Slurry system for semiconductor fabrication

A slurry feed system suitable for chemical mechanical planarization in a semiconductor fabrication facility, the system comprising:

• a valve manifold box comprising a plurality of valves and having a slurry discharge piping header fluidly connected to at least one chemical mechanical planarization station;
• a first slurry supply train comprising a first slurry mixing tank for preparing dilute slurry, a first day tank fluidly connected to the first mixing tank by first mixing tank discharge piping, at least two first slurry feed pumps arranged in series pumping relationship and connected by first pump suction piping to the first day tank, first pump discharge piping routed from the first slurry feed pumps to the valve manifold box, and first slurry return piping routed from the valve manifold box to the first day tank, the first pump discharge piping and first slurry return piping defining a first slurry piping loop, wherein the valves in the valve manifold box are interconnected with the first slurry piping loop in a manner that operably supplies slurry from the first slurry piping loop to the chemical mechanical planarization station;
• wherein a suction of one of the at least two first slurry feed pumps is fluidly coupled to a discharge of the other slurry feed pump which takes suction from the first day tank, the at least two first slurry feed pumps being disposed upstream of the valve manifold box in the first slurry supply train.