Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Chemical etching – Combined with the removal of material by nonchemical means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2001-07-17
Powell, William (Department: 1765)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Chemical etching
Combined with the removal of material by nonchemical means
C156S345420, C438S745000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261959
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to polishing and planarization of semiconductor wafers. More particularly, the present invention relates to method and apparatus for linearly reciprocating a portion of a continuous polishing member to process a semiconductor wafer.
BACKGROUND
Chemical mechanical planarization techniques are used to planarize and polish each layer of a semiconductor wafer. Available CMP systems, commonly called wafer polishers, often use a rotating wafer carrier that brings the wafer into contact with a polishing pad rotating in the plane of the wafer surface to be planarized. A chemical polishing agent or slurry containing microabrasives and surface modifying chemicals is applied to the polishing pad to polish the wafer. The wafer holder then presses the wafer against the rotating pad and is rotated to polish and planarize the wafer. Some available wafer polishers use orbital motion, or a linear belt, rather than a rotating surface to carry the polishing head. One challenge of polishing semiconductor wafers using a disposable polishing pad on the available wafer polishers is that these polishers must be frequently stopped to replace the polishing member after a limited number of uses. Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system of performing CMP that addresses this issue.
SUMMARY
In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for chemically-mechanically polishing a semiconductor wafer comprises a receiving surface attached with a frame; a loading mechanism in contact with the receiving surface, the loading mechanism being configured to load measured portions of a wafer-polishing member containing a fixed abrasive onto the receiving surface; a reciprocation device attached with at least a portion of the receiving surface, the reciprocation device being powered to move the receiving surface in a linear, bi-directional motion; and a wafer holder positioned to releasably hold a wafer adjacent to the receiving surface.
In another aspect of the invention, a loading mechanism for loading measured portions of a wafer-polishing member containing a fixed abrasive into an apparatus for the chemical-mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers comprises a polishing member dispensing roller connected with a frame, the polishing member dispensing roller holding a supply of waferpolishing member, and a feeding device in contact with the supply of waferpolishing member, the feeding device configured to move measured portions of the wafer-polishing member onto a receiving surface in the apparatus for the chemical-mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of polishing semiconductor wafers comprises loading a measured portion of a wafer-polishing member containing a fixed abrasive onto the receiving surface; and reciprocating the receiving surface and wafer-polishing member in a linear, bi-directional motion against the semiconductor wafer.
In another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for chemically-mechanically polishing semiconductor wafers comprises a receiving surface attached to a frame; a loading mechanism in contact with the receiving surface, the loading mechanism being configured to loads discrete sheets of wafer-polishing members containing a fixed abrasive onto the receiving surface; a reciprocation device attached with at least a portion of the receiving surface, the reciprocation device being powered to move the receiving surface in a linear, bi-directional motion; and a wafer holder positioned to releasably hold a wafer adjacent to the receiving surface.
In another aspect of the invention, a loading mechanism for loading discreet sheets of wafer-polishing members containing a fixed abrasive into an apparatus for the chemical-mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers comprises a supply bin in a frame, the supply bin adapted to contain a plurality of discrete sheets of wafer-polishing members; an automated sheet feeder in contact with the supply bin, the sheet feeder being configured to automatically uptake a first discrete sheet in the supply of discrete sheets and to load the first discreet sheet onto the receiving surface; and an adjustment mechanism in contact with the supply bin and the automated sheet feeder such that the adjustment mechanism adjusts the relative positioning of the automated sheet feeder and the supply of discrete sheets in the supply bin.
In still another aspect of the invention, a method of simultaneously conditioning a measured portion of a wafer-polishing member containing a fixed abrasive and chemically-mechanically polishing a semiconductor wafer comprises a) loading a measured portion of a wafer-polishing member containing a fixed abrasive onto the receiving surface; and b) reciprocating the receiving surface and wafer-polishing member in a linear bi-directional motion against the semiconductor wafer, c) repeating (b) and (c) until the semiconductor wafer is polished and the measured portion of the wafer-polishing member is conditioned.
The present invention provides the foregoing and other features, and the advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
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Pena Christopher
Travis Glenn
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Lam Research Corporation
Powell William
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