Polishing pad cleaning systems employing fluid outlets oriented to direct fluid under spray bodies and towards inlet ports, and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687960-B2
Application number	US-201414523482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2014
Priority date	Oct 24, 2014
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

Polishing pad cleaning systems employing fluid outlets orientated to direct fluid under spray bodies and towards inlet ports, and related methods are disclosed. A polishing pad in combination with slurry contacts a substrate to planarize a surface of the substrate and remove substrate defects while creating debris. A spray system removes the debris from the polishing pad to prevent substrate damage and improve efficiency. By directing fluid under a spray body to the polishing pad and towards an inlet port, the debris may be entrained in the fluid and directed to an inner plenum of the spray body. The fluid-entrained debris is subsequently removed from the inner plenum through an outlet port. In this manner, the debris removal may reduce substrate defects, improve facility cleanliness, and improve pad efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spray system for a polishing pad, comprising:
a spray body having a bottom side and a top side, the spray body including an inlet port open to the bottom side, an inner plenum, and an exit port;
a first group of fluid outlets having an orientation that directs fluid exiting the first group of fluid outlets under the bottom side of the spray body and towards the inlet port; and
a partition disposed in the inlet port and separating the inlet port into a first inlet port and a second inlet port, wherein a passageway extends from the inlet port into the inner plenum, the partition preventing mixing of fluid passing through the passageway on opposite sides of the partition.

2. The spray system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second group of fluid outlets having an orientation that directs fluid exiting the second group of fluid outlets under the bottom side of the spray body and towards the inlet port, wherein the inlet port separates the first and second groups of fluid outlets.

3. The spray system of claim 1 , wherein the top side of the spray body further comprises a convex exterior top surface.

4. The spray system of claim 1 , wherein
the passageway extending from the inlet port into the inner plenum to an elevation that allows fluid exiting the passageway to collect in the inner plenum.

5. The spray system of claim 1 , wherein
the passageway extending from the inlet port into the inner plenum is a diverging passageway.

6. The spray system of claim 1 , wherein the partition extends below the bottom side of the body.

7. The spray system of claim 1 , wherein the spray body further comprises:
one or more fluid recesses formed in the bottom side of the body, the fluid recesses separated from the first group of fluid outlets by the inlet port.

8. The spray system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third group of fluid outlets coupled to the spray body and having an orientation that directs fluid exiting the third group of fluid outlets away from the inlet port.

9. The spray system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a dam coupled to a first end of the body, the dam extending away from the bottom side.

10. The spray system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one spacer coupled to opposite ends of the body, the spacers extending away from the bottom side, the spacers defining a bearing surface configured to support the spray body on a polishing pad.

11. The spray system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fluid outlets comprises at least one of a slit, a hole, a replaceable nozzle fitting or a deflector.

12. A chemical mechanical polishing system having a platen for supporting a polishing pad and a polishing head for retaining a substrate while polishing, wherein the improvement comprises:
a spray body having a bottom side facing the platen and a top side, the spray body including an inlet port open to the bottom side, an inner plenum, and an exit port;
a first group of fluid outlets having an orientation that directs fluid exiting the first group of fluid outlets under the bottom side of the spray body and towards the inlet port; and
a partition disposed in the inlet port and separating the inlet port into a first inlet port and a second inlet port, wherein a passageway extends from the inlet port into the inner plenum, the partition preventing mixing of fluid passing through the passageway on opposite sides of the partition.

13. The chemical mechanical polishing system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a second group of fluid outlets having an orientation that directs fluid exiting the second group of fluid outlets under the bottom side of the spray body and towards the inlet port, wherein the inlet port separates the first and the second groups of fluid outlets.

14. The chemical mechanical polishing system of claim 12 , wherein the top side of the spray body further comprises a convex exterior top surface.

15. The spray system of claim 12 , wherein
the passageway extending from the inlet port into the inner plenum is a diverging passageway.

16. The chemical mechanical polishing system of claim 12 , wherein the partition extends below the bottom side of the body.

17. The chemical mechanical polishing system of claim 12 , wherein the spray body has one or more fluid recesses formed in the bottom side of the body, the fluid recesses separated from the first group of fluid outlets by the inlet port.

18. The chemical mechanical polishing system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a third group of fluid outlets coupled to the spray body and having an orientation that directs fluid exiting the third group of fluid outlets away from the inlet port.

19. The chemical mechanical polishing system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a dam coupled to a first end of the body, the dam extending away from the bottom side.

20. The chemical mechanical polishing system of claim 19 , further comprising:
at least one spacer coupled to opposite ends of the body, the spacers extending away from the bottom side, the spacers defining a bearing surface configured to support the spray body on a polishing pad.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Butterfield Paul D
• Chang Shou-Sung
• Kim Bum Jick

Classifications

• B24B53/017 Primary

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

• B24B53/02

  of plane surfaces on abrasive tools (B24B53/017 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B24B1/00

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

• H10P52/402

  of semiconductor materials · CPC title