Advanced polishing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802292-B2
Application number	US-201615048590-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2016
Priority date	Feb 19, 2016
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A method for polishing a polishing pad includes detecting, by a first sensor, a presence of a defect formed on a groove of a polishing pad; removing, by a polishing disc, the defect from the groove of the polishing pad; after removing the defect, measuring, by a second sensor, a remaining depth of the groove; and based on the measured remaining depth of the groove, applying, through the polishing disc, a polishing condition on the groove.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for polishing a polishing pad, comprising:
detecting, by a first sensor, a presence of a defect formed on a groove of a polishing pad;
removing, by a polishing disc, the defect from the groove of the polishing pad;
after removing the defect, measuring, by a second sensor, a remaining depth of the groove; and
based on the measured remaining depth of the groove, applying, through the polishing disc, a polishing condition on the groove.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the presence of the defect includes forming a topographic image of the top surface of the polishing pad.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor includes a device selected from the group consisting of a three-dimensional laser camera, an acoustic wave camera, and a scanning electron microscopy device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor includes a device selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor and an acoustic wave sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a polishing slurry onto the polishing pad prior to detecting the presence of the defect.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polishing pad includes a plurality of grooves, each of the plurality of the grooves having a depth.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second sensor is further configured to measure the depth of each of the plurality of the grooves.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polishing condition includes a condition selected from the group consisting of a polishing time applied to the polishing pad and downward force applied to the polishing pad.

9. A method comprising:
generating, by a first sensor of a dresser head, a topographical image of a top surface of a polishing pad, wherein the top surface of the polishing pad includes a plurality of grooves;
measuring, by a second sensor of the dresser head that is coupled to the first sensor, a depth of each of the plurality of the grooves; and
based on the measurement of the depth of each of the plurality of the grooves, applying, through a polishing disc coupled to the dresser head, a polishing condition on each of the plurality of the grooves.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the topographical image of the top surface of the polishing pad, the measuring the depth of each of the plurality of the grooves, and the applying the individual polishing condition on each of the plurality of the grooves form a closed-loop feedback process.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the topographical image of the top surface of the polishing pad further comprises detecting a presence of a defect formed on one of the plurality of the grooves.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising removing, by a polishing disc that is coupled to the dresser head, the defect.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
after removing the defect, measuring, by the second sensor of the dresser head, a remaining depth of the groove; and
based on the measurement of the remaining depth, applying another polishing condition on the groove.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polishing condition includes a condition selected from the group consisting of a polishing time and a downward force applied against the top surface of the polishing pad.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first sensor includes a device selected from the group consisting of a three-dimensional laser camera, an acoustic wave camera, and a scanning electron microscopy device.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second sensor includes a device selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor and an acoustic wave sensor.

17. The method of claim 9 , further comprising applying a polishing slurry onto the top surface of the polishing pad.

18. An apparatus for a semiconductor process, comprising:
a polishing pad that includes a plurality of grooves on a top surface of the polishing pad, wherein each of the plurality of grooves has a thickness;
a polishing disc that is located above the polishing pad and is configured to polish the top surface of the polishing pad; and
a dresser head that is coupled to the polishing disc, comprising:
a first sensor that is configured to detect a presence of a defect formed on one of the plurality of the grooves during polishing; and
a second sensor that is configured to measure the thickness of each of the plurality of grooves during polishing.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first sensor includes a device selected from the group consisting of a three-dimensional laser camera, an acoustic wave camera, and a scanning electron microscopy device.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the second sensor includes a device selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor and an acoustic wave sensor.

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Chung Che-Liang
• Suen Shich-Chang
• Tai Chun-Kai
• Hsiao Wei-Chen

Classifications

• B24B37/26 Primary

  characterised by the shape of the lapping pad surface, e.g. grooved · CPC title

• B24B53/017

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

• B24B49/12

  involving optical means · CPC title

• B24B37/005 Primary

  Control means for lapping machines or devices · CPC title

• B24D11/001 Primary

  Manufacture of flexible abrasive materials · CPC title