Polishing uniformity via pad conditioning
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorChristopher H. Raeder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to an example embodiment, the present invention is directed to a CMP apparatus having a polishing table, a wafer carrier adapted to carry a wafer on a pad, and a conditioning wheel. If the pad is being polished in a center-fast or center-slow manner, the conditioning wheel is used to condition the pad and to improve the center-fast or center-slow condition. Benefits of using this embodiment include improved wafer quality, improved pad life, a reduction in defective wafers, and faster production.
Claims18
A method for chemical-mechanical polishing a wafer using a CMP apparatus having a polishing table including a polishing pad and a wafer carrier adapted to carry a wafer relative to the center of the polishing table, the method comprising:
- using the polishing pad, polishing the wafer at a position relative to the center;
- determining that the wafer is being polished in a center-offset manner;
- and
- as a function of the wafer being polished in the center-offset manner, conditioning the pad and positioning the wafer carrier misaligned with respect to the pad.
A method for chemical-mechanical polishing, a wafer using a CMP apparatus having a polishing table including a polishing pad and a wafer carrier adapted to carry a wafer relative to the center of the polishing table, the method comprising:
- using the polishing pad, polishing the wafer at a position relative to the center;
- determining that the wafer is being polished in a center-offset manner including removing the wafer from the carrier and manually inspecting a wafer;
- and
- as a function of the wafer being polished in the center-offset manner, conditioning the pad and positioning the wafer carrier misaligned with respect to the pad.
An arrangement for chemical-mechanical polishing a wafer, the arrangement comprising:
- means for polishing a wafer;
- means for holding a wafer face-down on the means for polishing;
- means for determining whether the wafer is polishing in a center-offset manner;
- and
- means, responsive to the determination means, for conditioning the polishing means and positioning the wafer misaligned with respect to the polishing means.
An arrangement for chemical-mechanical polishing, the arrangement comprising:
- a polishing pad arranged to rotate;
- a wafer carrier arranged to carry a wafer, rotate, and hold the wafer face-down on the polishing pad;
- a detection arrangement adapted to detect whether the wafer is polishing in a center-offset manner;
- and
- a conditioning device adapted to condition the pad, both the conditioning device being arranged, and the wafer carrier being misaligned, relative to the polishing pad as a function of the wafer having been polished in a center-offset manner.
A system for chemical-mechanical polishing a wafer, using a CMP apparatus having a polishing table including a polishing pad and a wafer carrier adapted to carry a wafer relative to the center of the polishing table, the method comprising:
- means for using the polishing pad, polishing the wafer at a position relative to the center;
- means for determining that the wafer is being polished in a center-offset manner;
- means for compensating for the wafer being polished in a center-offset manner by conditioning the pad as a function of the wafer being polished in the center-offset manner, and positioning the wafer carrier misaligned with respect to the pad.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.