In situ friction detector method and apparatus

A finishing apparatus comprising:

• a workpiece carrier for holding a workpiece surface;
• a finishing element finishing surface positioned proximate the workpiece surface;
• a mechanism for applying an operative finishing motion to the operative finishing interface comprising the workpiece surface and finishing element finishing surface;
• and
• a friction control subsystem having at least one friction sensor probe having a friction sensor surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface and free of contact with the workpiece surface, the friction sensor probe for measuring a change in tangential force of friction and the friction sensor subsystem for in situ control of a finishing control parameter responsive to a signal from the friction sensor probe and the friction control subsystem having access to current cost of manufacture parameters.

A finishing apparatus comprising:

• a semiconductor wafer carrier for holding a semiconductor wafer surface;
• a finishing element finishing surface positioned proximate the semiconductor wafer surface;
• a mechanism for applying an operative finishing motion to an operative finishing interface comprising the semiconductor wafer surface and finishing element finishing surface;
• and
• a friction control subsystem having at least one friction sensor probe having a friction sensor surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface and free of contact with the semiconductor wafer surface and the friction sensor subsystem for in situ control of a finishing control parameter and the friction control subsystem having access to trackable cost of manufacture parameters.

A finishing apparatus comprising:

• a semiconductor wafer carrier for holding a semiconductor wafer surface;
• a finishing element finishing surface positioned proximate the semiconductor wafer surface;
• a mechanism for applying an operative finishing motion to an operative finishing interface comprising the semiconductor wafer surface and finishing element finishing surface;
• and
• a friction control subsystem having at least one friction sensor probe having a friction sensor surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface and free of contact with the semiconductor wafer surface, the friction sensor probe for measuring a change in tangential force of friction and the friction sensor subsystem for in situ control of a finishing control parameter responsive to a signal from the friction sensor probe.

A method of finishing of a semiconductor wafer having a semiconductor wafer surface comprising the steps of:

• providing a finishing element finishing surface;
• positioning the semiconductor wafer surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface;
• providing an organic lubricant to an interface formed between the semiconductor wafer surface and the finishing element finishing surface;
• providing at least one operative friction sensor for gaining information about the finishing;
• applying an operative finishing motion between the semiconductor wafer surface and the finishing element finishing surface forming an operative finishing interface having a friction;
• sensing the friction with the operative friction sensor and sending the information about the friction to a processor having access to current cost of manufacture parameters;
• evaluating process control parameters for improved adjustment using at least in part a minimum of two cost of manufacture parameters;
• and
• controlling at least two process control parameters to improve the cost of manufacture of the semiconductor wafer.

A method of finishing a semiconductor wafer surface having a finishing cycle time comprising the steps of:

• providing a finishing element finishing surface;
• positioning the semiconductor wafer surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface;
• providing an organic lubricant to an interface formed between the semiconductor wafer surface and the finishing element finishing surface;
• providing at least two operative friction sensors for gaining information about the finishing;
• applying an operative finishing motion between the semiconductor wafer surface and the finishing element finishing surface forming an operative finishing interface with at least one friction;
• sensing friction with the at least two operative friction sensors and sending the information about the finishing to a processor having access to cost of manufacture parameters;
• evaluating process control parameters for improved adjustment using at least in part a minimum of three cost of manufacture parameters;
• and
• controlling and adjusting at least 4 times a minimum of two process control parameters to improve the cost of manufacture of the semiconductor wafer during the finishing cycle time.

A method of finishing a semiconductor wafer having a semiconductor wafer surface and having a finishing cycle time comprising the steps of:

• providing an abrasive finishing surface;
• positioning the semiconductor wafer surface proximate to the abrasive finishing surface;
• providing an organic lubricant and a finishing composition to an interface formed between the abrasive finishing surface and the semiconductor wafer surface;
• providing at least one operative friction sensor for gaining information about the finishing;
• applying an operative finishing motion between the semiconductor wafer surface and the abrasive finishing surface forming an operative finishing interface;
• sensing the progress of the finishing of the semiconductor wafer surface with the operative sensor and sending the information about the finishing to a processor having access to current cost of manufacture parameters;
• evaluating finishing control parameters for improved adjustment using at least in part a minimum of three current cost of manufacture parameters;
• and
• controlling two process control parameters at least 4 times during the finishing cycle time to improve the cost of manufacture of the semiconductor wafer.

A method of finishing of a semiconductor wafer surface comprising the steps of:

• providing a finishing element finishing surface;
• positioning the semiconductor wafer surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface;
• providing an organic lubricant and a finishing composition to an interface formed between the finishing element finishing surface and the semiconductor wafer surface;
• providing at least one operative friction sensor for gaining information about the finishing;
• applying an operative finishing motion between the semiconductor wafer surface and the finishing element finishing surface forming an operative finishing interface;
• sensing the progress of finishing information of the semiconductor wafer surface with the operative sensor and sending the progress of finishing information about the finishing to a processor having access to cost of manufacture parameters;
• evaluating process control parameters for improved adjustment using at least in part at least two cost of manufacture parameters;
• and
• controlling at least two process control parameters to improve the cost of manufacture of the semiconductor wafer.

A method of finishing having a finishing cycle time comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor wafer having a semiconductor wafer surface and a tracking code;
• providing a finishing element finishing surface;
• positioning the semiconductor wafer surface proximate to the finishing element finishing surface;
• providing a lubricant to an interface formed between the semiconductor wafer surface and the finishing element finishing surface;
• providing at least one operative friction sensor for gaining information about the finishing;
• applying an operative finishing motion between the semiconductor wafer surface and the finishing element finishing surface forming an operative finishing interface having a friction;
• sensing the friction with the operative friction sensor and sending the information about the friction to a processor having access to current cost of manufacture parameters;
• evaluating process control parameters for improved adjustment using at least in part a minimum of a plurality of the current cost of manufacture parameters;
• and
• controlling at least two process control parameters to improve the cost of manufacture of the semiconductor wafer.

A method of finishing comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor wafer having a tracking code;
• providing an abrasive finishing surface;
• positioning the semiconductor wafer surface proximate to the abrasive finishing surface;
• providing at least one operative friction sensor;
• applying an operative finishing motion between the semiconductor wafer surface and the abrasive finishing surface forming an operative finishing interface having a friction;
• sensing the friction with the operative friction sensor and sending the information about the friction to a processor having access to current cost of manufacture parameters;
• evaluating using a mathematical formula to calculate in situ at least two improved process control parameter values based at least in part upon at least two cost of manufacture parameters selected from the group consisting of parametric yield, equipment yield, defect density, and finishing rate;
• and
• controlling at least two process control parameters to improve the cost of manufacture of the semiconductor wafer.