Grinding head mechanism and grinding equipment
By incorporating retaining rings and polishing slurry outlet sections into the CMP equipment, the problem of slurry slippage caused by slurry support displacement was solved, achieving precise slurry distribution and flow field stability. This improved the polishing quality and production efficiency of semiconductor structures while saving on slurry consumption.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520311409.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-06
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-02-25
AI Technical Summary
In traditional CMP equipment, the slurry support is prone to displacement, which causes changes in the slurry landing point, affects the flow field distribution, leads to thickness differences in different areas of the wafer after polishing, and may even cause the wafer to be scrapped, and the slurry is wasted in large quantities.
A retaining ring is provided in the grinding head mechanism, and the outlet of the grinding slurry pipeline is located in the groove of the retaining ring to ensure that the grinding slurry flows accurately to the grinding surface of the semiconductor structure. The flow path is optimized by combining the flow field generated by the co-rotation of the grinding table through multiple equally spaced outlets.
This avoids the slurry from deviating from its landing point, improves the polishing quality and stability of semiconductor structures, reduces slurry waste, and lowers scrap rate and production costs.
Smart Images
Figure CN223762949U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a grinding head mechanism and grinding equipment. Background Technology
[0002] CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) technology plays a crucial role in semiconductor manufacturing, and CMP equipment is one of its core pieces of equipment. In traditional CMP equipment, the polishing slurry outlet is typically in the form of a movable support. During routine maintenance, the polishing slurry support needs to be moved, and then returned to its original position after the maintenance process is completed.
[0003] However, in actual use, the polishing slurry support is prone to displacement, which directly causes changes in the landing point of the polishing slurry. Since the landing point of the polishing slurry has a crucial impact on the flow field distribution, once the landing point changes, the flow field distribution also changes, resulting in differences in the thickness of different areas of the wafer after polishing. In severe cases, this can even lead to wafer scrapping and cause huge losses to production.
[0004] Therefore, ensuring the accuracy and stability of the polishing slurry's landing point, enabling it to always track the wafer position, maximizing the utilization of the polishing slurry, and avoiding landing point deviation are currently urgent technical challenges that need to be solved.
[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content
[0006] Based on this, the present application provides a grinding head mechanism and grinding equipment, which can avoid the grinding slurry from falling off the landing point, resulting in different thicknesses in different areas of the semiconductor structure after grinding; it can also avoid the grinding slurry being thrown out with the grinding table during the grinding process, thus saving the amount of grinding slurry used.
[0007] According to some embodiments, this application provides a grinding head mechanism, including a grinding head and a retaining ring disposed on the side of the grinding head near the grinding table; wherein,
[0008] The retaining ring has a plurality of grooves spaced apart, the grooves extending from the inner peripheral wall of the retaining ring to the outer peripheral wall of the retaining ring;
[0009] The polishing head is provided with a polishing slurry pipeline, and the outlet of the polishing slurry pipeline is located in at least one of the grooves of the retaining ring, so as to allow the polishing slurry to flow through the polishing slurry pipeline to the polishing surface of the semiconductor structure.
[0010] In some embodiments, in the thickness direction of the retaining ring, the outlet portion of the grinding fluid pipeline is inclined from the outer peripheral wall to the inner peripheral wall of the retaining ring in a predetermined direction.
[0011] In some embodiments, the angle formed by the preset direction and the plane containing the bottom surface of the retaining ring is less than or equal to 60°.
[0012] In some embodiments, the angle formed by the preset direction and the plane containing the bottom surface of the retaining ring is 60°.
[0013] In some embodiments, the plurality of grooves are equally spaced around the central axis of the retaining ring.
[0014] In some embodiments, the polishing fluid pipeline has multiple outlets, which are equally spaced around the central axis of the retaining ring.
[0015] In some embodiments, the outlet of the polishing fluid pipeline is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the groove of the retaining ring.
[0016] In some embodiments, the polishing fluid pipeline is provided with 8 to 16 outlets.
[0017] In some embodiments, the outlet portion of the grinding fluid pipeline has a rectangular cross-section in the radial direction of the retaining ring.
[0018] According to some embodiments, this application also provides a grinding apparatus, including a grinding table and a grinding head mechanism as provided in the foregoing embodiments, the grinding head mechanism being disposed above the grinding table.
[0019] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application.
[0020] The embodiments of this application may have, or at least have, the following advantages:
[0021] This embodiment of the application fixes the polishing slurry outlet by placing it within the groove of the retaining ring. This allows the polishing slurry to flow through the slurry pipe to the polishing surface of the semiconductor structure, thus resolving the problem of the polishing slurry's easy displacement due to the movable polishing slurry support, which leads to a shift in the slurry's landing point and consequently changes in the flow field distribution. Therefore, this embodiment helps avoid the problem of thickness differences in different areas of the semiconductor structure after polishing, thereby improving the polishing quality and stability of the semiconductor structure, reducing the scrap rate, and increasing production yield.
[0022] By employing the embodiments of this application, the polishing slurry is applied directly to the semiconductor structure via the polishing slurry pipeline outlet located within the retaining ring groove, avoiding waste caused by the polishing slurry being thrown out with the polishing table during the polishing process, thereby saving polishing slurry usage and reducing production costs.
[0023] Furthermore, by adopting the embodiments of this application, when the grinding head and the grinding table rotate in the same direction, the grinding fluid can enter from one side and be discharged from the other side, thereby further optimizing the grinding process and improving grinding efficiency.
[0024] Other advantages, objectives, and features of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following examination or study, or may be learned from practice of this application. The objectives and other advantages of this application can be realized and obtained through the following description. Attached Figure Description
[0025] Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0026] Figure 1 A side view of a grinding head mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application;
[0027] Figure 2 A top view of the retaining ring and semiconductor structure in a grinding head mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application;
[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of point A in the grinding head mechanism shown.
[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0030] 1. Semiconductor structure; 110. Grinding head; 111. Outlet of grinding slurry line; 210. Holding ring; 211. Groove; 20. Grinding table. Detailed Implementation
[0031] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the application. However, this application may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of this application will be thorough and complete.
[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application.
[0033] It should be understood that when a component or layer is referred to as "on," it can be located directly on other components, or it can have intervening components.
[0034] Spatial relation terms such as “…above” can be used herein to describe the relationship between one component or feature shown in the figures and other components or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figures, spatial relation terms also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, it is described as “above other components” or the feature would be oriented “below” other components or features. Therefore, the exemplary term “…above” can include both above and below orientations. Furthermore, components may also include other orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatial descriptive terms used herein are interpreted accordingly.
[0035] When used herein, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” may also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that when the terms “compose” and / or “comprise” are used in this specification, the presence of the stated features, integers, and / or components is established, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, and / or components is not excluded. Meanwhile, when used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.
[0036] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this disclosure. Although the illustrations only show components related to this disclosure and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed in actual implementation, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.
[0037] CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) technology plays a crucial role in semiconductor manufacturing, and CMP equipment is one of its core pieces of equipment. In traditional CMP equipment, the polishing slurry outlet is typically in the form of a movable support. During routine maintenance, the polishing slurry support needs to be moved, and then returned to its original position after the maintenance process is completed.
[0038] However, in actual use, the polishing slurry support is prone to displacement, which directly causes changes in the landing point of the polishing slurry. Since the landing point of the polishing slurry has a crucial impact on the flow field distribution, once the landing point changes, the flow field distribution also changes, resulting in differences in the thickness of different areas of the wafer after polishing. In severe cases, this can even lead to wafer scrapping and cause huge losses to production.
[0039] Therefore, ensuring the accuracy and stability of the polishing slurry's landing point, enabling it to always track the wafer position, maximizing the utilization of the polishing slurry, and avoiding landing point deviation are currently urgent technical challenges that need to be solved.
[0040] Therefore, this application aims to provide a solution that can solve the above-mentioned technical problems, avoiding the offset of the polishing slurry landing point, which leads to differences in the thickness of different regions of the semiconductor structure after polishing; it can also avoid the waste caused by the polishing slurry being thrown out with the polishing table during the polishing process, thus saving the amount of polishing slurry used. Details will be described in subsequent embodiments.
[0041] According to some embodiments, this application provides a grinding head mechanism. Please refer to... Figure 1 The grinding head mechanism may specifically include a grinding head 110 and a retaining ring 210.
[0042] For example, the semiconductor structure 1 can be a semiconductor structure such as a wafer or a chip. The specific type of semiconductor structure 1 is not specifically limited in the embodiments of this application.
[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the retaining ring 210 is disposed on the side of the grinding head 110 near the grinding table 20. By fixing the semiconductor structure 1 inside the retaining ring 210, the semiconductor structure 1 is prevented from shifting or shaking during the grinding process.
[0044] Please see Figure 2 The retaining ring 210 has a plurality of grooves 211 spaced apart, which extend from the inner peripheral wall of the retaining ring 210 to the outer peripheral wall of the retaining ring 210; the grinding head 110 is provided with a grinding fluid pipeline. The grinding fluid pipeline is used to provide a channel for the flow of grinding fluid, thereby accurately delivering the grinding fluid to the grinding area and providing necessary cooling and abrasive delivery functions for the grinding process.
[0045] Figure 3 for Figure 1 This is a partial cross-sectional view of point A in the grinding head mechanism shown. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 Understood, in this embodiment of the application, the outlet 111 of the polishing slurry pipeline is disposed in at least one groove 211 of the retaining ring 210, for allowing the polishing slurry to flow through the polishing slurry pipeline to the polishing surface of the semiconductor structure 1.
[0046] This embodiment of the application fixes the outlet position of the polishing slurry by placing the outlet 111 of the polishing slurry pipeline within the groove 211 of the retaining ring 210. This allows the polishing slurry to flow through the pipeline to the polishing surface of the semiconductor structure 1, solving the problem of easy displacement of the movable polishing slurry support, which leads to a shift in the landing point of the polishing slurry and consequently changes in the flow field distribution of the polishing slurry. Therefore, this embodiment helps avoid the problem of thickness differences in different areas of the semiconductor structure 1 after polishing, thereby improving the polishing quality and stability of the semiconductor structure 1, reducing the scrap rate, and increasing the production yield.
[0047] By adopting the embodiments of this application, the polishing slurry acts directly on the semiconductor structure 1 through the polishing slurry pipeline outlet 111 located in the groove 211 of the retaining ring 210, avoiding the waste caused by the polishing slurry being thrown out with the polishing table 20 during the polishing process, thereby saving the amount of polishing slurry used and reducing production costs.
[0048] Furthermore, using the embodiments of this application, when the grinding head 110 and the grinding table 20 are configured to rotate in the same direction, the grinding slurry, upon entering the grinding area, can follow the flow trend generated by the co-rotation of the grinding head 110 and the grinding table 20, and travel along a specific path (such as...) between the grinding head 110 and the grinding table 20. Figure 2 The polishing slurry flows in the direction indicated by the arrow. Specifically, the polishing slurry enters the polishing area from one side of the groove 211 of the retaining ring 210. Influenced by the flow field generated by the co-rotation of the polishing head 110 and the polishing table 20, the polishing slurry moves in the polishing area along the rotation direction. As the polishing process proceeds, the polishing slurry interacts with the surface of the semiconductor structure 1 and the polishing table 20, gradually becoming waste liquid containing polishing particles and impurities. Due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation, the waste liquid is pushed to the other side of the polishing area, thus achieving discharge from one side. This further optimizes the polishing process and improves polishing efficiency.
[0049] Please continue reading. Figure 3 In some embodiments, in the thickness direction of the retaining ring 210, the outlet portion 111 of the polishing slurry conduit is inclined from the outer peripheral wall to the inner peripheral wall of the retaining ring 210 in a predetermined direction. This allows the polishing slurry to be guided more smoothly to the polishing surface of the semiconductor structure 1, making the flow direction of the polishing slurry form a certain angle with the thickness direction of the retaining ring 210. This prevents the polishing slurry from directly and perpendicularly impacting the surface of the semiconductor structure 1 within the retaining ring 210, which helps to make the distribution of the polishing slurry more uniform in the polishing area, thereby improving polishing quality and reducing the generation of polishing marks and defects.
[0050] This application embodiment does not specifically limit the tilt angle of the aforementioned preset direction. As an example, the aforementioned preset direction can be configured as: the angle α formed by the preset direction and the plane containing the bottom surface of the retaining ring 210 (e.g., Figure 3(As shown) less than or equal to 60°.
[0051] The bottom surface of the retaining ring 210 refers to the end surface that is connected to both the inner peripheral wall of the retaining ring 210 away from the grinding head 110 and the outer peripheral wall of the retaining ring 210 away from the grinding head 110.
[0052] In the above example, by controlling the included angle α to be less than or equal to 60°, it is possible to avoid the grinding slurry flowing out too quickly due to an excessively large included angle α, which would prevent it from fully contacting the grinding surface. This provides a more suitable outflow speed and direction for the grinding slurry when it enters the grinding area, thereby helping to improve the utilization rate of the grinding slurry and enabling it to better cover the grinding area, thus improving grinding efficiency. At the same time, it further reduces the amount of grinding slurry used and lowers production costs.
[0053] For example, the angle α formed by the preset direction and the plane containing the bottom surface of the retaining ring 210 (such as...) Figure 3 The angle α is 60°. At this angle, the flow path of the polishing slurry can achieve an optimal balance. After flowing out of the outlet 111, the polishing slurry can flow to the polishing area at a suitable speed and direction, thereby fully contacting the polishing surface of the semiconductor structure 1, making the distribution of the polishing slurry in the polishing area more uniform, and achieving a good polishing effect. In addition, an included angle α of 60° also helps to form a more stable flow field, further reducing the splashing and waste of polishing slurry during the polishing process, which is beneficial to saving polishing slurry consumption and reducing production costs.
[0054] Please continue reading. Figure 2 In some embodiments, multiple grooves 211 may be arranged at equal intervals around the central axis of the retaining ring 210.
[0055] As an example, the outlet section 111 of the grinding fluid pipeline can also be multiple. (Combined) Figure 2 and Figure 3 It is understood that in some embodiments, multiple outlets 111 may be equally spaced around the central axis of the retaining ring 210. The multiple equally spaced outlets 111 can further improve the uniformity of the polishing slurry distribution. For example, when the polishing head 110 rotates in the same direction as the polishing table 20, the multiple equally spaced outlets 111 allow the polishing slurry to enter the polishing area more evenly from one side, and under the action of the flow field generated by the rotation, the polishing slurry can move along the direction of rotation in the polishing area, and finally be uniformly discharged from the other side. By equally spaced multiple outlets 111, the utilization rate of the polishing slurry is improved, thereby further reducing polishing slurry waste and lowering production costs.
[0056] For example, the outlet 111 of the polishing fluid pipeline can be configured to correspond one-to-one with the groove 211 of the retaining ring 210, so that the polishing fluid can flow more evenly to the polishing area, thereby further improving polishing efficiency and quality.
[0057] In some embodiments, the polishing fluid line is provided with 8 to 16 outlets 111.
[0058] For example, the polishing fluid pipeline may be provided with 8, 12, or 16 outlet sections 111. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the grinding fluid pipeline can be equipped with 16 outlet sections 111.
[0059] When the number of outlets 111 in the polishing slurry pipeline is 8 to 16, the multiple outlets 111 can be symmetrically distributed around the central axis of the retaining ring 210, so that the polishing slurry can be sprayed more evenly in the circumferential direction on at least one side of the retaining ring 210, ensuring that the polishing slurry is evenly distributed on the polishing surface of the semiconductor structure 1, thereby further improving the polishing quality, reducing polishing marks and thickness differences caused by uneven distribution of polishing slurry, reducing scrap rate, and improving production yield.
[0060] Please continue to combine Figure 2 and Figure 3 Understandably, in some embodiments, the outlet 111 of the polishing fluid line is in the radial direction of the retaining ring 210 (e.g., Figure 2 The cross-section on the (shown by the dashed line in the image) is rectangular.
[0061] According to some embodiments, this application also provides a grinding apparatus. Please continue reading. Figure 1 It is understood that the grinding equipment may specifically include a grinding table 20 and a grinding head mechanism provided in the aforementioned embodiment, with the grinding head mechanism disposed above the grinding table 20. The grinding equipment can also achieve the technical effects achievable by the aforementioned grinding head mechanism, and will not be detailed here.
[0062] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "some embodiments," "as an example," "exemplarily," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.
[0063] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features of the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0064] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A polishing head mechanism characterized by, The polishing head and a retaining ring disposed on a side of the polishing head close to the polishing table are included. The retaining ring has a plurality of grooves disposed at intervals, and the grooves pass through from the inner circumferential wall of the retaining ring to the outer circumferential wall of the retaining ring. The polishing head is provided with a polishing liquid pipeline, and the outlet of the polishing liquid pipeline is disposed in at least one groove of the retaining ring, so as to make the polishing liquid flow to the polishing surface of the semiconductor structure through the polishing liquid pipeline.
2. The polishing head mechanism of claim 1, wherein, In the thickness direction of the retaining ring, the outlet of the polishing liquid pipeline is inclined from the outer circumferential wall to the inner circumferential wall of the retaining ring along a preset direction.
3. The polishing head mechanism of claim 2, wherein, The included angle between the preset direction and the plane where the bottom surface of the retaining ring is located is less than or equal to 60°.
4. The polishing head mechanism of claim 3, wherein, The included angle between the preset direction and the plane where the bottom surface of the retaining ring is located is 60°.
5. The polishing head mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The plurality of grooves are disposed at equal intervals around the central axis of the retaining ring.
6. The polishing head mechanism of claim 5, wherein, The outlet of the polishing liquid pipeline is multiple, and the plurality of outlets are disposed at equal intervals around the central axis of the retaining ring.
7. The polishing head mechanism of claim 6, wherein, The outlet of the polishing liquid pipeline is one-to-one corresponding to the groove of the retaining ring.
8. The polishing head mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The polishing liquid pipeline is provided with 8 to 16 outlets.
9. The polishing head mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The cross section of the outlet of the polishing liquid pipeline in the radial direction of the retaining ring is rectangular.
10. A grinding apparatus characterized by comprising: The polishing head mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 is disposed above the polishing table.