CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS

Organization Name

taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, ltd.

Inventor(s)

CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240304455 titled 'CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS

The present disclosure introduces an apparatus and method for polishing a semiconductor substrate in semiconductor device manufacturing. The apparatus includes a carrier for holding the substrate, a polishing pad for polishing the substrate's surface, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) slurry delivery arm for dispensing the CMP slurry, and a pad conditioner for conditioning the polishing pad.

The apparatus includes a carrier, polishing pad, CMP slurry delivery arm, and pad conditioner.
The pad conditioner consists of a conditioning disk, conditioning arm, magnetic screws, and blocking devices.
The conditioning disk scratches the polishing pad to maintain its effectiveness.
The magnetic screws secure the conditioning disk onto the conditioning arm.
The blocking devices prevent debris particles from entering the screw holes.

Potential Applications: This technology can be applied in semiconductor manufacturing facilities to improve the polishing process of semiconductor substrates.

Problems Solved: This innovation addresses the need for efficient and effective polishing of semiconductor substrates in semiconductor device manufacturing.

Benefits: Enhanced polishing efficiency, improved substrate quality, and reduced maintenance requirements for polishing equipment.

Commercial Applications: This technology can be utilized by semiconductor manufacturers to streamline their manufacturing processes, leading to higher quality semiconductor devices and increased productivity.

Questions about the Technology: 1. How does the pad conditioner contribute to the overall polishing process?

  The pad conditioner helps maintain the effectiveness of the polishing pad by scratching it to remove debris and ensure consistent polishing results.

2. What role do the magnetic screws and blocking devices play in the pad conditioner?

  The magnetic screws secure the conditioning disk onto the conditioning arm, while the blocking devices prevent debris particles from entering the screw holes, ensuring smooth operation of the pad conditioner.

Original Abstract Submitted

the present disclosure provides an apparatus and a method for polishing a semiconductor substrate in semiconductor device manufacturing. the apparatus can include: a carrier configured to hold the substrate; a polishing pad configured to polish a first surface of the substrate; a chemical mechanical polishing (cmp) slurry delivery arm configured to dispense a cmp slurry onto the first surface of the substrate; and a pad conditioner configured to condition the polishing pad. in some embodiments, the pad conditioner can include: a conditioning disk configured to scratch the polishing pad; a conditioning arm configured to rotate the conditioning disk; a plurality of magnetic screws configured to secure the conditioning disk onto the conditioning arm and including a respective plurality of screw heads; and a plurality of blocking devices respectively positioned beneath the plurality of screw heads and configured to block debris particles from entering a respective plurality of screw holes.