公开(公告)号：WO1998008651A1

公开(公告)日：1998-03-05

申请号：PCT/US1997015380

申请日：1997-08-28

Applicant: SPEEDFAM CORPORATION

Inventor： SPEEDFAM CORPORATION ,  HOLZAPFEL, Paul

IPC: B24B37/04

CPC classification number: B24B53/017 ,  B24D7/06

Abstract: A conditioning device having (200) cubic boron nitride cutting elements (205) brazed-bonded to the bottom surface of the device and suitably adopted for conditioning a workpiece polishing pad by moving across the pad while in contact with the pad. The conditioning device (200) may further include a flange (202) extending about the bottom periphery of the device (200) with the cubic boron nitride cutting elements (205) being attached to the bottom surface of the flange (202). The flange (202) may include cutout portions for permitting material to escape from the interior of the device (200). The cubic boron nitride cutting elements (205) are distributed substantially uniformly across the bottom surface of the flange (202) and the elements are brazed-bonded to the flange with a braised metal alloy, creating an extremely strong bond between the cutting elements (205) and the flange (202) surface. Further, the conditioning ring may be attached to a plurality of wafer carrier elements (124) so that the conditioning process occurs during the actual polishing of the wafers (101), or the conditioning ring may be attached to a mechanical arm which engages the ring against the polishing pad between wafer polishing steps. In either case, to enhance the conditioning process, the carrier element and/or the mechanical arm suitably rotates the conditioning ring about its axis and oscillates the ring back and forth across the polishing pad.

Abstract translation: 一种具有（200）立方氮化硼切割元件（205）的调节装置，其钎焊接合到所述装置的底表面，并且适合用于通过在与所述垫接触的同时移动穿过所述垫来调节工件抛光垫。 调节装置（200）还可以包括围绕装置（200）的底部周边延伸的凸缘（202），立方氮化硼切割元件（205）附接到凸缘（202）的底表面。 凸缘（202）可以包括用于允许材料从装置（200）的内部逸出的切口部分。 立方氮化硼切割元件（205）基本上均匀地分布在凸缘（202）的底表面上，元件用炖金属合金钎焊到凸缘上，从而在切割元件（205）之间产生极强的粘结 ）和凸缘（202）表面。 此外，调节环可以附接到多个晶片载体元件（124），使得调节过程在晶片（101）的实际抛光期间发生，或者调节环可以附接到接合环的机械臂 在抛光步骤之间的抛光垫。 在任一情况下，为了增强调节过程，载体元件和/或机械臂适当地使调节环绕其轴线旋转并且振荡环绕抛光垫。

公开(公告)号：WO1998005066A2

公开(公告)日：1998-02-05

申请号：PCT/US1997013373

申请日：1997-07-23

Applicant: SPEEDFAM CORPORATION

Inventor： SPEEDFAM CORPORATION ,  HOLZAPFEL, Paul ,  ALLEN, Robert, F. ,  LIN, Warren ,  SCHLUETER, James ,  KARLSRUD, Chris

IPC: H01L21/66

CPC classification number: G01B11/0625 ,  B24B37/013 ,  B24B49/00 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/26

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus which permits in-process, in-situ, substantially real time measurement of the actual thickness of a surface layer of a work piece, e.g., a semiconductor wafer. A probe (500) disposed proximate to the outer perimeter of a polishing pad (126) on a CMP table, such that the probe establishes optical contact with the wafer surface (304) as a portion of the wafer extends beyond the outer perimeter (330) of the polishing pad (126). A nozzle (312) may be provided to apply a stream of compressed air at the disk surface under inspection to thereby remove excess slurry from the local region of the workpiece being inspected. A broad band light source (322) is employed in conjunction with a fiber optic cable (318) to direct light at the wafer surface. A bifurcated probe is employed such that the light applied to the workpiece surface is reflected back to and captured by a corresponding optical sensor connected to a fiber optic cable (320). The captured reflected light received by the receptor sensor and fiber optic cable assembly is applied to a photospectrum meter (324) which analyzes the reflected light. An output signal from the photospectrum meter is transmitted to a processor (326) which includes a smart algorithm configured to calculate the thickness of the surface layer. Alternatively, the reflective characteristics of the semiconductor layers may affect the nature of the reflected signal; changes in the reflected signal can be detected to indicate when a metallic layer has been removed from an oxide layer.

Abstract translation: 本发明提供方法和装置，其允许在工件中，即时地，基本上实时地测量工件（例如半导体晶片）的表面层的实际厚度。 设置在CMP台上靠近抛光垫（126）的外周边的探针（500），使得当晶片的一部分延伸超过外周（330）时，探针与晶片表面（304）建立光学接触 ）抛光垫（126）。 可以设置喷嘴（312）以在被检查的盘表面处施加压缩空气流，从而从被检查的工件的局部区域移除多余的浆料。 与光纤电缆（318）结合使用宽带光源（322）以引导晶片表面的光。 采用分叉探针，使得施加到工件表面的光被反射回并连接到光纤电缆（320）的对应的光学传感器捕获。 由受体传感器和光纤电缆组件接收的捕获的反射光被施加到分析反射光的光谱仪（324）。 来自光谱仪的输出信号被传送到处理器（326），处理器（326）包括配置成计算表面层厚度的智能算法。 或者，半导体层的反射特性可能会影响反射信号的性质; 可以检测反射信号的变化，以指示何时从氧化物层去除金属层。

公开(公告)号：WO1998003305A1

公开(公告)日：1998-01-29

申请号：PCT/US1997012386

申请日：1997-07-16

Applicant: SPEEDFAM CORPORATION

Inventor： SPEEDFAM CORPORATION ,  ALLEN, Robert, F. ,  HOLZAPFEL, Paul ,  BARTELS, Anthony, L. ,  LIN, Warren

IPC: B24B37/04

CPC classification number: B24B37/0053 ,  B24B37/04 ,  B24B49/04 ,  B24B49/12 ,  G05B19/401 ,  G05B19/402 ,  G05B2219/23231 ,  G05B2219/36372 ,  G05B2219/37002 ,  G05B2219/37117 ,  G05B2219/37125 ,  G05B2219/37266 ,  G05B2219/37283 ,  G05B2219/37286 ,  G05B2219/37573 ,  G05B2219/45232

Abstract: An apparatus for use with a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system includes a light source that generates an interrogation signal and directs the interrogation signal toward a polishing pad configured to process a workpiece during the CMP procedure. A reflected signal produced in response to the interrogation signal is received by a detector, and the optical characteristics of the reflected signal are processed and analyzed to determine whether extraneous material is present within an area of the polishing pad. The apparatus may employ alternative light sources and processing techniques to advantageously operate in conjunction with a variety of polishing pads having different physical characteristics.

Abstract translation: 用于化学机械平面化（CMP）系统的装置包括产生询问信号的光源，并且将询问信号引导到在CMP过程期间被配置为处理工件的抛光垫。 响应于询问信号产生的反射信号由检测器接收，并且对反射信号的光学特性进行处理和分析，以确定外部材料是否存在于抛光垫的区域内。 该装置可以采用替代光源和处理技术来有利地与具有不同物理特性的各种抛光垫一起工作。