US5643060A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for real-time control of semiconductor wafer polishing including heater
Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
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Filing: 1995-10-24
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Granted: 1997-07-01
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Expires: 2015-10-24
Abstract
Abstract A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished.
Inventors
- 👤 Gurtej S. Sandhu
- 👤 Trung Tri Doan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 00:10
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q15/00; B23Q15/007; B23Q15/013; B23Q15/12; B24; B24B; B24B13/00; B24B13/015; B24B37/00; B24B37/005; B24B37/013; B24B37/11; B24B37/12; B24B37/20; B24B37/205; B24B49/00; B24B49/12; G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/18; G05B19/404; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/34; G05B2219/34403; G05B2219/37; G05B2219/37398; G05B2219/37602; G05B2219/45; G05B2219/45199; G05B2219/45232; G05B2219/49; G05B2219/49052; G05B2219/49057
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and a heater supported by the polishing head and controllably heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
64 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and a heater supported by the polishing head and controllably heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the platen subassembly comprises a platen having a hollow interior, and wherein the system further comprises a fluid passage in fluid communication with the hollow interior, and a pump in fluid communication with the fluid passage and conducting fluid through the hollow interior, and a heating element heating the fluid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the heater comprises a heating filament.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the heater comprises a heating filament supported by the polishing head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a slurry delivery system supplying a slurry to the wafer, and a second heater which selectively heats the slurry, before it is supplied to the wafer, to heat the wafer.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
62 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and means supported by the polishing head for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
62 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and means supported by the polishing head for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein the heating means comprises means for controllably adjusting the temperature of the wafer while the wafer is being polished.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system in accordance with claim 6 and further comprising means for heating the platen subassembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the platen subassembly comprises a platen having a hollow interior, and wherein the means for heating the platen subassembly comprises means for flowing fluid through the hollow interior and for heating the fluid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the heating means supported by the polishing head comprises a heating filament.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system in accordance with claim 8 and further comprising means for supplying a slurry to the wafer, and means for heating the slurry before it is supplied to the wafer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system in accordance with claim 6 and further comprising a heating filament supported by the platen subassembly.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
89 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, wherein the heating means comprises means for heating the platen subassembly; and means for supplying a slurry to the wafer, wherein the heating means comprises means for changing the composition of the slurry.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
89 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, wherein the heating means comprises means for heating the platen subassembly; and means for supplying a slurry to the wafer, wherein the heating means comprises means for changing the composition of the slurry.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
89 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, wherein the heating means comprises means for heating the platen subassembly, the means for heating the platen subassembly including means for adjusting the force between the polishing head and the platen subassembly.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
89 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; and means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, wherein the heating means comprises means for heating the platen subassembly, the means for heating the platen subassembly including means for adjusting the force between the polishing head and the platen subassembly.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
102 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area, and having a hollow interior defining a fluid passage; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; a pump in fluid communication with the fluid passage and conducting fluid to the fluid passage; means for supplying a slurry to the wafer; and means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heating means including means for changing the composition of the slurry.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
102 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area, and having a hollow interior defining a fluid passage; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; a pump in fluid communication with the fluid passage and conducting fluid to the fluid passage; means for supplying a slurry to the wafer; and means for heating the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heating means including means for changing the composition of the slurry.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the pump is a liquid pump which conducts liquid through the hollow interior.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system in accordance with claim 15 and further comprising a heating element heating the fluid that flows through the hollow interior.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the rate of flow of fluid through the hollow interior is controllable.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the temperature of fluid flowing through the hollow interior is controllable.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
108 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; a heater system that controllably heats the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heater system including a slurry supply system including a plurality of storage areas respectively containing slurries of different compositions, a conduit having an outlet directed to supply slurry to the wafer, and a controllable storage selector which supplies a slurry from a selected storage area to the conduit.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
108 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting a semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face; a heater system that controllably heats the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heater system including a slurry supply system including a plurality of storage areas respectively containing slurries of different compositions, a conduit having an outlet directed to supply slurry to the wafer, and a controllable storage selector which supplies a slurry from a selected storage area to the conduit.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
143 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer having a face to be polished and having a backside opposite the face, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face, the polishing head further including a plurality of pressure applicators operative against the backside of the semiconductor wafer, the pressure applicators being controllable to apply isolated pressures to respective regions of the semiconductor wafer to cause alterations in contour of the exposed face of the semiconductor wafer; and a heater system that controllably heats the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heater system including a controller adjusting the force between the polishing head and the platen subassembly to affect the temperature of the wafer.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
143 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer having a face to be polished and having a backside opposite the face, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face, the polishing head further including a plurality of pressure applicators operative against the backside of the semiconductor wafer, the pressure applicators being controllable to apply isolated pressures to respective regions of the semiconductor wafer to cause alterations in contour of the exposed face of the semiconductor wafer; and a heater system that controllably heats the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heater system including a controller adjusting the force between the polishing head and the platen subassembly to affect the temperature of the wafer.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
168 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer having a face to be polished and having a backside opposite the face, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face, the polishing head further including a plurality of pressure applicators operative against the backside of the semiconductor wafer, the pressure applicators being controllable to apply isolated pressures to respective regions of the semiconductor wafer to cause alterations in contour of the exposed face of the semiconductor wafer; and a heater system that controllably heats the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heater system including a slurry supply system including a plurality of storage areas respectively containing slurries of different compositions, a conduit having an outlet directed to supply slurry to the wafer, and a controllable storage selector which supplies a slurry from a selected storage area to the conduit.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
168 words
A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer having a face to be polished and having a backside opposite the face, the system comprising: a platen subassembly defining a polishing area; a polishing head selectively supporting semiconductor wafer and holding a face of the semiconductor wafer in contact with the platen subassembly to polish the wafer face, the polishing head further including a plurality of pressure applicators operative against the backside of the semiconductor wafer, the pressure applicators being controllable to apply isolated pressures to respective regions of the semiconductor wafer to cause alterations in contour of the exposed face of the semiconductor wafer; and a heater system that controllably heats the wafer while the wafer face is being polished, the heater system including a slurry supply system including a plurality of storage areas respectively containing slurries of different compositions, a conduit having an outlet directed to supply slurry to the wafer, and a controllable storage selector which supplies a slurry from a selected storage area to the conduit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-06-30 | 2000-12-30 | 2001-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-06-30 | 2004-12-30 | 2005-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-06-30 | 2008-12-30 | 2009-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |