Apparatus and method for conditioning and monitoring media used for chemical-mechanical planarization
First Claim
1. An apparatus for monitoring conditioning of a planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, comprising:
- a conditioning body having a conditioning surface configured to engage a planarizing surface of the planarizing medium, at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium being movable relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium to condition the planarizing surface; and
a sensor coupled to the conditioning body to detect a frictional force in a plane of the planarizing surface, the frictional force being imparted to the conditioning body by the planarizing medium when the one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium is moved relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for conditioning and monitoring a planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a conditioning body having a conditioning surface that engages a planarizing surface of the planarizing medium and is movable relative to the planarizing medium. A force sensor is coupled to the conditioning body to detect a frictional force imparted to the conditioning body by the planarizing medium when the conditioning body and the planarizing medium are moved relative to each other. The apparatus can further include a feedback device that controls the motion, position, or force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium to control the conditioning of the planarizing medium.
47 Citations
84 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring conditioning of a planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, comprising:
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a conditioning body having a conditioning surface configured to engage a planarizing surface of the planarizing medium, at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium being movable relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium to condition the planarizing surface; and
a sensor coupled to the conditioning body to detect a frictional force in a plane of the planarizing surface, the frictional force being imparted to the conditioning body by the planarizing medium when the one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium is moved relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. The apparatus of claim I wherein the conditioning body has a generally circular planform shape.
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22. An apparatus for measuring forces during conditioning of a chemical-mechanical planarizing surface, comprising:
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a planarizing medium having a planarizing surface for removing material from a microelectronic substrate, the planarizing surface defining a planarizing surface plane;
a conditioning body adjacent to the planarizing medium, at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium being movable relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium for conditioning the planarizing surface, the conditioning body and the planarizing medium generating a force in the planarizing surface plane when the one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium moves relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium; and
a sensor operatively coupled to the conditioning body to detect the force. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus for monitoring conditioning of a planarizing medium used for chemical-mechanical planarization of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:
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a conditioning body having a conditioning surface configured to engage a planarizing surface of the planarizing medium, at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium being movable relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium to condition the planarizing surface, the conditioning body generating a drag force generally parallel to the planarizing surface;
an actuator coupled to the conditioning body with a support assembly to control at least one of a generally normal force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium and a position of the conditioning body relative to the planarizing medium;
a sensor coupled to the support assembly to detect the drag force; and
a feedback device coupled to the actuator to control activation of the actuator in response to a signal received from the force sensor. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method for monitoring conditioning of a planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, comprising:
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moving at least one of the planarizing medium and a conditioning body relative to the other of the planarizing medium and the conditioning body while the conditioning body is engaged with a planarizing surface of the planarizing medium; and
monitoring the conditioning body to detect a force of the planarizing medium on the conditioning body. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method for monitoring conditioning of a planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, the method comprising:
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coupling a sensor to a conditioning body;
engaging the conditioning body with the planarizing medium and moving at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium while the conditioning body engages the planarizing medium; and
monitoring the conditioning body to detect a frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A method for controlling conditioning of a planarizing medium used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, the method comprising:
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engaging a conditioning body with the planarizing medium and moving at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium while the conditioning body engages the planarizing medium;
detecting a frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium; and
controlling at least one of a force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium and a speed of the conditioning body relative to the planarizing medium in response to detecting the frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. A method for monitoring a polishing pad used for planarizing a microelectronic substrate, the method comprising:
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engaging a conditioning body with a planarizing surface of the polishing pad;
applying a force to the polishing pad via the conditioning body;
moving at least one of the polishing pad and the conditioning body relative to the other of the polishing pad and the conditioning body; and
detecting a frictional force of the polishing pad on the conditioning body in a plane of the planarizing surface. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77)
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78. A method for conditioning a planarizing medium used for planarizing a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
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engaging a conditioning body with the planarizing medium;
moving at least one of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium relative to the other of the conditioning body and the planarizing medium to remove material from the planarizing medium; and
maintaining an approximately constant frictional force between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium by adjusting a relative velocity between the conditioning body and the planarizing medium. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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Specification