Platen arrangement for a chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus

• US 6,485,359 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Birang, Manoocher, Redeker, Fred C., White, John, Li, Shijian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, III, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCDONALD, SHANTESE L
• Application Number:
  US09/663,815
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 451/41, 451/53, 451/287, 451/288, 451/289, 451/388
• US Class Current: 451/289
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 55/02 Equipment for cooling the grinding surfaces, e.g. devices for feeding coolant cooling or lubricating during dressing operation B24B53/095; incorporated in grinding wheels B24D
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 7/228 for grinding thin, brittle parts, e.g. semiconductors, wafers grinding edges of thin, brittle parts B24B9/065
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 9/085 Devices for mounting sheets on a backing plate

Abstract

A chemical mechanical polishing machine is provided with a platen that has an integral sub-pad. A fixed abrasive polishing layer is mounted, without adhesive between the polishing layer and the sub-pad, to the top surface of the platen and the sub-pad. The polishing layer is vacuum mounted, for example, to the integral sub-pad of the platen. A cooling arrangement is provided in the platen that cools the polishing layer and improves product quality.

Claims

1. A platen for a fixed abrasive pad chemical-mechanical polishing/planarization arrangement, comprising:

a platen housing;

a sub-structure integrally mounted on the platen housing; and

a vacuum mounting arrangement configured to removably mount a fixed abrasive layer to the sub-structure,

wherein the vacuum mounting arrangement includes suction holes at a top surface of the sub-structure vacuum connections through the sub-structure configured to connect the suction holes to a vacuum source,

wherein the sub-structure includes a bottom cushion layer and an upper structural layer on the cushion layer.

2. The platen of claim 1, wherein the cushion layer comprises a low modulus pad and the structural layer comprises polycarbonate.

3. The platen of claim 1, further comprising a recess configured to house the sub-structure entirely within the recess.

4. The platen arrangement of claim 1, wherein the platen has an outer edge, and further comprising a seal on the outer edge on which outer edges of a fixed abrasive layer are removably mounted.

5. The platen arrangement of claim 1, wherein the platen has an outer edge, and further comprising an adhesive only on the outer edge on which outer edges of a fixed abrasive layer are removably mounted.

6. The platen arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sub-structure has a substantially planar upper surface that is co-planar with a top surface of the platen.

7. A platen for a fixed abrasive pad chemical-mechanical polishing/planarization arrangement, comprising:

a platen housing;

a sub-structure integrally mounted on the platen housing; and

a vacuum mounting arrangement configured to removably mount a fixed abrasive layer to the sub-structure

a cooling fluid arrangement in the platen that supplies cooling fluid to the sub-structure to cool the sub-structure.

8. A platen arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the vacuum mounting arrangement is coupled to a vacuum source and the cooling fluid arrangement in the platen is coupled to a cooling fluid source.

9. A platen arrangement according to claim 8, wherein thee sub-structure includes a bottom cushion layer and an upper structural layer on the cushion layer integrally mounted on the platen housing.

10. A platen arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the cooling fluid conduits are disposed adjacent the upper structural layer.

11. A chemical-mechanical polishing machine comprising:

a platen housing;

a sub-structure integral with the platen housing, said sub-structure comprising a bottom cushion layer and an upper structural layer on the cushion layer; and

a mounting arrangement configured to removably mount a fixed abrasive layer to the upper structural layer of the sub-structure.

12. The machine of claim 11, further comprising a fixed abrasive pad removably mounted on the upper structural layer of the sub-structure.

13. The machine of claim 12, wherein the mounting arrangement comprises a vacuum mounting arrangement that includes suction holes at a top surface of the upper structural layer of the sub-structure, vacuum conduits through the sub-structure, and a source of vacuum coupled to the vacuum conduits.

14. The machine of claim 13, further comprising a cooling fluid arrangement in the platen including cooling fluid conduits that supplies cooling fluid from a cooling fluid source to the sub-structure to cool the sub-structure and the top polishing layer.

15. The machine of claim 14, wherein the cooling fluid conduits are disposed adjacent the upper structural layer.

16. The machine of claim 11, wherein the cushion layer comprises a low modulus material and the structural layer comprises polycarbonate.

17. The machine of claim 14, wherein the vacuum mounting arrangement is coupled to a vacuum source and the cooling fluid arrangement is coupled to a cooling fluid source.

18. A method of mounting a fixed abrasive layer to a platen arrangement, comprising the steps of:

providing a platen with an integral sub-structure comprising a bottom cushion layer and an upper structural layer on the cushion layer; and

removably mounting a fixed abrasive layer on the sub-structure by vacuum mounting the fixed abrasive layer t o the sub-structure.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the steps of removably mounting includes providing a seal on an outer edge of the platen with an outer edge of a fixed abrasive layer being mounted on the seal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the steps of removably mounting includes providing an adhesive on an outer edge of the platen with an outer edge of a fixed abrasive layer being mounted on the adhesive.