Combinatorial tool for mechanically-assisted surface polishing and cleaning
AssigneeIntermolecular, Inc.
InventorsKim Van Berkel, Aaron T. Francis, Frank C. Ma, George Mirth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Polishing and cleaning techniques are combinatorially processed and evaluated. A polishing system can include a reactor assembly having multiple reaction chambers, with at least a reaction chamber including a rotatable polishing head, slurry and chemical distribution, chemical and water rinse, and slurry and fluid removal. Different downward forces can be applied to the polishing heads for evaluating optimum process conditions. Channels in the polishing pads can redistribute slurry and chemical to the polishing area.
Claims15
A processing reactor for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) in a combinatorial manner, the reactor comprising
- a reactor chamber comprising a chamber wall,
- wherein the chamber wall is disposed on a substrate surface to define a site isolated region on the substrate;
- a rotatable head comprising a support head and a polishing pad coupled to the support head using a recess in the support head having a sharp edge for catching on to and retaining a portion of the polishing pad protruding into the recess, wherein the recess is positioned concentric with a rotating axis of the support head,
- wherein the polishing pad comprises a deformable material allowing the portion of the polishing pad to be inserted into the recess in the support head past the sharp edge;
- wherein the polishing pad comprises one or more channels for re-distributing chemicals or slurry to an inner area of the pad;
- a first conduit for distributing chemicals to the site isolated region;
- and
- a second conduit for removing materials from the site isolated region.
A processing system for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) in a combinatorial manner, the system comprising
- a substrate support for supporting a substrate;
- a plurality of reactors,
- wherein each of the plurality of reactors is disposed on a different portion of a surface of the substrate to define a plurality of site isolated regions on the substrate, and
- wherein each of the plurality of site isolated regions is associated with a different one of the plurality of reactors;
- a plurality of rotatable heads,
- wherein each of the plurality of rotatable heads comprises a support head and a polishing pad coupled to the support head using a recess in the support head having a sharp edge for catching on to and retaining a portion of the polishing pad protruding into the recess, wherein the recess is positioned concentric with a rotating axis of the support head,
- wherein the polishing pad comprises a deformable material allowing the portion of the polishing pad to be inserted into the recess in the support head past the sharp edge;
- wherein the polishing pad comprises one or more channels for re-distributing chemicals or slurry to an inner area of the pad,
- wherein each reactor of the plurality of reactors comprises a different rotatable head in the plurality of rotatable heads, and
- wherein each different rotatable head is operable to polish or clean the each site isolated region defined by the each reactor associated therewith;
- a plurality of mechanisms,
- wherein each mechanism in the plurality of mechanisms is configured to apply a downward force to an associated rotatable head, and
- wherein the downward force applied by the each mechanism varies from that of all other mechanisms in the plurality of mechanisms in a combinatorial manner;
- a plurality of first conduits,
- wherein one or more first conduits in the plurality of first conduits are configured for distributing chemicals to a single site isolated region;
- a plurality of second conduits,
- wherein one or more second conduits in the plurality of second conduits are configured for removing materials from the single site isolated region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.