Patent US1886574A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5575707A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5575707A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
•
Filing: 1994-10-11
•
Granted: 1996-11-19
•
Expires: 2014-10-11
Abstract
Abstract A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer having multiple integrated circuit dies includes a pad support and multiple polishing pads. Each pad has a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer but not substantially smaller than an individual one of the integrated circuit dies. Each polishing pad is mounted to a respective polishing pad mount, which is in turn supported by the support. Each mount includes a respective joint having at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer. Each mount is substantially rigid in a direction perpendicular to the pad toward the pad support, and in some cases the adjacent mounts are completely isolated from one another. A magnet is used to bias the polishing pad against the wafer.
Inventors
- 👤 Homayoun Talieh
- 👤 David E. Weldon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 19:45
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B37/00; B24B37/11; B24B37/20; B24B37/26; B24B21/00; B24D; B24D7/00; B24D7/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and substantially the same area as an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer, each mount being substantially rigid in a direction perpendicular to the respective pad toward the pad support.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and substantially the same area as an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer, each mount being substantially rigid in a direction perpendicular to the respective pad toward the pad support.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
113 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and substantially the same area as an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount isolated from at least one adjacent mount, coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads, and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
113 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and substantially the same area as an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount isolated from at least one adjacent mount, coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads, and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention of claim 1 or 2 wherein each of the joints comprising a respective ball joint.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention of claim 1 or 2 wherein each of the joints comprises a respective cardan joint.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
147 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and not substantially smaller than an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer, each mount being substantially rigid in a direction perpendicular to the respective pad toward the pad support; wherein the joints are formed by a layer of a substantially incompressible material supported rigidly by the pad support against movement away from the wafer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
147 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and not substantially smaller than an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer, each mount being substantially rigid in a direction perpendicular to the respective pad toward the pad support; wherein the joints are formed by a layer of a substantially incompressible material supported rigidly by the pad support against movement away from the wafer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 5 wherein the layer of flexible material comprises a belt, and wherein the pads are mounted on the belt in a mosaic pattern.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
161 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and not substantially smaller than an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer, each mount being substantially rigid in a direction perpendicular to the respective pad toward the pad support; at least one magnet, the semiconductor wafer positioned between the magnet and the polishing pads, at least some of said joints and said polishing pads comprising ferromagnetic material such that the magnet biases the polishing pads against the wafer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
161 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and not substantially smaller than an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer, each mount being substantially rigid in a direction perpendicular to the respective pad toward the pad support; at least one magnet, the semiconductor wafer positioned between the magnet and the polishing pads, at least some of said joints and said polishing pads comprising ferromagnetic material such that the magnet biases the polishing pads against the wafer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 7 or 12 wherein the at least one magnet creates a non-uniform magnetic field across the wafer, said field selected to enhance planarization of the wafer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
A polishing pad assembly for polishing a semiconductor wafer, said assembly comprising: a semiconductor wafer; at least one polishing pad supported on a ferromagnetic element; and at least one magnet; said wafer positioned between the pad and the magnet such that magnetic forces produced by the magnet on the ferromagnetic element bias the pad against the wafer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
A polishing pad assembly for polishing a semiconductor wafer, said assembly comprising: a semiconductor wafer; at least one polishing pad supported on a ferromagnetic element; and at least one magnet; said wafer positioned between the pad and the magnet such that magnetic forces produced by the magnet on the ferromagnetic element bias the pad against the wafer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 9 wherein the at least one magnet creates a non-uniform magnetic field across the wafer, said field selected to enhance planarization of the wafer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 9 wherein the at least one magnet creates a non-uniform magnetic field across the wafer, said field being weaker at a peripheral portion of the wafer than at a central portion of the wafer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
151 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and not substantially smaller than an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount isolated from at least one adjacent mount, coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads, and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer; at least one magnet, the semiconductor wafer positioned between the magnet and the polishing pads, at least some of said joints and said polishing pads comprising ferromagnetic material such that the magnet biases the polishing pads against the wafer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
151 words
A polishing pad cluster for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuit dies, said cluster comprising: a pad support; a plurality of polishing pads, each pad having a polishing area substantially smaller than the wafer and not substantially smaller than an individual one of the integrated circuit dies; and a plurality of polishing pad mounts, each mount isolated from at least one adjacent mount, coupled to a respective one of the polishing pads, and supported by the support, each mount comprising a respective joint comprising at least two degrees of freedom to allow the associated polishing pad to articulate with respect to the support to conform to the wafer; at least one magnet, the semiconductor wafer positioned between the magnet and the polishing pads, at least some of said joints and said polishing pads comprising ferromagnetic material such that the magnet biases the polishing pads against the wafer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 1 or 2 wherein the polishing areas and the individual integrated circuit dies are of substantially the same shape.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 1 or 2 wherein the polishing areas and the individual circuit dies are of substantially identical area and configuration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention of claim 1 or 2 further comprising means for moving the polishing pads linearly with respect to the pad support.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR796866A
Cited
US3654739A
Cited
US4128968A
Cited
JPS5914469A
Cited
EP0118126A2
Cited
US4601134A
Cited
US4802309A
Cited
US4811522A
Cited
EP0478912A2
Cited
US5297361A
Cited
US5335453A
Cited
US5230184A
Cited
US5212910A
Cited
US5205082A
Cited
US5287663A
Cited
US5329732A
Cited
US5329734A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-11-19 | 2000-05-20 | 2000-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-11-19 | 2004-05-20 | 2004-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-11-19 | 2008-05-20 | 2008-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |