Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic substrates

US6364757B2 · kind B2 · utility

85Cited by
10References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 27, 2001
Grant dateApr 2, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 27, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB24B37/26
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for mechanically and/or chemical-mechanically planarizing microelectronic substrates. In one embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a microelectronic substrate is planarized or polished on a planarizing medium having a thin film and a plurality of micro-features on the film. The film may be an incompressible sheet or web substantially impervious to a planarizing solution, and the micro-features may be configured in a selected pattern on the film to restrain fluid flow of the planarizing solution across the surface of the film under the substrate. The micro-features, for example, may be configured in a selected pattern that has a plurality of support points and at least one cavity to entrap a substantially contiguous, uniform distribution of the solution under the substrate during planarization. Additionally, the selected pattern of micro-features may be reproduced from a master pattern of micro-features to duplicate the selected pattern on several sections of film so that a consistent planarizing surface may be provided for a large number of substrates.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.