IP Library Granted Patent US 12,023,778
Granted Patent B2
US 12,023,778 · App. 17/310,435 · Granted Jul 2, 2024

Substrate carrier head and processing system

Inventors: Daniel Ray Trojan (Chandler, AZ); William Manfred Daschbach (Gilbert, AZ)
Assignee: Axus Technology, LLC
B24B37/32
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,023,778
App. No.
17/310,435
Granted
Jul 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate carrier head is disclosed. In one aspect, the carrier head includes a carrier body, a substrate retainer, a first resilient membrane and a second resilient membrane. The carrier head can include an inner support plate. The substrate retainer is attached to the carrier body. The substrate retainer includes an aperture configured to receive a substrate. The first resilient membrane includes a first imperforated substrate support portion with a width W 1 . The second resilient membrane includes a second imperforated substrate support portion with a width W 2 . The second imperforated substrate support portion is positioned between the first substrate support portion and the carrier body, and is configured to selectively provide a force against at least an inner section of the first imperforated substrate support portion. The inner support plate is fixed relative to the carrier body and includes a support surface configured to support the second imperforated substrate support portion.

Claims (34)

1. A substrate carrier head comprising:

a carrier body;

a substrate retainer attached to the carrier body, the substrate retainer comprising an aperture configured to receive a substrate;

a first resilient membrane comprising a first imperforated substrate support portion with a width W 1 ;

a second resilient membrane comprising a second imperforated substrate support portion with a width W 2 , the second imperforated substrate support portion positioned between the first substrate support portion and the carrier body and configured to selectively provide a force against at least an inner section of the first imperforated substrate support portion; and

an inner support plate fixed relative to the carrier body to prevent relative motion of the inner support plate relative to the carrier body, the inner support plate comprising a support surface configured to support a substrate held upon the second imperforated substrate support portion.

2. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , wherein W 1 is greater than W 2 .

3. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , further comprising a single first membrane cavity formed between the first substrate support portion and the carrier body.

4. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , further comprising a single second membrane cavity formed between the second substrate support portion and the inner support plate.

5. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , further comprising an outer support plate configured to support an outer section of the first substrate support portion.

6. The substrate carrier head of claim 5 , wherein the outer support plate comprises a central opening configured to surround the second substrate support portion.

7. The substrate carrier head of claim 6 , wherein the outer support plate, first membrane, and second membrane are configured such that the second substrate support portion can pass through the central opening.

8. The substrate carrier head of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the outer support plate and the inner support plate comprise a plurality of holes configured to extend through a thickness of the at least one of the outer support plate and the inner support plate, and to provide fluid communication between at least one of the first cavity and the first substrate support portion and the second cavity and the second substrate support portion.

9. The substrate carrier head of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of holes comprises a first plurality of holes extending through the thickness of the outer support plate, and a second plurality of holes extending through the thickness of the inner support plate.

10. The substrate carrier head of claim 9 , wherein the second plurality of holes comprises a center hole extending through the center of the inner support plate, wherein the center hole is the same cross-sectional area as at least one of the other plurality of holes.

11. The substrate carrier head of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of holes are round, and the same diameter relative to each other.

12. The substrate carrier head of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of holes has an area less than about 0.4 in 2 .

13. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , wherein the second substrate support portion directly contacts at least the inner section of the first substrate support portion.

14. The substrate carrier head of claim 5 , further comprising a bladder configured to move the outer support plate relative to at least one of the carrier body, the second resilient membrane, and the inner support plate.

15. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate sensor with a diameter less than or equal to about 0.25 inches.

16. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate sensor with an adjustable spring force.

17. The substrate carrier head of claim 5 , wherein the inner plate and the outer plate are substantially coplanar with respect to each other, having a coplanarity of at most about 1 mm.

18. The substrate carrier head of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the inner plate and the outer plate comprise a flat surface with a flatness of at most about 0.05 mm.

19. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , wherein the substrate retainer comprises a substantially unbroken outer surface.

20. A chemical mechanical planarization system, comprising:

a rotating platen including a polishing pad;

a slurry delivery system;

a pad condition arm; and

a substrate carrier head comprising:

a carrier body;

a substrate retainer attached to the carrier body, the substrate retainer comprising an aperture configured to receive a substrate;

a first resilient membrane comprising a first imperforated substrate support portion with a width W 1 ;

a second resilient membrane comprising a second imperforated substrate support portion with a width W 2 , the second imperforated substrate support portion positioned between the first substrate support portion and the carrier body and configured to selectively provide a force against at least an inner section of the first imperforated substrate support portion; and

an inner support plate fixed relative to the carrier body to prevent relative motion of the inner support plate relative to the carrier body, the inner support plate comprising a support surface configured to support a substrate held upon the second imperforated substrate support portion.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jan 15, 2026
From: AXUS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
To: ASM AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 073852/0903 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2024
From: TROJAN, DANIEL RAY; DASCHBACH, WILLIAM MANFRED
To: AXUS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 066397/0484 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62805643 · Feb 14, 2019
Related Publication 20220126419A1 · Apr 28, 2022