The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods for conditioning polishing pads used in polishing micro-device workpieces.
Mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization processes (collectively “CMP”) remove material from the surface of micro-device workpieces in the production of microelectronic devices and other products.
The carrier head 30 has a lower surface 32 to which a micro-device workpiece 12 may be attached, or the workpiece 12 may be attached to a resilient pad 34 under the lower surface 32. The carrier head 30 may be a weighted, free-floating wafer carrier, or an actuator assembly 36 may be attached to the carrier head 30 to impart rotational motion to the micro-device workpiece 12 (indicated by arrow J) and/or reciprocate the workpiece 12 back and forth (indicated by arrow I).
The planarizing pad 40 and a planarizing solution 44 define a planarizing medium that mechanically and/or chemically-mechanically removes material from the surface of the micro-device workpiece 12. The planarizing solution 44 may be a conventional CMP slurry with abrasive particles and chemicals that etch and/or oxidize the surface of the micro-device workpiece 12, or the planarizing solution 44 may be a “clean” nonabrasive planarizing solution without abrasive particles. In most CMP applications, abrasive slurries with abrasive particles are used on nonabrasive polishing pads, and clean nonabrasive solutions without abrasive particles are used on fixed-abrasive polishing pads.
To planarize the micro-device workpiece 12 with the CMP machine 10, the carrier head 30 presses the workpiece 12 face-down against the planarizing pad 40. More specifically, the carrier head 30 generally presses the micro-device workpiece 12 against the planarizing solution 44 on a planarizing surface 42 of the planarizing pad 40, and the platen 20 and/or the carrier head 30 moves to rub the workpiece 12 against the planarizing surface 42. As the micro-device workpiece 12 rubs against the planarizing surface 42, the planarizing medium removes material from the face of the workpiece 12.
The CMP process must consistently and accurately produce a uniformly planar surface on the micro-device workpiece 12 to enable precise fabrication of circuits and photo-patterns. One problem with conventional CMP methods is that the planarizing surface 42 of the planarizing pad 40 can wear unevenly, causing the pad 40 to have a non-planar planarizing surface 42. Another concern is that the surface texture of the planarizing pad 40 may change non-uniformly over time. Still another problem with CMP processing is that the planarizing surface 42 can become glazed with accumulations of planarizing solution 44, material removed from the micro-device workpiece 12, and/or material from the planarizing pad 40.
To restore the planarizing characteristics of the planarizing pad 40, the accumulations of waste matter are typically removed by conditioning the planarizing pad 40. Conditioning involves delivering a conditioning solution to chemically remove waste material from the planarizing pad 40 and moving a conditioner 50 across the pad 40. The conventional conditioner 50 includes an abrasive end effector 51 generally embedded with diamond particles and a separate actuator 55 coupled to the end effector 51 to move it rotationally, laterally, and/or axially, as indicated by arrows A, B, and C, respectively. The typical end effector 51 removes a thin layer of the planarizing pad material in addition to the waste matter to form a more planar, clean planarizing surface 42 on the planarizing pad 40.
One drawback of conventional methods for conditioning planarizing pads is that waste material may not be completely removed from the pad because the conditioning solution is not uniformly distributed across the pad, and thus, the waste material may not be completely removed from the pad. Typically, the conditioning solution is delivered at a fixed location near the center of the planarizing pad and moves radially outward due to the centrifugal force caused by the rotating pad. As a result, the region of the pad radially inward from the delivery point does not receive the conditioning solution. Moreover, the concentration of active chemicals in the conditioning solution decreases as the solution moves toward the perimeter of the pad. The centrifugal force also may not distribute the conditioning solution uniformly across the pad. Accordingly, there is a need to improve the conventional conditioning systems.
The present invention is directed to apparatuses and methods for conditioning polishing pads used in polishing micro-device workpieces. In one embodiment, an end effector for conditioning a polishing pad includes a member having a first surface and a plurality of contact elements projecting from the first surface. The member also includes a plurality of apertures configured to flow a conditioning solution onto the polishing pad. In one aspect of this embodiment, the apertures can extend from the first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface. The apertures can also be arranged in a generally uniform pattern. In another aspect of this embodiment, the member further includes a manifold in fluid communication with the apertures.
In another embodiment of the invention, a conditioner for conditioning the polishing pad includes an arm having at least one spray nozzle configured to spray a conditioning solution onto the polishing pad and an end effector coupled to the arm. The end effector includes a first surface and a plurality of contact elements projecting from the first surface. In one aspect of this embodiment, the spray nozzle can be a first spray nozzle configured to spray conditioning solution onto the polishing pad at a first mean radius, and the conditioner can further include a second spray nozzle configured to spray conditioning solution onto the polishing pad at a second mean radius. In another aspect of this embodiment, the arm is configured to sweep the end effector across the polishing pad to dispense conditioning solution across the pad. The conditioner and/or the polishing pad is movable relative to the other to rub the plurality of contact elements against the pad.
In an additional embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for conditioning the polishing pad includes a table having a support surface, a polishing pad coupled to the support surface of the table, a source of conditioning solution, a micro-device workpiece carrier, and a conditioner. The micro-device workpiece carrier includes a spray nozzle that is operatively coupled to the source of conditioning solution by a fluid line and configured to flow a conditioning solution onto the polishing pad during conditioning. The conditioner includes an end effector and a drive system coupled to the end effector. The end effector has a first surface and a plurality of contact elements projecting from the first surface. The conditioner and/or the table is movable relative to the other to rub the plurality of contact elements against the polishing pad. In one aspect of this embodiment, the micro-device workpiece carrier can be configured to sweep across the polishing pad for uniform delivery of the conditioning solution.
In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for conditioning the polishing pad includes a source of conditioning solution, an arm, an end effector carried by the arm, and a fluid dispenser on the arm and/or the end effector. The end effector has a contact surface and a plurality of abrasive elements projecting from the contact surface. The fluid dispenser is operatively coupled to the source of conditioning solution by a fluid line. The fluid dispenser can comprise an aperture in the contact surface of the end effector and/or a spray nozzle on the arm and/or the end effector.
In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for conditioning the polishing pad includes a table having a support surface, a polishing pad coupled to the support surface of the table, a fluid arm positioned proximate to the polishing pad, and a conditioner. The fluid arm has a first spray nozzle, a second spray nozzle, and a fluid manifold that delivers fluid to the spray nozzles. The first spray nozzle is configured to flow a conditioning solution onto the polishing pad at a first mean radius, and the second spray nozzle is configured to flow the conditioning solution onto the polishing pad at a second mean radius different from the first mean radius. The conditioner includes an end effector and a drive system coupled to the end effector. The end effector has a first surface and a plurality of contact elements projecting from the first surface. The conditioner and/or the table is movable relative to the other to rub the plurality of contact elements against the polishing pad.
The present invention is directed toward apparatuses and methods for conditioning polishing pads used in polishing micro-device workpieces. The term “micro-device workpiece” is used throughout to include substrates in and/or on which microelectronic devices, micro-mechanical devices, data storage elements, and other features are fabricated. For example, micro-device workpieces can be semiconductor wafers, glass substrates, insulated substrates, or many other types of substrates. Furthermore, the terms “planarizing” and “planarization” mean either forming a planar surface and/or forming a smooth surface (e.g., “polishing”). Several specific details of the invention are set forth in the following description and in
In the illustrated embodiment, the end effector 151 includes a plate 152 and a plurality of contact elements 160 projecting from the plate 152. The plate 152 can be a circular member having a contact surface 154 configured to contact the planarizing surface of the planarizing pad. The contact elements 160 can be integral portions of the plate 152 or discrete elements such as bristles coupled to the plate 152. In the illustrated embodiment, the contact elements 160 are small diamonds attached to the contact surface 154 of the plate 152.
In operation, the apertures 170 are coupled to a conditioning solution supply source 173 (shown schematically in
The conditioning solution is selected to be compatible with the planarizing pad material and enhance the removal of waste material on the planarizing surface. The conditioning solution typically dissolves the waste material, lubricates the interface between the end effector and the pad, and/or weakens the adhesion between the waste material and the pad. For example, in one embodiment, a suitable conditioning solution for removing copper waste material, such as copper oxide or copper chelates, from a planarizing pad is ammonium citrate manufactured by Air Liquide American L.P. of Houston, Tex., under the product number MD521. In other embodiments, other suitable conditioning solutions can be used.
One advantage of the embodiment illustrated in
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
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