Device and method for CMP temperature control

Abstract

To provide chemical machine polishing (CMP), particularly, temperature control during the chemical mechanical polishing.SOLUTION: A chemical mechanical polishing device includes: a platen for holding a polishing pad; a carrier for holding a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process; and a temperature control system including a supply source of a fluid medium, and one or more opening parts arranged in an upper part of the platen, separated from the polishing pad, and configured such that the fluid medium flows onto the polishing pad in order to heat or cool the polishing pad.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), and more particularly to temperature control during chemical mechanical polishing.

Background Art

[0002] Integrated circuits are typically formed on a substrate by sequentially depositing conductive, semiconductive, or insulating layers on a semiconductor wafer. In various manufacturing processes, planarization of the layers on the substrate is required. For example, one manufacturing step involves depositing a fill layer on a non-planar surface and planarizing the fill layer. In certain applications, the fill layer is planarized until the top surface of the patterned layer is exposed. For example, a metal layer can be deposited on a patterned insulating layer to fill trenches and holes within the insulating layer. After planarization, vias, plugs, and lines that provide conductive paths between thin film circuits on the substrate are formed by the portions of metal remaining in the trenches and holes of the patterned layer. As another example, a dielectric layer can be deposited on a patterned conductive layer and then planarized to enable subsequent photolithography steps.

[0003] Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is an accepted method of planarization. This planarization method typically requires that the substrate be attached to a carrier head. Typically, the exposed surface of the substrate is placed in contact with a rotating polishing pad. The carrier head applies a controllable load to the substrate to press the substrate against the polishing pad. Typically, a polishing slurry containing abrasive particles is supplied to the surface of the polishing pad.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one aspect, a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen for holding a polishing pad, a carrier for holding a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process, a source of heated fluid, and a plurality of openings disposed above the platen, separated from the polishing pad, and configured such that the heated fluid flows onto the polishing pad, and includes a temperature control system.

[0005] Any embodiment of the above aspects may include one or more of the following features.

[0006] The heated fluid may include a gas, such as steam.

[0007] The body may extend above the platen, and the plurality of openings may be formed within a surface of the body. The openings may be disposed on the body with a non-uniform density along a radial axis of the platen.

[0008] The apparatus may have a slurry dispensing port. The openings may be disposed with a higher density in a radial zone corresponding to a radial position of the slurry dispensing port.

[0009] In another aspect, a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen for holding a polishing pad, a carrier for holding a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process, a source of cooling fluid, and a plurality of openings disposed above the platen, separated from the polishing pad, and configured such that the cooling fluid flows onto the polishing pad, and includes a temperature control system.

[0010] Any embodiment of the above aspects may include one or more of the following features.

[0011] The plurality of openings may be capable of supplying the cooling fluid to a first region of the polishing pad. A polishing liquid dispensing system may have a port for supplying a polishing liquid to another second region of the polishing pad, and a rinsing system may have a port for supplying a rinsing liquid to another third region of the polishing pad.

[0012] The cooling fluid may include a liquid, such as water. For example, the cooling fluid may be composed of water or aerosolized water.

[0013] The cooling fluid may include a liquid and a gas. The plurality of openings may be configured to generate aerosolized mist.

[0014] The openings may be disposed on the body with a non-uniform density along the radial axis of the platen.

[0015] One or more valves and / or pumps may control the mixing ratio of the liquid and gas in the cooling fluid supplied to the polishing pad.

[0016] In another aspect, a chemical mechanical polishing method includes contacting a substrate with a polishing pad, creating relative movement between the polishing pad and the substrate, and supplying a heat control medium onto the polishing pad to increase or decrease the temperature of the polishing pad.

[0017] In another aspect, a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen for holding a polishing pad, a carrier for holding a substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process, and a supply source of a fluid medium and one or more openings disposed above the platen and separated from the polishing pad and configured such that the fluid medium flows onto the polishing pad to heat or cool the polishing pad, and includes a temperature control system.

[0018] One or more of the following possible advantages may be realized. The temperature of the polishing pad can be rapidly and efficiently increased or decreased. The temperature of the polishing pad can be controlled without contacting the polishing pad with a solid body (e.g., a heat exchange plate), thus reducing the risk of pad contamination and failure. Variations in temperature over a polishing operation can be reduced. This can improve the predictability of polishing in the polishing process. Variations in temperature from one polishing operation to another can be reduced. This can improve the uniformity between wafers and the reproducibility of the polishing process. Variations in temperature across the substrate can be reduced. This can improve the uniformity within the wafer.

[0019] Details of one or more embodiments are described in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other aspects, features, and advantages will become apparent from these descriptions and drawings and from the claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Chemical mechanical polishing operates by a combination of mechanical abrasion and chemical etching at the interface between a substrate, a polishing liquid, and a polishing pad. During the polishing process, a significant amount of heat is generated by friction between the surface of the substrate and the polishing pad. Additionally, some processes also include in-situ pad adjustment steps, where an adjustment disk, e.g., a disk coated with polishing diamond particles, is pressed against the rotating polishing pad to adjust the surface and texture of the polishing pad. Heat can also be generated by the wear of the adjustment process. For example, in a typical 1-minute copper CMP process with a nominal downforce pressure of 2 psi and a removal rate of 8000 Å / min, the surface temperature of a polyurethane polishing pad can rise by approximately 30 degrees Celsius.

[0022] Both chemical-related variables (e.g., the initiation and rate of the reactions involved) and mechanical-related variables (e.g., the surface friction coefficient and viscoelasticity of the polishing pad) in the CMP process are strongly temperature-dependent. As a result, fluctuations in the surface temperature of the polishing pad can lead to changes in removal rate, polishing uniformity, erosion, dishing, and residues. By more precisely controlling the temperature of the surface of the polishing pad during polishing, temperature fluctuations can be reduced, and for example, polishing performance, as measured by non-uniformity within a wafer or non-uniformity between wafers, can be improved.

[0023] Several techniques for temperature control have been proposed. As an example, coolant can be flowed through the platen. As another example, the temperature of the polishing liquid supplied to the polishing pad can be controlled. However, these techniques can be insufficient. For example, the platen needs to supply or draw heat through the body of the polishing pad itself to control the temperature of the polishing surface. The polishing pad is typically a plastic material and has poor heat conduction, so heat control from the platen can be difficult. On the other hand, the polishing liquid may not have a significant heat mass.

[0024] A technique for addressing these problems is to have a dedicated temperature control system (separate from the supply of the polishing liquid) that supplies a temperature-controlled medium (e.g., a liquid, vapor, or mist) onto the polishing surface of the polishing pad (or the polishing liquid on the polishing pad).

[0025] A further problem is that the temperature rise is often not uniform along the radius of the polishing pad that rotates during the CMP process. Without being limited to any particular theory, different sweep profiles of the polishing head and the pad conditioner may sometimes have different residence times in each radial zone of the polishing pad. Further, the relative linear speed between the polishing pad and the polishing head and / or the pad conditioner also varies along the radius of the polishing pad. Further, the polishing liquid can act as a heat sink and cool the polishing pad within the area where the polishing liquid is dispensed. These effects can contribute to non-uniform heat generation on the polishing pad surface, and as a result, can lead to variations in the removal rate within the wafer.

[0026] Techniques for addressing these problems are to have a plurality of independently controlled dispensers spaced along the radius of the polishing pad. Thereby, the temperature of the medium can be varied along the length of the pad, and thus, the temperature of the polishing pad can be controlled radially. Another technique for addressing these problems is to have dispensers spaced non-uniformly along the radius of the polishing pad.

[0027] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an embodiment of a polishing station 20 of a chemical mechanical polishing system. The polishing station 20 includes a rotatable disk-shaped platen 24, and the polishing pad 30 is on the platen 24. The platen 24 is operable to rotate about an axis 25 (see arrow A in FIG. 2). For example, a motor 22 can rotate a drive shaft 28 to rotate the platen 24. The polishing pad 30 can be a two-layer polishing pad having an outer polishing layer 34 and a more flexible backing layer 32.

[0028] The polishing station 20 can include a supply port, for example, at the end of a slurry supply arm 39, for dispensing a polishing liquid 38 (such as a polishing slurry) onto the polishing pad 30. The polishing station 20 can include a pad conditioner device 90 having an adjustment disk 92 (see FIG. 2) for maintaining the surface roughness of the polishing pad 30. The adjustment disk 92 can be disposed at the end of an arm 92 that can swing to sweep the disk 92 across the polishing pad 30 in the radial direction.

[0029] The carrier head 70 is operable to hold the substrate 10 against the polishing pad 30. The carrier head 70 is suspended from a support structure 72 (such as a carousel or track) and coupled to a carrier head rotation motor 76 by a drive shaft 74 so that the carrier head 70 can rotate about an axis 71. Optionally, the carrier head 70 can vibrate laterally, for example, on a slider on a carousel, by movement along a track, or by rotational vibration of the carousel itself.

[0030] The carrier head 70 can include a retaining ring 84 for holding the substrate. In some embodiments, the retaining ring 84 can include a lower plastic portion 86 that contacts the polishing pad and an upper portion 88 of a harder material.

[0031] During operation, the platen rotates about its central axis 25, the carrier head rotates about its central axis 71, and translates laterally across the upper surface of the polishing pad 30.

[0032] The carrier head 70 can include a flexible membrane 80 having a substrate mounting surface that contacts the back side of the substrate 10 and a plurality of pressurizable chambers 82 for applying different pressures to various zones (such as various radial zones) on the substrate 10. The carrier head can also include a retaining ring 84 for holding the substrate.

[0033] In some embodiments, the polishing station 20 includes a sensor 64 for monitoring the temperature within the polishing station or the temperature of components within the polishing station (e.g., the temperature of the polishing pad and / or the slurry on the polishing pad). For example, the temperature sensor 64 may be an infrared (IR) sensor (e.g., an IR camera) disposed above the polishing pad 30 and configured to measure the temperature of the polishing pad 30 and / or the slurry 38 on the polishing pad. In particular, the temperature sensor 64 may be configured to measure the temperature at a plurality of points along the radius of the polishing pad 30 in order to generate a radial temperature profile. For example, the IR camera may have a field of view that extends across the radius of the polishing pad 30.

[0034] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor is a contact sensor rather than a non-contact sensor. For example, the temperature sensor 64 may be a thermocouple or an IR thermometer disposed on or within the platen 24. Further, the temperature sensor 64 may be in direct contact with the polishing pad.

[0035] In some embodiments, a plurality of temperature sensors can be spaced apart at various radial positions across the polishing pad 30 in order to provide temperature at a plurality of points along the radius of the polishing pad 30. This technique can be used alternatively or additionally to an IR camera.

[0036] Although shown in FIG. 1 as being disposed to monitor the temperature of the polishing pad 30 and / or the slurry 38 on the pad 30, the temperature sensor 64 may be disposed inside the carrier head 70 to measure the temperature of the substrate 10. The temperature sensor 64 can be in direct contact (i.e., a contacting sensor) with the semiconductor wafer of the substrate 10. In some embodiments, for example, a plurality of temperature sensors are included within the polishing station 22 to measure the temperature of various components within the polishing station.

[0037] The polishing system 20 also includes a temperature control system 100 for controlling the temperature of the polishing pad 30 and / or the slurry 38 on the polishing pad. The temperature control system 100 may include a cooling system 102 and / or a heating system 104. At least one of the cooling system 102 and the heating system 104, and in some embodiments both, operate by supplying a temperature control medium (e.g., a liquid, vapor, or mist) onto the polishing surface 36 of the polishing pad 30 (or onto the polishing liquid already present on the polishing pad).

[0038] In the cooling system 102, the cooling medium may be a gas (e.g., air) or a liquid (e.g., water). The medium may be at room temperature or cooled to below room temperature (e.g., 5 to 15 degrees Celsius). In some embodiments, the cooling system 102 uses a mist of air and liquid (e.g., an aerosolized mist of a liquid such as water). In particular, the cooling system can have nozzles that generate an aerosolized mist of water cooled to below room temperature. In some embodiments, a solid material can be mixed with the gas and / or liquid. The solid material may be a cooled material (e.g., ice) or a material that absorbs heat when dissolved in water (e.g., by a chemical reaction).

[0039] The cooling medium can be supplied by flowing through one or more apertures (e.g., holes or slots optionally formed within a nozzle) within a coolant supply arm. The apertures can be provided by a manifold connected to a source of coolant.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary cooling system 102 includes an arm 110 that extends over the platen 24 and the polishing pad 30 from the edge of the polishing pad towards or near the center of the polishing pad 30 (e.g., within 5% of the entire radius of the polishing pad). The arm 110 may be supported by a base 112, and the base 112 may be supported on the same frame 40 as the platen 24. The base 112 may include one or more actuators, such as a linear actuator that raises or lowers the arm 110 and / or a rotary actuator that swings the arm 110 laterally on the platen 24. The arm 110 is arranged to avoid collisions with other hardware components such as the polishing head 70, the pad adjustment disk 92, and the slurry dispensing arm 39.

[0041] The exemplary cooling system 102 includes a plurality of nozzles 120 suspended from the arm 110. Each nozzle 120 is configured to spray a liquid cooling medium (e.g., water) onto the polishing pad 30. The arm 110 may be supported by the base 112 such that the nozzles 120 are separated from the polishing pad 30 by a gap 126.

[0042] Each nozzle 120 may be configured to direct aerosolized water in the mist 122 towards the polishing pad 30. The cooling system 102 may include a source 130 of the liquid cooling medium and a gas source 132 (see FIG. 2). The liquid from the source 130 and the gas from the source 132 may be mixed in a mixing chamber 134 (see FIG. 1) within or on the arm 110, for example, before being directed through the nozzles 120 to generate the mist 122.

[0043] In some embodiments, process parameters, such as flow rate, pressure, temperature, and / or the mixing ratio of liquid and gas, can be controlled independently for each nozzle. For example, the coolant for each nozzle 120 can flow through an independently controllable cooler to independently control the temperature of the mist. As another example, a set of separate pumps for gas and liquid can be connected to each nozzle to independently control the flow rate, pressure, and the mixing ratio of gas and liquid for each nozzle.

[0044] The various nozzles can spray onto various radial zones 124 on the polishing pad 30. Adjacent radial zones 124 may overlap. In some embodiments, the nozzles 120 generate a mist that impinges on the polishing pad 30 along an elongated region 128. For example, the nozzles can be configured to generate a mist within a generally planar triangular space.

[0045] One or more of the elongated regions 128, such as all of the elongated regions 128, can have a longitudinal axis parallel to the radius extending through the region 128 (see region 128a). Alternatively, the nozzles 120 generate a conical mist.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a state where the mist itself overlaps, but the nozzles 120 can be oriented such that the elongated regions do not overlap. For example, at least some of the nozzles 120, such as all of the nozzles 120, can be oriented such that the elongated region 128 is at an oblique angle to the radius passing through the elongated region (see 128b).

[0047] At least some of the nozzles 120 can be oriented such that the central axis of the spray (see arrow A) from the nozzle is at an oblique angle to the polishing surface 36. In particular, the mist 122 can be directed from the nozzles 120 to have a horizontal component in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the polishing pad 30 within the region of impact caused by the rotation of the platen 24 (see arrow A).

[0048] Figures 1 and 2 show the nozzles 120 arranged at uniform intervals, but this is not necessarily required. The nozzles 120 may be non-uniformly distributed either radially or angularly or both. For example, the nozzles 120 can be clustered more densely along a radial direction towards the edge of the polishing pad 30. Figures 1 and 2 show nine nozzles, but a greater or lesser number of nozzles (e.g., from 3 to 20 nozzles) may be present.

[0049] In the heating system 104, the heating medium may be a gas (e.g., steam or heated air) or a liquid (e.g., heated water) or a combination of a gas and a liquid. The medium is above room temperature (e.g., from 40 to 120 degrees Celsius, e.g., from 90 to 110 degrees Celsius). The medium may be water (substantially pure deionized water, or water containing additives or chemicals). In some embodiments, the heating system 104 uses a spray of steam. The steam may contain additives or chemicals.

[0050] The heating medium can be supplied by flowing through apertures (e.g., holes or slots provided by one or more nozzles) in the heating supply arm. The apertures can be provided by a manifold connected to a source of the heating medium.

[0051] An exemplary heating system 104 includes an arm 140 that extends over the platen 24 and the polishing pad 30 from the edge of the polishing pad towards or near the center of the polishing pad 30 (e.g., within 5% of the overall radius of the polishing pad). The arm 140 may be supported by a base 142, and the base 142 may be supported on the same frame 40 as the platen 24. The base 142 may include one or more actuators, e.g., a linear actuator that raises or lowers the arm 140, and / or a rotary actuator that swings the arm 140 laterally over the platen 24. The arm 140 is arranged to avoid collisions with other hardware components such as the polishing head 70, the pad adjustment disk 92, and the slurry dispensing arm 39.

[0052] Along the rotation direction of the platen 24, the arm 140 of the heating system 104 can be disposed between the arm 110 of the cooling system 102 and the carrier head 70. Along the rotation direction of the platen 24, the arm 140 of the heating system 104 can be disposed between the arm 110 of the cooling system 102 and the slurry supply arm 39. For example, the arm 110 of the cooling system 102, the arm 140 of the heating system 104, the slurry supply arm 39, and the carrier head 70 can be arranged along the rotation direction of the platen 24 in this order.

[0053] A plurality of openings 144 are formed in the lower surface of the arm 140. Each opening 144 is configured to direct a gas or vapor, such as steam, onto the polishing pad 30. The arm 140 may be supported by a base 142 such that the openings 144 are separated from the polishing pad 30 by a gap. The gap may be 0.5 to 5 mm. In particular, the gap may be selected such that the heat of the heating fluid does not significantly dissipate before the fluid reaches the polishing pad. For example, the gap can be selected such that the steam released from the opening does not condense before reaching the polishing pad.

[0054] The heating system 104 may include a steam source 146 that can be connected to the arm 140 by piping. Each opening 144 may be configured to direct steam onto the polishing pad 30.

[0055] In some embodiments, process parameters, such as flow rate, pressure, temperature, and / or liquid-to-gas mixing ratio, can be controlled independently for each nozzle. For example, the fluid for each opening 144 can flow through an independently controllable heater to independently control the temperature of the heating fluid, such as the temperature of the steam.

[0056] The various openings 144 can direct steam onto different radial zones on the polishing pad 30. Adjacent radial zones can overlap. Optionally, a portion of the opening 144 may be oriented such that the central axis of the spray from the opening is at an oblique angle to the polishing surface 36. The steam can be directed from one or more of the openings 144 to have a horizontal component in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the polishing pad 30 within the region of impact caused by the rotation of the platen 24.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows the openings 144 being arranged at uniform intervals, but this is not necessarily required. The nozzles 120 may be dispersed non-uniformly either radially or angularly or both. For example, the openings 144 can cluster more densely towards the center of the polishing pad 30. As another example, the openings 144 can cluster more densely at a radius corresponding to the radius at which the polishing fluid 38 is supplied to the polishing pad 30 by the slurry supply arm 39. Further, FIG. 2 shows nine openings, but more or fewer openings may be present.

[0058] The polishing system 20 may also include a high-pressure rinse system 106. The high-pressure rinse system 106 includes a plurality of nozzles 154 (e.g., from 3 to 20 nozzles) that direct a cleaning fluid, such as water, onto the polishing pad 30 at high intensity to clean the pad 30 and remove used slurry, polishing debris, etc.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 2, an exemplary rinse system 106 includes an arm 150 that extends over the platen 24 and the polishing pad 30 from the edge of the polishing pad towards or near the center of the polishing pad 30 (e.g., within 5% of the overall radius of the polishing pad). The arm 150 may be supported by a base 152, which may be supported on the same frame 40 as the platen 24. The base 152 may include one or more actuators, such as a linear actuator that raises or lowers the arm 150 and / or a rotational actuator that swings the arm 150 laterally over the platen 24. The arm 150 is positioned to avoid collisions with other hardware components such as the polishing head 70, the pad adjustment disk 92, and the slurry dispensing arm 39.

[0060] Along the direction of rotation of the platen 24, the arm 150 of the rinse system 106 may be between the arm 110 of the cooling system 102 and the arm 140 of the heating system 104. For example, the arm 110 of the cooling system 102, the arm 150 of the rinse system 106, the arm 140 of the heating system 104, the slurry supply arm 39, and the carrier head 70 may be arranged in this order along the direction of rotation of the platen 24. Alternatively, along the direction of rotation of the platen 24, the arm 110 of the cooling system 102 may be between the arm 150 of the rinse system 106 and the arm 140 of the heating system 104. For example, the arm 150 of the rinse system 106, the arm 110 of the cooling system 102, the arm 140 of the heating system 104, the slurry supply arm 39, and the carrier head 70 may be arranged in this order along the direction of rotation of the platen 24.

[0061] A plurality of nozzles 154 are suspended from the arm 150. Each nozzle 154 is configured to spray a cleaning fluid at high pressure onto the polishing pad 30. The arm 150 may be supported by the base 152 such that the nozzles 120 are separated from the polishing pad 30 by a gap. The rinse system 106 may include a source 156 of cleaning fluid that can be connected to the arm 150 by piping.

[0062] The various nozzles 154 can spray onto various radial zones on the polishing pad 30. Adjacent radial zones can overlap. In some embodiments, the nozzles 154 are oriented such that the collision regions of the cleaning fluid on the polishing pad do not overlap. For example, at least some of the nozzles 154 may be arranged and oriented such that the collision regions are angularly separated.

[0063] At least some of the nozzles 154 may be oriented such that the central axis of the spray from the nozzle is at an oblique angle to the polishing surface 36. In particular, the cleaning fluid can be sprayed from each nozzle 154 to have a horizontal component that is radially outward (towards the edge of the polishing pad). This allows the cleaning fluid to be more quickly stripped off the pad 30, leaving a thinner region of fluid on the polishing pad 30. This enables a thermal coupling between the heating and / or cooling medium and the polishing pad 30.

[0064] FIG. 2 shows the openings 154 arranged at uniform intervals, but this is not necessarily required. Further, FIGS. 1 and 2 show nine nozzles, but more or fewer nozzles (e.g., from 3 to 20 nozzles) may be present.

[0065] The polishing system 20 may also include various components, such as a controller 90 for controlling the operation of the temperature control system 100. The controller 90 is configured to receive temperature measurements from the temperature sensors 64 for each radial zone of the polishing pad. The controller 90 can compare the measured temperature profile to a desired temperature profile and generate a feedback signal to the control mechanism (e.g., actuator, power supply, pump, valve, etc.) for each nozzle or opening. The feedback signal can be calculated by the controller 90 based on, for example, an internal feedback algorithm, to adjust the amount of cooling or heating of the control mechanism such that the polishing pad and / or slurry reaches (or at least approaches) the desired temperature profile.

[0066] FIG. 2 shows separate arms for each subsystem, such as heating system 104, cooling system 102, and rinse system 106, and various subsystems can be included within a single assembly supported by a common arm. For example, the assembly may include a cooling module, a rinse module, a heating module, a slurry supply module, and an optional wiper module. Each module can include a body, such as an arcuate body, that can be fixed to a common mounting plate, and the common mounting plate can be fixed to the end of the arm so that the assembly can be positioned above the polishing pad 30. Various fluid supply components, such as tubes and passages, may extend inside each body. In some embodiments, the modules are individually removable from the mounting plate. Each module can have similar components for performing the functions of the arms of the associated systems described above.

[0067] The polishing apparatus and method described above can be applied to various polishing systems. Either the polishing pad or the carrier head, or both, can be moved to cause relative movement between the polishing surface and the substrate. For example, the platen can orbit rather than rotate. The polishing pad can be a circular (or some other shape) pad fixed to the platen. The polishing layer can be a standard (e.g., polyurethane with or without fillers) polishing material, a soft material, or a fixed abrasive material.

[0068] The term relative arrangement is used to refer to the relative arrangement within the system or substrate, and it should be understood that the polishing surface and the substrate can be held in a vertical or some other direction during the polishing operation.

[0069] The functional operations of the controller 90 can be realized by using one or more computer program products, that is, one or more computer programs tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, to execute or control the operations of a data processing apparatus, such as a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors and computers.

[0070] Numerous embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the essence and scope of the present invention.

[0071] For example, the above description focuses on supplying a heating medium and / or a cooling medium onto the polishing pad, but the heating medium and / or the cooling medium can be supplied onto other components to control the temperature of these components. For example, while the substrate is disposed in a transfer station, such as a load cup, the heating medium and / or the cooling medium can be sprayed onto the substrate. As another example, the load cup itself can be sprayed with the heating medium and / or the cooling medium. As yet another example, the adjustment disk can be sprayed with the heating medium and / or the cooling medium.

[0072] Therefore, other embodiments are also within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising: a platen for holding the polishing pad; a carrier for holding a substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process; and 1. An apparatus comprising: a temperature control system including a source of heated fluid; and a plurality of openings disposed above the platen and separated from the polishing pad, the plurality of openings configured to allow the heated fluid to flow onto the polishing pad.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heated fluid comprises a gas.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the gas comprises steam.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the openings are positioned to dispense fluid into multiple overlapping zones along a radial axis of the platen.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the openings are disposed on the body with a non-uniform density along a radial axis of the platen.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a slurry dispense port, the openings being arranged at a higher density in a radial zone corresponding to a radial location of the slurry dispense port.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the openings is configured such that a central axis of spray from the opening is at an oblique angle to the polishing surface.

8. 1. A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising: a platen for holding the polishing pad; a carrier for holding a substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process; and 11. An apparatus comprising: a temperature control system including a source of cooling fluid; and a plurality of openings disposed above the platen and separated from the polishing pad, the openings configured to allow the cooling fluid to flow over the polishing pad.

9. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of openings supply the cooling fluid to a first region of the polishing pad, the apparatus further comprising a polishing fluid dispensing system having a port for supplying polishing fluid to another second region of the polishing pad, and a rinsing system for supplying a rinsing fluid to another third region of the polishing pad.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the cooling fluid comprises water.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of openings are configured to generate an aerosolized mist.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the openings are disposed on the body with a non-uniform density along a radial axis of the platen.

13. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cooling fluid comprises a liquid and a gas, the apparatus further comprising one or more valves and / or pumps for controlling a mixture ratio of the liquid and the gas in the cooling fluid supplied to the polishing pad.

14. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mixing ratio is independently controllable for each opening.

15. 1. A method of chemical mechanical polishing comprising the steps of: contacting the substrate with a polishing pad; creating relative motion between the polishing pad and the substrate; and increasing or decreasing a temperature of the polishing pad by supplying a thermal control medium onto the polishing pad.

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