U.S. patent application number 10/681099 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-14 for defect reduction using pad conditioner cleaning.
This patent application is currently assigned to Macronix International Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Cheng, Chi-Feng.
Application Number | 20050079811 10/681099 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34422230 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050079811 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cheng, Chi-Feng |
April 14, 2005 |
Defect reduction using pad conditioner cleaning
Abstract
A device for cleaning a pad conditioner that comprises a
cleaning agent supply for providing a cleaning agent for cleaning a
pad conditioner including a conditioning surface, a pad including
an abrasive surface, and a pump rotating the pad with respect to
the pad conditioner for rubbing the abrasive surface of the pad
against the conditioning surface of the pad conditioner.
Inventors: |
Cheng, Chi-Feng; (Hsinchu,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow,
Garrett & Dunner, L.L.P.
1300 I Street, N.W.
Washington
DC
20005-3315
US
|
Assignee: |
Macronix International Co.,
Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
34422230 |
Appl. No.: |
10/681099 |
Filed: |
October 9, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
451/443 ;
451/56 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B24B 53/017 20130101;
B24B 37/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
451/443 ;
451/056 |
International
Class: |
B24B 001/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device for cleaning a pad conditioner comprising: a cleaning
agent supply for providing a cleaning agent for cleaning a pad
conditioner including a conditioning surface; a pad including an
abrasive surface; and a pump rotating the pad with respect to the
pad conditioner for rubbing the abrasive surface of the pad against
the conditioning surface of the pad conditioner.
2. The device of claim 1, the pad further comprising a sponge.
3. The device of claim 1, the pad further comprising a disc
shape.
4. The device of claim 1, the pad further comprising a square
shape.
5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a container for holding
the pad conditioner and the pad.
6. The device of claim 1, the pump rotating at approximately 60
revolutions per minute (rpm).
7. The device of claim 1, the cleaning agent further comprising
deionized water.
8. A device for cleaning a pad conditioner comprising: an overflow
tank for holding a pad conditioner having a conditioning surface
provided with a plurality of grits; a cleaning agent supply for
providing a cleaning agent to the overflow tank; a pad held in the
overflow tank including an abrasive surface for contact with the
conditioning surface of the pad conditioner; and a pump rotating
the pad with respect to the pad conditioner for rubbing the
abrasive surface of the pad against the conditioning surface of the
pad conditioner.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein an abrasive action of the pad
results in removal of foreign materials remaining between the
plurality of grits of the pad conditioner.
10. The device of claim 8, the cleaning agent further comprising
deionized water.
11. The device of claim 8, the abrasive surface further comprising
a sponge surface.
12. The device of claim 8 wherein the cleaning agent is pumped to
overflow the overflow tank in preventing stagnation of the cleaning
agent.
13. A method for cleaning a pad conditioner comprising the steps
of: providing a cleaning agent for cleaning a pad conditioner;
reconditioning a polishing surface of a polishing pad using the pad
conditioner; and rubbing a pad including an abrasive surface
against a conditioning surface of the pad conditioner.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of rotating
the pad with respect to the pad conditioner using a pump such that
the abrasive surface of the pad rubs against the conditioning
surface of the pad conditioner and removes foreign materials
remaining between a plurality of grits of the pad conditioner.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein an abrasive action against the
conditioning surface of the pad conditioner is provided by a sponge
in the pad.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the pad is in a disc shape.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the pad is in a square
shape.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein the pad conditioner is cleaned
using deionized water.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates in general to semiconductor wafer
planarization and, more particularly, to chemical mechanical
polishing ("CMP") using a polishing pad conditioner and a cleaning
device and a method thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Chemical mechanical polishing ("CMP") is generally used to
planarize semiconductor wafers or remove surface irregularities. A
conventional CMP device typically includes a polishing pad and a
pad conditioner. The polishing pad is arranged on a polishing
table, and includes a polishing surface for polishing a
semiconductor wafer. A polishing slurry is dispensed onto the
polishing pad through a tube. The pad conditioner includes a
conditioning surface provided with a plurality of diamond grits or
prisms to scrape against the polishing surface of the polishing
pad. The pad conditioner functions to remove the polishing slurry
that remained in the polishing pad so as to condition the polishing
surface and recover the polishing characteristics of the polishing
pad.
[0003] The pad conditioner may require frequent cleaning to ensure
that it will not contaminate a semiconductor wafer in CMP process.
Generally, after refurbishing a polishing pad, a pad conditioner is
cleaned in a container, for example, an overflow tank, by
continuously conveying a cleaning agent into the container. An
excessive amount of the cleaning agent will likely to overflow the
container as a result. However, parts of the cleaning agent may
remain stagnant at the bottom of the container, which may result in
deteriorating the cleaning performance and an unclean pad
conditioner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a device
and a method that obviate one or more of the problems due to
limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
[0005] To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance
with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly
described, there is provided a device for cleaning a pad
conditioner that comprises a cleaning agent supply for providing a
cleaning agent for cleaning a pad conditioner including a
conditioning surface, a pad including an abrasive surface, and a
pump rotating the pad with respect to the pad conditioner for
rubbing the abrasive surface of the pad against the conditioning
surface of the pad conditioner.
[0006] In one aspect, the pad further comprises a sponge.
[0007] In another aspect, the device further comprises a container
for holding the pad conditioner and the pad.
[0008] Also in accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a device for cleaning a pad conditioner that comprises an
overflow tank for holding a pad conditioner having a conditioning
surface provided with a plurality of grits, a cleaning agent supply
for providing a cleaning agent to the overflow tank, a pad held in
the overflow tank including an abrasive surface for contact with
the conditioning surface of the pad conditioner, and a pump
rotating the pad with respect to the pad conditioner for rubbing
the abrasive surface of the pad against the conditioning surface of
the pad conditioner.
[0009] Still in accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a method for cleaning a pad conditioner that comprises the
steps of providing a cleaning agent for cleaning a pad conditioner,
reconditioning a polishing surface of a polishing pad using the pad
conditioner, and rubbing a pad including an abrasive surface
against a conditioning surface of the pad conditioner.
[0010] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part
will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will
be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations
particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
[0011] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as
claimed.
[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several
embodiments of the invention and together with the description,
serve to explain the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a device for cleaning a pad
conditioner in semiconductor wafer planarization in accordance with
one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method for cleaning a pad
conditioner in accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in
the accompanying drawing. Wherever possible, the same reference
numbers will be used throughout the drawing to refer to the same or
like parts.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a device 10 for cleaning a
pad conditioner 12 in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 1, device 10 includes a cleaning agent
supply 14, a pad 16, and a pump 18. Cleaning agent supply 14
provides a cleaning agent 14-2 to clean pad conditioner 12. In one
embodiment, cleaning agent 14-2 includes deionized water. Pad
conditioner 12 includes a conditioning surface 12-2 on which a
plurality of diamond grits or prisms 12-4 are regularly arranged.
Pad conditioner 12 is used to recondition a polishing surface of a
polishing pad to an appropriate roughness. After reconditioning a
polishing pad, foreign materials may adhere to conditioning surface
12-2 between grits 12-4.
[0017] Pad 16 includes an abrasive surface 16-2 for contact with
conditioning surface 12-2 of pad conditioner 12. During a cleaning
process, pad conditioner 16 is typically held by a robot arm (not
shown). Pad 16 is supported and rotated by pump 18 to rub against
conditioning surface 12-2 of pad conditioner 12 to remove foreign
materials that remained between grits 12-4. In one embodiment, pad
16 includes a sponge that provides an abrasive action on
conditioning surface 12-2. Pump 18 rotates pad 16 at approximately
60 revolutions per minute ("rpm") for approximately 30 to 60
seconds.
[0018] Device 10 may further include a container 20 for holding pad
conditioner 12, cleaning agent 14-2, and pad 16. In one embodiment,
container 20 includes an overflow tank. Due to the rotation action
of pump 18, cleaning agent 14-2 flowing below pad 16 is able to be
pumped up to overflow container 20, and thus does not become
stagnant at the bottom of container 20.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method for cleaning a pad
conditioner 12 in accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 2, cleaning agent 14-2, such as
deionized water, is provided for cleaning pad conditioner 12 (step
21). The polishing surface of a polishing pad is reconditioned
using pad conditioner 12 (step 22). The polishing surface is
reconditioned to an appropriate roughness. Foreign materials may
adhere to conditioning surface 12-2 between grits 12-4. Pad 16 is
rubbed against conditioning surface 12-2 of pad conditioner 12 in
order to remove the foreign materials remaining between grits 12-4
(step 23).
[0020] In one embodiment according to the present invention, the
abrasive action on conditioning surface 12-2 is provided by pad 16
having a sponge. Pump 18 can rotate pad 16 up to 60 revolutions per
minute (rpm) for 30 to 60 seconds in providing the abrasive action.
By rotating pump 18, cleaning agent 14-2 is pumped to overflow
container 20 in advantageously preventing stagnation of cleaning
agent 14-2 (step 24).
[0021] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those
skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and
practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the
specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a
true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the
following claims.
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