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US 6,957,997 B2Granted
Method and system for controlling the chemical mechanical polishing by using a sensor signal of a pad conditioner
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsGerd Marxsen, Jens Kramer, Uwe Gunter
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Abstract
In a system and a method according to the present invention, a sensor signal, such as a motor current signal, from a drive assembly of a pad conditioning system is used to control a CMP system to compensate for a change in the conditions of consumables, thereby enhancing process stability.
Claims15
A system for chemical mechanical polishing, comprising:
- a controllable polishing head configured to receive and hold in place a substrate;
- a polishing pad mounted on a platen that is coupled to a first drive assembly;
- a pad conditioning assembly coupled to a second drive assembly including an electric motor;
- and
- a control unit operatively connected to said polishing head and said second drive assembly, the control unit being configured to receive a sensor signal from said electric motor and to control said polishing head on the basis of said sensor signal.
2 more elements
A method of operating a CMP system, comprising:
- obtaining a sensor signal from an electric motor driving a pad conditioner of said CMP system while moving said pad conditioner relative to a polishing pad of said CMP system;
- and
- adjusting at least one process parameter of said CMP system on the basis of said sensor signal for at least one substrate to be processed in said CMP system, wherein a plurality of substrates are processed in said CMP system with said at least one process parameter being adjusted only once.
A method of operating a CMP system, comprising:
- obtaining a sensor signal from an electric motor driving a pad conditioner of said CMP system while moving said pad conditioner relative to a polishing pad of said CMP system, wherein said sensor signal is indicative of at least one of a revolution and a torque of said electric motor;
- adjusting at least one process parameter of said CMP system on the basis of said sensor signal for at least one substrate to be processed in said CMP system;
- establishing reference data for said sensor signal on the basis of a plurality of processed substrates;
- and
- using said sensor signal in combination with said reference data to adjust said at least one process parameter.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.