System for real-time control of semiconductor wafer polishing including heater

• US 5,643,060 A
• Filed: 10/24/1995
• Issued: 07/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Sandhu, Gurtej S., Doan, Trung Tri
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, James G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BANKS, DERRIS HOLT
• Application Number:
  US08/547,377
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 451/7, 451/285, 451/287, 451/286, 451/288, 451/289, 451/53, 451/488
• US Class Current: 451/285
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 15/013 Control or regulation of feed movement B23Q15/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 15/12 Adaptive control, i.e. adjusting itself to have a performance which is optimum according to a preassigned criterion
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 13/015 of television picture tube viewing panels, headlight reflectors or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/013 Devices or means for detecting lapping completion
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/12 Lapping plates for working plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/205 provided with a window for inspecting the surface of the work being lapped
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 49/12 involving optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/404 characterised by control arrangements for compensation, e.g. for backlash, overshoot, tool offset, tool wear, temperature, machine construction errors, load, inertia G05B19/19, G05B19/41 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34403 RTI real time, kernel, processing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37398 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37602 Material removal rate
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45199 Polish
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45232 CMP chemical mechanical polishing of wafer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49052 Accessory, coolant
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49057 Controlling temperature of workpiece, tool, probe holder

Abstract

A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished.

Claims

1. A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising:

a platen subassembly defining a polishing area;

a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and

a heater supported by the polishing head and controllably heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the platen subassembly comprises a platen having a hollow interior, and wherein the system further comprises a fluid passage in fluid communication with the hollow interior, and a pump in fluid communication with the fluid passage and conducting fluid through the hollow interior, and a heating element heating the fluid.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the heater comprises a heating filament.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the heater comprises a heating filament supported by the polishing head.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a slurry delivery system supplying a slurry to the wafer, and a second heater which selectively heats the slurry, before it is supplied to the wafer, to heat the wafer.

6. A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising:

a platen subassembly defining a polishing area;

a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and

means supported by the polishing head for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein the heating means comprises means for controllably adjusting the temperature of the wafer while the wafer is being polished.

8. A system in accordance with claim 6 and further comprising means for heating the platen subassembly.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the platen subassembly comprises a platen having a hollow interior, and wherein the means for heating the platen subassembly comprises means for flowing fluid through the hollow interior and for heating the fluid.

10. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the heating means supported by the polishing head comprises a heating filament.

11. A system in accordance with claim 8 and further comprising means for supplying a slurry to the wafer, and means for heating the slurry before it is supplied to the wafer.

12. A system in accordance with claim 6 and further comprising a heating filament supported by the platen subassembly.

13. A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising:

a platen subassembly defining a polishing area;

a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face;

means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, wherein the heating means comprises means for heating the platen subassembly; and

means for supplying a slurry to the wafer, wherein the heating means comprises means for changing the composition of the slurry.

14. A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising:

a platen subassembly defining a polishing area;

a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and

means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, wherein the heating means comprises means for heating the platen subassembly, the means for heating the platen subassembly including means for adjusting the force between the polishing head and the platen subassembly.

15. A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising:

a platen subassembly defining a polishing area, and having a hollow interior defining a fluid passage;

a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face;

a pump in fluid communication with the fluid passage and conducting fluid to the fluid passage;

means for supplying a slurry to the wafer; and

means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heating means including means for changing the composition of the slurry.

16. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the pump is a liquid pump which conducts liquid through the hollow interior.

17. A system in accordance with claim 15 and further comprising a heating element heating the fluid that flows through the hollow interior.

18. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the rate of flow of fluid through the hollow interior is controllable.

19. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the temperature of fluid flowing through the hollow interior is controllable.

20. A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising:

a platen subassembly defining a polishing area;

a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face;

a heater system that controllably heats the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heater system including a slurry supply system including a plurality of storage areas respectively containing slurries of different compositions, a conduit having an outlet directed to supply slurry to the wafer, and a controllable storage selector which supplies a slurry from a selected storage area to the conduit.

21. A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer having a face to be polished and having a backside opposite the face, the system comprising:

a platen subassembly defining a polishing area;

a polishing head selectively supporting semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face, the polishing head further including a plurality of pressure applicators operative against the backside of the semiconductor wafer, the pressure applicators being controllable to apply isolated pressures to respective regions of the semiconductor wafer to cause alterations in contour of the exposed face of the semiconductor wafer; and

a heater system that controllably heats the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heater system including a controller adjusting the force between the polishing head and the platen subassembly to affect the temperature of the wafer.

22. A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer having a face to be polished and having a backside opposite the face, the system comprising:

a platen subassembly defining a polishing area;

a polishing head selectively supporting semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face, the polishing head further including a plurality of pressure applicators operative against the backside of the semiconductor wafer, the pressure applicators being controllable to apply isolated pressures to respective regions of the semiconductor wafer to cause alterations in contour of the exposed face of the semiconductor wafer; and

a heater system that controllably heats the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heater system including a slurry supply system including a plurality of storage areas respectively containing slurries of different compositions, a conduit having an outlet directed to supply slurry to the wafer, and a controllable storage selector which supplies a slurry from a selected storage area to the conduit.