Systems, methods and apparatus for post-chemical mechanical planarization substrate cleaning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9844800-B2
Application number	US-201414260210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2014
Priority date	Apr 23, 2014
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods and apparatus for pre-cleaning a substrate after chemical mechanical planarization processing. Embodiments provide a housing; a chuck assembly configured to securely hold a substrate within the housing; and a buffing pad assembly configured to rotate against the substrate while supported within the housing. The buffing pad assembly includes a buff pad, a compressible sub-pad coupled to the buff pad, and a pad holder coupled to the compressible sub-pad and a buffing motor configured to rotate the buffing pad assembly. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A substrate pre-clean system comprising:
a housing;
a chuck assembly configured to securely hold a substrate within the housing; and
a buffing pad assembly configured to rotate against the substrate and supported within the housing,
wherein the buffing pad assembly includes:
a buff pad,
a compressible sub-pad coupled to the buff pad, and
a pad holder coupled to the compressible sub-pad and a buffing motor configured to rotate the buffing pad assembly.

2. The substrate pre-clean system of claim 1 wherein the compressible sub-pad is greater than two times more compressible than the buff pad.

3. The substrate pre-clean system of claim 1 wherein the compressible sub-pad is adapted to yield when the pad holder tilts during pre-cleaning so that the buff pad remains flat against the substrate.

4. The substrate pre-clean system of claim 1 wherein the system is adapted to pre-clean substrates after chemical mechanical planarization processing and before application of a cleaning module.

5. The substrate pre-clean system of claim 1 wherein the buffing pad assembly further includes a stiffener layer between the buff pad and the compressible sub-pad.

6. The substrate pre-clean system of claim 1 wherein at least one of adhesive, thermal bonding, and mechanical fasteners is used to couple the buff pad and the compressible sub-pad together within the buffing pad assembly.

7. The substrate pre-clean system of claim 1 wherein the buffing pad assembly has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the substrate.

8. A pre-clean buffing pad assembly comprising:
a buff pad;
a compressible sub-pad coupled to the buff pad; and
a pad holder coupled to the compressible sub-pad and a buffing motor configured to rotate the buffing pad assembly against a substrate.

9. The pre-clean buffing pad assembly of claim 8 wherein the compressible sub-pad is greater than two times more compressible than the buff pad.

10. The pre-clean buffing pad assembly of claim 8 wherein the compressible sub-pad is adapted to yield when the pad holder tilts during pre-cleaning so that the buff pad remains flat against the substrate.

11. The pre-clean buffing pad assembly of claim 8 wherein the buffing pad assembly is adapted to be used to pre-clean substrates after chemical mechanical planarization processing and before application of a cleaning module.

12. The pre-clean buffing pad assembly of claim 8 wherein the buffing pad assembly further includes a stiffener layer between the buff pad and the compressible sub-pad.

13. The pre-clean buffing pad assembly of claim 8 wherein at least one of adhesive, thermal bonding, and mechanical fasteners is used to couple the buff pad and the compressible sub-pad together within the buffing pad assembly.

14. The pre-clean buffing pad assembly of claim 8 wherein the buffing pad assembly has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the substrate.

15. A method of pre-cleaning substrates in a substrate pre-clean module, comprising:
loading a substrate into a pre-clean system after chemical mechanical planarization processing;
securing the substrate to a chuck assembly;
rotating the substrate as a rotating buffing pad assembly is pressed against, rotated, and swept across the front side of the substrate; and
maintaining a buff pad of the buffing pad assembly flat against the substrate despite tilting of a pad holder of the buffing pad assembly.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a buffing pad assembly including a compressible sub-pad wherein the compressible sub-pad is greater than two times more compressible than the buff pad.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a buffing pad assembly including a compressible sub-pad wherein the compressible sub-pad is adapted to yield when the pad holder tilts during pre-cleaning so that the buff pad remains flat against the substrate.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a buffing pad assembly wherein the buffing pad assembly is adapted to pre-clean substrates after chemical mechanical planarization processing and before application of a cleaning module.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a buffing pad assembly including a compressible sub-pad and a stiffening layer wherein the stiffener layer is disposed between the buff pad and the compressible sub-pad.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a buffing pad assembly wherein the buffing pad assembly has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the substrate.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Zuniga Steven M
• Brown Brian J

Classifications

• H10P72/0412 Primary

  using mainly scrubbing means, e.g. brushes · CPC title

• B24B37/34

  Accessories · CPC title

• B08B1/36

  rotating about an axis orthogonal to the surface · CPC title

• B08B1/14

  Wipes; Absorbent members, e.g. swabs or sponges (with integrated means for dispensing fluids B08B1/40) · CPC title

• B08B1/001

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic