In situ conductivity monitoring technique for chemical/mechanical planarization endpoint detection
US4793895A · kind A · utility
273Cited by
11References
18Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 25, 1988 |
| Grant date | Dec 27, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 25, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N27/041
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and method for monitoring the conductivity of a semiconductor wafer during the course of a polishing process. A polishing pad that contacts the wafer has an active electrode and at least one passive electrode, both of which are embedded in the polishing pad. A detecting device is connected to the active and passive electrodes for monitoring the current between the electrodes as the wafer is lapped by the polishing pad. The etch endpoint of the wafer is determined as a function of the magnitude of the current flow.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.