Vacuum assembly for chemical mechanical polishing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12409529-B2
Application number	US-202017097668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2020
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A method includes depositing a slurry onto a polishing pad of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) station. A workpiece is polished and polishing by-products and slurry are removed from the polishing pad by a vacuum head. A CMP apparatus includes a polishing pad configured to rotate during a CMP process. The apparatus also includes a slurry dispenser configured to deposit a slurry onto a polishing surface of the polishing pad. The apparatus further includes a momentum vacuum assembly including a slotted opening facing the polishing surface of the polishing pad. The apparatus also includes a first suction line coupled to an upper portion of the momentum vacuum assembly and leading to a first vacuum source, the first suction line configured to transport polishing products which have been removed from the polishing pad through the slotted opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus comprising:
a polishing pad configured to rotate during a CMP process;
a slurry dispenser configured to provide a slurry onto a polishing surface of the polishing pad;
a workpiece holder;
a vacuum assembly, the vacuum assembly comprising:
a base portion, the base portion including a bottom surface having therein a slotted opening facing the polishing surface of the polishing pad, a first outer side extending in a first direction, a second outer side extending in the first direction, and a first cavity above the slotted opening, the first cavity having a longitudinal axis extending in the first direction, the slotted opening and the first cavity being defined by two opposing sidewalls, a distance between the two opposing sidewalls being at a minimum value at the slotted opening, the distance between the two opposing sidewalls increasing substantially linearly and continuously from the slotted opening to a first region of the first cavity, the distance being constant from the first region of the first cavity to a top of the base portion, when viewed in cross-section in a direction orthogonal to the first direction;
an upper portion extending from the top of the base portion, the upper portion including a first extension of the first outer side, a second extension of the second outer side, and a second cavity between the first extension of the first outer side and the second extension of the second outer side, the second cavity being defined by a first inner sidewall of the upper portion and a second inner sidewall of the upper portion, wherein the second cavity is in fluid flow communication with the first cavity, a distance between the first inner sidewall and the second inner sidewall being at a maximum where the second cavity meets the first cavity and decreasing to a minimum where the second cavity meets an outlet port, when viewed in a cross-section in a direction parallel to the first direction; and

a first suction line coupled to the upper portion of the vacuum assembly and leading to a first vacuum source, the first suction line configured to transport polishing products that have been removed from the polishing pad through the slotted opening.

2. The CMP apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum assembly is mounted by an adjustable rail configured to move the vacuum assembly up and/or down.

3. The CMP apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum assembly further comprises an upper manifold coupled to the outlet port, the upper manifold having outlets leading to the first suction line.

4. The CMP apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a dresser apparatus comprising a dresser head and a dresser arm, the dresser head being configured to hold a dresser pad, the dresser arm being configured to sweep the dresser pad across the polishing surface of the polishing pad to condition the polishing pad, wherein the dresser pad comprises at least one hole formed therein; and
a second suction line in the dresser head coupled to the at least one hole of the dresser pad and a second vacuum source.

5. The CMP apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the vacuum assembly is mounted to a side of the dresser arm.

6. The CMP apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: an attachment mechanism attached to the vacuum assembly, the attachment mechanism configured to position the slotted opening relative to the polishing pad.

7. The CMP apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second cavity in the upper portion comprises a plurality of second cavities, and further wherein the plurality of second cavities are aligned in the first direction and extend from the top of the base portion to a top of the upper portion.

8. An apparatus comprising:
a polishing pad;
a wafer holder disposed over the polishing pad; and
a slurry dispensing arm, the slurry dispensing arm configured to provide a polishing slurry to the polishing pad;
a vacuum assembly disposed over the polishing pad, the vacuum assembly configured to suction polishing slurry and polishing debris from the polishing pad, the vacuum assembly comprising an elongated vacuum chamber having a first cross-sectional width at a widest point when viewed in a first cross-sectional view, the vacuum assembly further comprising a bottommost surface defining a slotted opening, the slotted opening having a second cross-sectional width less than the first cross-sectional width when viewed in the first cross-sectional view, the elongated vacuum chamber width tapering substantially linearly from the first cross-sectional width to the second cross-sectional width when viewed in the first cross-sectional view;
the vacuum assembly further including a plurality of second vacuum chambers in communication with the elongated vacuum chamber and in communication with an outlet port, each second vacuum chamber having a third cross-sectional width at a point of communication with the elongated vacuum chamber and having a fourth cross-sectional width less than the third cross-sectional width at a point of communication with the outlet port, the fourth cross-sectional width being less than the third cross-sectional width; and
a vacuum line coupled to the vacuum assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a pad dresser arm, the pad dresser arm configured to recondition the polishing pad, wherein the vacuum assembly is attached to the pad dresser arm.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a pad dresser arm and a pad conditioner disk attached to the pad dresser arm, the pad conditioner disk having one or more holes disposed therein; and
a second vacuum line coupled to the one or more holes of the pad conditioner disk.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the one or more holes in the pad conditioner disk are crescent shaped.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the one or more holes in the pad conditioner disk are disposed around a periphery of the pad conditioner disk.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the vacuum assembly further comprises an upper manifold attached to the elongated vacuum chamber, the upper manifold comprising two or more vacuum outlets coupled to the vacuum line.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the vacuum assembly is configured to contact the polishing pad while the polishing slurry is dispensed from the slurry dispensing arm.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the vacuum assembly extends longitudinally in a horizontal direction and wherein the plurality of second vacuum chambers are located vertically above the elongated vacuum chamber.

16. A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus comprising
a polishing pad,
a slurry dispenser,
a workpiece holder,
a vacuum apparatus coupled to a suction line and having a bottommost surface and a topmost surface, the bottommost surface defining a slotted opening therein, a cavity therein, and sidewalls defining the cavity, wherein the sidewalls have a cross-sectional distance therebetween, the cross-sectional distance being at a minimum value at the slotted opening and increasing substantially continuously and linearly to a first region of the cavity, the cross-sectional distance being constant from the first region of the cavity to a top of the cavity; and
a plurality of inverted funnel cavities extending from the top of the cavity to the topmost surface of the vacuum apparatus, each inverted funnel cavity of the plurality of inverted funnel cavities having a first diameter opening at the top of the cavity and having a second diameter opening at the topmost surface of the vacuum apparatus, the second diameter open

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd
• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wei Yu-Chen
• Yang Chih-Yuan
• Lin Shih-Ho
• Lai Jen Chieh
• Wang Szu-Cheng
• Chu Chun-Jui

Classifications

• H10P72/0404

  for general liquid treatment, e.g. etching followed by cleaning · CPC title

• H10P52/403

  of conductive or resistive materials · CPC title

• H10P52/402

  of semiconductor materials · CPC title

• H10P72/0472

  comprising at least one polishing chamber · CPC title

• B24B1/00 Primary

  Processes of grinding or polishing; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such processes · CPC title