Polishing assembly and chemical mechanical polishing apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a polishing assembly and a chemical mechanical polishing device, the polishing assembly comprising a plurality of polishing head modules and a rotating mechanism, at least one polishing head module is located in a polishing station and at least one polishing head module is located in a loading and unloading station during polishing operation; the rotating mechanism is used to drive the polishing head modules to switch between the polishing station and the loading and unloading station, the rotating mechanism comprises a rotating module and a swinging module, the rotating module comprises a first rotating shaft capable of rotating by itself, the swinging module comprises a plurality of second rotating shafts capable of rotating by themselves, the plurality of second rotating shafts are connected with the first rotating shaft respectively, each second rotating shaft is connected with each polishing head module respectively, the first rotating shaft is used to drive the swinging module to rotate around the axis of the first rotating shaft, and the second rotating shafts are respectively used to drive the corresponding polishing head modules to swing to approach or move away from the axis of the first rotating shaft. Through the above technical solution, the occupation of space by the polishing head is reduced, the arrangement space of other auxiliary mechanisms is liberated, and the arrangement of the auxiliary mechanisms is facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of polishing equipment, and more particularly to a polishing assembly and a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is an ultra-precision surface processing technology for global planarization and is a key technology for achieving comprehensive planarization of semiconductor wafer surfaces.

[0003] In related technologies, the polishing assembly in CMP equipment includes two polishing heads and a drive assembly for driving the movement of the two polishing heads to achieve alternating wafer loading / unloading and polishing operations. However, in related technologies, the polishing heads have a large range of motion when alternating wafer loading / unloading and polishing operations, resulting in a large space requirement for the CMP equipment and compressing the layout space of other auxiliary mechanisms, making it difficult to arrange other auxiliary mechanisms. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a polishing assembly and a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus to solve the problem in the related art that CMP equipment requires a large space, which also reduces the space available for other auxiliary mechanisms, making it difficult to arrange other auxiliary mechanisms.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a polishing assembly applied to a polishing apparatus, the polishing apparatus having a polishing station and a loading / unloading station, the polishing assembly comprising:

[0006] Multiple polishing head modules, wherein during polishing operations, at least one of the polishing head modules is located at the polishing station, and at least one polishing head module is located at the loading / unloading station; and

[0007] A rotary mechanism is used to drive the polishing head module to switch between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station. The rotary mechanism includes a rotating module and an oscillating module. The rotating module includes a first rotating shaft that can rotate on its own axis. The oscillating module includes multiple second rotating shafts that can rotate on their own axis. The multiple second rotating shafts are respectively connected to the first rotating shaft. Each second rotating shaft is respectively connected to each of the polishing head modules. The first rotating shaft is used to drive the oscillating module to rotate around the axis of the first rotating shaft. The second rotating shafts are respectively used to drive the corresponding polishing head module to oscillate to move closer to or away from the axis of the first rotating shaft.

[0008] As an optional implementation, the first rotating shaft is configured such that, when the distance between the plurality of polishing head modules and the axis of the first rotating shaft is the shortest, the first rotating shaft drives the oscillating module to rotate around the axis of the first rotating shaft.

[0009] This minimizes the range of motion of the polishing head module as it rotates through the oscillating module of the first rotating shaft, reducing its space occupation and freeing up space for other auxiliary mechanisms.

[0010] As an optional implementation, the first rotating shaft has a receiving cavity, and a plurality of second rotating shafts are rotatably disposed within the receiving cavity. The plurality of second rotating shafts are arranged around the axis of the first rotating shaft, and the axis of the second rotating shaft is parallel to the axis of the first rotating shaft. The cavity wall of the receiving cavity is provided with a clearance hole, which is configured to provide clearance for the connection between the polishing head module and the second rotating shaft.

[0011] Thus, in this application, by embedding the second rotating shaft within the first rotating shaft, the rotation range of the rotary mechanism is reduced, further decreasing the rotation range of the polishing head module. While ensuring the coverage area of ​​the polishing head module, the space occupied by the polishing head module and the rotary mechanism is minimized, freeing up space for other auxiliary mechanisms and facilitating their arrangement. Furthermore, this arrangement allows the rotation of the second rotating shaft to be protected by the cavity wall of the receiving cavity, i.e., the first rotating shaft, resulting in more stable oscillation and improved oscillation accuracy. By reducing the transmission structure between the first and second rotating shafts, the transmission efficiency between them is maximized.

[0012] As an optional implementation, the second rotating shaft includes a first shaft and a second shaft connected in the axial direction. The shaft diameter of the second shaft is larger than that of the first shaft. Along the radial direction of the second shaft, the second shaft is provided with a mounting platform. The mounting platform is used to mount the polishing head module, and the clearance hole is used to avoid the mounting platform.

[0013] The diameter of the second shaft is larger than that of the first shaft, so the second shaft is less prone to deformation after the mounting platform is installed.

[0014] As an optional implementation, the polishing head module is provided with two second rotating shafts, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the axis of the first rotating shaft, and the two second rotating shafts rotate in the same direction; the swing module also includes two first driving members, which are connected to the first shaft body and are used to drive the second rotating shaft to rotate.

[0015] The cavity contains a mounting plate, and the first drive unit is located in the cavity and mounted on the mounting plate.

[0016] The two polishing head modules ensure simultaneous wafer loading / unloading and polishing. The symmetrical arrangement of the two second rotating axes guarantees consistent rotation and oscillation ranges for both modules, ensuring uniform coverage and preventing issues with switching between polishing and loading / unloading stations. The mounting plate and the cavity walls provide a fixed mounting position for the first drive component. Simultaneously, these elements also limit the movement of the first drive component, preventing it from shifting during polishing operations and ensuring its stability.

[0017] As an optional implementation, the second rotating shaft is configured to reciprocate during polishing operations, causing the polishing head module at the polishing station to oscillate back and forth.

[0018] In this way, during the polishing operation, the polishing head module can swing in an arc-shaped trajectory under the reciprocating rotation of the second shaft. This makes the movement trajectory of the polishing head module longer during the polishing process, and makes it easier to control the acceleration and deceleration of the rotation speed of the second shaft.

[0019] As an optional implementation, the polishing assembly further includes a hoisting module, which includes a second drive component mounted on a frame;

[0020] The first rotating shaft includes a third shaft and a fourth shaft arranged coaxially. The second driving member is used to drive the third shaft to rotate. The fourth shaft is disposed below the third shaft and the frame and is connected to the end of the third shaft. The fourth shaft has the receiving cavity.

[0021] In this way, by fixing the position of the second driving component, the hoisting module can indirectly fix the position of the slewing mechanism while driving the first rotating shaft to rotate.

[0022] As an optional implementation, a through channel is formed inside the third shaft, and the through channel communicates with the receiving cavity.

[0023] In this way, the first drive component can be powered through the housing cavity and the through channel. At the same time, the through channel can also reduce the weight of the third shaft.

[0024] On the other hand, this application also discloses a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, which includes a base and a plurality of polishing components as described in any of the above claims. The base has a polishing station and a loading / unloading station, and the polishing components are disposed on the base.

[0025] As an optional implementation, the base is provided with a polishing table and a loading and unloading table, the polishing station is located on the polishing table, the loading and unloading station is located on the loading and unloading table, and a polishing pad is provided on the polishing table;

[0026] The base is also provided with a first spray assembly and a polishing pad conditioner. The first spray assembly is used to spray polishing liquid toward the polishing pad, and the polishing pad conditioner includes a conditioning disc that can be pressed onto the polishing pad. The conditioning disc is used to condition the surface of the polishing pad.

[0027] A polishing pad is used to contact the wafer surface. The polishing table drives the polishing pad to rotate, polishing the wafer surface. The loading and unloading station is located at the loading and unloading station, where the polishing head can unload the polished wafer and pick up the unpolished wafer. The first spray assembly is used to spray polishing fluid toward the polishing pad. The polishing pad dresser includes a dressing disc that can be pressed onto the polishing pad, and the dressing disc is used to dress the surface of the polishing pad.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are:

[0029] The polishing assembly and chemical mechanical polishing apparatus disclosed in this application are configured with a second rotating shaft connected to both a first rotating shaft and a polishing head module. When the first rotating shaft rotates, it can move the polishing head module via the second rotating shaft, thus moving the polishing head module to a designated area. Before the first rotating shaft rotates the polishing head module, the second rotating shaft swings the polishing head module to a position close to the axis of the first rotating shaft. This reduces the range of motion of the polishing head module when it rotates, minimizing its space occupation and freeing up space for other auxiliary mechanisms. After the first rotating shaft moves the polishing head module to the designated area, the distance between the polishing head module and the first rotating shaft is adjusted via the second rotating shaft, allowing the polishing head module to swing to a designated position, thus switching between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station. This method of switching the polishing head module's position via the first and second rotating shafts not only reduces the range of motion of the polishing head module during position switching but also does not affect the working span of the polishing head module during polishing operations.

[0030] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the polishing assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the polishing assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the shortest distance between the multiple polishing head modules of the polishing assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application and the first rotating shaft;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing that the distance between the multiple polishing head modules of the polishing assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application and the first rotating shaft is a set value;

[0036] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the polishing assembly with the maximum working span of multiple polishing head modules disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0037] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 Cross-sectional view of section E in the middle;

[0038] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 Cross-sectional view of section D;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the polishing assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application, with a hoisting module provided.

[0040] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the polishing equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 10 This is a top view of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus disclosed in an embodiment of this application, wherein a polishing head module is located at the polishing station and a polishing head module is located at the loading and unloading station;

[0042] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the shortest distance between the polishing head module and the axis of the first rotating shaft in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0043] Figure 12 This is a top view of another chemical mechanical polishing apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of this application, wherein a polishing head module is located at the polishing station and a polishing head module is located at the loading and unloading station.

[0044] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0045] 1-Polishing assembly, 11-Polishing head, 12-Third drive component, 13-Third rotating shaft, 10-Polishing head module, 20-Rotation mechanism, 201-Rotation module, 2011-First rotating shaft, 2011a-Receiving cavity, 2011b-Allowing hole, 2011c-Third shaft, 2011d-Fourth shaft, 2011e-Axis of the first rotating shaft, 2011f-Through channel, 2011g-Mounting plate, 202-Oscillating module, 2021-Second rotating shaft, 2021a-First shaft 2021b-Second shaft, 2021c-Mounting platform, 2021d-Axis of the second rotating shaft, 2021e-Weight reduction chamber, 2022-First drive component, 30-Lifting module, 301-Frame, 302-Second drive component, 2-Polishing equipment, 21-Base, 211-Polishing table, 212-Loading and unloading platform, 213-First spray assembly, 214-Polishing pad dresser, 215-Dressing disc, 216-Polishing pad, 3-Bearing, 41-Motor housing, 42-Stator, 43-Rotor. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. When the following description refers to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements.

[0047] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0048] Furthermore, in addition to indicating location or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0049] Furthermore, the terms "installation," "setup," "equipped with," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0050] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish different devices, elements, or components whose specific types and structures may be the same or different, and are not intended to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the indicated devices, elements, or components. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0051] Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is an ultra-precision surface processing technology for global planarization, and a key technology for achieving comprehensive planarization of semiconductor wafer surfaces. In related technologies, the polishing components in CMP equipment include polishing heads and drive components for moving the polishing heads, enabling alternating wafer loading / unloading and polishing operations. In these technologies, to achieve this alternation, two polishing heads need to move to their maximum distance under the drive of a linear guide before switching positions. During polishing, the polishing heads can perform linear reciprocating motion along the linear guide, and the range of motion of the polishing heads is determined by the length of the linear guide. Therefore, switching positions between the two polishing heads requires a large turning space. Furthermore, the longer linear guide increases the overall size of the machine and reduces the space required for other auxiliary mechanisms, resulting in a larger space requirement for CMP equipment and making it difficult to arrange other auxiliary mechanisms.

[0052] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a polishing assembly 1 and a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the second rotating shaft 2021 can be connected to both the first rotating shaft 2011 and the polishing head module 10. This means that when the first rotating shaft 2011 drives the polishing head module 10 to rotate, the range of motion of the polishing head module 10 is small, reducing its space occupation and freeing up space for other auxiliary mechanisms. After the first rotating shaft 2011 moves the polishing head module 10 to a designated area, the distance between the polishing head module 10 and the first rotating shaft 2011 can be adjusted via the self-rotating second rotating shaft 2021, allowing the polishing head module 10 to swing to a designated position, thus switching between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station. The following will describe the solution of this application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application discloses a polishing component 1, which is applied to a polishing device. The polishing device has a polishing station and a loading / unloading station. When the wafer is in the polishing station, the polishing device can polish the wafer. When the polished wafer is in the loading / unloading station, the polishing device will transfer the polished wafer and pick up the unpolished wafer to polish it.

[0054] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the polishing assembly 1 includes multiple polishing head modules 10 and a rotary mechanism 20.

[0055] During the polishing operation, at least one polishing head module 10 is located at the polishing station, and at least one polishing head module 10 is located at the loading / unloading station. Generally speaking, the polishing head module 10 may include a polishing head 11 and a third drive unit 12 for driving the polishing head 11 to rotate. The above-mentioned at least one polishing head module 10 being located at the polishing station can refer to at least one polishing head 11 being located at the polishing station, and the above-mentioned at least one polishing head module 10 being located at the loading / unloading station can refer to at least one polishing head 11 being located at the loading / unloading station.

[0056] Considering that the polishing head 11 in the polishing head module 10 is typically constructed as a cylinder, the aforementioned distance between the polishing head module 10 and the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011 can refer to the distance between the axis of rotation of the polishing head 11 in the polishing head module 10 (i.e., the axis of the polishing head 11) and the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011. It should be understood that the aforementioned distance between the polishing head module 10 and the first rotating shaft 2011 should be referenced to a specific element within the polishing head module 10. The rotary mechanism 20 is used to drive the polishing head module 10 to switch between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station. The rotary mechanism 20 includes a rotating module 201 and an oscillating module 202. The rotating module 201 includes a first rotating shaft 2011 that can rotate on its own axis. The oscillating module 202 includes a plurality of second rotating shafts 2021 that can rotate on their own axis. The plurality of second rotating shafts 2021 are respectively connected to the first rotating shaft 2011. Each second rotating shaft 2021 is respectively connected to each polishing head module 10. The first rotating shaft 2011 is used to drive the oscillating module 202 to rotate around the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011. The second rotating shafts 2021 are respectively used to drive the corresponding polishing head module 10 to oscillate to move closer to or away from the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011.

[0057] The polishing assembly 1 of this application is connected to the first rotating shaft 2011 and the polishing head module 10 via a second rotating shaft 2021. When the first rotating shaft 2011 rotates, it can move the polishing head module 10 to a designated area via the second rotating shaft 2021. Before the first rotating shaft 2011 rotates the polishing head module 10, the second rotating shaft 2021 swings the polishing head module 10 to a position close to the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011. This results in a smaller range of motion for the polishing head module 10 when it rotates, reducing its space occupation and freeing up space for other auxiliary mechanisms, thus facilitating their arrangement. After the first rotating shaft 2011 moves the polishing head module 10 to the designated area, the distance between the polishing head module 10 and the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011 is adjusted by the self-rotating second rotating shaft 2021, allowing the polishing head module 10 to swing to the designated position, thus switching the polishing head module 10 between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station. This method of switching the position of the polishing head module 10 through the first rotating shaft 2011 and the second rotating shaft 2021 not only reduces the range of motion of the polishing head module 10 during the position switching process, but also does not affect the working span of the polishing head module 10 during the polishing operation.

[0058] It is understood that the polishing component 1 in this application includes multiple polishing head modules 10. During the polishing process, at least one polishing head module 10 can be polished at the polishing station, and at least one polishing head module 10 can be loaded and unloaded at the loading and unloading station.

[0059] During the use of the rotary mechanism 20, at least one polishing head module 10 can switch from the polishing station to the loading and unloading station. At the same time, at least one polishing head module 10 can switch from the loading and unloading station to the polishing station, thereby enabling simultaneous wafer loading and unloading and polishing. When the polishing component in this application is applied to the polishing device, it is beneficial to improve the working efficiency of the polishing device.

[0060] During wafer polishing, the second drive unit can be configured such that a second rotating shaft reciprocates during the polishing operation, causing the polishing head module at the polishing station to oscillate back and forth. The reciprocating rotation of the second rotating shaft refers to its ability to rotate a specific angle in one direction and then continue rotating a specific angle in the opposite direction. For example, the second rotating shaft can rotate a specific angle clockwise and then a specific angle counterclockwise, causing the polishing head module to oscillate back and forth. In this way, during the polishing operation, the polishing head module can oscillate back and forth along an arc-shaped trajectory due to the reciprocating rotation of the second rotating shaft. This results in a longer movement trajectory for the polishing head module during the polishing process, making it easier to control the acceleration and deceleration of the second rotating shaft's rotation speed.

[0061] In some embodiments, the first rotating shaft 2011 can be configured such that, when the distance between the plurality of polishing head modules 10 and their respective axes 2011e is minimized, the first rotating shaft 2011 rotates to drive the polishing head modules 10 to move in the horizontal plane. This ensures that the range of motion of the polishing head modules 10 is minimized during the movement driven by the first rotating shaft 2011, thus minimizing the space occupied by the polishing head modules 10 and freeing up space for the arrangement of other auxiliary mechanisms. Simultaneously, the rotation of the first rotating shaft 2011 when the distance between the plurality of polishing head modules 10 and their respective axes 2011e is minimized also reduces the moment of inertia experienced by the first rotating shaft 2011 during rotation, preventing damage to the first rotating shaft 2011 due to stress concentration in the radial direction. For example, as... Figure 3 As shown, in Figure 3 In this case, the distance between the multiple polishing head modules 10 and the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011 is the shortest. At this time, the distance between the polishing head module 10 and the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011 can be represented by a straight-line distance A.

[0062] In other embodiments, the first rotating shaft 2011 can be configured such that, when the distance between the plurality of polishing head modules 10 and the first rotating shaft 2011 reaches a set value, the first rotating shaft 2011 rotates to drive the polishing head modules 10 to move in the horizontal plane. The set value of the distance can be such that, when the first rotating shaft 2011 rotates to drive the polishing head modules 10 to move in the horizontal plane, the polishing head modules 10 can avoid other auxiliary mechanisms. This allows the polishing head modules 10 to actively avoid other auxiliary mechanisms, facilitating their arrangement and reducing the angle at which the second rotating shaft 2021 drives the polishing head modules 10 to swing, thus reducing the time spent during switching. For example, as... Figure 4 As shown, the distance between the multiple polishing head modules 10 and the first rotating shaft 2011 is a set value. At this time, the distance between the polishing head module 10 and the first rotating shaft 2011 can be represented by a straight-line distance B.

[0063] During polishing operations, the polishing head module 11 has the largest coverage area when the distance between the multiple polishing head modules 10 and the first rotating shaft 2011 is at its maximum. At this point, the polishing head module 11 can have the largest working span. For example, as... Figure 5 As shown, at this time, the distance between the multiple polishing head modules 10 and the first rotating shaft 2011 is the largest, and the distance between the polishing head module 10 and the first rotating shaft 2011 can be represented by a straight-line distance C.

[0064] Please refer to the following: Figures 2 to 6In some embodiments, to further reduce the space occupied by the polishing assembly 1, the first rotating shaft 2011 can be a hollow shaft, that is, the first rotating shaft 2011 can have a receiving cavity 2011a. Multiple second rotating shafts 2021 are rotatably disposed within the receiving cavity 2011a. In this way, the polishing assembly 1 makes full use of the internal space of the first rotating shaft 2011, avoids the second rotating shafts 2021 occupying external space, and reduces the weight of the first rotating shaft 2011. Furthermore, the first rotating shaft 2011 can also protect the second rotating shafts 2021 from impacts or contamination from the external environment.

[0065] Simultaneously, when the second rotating shaft 2021 is embedded within the first rotating shaft 2011 in the manner described in this application, the transmission structure of the first rotating shaft 2011 and the second rotating shaft 2021 can be reduced, thereby reducing the radial dimension of the polishing assembly 1 on the first rotating shaft 2011. Figure 5 With the drawing direction as a reference, the size of the polishing component 1 in the horizontal direction is reduced. Thus, in this application, by embedding the second rotating shaft 2021 within the first rotating shaft 2011, the rotation range of the rotary mechanism 20 is reduced, further reducing the rotation range of the polishing head module 10. While ensuring the coverage area of ​​the polishing head module 10, the space occupied by the polishing head module 10 and the rotary mechanism 20 is minimized, freeing up space for other auxiliary mechanisms and facilitating their arrangement. Furthermore, this arrangement allows the rotation of the second rotating shaft 2021 to be protected by the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a, i.e., the first rotating shaft 2011. The oscillation of the second rotating shaft 2021 is more stable, and its oscillation accuracy is correspondingly improved. While reducing the transmission structure between the first and second rotating shafts 2011 and 2021, the transmission efficiency between them is also maximized. It should be noted that since the first rotating shaft 2011 also needs to rotate and drive the second rotating shaft 2021 and the polishing head 11, the distance between the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a and the outer surface of the first rotating shaft 2011 also needs to have a certain size, that is, to ensure that the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a has a certain thickness, so that the first rotating shaft 2011 has sufficient structural strength and ensures the durability of the first rotating shaft 2011.

[0066] In some embodiments, a clearance hole 2011b may be provided on the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a. The clearance hole 2011b is configured to provide clearance for the connection between the polishing head 11 and the second rotating shaft 2021. In this way, when the second rotating shaft 2021 drives the polishing head 11 to swing to a position close to the first rotating shaft 2011 through its own rotation, the first rotating shaft 2011 will not interfere with the connection area between the second rotating shaft 2021 and the polishing head 11.

[0067] In some embodiments, a plurality of second rotating shafts 2021 may be arranged around the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011, and the axes 2021d of the plurality of second rotating shafts 2021 are parallel to the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011. Figure 6 In the diagram, the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011 and the axis 2021d of the second rotating shaft 2021 extend vertically along the plane of the drawing, as described below. The first and second rotating shafts 2011 each include two shafts: the first shaft 2011 includes a third shaft 2011c and a fourth shaft 2011d. The axis 2011e mentioned here can refer to either the axis of the third shaft 2011c or the axis of the fourth shaft 2011d. The second rotating shaft 2021 includes a first shaft 2021a and a second shaft 2021b. The axis 2021d mentioned here can refer to either the axis of the first shaft 2021a or the axis of the second shaft 2021b. Thus, when the first rotating shaft 2011 drives the polishing head 11 to rotate via the second rotating shaft 2021, the height of the polishing head 11 remains unchanged.

[0068] In some embodiments, the polishing head module 10 may further include a third rotating shaft 13, which is connected to the polishing head 11 and the third driving member 12 respectively. For details, please refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 7 The third rotating shaft 13 can be coaxially connected with the rotating shaft of the polishing head 11 when it rotates.

[0069] The second rotating shaft 2021 may include a first shaft body 2021a and a second shaft body 2021b connected in the axial direction. The shaft diameter of the second shaft body 2021b is larger than that of the first shaft body 2021a. A mounting platform 2021c extends outward from the outer wall of the second shaft body 2021b in the radial direction. The mounting platform 2021c is used to mount the third drive component 12 and the third rotating shaft 13. A clearance hole 2011b is used to avoid the mounting platform 2021c. The shaft diameter of the second shaft body 2021b is larger than that of the first shaft body 2021a. Thus, with the mounting platform 2021c, the second shaft body 2021b is less prone to deformation. The mounting platform 2021c can be integrally formed with the second shaft body 2021b, further ensuring the connection strength between the mounting platform 2021c and the second shaft body 2021b. Meanwhile, the diameter of the second shaft 2021b is larger than that of the first shaft 2021a, which also improves the torsional strength of the second shaft 2021b, prevents the second shaft 2021 from deforming during the swing of the polishing head 11 driven by the second shaft 2021, and further ensures the strength of the second shaft 2021.

[0070] The oscillating module 202 may also include multiple first driving members 2022, the number of which corresponds to the number of polishing head modules 10. Taking the aforementioned polishing head modules 10 as an example where there are two, there may also be two first driving members 2022. The first driving members 2022 are connected to the first shaft 2021a and are used to drive the second rotating shaft 2021 to rotate. A mounting plate 2011g is also provided inside the receiving cavity 2011a. The first driving members 2022 are connected to the mounting plate 2011g and the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a, respectively. The mounting plate 2011g and the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a provide a fixed mounting position for the first driving members 2022. Simultaneously, the mounting plate 2011g and the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a also limit the movement of the first driving members 2022, preventing them from shaking and shifting during the operation of the polishing assembly 1, thus ensuring the stability of the first driving members 2022.

[0071] In some embodiments, two polishing head modules 10 may be provided, with two second rotating shafts 2021 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011, and the two second rotating shafts 2021 rotating in the same direction. The two polishing head modules 10 ensure that wafer loading / unloading and polishing processes can be performed simultaneously. The symmetrical arrangement of the two second rotating shafts 2021 ensures that the movement and oscillation ranges of the two polishing heads 11 are consistent, i.e., the coverage area of ​​the two polishing heads 11 is consistent, avoiding the problem of the polishing head module 10 being unable to switch between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station. Furthermore, the symmetrical arrangement of the two second rotating shafts 2021 also ensures that the force on the first rotating shaft 2011 is symmetrical during rotation, ensuring the uniformity of the force on the first rotating shaft 2011 and preventing the first rotating shaft 2011 from shifting during rotation. The fact that the two second rotating shafts 2021 rotate in the same direction ensures that the two polishing heads 11 will not interfere with each other during rotation, so that multiple polishing heads 11 can swing to the shortest distance from the first rotating shaft 2011.

[0072] Of course, in other embodiments, the polishing heads 11 can also be set to an even number, such as four, six, or eight.

[0073] In some embodiments, the polishing assembly 1 may include a hoisting module 30, for example, as shown in [reference needed]. Figure 8The hoisting module 30 includes a second drive member 302 mounted on the frame 301. To avoid the frame 301 obstructing the rotation mechanism 20 and the polishing head module 10, and to facilitate understanding of the hoisting module 30, the frame 301 is shown as transparent in the accompanying drawings, only its outline is displayed. The first rotating shaft 2011 includes a third shaft 2011c and a fourth shaft 2011d coaxially arranged. The second drive member 302 drives the third shaft 2011c to rotate. The fourth shaft 2011d is located below the third shaft 2011c and the frame 301, and is connected to the end of the third shaft 2011c. By fixing the position of the second drive member 302, the hoisting module 30 can indirectly fix the position of the rotation mechanism 20 while driving the first rotating shaft 2011 to rotate. Here, the frame 301 can refer to a part of the equipment on which the polishing assembly 1 is mounted. The second drive member 302 can drive the third shaft 2011c to rotate, and simultaneously drive the fourth shaft 2011d to rotate, thereby realizing the rotation of the first rotating shaft 2011. In some embodiments, the shaft diameter of the fourth shaft 2011d can be larger than the shaft diameter of the third shaft 2011c, ensuring that the second rotating shaft 2021 and the first drive member 2022 for driving the second rotating shaft 2021 to rotate can be accommodated.

[0074] The aforementioned third drive component 12, first drive component 2022, and second drive component 302 used to drive the rotating shaft can each be a direct drive motor. The direct drive motor mainly includes a motor housing 41, a stator 42, and a rotor 43. The stator 42 is sleeved on the outside of the rotor 43, and the rotor 43 is rotatably mounted. The motor housing is sleeved on the outside of the stator 42. The rotor 43 in the third drive component 12, the first drive component 2022, and the second drive component 302 can be connected to the rotating shaft to be driven to rotate. For example, the rotor 43 in the third drive component 12 can be sleeved on the outside of the shaft of the third rotating shaft 13 to drive the third rotating shaft 13 to rotate; the rotor 43 in the first drive component 2022 can be sleeved on the outside of the shaft of the first shaft body 2021a in the second rotating shaft 2021 to drive the second rotating shaft 2021 to rotate; the rotor 43 in the second drive component 302 can be sleeved on the outside of the shaft of the third shaft body 2011c in the first rotating shaft 2011 to drive the first rotating shaft 2011 to rotate.

[0075] In this application, since the rotating shaft needs to be driven to rotate, the third drive component 12, the first drive component 2022 and the second drive component 302 can be designed as direct drive motors, so that the third drive component 12, the first drive component 2022 and the second drive component 302 can be directly sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft and directly drive the rotating shaft to rotate. There is no need to design an additional transmission structure between the drive component and the rotating shaft. The drive component occupies less space and has higher transmission efficiency, further reducing the volume and weight of the rotary mechanism 20.

[0076] In some embodiments, a through channel 2011f can be formed inside the third shaft 2011c, which communicates with the receiving cavity 2011a. This allows the first driving member 2022 to be powered via wiring through the receiving cavity 2011a and the through channel 2011f. Simultaneously, the through channel 2011f can also reduce the weight of the third shaft 2011c. Correspondingly, weight-reducing cavities 2021e can also be formed inside the first shaft 2021a and the second shaft 2021b to reduce the volume and weight of the second rotating shaft 2021.

[0077] In some embodiments, multiple connecting bearings 3 can be provided on the outer sides of the first rotating shaft 2011, the second rotating shaft 2021, and the third rotating shaft 13. For example, a connecting bearing 3 can be provided between the third shaft body 2011c and the frame 301 to achieve a rotatable connection between the third shaft body 2011c and the frame 301. Multiple bearings 3 can be sleeved on the outer side of the second rotating shaft 2021. The outer rings of the multiple bearings 3 can be connected to the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a. The bearings 3 can be sleeved on the end of the second rotating shaft 2021. See [reference needed] for details. Figure 2 ,exist Figure 2 In this configuration, bearing 3 can be sleeved on the lower end of the second rotating shaft 2021. Bearing 3 can be connected to the bottom cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a. Furthermore, bearing 3 can be embedded in the bottom cavity wall of the receiving cavity 2011a. In this way, when the second rotating shaft 2021 rotates, the receiving cavity 2011a can be used to fix bearing 3, and bearing 3 can ensure the stability of the second rotating shaft 2021. Bearing 3 for connecting with the mounting platform 2021c can be sleeved on the outer side of the third rotating shaft 13, realizing a rotatable connection with the mounting platform 2021c.

[0078] It should be noted that this application does not impose specific limitations on the design of the third drive component 12, the first drive component 2022, and the second drive component 302. Besides the aforementioned design using a direct-drive motor, other drive component or drive structure designs can also be used, such as a combination of a motor and a transmission structure, as long as the corresponding rotating shaft can rotate. Correspondingly, in this application, given a suitable working space, the connection method of the first rotating shaft 2011, the second rotating shaft 2021, and the third rotating shaft 13 can also employ other suitable connection structures, as long as the motion relationship between the first rotating shaft 2011, the second rotating shaft 2021, and the third rotating shaft 13 is satisfied. For example, the second rotating shaft 2021 may not be located within the first rotating shaft 2011, or it may be connected to the first rotating shaft 2011 through a structure similar to the mounting platform 2021c.

[0079] A second object of this disclosure is to provide a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, such as Figures 9 to 12As shown, the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a base 21 and multiple polishing components 1 as described above, and has all its beneficial effects, which will not be repeated here. The polishing components 1 are mounted on the base 21, which has a polishing station and a loading / unloading station.

[0080] Reference Figure 9 In some embodiments, a polishing table 211 and a loading / unloading table 212 may be provided on the base 21. The polishing station is located on the polishing table 211, and a polishing pad 216 is provided on the polishing table 211. The polishing pad 216 is used to contact the wafer surface. The polishing table 211 drives the polishing pad 216 to rotate, and at the same time, the polishing head module 11 rotates to achieve polishing treatment on the wafer surface. The loading / unloading station is located on the loading / unloading table 212. The polishing head 11 at the loading / unloading station can unload the polished wafer and pick up the unpolished wafer.

[0081] The base 21 may also be provided with a first spray assembly 213 and a polishing pad trimmer 214. The first spray assembly 213 is used to spray polishing liquid toward the polishing pad 216. The polishing pad trimmer 214 includes a trimming disc 215 that can be pressed onto the polishing pad 216. The trimming disc 215 is used to trim the surface of the polishing pad 216.

[0082] The following combines the above content and... Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 Provide a detailed description of the polishing process using a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus.

[0083] in, Figure 10 This is a top view of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus disclosed in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 10 As shown, there are two polishing head modules 10. In the two polishing head modules 10, the polishing head 11 of one polishing head module 10 is in the polishing station, and the polishing head 11 of the other polishing head module 10 is in the loading and unloading station. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the polishing head module 10 of the polishing equipment disclosed in this application during the switching process between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station. At this time, the distance between the polishing head module 10 and the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011 is the shortest.

[0084] Figure 12 This is a top view of another chemical mechanical polishing apparatus disclosed in an embodiment of this application, wherein one polishing head module is located at the polishing station, and another polishing head module is located at the loading and unloading station. Figure 10 The difference is that, in Figure 12 In the process, under the condition that the installation conditions can be met, the installation position of the loading and unloading platform 212 changes, compared to Figure 10 The arrangement method Figure 12 The loading / unloading platform 212 is positioned closer to the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011, so that... Figure 10 and Figure 12 The up and down directions in the drawing are used as a reference, compared to... Figure 10 Polishing component 1 in the middle, Figure 12 The polishing component 1 in the middle is further reduced in size in the vertical direction. Thus, Figure 12 The chemical mechanical polishing device in the middle is compared to Figure 10 The chemical mechanical polishing device in the middle is more space-saving.

[0085] by Figure 10 Taking a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus as an example, when the CMP apparatus needs to polish wafers, the rotary mechanism 20 controls two polishing head modules 10 to move them to the loading / unloading station and the polishing station, respectively. The polishing pad 216 and the polishing table 211 polish the wafer surface at the polishing station. The polishing head 11 at the loading / unloading station can unload the polished wafer and pick up the unpolished wafer. At this time, the positions of the two polishing head modules 10 can be referenced... Figure 10 .

[0086] After the polishing and loading / unloading operations are completed, continue with Figure 10 Taking the perspective of [reference point], at this time, the polishing head 11 located at the loading / unloading station can swing counterclockwise by a certain angle under the drive of the second rotating shaft 2021. Simultaneously, the polishing head 11 located at the polishing station can also swing counterclockwise by a certain angle under the drive of the second rotating shaft 2021. After the polishing head 11 originally at the polishing station and the polishing head originally at the loading / unloading station have both swung counterclockwise by a certain angle under the drive of the second rotating shaft 2021, the distance between the two polishing head modules 10 and the axis 2011e of the first rotating shaft 2011 is minimized. At this time, the positions of the two polishing head modules 10 can be referenced [reference point]. Figure 11 .exist Figure 11 In the process of switching between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station, the two polishing head modules 11 are in operation.

[0087] Then, the first rotating shaft 2011 rotates 180 degrees, causing the two polishing heads 11 to switch positions. At this time, the polishing head 11 originally located at the loading / unloading station needs to swing clockwise by a certain angle under the drive of the second rotating shaft 2021, so that the polishing head 11 originally located at the loading / unloading station swings to the polishing station. The polishing head 11 originally located at the polishing station needs to swing clockwise by a certain angle under the drive of the second rotating shaft 2021, so that the polishing head 11 originally located at the polishing station swings to the loading / unloading station. In this way, the chemical mechanical polishing device can perform polishing and loading / unloading operations simultaneously, and the polishing head 11 can switch between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station.

[0088] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A polishing assembly, characterized in that, The polishing component (1) is applied to a polishing device, which has a polishing station and a loading / unloading station. The polishing component (1) includes: Multiple polishing head modules (10), wherein during polishing operations, at least one of the polishing head modules (10) is located at the polishing station, and at least one of the polishing head modules (10) is located at the loading / unloading station; and A rotary mechanism (20) is used to drive the polishing head module (10) to switch between the polishing station and the loading / unloading station. The rotary mechanism (20) includes a rotating module (201) and an oscillating module (202). The rotating module (201) includes a first rotating shaft (2011) that can rotate on its own axis. The oscillating module (202) includes a plurality of second rotating shafts (2021) that can rotate on their own axis. The plurality of second rotating shafts (2021) are respectively connected to the first rotating shaft (2011). Each second rotating shaft (2021) is respectively connected to each polishing head module (10). The first rotating shaft (2011) is used to drive the oscillating module (202) to rotate around the axis (2011e) of the first rotating shaft (2011). The second rotating shafts (2021) are respectively used to drive the corresponding polishing head module (10) to oscillate to move closer to or away from the axis (2011e) of the first rotating shaft (2011).

2. The polishing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first rotating shaft (2011) is configured such that, when the distance between the plurality of polishing head modules (10) and the axis (2011e) of the first rotating shaft (2011) is the shortest, the first rotating shaft (2011) drives the swing module to rotate around the axis (2011e) of the first rotating shaft (2011).

3. The polishing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first rotating shaft (2011) has a receiving cavity (2011a), and a plurality of second rotating shafts (2021) are rotatably disposed within the receiving cavity (2011a). The plurality of second rotating shafts (2021) are arranged around the axis (2011e) of the first rotating shaft (2011), and the axis (2021d) of the second rotating shafts (2021) is parallel to the axis (2011e) of the first rotating shaft (2011). The cavity wall of the receiving cavity (2011a) is provided with a clearance hole (2011b), which is configured to provide clearance for the connection between the polishing head module (10) and the second rotating shafts (2021).

4. The polishing assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second rotating shaft (2021) includes a first shaft body (2021a) and a second shaft body (2021b) connected in the axial direction. The shaft diameter of the second shaft body (2021b) is larger than that of the first shaft body (2021a). Along the radial direction of the second shaft body (2021b), the second shaft body (2021b) is provided with a mounting platform (2021c). The mounting platform (2021c) is used to mount the polishing head module (10). The clearance hole (2011b) is used to avoid the mounting platform (2021c).

5. The polishing assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The polishing head module (10) is provided in two parts, and the two second rotating shafts (2021) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the axis (2011e) of the first rotating shaft (2011), and the two second rotating shafts (2021) rotate in the same direction. The swing module (202) further includes two first driving members (2022), which are connected to the first shaft (2021a) and are used to drive the second rotating shaft (2021) to rotate. The cavity (2011a) is provided with a mounting plate (2011g), and the first driving member (2022) is located in the cavity (2011a) and mounted on the mounting plate (2011g).

6. The polishing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second rotating shaft (2021) is configured to reciprocate during the polishing operation, so that the polishing head module (10) at the polishing station oscillates back and forth.

7. The polishing assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The polishing assembly (1) further includes a hoisting module (30), which includes a second drive unit (302) mounted on a frame (301); The first rotating shaft (2011) includes a third shaft (2011c) and a fourth shaft (2011d) arranged coaxially. The second driving member (302) is used to drive the third shaft (2011c) to rotate. The fourth shaft (2011d) is disposed below the third shaft (2011c) and connected to the end of the third shaft (2011c). The fourth shaft (2011d) has the receiving cavity (2011a).

8. The polishing assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The third shaft (2011c) has a through channel (2011f) inside, which is connected to the receiving cavity (2011a).

9. A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, characterized in that, The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a base (21) and a plurality of polishing components (1) as described in any one of claims 1-8, the base (21) having a polishing station and a loading / unloading station, and the polishing components (1) being disposed above the base (21).

10. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, The base (21) is provided with a polishing table (211) and a loading and unloading table (212). The polishing station is located on the polishing table (211), and the loading and unloading station is located on the loading and unloading table (212). The polishing table (211) is provided with a polishing pad (216). The base (21) is also provided with a first spray assembly (213) and a polishing pad dresser (214). The first spray assembly (213) is used to spray polishing liquid toward the polishing pad (216). The polishing pad dresser (214) includes a dressing disc (215) that can be pressed onto the polishing pad (216). The dressing disc (215) is used to dress the surface of the polishing pad (216).

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