wang, Chung-En Kao, Kuang-Hsing Liu, Ta-Bin Chen

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A new method is provided for the removal of metal residue or nodules from surfaces that are target surfaces during the process of metal sputtering. A polishing bit is applied in a rotating manner to a surface on which nodules have been formed, this application removes the nodules from the target surface and prepares the surface for further processing steps.

Claims5

Dependent claims

An apparatus for removing nodules from a semiconductor surface, comprising:

a circular polishing bit having a center said polishing bit being mounted on a cylindrical polishing bit support platform having a central axis whereby said cylindrical support platform has further been provided with a shaft having a central axis whereby said polishing bit and said shaft of said polishing bit support platform are positioned at opposing ends of said cylinder of said polishing bit support platform whereby furthermore said center of said polishing bit is on a line that coincides with said axis of said cylindrical support platform which further coincides with said axis of said shaft of said cylindrical support platform;
a polishing bit mounting apparatus having a central axis whereby said polishing bit mounting apparatus can contain said polishing bit in a fixed position such that said central axis of said polishing bit support platform coincides with said central axis of said polishing bit mounting apparatus;
a rotary motor said motor having been provided with a shaft having a central axis whereby said shaft can be rotated when stimulated by said rotary motor;
a means for positioning and mounting said polishing bit in a fixed position within said polishing bit mounting apparatus by mounting said polishing bit supporting platform in said polishing bit mounting apparatus whereby said central axis of said polishing supporting platform coincides with said central axis of said polishing bit mounting apparatus;
a means for positioning and mounting said polishing bit mounting apparatus in a fixed position with respect to said rotary motor whereby said central axis of said polishing bit mounting apparatus coincides with said central axis of said shaft of said rotary motor thereby coinciding said central axis of said polishing bit with said central axis of said shaft of said rotary motor thereby coupling said polishing bit with said shaft of said rotary motor such that any rotary motion of said shaft of said rotary motor is transferred as a rotary motion to said polishing bit;
a means for rotating said shaft of said rotary motor thereby providing a rotating motion to said polishing bit thereby enabling said polishing bit to exert an abrasive action;
and
a means for transferring said abrasive action of said polishing bit to said semiconductor surface thereby removing said nodules from said surface.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/029,623Filed 31 Dec 2001 · division
Priority: 4 Apr 2000
Published: US 2002/0127861 A112 Sep 2002
Granted: 9 Dec 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

C23C 14/3414
Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target: metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy
B24B 7/228
For grinding inorganic material, e.g. stone, ceramics, porcelain: for grinding thin, brittle parts, e.g. semiconductors, wafers
B24B 29/00
Machines or devices for polishing surfaces on work by means of tools
C23C 14/564
Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks: means for minimising impurities in…

Family

Application09/542,806Parent of this division · filed 4 Apr 2000
US 2002/0127861 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Sep 2002
US 6,358,851 B1Parent of this division
US 6,660,125 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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Abstract

An apparatus for removing nodules from a semiconductor surface, comprising:

a circular polishing bit having a center said polishing bit being mounted on a cylindrical polishing bit support platform having a central axis whereby said cylindrical support platform has further been provided with a shaft having a central axis whereby said polishing bit and said shaft of said polishing bit support platform are positioned at opposing ends of said cylinder of said polishing bit support platform whereby furthermore said center of said polishing bit is on a line that coincides with said axis of said cylindrical support platform which further coincides with said axis of said shaft of said cylindrical support platform;
a polishing bit mounting apparatus having a central axis whereby said polishing bit mounting apparatus can contain said polishing bit in a fixed position such that said central axis of said polishing bit support platform coincides with said central axis of said polishing bit mounting apparatus;
a rotary motor said motor having been provided with a shaft having a central axis whereby said shaft can be rotated when stimulated by said rotary motor;
a means for positioning and mounting said polishing bit in a fixed position within said polishing bit mounting apparatus by mounting said polishing bit supporting platform in said polishing bit mounting apparatus whereby said central axis of said polishing supporting platform coincides with said central axis of said polishing bit mounting apparatus;
a means for positioning and mounting said polishing bit mounting apparatus in a fixed position with respect to said rotary motor whereby said central axis of said polishing bit mounting apparatus coincides with said central axis of said shaft of said rotary motor thereby coinciding said central axis of said polishing bit with said central axis of said shaft of said rotary motor thereby coupling said polishing bit with said shaft of said rotary motor such that any rotary motion of said shaft of said rotary motor is transferred as a rotary motion to said polishing bit;
a means for rotating said shaft of said rotary motor thereby providing a rotating motion to said polishing bit thereby enabling said polishing bit to exert an abrasive action;
and
a means for transferring said abrasive action of said polishing bit to said semiconductor surface thereby removing said nodules from said surface.

5 more elements

Facts

Application

10/029,623Filed 31 Dec 2001 · division

Priority

4 Apr 2000

Published

US 2002/0127861 A112 Sep 2002

Granted

9 Dec 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

C23C 14/3414
Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target: metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy
B24B 7/228
For grinding inorganic material, e.g. stone, ceramics, porcelain: for grinding thin, brittle parts, e.g. semiconductors, wafers
B24B 29/00
Machines or devices for polishing surfaces on work by means of tools
C23C 14/564
Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks: means for minimising impurities in…