公开(公告)号：US06835117B1

公开(公告)日：2004-12-28

申请号：US10707120

申请日：2003-11-21

申请人： Xinhui Wang ,  Leping Li ,  Yingru Gu ,  Hung-Chin Guthrie

发明人： Xinhui Wang ,  Leping Li ,  Yingru Gu ,  Hung-Chin Guthrie

IPC分类号： B24B4900

CPC分类号： B24B37/013 ,  B24B49/00 ,  B24B57/02

摘要： A chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) system and method includes pumping polishing slurry from a CMP apparatus through a sampling tube to an endpoint detection apparatus during a polishing operation, and flushing the sampling tube while a polishing operation is not in progress. The flushing of the sampling tube is commenced in accordance with a control signal from the endpoint detection apparatus terminating the polishing operation; the flushing is terminated in accordance with a starting signal to the CMP apparatus. The pump, which pumps a sample of slurry into the endpoint detection apparatus, continuously pumps slurry and/or water. Clogging of the slurry sampling tube is thus eliminated, thereby ensuring robust operation of the CMP apparatus. Contamination of the sampling tube is also avoided, so that the system may reliably provide sensitive endpoint detection and process control, even when a film of low pattern density is polished.

摘要翻译： 化学机械抛光（CMP）系统和方法包括在抛光操作期间将抛光浆料从CMP装置通过采样管泵送到端点检测装置，并且在抛光操作未进行时冲洗采样管。 取样管的冲洗是根据来自终点检测装置的终止抛光操作的控制信号开始的; 根据到CMP设备的启动信号来终止冲洗。 将浆料样品泵入端点检测装置的泵连续地泵送浆液和/或水。 因此消除了浆料采样管的堵塞，从而确保CMP设备的稳定操作。 也避免了采样管的污染，使得系统可以可靠地提供敏感的端点检测和过程控制，即使当低图案密度的膜被抛光时。