公开(公告)号：US07588677B2

公开(公告)日：2009-09-15

申请号：US11451723

申请日：2006-06-12

申请人： Whonchee Lee ,  Scott G. Meikle ,  Scott E. Moore ,  Trung T. Doan

发明人： Whonchee Lee ,  Scott G. Meikle ,  Scott E. Moore ,  Trung T. Doan

IPC分类号： B23H5/06

CPC分类号： C25F7/00 ,  B23H5/08 ,  B24B37/042 ,  B24B37/046 ,  B24B37/20 ,  H01L21/32125

摘要： A method and apparatus for removing conductive material from a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the method can include engaging a microelectronic substrate with a polishing surface of a polishing pad, electrically coupling a conductive material of the microelectronic substrate to a source of electrical potential, and oxidizing at least a portion of the conductive material by passing an electrical current through the conductive material from the source of electrical potential. For example, the method can include positioning first and second electrodes apart from a face surface of the microelectronic substrate and disposing an electrolytic fluid between the face surface and the electrodes with the electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolytic fluid. The method can further include removing the portion of conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by moving at least one of the microelectronic and the polishing pad relative to the other. Accordingly, metals such as platinum can be anisotropically removed from the microelectronic substrate. The characteristics of the metal removal can be controlled by controlling the characteristics of the electrical signal applied to the microelectronic substrate, and the characteristics of a liquid disposed between the microelectronic substrate and the polishing pad.

公开(公告)号：US07160176B2

公开(公告)日：2007-01-09

申请号：US09888002

申请日：2001-06-21

申请人： Whonchee Lee ,  Scott G. Meikle ,  Scott E. Moore

发明人： Whonchee Lee ,  Scott G. Meikle ,  Scott E. Moore

IPC分类号： B24B1/00

CPC分类号： B23H5/08 ,  B24B1/002

摘要： A method and apparatus for removing conductive material from a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, a support member supports a microelectronic substrate relative to a material removal medium, which can include first and second electrodes and a polishing pad. One or more electrolytes are disposed between the electrodes and the microelectronic substrate to electrically link the electrodes to the microelectronic substrate. The electrodes are then coupled to a source of varying current that electrically removes the conductive material from the substrate. The microelectronic substrate and/or the electrodes can be moved relative to each other to position the electrodes relative to a selected portion of the microelectronic substrate, and/or to polish the microelectronic substrate. The material removal medium can remove gas formed during the process from the microelectronic substrate and/or the electrodes. The medium can also have different first and second electrical characteristics to provide different levels of electrical coupling to different regions of the microelectronic substrate.

摘要翻译： 一种用于从微电子衬底去除导电材料的方法和装置。 在一个实施例中，支撑构件相对于材料去除介质支撑微电子衬底，其可以包括第一和第二电极以及抛光垫。 一个或多个电解质设置在电极和微电子衬底之间以将电极电连接到微电子衬底。 然后将电极耦合到电流从基板电除去导电材料的变化的电流源。 微电子衬底和/或电极可以相对于彼此移动以相对于微电子衬底的选定部分定位电极，和/或抛光微电子衬底。 材料去除介质可以从微电子衬底和/或电极去除在该过程期间形成的气体。 介质还可以具有不同的第一和第二电特性，以提供与微电子衬底的不同区域的不同水平的电耦合。

公开(公告)号：US07151056B2

公开(公告)日：2006-12-19

申请号：US10662901

申请日：2003-09-15

申请人： Scott G. Meikle

发明人： Scott G. Meikle

IPC分类号： H01L21/302

CPC分类号： B24B37/24 ,  B24B37/245 ,  B24B37/26 ,  B24D18/00

摘要： A planarizing pad for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, and a method and apparatus for forming the planarizing pad. In one embodiment, planarizing pad material is mixed with compressed gas to form a plurality of discrete elements that are distributed on a film support material. The film support material is supported by a liquid and is drawn from the liquid with a backing layer. At least a portion of the discrete elements are spaced apart from each other on the film support material to form a textured surface for engaging a microelectronic substrate and removing material from the microelectronic substrate. The discrete elements can be uniformly or randomly distributed on the film support material.

摘要翻译： 用于平坦化微电子衬底的平坦化焊盘，以及用于形成平坦化焊盘的方法和装置。 在一个实施例中，平面化焊盘材料与压缩气体混合以形成分布在膜支撑材料上的多个分立元件。 薄膜支撑材料由液体支撑并且由具有背衬层的液体拉出。 离散元件的至少一部分在膜支撑材料上彼此间隔开以形成用于接合微电子衬底并从微电子衬底去除材料的纹理表面。 离散元件可以均匀地或随机地分布在膜支撑材料上。

公开(公告)号：US07118445B2

公开(公告)日：2006-10-10

申请号：US09814260

申请日：2001-03-21

申请人： Scott E. Moore ,  Scott G. Meikle ,  Magdel Crum

发明人： Scott E. Moore ,  Scott G. Meikle ,  Magdel Crum

IPC分类号： B24B49/00 ,  B24B51/00 ,  B24B1/00

CPC分类号： B24B37/04 ,  B24B49/10 ,  B24B57/02

摘要： Semiconductor processor systems, systems configured to provide a semiconductor workpiece process fluid, semiconductor workpiece processing methods, methods of preparing semiconductor workpiece process fluid, and methods of delivering semiconductor workpiece process fluid to a semiconductor processor are provided. One aspect of the invention provides a semiconductor processor system including a process chamber adapted to process at least one semiconductor workpiece using a process fluid; a connection coupled with the process chamber and configured to receive the process fluid; a sensor coupled with the connection and configured to output a signal indicative of the process fluid; and a control system coupled with the sensor and configured to control at least one operation of the semiconductor processor system responsive to the signal.

公开(公告)号：US06716090B2

公开(公告)日：2004-04-06

申请号：US09854353

申请日：2001-05-11

申请人： Dinesh Chopra ,  Scott G. Meikle

发明人： Dinesh Chopra ,  Scott G. Meikle

IPC分类号： B24B5300

CPC分类号： B24B37/04 ,  B24B57/02 ,  H01L21/3212

摘要： Apparatuses and methods for planarizing a microelectronic-device substrate assembly on a planarizing pad. In one aspect of the invention, material is removed from the substrate assembly by pressing the substrate assembly against a planarizing surface of a planarizing pad and moving the substrate assembly across the planarizing surface through a planarizing zone. The method also includes replacing at least a portion of a used volume of planarizing solution on the planarizing surface with fresh planarizing solution during the planarization cycle of a single substrate assembly. The used planarizing solution can be replaced with fresh planarizing solution by actively removing the used planarizing solution from the pad with a removing unit and depositing fresh planarizing solution onto the pad in the planarizing zone. The used planarizing solution, for example, can be removed either while the substrate assembly is moved through the planarizing zone, or between planarizing stages of a multi-stage planarizing process. In another aspect of the invention, a planarizing machine for planarizing microelectronic-device substrate assemblies includes removing unit at the accumulation zone to actively remove used planarizing solution from the accumulation zone on the stationary planarizing pad.

公开(公告)号：US06672946B2

公开(公告)日：2004-01-06

申请号：US10300303

申请日：2002-11-19

申请人： Dinesh Chopra ,  Scott G. Meikle

发明人： Dinesh Chopra ,  Scott G. Meikle

IPC分类号： B24B5300

CPC分类号： B24B37/04 ,  B24B57/02 ,  H01L21/3212

摘要： Apparatuses and methods for planarizing a microelectronic-device substrate assembly on a planarizing pad. In one aspect of the invention, material is removed from the substrate assembly by pressing the substrate assembly against a planarizing surface of a planarizing pad and moving the substrate assembly across the planarizing surface through a planarizing zone. The method also includes replacing at least a portion of a used volume of planarizing solution on the planarizing surface with fresh planarizing solution during the planarization cycle of a single substrate assembly. The used planarizing solution can be replaced with fresh planarizing solution by actively removing the used planarizing solution from the pad with a removing unit and depositing fresh planarizing solution onto the pad in the planarizing zone. The used planarizing solution, for example, can be removed either while the substrate assembly is moved through the planarizing zone, or between planarizing stages of a multi-stage planarizing process. In another aspect of the invention, a planarizing machine for planarizing microelectronic-device substrate assemblies includes removing unit at the accumulation zone to actively remove used planarizing solution from the accumulation zone on the stationary planarizing pad.

公开(公告)号：US06648736B2

公开(公告)日：2003-11-18

申请号：US10300220

申请日：2002-11-19

申请人： Dinesh Chopra ,  Scott G. Meikle

发明人： Dinesh Chopra ,  Scott G. Meikle

IPC分类号： B24B5300

CPC分类号： B24B37/04 ,  B24B57/02 ,  H01L21/3212

摘要： Apparatuses and methods for planarizing a microelectronic-device substrate assembly on a planarizing pad. In one aspect of the invention, material is removed from the substrate assembly by pressing the substrate assembly against a planarizing surface of a planarizing pad and moving the substrate assembly across the planarizing surface through a planarizing zone. The method also includes replacing at least a portion of a used volume of planarizing solution on the planarizing surface with fresh planarizing solution during the planarization cycle of a single substrate assembly. The used planarizing solution can be replaced with fresh planarizing solution by actively removing the used planarizing solution from the pad with a removing unit and depositing fresh planarizing solution onto the pad in the planarizing zone. The used planarizing solution, for example, can be removed either while the substrate assembly is moved through the planarizing zone, or between planarizing stages of a multi-stage planarizing process. In another aspect of the invention, a planarizing machine for planarizing microelectronic-device substrate assemblies includes removing unit at the accumulation zone to actively remove used planarizing solution from the accumulation zone on the stationary planarizing pad.

公开(公告)号：US06582281B2

公开(公告)日：2003-06-24

申请号：US09534820

申请日：2000-03-23

申请人： Trung Tri Doan ,  Scott G. Meikle

发明人： Trung Tri Doan ,  Scott G. Meikle

IPC分类号： B24B100

CPC分类号： B24B37/11 ,  B23H5/08 ,  B24B37/042 ,  B24B37/046 ,  B24B37/20 ,  C25F3/30 ,  H01L21/3212 ,  H01L21/32125

摘要： The invention includes a semiconductive processing method of electrochemical-mechanical removing at least some of a conductive material from over a surface of a semiconductor substrate. A cathode is provided at a first location of the wafer, and an anode is provided at a second location of the wafer. The conductive material is polished with the polishing pad polishing surface. The polishing occurs at a region of the conductive material and not at another region. The region where the polishing occurs is defined as a polishing operation location. The polishing operation location is displaced across the surface of the substrate from said second location of the substrate toward said first location of the substrate. The polishing operation location is not displaced from said first location toward said second location when the polishing operation location is between the first and second locations. The invention also includes a semiconductor processing method of removing at least some of a conductive material from over a surface of a semiconductive material wafer. A polishing pad is displaced across an upper surface of the wafer from a central region of the wafer toward a periphery of the wafer, and is not displaced from the periphery to the central region.

公开(公告)号：US06545356B2

公开(公告)日：2003-04-08

申请号：US10051768

申请日：2002-01-18

申请人： Salman Akram ,  Scott G. Meikle

发明人： Salman Akram ,  Scott G. Meikle

IPC分类号： H01L2348

CPC分类号： H01L21/76841 ,  H01L21/28044 ,  H01L21/28088 ,  H01L29/4941 ,  H01L29/4966 ,  H01L2221/1078

摘要： Methods of forming a graded layer is disclosed. The graded layer transitions from one material to another material. The properties of these materials are chosen to optimize the interfaces on each side of the graded layer. Specifically, an improved transistor gate stack barrier layer may be formed by disposing an appropriate graded layer between a gate layer and an interconnect layer. In fact, the graded layer may obviate the use of the interconnect layer, as the top of the graded layer may include a highly conductive material. An improved integrated circuit interconnect structure may also be formed by grading the material composition of an interconnect layer.

公开(公告)号：US06313038B1

公开(公告)日：2001-11-06

申请号：US09558807

申请日：2000-04-26

申请人： Dinesh Chopra ,  Scott G. Meikle

发明人： Dinesh Chopra ,  Scott G. Meikle

IPC分类号： H01L2100

CPC分类号： B24B37/24 ,  B24B37/042 ,  B24B37/245 ,  B24D3/346 ,  H01L21/31053 ,  H01L21/3212

摘要： A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the microelectronic substrate is engaged with a planarizing medium that includes a planarizing pad and a planarizing liquid, at least one of which includes a chemical agent that removes a corrosion-inhibiting agent from discrete elements (such as abrasive particles) of the planarizing medium and/or impedes the corrosion-inhibiting agent from coupling to the discrete elements. The chemical agent can act directly on the corrosion-inhibiting agent or can first react with a constituent of the planarizing liquid to form an altered chemical agent, which then interacts with the corrosion-inhibiting agent. Alternatively, the altered chemical agent can control other aspects of the manner by which material is removed from the microelectronic substrate, for example, the material removal rate.

摘要翻译： 一种用于平面化微电子衬底的方法和装置。 在一个实施例中，微电子衬底与包括平坦化衬垫和平坦化液体的平坦化介质接合，平坦化衬底和平坦化液体，其中至少一个包括化学试剂，其从腐蚀抑制剂的离散元件（例如磨料颗粒）中除去腐蚀抑制剂 平坦化介质和/或阻止腐蚀抑制剂与离散元件的耦合。 化学试剂可以直接作用于腐蚀抑制剂，或者可以首先与平面化液体的成分反应形成一种改变的化学试剂，然后与腐蚀抑制剂相互作用。 或者，改变的化学试剂可以控制材料从微电子衬底去除的方式的其它方面，例如材料去除速率。