Patent · US Expired

System and method for chemical mechanical planarization

US6572730B1 · kind B1 · utility

10Cited by
4References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 31, 2000
Grant dateJun 3, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 31, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB24B55/06
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor wafer processing system for polishing a substrate that generally includes a base having a first side and a second side, and at least one drive system that is disposed on the first side of the base. One or more polishing heads are coupled to the drive system for retaining a workpiece during polishing. A first enclosure is disposed on the first side of the base and defines a first volume that includes the drive system. A second enclosure is disposed on the second side of the base and defines a second volume. A first exhaust is coupled to the second volume. When the system is coupled to a facilities exhaust or other air handler, the first exhaust ventilates the second volume. In another aspect, a method for processing a substrate is also disclosed. Generally, the method includes the steps of monitoring the flow metrics of a first exhaust from a first enclosure and a second exhaust from a second enclosure. If the flow metrics fall outside a predetermined processing window, a step of polishing the substrate is stopped.

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