Slurry dispersion system with real time control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10688623-B2
Application number	US-201414502917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A slurry dispersion system is provided, and includes a slurry source system, an in-line analyzer and a controller. The slurry source system provides a slurry for a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. The in-line analyzer measures at least one parameter of a sampled slurry sampled from the slurry dispersion system, and generates an indication signal based on the parameter, in which the indication signal indicates at lease one characteristic of the slurry. The controller receives the indication signal, and generates a control signal based on the indication signal for performing a real time control on the slurry dispersion system for controlling quality of the slurry.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A slurry dispersion system, comprising:
a slurry source system configured to provide an undiluted slurry and including a filter configured to filter the undiluted slurry;
a reactor connected to the slurry source system, wherein the reactor is configured to mix the undiluted slurry with at least one chemical to obtain and transport a mixed slurry;
a slurry supply system connected to the reactor, wherein the slurry supply system is configured to store the mixed slurry transported from the reactor and to output the mixed slurry for a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process;
an in-line analyzer connected to the slurry source system, wherein the in-line analyzer is configured to:
measure parameters that include a large particle count (LPC) value and an abrasive concentration value of a sampled slurry sampled from the undiluted slurry;
in response to the LPC value being greater than a first predetermined threshold, determine whether the abrasive concentration value of the sampled slurry meets a predetermined specification range; and
in response to determining that the abrasive concentration value does not meet the predetermined specification range, generate a first indication signal; and

a controller electrically connected to the in-line analyzer and the filter of the slurry source system, wherein the controller is configured to receive the first indication signal, to generate a first control signal based on the first indication signal, and to transmit the first control signal to the filter to control operation of the filter to stop filtering the undiluted slurry.

2. The slurry dispersion system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the first control signal for directing the slurry source system to switch to a circulation mode for stopping a flow of the undiluted slurry outputted from the slurry source system.

3. The slurry dispersion system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sampling valve configured to sample the undiluted slurry to obtain the sampled slurry.

4. The slurry dispersion system of claim 3 , wherein the sampling valve is connected to a location between the reactor and the slurry source system.

5. The slurry dispersion system of claim 1 , wherein the in-line analyzer is connected to a location between the reactor and the slurry source system.

6. The slurry dispersion system of claim 1 , wherein the in-line analyzer is further configured to, in response to the LPC being lower than or equal to the first predetermined threshold, generate a second indication signal and the controller is further configured to receive the second indication signal, to generate a second control signal based on the second indication signal, and to transmit the second control signal to the filter to control the filter to stop filtering the undiluted slurry.

7. The slurry dispersion system of claim 1 , wherein the in-line analyzer is further configured to, in response to determining that the abrasive concentration value meets the predetermined specification range, generate a second indication signal and the controller is further configured to receive the second indication signal, to generate a second control signal based on the second indication signal, and to transmit the second control signal to the filter to control the filter to filter the undiluted slurry.

8. The slurry dispersion system of claim 1 , wherein the in-line analyzer is further configured to:
measure an LPC value of a second sampled slurry sampled from the mixed slurry obtained by the reactor;
in response to the LPC value of the second sampled slurry being greater than the first predetermined threshold, determine whether an abrasive concentration value of the second sampled slurry meets the predetermined specification range; and
in response to determining that the abrasive concentration value of the second sampled slurry meets the predetermined specification range, generate a second indication signal, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the second indication signal, to generate a second control signal based on the second indication signal, and to transmit the second control signal to the filter to control the filter to filter the undiluted slurry.

9. The slurry dispersion system of claim 1 , wherein the slurry supply system further includes a filter configured to filter the mixed slurry stored in the slurry supply system and the in-line analyzer is further configured to:
measure an LPC value of a second sampled slurry sampled from the mixed slurry stored in the slurry supply system;
in response to the LPC value of the second sampled slurry being greater than the first predetermined threshold, determine whether an abrasive concentration value of the second sampled slurry meets the predetermined specification range; and
in response to determining that the abrasive concentration value of the second sampled slurry meets the predetermined specification range, generate a second indication signal, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the second indication signal, to generate a second control signal based on the second indication signal, and to transmit the second control signal to the filter of the slurry supply system to control the filter to filter the mixed slurry stored in the slurry supply system.

10. The slurry dispersion system of claim 1 , wherein the in-line analyzer is further configured to:
during the filtering of the undiluted slurry by the filter, determine whether the LPC value is greater than the first predetermined threshold; and
in response to determining that the LPC value is greater than the first predetermined threshold, determine whether a lifetime of the filter expires.

11. A slurry dispersion system, comprising:
a slurry source system including a source tank configured to provide an undiluted slurry and a filter configured to filter the undiluted slurry;
a reactor connected to the slurry source system, wherein the reactor is configured to mix the undiluted slurry with at least one chemical to obtain a mixed slurry;
a slurry supply system connected to the reactor, the slurry supply system including a supply tank configured to collect the mixed slurry and to output the mixed slurry for a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process;
an in-line analyzer connected to the slurry source system and the slurry supply system, wherein the in-line analyzer is configured to:
measure a large particle count (LPC) value of a sampled slurry sampled from the undiluted slurry;
in response to the LPC value being higher than a predetermined threshold, determine whether an abrasive concentration value of the sampled slurry meets a predetermined specification range; and
in response to determining that the abrasive concentration value meets the predetermined specification range, generate an indication signal; and

a controller electrically connected to the in-line analyzer and at least one of the source tank of the slurry source system and the supply tank of the slurry supply system, wherein the controller is configured to receive the indication signal, to generate a control signal based on the indication signal, and to transmit the control signal to the filter to control the filter to filter the undiluted slurry.

12. The slurry dispersion system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a sampling valve configured to sample the undiluted slurry to obtain the sampled slurry.

13. The slurry dispersion system of claim 11 , wherein the in-line analyzer is further configured to, in response to the LPC being lower than or equal to the first predetermined threshold, generate a second indication signal and the control

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chiang I-Chen
• Chiu Hwai-Te
• Chen Yi-Tsang
• Tseng Chih-Chiang
• Chen Yung-Long

Classifications

• Y02P70/10

  Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working · CPC title

• B24B57/04 Primary

  for feeding of solid grinding, polishing or lapping agents · CPC title

• Y02P70/179

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B24B37/042

  operating processes therefor · CPC title

• B24B37/005

  Control means for lapping machines or devices · CPC title