US5891352A — Optical techniques of measuring endpoint during t…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 65 words

A process of planarizing or polishing a first side of a structure, comprising the steps of: holding the structure by contact with a second side thereof, moving the first side of said substrate across an abrasive medium, monitoring a temperature of the structure from the second side of the structure, and detecting from changes in said temperature when said planarizing or polishing process is completed.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 65 words

A process of planarizing or polishing a first side of a structure, comprising the steps of: holding the structure by contact with a second side thereof, moving the first side of said substrate across an abrasive medium, monitoring a temperature of the structure from the second side of the structure, and detecting from changes in said temperature when said planarizing or polishing process is completed.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature monitoring step includes the steps of contacting the second side of the structure with a luminescent temperature sensor, and optically communicating with the luminescent temperature sensor.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature monitoring step includes the step of detecting infra-red radiation emissions from the second side of the structure.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 19 words

The method according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein the structure is a semiconductor wafer.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 20 words

The method according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein the structure is a flat panel display.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 127 words

In a chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus that includes a carrier with a surface capable of holding a backside of a substrate thereagainst without relative motion therebetween and which provides relative movement of a front side of the substrate with respect to another surface, a monitoring system that comprises: at least one transparent optical element embedded in said carrier in a position to be adjacent a backside of a substrate carried thereby, luminescent material positioned adjacent the optical element in a manner to contact the backside of the substrate when the substrate is held against the surface of the carrier, said luminescent material having a detectable temperature dependent luminescence characteristic, and means receiving the temperature dependent luminescence through the optical element for monitoring the chemical-mechanical planarization of the substrate.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 127 words

In a chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus that includes a carrier with a surface capable of holding a backside of a substrate thereagainst without relative motion therebetween and which provides relative movement of a front side of the substrate with respect to another surface, a monitoring system that comprises: at least one transparent optical element embedded in said carrier in a position to be adjacent a backside of a substrate carried thereby, luminescent material positioned adjacent the optical element in a manner to contact the backside of the substrate when the substrate is held against the surface of the carrier, said luminescent material having a detectable temperature dependent luminescence characteristic, and means receiving the temperature dependent luminescence through the optical element for monitoring the chemical-mechanical planarization of the substrate.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 28 words

The monitoring system of claim 6, which additionally comprises means for directing radiation through said optical element to the luminescent material for causing the luminescent material to luminesce.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 16 words

The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the luminescent material is attached to the optical element.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 16 words

The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the luminescent material is attached to the optical element.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

The monitoring system according to any one of claims 6-9, wherein the monitoring means includes means for determining an endpoint to the chemical-mechanical planarization of the substrate.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

The monitoring system according to claim 10, which additionally comprises means responsive to the endpoint determining means for terminating operation of the apparatus upon reaching the endpoint.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 127 words

In a process of chemically and mechanically removing material from a surface of a front side of a substrate that has a back side surface carried by a first member and the front side surface urged against a second member with an abrasive slurry therebetween while relative motion is imparted to the first and second members, a method of monitoring the material removal process, comprising: holding in contact with the substrate back side surface a temperature sensing material that has an optically detectable temperature dependent characteristic, directing radiation through the first member against the temperature sensing material, detecting through the first member the optically detectable temperature dependent characteristic of the sensing material, and utilizing the detected characteristic to monitor the material removal process as it is occurring.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 127 words

In a process of chemically and mechanically removing material from a surface of a front side of a substrate that has a back side surface carried by a first member and the front side surface urged against a second member with an abrasive slurry therebetween while relative motion is imparted to the first and second members, a method of monitoring the material removal process, comprising: holding in contact with the substrate back side surface a temperature sensing material that has an optically detectable temperature dependent characteristic, directing radiation through the first member against the temperature sensing material, detecting through the first member the optically detectable temperature dependent characteristic of the sensing material, and utilizing the detected characteristic to monitor the material removal process as it is occurring.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 12, wherein directing radiation against the temperature sensing material includes passing said radiation through a transparent window carried by the first member, and wherein detecting the temperature dependent characteristic of the sensing material includes doing so through said window.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 13, wherein holding the temperature sensing material includes coating said material directly on the back side of the substrate.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 13, wherein holding the temperature sensing material includes utilizing a coating of said material on a surface of the window adjacent the back side of the substrate.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 28 words

The method of any one of claims 12-15, wherein the holding of temperature sensing material against the back side of the substrate includes so holding a luminescent material.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 16, wherein directing radiation through the first member includes directing radiation that excites the temperature sensing material to emit luminescent radiation, and wherein detecting through the first member the optically detectable temperature dependent characteristic includes detecting the luminescent radiation.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method of claim 16, wherein the luminescent material held in contact with the substrate back side surface has a temperature dependent luminescent decay time as said optically detectable temperature dependent characteristic, and wherein detecting the optically detectable temperature dependent characteristic includes measuring the luminescent decay time.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 21 words

The method of any one of claims 12-15, wherein the substrate is either a semiconductor wafer or a flat panel display.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 25 words

The method of any one of claims 12-15, wherein the detected characteristic is utilized to determine when the material removal process has reached an endpoint.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 119 words

In a process of planarizing or polishing a front surface of an electronic circuit structure on a substrate wherein a back surface of the substrate is carried by a first member and the front surface of the circuit structure is urged against a second member with an abrasive slurry therebetween while relative motion is imparted to the first and second members, a method of monitoring the process, comprising: positioning a temperature sensor in a thermally conductive relationship with the front electronic circuit surface, measuring the temperature of the sensor by directing optical signals between the sensor and a temperature measuring instrument, and determining from the measured temperature of the sensor a characteristic of the process while it is occurring.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 119 words

In a process of planarizing or polishing a front surface of an electronic circuit structure on a substrate wherein a back surface of the substrate is carried by a first member and the front surface of the circuit structure is urged against a second member with an abrasive slurry therebetween while relative motion is imparted to the first and second members, a method of monitoring the process, comprising: positioning a temperature sensor in a thermally conductive relationship with the front electronic circuit surface, measuring the temperature of the sensor by directing optical signals between the sensor and a temperature measuring instrument, and determining from the measured temperature of the sensor a characteristic of the process while it is occurring.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 21, wherein the characteristic of the process that is determined includes an endpoint of the process.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 21, wherein the temperature sensor positioned in a thermally conductive relationship with the electronic circuit front surface includes a luminescent material.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 23, wherein the luminescent material is positioned in physical contact with the back surface of the substrate.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 35 words

The method of either of claims 23 or 24, wherein the temperature of the sensor is measured by the temperature measuring instrument through use of a temperature dependent luminescence decay time characteristic of the sensor.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 25, wherein the characteristic of the process that is determined includes an endpoint of the process.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-04-05	2002-10-05	2003-04-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-04-05	2006-10-05	2007-04-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-04-05	2010-10-05	2011-04-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Optical techniques of measuring endpoint during the processing of material layers in an optically hostile environment

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