# US 8,739,806 B2 · Chemical mechanical polishing system

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- Number: US 8,739,806 B2
- Document ID: US8739806B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/105,874
- Filed: 2011-05-11
- Published: 2012-11-15
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2011-05-11
- Assignees: Nanya Technology Corporation
- Applicants: Li-Chung Liu; Yi-Nan Chen; Hsien-Wen Liu
- Inventors: Li-Chung Liu; Yi-Nan Chen; Hsien-Wen Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739806B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/0472: {comprising at least one polishing chamber}
- B24B 37/107: {in a rotary movement only, about an axis being stationary during lapping}
- B24B 57/02: for feeding of fluid, sprayed, pulverised, or liquefied grinding, polishing or lapping agents
- H10P 70/15: {by wet cleaning only (H10P70/52 takes precedence)}
- H10P 72/0412: {using mainly scrubbing means, e.g. brushes}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS

## Abstract

A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system includes a wafer polishing unit comprising a waste liquid sink for receiving a used slurry and a waste slurry drain piping for draining the used slurry; and a post-CMP cleaning unit coupled to the wafer polishing unit such that a used base chemical such as tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) produced from the post-CMP cleaning unit flows toward the wafer polishing unit to frequently wash at least the waste slurry drain piping in a real time fashion on a wafer by wafer basis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system, comprising:
a wafer polishing unit comprising a waste liquid sink for receiving a used slurry a waste slurry drain piping for draining the used slurry, a platen, a polishing pad mounted on the platen, a carrier for holding and rotating a wafer, and a slurry feeding device; and
a post-CMP cleaning unit externally coupled to the wafer polishing unit, wherein the post-CMP cleaning unit comprises a waste liquid sink that is connected to the waste liquid sink of the wafer polishing unit through a conduit that guides a used base chemical from the post-CMP cleaning unit to flow toward the wafer polishing unit to wash at least the waste slurry drain piping every time the post-CMP cleaning unit is operated, and the post-CMP cleaning unit further comprises a plurality of rollers for supporting and rotating a wafer, a brush for scrubbing the wafer, and a spray bar disposed in proximity to the brush.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The CMP system according to claim 1 wherein the used base chemical comprises tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The CMP system according to claim 1 wherein the used base chemical from the post-CMP cleaning unit directly flows into the waste liquid sink of the wafer polishing unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The CMP system according to claim 1 wherein the used base chemical from the post-CMP cleaning unit does not flow into the waste liquid sink of the wafer polishing unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The CMP system according to claim 1 wherein used base chemical flows to the wafer polishing unit by gravity.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The CMP system according to claim 1 wherein the post-CMP cleaning unit is a scrubber cleaner.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The CMP system according to claim 1 wherein the used slurry is drained to a waste liquid tank.