In-situ endpoint detection and process monitoring method and apparatus for chemical-mechanical polishing
First Claim
1. An in-situ chemical-mechanical polishing process monitor apparatus for monitoring a polishing process during polishing of a workpiece in a polishing machine, the polishing machine having a rotatable polishing table provided with a polishing slurry, said apparatus comprising:
- a) a window embedded within the polishing table, said window traversing a viewing path during polishing and further enabling in-situ viewing of a polishing surface of the workpiece from an underside of the polishing table during polishing as said window traverses a detection region along the viewing path; and
b) means coupled to said window on the underside of the polishing table for measuring a reflectance, said reflectance measurement means providing a reflectance signal representative of an in-situ reflectance, wherein a prescribed change in the in-situ reflectance corresponds to a prescribed condition of the polishing process.
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Abstract
An in-situ chemical-mechanical polishing process monitor apparatus for monitoring a polishing process during polishing of a workpiece in a polishing machine, the polishing machine having a rotatable polishing table provided with a polishing slurry, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a window embedded within the polishing table, whereby the window traverses a viewing path during polishing and further enables in-situ viewing of a polishing surface of the workpiece from an underside of the polishing table during polishing as the window traverses a detection region along the viewing path. A reflectance measurement means is coupled to the window on the underside of the polishing table for measuring a reflectance, the reflectance measurement means providing a reflectance signal representative of an in-situ reflectance, wherein a prescribed change in the in-situ reflectance corresponds to a prescribed condition of the polishing process.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. An in-situ chemical-mechanical polishing process monitor apparatus for monitoring a polishing process during polishing of a workpiece in a polishing machine, the polishing machine having a rotatable polishing table provided with a polishing slurry, said apparatus comprising:
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a) a window embedded within the polishing table, said window traversing a viewing path during polishing and further enabling in-situ viewing of a polishing surface of the workpiece from an underside of the polishing table during polishing as said window traverses a detection region along the viewing path; and b) means coupled to said window on the underside of the polishing table for measuring a reflectance, said reflectance measurement means providing a reflectance signal representative of an in-situ reflectance, wherein a prescribed change in the in-situ reflectance corresponds to a prescribed condition of the polishing process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An in-situ chemical-mechanical polishing process monitor method for monitoring a polishing process during polishing of a workpiece in a polishing machine, the polishing machine having a rotatable polishing table provided with a polishing slurry, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a window embedded within the polishing table, the window traversing a viewing path during polishing and further enabling in-situ viewing of a polishing surface of the workpiece from an underside of the polishing table during polishing as the window traverses a detection region along the viewing path; and b) providing a means coupled to the window on the underside of the polishing table for measuring a reflectance, the reflectance measurement means providing a reflectance signal representative of an in-situ reflectance, wherein a prescribed change in the in-situ reflectance corresponds to a prescribed condition of the polishing process. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A polishing machine having in-situ polishing process monitor control of a polishing process during polishing of a workpiece on a rotatable polishing table provided with a polishing slurry, said polishing machine comprising:
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a) a window embedded within the polishing table, said window traversing a viewing path during polishing and further enabling in-situ viewing of a polishing surface of the workpiece from an underside of the polishing table during polishing as said window traverses a detection region along the viewing path; b) means coupled to said window on the underside of the polishing table for measuring a reflectance, said reflectance measurement means providing a reflectance signal representative of an in-situ reflectance, wherein a prescribed change in the in-situ reflectance corresponds to a prescribed condition of the polishing process. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification