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US 8,771,460 B2Granted
Retaining ring for chemical mechanical polishing
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsSteven M. Zuniga, Thomas H. Osterheld
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a retaining ring having a flexible lower portion and a rigid upper portion.
Claims15
A retaining ring for a carrier head having a mounting surface for a substrate, comprising:
- a generally annular first portion having a top surface and a bottom surface configured for contacting a polishing pad during chemical mechanical polishing, wherein the first portion is a plastic first material and wherein the first portion lacks any channel between the top surface and the bottom surface of the first portion;
- and
- a generally annular second portion having a lower surface that extends over at least a portion of the first portion and an upper surface configured to be mechanically affixed to and abut a rigid base of a carrier head, wherein the upper surface includes a hole configured to receive a fastener to mechanically affix the retaining ring to the base, wherein the first portion is fixed directly to the second portion without a removable mechanical fastener, and wherein the second portion is a second material which is more rigid than the first material.
A retaining ring for a carrier head having a mounting surface for a substrate, comprising:
- a generally annular first portion having a top surface and a bottom surface configured for contacting a polishing pad during chemical mechanical polishing, wherein the first portion is a plastic first material and wherein the first portion lacks any channel between the top surface and the bottom surface of the first portion;
- and
- a generally annular second portion having a lower surface that extends over at least a portion of the first portion and an upper surface configured to be mechanically affixed to and abut a rigid base of a carrier head, wherein the first portion is fixed directly to the second portion without a removable mechanical fastener, wherein an inner side wall and an outer side wall of the retaining ring are substantially vertical from the upper surface of the upper portion to the bottom surface of the lower portion, and wherein the second portion is a second material which is more rigid than the first material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.