Wafer processing apparatuses and methods of operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016172255-A1
Application number	US-201414567598-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 11, 2014
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Wafer processing apparatuses and methods of operating the same are provided herein. In an embodiment, a wafer processing apparatus includes a rotatable platen that has the capacity to support a polishing pad on a pad mounting surface of the rotatable platen. A drive assembly is coupled to the rotatable platen and has the capacity to rotate the rotatable platen. A polishing head is coupled to a head actuator. The polishing head is disposed adjacent to and over a first portion of the pad mounting surface and the polishing head is movable relative to the pad mounting surface by the head actuator. An optical sensor has a vision field including a second portion of the pad mounting surface. The first portion and the second portion of the pad mounting surface are at least partially offset. A control unit is operatively connected to the drive assembly and the head actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wafer processing apparatus comprising:
a rotatable platen having the capacity to support a polishing pad on a pad mounting surface of the rotatable platen; a drive assembly coupled to the rotatable platen and having the capacity to rotate the rotatable platen; a polishing head coupled to a head actuator, wherein the polishing head is disposed adjacent to and over a first portion of the pad mounting surface and wherein the polishing head is movable relative to the pad mounting surface by the head actuator; an optical sensor having a vision field including a second portion of the pad mounting surface, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the pad mounting surface are at least partially offset; and a control unit operatively connected to the drive assembly and the head actuator.

2 . The wafer processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an illumination source disposed adjacent to the pad mounting surface, wherein the illumination source is configured to illuminate the second portion of the pad mounting surface.

3 . The wafer processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the illumination source is configured to illuminate the second portion of the pad mounting surface with a light pattern comprising lines separated by a predetermined spacing.

4 . The wafer processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the optical sensor has a sufficient resolution to distinguish between the lines in the light pattern produced by the illumination source.

5 . The wafer processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor is further operatively connected to the control unit.

6 . The wafer processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pad conditioning arm coupled to a conditioner actuator, wherein the pad conditioning arm is disposed adjacent to and over a third portion of the pad mounting surface, wherein the third portion is at least partially offset with the first portion and the second portion.

7 . The wafer processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the conditioner actuator is further operatively connected to the control unit.

8 . The wafer processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the pad mounting surface includes a rotational radius of the pad mounting surface.

9 . A wafer processing apparatus comprising:
a rotatable platen having the capacity to support a polishing pad on a pad mounting surface of the rotatable platen; a drive assembly coupled to the rotatable platen and having the capacity to rotate the rotatable platen; a polishing head coupled to a head actuator, wherein the polishing head is disposed adjacent to and over a first portion of the pad mounting surface and wherein the polishing head is movable relative to the pad mounting surface by the head actuator; an optical sensor having a vision field including a second portion of the pad mounting surface, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the pad mounting surface are non-overlapping; an illumination source configured to illuminate the second portion of the pad mounting surface with a light pattern comprising lines separated by a predetermined spacing; a pad conditioning arm coupled to a conditioner actuator, wherein the pad conditioning arm is disposed adjacent to and over a third portion of the pad mounting surface, wherein the third portion is non-overlapping with the first portion and the second portion; a control unit operatively connected to the drive assembly, the head actuator, the optical sensor, and the conditioner actuator.

10 . A method of operating a wafer processing apparatus comprising a rotatable platen, an optical sensor, and a control unit, wherein the method comprises:
installing a polishing pad on a pad mounting surface of the rotatable platen, wherein the polishing pad includes a polishing surface; interrogating the polishing surface with the optical sensor to produce optical image data of the polishing surface after installing the polishing pad on the pad mounting surface; analyzing the optical image data using the control unit.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein interrogating the polishing surface further comprises directing a light pattern from an illumination source onto the polishing surface.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein directing the light pattern comprises directing the light pattern comprising lines separated by a predetermined spacing onto the polishing surface.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein interrogating the polishing surface with the optical sensor comprises detecting the light pattern with the optical sensor to produce the optical image data of the light pattern on the polishing surface.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a defect is present in the polishing surface, and wherein analyzing the optical image data comprises comparing the light pattern in the optical image data to a standard pattern and identifying the defect based upon the comparison.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein analyzing the optical image data comprises analyzing the optical image data in real time to identify the defect in the polishing surface.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising remediating the defect in the polishing surface based upon identification of the defect in the polishing surface by the control unit while rotating the polishing pad using the rotatable platen.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the wafer processing apparatus further comprises a pad conditioning arm disposed adjacent to and over the polishing surface, and wherein the method further comprises remediating the defect in the polishing surface using the pad conditioning arm based upon identification of the defect in the polishing surface by the control unit.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising polishing a wafer or a layer disposed thereon using the polishing pad.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein remediating the defect in the polishing surface comprises remediating the defect in the polishing surface prior to initial usage of the polishing pad to polish any wafer.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein remediating the defect in the polishing surface comprises remediating the defect in the polishing surface during usage of the polishing pad to polish the wafer.

Assignees

• Globalfoundries Inc

Inventors

• Kramer Jens
• Schoene Uwe

Classifications

• H10P52/402 Primary

  of semiconductor materials · CPC title

• B24B49/12

  involving optical means · CPC title

• B24B53/017

  Devices or means for dressing, cleaning or otherwise conditioning lapping tools · CPC title

• B24B37/005 Primary

  Control means for lapping machines or devices · CPC title

• H01L22/24 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic