Polishing pad cleaning with vacuum apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9498866-B2
Application number	US-201414198560-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for cleaning a surface of a polishing pad includes conditioning the polishing pad surface and rotating the conditioned polishing pad surface. The method also includes spraying the polishing pad surface to lift debris from the conditioned polishing pad surface. The method further includes vacuuming the debris from the polishing pad surface downstream from where the condition occurs, wherein downstream is defined by a rotational direction of the polishing pad. In another embodiment, a processing station including a rotatable platen, a substrate carrier head, a polishing fluid delivery system, a conditioner, a spray nozzle, and a vacuum system is provided. The conditioner is disposed between the substrate carrier head and the spray nozzle. The vacuum system is configured to vacuum the polishing pad surface. The vacuum system is downstream from the conditioner, defined by a rotation of the platen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for cleaning a surface of a polishing pad, comprising:
conditioning the polishing pad surface;
rotating the conditioned polishing pad surface;
spraying the polishing pad surface to lift debris from the conditioned polishing pad surface from a vacuum assembly that is movable in a linear or arcing motion over the polishing pad surface; and
vacuuming the lifted debris from the polishing pad surface downstream from where the spraying and conditioning occurs using the vacuum assembly, defined by a rotational direction of the polishing pad.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spraying comprises:
spraying fluid on the polishing pad surface downstream from where the conditioning occurs.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vacuuming is not performed while applying a polishing fluid to the polishing pad surface.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting a distance between the polishing pad surface and a vacuum port.

5. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
delivering a polishing fluid through a polishing fluid delivery arm to a surface of a polishing pad, the polishing fluid delivery arm being movable in a plane that is parallel to a plane of the surface of the polishing pad;
rotating a portion of the polishing pad surface having the polishing fluid thereon;
polishing the substrate against the polishing pad surface in the presence of the polishing fluid;
conditioning the polishing pad surface;
high-pressure spraying, using the polishing fluid delivery arm, the polishing pad surface to lift debris from the polishing pad surface; and
vacuuming, after the high-pressure spraying, using the polishing fluid delivery arm, the debris from the polishing pad surface downstream from where the conditioning occurs, defined by a rotational direction of the polishing pad.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the high-pressure spraying comprises:
spraying fluid onto a region of the polishing pad surface defined between a conditioner for the conditioning and a vacuum system for the vacuuming.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the vacuuming comprises:
vacuuming a region of the polishing pad surface defined between a conditioner for the conditioning and spray nozzles for the high-pressure spraying.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the vacuuming is not performed while delivering the polishing fluid, polishing the substrate, and conditioning the polishing pad surface.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the vacuuming comprises:
vacuuming prior to or after the polishing.

10. A processing station comprising:
a rotatable platen;
a substrate carrier head configured to retain a substrate against a surface of a polishing pad disposed on the platen;
a polishing fluid delivery arm configured to provide polishing fluid to the polishing pad surface, the polishing fluid delivery arm being movable in a plane that is parallel to a plane of the surface of the polishing pad;
a conditioner disposed adjacent the platen, wherein the conditioner is adapted to condition the polishing pad surface; and
a vacuum assembly disposed on the polishing fluid delivery arm and having a spray nozzle and a vacuum system that is movable with the polishing fluid delivery arm over the surface of the polishing pad, wherein:
the spray nozzle is configured to provide a high-pressure water to spray the polishing pad surface, wherein the conditioner is disposed between the substrate carrier head and the spray nozzle; and
the vacuum system is configured to vacuum the polishing pad surface after the spray from the spray nozzle, wherein the vacuum system includes a vacuum port that is spaced away from the polishing pad surface and is in a position downstream from the conditioner, defined by a rotational direction of the platen.

11. The processing station of claim 10 further comprising:
a polishing fluid nozzle configured to provide the polishing fluid to the polishing pad surface, and wherein the vacuum system is disposed between the spray nozzle and the polishing fluid nozzle.

12. The processing station of claim 10 , wherein a distance between the vacuum system and the polishing pad surface is adjustable.

13. The processing station of claim 10 , wherein the polishing fluid delivery arm is configured to move the spray nozzle and the vacuum system from an edge of the polishing pad to at least a portion of the radius of the polishing pad in a linear, arcing or sweeping motion.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Lee Christopher Heung-Gyun
• Li Thomas Ho Fai
• Yang Tianyu

Classifications

• B24B53/003

  using at least two conditioning tools · CPC title

• B24B53/017 Primary

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