IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,594,644
Granted Patent B2
US 12,594,644 · App. 17/806,378 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Polishing head assembly having recess and cap

Inventors: Peter Daniel Albrecht (O'Fallon, MO); Chih Yuan Hsu (Hsinchu, TW); Jen Chieh Lin (Hsinchu, TW); Wei Chang Huang (Hsinchu County, TW); Yau-Ching Yang (Hsinchu County, TW)
Assignee: GlobalWafers Co., Ltd.
B24B37/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,594,644
App. No.
17/806,378
Granted
Apr 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A polishing head assembly for polishing of semiconductor wafers includes a polishing head and a cap. The polishing head has a top portion and a recess along a bottom portion. The recess has a recessed surface. Holes extend from the top portion through the recessed surface. The cap is positioned within the recess and the cap has an annular wall and a floor extending across the annular wall. The annular wall has apertures corresponding to the holes. The floor is spaced from the recessed surface to form a chamber therebetween. The polishing head assembly also includes a band that circumscribes a portion of the annular wall. The holes and the corresponding apertures receive fasteners to removably secure the annular wall to the recessed surface.

Claims (29)

1 . A polishing head assembly for polishing of semiconductor wafers, the polishing head assembly comprising:

a polishing head having a top portion and a downwardly extending annular member defining a recess along a bottom portion, the recess having a recessed surface, and holes extending from the top portion through the recessed surface;

a cap positioned within the recess, the cap having an annular wall and a floor extending across the annular wall, the floor having a bottom surface and a top surface and being spaced from the recessed surface to form a chamber between the recessed surface and the top surface, wherein the annular wall has apertures corresponding to the holes, and wherein the cap is made of a metallic material; and

a band circumscribing a first portion of the annular wall, wherein the band is made of a non-metallic material;

wherein the annular member circumscribes a second portion of the annular wall;

wherein the thickness of the annular wall in a radial direction is greater at a top portion than at a bottom portion; and

wherein the holes and the corresponding apertures receive fasteners to removably secure the annular wall of the cap to the recessed surface of the polishing head.

2 . The polishing head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the band is non-unitary having at least two segments.

3 . The polishing head assembly of claim 2 , wherein the band has an interlocking member to secure the band to the annular wall.

4 . The polishing head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the band is a unitary one-piece band.

5 . The polishing head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the band is made of the non-metallic material is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyether ether ketone, polyphenylene sulfide, and polyethylene terephthalate.

6 . The polishing head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular wall has a top edge that contacts the recessed surface when the annular wall and the recessed surface are secured.

7 . The polishing head assembly of claim 6 , wherein the top edge comprises an o-ring forming a seal when the annular wall and the recessed surface are secured.

8 . The polishing head assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a template attached to the bottom surface of the floor, the template comprising a backing film.

9 . The polishing head assembly of claim 8 , wherein the template is attached to the bottom surface using a pressure sensitive adhesive.

10 . The polishing head assembly of claim 8 , wherein the template extends outward past an outer surface of the annular wall such that the band overlaps a portion of the template.

11 . The polishing head assembly of claim 10 , wherein a pressure sensitive adhesive forms a seal at the portion of the template overlapped by the band.

12 . The polishing head assembly of claim 8 , wherein the template further comprises a retaining ring extending downward from the backing film.

13 . The polishing head assembly of claim 12 , wherein the retaining ring forms an opening to receive a semiconductor wafer, and wherein a height of the wafer is greater than a height of the retaining ring.

14 . The polishing head assembly of claim 13 , wherein the template is used with a liquid to retain the wafer on the polishing head assembly by surface tension.

15 . A polishing head assembly for polishing of semiconductor wafers, the polishing head assembly comprising:

a polishing head having a top portion and a downwardly extending annular member defining a recess along a bottom portion, the recess having a recessed surface, and holes extending from the top portion through the recessed surface;

a cap positioned within the recess, the cap having an annular wall extending between and upper surface and a floor extending across the annular wall, the floor being spaced from the recessed surface to form a chamber therebetween, wherein the annular wall has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having apertures corresponding to the holes, the second portion extending downward from the first portion, and wherein the cap is made of a metallic material, wherein the thickness of the annular wall adjacent the upper surface is greater than a thickness of the annular wall adjacent the floor; and

a unitary one-piece band circumscribing the second portion of the annular wall, wherein the band is made of a non-metallic material;

wherein the annular member circumscribes a second portion of the annular wall;

wherein the holes and the corresponding apertures receive fasteners to removably secure the first portion of the annular wall of the cap to the recessed surface of the polishing head; and

wherein the first portion of the annular wall has a first o-ring forming a seal when the first portion and the recessed surface are secured.

16 . The polishing head assembly of claim 15 , wherein the cap has a tab extending outward from the second portion of the annular wall, and a second o-ring forming a seal between the tab and the band.

17 . The polishing head assembly of claim 15 , wherein the band is made of a non-metallic material selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyether ether ketone, polyphenylene sulfide, and polyethylene terephthalate.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR CHIH HSU, SECOND INVENTOR WAS SPELLED WRONG PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 060170 FRAME: 0227. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 13, 2022
From: ALBRECHT, PETER DANIEL; HSU, CHIH YUAN; LIN, JEN CHIEH; HUANG, WEI CHANG; YANG, YAU-CHING
To: GLOBALWAFERS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060349/0164 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: ALBRECHT, PETER DANIEL; HSU, CHIH; LIN, JEN CHIEH; HUANG, WEI CHANG; YANG, YAU-CHING
To: GLOBALWAFERS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060170/0227 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63202827 · Jun 25, 2021
Related Publication 20220410340A1 · Dec 29, 2022
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