CN110709980A

CN110709980A - CMP machine with improved throughput and process flexibility

Info

Publication number: CN110709980A
Application number: CN201880031946.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: D·R·特洛伊
Original assignee: Chongshuo Technology Co
Current assignee: Chongshuo Technology Co; AXUS Tech LLC
Priority date: 2017-04-26
Filing date: 2018-04-06
Publication date: 2020-01-17
Also published as: KR20200002928A; US20220088744A1; JP2024026436A; WO2018200165A1; JP7094983B2; JP2022141653A; EP3616237A4; EP3616237A1; JP7408726B2; JP2020518475A; US20180311784A1

Abstract

An apparatus for performing chemical mechanical planarization is disclosed. The apparatus includes a support with a rotation axis extending therethrough. The apparatus includes at least one elongated member including a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion. The first portion is configured to rotatably connect to a support and pivot the elongate member about the axis of rotation relative to the support in a single direction through an angle of rotation of at least about 270 degrees. The apparatus includes a carrier head configured to be coupled to the second portion and to hold and process a substrate.

Description

CMP machine with improved throughput and process flexibility

Incorporation by reference of any priority application

This application claims priority to US 62/602,538 filed on 26.4.2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The disclosed technology relates to semiconductor processing equipment and, more particularly, to Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) systems and equipment having reduced footprint and operational capabilities that allow for the handling and manipulation of objects in compressed space.

Background

CMP machines are widely used in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.

There is a need for a machine with a completely different configuration to achieve a solution to some of the needs in today's market. Machines of the type available today have reduced throughput due to limited wafer handling and multi-wafer processing options.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the disclosed technique to provide an improved Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) apparatus with reduced footprint and increased throughput and functionality.

According to one embodiment, a substrate carrier head system is disclosed that includes a support with an axis of rotation extending therethrough, at least one elongated member including a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to be rotatably coupled to the support and pivot the elongated member about the axis of rotation relative to the support in a single direction through an angle of rotation of at least about 270 degrees, and a carrier head configured to be coupled to the second portion and to hold and process a substrate.

According to one aspect, the angle of rotation is substantially unrestricted in a single direction.

According to yet another aspect, a carrier head includes a membrane configured to be pressurized to allow a substrate to contact and be processed by a polishing pad on a platen.

According to another aspect, a controller configured to cause a carrier head to move a substrate from a first position that allows a first process to be performed on the substrate on a first platen to a second position that allows a second process to be performed on the substrate on a second platen is disclosed.

According to yet another aspect, the first and second processes are different.

According to another aspect, the first process is a bulk removal process and the second process is a fine removal process.

In accordance with another embodiment, a substrate carrier head system is disclosed that includes at least one support, wherein a first axis of rotation extends through the support, at least one elongated member including a first link having a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to rotatably connect to the support and pivot the first link relative to the support about the first axis of rotation a first angle of rotation, and wherein a second axis of rotation extends through the second portion, the first and second axes of rotation being substantially parallel to each other, a second link having a third portion and a fourth portion opposite the third portion, wherein the third portion is configured to rotatably connect to the second portion and pivot the second link relative to the first link about the second axis of rotation a second angle of rotation, and a carrier head, configured to be coupled to the fourth portion and to hold and process a substrate.

According to one aspect, the first angle of rotation is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction.

According to yet another aspect, the carrier head is configured to provide pressure to the substrate to allow the substrate to be processed by the platen.

According to another aspect, the system is configured to linearly move the carrier head toward the center of the platen based at least in part on the synchronized rotation of the first and second links.

According to yet another aspect, the system further includes at least one platen configured to process a substrate held by the carrier head.

According to another aspect, at least two substrate carrier head systems are disclosed according to one embodiment, wherein each system further comprises at least two elongated members and at least two carrier heads and at least two platens configured to process at least four substrates processed by each carrier head, wherein the first rotation angle is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction.

According to yet another aspect, a second platen is disclosed, wherein the at least one elongated member is configured to move the substrate from a first position that allows a first process to be performed on the substrate on the first platen to a second position that allows a second process to be performed on the substrate on the second platen.

According to yet another embodiment, a chemical mechanical planarization apparatus is disclosed that includes at least a first substrate carrier head system and a second substrate carrier head system, each carrier head system including a support with a rotation axis extending therethrough, at least one elongated member including a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to be rotatably connected to the support and pivot the elongated member about the rotation axis relative to the support by a rotation angle, and a carrier head configured to be connected to the second portion and hold and process a substrate; and at least one platen configured to process a first substrate held by the first carrier head system and a second substrate held by the second carrier head system.

According to one aspect, the angle of rotation is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction.

According to another aspect, wherein the angle of rotation is substantially unrestricted in a single direction.

According to yet another aspect, a controller is disclosed that is configured to cause a first carrier head system to move a first substrate from a first position to perform a first process on a first substrate on a first platen to a second position for performing a second process on a second substrate on a second platen.

According to another aspect, the first and second processes are different.

According to yet another aspect, a controller is disclosed that is configured to place a first substrate carrier head system in an offline state while a second substrate carrier head system remains in a processing state.

According to another aspect, the controller is configured to cause the first or second carrier head system to replace the polishing pad of the at least one platen.

Drawings

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the disclosed technology will be better understood by the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of embodiments of the disclosed technology with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals will be used for like elements unless otherwise specified.

Fig. 1A is a plan view of a Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) system, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

Figure 1B is a side view of a CMP system in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary carrier head assembly of a CMP system.

Fig. 3A and 3B are plan views of a CMP apparatus including a tie rod in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technique.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a CMP system including a platen in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an example CMP system in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating an example method for operating a CMP system in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

Detailed Description

The disclosed technology relates to a CMP machine that has a smaller footprint than typical CMP machines and has operational capabilities that allow the machine to process and manipulate wafer objects in a compact space. The disclosed technology also relates to a CMP machine having an articulated arm with an elbow joint and a shoulder connected to a support. The disclosed technology also relates to a CMP machine having the operational capability of polishing two or more wafers on a single polishing platen in a staggered polishing process such that a critical period of time for polishing a wafer is not interrupted or disturbed by the polishing of subsequent wafers. The disclosed technology also relates to improved off-line consumable preparation by providing a system that can effectively remove and replace a pallet pad with a pre-treated pallet pad without causing machine downtime, as this involves utilizing other pallets within the system.

There is a need for a machine with a completely different configuration to achieve a solution to some of the needs in today's market. The types of machines available today and their respective disadvantages include: machines that are capable of processing only a single wafer because of the sequential wafer handling and loading/unloading that must be performed during a processing step, machines that require one or more wafer carriers to move simultaneously with all other carrier heads between polishing platens because all other carrier heads are fixedly coupled to each other, machines that are not capable of using one platen while one or more wafer carriers await processing and/or wafer loading/unloading operations to be completed on other carrier heads and/or platens, and machines that require wafers to be transferred from one wafer carrier to another in order to process wafers between platens.

The disclosed technology will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings. The present disclosure is not limited thereto but only by the appended claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice the invention.

Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is used to planarize thin films in the manufacture of semiconductor ICs, MEMS devices, and LEDs, as well as many other similar applications common in all companies that manufacture "chips" for such devices. Such adoption includes the fabrication of chips for mobile phones, tablet and other portable devices, as well as desktop and notebook computers. The growth in nanotechnology and micromachining has provided a wide prospect for widespread use and adaptation of digital devices in the medical, automotive and internet of things ("IoT"). Scientists and engineers at IBM corporation in the early 1980 s invented and developed chemical-mechanical polishing for thin film planarization. This process is now widespread worldwide and is one of the technologies that are truly enabled in almost all digital device manufacturing.

Integrated circuits are made up of multiple and alternating layers of conductive materials (copper, tungsten, aluminum, etc.), insulating layers (silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, etc.) and semiconductor materials (polysilicon). The successive combination of layers is applied sequentially to the wafer surface, but since the device is implanted on the surface, topographical undulations are formed in the device structure as is the case with the silicon dioxide insulator layer. These unwanted topography undulations must be smoothed or "planarized" before the next layer is deposited. In the case of a copper layer, copper is deposited on the surface to fill the contact vias and form effective vertical paths for electrons to transfer from one device to another and from one layer to another. This process continues with each layer applied, typically by a deposition process. In the case of multiple layers of conductive material (multiple layers of metal), this may result in a number of polishing processes being performed (each layer of conductor, insulator, and semiconductor material being polished) to achieve a successful circuit.

CMP processing is an enabling technology in the fabrication of multilayer circuits to make this possible. The CMP process, system and apparatus are

Detailed embodiments of the disclosed technology will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1A is a plan view illustrating an embodiment of a Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) system 100 that includes a support 102 (e.g., a body, a column, a pedestal, a polishing arm support, etc.), an arm 104 (e.g., an elongated member or polishing arm), and a carrier head 106. Arm 104 is attached to support 102 and has attached carrier head 106. As discussed further below, the CMP system 100 may also include means for rotating the arm attachment (not shown). The support 102 is a structural support configured to hold the arm 104 and carrier head 106 in place over one or more polishing platens (as shown in fig. 4 and 5). In addition, the support 102 is configured to rotate an arm 104 that is rotatably attached to the support 102. In some embodiments, the support 102, or portions thereof, may rotate such that the arm 104 attached to the support 102 rotates about the support 102. Alternatively, the support 102 may be configured to be stationary while the arm 104 attached to the support 102 rotates about the support 102. Figure 1B is a side view of the CMP system 100.

In some embodiments, the support 102 is configured to provide electrical and fluid connections to the rest of the CMP system 100. Thus, the support 102 has electrical/electromechanical and fluid connections disposed within the support 102 and/or along an outer perimeter of the support 102. The electrical connections are configured to transmit electrical power and electrical signals to one or more components of the CMP system 100 and receive electrical signals from the CMP system 100 as feedback. For example, the CMP system 100 may have wiring, such as ethernet connections and electrical slip ring assemblies, that may feed into the bottom of the support 102 and to various components of the CMP system 100. Additionally, a fluid connection may be included and configured to provide various fluids (e.g., CMP slurry) to the CMP system 100. The fluid connection may provide pneumatic and vacuum forces to the system.

In one embodiment, the CMP system 100 may be configured to rotate about an axis of rotation. Thus, the support 102 comprises means for rotating the arm 104 about the rotation axis. The support 102 may include, for example, an electric motor (e.g., a stepper motor, a brushless motor, a torque motor, etc.), mechanical gears, magnetic or rotational couplings, or any other device for producing rotational motion on the arm 104 or the support 102.

In the example of fig. 1A, the axis of rotation passes through the support 102. The degree of rotation is indicated by the θ symbol in fig. 1A. However, the direction of rotation may be either direction (clockwise or counterclockwise). In addition, the arm 104 and the carrier head 106 may rotate at least about 270 (i.e., angular displacement ≧ 270) in a single direction about the axis of rotation (i.e., winding or unwinding). In another embodiment, the rotation of the arm 104 about the axis of rotation may be continuous (i.e., unlimited), and thus, the CMP system 100 may have an angular displacement of 360 or more (i.e., ≧ 2 π radians).

In addition, the carrier head 106 attached to the arm may be actuated in a downward (i.e., descending) and upward (i.e., ascending) direction. Thus, the carrier head 106 may be lowered or raised based on the desired configuration for the CMP process. For example, in a raised configuration, the carrier head 106 or the arm 104 may receive a control signal commanding the carrier head 106 to descend. The carrier head 106 may be lowered until it presses against a polishing pad (not shown) of the platen. For example, the carrier head 106 may press a wafer held under a platen of the carrier head 106 against a polishing pad.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier head 106. The carrier head 106 may include a membrane assembly 205 and a support base 280, the membrane assembly 205 being mounted to the support base 280. The support base 280 may be any suitable configuration configured to provide support to the membrane assembly. The support pedestal 280 may attach and engage the remainder of the carrier assembly 106 to the CMP system 100.

As shown, the membrane assembly 205 may include a support plate 210, an elastic membrane 220, a membrane clamp 230, and an outer pressure ring 240. The support plate 210 may be of any suitable configuration that attaches the membrane assembly 205 to the support base 280. For example, the support plate 210 may be mounted to the support base 280 using one or more bolts or other suitable attachment elements. The support plate 210 may be mounted to the support base 280 at various locations, such as along the outer periphery of the support base 280.

The support plate 210 may be of any suitable configuration to support the elastic membrane 220. The elastic membrane 220 may be secured to the support plate 210 in a number of different ways. The elastic membrane 220 may be fixed to the support plate 210 before or after the support plate 210 is fixed to the support base 280. The elastic membrane 220 may be secured to the support plate 210 by using any of a number of suitable different retaining elements, such as a membrane clip 230. In some embodiments, the membrane clip 230 may be spring loaded. In other embodiments, the membrane clips 230 may be securely fastened using a fastening mechanism (e.g., nuts and bolts, etc.).

The flexible membrane 220 may be secured to the support plate 210 such that the membrane 220 may hold the wafer 270 against the polishing pad and process the wafer, for example, as described above with reference to fig. 1B. The terms "substrate" and "wafer" are used interchangeably herein and include, for example, semiconductor or silicon wafers, flat panel displays, glass or magnetic disks, plastic workpieces, and other substantially rigid, flat, and thin workpieces of various shapes (e.g., circular, square, rectangular, etc.) and sizes (as may be performed by one or more embodiments of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein).

The membrane 220 can have sufficient elasticity and flexibility to combine with the polishing pad material and processing parameters to reduce wafer breakage. The membrane 220 and the support plate 210 may be configured to allow air pressure between the membrane 220 and the support plate 210 and to press the membrane 220 against the wafer 270 during the CMP process. For example, a substantial seal may be formed between the diaphragm 220 and the plate 210. The support plate 210 may be spaced apart from the diaphragm 220 to form a gap or cavity 260 therebetween. When the diaphragm 220 is in a static (e.g., non-pressurized) state, a cavity 260 may be formed. In some embodiments, when diaphragm 220 is in a static state, diaphragm 220 rests on or near plate 210 and cavity 260 is formed when diaphragm 220 expands (e.g., pressurizes). During planarization, the cavities 260 may redistribute and cause a change in gas pressure to the membrane 220 and thus to the wafer 270. As shown, air pressure may be provided to the back side of the diaphragm 220 through a pneumatic channel 250. The pneumatic channel 250 may be disposed within the support plate 210, or the gas may be supplied through other configurations. The pneumatic channel 250 may be modified differently depending on the application (e.g., round tubes, square tubes, etc.). In some embodiments, the pneumatic channels may provide a vacuum for holding the wafer 270 to the underside of the membrane assembly. The membrane 220 may include holes to provide such vacuum and/or create positive pressure to disengage the wafer 270 from the membrane 220.

In some embodiments, the cavity 260 may be formed by spacing the diaphragm 220 from the support plate 210. For example, the support plate 210 may include a recessed interior to form a cavity. In the illustrated embodiment, the membrane assembly 205 may include an outer pressure ring 240 to form a cavity 260. In other embodiments, the membrane module may be assembled without a pressure ring. For example, the diaphragm 220 may rest directly on the support plate 210 without the cavity 260 separating the diaphragm 220 from the support plate 210. In some embodiments, the membrane assembly may include one or more pressure rings 240 arranged in concentric circles.

In another embodiment, the diaphragm 220 used may be a multi-region diaphragm. For example, the diaphragm 220 may have grooves (e.g., notches) and/or raised portions of the diaphragm 220 that effectively isolate various regions of the diaphragm 220. In a non-limiting example, the grooves may be arranged in a series of concentric circles originating from the center of the diaphragm. In another example, the grooves and raised portions may be irregularly shaped (e.g., interconnected circles, non-circular indentations, a circular pattern dispersed over the surface of the membrane sheet) to improve the distribution of pressure exerted on the wafer 370 when attached to the membrane assembly.

The diaphragm 220 may be flexible such that it conforms to the structure it surrounds. In some cases, the diaphragm 220 may be convex. For example, the diaphragm 220 may droop centrally. The membrane 220 may even be shaped as a cone so that a small area of the membrane 220 will be in contact with the wafer surface for finer polishing.

As described herein, the membrane material may be any resilient material suitable for planarization and used, for example, within a carrier head for CMP processing. In some embodiments, the membrane material may be one of a rubber or synthetic rubber material. The membrane material may also be one of ethylene propylene diene monomer (M grade) (EPDM) rubber or silicone. Alternatively, it may be one or more combinations in the form of vinyl, rubber, silicone rubber, synthetic rubber, nitrile, thermoplastic elastomer, fluoroelastomer, hydrated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, or polyurethane and polyurethane.

One or more membrane assemblies may be implemented in a single CMP system. The CMP system may have controls (e.g., variable speed motor controls, etc.) that operate simultaneously with feedback from the system to more accurately control the CMP process.

In some embodiments, one or more arms of the CMP systems described with reference to fig. 1A, 1B, and 2 can bend or rotate about the second axis of rotation such that the carrier head can roll inward, toward the support, and/or outward away from the support. In some cases, the elongated arm may include a plurality of links (i.e., articulated arms or articulated arms) that may all rotate about various axes of rotation.

Fig. 3A and 3B illustrate plan views of embodiments of a Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) system 300 including a link 304 and a link 306. The CMP system 300 is substantially similar to the CMP system 100 described in fig. 1A-1B and fig. 2. However, the CMP system 300 differs in that one or more arms can flex or rotate about a second axis of rotation such that the carrier head 308 can be rolled inward, toward the support, as shown in fig. 3B, or outward in the opposite direction away from the support, as shown in fig. 3A. For example, the CMP system 300 can include a first link 304 attached to the support 302, a second link 306 attached to the first link 304, and a carrier head 308 attached to the second link 306. In a non-limiting example, the links may be joined at a center joint (i.e., elbow).

In some embodiments, the first link 304 is rotatably attached to the support 302 and defines a first axis of rotation through the support 302. Additionally, the first link 304 may be rotatably attached to the second link 306, thereby defining a second axis of rotation through the attachment region between the links. Alternatively, the first link 304 may not be configured to rotate, but only the second link 306 is configured to rotate about the second axis of rotation. The attachment portion comprises means for rotating the second link about the second axis of rotation, which means comprise similar features as described with reference to fig. 1A-1B. As described with reference to fig. 1A-1B, electrical and fluid connections may also be included throughout the linkage.

Thus, the links including the first link 304 and/or the second link 306 may be configured to rotate about their respective axes of rotation (i.e., the first axis of rotation, the second axis of rotation, etc.). For example, the second link 306 may be configured to rotate about a second axis of rotation that passes through the link attachment. In some embodiments, the second link 306 may be configured to rotate about the second axis of rotation such that the second link 306 extends outward to form a straight line with the other link and the first axis of rotation. In other embodiments, the second link 306 may rotate between 0 ° to 180 ° and between 180 ° to 270 ° and between 270 ° to 360 ° about the second axis of rotation. For example, the second link 306 may rotate about the second axis of rotation in a substantially unrestricted manner.

In some embodiments, the links may rotate independently of the other links in the chain and independently of the support 302. In other embodiments, certain links may be coupled together such that their movement is dependent on the movement of another link or the movement of support 302. For example, one or more links and the support 302 may be coupled together by a rotating gear or magnet such that when the support or another link rotates, the coupled together link or support also moves.

Further, the CMP system can include a plurality of supports, with one or more arms attached to each support. For example, each support may have two arms. In addition, each arm may include a link as described with reference to FIGS. 3A-3B. In addition, a plurality of platens may be disposed near each support. For example, two platens may be positioned between two supports such that each platen is accessible to each carrier head of the two supports for performing a CMP process. As shown in fig. 4, in another example, a single platen may be configured proximate to both supports, with each carrier head configured to access the platen for processing.

In some embodiments, the wafers are brought to a prescribed loading station (not shown) and are ready to be loaded onto the carrier head 308. Wafer transfer from an Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) to a load/unload station is accomplished via, for example, an overhead gantry robot mechanism.

The carrier head 308 is positioned concentrically over and above a load/unload station (not shown) and transfers wafers from the station to the carrier head 106. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the various methods and apparatus for loading and unloading wafers onto a carrier head.

As shown, the carrier head 308 is positioned above the platen to perform the polishing process. While the polishing process is being performed, the next wafer may be placed on a load/unload station (not shown) for subsequent processing. Once the polishing process is complete, the

links

304 and 306, which support the carrier 308 and the elbow (i.e., joint) between the links, may articulate such that the carrier head 308 is "retracted" toward the support 302 (as shown in the progression from fig. 3A to 3B), thereby allowing the carrier to rotate about the support 302 within a smaller spatial envelope than if it were not retracted. This, in turn, allows the carrier head 308 to be positioned concentrically and above the unload table.

The carrier head 308 may then be rotatably positioned back to a position for transferring subsequent wafers from the load station to the carrier 308, which may then be positioned for processing on the platen.

The processed wafer may then be unloaded onto an unloading station and retrieved by a transfer robot for return to the EFEM, or more commonly to a cleaning system.

To increase system productivity, the same sequence may be applied to respective sets of components symmetrically opposite the platen so that the carrier 308 is being processed on the platen while wafers are being loaded onto or unloaded from the second carrier head using additional load and unload stations.

Fig. 4 illustrates an example embodiment of a CMP system 400 similar to

CMP systems

300 and 100 previously described, CMP system 400 including a platen 414, the platen 414 configured to process a substrate held by each of carrier heads 410 and 412. In some embodiments,

arms

406 and 408 are substantially similar to arm 104. Alternatively, the

arms

406 and 408 may comprise links such as the

links

304 and 306 described with reference to fig. 3A-3B. Additionally, carrier heads 410 and 412 may be substantially similar to

carrier head

106 or 308, and supports 404 and 402 may be substantially similar to

supports

102 or 302. In the illustrative example, platen 414 may be configured in any number of shapes (e.g., circular, square, etc.) and thus will have a center. In the example of fig. 4, the platen 414 is a circle having a center 416. In addition, CMP system 400 can be configured with any number of platens, where, for example, each platen or a pair of adjacent platens has a plurality of corresponding supports.

In addition, each of the

arms

406 and 408 may rotate about their respective axes of rotation through each of the

supports

402 and 404. Further, each arm may be configured to rotate about its respective axis of rotation at an angular displacement of 270 ° or more. In some cases, arms 406 and/or 402 may be configured to rotate about their respective axes of rotation in a substantially unrestricted manner.

In some embodiments, CMP system 400 may include one or more stations for loading and/or unloading wafer objects to and/or from one or more carrier heads. For example, each carrier head may have a dedicated load and/or unload station for loading and unloading wafers onto and from the carrier head. Two or more carrier heads may have a common load/unload station relative to each other for processing on the same or different platens. Further, each table may be placed at approximately the same radial distance from each of

supports

404 and 402. Alternatively, each table may be located at a different radial distance from each of

supports

404 and 402. Each table may be placed at the same or different radial distance from the support relative to the other tables. Thus, in the embodiment of fig. 4 where one or more of the arms includes a linkage, the arms may be articulated to achieve various configurations of the various stages, with greater flexibility in the different configurations and positions of the various supports.

Thus, multiple wafers may be processed on a common platen. In some applications, it may be desirable to increase throughput relative to processing a single wafer on a single platen. In a non-limiting example, two or more wafers may be loaded onto carrier heads 410 and 412. Loading may be performed at a loading station (not shown). Additionally, there may be an unloading station, which in some examples has a different configuration than the loading station. Both carrier heads 410 and 412 may be positioned above platen 414 (as shown) so that both wafers may be processed substantially simultaneously. Once processing of the two wafers is complete, the carrier is placed on a suitable table (not shown) for unloading and then on a suitable loading table (not shown) for loading additional wafers onto

carriers

410 and 412 for subsequent processing. Alternatively, the carrier heads may process their respective wafers alternately or alternately. For example, carrier head 410 may process a first wafer on platen 414 for a specified amount of time or for a specific percentage of the overall process. Meanwhile, the carrier head 412 may be configured in a raised position such that the carrier head 412 does not press against the platen 412 and process a second wafer against the platen 412 until a control signal to lower its head is received. When the carrier head 412 receives a control signal to lower its head, the carrier head 410 may receive a control signal to raise its head so that the first wafer is no longer processed. Alternatively, the carrier head 410 may hold its head down so that both carrier heads are processed simultaneously.

In addition, the CMP systems described with respect to FIGS. 1A-1B, 2, 3, or 4 may be implemented in many different combinations, for example, as shown in FIG. 5. For example, fig. 5 shows a CMP apparatus 500 including a first CMP system 520 and a second CMP system 530. In the illustrated embodiment, each CMP system includes two arms with links and two platens. Thus, each platen is configured to process one or more wafers from each CMP system.

In the exemplary embodiment of fig. 5,

CMP systems

520 and 530 have two arms with links. Although the

CMP systems

520 and 530 of fig. 5 are shown with arms including links, it should be understood that the system may be configured with one or more arms without links, as described with reference to fig. 1 and 4. In addition,

CMP systems

520 and 530 can have any number of arms extending from their respective supports. Furthermore, the CMP apparatus 500 may have any number of platens. In some embodiments, both arms attached to a single support may rotate in the same direction as each other at substantially the same time about a common axis of rotation such that they change position with respect to each other.

Additionally, as shown,

CMP systems

520 and 530 can be equipped with a controller 510. Alternatively, controller 510 may be located within the CMP system (e.g., within a support of CMP systems 520 and/or 530). Additionally, the controller 510 may be an electronic controller, mechanical, pneumatic, or a combination thereof. Additionally, any of the devices and systems described herein can include a controller (e.g., controller 510 of fig. 5) that can be configured to provide the functionality of the methods described herein as well as additional functionality. Additionally, any of the apparatuses and systems described herein may include means for tracking the orientation and angular displacement of the CMP carrier head (e.g., absolute encoders, etc.). Additionally, any of the apparatuses and systems described herein can include a platen having a polishing pad configured to rotate or spin. Further, in addition, any of the apparatuses and systems described herein may include a carrier head configured to rotate or spin. For example, a carrier head holding the wafer may spin the wafer while processing the wafer against the spin platen.

In addition, the wafer carrier described above, which is attached to the outside of the outer link (or arm if there is no link), provides pressure to the wafer being processed. The wafer carrier head may be lowered toward the platen and raised away from the platen depending on the desired operation. The wafer carrier is also configured to support wafer loading and unloading operations before and after CMP processing. The carrier head is also configured to move linearly toward the center of the platen (as described above with respect to center 416) (or radially if the platen is circular) due to the synchronized rotational motion of the two links. For example, the carrier head may press the wafer against an area of the platen. The controller may then command the two links to rotate in a synchronous motion to move the wafer toward the center of the platen. In addition, the carrier head is configured to vibrate inward and outward along a line or radius.

In addition, each platen may include a pad conditioner system (shown but not numbered). The pad conditioner may be swept across the entire polishing platen or any portion thereof. The pad conditioner may be configured to condition the pad before, during, and/or after polishing a wafer.

In another embodiment, in a system having at least two CMP carrier head systems, the CMP controller can be further configured to control either carrier head system to replace a polishing pad (e.g., a consumable) of the first platen. In such embodiments, the second carrier head system may continue to process wafers on the second platen while the first platen is temporarily taken offline. For example, the polishing pad can be prepared or preconditioned off-line (i.e., away from the CMP processing station). The controller may place the first carrier head system offline (e.g., in a state where the first carrier head is not processing wafers, such as in a maintenance or repair mode). The second carrier head system may continue to be in a processing state. Accordingly, the controller may command the first carrier head system to attach the pre-conditioned polishing pad to the system. In some embodiments, such attachment will require removal of the carrier head so that a pre-conditioned polishing pad can be attached in its place. In other embodiments, it may be desirable to mount a separate accessory in place of the carrier head so that the pre-conditioned polishing pad can be attached to the separate accessory.

In some embodiments, CMP system 500 may be configured to advantageously stagger the processing of multiple wafers on multiple platens. For example, the CMP system can include a first carrier head system and a second carrier head system, where each system has a first arm and a second arm. Further, a carrier head is attached to one end of each arm.

The first carrier head system may process a first wafer on the first platen using the first arm, while the second carrier head system processes a second wafer on the second platen using the second arm. Once the first wafer has been processed for a predetermined amount of time or a predetermined percentage of the total processing (e.g., 80% processed), the first arm may be rotated to move the first wafer to the second platen for a second CMP process. In some embodiments, the first and second CMP processes are different. For example, the first process may be a bulk removal process and the second process may be a fine removal process, wherein the bulk removal process removes more material from the wafer than the fine removal process. For example, in some embodiments, the bulk removal process removes 80% of all material removed from the wafer and the fine removal process removes 20% for the entire process. Additionally, the second wafer may continue to be processed at the second platen. Meanwhile, once the first wafer is removed, a third wafer may be loaded and processed on the first platen using the second arm of the first carrier head system, and the process may repeat itself for subsequent wafer processing.

Fig. 6 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 600 for operating a CMP system in accordance with certain embodiments disclosed herein. In some aspects, the method 600 may be performed by the system 100 of fig. 1A-1B. In some aspects, the method 600 may be performed by the system 300 of fig. 3A-3B. In some aspects, the method 600 may be performed by the system 400 of fig. 4. In some aspects, method 600 may be performed by system 500 of fig. 5 or other systems.

In block 610, a CMP system for processing a wafer is provided. The CMP system includes an elongated arm rotatably attached to a support. In block 620, the arm is rotated from the first position to the second position. Rotation from the first position to the second position produces an angular displacement of greater than 270.

Thus, the present disclosure improves the throughput of processing a single wafer on a single platen by enabling simultaneous processing of one wafer while loading and unloading successive wafers, wherein two wafers are processed sequentially on the same platen. In addition, the present disclosure improves the throughput of processing two wafers on a single platen by enabling simultaneous processing of two wafers while loading and unloading successive wafers, wherein both wafers are processed on the same platen. Furthermore, the disclosed techniques are configured to produce a duty cycle of approximately 100% for the entire system. For example, as a result of the configurations and embodiments described herein, the present system may have little downtime in processing wafers. Furthermore, the disclosed techniques are configured to reduce the footprint of each CMP system (i.e., support and arm) and the overall system as a whole.

Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, and elements of these embodiments should be understood to fall within other acceptable examples. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure. The foregoing description details certain embodiments. It should be understood, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears in text, the disclosed systems and methods may be practiced in many ways and in other forms. As noted above, it should be noted that the use of particular terminology when describing certain features or aspects of the disclosed systems and methods is not intended to be re-defined as limiting to any particular feature associated with that terminology including features or aspects of the disclosed systems and methods.

Conditional language, such as "can," "might," or "may" and other equivalent expressions, are generally intended to express that certain embodiments include certain features, elements and/or steps, but other embodiments do not include the described features, elements and/or steps, unless expressly stated otherwise or understood otherwise in the context of the usage. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding (whether or not there is user input or prompting) whether such features, elements, and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, conjunctions such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y and Z" or "at least one of X, Y or Z" should generally be used in connection with the context to express that an item, etc. may be X, Y or Z, as well as combinations thereof. For example, the term "or" is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term "or" means one, some, or all of the elements in the list of elements. Thus, such conjunctions are not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. The terms are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the disclosure can operate in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Furthermore, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. The terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the disclosure described herein can be operated in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

The terms "a" and "an" as used herein should be given an inclusive rather than an exclusive interpretation. For example, the terms "a" and "an" should not be construed to mean "exactly one" or "one and only one" unless specifically indicated otherwise; rather, the terms "a" and "an" mean "one or more" or "at least one" whether used in the claims or elsewhere in the specification, and are not related to the use of a quantitative term such as "at least one", "one or more", or "a plurality" in the claims or elsewhere in the specification.

As used herein, the term "comprising" is to be given an inclusive rather than exclusive interpretation. For example, a general purpose computer including one or more processors should not be construed to exclude other computer components and may include such components as memory, input/output devices and/or network interfaces, among others.

While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the device or process illustrated may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. It will be recognized that certain embodiments of the disclosed technology described herein can be embodied within a form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forth herein, as some features can be used or practiced separately from others. The scope of certain aspects of the technology disclosed herein is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Claims

1. A substrate carrier head system comprising:

a support, wherein an axis of rotation extends through the support;

at least one elongate member comprising a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to rotatably connect to the support and pivot the elongate member relative to the support about the axis of rotation in a single direction through an angle of rotation of at least about 270 degrees; and

a carrier head configured to be coupled to the second portion and to hold and process a substrate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the angle of rotation is substantially unrestricted in a single direction.

3. The system of any of claims 1 and 2, wherein the carrier head comprises a membrane configured to be pressurized to allow a substrate to contact and be processed by a polishing pad on the platen.

4. The system of any of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:

a controller configured to cause the carrier head to move the substrate from a first position that allows a first process to be performed on the substrate on a first platen to a second position that allows a second process to be performed on the substrate on a second platen.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first and second processes are different.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first process is a bulk removal process and the second process is a fine removal process.

7. A substrate carrier head system comprising:

at least one support, wherein a first axis of rotation extends through the support;

at least one elongate member comprising:

a first link having a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to rotatably connect to the support and pivot the first link relative to the support about the first axis of rotation by a first angle of rotation, and wherein a second axis of rotation extends through the second portion, the first and second axes of rotation being substantially parallel relative to each other; and

a second link having a third portion and a fourth portion opposite the third portion, wherein the third portion is configured to rotatably connect to the second portion and pivot the second link relative to the first link about the second axis of rotation by a second angle; and

a carrier head configured to be coupled to the fourth portion and to hold and process a substrate.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first angle of rotation is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction.

9. The system of any of claims 1-7, wherein the carrier head is configured to provide pressure to a substrate to allow the substrate to be processed by a platen.

10. The system of any of claims 7 and 8, wherein the system is configured to move the carrier head linearly toward a center of the platen based at least in part on the synchronized rotation of the first link and the second link.

11. A chemical mechanical planarization apparatus comprising the system of any of claims 1-10, further comprising at least one platen configured to process a substrate held by the carrier head.

12. A chemical mechanical planarization apparatus comprising at least two systems according to any of claims 7 to 11, wherein each system further comprises:

at least two elongated members and at least two carrier heads; and

at least two platens configured to process at least four substrates processed by each carrier head,

wherein the first angle of rotation is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a second platen, wherein the at least one elongated member is configured to move the substrate from a first position that allows a first process to be performed on the substrate on the first platen to a second position that allows a second process to be performed on the substrate on the second platen.

14. A chemical mechanical planarization apparatus, comprising:

at least a first substrate carrier head system and a second substrate carrier head system, each carrier head system comprising:

a support, wherein an axis of rotation extends through the support;

at least one elongate member comprising a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to rotatably connect to the support and pivot the elongate member relative to the support about the axis of rotation through a rotational angle; and

a carrier head configured to be coupled to the second portion and to hold and process a substrate; and

at least one platen configured to process a first substrate held by the first carrier head system and a second substrate held by the second carrier head system.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the angle of rotation is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction.

16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 14 and 15, wherein the angle of rotation is substantially unrestricted in a single direction.

17. The apparatus of any of claims 14 to 14, further comprising:

a controller configured to cause the first carrier head system to move a first substrate from a first position for performing a first process on the first substrate on a first platen to a second position for performing a second process on a second substrate on a second platen.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and second processes are different.

19. The apparatus of any of claims 14 to 16, further comprising:

a controller configured to place the first substrate carrier head system in an offline state while the second substrate carrier head system remains in a processing state.

20. The apparatus of any of claims 17 and 19, wherein the controller is configured to cause the first or second carrier head system to replace the polishing pad of the at least one platen.