Retaining ring design

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11400560-B2
Application number	US-201816149939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2018
Priority date	Oct 4, 2017
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments herein relate to a retaining ring for use in a polishing process. The retaining ring includes an annular body having an upper surface and a lower surface. An inner surface is connected to the upper surface and the lower surface. The inner surface includes one or more surfaces that are used to retain a substrate during processing. The one or more surfaces have an angle relative to a central axis of the retaining ring. The inner surface also includes a plurality of facets. Channels are disposed within the retaining ring to allow passage of a polishing fluid from an inner surface to an outer surface of the retaining ring disposed opposite of the inner surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A retaining ring, comprising:
an annular body comprising:
an upper surface;
a lower surface;
an outer surface connected to the upper surface and the lower surface; and
an inner surface connected to the upper surface and the lower surface, wherein the inner surface comprises:
a first planar surface having a first angle relative to a central axis;
a second planar surface having a second angle relative to a central axis; and
a third planar surface disposed between the first planar surface and the second planar surface, wherein the first planar surface forms an inward taper from the first end to the second end towards a central axis and the second planar surface forms a taper outward from the first end to the second end away from the central axis.

2. The retaining ring of claim 1 , wherein the second angle is between 1 degree and 30 degrees.

3. The retaining ring of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more channels disposed within the annular body, wherein the channels have a first opening at the inner surface and a second opening at the outer surface.

4. The retaining ring of claim 1 , wherein the inner surface is symmetric about a central axis.

5. The retaining ring of claim 1 , wherein the second surface comprises an array of planar facets that are positioned about the central axis.

6. The retaining ring of claim 5 , wherein the array of planar facets comprises 12 to 100 planar facets.

7. The retaining ring of claim 1 , wherein the first angle is between 5 degrees and 85 degrees.

8. A retaining ring, comprising:
an annular body comprising:
an upper surface;
a lower surface;
an outer surface connected to the upper surface and the lower surface; and
an inner surface connected to the upper surface and the lower surface, wherein the inner surface comprises:
a first planar surface having a first angle relative to a central axis;
a second planar surface having a second angle relative to a central axis; and
a third planar surface disposed between the first planar surface and the second planar surface, wherein the first planar surface and the second planar surface each form an inward taper from the first end to the second end towards a central axis.

9. The retaining ring of claim 8 , wherein the second angle is between 1 degree and 30 degrees.

10. The retaining ring of claim 8 , further comprising:
one or more channels disposed within the annular body, wherein the channels have a first opening at the inner surface and a second opening at the outer surface.

11. The retaining ring of claim 8 , wherein the inner surface is symmetric about a central axis.

12. The retaining ring of claim 8 , wherein the second surface comprises an array of planar facets that are positioned about the central axis.

13. The retaining ring of claim 12 , wherein the array of planar facets comprises 12 to 100 planar facets.

14. The retaining ring of claim 8 , wherein the first angle is between 5 degrees and 85 degrees.

15. A retaining ring, comprising:
an annular body comprising:
an upper surface;
a lower surface;
an outer surface connected to the upper surface and the lower surface; and
an inner surface connected to the upper surface and the lower surface, wherein the inner surface comprises:
a first planar surface having a first angle relative to a central axis;
a second planar surface having a second angle relative to a central axis; and
a third planar surface disposed between the first planar surface and the second planar surface, wherein the third planar surface is substantially parallel to the central axis.

16. The retaining ring of claim 15 , wherein the second angle is between 1 degree and 30 degrees.

17. The retaining ring of claim 15 , further comprising:
one or more channels disposed within the annular body, wherein the channels have a first opening at the inner surface and a second opening at the outer surface.

18. The retaining ring of claim 15 , wherein the inner surface is symmetric about a central axis.

19. The retaining ring of claim 15 , wherein the second surface comprises an array of planar facets that are positioned about the central axis.

20. The retaining ring of claim 19 , wherein the array of planar facets comprises 12 to 100 planar facets.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Oh Jeonghoon
• Garretson Charles C
• Lau Eric
• Nagengast Andrew
• Zuniga Steven M
• Suarez Edwin C
• Zhang Huanbo
• Brown Brian J

Classifications

• H10P72/76

  using mechanical means, e.g. clamps or pinches · CPC title

• B24B37/32 Primary

  Retaining rings · CPC title

• H01L21/687

  Electricity · mapped topic