Polishing media stabilizer

• US 6,491,570 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Butterfield, Paul B., Sommer, Phillip R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, George
• Application Number:
  US09/258,036
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 451/41, 451/285-290, 451/494, 451/388, 451/921, 451/168, 451/491
• US Class Current: 451/41
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/20 Lapping pads for working plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/26 characterised by the shape of the lapping pad surface, e.g. grooved
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30625 With simultaneous mechanical treatment, e.g. mechanico-chemical polishing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 451/921 Pad for lens shaping tool

Abstract

A polishing apparatus that employs a polishing media retention arrangement to prevent slippage or wrinkles in the polishing media during polishing. The polishing media is drawn against a support surface by a vacuum applied between the polishing media and the support surface. Also, a porous layer may be placed between the polishing media and the support surface to form dimples in the polishing media upon the application of vacuum. An alternative arrangement draws the polishing media against a carrier and the substrate to be polished.

Claims

1. An apparatus for stabilizing a polishing surface comprising:

a substantially planar inflexible support base;

a flexible, advanceable polishing pad overlying said support base; and

a resilient pad interposed between said polishing pad and said support base, the resilient pad being at least one of perforated and porous;

a vacuum port in said support base and underlying said polishing pad;

wherein application of vacuum through said vacuum port pulls said polishing pad against said support base to maintain said polishing pad in a predetermined polishing position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said perforated pad comprises perforations having a diameter less than about 0.25 inches.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the perforated resilient pad further comprises a porous pad interposed between said polishing pad and said support base.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, upon said applying the vacuum, portions of said polishing media are partially drawn into porosities of said porous layer to form dimples on a polishing surface of said polishing media.

4. A polishing apparatus comprising:

a substantially planar inflexible support base;

a flexible, advanceable polishing pad overlying said support base;

a resilient pad interposed between said polishing pad and said support base, wherein the resilient pad is at least one of perforated and porous; and

means for drawing said polishing pad against said support base to maintain said polishing pad in a predetermined polishing position.

5. The polishing apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a resilient pad interposed between said polishing pad and said support base.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said resilient pad comprises a perforated resilient pad.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a porous pad interposed between said polishing pad and said support base.

8. A method of stabilizing a polishing media during polishing of a substrate against the polishing media, comprising:

providing an advanceable polishing media over a substantially inflexible support surface;

providing at least one of a porous and a perforated layer between the polishing media and the substantially inflexible support surface prior to said applying the vacuum; and

applying a vacuum between the support surface and the polishing media to draw the polishing media toward the support surface.

10. An apparatus for stabilizing a polishing surface comprising:

a support base;

a polishing pad overlying said support base;

a resilient pad interposed between said polishing pad and said support base, wherein said resilient pad is at least one of perforated and porous; and

a vacuum port in said support base and underlying said polishing pad;

wherein application of vacuum through said vacuum port pulls said polishing pad against said support base to maintain said polishing pad in a predetermined polishing position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said resilient pad comprises perforations having a diameter less than about 0.25 inches.

12. A polishing apparatus comprising:

a support base;

a polishing pad overlying said support base;

a resilient pad interposed between said polishing pad and said support base, wherein said resilient pad is at least one of perforated and porous; and

means for drawing said polishing pad against said support base to maintain said polishing pad in a predetermined polishing position.

13. A method of stabilizing a polishing media during polishing of a substrate against the polishing media, comprising:

providing a polishing media over a support surface; and

providing at least one of a perforated layer and a porous layer between the polishing media and the support surface prior to applying a vacuum, wherein, upon said applying the vacuum, portions of said polishing media are partially drawn into porosities of said porous layer to form dimples on a polishing surface of said polishing media.