Claims
- 1. A method of polishing a surface to be polished comprising the steps of:
- providing a pad assembly including a lower pad and an upper pad, said upper pad having an abrasive surface and a lower surface, said abrasive surface defining a generally annular polishing region extending circumferentially around a center point, said lower pad having an upper surface, said upper pad being disposed over said lower pad, said lower pad upper surface defining one or more grooves at least partially disposed under said polishing region, a circle centered about the center point and extending through said polishing region forming intersections with some of said one or more grooves where said circle overlaps some of said one or more grooves, a length of the intersections varying according to a radius of the circle, the length of the intersections monotonically increasing from a first value to a second value as the radius of the circle increases from a first radius to a second radius, the length of the intersections monotonically decreasing from the second value to a third value as the radius of the circle increases from the second radius to a third radius, the first radius defining an inner boundary of the polishing region, the third radius defining an outer boundary of the polishing region, the second radius defining a circle near a middle of the polishing region, said upper pad defining at least temporarily one or more channels, at least a portion of said one or more channels being formed over said one or more grooves;
- holding said surface to be polished adjacent said abrasive surface; and
- rotating said pad assembly.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, further including a step of introducing a slurry to at least a portion of said abrasive surface, said slurry including a polishing liquid and an abrasive, said polishing liquid being chemically reactive with said surface to be polished.
- 3. A method according to claim 1, further including a step of introducing a polishing liquid to at least a portion of said abrasive surface, said polishing liquid being chemically reactive with said surface to be polished.
- 4. A method according to claim 1, further including a step of rotating said surface to be polished.
- 5. A method of polishing a surface to be polished comprising the steps of:
- providing a pad assembly including a monolithic lower pad and an upper pad, said upper pad having an abrasive surface and a lower surface, said abrasive surface defining a polishing region, said lower pad having an upper surface, said upper pad being disposed over said lower pad, said lower pad upper surface defining one or more grooves at least partially disposed under said polishing region, said upper pad defining at least temporarily one or more channels, at least a portion of said one or more channels being formed over said one or more grooves; holding said surface to be polished adjacent said abrasive surface; and
- rotating said pad assembly.
- 6. A polishing apparatus comprising a lower pad and an upper pad disposed over said lower pad, said upper pad having an abrasive surface and a lower surface, said abrasive surface defining a generally annular polishing region extending circumferentially around a center point, said lower pad having an upper surface, said upper pad lower surface being disposed proximal said lower pad upper surface, said lower pad upper surface defining one or more grooves at least partially disposed under said polishing region, a circle centered about the center point and extending through said polishing region forming intersections with some of said one or more grooves where said circle overlaps some of said one or more grooves, a length of the intersections varying according to a radius of the circle, the length of the intersections monotonically increasing from a first value to a second value as the radius of the circle increases from a first radius to a second radius, the length of the intersections monotonically decreasing from the second value to a third value as the radius of the circle increases from the second radius to a third radius, the first radius defining an inner boundary of the polishing region, the third radius defining an outer boundary of the polishing region, the second radius defining a circle near a middle of the polishing region.
- 7. An apparatus according to claim 6, said upper pad abrasive surface defining at least temporarily one or more channels, at least a portion of said one or more channels being formed over said one or more grooves.
- 8. An apparatus according to claim 7, said polishing region including one or more intersections with said one or more channels, when formed.
- 9. An apparatus according to claim 7, said polishing region including a first polishing region and a second polishing region, said first and second polishing regions being generally annular and concentric with said polishing region and having substantially the same width as each other, said first and second polishing regions including one or more intersections with said one or more channels, when formed, the total area of said one or more intersections with said one or more channels in said second polishing region being greater than the total area of said one or more intersections with said one or more channels in said first polishing region.
- 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, said first and second polishing regions being non-overlapping.
- 11. An apparatus according to claim 10, said polishing region having an inner radius r1 and an outer radius r2, said second polishing region overlapping the radius r3, where r3=(r1+r2)/2.
- 12. An apparatus according to claim 9, said polishing region further including a third polishing region, said third polishing region being generally annular and concentric with said polishing region and having substantially the same width as said first and second polishing regions, said first, second and third polishing regions being non-overlapping and said second polishing region being between said first and third polishing regions, said third polishing region including one or more intersections with said one or more channels, when formed, the total area of said one or more intersections with said one or more channels in said second polishing region being greater than the total area of said one or more intersections with said one or more channels in said third polishing region.
- 13. An apparatus according to claim 12, said polishing region having an inner radius r1 and an outer radius r2, said second polishing region overlapping the radius r3, where r3=(r1+r2)/2.
- 14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said first, second and third polishing regions are adjacent to each other and the union of said first, second and third polishing regions forms the entirety of said polishing region.
- 15. An apparatus according to claim 1, said polishing region including a first polishing region and a second polishing region, said first and second polishing regions being generally annular and concentric with said polishing region and having substantially the same width as each other, said one or more grooves being at least partially disposed under said first and second polishing regions, the total area of said one or more grooves disposed under said second polishing region being greater than the total area of said one or more grooves disposed under said first polishing region.
- 16. An apparatus according to claim 15, said first and second polishing regions being non-overlapping.
- 17. An apparatus according to claim 16, said polishing region having an inner radius r1 and an outer radius r2, said second polishing region overlapping the radius r3, where r3=(r1+r2)/2.
- 18. An apparatus according to claim 15, said polishing region further including a third polishing region, said third polishing region being generally annular and concentric with said polishing region and having substantially the same width as said first and second polishing regions, said first, second, and third polishing regions being non-overlapping and said second polishing region being between said first and third polishing regions, said one or more grooves being at least partially disposed under said third polishing region, the total area of said one or more grooves disposed under said second polishing region being greater than the total area of said one or more grooves disposed under said third polishing region.
- 19. An apparatus according to claim 18, said polishing region having an inner radius r1 and an outer radius r2, said second polishing region overlapping the radius r3, where r3=(r1+r2)/2.
- 20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first, second and third polishing regions are adjacent to each other and the union of said first, second and third polishing regions forms the entirety of said polishing region.
- 21. An apparatus according to claim 1, further including a support for holding a substrate, said substrate having a surface to be polished.
- 22. An apparatus according to claim 21, said support holding said surface to be polished adjacent to said upper pad abrasive surface where desired.
- 23. An apparatus according to claim 21, further including means for rotating said support.
- 24. An apparatus according to claim 21, further including means for rotating said lower and upper pads.
- 25. An apparatus according to claim 1, at least one of said one or more grooves being characterized by a spiral shape.
- 26. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lower pad is monolithic.
- 27. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one or more grooves have a depth less than the thickness of said lower pad.
- 28. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one or more grooves have a depth of approximately 1/16 inch.
- 29. An apparatus according to claim 1, said lower pad being sufficiently rigid to remain substantially planar when a surface to be polished is held against said abrasive surface in said polishing region.
- 30. An apparatus for polishing a surface to be polished, said apparatus comprising:
- a pad assembly including a lower pad and an upper pad, said upper pad having an abrasive surface and a lower surface, said abrasive surface defining a generally annular polishing region extending circumferentially around a center point, said lower pad having an upper surface, said upper pad being disposed over said lower pad, said lower pad upper surface defining one or more grooves at least partially disposed under said polishing region, a circle centered about the center point and extending through said polishing region forming intersections with some of said one or more grooves where said circle overlaps some of said one or more grooves, a length of the intersections varying according to a radius of the circle, the length of the intersections monotonically increasing from a first value to a second value as the radius of the circle increases from a first radius to a second radius, the length of the intersections monotonically decreasing from the second value to a third value as the radius of the circle increases from the second radius to a third radius, the first radius defining an inner boundary of the polishing region, the third radius defining an outer boundary of the polishing region, the second radius defining a circle near a middle of the polishing region, said upper pad defining at least temporarily one or more channels, at least a portion of said one or more channels being formed over said one or more grooves; and
- a clamp for holding said surface to be polished adjacent said top pad abrasive surface.
- 31. An apparatus according to claim 30, further including:
- means for rotating said pad assembly; and
- means for introducing a slurry to at least a portion of said upper pad abrasive surface, said slurry including a polishing liquid and an abrasive; whereby said one or more channels, when formed, carries a portion of said slurry between said surface to be polished and said abrasive surface.
- 32. An apparatus according to claim 30, further including:
- means for rotating said pad assembly; and
- means for introducing a polishing liquid to at least a portion of said upper pad abrasive surface;
- whereby said one or more channels, when formed, carries a portion of said polishing liquid between said surface to be polished and said abrasive surface.
- 33. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said means for introducing polishing liquid is capable of introducing polishing liquid that is chemically reactive with said surface to be polished.
- 34. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said means for introducing polishing liquid is capable of introducing polishing liquid including an abrasive.
- 35. An apparatus according to claim 24, at least one of said one or more grooves being characterized by a spiral shape.
- 36. A polishing apparatus comprising a monolithic lower pad and an upper pad disposed over said lower pad, said upper pad having an abrasive surface and a lower surface, said abrasive surface defining a polishing region, said lower pad having an upper surface, said upper pad lower surface being disposed proximal said lower pad upper surface, said lower pad upper surface including one or more grooves at least partially disposed under said polishing region.
- 37. An apparatus according to claim 36, said upper pad abrasive surface defining at least temporarily one or more channels, at least a portion of said one or more channels being formed over said one or more grooves.
- 38. An apparatus according to claim 37, said polishing region being generally annular and including a first polishing region and a second polishing region, said first and second polishing regions being generally annular and concentric with said polishing region and having substantially the same width as each other, said one or more grooves being at least partially disposed under said first and second polishing regions, the total area of said one or more grooves disposed under said second polishing region being greater than the total area of said one or more grooves disposed under said first polishing region.
- 39. An apparatus according to claim 38, said first and second polishing regions being non-overlapping.
- 40. An apparatus according to claim 39, said polishing region having an inner radius r1 and an outer radius r2, said second polishing region overlapping the radius r3, where r3=(r1+r2)/2.
- 41. An apparatus according to claim 38, said polishing region further including a third polishing region, said third polishing region being generally annular and concentric with said polishing region and having substantially the same width as said first and second polishing regions, said first, second, and third polishing regions being non-overlapping and said second polishing region being between said first and third polishing regions, said one or more grooves being at least partially disposed under said third polishing region, the total area of said one or more grooves disposed under said second polishing region being greater than the total area of said one or more grooves disposed under said third polishing region.
- 42. An apparatus according to claim 41, said polishing region having an inner radius r1 and an outer radius r2, said second polishing region overlapping the radius r3, where r3=(r1+r2)/2.
- 43. An apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said first, second, and third polishing regions are adjacent and the union of the first, second and third polishing regions forms the entirety of the polishing region.
- 44. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said one or more grooves have a depth less than the thickness of said lower pad.
- 45. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said one or more grooves have a depth of approximately 1/16 inch.
- 46. An apparatus according to claim 36, said lower pad being sufficiently rigid to remain substantially planar when a surface to be polished is held against said abrasive surface in said polishing region.
- 47. An apparatus for polishing a surface to be polished, said apparatus comprising:
- a pad assembly including a monolithic lower pad and an upper pad, said upper pad having an abrasive surface and a lower surface, said abrasive surface defining a polishing region, said lower pad having an upper surface, said upper pad being disposed over said lower pad, said lower pad upper surface defining one or more grooves at least partially disposed under said polishing region, said upper pad defining at least temporarily one or more channels, at least a portion of said one or more channels being formed over said one or more grooves; and
- a clamp for holding said surface to be polished adjacent said upper pad abrasive surface.
- 48. A polishing apparatus comprising a lower pad and an upper pad disposed over the lower pad, the upper pad having an abrasive surface and a lower surface, the lower pad having an upper surface, an annular region extending around a center point being defined in the lower pad, the lower pad upper surface defining one or more grooves disposed within the annular region, a circle centered about the center point and extending through the annular region being characterized by a parameter, the parameter being substantially equal to a length of intersections between the circle and the one or more grooves, the parameter varying according to a radius of the circle, the parameter increasing from a first value to a second value as the radius of the circle increases from a first radius to a second radius, the parameter decreasing from the second value to a third value as the radius of the circle increases from the second radius to a third radius, the first radius defining an inner boundary of the annular region, the third radius defining an outer boundary of the annular region, the third radius being at least eight inches larger than the first radius, the second radius defining a circle near the center of the annular region.
- 49. An apparatus according to claim 48, the upper pad abrasive surface defining at least temporarily one or more channels, at least a portion of the one or more channels being formed over the one or more grooves.
- 50. An apparatus according to claim 48, the one or more grooves including a first groove and a second groove, the first groove being characterized by a spiral shape extending from a central location, the second groove being characterized by a spiral shape extending from a central location, the central locations of the first and second grooves being disposed within the annular region.
- 51. An apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the first value is substantially equal to zero.
- 52. An apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the third value is substantially equal to zero.
- 53. A polishing apparatus comprising a lower pad and an upper pad disposed over the lower pad, the upper pad having an abrasive surface and a lower surface, the lower pad having an upper surface, an annular region extending around a center point being defined in the lower pad, the lower pad upper surface defining a first groove and a second groove, the first groove being characterized by a spiral shape starting from a first central location, the second groove being characterized by a spiral shape starting from a second central location, the second central location being distinct from the first central location, the first and second central locations of the first and second grooves being located within the annular region.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/588,734, entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM TO INCREASE DELIVERY OF SLURRY TO THE SURFACE OF LARGE SUBSTRATES DURING POLISHING OPERATIONS, filed on Jan. 19, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,799 in the name of Kevin Tjaden, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Government Interests
The present invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DABT63-93-C-0025 awarded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). The Government has certain rights in the invention.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
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356076382 |
Jun 1981 |
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403086467 |
Apr 1991 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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