TWO STEP METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POLISHING METAL AND OTHER FILMS IN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING
First Claim
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1. A wafer processing apparatus comprising:
- a first processing chamber comprising at least one of (a) a wet chemical etching apparatus; and
(b) a mechanical polishing apparatus that removes material from a semiconductor wafer by relative motion between said semiconductor wafer and a cutting member;
a second processing chamber comprising a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus; and
a wafer transfer apparatus that transfers said semiconductor wafer from said first processing chamber to said second processing chamber.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for removing a metal or conductive film from over a surface of a semiconductor wafer provides a two step process carried out within a single wafer processing apparatus. A first step is a wet chemical or mechanical removal process that removes an upper portion of the film at a high removal rate and is followed by a second step of a lower removal rate, the second step being CMP, chemical mechanical polishing.
54 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A wafer processing apparatus comprising:
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a first processing chamber comprising at least one of (a) a wet chemical etching apparatus; and
(b) a mechanical polishing apparatus that removes material from a semiconductor wafer by relative motion between said semiconductor wafer and a cutting member;a second processing chamber comprising a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus; and a wafer transfer apparatus that transfers said semiconductor wafer from said first processing chamber to said second processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A wafer processing apparatus comprising:
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a first processing chamber comprising a wet chemical etching apparatus; a second processing chamber comprising a mechanical polishing apparatus that removes material from a semiconductor wafer seated on a chuck therein by relative motion between said chuck and a cutting member; a third processing chamber comprising a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus; and a wafer transfer apparatus that transfers said semiconductor wafer from said first processing chamber to said third processing chamber and from said second processing chamber to said third processing chamber, wherein said first, second and third processing chambers and said wafer transfer apparatus are each internally disposed within a common housing of said wafer processing apparatus.
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10. A method for processing a semiconductor wafer within a single apparatus comprising:
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providing a semiconductor wafer with a bulk material layer formed over a surface thereof; removing an upper portion of said bulk material layer from said semiconductor wafer using wet chemical etching or mechanical cutting in a first processing chamber of said apparatus; and thereafter, polishing in a second processing chamber of said apparatus thereby removing a remaining portion of said bulk material layer and exposing said surface, said polishing comprising chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification