KR20030020656A - Device of supplying chemical for chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A device of supplying chemical for chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method thereof are provided to supply the slurry by using only a self-pressure of a main supply portion without using a pump. CONSTITUTION: A wafer is loaded on a stage(150). Slurry is supplied on the wafer. A head(160) having a brush is rotated to perform a polishing process. A slurry supply portion is formed with a main supply portion(100), pipes(110), a mass flow sensor(120), a controller(130), a control valve(140), and an alarm portion(170). The main supply portion(100) supplies the slurry into the pipes(110). The mass flow sensor(120) is installed on the pipes(110) in order to sense the flow of slurry. The controller(130) receives data from the mass flow sensor(120) and calculates the amount of the slurry. The control valve(140) is controlled by the controller(130).

Description

Solution supplying apparatus and method of chemical mechanical polishing equipment {DEVICE OF SUPPLYING CHEMICAL FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a solution supply apparatus for providing a slurry for polishing on a wafer in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment.

In general, the chemical mechanical polishing process is most popular for the operation of planarizing the multi-stage metal layer of the semiconductor device. The equipment for the chemical mechanical polishing process consists of a head 50, a stage 40 and a solution supply device, as shown in FIG. 1.

First, a wafer for processing is placed on the stage 40, and a slurry for a polishing process is supplied onto the wafer from the solution supply device. The polishing process is then performed by a brush (not shown) attached to the head 50.

The solution supply device is composed of a main supply unit 10, a pipe 30 and a pump 20. A solution is supplied from the main supply unit 10, and the solution supplied from the main supply unit 10 flows into the pipe 30. The pump 20 installed on the pipe 30 is connected to the pipe 30 through which the solution flowing into the pump 20 flows and the pipes 30 through which the solution exits through the pump 20. ) (Not shown). The amount of solution supplied on the wafer is determined by the rotational speed of the pump 20. As the pump 20 operates, the tubes repeatedly contract and expand, thereby forcing the solution through the tubing 30 to the wafer on the stage 40.

However, the conventional solution supply device has a problem that the leakage of the solution due to the wear of the tube occurs by repeatedly contracting and expanding the tube connecting the pump and the pipe. In addition, there is a problem in that a process defect occurs because particles in a slurry are agglomerated by a pressure generated while the pump operates to block a pipe or a tube, or the agglomerated grains are supplied onto a wafer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution supply device that eliminates the pump forcibly supplying a solution and uses its own pressure generated during solution supply at the main supply.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a solution supply apparatus having devices capable of processing data on a solution flowing into a pipe to manage a flow rate and an abnormal state with respect to the solution.

1 is a view schematically showing a solution supply device of a conventional chemical mechanical polishing equipment.

2 is a view schematically showing a solution supply apparatus of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment of the present invention.

3 is a flow chart showing a solution supply method of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

10,100: main supply 20: pump

30,110 Piping 40,150 Stage

50,160 head 120 flow sensor

130: controller

140: controller valve

170: alarm device

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, a solution supply device for supplying a solution for polishing a wafer placed on a stage has a main supply for supplying a solution and a pipe through which the solution supplied from the main supply flows do. And it is installed on the pipe, and includes a flow rate sensor for sensing the flow rate flowing in the pipe and a controller for processing the data received from the flow rate sensor to manage the flow rate. The controller controls a control valve that regulates the amount of solution supplied to the wafer.

In the present invention, the solution supply device further comprises an alarm device for informing the operator of the abnormal condition when the abnormal state of the flow rate, the alarm device is operated by receiving a signal from the controller.

In the present invention, the pipe, the flow sensor and the control valve is made of a teflon material resistant to corrosion.

According to another feature of the invention, the method for supplying a solution for the chemical mechanical polishing process, first supplying the solution to the pipe through the main supply, detecting the amount of the solution flowing into the pipe by the flow sensor, the controller Determining whether the particle retention time in the solution and the cumulative amount of the solution are greater than the set value based on the flow rate received from the flow sensor through the step; Adjusting the flow rate through control of the regulating valve, supplying a solution to the wafer on the stage, and performing a polishing process by the head having the brush.

In the present invention as described above, when the particle retention time and the cumulative amount of the solution in the solution is greater than the set value, generating a warning sound by receiving a signal from the controller, the operator according to the alarm sound and the first solution after the action The method further includes returning to the supplying step.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 3.

2 is a view schematically showing a solution supply apparatus of the chemical mechanical polishing equipment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the chemical mechanical polishing equipment consists of a head 160, a stage 150, and a solution supply device. First, a wafer is placed on the stage 150. The solution supply device supplies a slurry for polishing to the wafer, and performs a polishing process on the wafer while the head 160 having the brush (not shown) rotates.

The solution supply device includes a main supply part 100, a pipe 110, a flow sensor 120, a controller 130, a control valve 140, and an alarm device 170.

The main supply unit 100 supplies a slurry for the polishing process into the pipe 110. At this time, the solution flows into the pipe 110 by the force of discharging the solution from the main supply unit 100. The flow rate sensor 120 installed on the pipe 110 detects data, that is, a flow rate, of a solution flowing into the pipe 110. The controller 130 receives and processes data about a solution from the flow sensor 120. With the processed data, the controller 130 controls the control valve 140 to adjust the amount of solution supplied to the wafer. The controller 130 calculates the cumulative amount of the slurry flowing into the pipe based on the data regarding the flow rate obtained from the flow sensor 120. Because of this, it is possible to calculate the life time of the filter (not shown) installed in the pipe 110, it is possible to easily determine the replacement time of the filter. In addition, the controller 130 manages the retention time of the particles contained in the solution (slurry) based on the data on the flow rate obtained from the flow sensor 120, the controller 130 is set to a range suitable for the process When a value equal to or greater than a setting value is activated, the alarm device 170 is operated so that an operator can take immediate action.

The desired amount of solution is supplied to a wafer (not shown) on the stage 150 via a control valve 140 controlled by the controller 130. Above the stage 150 is a head 160 having a brush (not shown) for a polishing process. The head 160 rotates along with the solution supplied through the control valve 140 to polish the wafer.

The control valve 140 and the flow sensor 120 used in the solution supply device is preferably made of a Teflon material resistant to corrosion.

3 is a flow chart showing a solution supply method of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 3, the solution (slurry) for the polishing process proceeds according to the following steps. First, the solution is supplied to the pipe through the main supply (S200). The flow rate sensor detects data (ie, flow rate) of the solution flowing into the pipe by a flow sensor installed on the pipe (S210). Based on the data (data) for the solution received from the flow sensor it is determined whether the particle retention time and the cumulative amount of the solution in the solution is greater than the set value (S220). In the step (S220), when the particle retention time and the cumulative amount of the solution in the solution is smaller than the set value, the controller controls the control valve to supply the amount of the desired solution to the wafer on the stage (S230). The solution passing through the control valve is supplied to the wafer on the stage (S240). The head having the brush positioned on the stage together with the supplied solution rotates to polish the wafer (S250).

In the process proceeding, the controller operates an alarm device when a case larger than a set value occurs in any one of a retention time in the solution and a cumulative amount of the solution (S260). Then, after the action is taken by the operator, the process returns to the first solution supply step (S200) and proceeds with the normal solution supply process again (S270).

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the apparatus and method of the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

According to the present invention, by not using a pump forcibly circulating the solution, the tube connecting the pump and the pipe is unnecessary, it is possible to prevent the leakage of the solution due to the wear of the tube. In addition, it is possible to prevent particles of the solution from agglomerating in the pipe or the tube.

In addition, having a device capable of obtaining and processing data on the solution facilitates proper management of the flow rate, and enables the operator to take immediate action in the event of an abnormal condition.

Claims (5)

A solution supply apparatus for supplying a solution for polishing a wafer placed on a stage in a chemical mechanical polishing equipment: A main supply for supplying a solution; A pipe through which a solution supplied from the main supply part flows; A flow rate sensor installed on the pipe and sensing a flow rate flowing in the pipe; A controller configured to manage the flow rate by processing the data received from the flow rate sensor; And And a control valve for adjusting the amount of the solution supplied to the wafer under the control of the controller. The method of claim 1, The solution supply device is operated by receiving a signal from the controller, and further comprises an alarm device for informing the operator of the abnormal state of the flow rate. The method of claim 2, The pipe, the flow sensor and the control valve material of the solution supply device, characterized in that made of a Teflon (corrosion resistant) material. In the method of supplying a solution for chemical mechanical polishing: Supplying a solution to a pipe through a main supply; Sensing the amount of solution flowing into the piping by the flow sensor; Determining whether the particle retention time and the cumulative amount of the solution in the solution are greater than a set value based on the flow rate received from the flow sensor; Adjusting the flow rate through the control of a control valve when the particle retention time and the cumulative amount of the solution in the solution are smaller than the set value; Supplying a regulated solution through the control valve to a wafer on a stage; And And polishing the wafer with the supplied solution. The method of claim 4, wherein If the particle retention time in the solution and the cumulative amount of solution are greater than the set value, Receiving a signal from the controller and generating an alarm sound; Taking an action according to the alarm sound; And And returning to the first solution supply step after the action.