Chemical mechanical polishing conditioner

Abstract

A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) conditioner includes a ceramic substrate having a major surface, and an abrasive coating overlying the major surface. The major surface can include micro-protrusions arranged in a curved pattern. Alternatively, the micro-protrusions can be arranged in an irregular pattern.

Description

technical field [0001] The present disclosure relates generally to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) conditioners, and more particularly to a ceramic substrate based CMP conditioner. Background technique [0002] Chemical mechanical polishing is widely used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices in order to obtain smooth and planar wafer surfaces. Typically, the wafer to be polished is held by a support that is positioned on a polishing pad attached on a rotating table. By applying slurry to the pad and applying pressure to the support, the wafer is polished by the relative movement of the table and support. A conventional polishing pad used in a chemical mechanical polishing process generally includes pores having a diameter not greater than 200 micrometers. When pressure is applied to the polishing pad, these pores can exhibit a pumping effect to achieve high removal rates. However, after prolonged use, these pores may become worn or clogged with polishing residu...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, after prolonged use, these pores can become worn or become clogged with polishing residue, resulting in an uneven surface of the polishing pad

As a result, the ability to polish the wafer decreases over time and may reduce the effectiveness of the CMP process used to achieve a consistently smooth wafer surface

Images