High throughput polishing modules and modular polishing systems
Embodiments herein include high throughput density chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) modules and customizable modular CMP systems formed thereof. In one embodiment, a polishing module features a carrier support module, a carrier loading station, and a polishing station. The carrier support module features a carrier platform and one or more carrier assemblies. The one or more carrier assemblies each comprise a corresponding carrier head suspended from the carrier platform. The carrier loading station is used to transfer substrates to and from the carrier heads. The polishing station comprises a polishing platen. The carrier support module, the substrate loading station, and the polishing station comprise a one-to-one-to-one relationship within each of the polishing modules. The carrier support module is positioned to move the one or more carrier assemblies between a substrate polishing position disposed above the polishing platen and a substrate transfer position disposed above the substrate loading station.
1 . A polishing system, comprising:
a plurality of polishing modules having at least a first polishing module directly adjacent a second polishing module coupled together in a side-by-side arrangement and supported by a shared tabletop, a third polishing module and a fourth polishing module, the third polishing processing module directly adjacent the fourth polishing processing module and positioned together in a side-by-side arrangement, and the third polishing processing module and the fourth polishing processing module are positioned end-to-end with the first polishing processing module and the second polishing processing module;
each polishing module comprising:
a polishing processing region;
a carrier support module comprising:
a carrier platform comprising a first substrate carrier assembly and a second substrate carrier assembly, wherein
the carrier platform is rotatable or pivotable about a platform axis by a platform actuator configured to rotate the first and second substrate carrier assemblies between either a first processing mode position or a second processing mode position,
the platform actuator is configured to rotate the carrier platform, the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly together, and
each of the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly comprise:
a carrier head comprising a chamber and coupled to a carrier shaft; and
a rotation actuator coupled to the carrier shaft, and configured to rotate the carrier shaft and the carrier head;
a carrier loading station for transferring substrates to and from each one of the carrier heads, wherein the carrier loading station also comprises a buffing station and a metrology station, and wherein the carrier loading station of the third and fourth polishing processing modules are adjacent to the carrier loading stations of the first and second polishing processing modules; and
a polishing station comprising a polishing platen configured to support a polishing pad, wherein the carrier support module is positioned to move the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly between a substrate polishing position disposed above the polishing platen and a substrate transfer position disposed above the carrier loading station;
a substrate handler disposed between each first, second, third and fourth polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules and adjacent each carrier loading station; and
a substrate transfer station disposed between the first polishing module and the second polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules and adjacent the polishing stations, wherein the substrate handler is configured to transfer substrates between the each individual carrier loading station.
2 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier support module, the carrier loading station, and the polishing platen comprise a one-to-one-to-one relationship within each of the polishing modules.
3 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein
a pneumatic assembly is fluidly coupled to the carrier head through the carrier shaft.
4 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein
the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly are arranged within the carrier support module so that one of the carrier heads will be positioned over the polishing platen when the other carrier head is positioned over the carrier loading station.
5 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein the polishing system further comprises a controller configured to perform a substrate processing method, the method comprising:
urging a first substrate against the polishing pad disposed on the polishing platen in the presence of a polishing fluid, wherein the first substrate is disposed in the carrier head of the first substrate carrier assembly; and
concurrently with urging the first substrate against the polishing pad, unloading an at-least-partially-polished substrate from the carrier head of the second substrate carrier assembly and loading a to-be-polished second substrate to the carrier head of the second substrate carrier assembly.
6 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier loading station also comprises an edge correction station.
7 . The polishing system of claim 1 , further comprising one of a plurality of system loading stations, one or more substrate handlers, one or more metrology stations, one or more post-CMP cleaning systems, a location specific polishing (LSP) system, or a combination thereof.
8 . The polishing system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of upright supports, wherein a plurality of panels are disposed between the upright supports.
9 . The polishing system of claim 1 , further comprising a robot disposed between the plurality of polishing modules.
10 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier platform further comprises one or more electromechanical components, wherein the one or more electromechanical components are in fluid communication with the chamber disposed within the carrier head.
11 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly further comprise a translation actuator that is configured to cause the carrier head, the carrier shaft and the rotation actuator to translate in a first direction that is at an angle to the platform axis.
12 . The polishing system of claim 11 , wherein
the carrier loading station comprises a loading station central axis, and
the loading station axis, the platform axis, the platen axis and the first direction are positioned within a first vertical plane formed within the first polishing module when the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly within the first polishing module are positioned in the first processing mode position or the second processing mode position.
13 . The polishing system of claim 11 , wherein the translation actuator and a pneumatic assembly are each coupled to the carrier platform.
14 . The polishing system of claim 11 , wherein the translation actuator, rotation actuator and a pneumatic assembly are enclosed within a region defined by the carrier platform and a housing.
15 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein a pneumatic assembly in the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly is in fluid communication with the carrier head, in their respective substrate carrier assembly, through one or more conduits disposed through the carrier shaft.
16 . The polishing system of claim 15 , wherein the pneumatic assembly in each of the substrate carrier assemblies is fluidly coupled to their respective carrier head using a rotary union.
17 . The polishing system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller and a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor of the controller causes the carrier heads to retract towards the platform axis before the carrier platform is rotated to the first processing mode position or the second processing mode position.
18 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein
the loading station axis, the platform axis, the platen axis are positioned within a third vertical plane formed within the third polishing module when the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly, within the third polishing module, are positioned in the first processing mode position or the second processing mode position; and
the loading station axis, the platform axis, the platen axis are positioned within a fourth vertical plane formed within the fourth polishing module when the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly, within the fourth polishing module, are positioned in the first processing mode position or the second processing mode position,
wherein the third vertical plane and the fourth vertical plane are parallel to the first vertical plane and the second vertical plane.
19 . The polishing system of claim 1 , further comprising a first modular frame, a second modular frame, a third modular frame and a fourth modular frame, wherein the substrate handler is suspended from a shared overhead support comprising a portion of the first modular frame and the second modular frame or the third modular frame and the fourth modular frame.
20 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein
each individual polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules have a first side and a second side which is opposite to the first side; wherein
the first side of the first polishing module and the first side of the second polishing module are positioned adjacent to a first processing region.
21 . The polishing system of claim 1 , further comprising a first processing region, the first processing region abutting the first polishing module and the second polishing module, wherein the carrier loading stations of the first and second polishing modules are positioned away from the first processing region, and the polishing platen of the first and second polishing modules are positioned between the carrier loading stations and the first processing region.
22 . The polishing system of claim 1 , wherein the buffing station comprises a buff platen.
23 . A polishing system, comprising:
a first portion comprising one or more cleaning systems and one or more system loading stations, wherein the first portion comprises a first end, and the one or more cleaning systems are disposed between the first end and the one or more system loading stations;
a plurality of polishing modules, each individual polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules having a first side and a second side which is opposite to the first side, each polishing module comprising:
a polishing platen positioned adjacent to the first side and rotatable around a platen central axis;
a carrier loading station positioned adjacent to the second side, each carrier loading station having a loading station central axis; and
a substrate carrier transport system positioned between the polishing platen and the carrier loading station and configured to move a first substrate carrier assembly and a second substrate carrier assembly between the polishing platen and the carrier loading station, each substrate carrier transport system having a carrier support module, each carrier support module suspended from a frame, and each carrier support module comprising a carrier platform comprising the first substrate carrier assembly and the second substrate carrier assembly, the carrier platform is rotatable about a platform axis by a platform actuator configured to rotate the first and second substrate carrier assemblies between either a first processing mode position or a second processing mode position,
wherein
a first polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules is directly adjacent to a second polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules,
the first side of the first polishing module and the first side of the second polishing module are adjacent to the first end,
a third polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules is directly adjacent to a fourth polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules,
the second side of the first polishing module is positioned directly adjacent the second side of the third polishing module, and
the second side of the second polishing module is positioned directly adjacent the second side of the fourth polishing module; and
a substrate handler positioned directly adjacent to each carrier loading station within each of the first, second, third and fourth polishing modules.
24 . A polishing system comprising: a plurality of polishing modules having at least a first polishing module and a second polishing module coupled together in a side-by-side arrangement and supported by a shared tabletop, and a third polishing module and a fourth polishing module coupled together in a side-by-side arrangement, each polishing module comprising:
a polishing processing region;
a carrier support module comprising:
a carrier platform comprising a first substrate carrier assembly and a second carrier assembly, wherein
the carrier platform is rotatable or pivotable about a platform axis by a platform actuator configured to rotate the first and second substrate carrier assemblies between either a first processing mode position or a second processing mode position,
the platform actuator is configured to rotate the carrier platform, the first carrier assembly, and the second carrier assembly together, and
each of the first carrier assembly and the second carrier assembly comprise:
a carrier head comprising a chamber and coupled to a carrier shaft; and
a rotation actuator coupled to the carrier shaft, and configured to rotate the carrier shaft and the carrier head;
a carrier loading station for transferring substrates to and from each one of the carrier heads, wherein the carrier loading station also comprises a buffing station and a metrology station;
a polishing station comprising a polishing platen configured to support a polishing pad, wherein the carrier support module is positioned to move the first substrate carrier assembly and the second carrier assembly between a substrate polishing position disposed above the polishing platen and a substrate transfer position disposed above the carrier loading station;
a substrate handler disposed between each polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules and adjacent each carrier loading station; and
a substrate transfer station disposed between the first polishing module and the second polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules and adjacent to the polishing stations, wherein the substrate handler is configured to transfer substrates between the each individual carrier loading station,
wherein the first polishing module, the second polishing module, the third polishing module, and the fourth polishing module each have a first side and a second side which is opposite to the first side, and
wherein
the first polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules is directly adjacent to the second polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules,
the third polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules is directly adjacent to the fourth polishing module of the plurality of polishing modules, and
the second side of the first polishing module is positioned directly adjacent the second side of the third polishing module, and
the second side of the second polishing module is positioned directly adjacent the second side of the fourth polishing module, and
wherein in each polishing module:
the polishing platen is positioned adjacent to the first side;
the carrier loading station is positioned adjacent to the second side;
the carrier support module is positioned between the polishing platen and the carrier loading station.