Patent Grant
7377018
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to subpad supports in web format and belt format polishing apparatus. Particularly, the present invention relates to subpad supports including nonadhesive subpad securing elements and to polishing apparatus including the subpad supports. The present invention also relates to assemblies including a subpad and a subpad support of the present invention, as well as to methods of assembling a subpad with, securing a subpad to, removing a subpad from, and replacing a subpad on a subpad support of the present invention.
2. State of the Art
Web format polishing apparatus typically include a wafer support and a polishing pad. The wafer support is typically configured to hold a semiconductor wafer, to bring the wafer into contact with the polishing pad, and to rotate the wafer while the wafer is in contact with the polishing pad so as to create friction between the wafer and the polishing pad and, thereby, effect polishing of one or more layers on the wafer. As used herein, the term “polishing” encompasses removal of material from a semiconductor wafer. “Polishing,” as used herein, need not achieve a certain surface finish or planarity. A subpad, located on the opposite side of the polishing pad from the wafer support, is configured to prevent the formation of defects on a wafer secured to the wafer support during polishing thereof, as well as to cushion the polishing pad and wafer being polished so as to prevent damage to the wafer during polishing. The subpad is held in place by a subpad support and, conventionally, has been secured to the subpad supports by way of an adhesive material.
Fresh portions of a web format, film-type polishing pad are supplied by a supply reel of the web format polishing apparatus, while used portions of the web format polishing pad are taken up on a take-up reel of the apparatus. Typically, the positions of supply reels and take-up reels on conventional web format polishing apparatus are fixed relative to the remainder of these apparatus.
As a subpad wears, it must be replaced. Typically, in order to remove a subpad from a web format polishing apparatus, the web format polishing pad must either be cut or slack formed in the polishing pad by, for example, loosening the web format pad from the supply reel of the polishing apparatus without winding the pad around the take-up reel. Creating slack in a web format polishing pad facilitates pulling of the polishing pad away from the subpad. When a web format polishing pad is cut or given slack, it is common that a portion of the polishing pad is damaged and, thus, that portion of the polishing pad is wasted. In addition, as the subpad is typically secured to the subpad support with an adhesive material, removal of the subpad from the subpad support is often very difficult since the subpad may rip or need to be scraped from the subpad support.
Belt format polishing apparatus are very similar to web format polishing apparatus, with the major exception being that the polishing pad is in the format of a continuous belt that may be recycled, rather than a web that is supplied from a supply reel and, after use, taken away on a take-up reel. In order to gain access to a subpad of a belt format polishing apparatus, the belt format polishing pad is removed from the polishing apparatus, which is time consuming and may result in damage to the pad, or the pad may be stretched, which may also damage the pad. Damage that may occur to a belt format polishing pad as a subpad is removed and replaced is, however, even more costly than similar damage to a web format polishing pad because a damaged belt format polishing pad must be completely replaced.
The inventor is not aware of a subpad support to which a subpad may be nonadhesively secured and from which a subpad may be readily removed. Moreover, the inventor is not aware of a web format or belt format polishing apparatus configured to facilitate subpad removal and replacement without a significant potential for damaging the polishing pad.
The present invention includes a subpad support with a retention element for removably, nonadhesively securing a subpad thereto, as well as web format and belt format polishing apparatus including the subpad support.
The subpad support of the present invention includes a subpad supporting surface and a subpad retention element. The subpad supporting surface is configured to receive a backing of a subpad. The subpad retention element is configured to nonadhesively secure a subpad to the subpad support. The subpad retention element may be configured to at least partially engage a periphery of a subpad, mechanically engage a backing of a subpad, apply a negative pressure to a backing of a subpad through the subpad support, or otherwise nonadhesively secure a subpad to the subpad support.
The subpad support may also include one or more lips, columns, or other lateral confinement structures protruding from the supporting surface thereof and that are configured and located so as to at least partially prevent lateral movement of a subpad relative to the subpad support to which the subpad is secured.
To facilitate the releasable securing of a subpad to the subpad support, the subpad may include a substantially rigid structure on the backing thereof. The substantially rigid structure may be secured to the backing of the subpad or formed by a denser region of the material of the subpad. If the substantially rigid structure is secured to the backing of the subpad, a material such as a polymer, a metal, a glass, or a ceramic may be used as the substantially rigid structure.
Polishing apparatus including the subpad of the present invention are also within the scope of the present invention. A polishing apparatus incorporating teachings of the present invention may include a component that at least partially moves the polishing pad of the apparatus away from the subpad support thereof, as well as a subpad secured to the subpad support. In a web format polishing apparatus, such a component may include, by way of example only and not to limit the scope of the present invention, a releasable latch that secures one or both of the supply reel and the take-up reel to the remainder of the polishing apparatus. In addition, such an exemplary polishing apparatus may also include a member that effects the controlled movement of one or both of the supply and take-up reels and, thus, the polishing pad away from the remainder of the polishing apparatus. Exemplary members include, but are not limited to, one or more hydraulic pistons, gear drive mechanisms, and screw drive mechanisms.
Methods of assembling and securing a subpad to the subpad support, removing a subpad from the subpad support, and replacing a subpad on the subpad support are also within the scope of the present invention, as are methods of at least partially moving a polishing pad away from a subpad support so as to facilitate such assembly, securing, removal, and replacing.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
Referring to
Retention element 14, as illustrated, is configured to mechanically engage a corresponding, complementary structure of a known type, such as the illustrated threaded locking element 24, on backing 22 of subpad 20. Upon interconnecting retention element 14 and locking element 24 and rotating locking element 24 relative to retention element 14, retention element 14 and locking element 24 interlock so as to secure subpad 20 to subpad support 10.
As illustrated, locking element 24 is secured to a backing 22 of subpad 20 by known means, such as with a suitable adhesive. Alternatively, locking element 24 may be integral with backing 22. Backing 22 may be formed from a relatively denser region of the same material as the remainder of subpad 20, which may be formed from a material such as closed-cell polyurethane foam, and may be integral therewith, or may comprise a separate element secured to the remainder, or contact surface 23, of subpad 20. Alternatively, backing 22 may be formed from another polymer (e.g., polycarbonate), a metal, a ceramic, or any other suitable material, different from the material of contact surface 23, which cushions a wafer during polishing thereof. A backing 22 that is separate from the remainder of subpad 20 may be secured thereto as known in the art, such as by use of adhesives or by thermally bonding contact surface 23 of subpad 20 to backing 22 thereof.
Turning now to
Retention element 14′ of subpad support 10′ includes a clamping member 15′ that is configured to be positioned around the periphery 21′ of at least a rigid backing 22′ of subpad 20′ upon assembly of subpad 20′ with subpad support 10′ and to be biased against periphery 21′ so as to secure backing 22′ against supporting surface 12′ while substantially maintaining the planarity of contact surface 23′ of subpad 20′ and, thus, the planarity of an area of a polishing pad to be supported by subpad 20′. In addition, clamping member 15′ at least partially prevents lateral movement of subpad 20′ relative to supporting surface 12′.
Again, subpad 20′ includes a cushioning contact surface 23′ and a substantially rigid backing 22′. Backing 22′ may be formed from a dense region of the same material as contact surface 23′ or from another material, such as another polymer, a metal, a ceramic, or another suitable material. If backing 22′ is formed from the same material as contact surface 23′, backing 22′ may be integral with contact surface 23′ or a separate element that is secured to contact surface 23′. Of course, if another material is used to form backing 22′, backing 22′ is secured to contact surface 23′. Backing 22′ and contact surface 23′ of subpad 20′ may be secured to one another by known means, such as by use of a suitable adhesive material or by thermally bonding backing 22′ and contact surface 23′ to one another.
Another embodiment of subpad support 10″ is shown in
Supporting surface 12′″ is configured to engage a backing 22′″ of a subpad 20′″ upon assembly of subpad 20′″ with subpad support 10′″.
Retention element 14′″ employs a negative pressure to secure a subpad 20′″ to subpad support 10′″. Retention element 14′″ includes one or more apertures 30 formed through subpad support 10′″ from supporting surface 12′″ to an opposite surface 18′″. Apertures 30 communicate with a negative pressure, or vacuum, source 34 by way of a negative pressure conduit 32 between apertures 30 and negative pressure source 34. As illustrated in
With reference to
As shown in
Another embodiment of subpad support 110″ and complementary subpad 120″ incorporating teachings of the present invention is illustrated in
Referring now to
As shown in
Web 42 and subpad 20 of polishing apparatus 40 are positioned in close proximity to one another. Polishing apparatus 40 includes a polishing pad movement element 50, which is also referred to herein as a subpad access element, to effect the movement of web 42 at least partially away from subpad 20 so as to avoid physical contact of an operator with web 42 while facilitating access to a worn or damaged subpad 20. As illustrated in
Referring now to
As shown in
An example of the manner in which a subpad 20 is removed from subpad support 10 of polishing apparatus 40′ and replaced on subpad support 10 is described with continued reference to
Although the foregoing description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, but merely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments. Similarly, other embodiments of the invention may be devised which do not depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Features from different embodiments may be employed in combination. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated and limited only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the foregoing description. All additions, deletions and modifications to the invention as disclosed herein which fall within the meaning and scope of the claims are to be embraced thereby.
This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/652,878, filed Aug. 31, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,077,733, issued Jul. 18, 2006.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20030110609 A1 | Jun 2003 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 09652878 | Aug 2000 | US |
| Child | 10310721 | US |
