Methods for detecting transitions of wafer surface properties in chemical mechanical polishing for process status and control
US6925348B2 · kind B2 · utility
2Cited by
37References
17Claims
0Family size
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Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 14, 2004 |
| Grant date | Aug 2, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 14, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB24B49/14
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In chemical mechanical polishing, a wafer carrier plate is provided with a cavity for reception of a sensor positioned very close to a wafer to be polished. Energy resulting from contact between a polishing pad and an exposed surface of the wafer is transmitted only a very short distance to the sensor and is sensed by the sensor, providing data as to the nature of properties of the exposed surface of the wafer, and of transitions of those properties. Correlation methods provide graphs relating sensed energy to the surface properties, and to the transitions. The correlation graphs provide process status data for process control.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.