Polishing apparatus for finishing semiconductor wafer at high polishing rate under economical running cost
First Claim
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1. A polishing apparatus for grinding a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- a table driven for rotation;
a polishing pad provided on a surface of said table that rotates together with said table;
a slurry supplying system provided over said polishing pad for supplying a polishing slurry thereto;
a wafer holder system retaining at least one semiconductor wafer for pressing a surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer against said polishing pad; and
a pad conditioning system operative to clean said polishing pad while said semiconductor wafer is being polished on said polishing pad;
wherein said wafer holder system and said pad conditioning system are combined into a combined system which comprises;
a movable arm member;
a carrier block connected to said arm member and moved into and out of a space over said polishing pad;
a retainer retaining said at least one semiconductor wafer in cooperation with said carrier block and allowing said at least one semiconductor wafer to project therefrom; and
a cleaner attached to said retainer;
said carrier block concurrently pressing said at least one semiconductor wafer and said cleaner against said polishing pad.
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Abstract
A polishing apparatus is equipped with a wafer holder and a pad conditioner concurrently changed to working position over a polishing pad, and the polishing pad grinds the semiconductor wafer under concurrent cleaning operation thereon so as to enhance the throughput of the polishing apparatus: grooves are formed in a wafer carrier of the wafer holder for sufficiently supplying polishing slurry to the semiconductor wafer, and a guide wall is provided over the polishing pad so as to cause the polishing slurry to partly return to a central area of the polishing pad.
48 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A polishing apparatus for grinding a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a table driven for rotation; a polishing pad provided on a surface of said table that rotates together with said table; a slurry supplying system provided over said polishing pad for supplying a polishing slurry thereto; a wafer holder system retaining at least one semiconductor wafer for pressing a surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer against said polishing pad; and a pad conditioning system operative to clean said polishing pad while said semiconductor wafer is being polished on said polishing pad; wherein said wafer holder system and said pad conditioning system are combined into a combined system which comprises; a movable arm member; a carrier block connected to said arm member and moved into and out of a space over said polishing pad; a retainer retaining said at least one semiconductor wafer in cooperation with said carrier block and allowing said at least one semiconductor wafer to project therefrom; and a cleaner attached to said retainer; said carrier block concurrently pressing said at least one semiconductor wafer and said cleaner against said polishing pad. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A polishing apparatus for grinding a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a table driven for rotation; a polishing pad provided on a surface of said table and rotating together with said table; a slurry supplying system provided over said polishing pad for supplying a polishing slurry thereto; and a wafer holder system pressing a surface of at least one semiconductor wafer against said polishing pad, said wafer holder system having a carrier block and a retainer ring attached to said carrier block for retaining said at least one semiconductor wafer therebetween, said surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer projecting from an opening of said retainer ring so that said surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer can contact said polishing pad; wherein at least one groove is formed in said retainer ring so as to supply said polishing slurry through said groove to said surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer; wherein a cleaner is attached to the retainer ring so as to clean said polishing pad in a polishing work on said at least one semiconductor wafer. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A polishing apparatus for grinding a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a table driven for rotation; a polishing pad provided on a surface of said table and rotating together with said table; a slurry supplying system provided over said polishing pad for supplying a polishing slurry thereto; a wafer holder system retaining at least one semiconductor wafer for pressing a surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer against said polishing pad; and a guide member stationary with respect to said table and held in contact with said polishing pad for forcing a part of said polishing slurry to return from an outer periphery of said polishing pad to a center area of said polishing pad. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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13. A polishing apparatus for grinding a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a table driven for rotation; a polishing pad provided on a surface of said table and rotating together with said table; a slurry supplying system provided over said polishing pad for supplying a polishing slurry thereto; a wafer holder system retaining at least one semiconductor wafer for pressing a surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer against said polishing pad; and a guide member stationary with respect to said table and held in contact with said polishing pad for forcing a part of said polishing slurry to return from an outer periphery of said polishing pad to a center area of said polishing pad; wherein said wafer holder system comprises a carrier block and a retainer rind attached to said carrier block for retaining said at least one semiconductor wafer therebetween, said surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer projecting from an opening of said retainer ring so that said surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer can contact said polishing pad; wherein at least one groove is formed in said retainer ring so as to supply said polishing slurry through said groove to said surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer; and wherein a cleaner is attached to the retainer ring so as to clean said polishing pad in a polishing work on said at least one semiconductor wafer. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification