CN-122029006-A - High performance CMP multi-disk apparatus

Abstract

A system is disclosed herein that may include a gimbal defining a plurality of pockets, wherein each pocket may include a first portion and a second portion extending between the first portion and a base of the pocket. The diameter of the second portion may be greater than the diameter of the first portion. The system may include a plurality of conditioning disks, wherein each conditioning disk seats within the first portion of a respective pocket. The system may include a plurality of washers, wherein each washer seats within the second portion of the respective pocket. The system may include a plurality of O-rings, each O-ring disposed between a peripheral edge of one of the plurality of adjustment discs and a lateral wall of one of the plurality of pockets. The system may include a plurality of shoulder screws for coupling the gimbal with one of the plurality of washers and an adjustment plate.

Inventors

• HUANG NAIJIE
• A. Alavandan
• SHEN SHIHAO
• TANG JIANSHE
• J. Gurusami
• ZHANG ZHENWEI
• YANG ZHIHAN
• LU WEI

Assignees

• 应用材料公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20241003

Priority Date

20231009

Claims (20)

1. 1. A system for conditioning a polishing pad, the system comprising: a gimbal defining a plurality of pockets, wherein each pocket includes a first portion and a second portion extending between the first portion and a base of the pocket, wherein a diameter of the second portion is greater than a diameter of the first portion; a plurality of adjustment discs, wherein each adjustment disc of the plurality of adjustment discs seats within the first portion of a respective pocket of the plurality of pockets; a plurality of washers, wherein each washer is seated within the second portion of a respective pocket of the one or more pockets; A plurality of O-rings, wherein each O-ring is disposed between a peripheral edge of one of the plurality of adjustment disks and a lateral wall of one of the plurality of pockets, and A plurality of shoulder screws, wherein each shoulder screw couples the gimbal with one of the plurality of washers and one of the plurality of adjustment plates.
2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein each gasket and each O-ring are compressible during the repair process to allow each of the plurality of conditioning disks to move within a respective one of the plurality of pockets.
3. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the O-ring is pre-compressed prior to the repair process.
4. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein each conditioning disk substantially fills a first portion of a corresponding pocket of the plurality of pockets.
5. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pockets are radially disposed about a central axis of the gimbal.
6. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of pockets are arranged at regular intervals about a central axis of the gimbal base.
7. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of conditioning discs is movable independently of any other conditioning disc.
8. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein each conditioning disk of the plurality of conditioning disks comprises one or both of stainless steel and a diamond-containing material.
9. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of O-rings comprise a chemically resistant material.
10. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein each gasket of the plurality of gaskets comprises at least one of a polyethylene foam and neoprene.
11. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of conditioning disks is in a range of 17 mm to 24 mm, inclusive.
12. 12. A method of conditioning a polishing pad, the method comprising: Positioning a gimbal of a pad conditioning system over a polishing pad, the gimbal attached to a gimbal base, the gimbal having a plurality of conditioning disks, each conditioning disk disposed within a respective pocket of the gimbal base and in contact with the polishing pad; rotating the gimbal relative to the polishing pad, and The polishing pad is at least partially repaired by removing material from the polishing pad by the conditioner disk.
13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein an edge of at least one conditioning disk of the plurality of conditioning disks is tiltable relative to the corresponding pocket in a range of-1 ° to 1 °, the range including an end value.
14. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more shoulder screws move vertically relative to the gimbal base in response to movement of a respective adjustment plate.
15. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the gimbal base comprises six conditioning disks disposed in six respective pockets disposed at 60 ° intervals about a central axis of the gimbal base.
16. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the conditioning discs is characterized by a diameter in the range of 17 mm to 24 mm, the range including an end value.
17. 17. A mat conditioning system, the mat conditioning system comprising; A gimbal base; A gimbal supported by the gimbal base and including six corresponding pockets disposed at 60 ° intervals around a center of the gimbal, and And an adjustment plate disposed within a first respective pocket of the six respective pockets, wherein the adjustment plate is tiltable within the first respective pocket relative to the gimbal.
18. 18. The pad conditioning system of claim 17 wherein said conditioning disk comprises diamond.
19. 19. The mat adjustment system of claim 17, wherein the adjustment disc is attached to the gimbal by a shoulder screw.
20. 20. The mat conditioning system of claim 17, wherein the conditioning disk is characterized by a diameter in the range of 17 mm to 24 mm, the range including an end value.

Description

High performance CMP multi-disk apparatus Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application requests the benefit and priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/483,070, entitled "HIGH PERFORMANCE CMP MULTIDISK APPARATUS," filed on 9 at 10/2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field The present technology relates to semiconductor systems, processes, and facilities. More particularly, the present technology relates to an apparatus for polishing a film deposited on a substrate. Background Integrated circuits are typically formed on a substrate by sequentially depositing conductive, semiconductive, and/or insulative layers on a silicon wafer. Various fabrication processes use planarization of layers on a substrate between processing steps. For example, for certain applications, such as polishing a metal layer to form vias, plugs, and/or lines in trenches of a patterned layer, the upper cladding is planarized until the top surface of the patterned layer is exposed. In other applications, for example, the dielectric layer is planarized for use in photolithography, and the overlying layer is polished until a desired thickness remains over the underlying layer. Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is a common planarization method. Such planarization methods typically require that the substrate be mounted on a carrier or polishing head. The exposed surface of the substrate is typically placed against a rotating polishing pad. The carrier head provides a controllable load on the substrate to urge the substrate against the polishing pad. The abrasive polishing slurry is typically supplied to the surface of the polishing pad. Since the polishing pad is used in the CMP process, the polishing pad and its effectiveness may be deteriorated. Accordingly, a CMP process using a worn polishing pad may take longer than a CMP process using a new polishing pad. One solution might be to utilize a new polishing pad. However, this can be expensive and inefficient. Another solution might be to repair the polishing pad. Current systems and methods may partially repair a polishing pad, but may lack proper contact between the conditioning disk and the polishing pad to effectively repair the polishing pad. Accordingly, there is a need to develop systems and methods that provide better contact between the conditioning disk and the polishing pad. Disclosure of Invention The system may include a gimbal defining a plurality of pockets, wherein each pocket may include a first portion and a second portion extending between the first portion and a base of the pocket. The second portion may have a diameter greater than the diameter of the first portion. The system may include a plurality of conditioning discs, wherein each conditioning disc of the plurality of conditioning discs seats within a first portion of a respective pocket of the plurality of pockets. The system may include a plurality of washers, wherein each washer is seated within the second portion of a respective pocket of the one or more pockets. The system may also include a plurality of O-rings, wherein each O-ring is disposed between a peripheral edge of one of the plurality of tuning disks and a lateral wall of one of the plurality of pockets. The system may include a plurality of shoulder screws, wherein each shoulder screw couples the gimbal with one of the plurality of washers and one of the plurality of adjustment plates. In some embodiments, each gasket and each O-ring is compressible during the repair process, allowing each adjustment disk of the plurality of adjustment disks to move within a respective pocket of the plurality of pockets. The O-ring may be precompressed prior to the repair process. Each conditioning disk may substantially fill a first section of a corresponding pocket of the plurality of pockets. The plurality of pockets may be radially disposed about a central axis of the gimbal. The plurality of pockets may also be disposed at regular intervals about the central axis of the gimbal base. Each of the plurality of conditioning discs may be movable independently of any other conditioning disc. Each of the plurality of conditioning discs may comprise one or both of stainless steel and a diamond-containing material. The plurality of O-rings may include a chemically resistant material. Each of the plurality of gaskets may comprise at least one of polyethylene foam and neoprene. Each of the plurality of conditioning discs may include a diameter ranging from 17 mm to 24 mm (inclusive). A method of conditioning a polishing pad may include positioning a gimbal of a pad conditioning system over the polishing pad, the gimbal attached to a gimbal base with a plurality of conditioning disks, each conditioning disk disposed in a respective pocket of the gimbal base and in contact with the polishing pad. The method can include rotating the gimbal relative to the polishing pad. The method can include repairing the pol