公开(公告)号：US5741171A

公开(公告)日：1998-04-21

申请号：US699309

申请日：1996-08-19

申请人： Ori Sarfaty ,  Yossi Hay ,  Dan Gunders

发明人： Ori Sarfaty ,  Yossi Hay ,  Dan Gunders

IPC分类号： B24B17/04 ,  B24B37/04 ,  B24B49/12 ,  B24B49/00

CPC分类号： B24B37/005 ,  B24B17/04 ,  B24B37/04 ,  B24B49/12

摘要： A precision polishing system able to polish samples to an accuracy within the submicron range is disclosed. The novel polishing system has applications in the semiconductor field for use in polishing silicon wafers during testing and quality control inspections. In the examination of failed wafers during the semiconductor manufacturing process, it is desirable to examine a cross section of the wafer at the point of failure. The polishing system of the present invention enables very accurate polishing of the wafer down to the submicron accuracy range. The sample is held is place by a gripper assembly which is attached to a polishing arm slideably connected to a fixed rail. The polishing arm is raised and lowered to polish the sample using a polishing wheel covered with a suitable abrasive. A video microscope attached to an object lens and a video camera provide images that are processed to control the polishing operation. The video microscope is mounted on a precision X-Y table to facilitate focusing and defect location of the sample in addition to forming part of the closed loop control of the polishing process. Two closed loop feedback control methods are utilized by the invention to achieve high polishing accuracies. The first utilizes electromechanical means to perform rough polishing of the sample. The second method utilizes digital image processing techniques to accurately control the movement of a polishing arm which holds the sample as it is polished.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种能够将样品抛光到亚微米范围内的精度的精密抛光系统。 该新型抛光系统在半导体领域中的应用可用于在测试和质量控制检查期间抛光硅晶片。 在半导体制造过程中检查失败晶片时，期望在故障点检查晶片的横截面。 本发明的抛光系统能够将晶片非常精确地抛光到亚微米精度范围。 通过夹持器组件保持样品的位置，该夹持器组件附接到可滑动地连接到固定轨道的抛光臂。 使用覆盖有合适磨料的抛光轮将抛光臂升高和降低以对样品进行抛光。 附接到物镜和摄像机的视频显微镜提供被处理以控制抛光操作的图像。 视频显微镜安装在精密X-Y台上，以便于形成样品的聚焦和缺陷位置，同时形成抛光过程的闭环控制的一部分。 本发明利用两个闭环反馈控制方法实现高抛光精度。 第一种使用机电装置来对样品进行粗糙的抛光。 第二种方法利用数字图像处理技术精确地控制在抛光时保持样品的抛光臂的运动。