Process for the abrasive machining of surfaces, in particular of semiconductor wafers

US6824451B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Mark Hollatz · Neustadt, DE
• Andreas Römer · Dresden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 1, 2002
• Grant date: Nov 30, 2004
• Expiry date: Oct 9, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T409/304424
• WIPO field: Machine tools
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A process is described for the chemical mechanical machining of semiconductor wafers. A plurality of surfaces are successively subjected to a polishing step, in which they are brought into contact with a polishing device. The polishing device contains a polishing-grain carrier with polishing grains, and the surfaces are moved relative to the polishing device. Material is removed from the surface by the polishing grains, which are fixed in the polishing-grain carrier and may become partially detached from the carrier material during the polishing operation. In each case one or more polishing steps is preceded by a conditioning step for regeneration of the polishing device. The polishing device and a conditioning surface of strong structure are brought into contact with one another and moved relative to one another, with the result that starting states of the polishing-device surface at a beginning of the individual polishing steps are comparable with one another.