HIGH THROUGHPUT CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING SYSTEM

• US 20090270015A1
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Yilmaz, Alpay, D'Ambra, Allen L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,308,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 451/28
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 27/0076 grinding machines comprising two or more grinding tools
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/042 operating processes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/345 Feeding, loading or unloading work specially adapted to lapping
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 41/005 Feeding or manipulating devices specially adapted to grinding machines feeding, loading or unloading work specially adapted to lapping machines B24B37/345

Abstract

Embodiments of a system and method for polishing substrates are provided. In one embodiment, a polishing system is provided that includes a polishing module, a cleaner and a robot. The robot has a range of motion sufficient to transfer substrates between the polishing module and cleaner. The polishing module includes at least two polishing stations, at least one load cup and at least four polishing heads. The polishing heads are configured to move independently between the at least two polishing stations and the at least one load cup.

Claims

1. A polishing system comprising:

a polishing module;

a cleaner; and

a robot having a range of motion sufficient to transfer substrates between the polishing module and cleaner, the polishing module comprising;

at least two polishing stations;

at least one load cup; and

at least four polishing heads configured to move independently between the at least two polishing stations and the at least one load cup.

2. The polishing module of claim 1, wherein the at least four polishing heads are coupled to a circular track.

3. The polishing module of claim 1, wherein the cleaner comprises:

two cleaning modules, each cleaning module comprising a megasonic cleaning module, a brush box, a fluid jet module and a dryer.

4. The polishing module of claim 3, wherein the cleaner comprises:

a transfer mechanism having two pairs of gripper assemblies, wherein a first pair of the gripper assemblies is positioned to service a front end of each cleaning module and a second pair of the gripper assemblies is positioned to service a back end of each cleaning module.

5. The polishing module of claim 4 further comprising:

a shuttle configured to move substrate between the robot and the transfer mechanism.

6. The polishing module of claim 1, wherein the polish module comprises:

a platen having sufficient area to accommodate simultaneous interface with two polishing head during polishing.

7. The polishing module of claim 6, wherein the polish module comprises:

two conditioning modules and two polishing fluid delivery modules configured to interface with a polishing surface supported on the platen during polishing.

8. A method for polishing a substrate comprising:

simultaneously polishing two substrates retained in independently movable polishing heads on a first polishing surface of a polishing module;

moving the two substrates retained in the independently movable polishing heads to a second polishing surface of the polishing module; and

simultaneously polishing the two substrates retained in the independently movable polishing heads on a second polishing surface of the polishing module.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein moving the two substrates retained in the independently movable polishing heads to the second polishing surface of the polishing module further comprises:

simultaneously transferring the two substrates from the first polishing surface to the second polishing surface.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein moving the two substrates retained in the independently movable polishing heads to the second polishing surface of the polishing module further comprises:

sequentially transferring the two substrates from the first polishing surface to the second polishing surface.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein simultaneously polishing the two substrates on the first polishing surface further comprises:

polishing a conductive layer disposed on the substrates.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein simultaneously polishing the two substrates on the first polishing surface further comprises:

polishing a barrier layer disposed on the substrates.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

simultaneously transferring the two substrates from a pair of load cups to the first polishing surface prior to polishing the two substrates.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein simultaneously polishing the two substrates on the first polishing surface further comprises:

conditioning the polishing surface during polishing.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein simultaneously polishing the two substrates on the first polishing surface further comprises:

flowing polishing fluid to the polishing surface during polishing.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

simultaneously drying the two polished substrates in a pair of cleaning modules.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein moving the two substrates retained in the independently movable polishing heads to the second polishing surface of the polishing module further comprises:

rotating the polishing heads along an a overhead track.

18. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

simultaneously transferring the two substrates to a pair of load cups to a shuttle;

transferring the two substrates laterally while one the shuttle; and

transferring the two substrates from the shuttle to a pair of cleaning modules.

19. A polishing system comprising:

a polishing module comprising;

at least two polishing stations;

at least two load cups;

a plurality of carriers coupled to a overhead track disposed over the at least two polishing stations, the carriers independently rotatable along the overhead track; and

at least two polishing heads, each polishing head coupled to a respective one of the carriers, wherein the carriers are configured to independently position the polishing heads over the at least two polishing stations and the at least one load cup.

20. The polishing system of claim 19, further comprising:

a cleaner coupled to the polishing module, wherein the cleaning module includes at least two cleaning modules, each cleaning module comprising a megasonic cleaning module, a brush box, a fluid get module and a dryer.

21. The polishing system of claim 20, further comprising:

a shuttle configured to move a substrate from the load cups to the cleaner.

22. The polishing system of claim 20, further comprising:

a robot configured to move a substrate between the polishing module and the cleaner.

23. The polishing system of claim 19, wherein the polishing module further comprises:

a platen having sufficient area to accommodate simultaneous interface with two polishing heads during polishing.

24. The polishing system of claim 19, further comprising:

an accessory device coupled to one of the carriers.