IP Library Granted Patent US 7,422,516
Granted Patent B2
US 7,422,516 · App. 11/868,829 · Granted Sep 9, 2008

Conductive polishing article for electrochemical mechanical polishing

Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,422,516
App. No.
11/868,829
Granted
Sep 9, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of a polishing article for polishing a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the polishing article includes an annular upper layer made of a dielectric material coupled to an annular lower layer made of a conductive material, and an annular subpad sandwiched between the annular upper layer and the annular lower layer forming a replaceable assembly therewith.

Claims (29)

1. A polishing article for polishing a substrate, comprising:

an upper layer having a polishing surface made of a dielectric material that is disposed on a subpad;

a conductive layer disposed on the subpad opposite the upper layer; and

a plurality of concentric apertures formed through the upper layer and the subpad exposing the conductive layer, wherein each of the upper layer, the subpad, and the conductive layer define a central opening adapted to receive at least one conductive contact element.

2. The polishing article of claim 1 , wherein the subpad has a hardness between about 20 Shore A and about 90 Shore A.

3. The polishing article of claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer is fabricated from stainless steel.

4. The polishing article of claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer further comprises a plurality of independently biasable electrical zones.

5. The polishing article of claim 4 , wherein the electrical zones further comprise concentric rings.

6. The polishing article of claim 1 , wherein the subpad comprises at least one of polyurethane, polyurethane mixed with fillers, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), ethylene-propylene-diene-methylene (EPDM), polytetrafluoroethylene polymers, compressed felt fibers impregnated with urethane, or combinations thereof.

7. The polishing article of claim 6 , wherein the conductive layer comprises stainless steel.

8. The polishing article of claim 1 , wherein the upper layer comprises a polyurethane material and the conductive layer comprises stainless steel.

9. The polishing article of claim 1 , wherein the subpad, the conductive layer and the upper layer are coupled by at least one of compression molding, staking, fastening, adhering and bonding.

10. A polishing article for polishing a substrate, comprising:

an upper layer having a polishing surface made of a dielectric polymer material;

a conductive metal layer comprising a plurality of independently biasable electrical zones;

a subpad disposed between the conductive metal layer and the upper layer, the subpad comprising a material selected from polyurethane, polyurethane mixed with fillers, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), ethylene-propylene-diene-methylene (EPDM), polytetrafluoroethylene polymers, compressed felt fibers impregnated with urethane, or combinations thereof; and

a plurality of concentrically aligned apertures formed through the upper layer and the subpad to expose the conductive metal layer, wherein each of the upper layer, the subpad, and the conductive layer define a central opening adapted to receive a housing having conductive contact elements disposed therein.

11. The polishing article of claim 10 , wherein the subpad, the conductive metal layer and the upper layer are coupled by at least one of compression molding, staking, fastening, adhering and bonding.

12. The polishing article of claim 10 , wherein the electrical zones further comprise concentric rings.

13. The polishing article of claim 10 , wherein the conductive metal layer further comprises at least one insulating spacer separating the zones.

14. The polishing article of claim 10 , wherein the electrical zones further comprise concentric rings separated by at least one insulating spacer.

15. The polishing article of claim 10 , wherein the electrical zones further comprise concentric rings separated by a gap.

16. A polishing article for polishing a substrate, comprising:

an upper layer having a grooved polishing surface comprising polyurethane;

a conductive metal layer comprising a plurality of independently biasable concentric rings adapted to be disposed on a platen;

a subpad disposed between the conductive metal layer and the upper layer, the subpad comprising a material selected from polyurethane, polyurethane mixed with fillers, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), ethylene-propylene-diene-methylene (EPDM), polytetrafluoroethylene polymers, compressed felt fibers impregnated with urethane, or combinations thereof; and

a plurality of concentrically aligned apertures formed through the upper layer and the subpad to expose the conductive metal layer, wherein the upper layer, the subpad, and the conductive metal layer are coupled by at least one of compression molding, staking, fastening, adhering and bonding and each define a central opening therethrough.

17. The polishing article of claim 16 , wherein the concentric rings are separated by at least one insulating spacer.

18. The polishing article of claim 16 , wherein the concentric rings are separated by a gap.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2007
From: BUTTERFIELD, PAUL D.; CHEN, LIANG-YUH; HU, YONGQI; MANENS, ANTOINE P.; MAVLIEV, RASHID; TSAI, STAN D.; LIU, FENG Q.; WADENSWEILER, RALPH; SUN, LIZHONG; NEO, SIEW S.; DUBOUST, ALAIN
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 020077/0581 →
Continuity (13)
Continuation 1121525400 · Aug 30, 2005
Continuation 1064212800 · Aug 15, 2003
Continuation 1060851300 · Jun 26, 2003
Continuation In Part 1014001000 · May 7, 2002
Continuation In Part 1021162600 · Aug 2, 2002
Continuation In Part 1003373200 · Dec 27, 2001
Continuation In Part 0950589900 · Feb 17, 2000
Continuation In Part 1021097200 · Aug 2, 2002
Continuation In Part 1015153800 · May 16, 2003
Continuation In Part 1024469700 · Sep 16, 2002
Continuation In Part 1024468800 · Sep 16, 2002
Continuation In Part 1039132400 · Mar 18, 2003
Related Publication 20080026681A1 · Jan 31, 2008