SUBSTRATE CARRIER HEAD AND PROCESSING SYSTEM - Patent application

Abstract

A substrate carrier head is disclosed. In one aspect, the carrier head includes a carrier body, a substrate retainer, a first elastic membrane, and a second elastic membrane. The carrier head may include an inner support plate. The substrate retainer is attached to the carrier body. The substrate retainer includes an aperture configured to receive a substrate. The first elastic membrane includes a first non-perforated substrate support portion having a width W1. The second elastic membrane includes a second non-perforated substrate support portion having a width W2. The second non-perforated substrate support portion is disposed between the first substrate support portion and the carrier body and configured to selectively provide a force to at least an inner section of the first non-perforated substrate support portion. The inner support plate is fixed relative to the carrier body and includes a support surface configured to support the second non-perforated substrate support portion.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (Incorporation by reference into priority application) This application is a utility application claiming benefit of the earlier filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 805,643, filed February 14, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to substrate processing equipment, and more particularly to a system and apparatus for improving chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) performance for planarization of thin films using a wafer carrier having at least two elastic membranes. [Background technology]

[0003] During chemical mechanical planarization or polishing (CMP), an abrasive and either an acidic or alkaline slurry is applied onto a rotating polishing pad / platen via a metering pump or mass flow control regulator system. The wafer is held by a wafer carrier, which is rotated and pressed against the polishing platen for a specified time. The wafer is polished or planarized during the CMP process by both abrasion and erosion. Pressures and forces between the wafer and carrier during processing can cause the wafer to break or become uneven. Therefore, there is a need to improve wafer carrier performance to increase CMP efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For the purpose of summarizing the present disclosure and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the present disclosure are described herein. Not all such objects or advantages can be achieved in any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, a person skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention can be implemented or performed in a manner that achieves or optimizes one or a group of advantages as taught herein, without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as taught or suggested herein.

[0005] One aspect of the disclosed technology is a substrate carrier head comprising a substrate carrier comprising a carrier body, a substrate retainer attached to the carrier body, the substrate retainer comprising an aperture configured to receive a substrate, a first elastic membrane comprising a first non-perforated substrate support portion having a width W1, a second elastic membrane comprising a second non-perforated substrate support portion having a width W2, the second non-perforated substrate support portion being disposed between the first substrate support portion and the carrier body and configured to selectively provide a force to at least an inner section of the first non-perforated substrate support portion, and an inner support plate fixed relative to the carrier body and comprising a support surface configured to support a substrate held on the second non-perforated substrate support portion.

[0006] According to one embodiment, W1 is greater than W2.

[0007] According to one aspect, the substrate carrier head further comprises a single first membrane cavity formed between the first substrate support portion and the carrier body.

[0008] According to another aspect, the substrate carrier head further comprises a single second membrane cavity formed between the second substrate support portion and the inner support plate.

[0009] According to yet another aspect, the substrate carrier head further comprises an outer support plate configured to support an outer section of the first substrate support portion.

[0010] According to yet another aspect, the outer support plate includes a central opening configured to surround the second substrate support portion.

[0011] According to another aspect, the outer support plate, the first membrane, and the second membrane are configured to allow the second substrate support portion to pass through the central opening.

[0012] According to yet another aspect, at least one of the outer support plate and the inner support plate includes a plurality of holes extending through a thickness of at least one of the outer support plate and the inner support plate and configured to provide fluid communication between at least one of the first cavity and the first substrate support portion and between the second cavity and the second substrate support portion.

[0013] According to yet another aspect, the plurality of holes includes a first plurality of holes extending through a thickness of the outer support plate and a second plurality of holes extending through a thickness of the inner support plate.

[0014] According to another aspect, the second plurality of holes includes a central hole extending through a center of the inner support plate, the central hole being of the same cross-sectional area as at least one of the other plurality of holes.

[0015] According to yet another aspect, each of the plurality of holes is circular and has the same diameter as each other.

[0016] According to yet another embodiment, each of the plurality of holes is about 0.4 in. 2 (square inches).

[0017] According to another aspect, the second substrate support portion directly contacts at least an inner section of the first substrate support portion.

[0018] According to yet another aspect, the substrate carrier head further comprises a bladder configured to move the outer support plate relative to at least one of the carrier body, the second elastic membrane, and the inner support plate.

[0019] According to yet another aspect, the substrate carrier head further comprises a substrate sensor having a diameter of about 0.25 inches or less.

[0020] According to another aspect, the substrate carrier head further comprises a substrate sensor having an adjustable spring force.

[0021] According to yet another embodiment, the inner and outer plates are substantially coplanar with respect to one another, having a coplanarity of up to about 1 mm.

[0022] According to yet another aspect, at least one of the inner plate and the outer plate includes a flat surface having a flatness of up to about 0.05 mm.

[0023] According to another aspect, the substrate retainer includes a substantially uninterrupted outer surface.

[0024] Another aspect of the disclosed technology is a chemical mechanical planarization system that includes a substrate carrier head of any one of the above aspects or embodiments.

[0025] All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention disclosed herein. These and other embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which description refers to the accompanying drawings, and the invention is not limited to the specific disclosed preferred embodiments.

[0026] The above and additional objects, features and advantages of the inventive concept will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used for like elements unless otherwise specified. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic diagram of a substrate processing system showing a substrate carrier holding a substrate in a processing position; [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram of the substrate processing system of FIG. 1 showing a substrate carrier holding a substrate in a loading position; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded top isometric view of one embodiment of a carrier head. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded bottom isometric view of the carrier head of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier head of FIG. [Figure 6] 4 is another cross-sectional view illustrating coplanarity between components of the carrier head of FIG. 3. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a bottom isometric view of the carrier head of FIGS. 3-6 under vacuum conditions. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] The following text describes detailed descriptions of many different embodiments of the present invention, but it should be understood that the legal scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims set forth at the end of the patent. The detailed description should be construed as exemplary only and does not describe all possible embodiments of the present invention, since describing all possible embodiments would be impractical, if not impossible. Many alternative embodiments can be implemented using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, and still fall within the scope of the claims that define the present invention.

[0029] (Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP)) The adoption and use of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) for thin film planarization in the manufacture of semiconductor ICs, MEMS devices, and LEDs, among many similar applications, is common among companies that manufacture the "chips" for these types of devices. This adoption includes the manufacture of chips for cell phones, tablets, and other portable devices, as well as desktop and laptop computers. The growth of nanotechnology and microfabrication holds great promise as the use and adoption of digital devices expands endlessly in the medical field, automotive field, and the Internet of Things ("IoT"). Chemical mechanical polishing for thin film planarization was invented and developed in the early 1980s by scientists and engineers at IBM Corporation. Today, the process has spread worldwide and is one of the true enabling technologies in the manufacture of many digital devices.

[0030] Integrated circuits are fabricated with multiple and alternating layers of conductor materials (e.g., copper, tungsten, aluminum, etc.), insulating layers (e.g., silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, etc.), and semiconducting materials (e.g., polysilicon, etc.). Successive combinations of these layers are applied to the wafer surface in turn, but because of the embedded devices at the surface, localized undulations are formed in the device structures, as is the case with silicon dioxide insulator layers. These unwanted localized undulations need to be smoothed or "planarized" using CMP before the next layer can be deposited, allowing for proper interconnection between device functions of smaller and smaller size. In the case of copper layers, copper is deposited at the surface to fill the contact vias and create an effective vertical (depth) path for the movement of electrons from device to device and layer to layer. This procedure continues for each layer that is applied (usually applied by a deposition process). In the case of multiple layers of conductor materials (multiple layers of metal), this may require multiple polishing procedures (one for each layer of conductor, insulator, and semiconducting material) to successfully realize the circuitry and interconnects between device functions.

[0031] During the CMP process, the substrate or wafer is held by a wafer carrier, which is rotated and pressed against a polishing platen for a specified period of time, typically via an elastic membrane within the wafer carrier. CMP wafer carriers typically incorporate components for precision polishing of substantially flat, circular workpieces, such as silicon wafers and / or membranes deposited on a processing head. These components include 1) an elastic membrane with compressed gas applied to the top or back surface of the membrane, said pressure then being transferred through the membrane to the top or back surface of the workpiece to effect material removal during CMP, and 2) one or more rigid support components that provide a means for fixing the membrane to its mating components, holding the membrane in its desired shape and dimensions, and / or clamping the membrane to provide an enclosed volume for sealing and containing a controlled gas pressure.

[0032] During the process, the slurry is applied onto the rotating polishing pad through a fluid control device, such as a metering pump or a mass flow control regulator system. The slurry can be delivered to the polishing platen with a single pass distribution system. For better performance, the slurry particles in their media should be evenly distributed between the rotating wafer and the rotating polishing pad / platen.

[0033] A force is applied to the backside of the wafer by the wafer carrier membrane to push the wafer into the pad, and both may have motion to create a relative velocity. The motion and force lead to a portion of the pad being worn away by forcing the abrasive against the substrate while it moves across the wafer surface. The corrosive chemicals in the slurry change the material being polished on the surface of the wafer. This mechanical effect of wear combined with the chemical change is called chemical mechanical planarization or polishing (CMP). The material removal rate can easily be an order of magnitude higher by using both chemical and mechanical effects simultaneously compared to either one alone. Similarly, the smoothness of the surface after polishing is improved by using chemical and mechanical effects together.

[0034] During the polishing process, materials such as copper, dielectrics, or polysilicon are removed from the surface of the wafer. These microscopic particles remain suspended in the slurry or become embedded in the polishing pad, or both. These particles cause scratches on the surface of the film being polished, which in turn causes catastrophic failure of the circuitry resulting in the waste of the chip, thus significantly impacting yield.

[0035] Yield is the driving force that determines the success at the manufacturing level of many products, including integrated circuits, MEMS, and LEDs. Surface quality tolerances of CMP processes in semiconductor manufacturing facilities ("fabs") and foundries are measured in nanometers and even angstroms. The ability to remove material as uniformly as possible from the surface of the wafer or film during CMP is critical. Thus, carrier design technology is constantly evolving toward improving this capability. Small non-uniformities in the flatness of wafers processed in a CMP system can reduce yields and increase waste. Non-uniformities or pressure differences across the diameter of the wafer carrier and processing pads can cause wafer breakage. The cumulative cost of producing a solid-state device is called the "cost of ownership" (CoO), and the term also applies to each of the required manufacturing steps. The CoO of the CMP process is one of the most expensive of the CoOs of the 500-800 individual manufacturing steps required to produce a semiconductor "chip" and its associated digital devices.

[0036] Although carrier design concepts incorporating various embodiments of elastic membranes work well with respect to uniform material removal, some non-optimal characteristics remain in their typical process performance. In essence, while substantial efforts have been made to minimize the non-optimal characteristics, certain practical imperfections and anomalies still exist that result in non-uniform pressure being applied to the wafer and associated non-uniform material removal. Such anomalies include, but are not necessarily limited to, the amount of variation in flatness of any rigid components that contact the membrane, and the amount of variation in planarization (and therefore uniformity) with respect to the center and / or edges of the wafer relative to other portions of the wafer or relative to each other.

[0037] To reduce the presence, magnitude, and effects of such anomalies, the present application discloses improved substrate carrier embodiments for CMP apparatus. These embodiments, when implemented in a CMP apparatus, improve flatness tolerances and substrate surface quality and reduce the likelihood of wafer breakage, resulting in higher yields and lower operating costs. Although the substrate carrier embodiments described herein are disclosed within the context of a CMP apparatus, it will be understood that these embodiments may be implemented in other applications as well. Furthermore, the substrate carrier methods and apparatus described herein may be implemented separately, for example, without the complete CMP system shown. Furthermore, other CMP apparatus may implement the substrate carrier embodiments described herein, including multi-head CMP systems, single-head CMP systems, orbital CMP systems, or other CMP systems. For example, the substrate carrier methods and apparatus described herein may be implemented in a sub-aperture CMP system. A sub-aperture CMP system may include a polishing pad that is smaller in diameter than the wafer. The wafer is typically oriented face up with a slurry dispensed on its surface while the wafer and pad are rotated and the pad sweeps across the wafer.

[0038] The disclosed technology will be described with respect to certain embodiments and with reference to certain drawings. The disclosure is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice of the disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a chemical mechanical planarization system 100 for processing a polishing pad 110. The system 100 can include a wafer carrier 150 configured to hold and process a wafer. It will be understood that the term "wafer" as used herein can refer to a circular semiconductor wafer, but can more broadly encompass other types of substrates having different shapes that are processed by a polishing or planarizing apparatus, such as a CMP apparatus. In the illustrated embodiment, the wafer carrier 150 is in a processing (e.g., lower) position and holds a wafer (not shown) against the polishing pad 110 with a membrane (not shown). The polishing pad 110 can be disposed on a support surface, such as the surface of a platen 120.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a diagram of the chemical mechanical planarization system of FIG. 1, showing a wafer 155 held in a loading (e.g., upper) position by a wafer carrier 150. The wafer 155 may be held by, for example, vacuum force. With reference to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the system 100 may include a slurry delivery system 140 configured to deliver a processing slurry to the wafer 155 to enable chemical / mechanical planarization of the wafer against the polishing pad 110. The system 100 may include a pad conditioning arm 160, which may include a pad conditioner at its end, and the pad may be configured to process or "refresh" the surface roughness, or other processing characteristics, of the pad during or between processing cycles.

[0041] In the system 100 of Figures 1 and 2, the polishing pad 110 rests on top of a platen 120 that rotates counterclockwise about a vertical axis. Other orientations and directions of movement are possible.

[0042] The slurry delivery system 140 can deliver a slurry containing abrasive and corrosive particles to the surface of the treated polishing pad 130. The polishing slurry is typically a colloidal suspension of abrasive particles, i.e., colloidal silica, colloidal alumina, or colloidal ceria, in an aqueous medium. In various embodiments, the slurry delivery system 140 includes a metering pump, a mass flow control regulator system, or other suitable fluid delivery components.

[0043] The wafer carrier 150 can hold the wafer 155, for example, by vacuum, so that the surface of the wafer 155 to be polished faces the polishing pad 110. The abrasive particles and corrosive chemicals in the slurry deposited by the slurry delivery system 140 on the polishing pad 110 mechanically and chemically polish the wafer by abrasion and corrosion, respectively. The wafer carrier 155 and polishing pad 110 can move relative to one another in any of a number of different ways to provide polishing. For example, the wafer carrier 150 can apply a downward force against the platen 120 such that the wafer 155 is pressed against the polishing pad 110. The wafer 155 can be pressed against the polishing pad 110 using a pressure membrane (not shown), as described further herein. The abrasive particles and corrosive chemicals of the slurry between the wafer 155 and the polishing pad 110 can provide chemical and mechanical polishing as the polishing pad 110 and the wafer carrier 155 move relative to one another. The relative motion between the polishing pad and the wafer carrier can be configured in a variety of ways, with one or both being configured to oscillate, move linearly, and / or rotate counterclockwise and / or clockwise relative to one another.

[0044] The pad conditioning arm 160 can condition the surface of the polishing pad 110 by pressing against it with a force that involves relative motion between them, such as the relative motion described above for the polishing pad and wafer carrier 150. The pad conditioning arm 160 in the illustrated embodiment can oscillate with a rotating pad conditioner at its end that contacts the polishing pad 110.

[0045] Figure 3 is an exploded top isometric view of one embodiment of a substrate carrier head 300. Figure 4 is an exploded bottom isometric view of the carrier head 300 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier head 300 of Figure 3. Embodiments of the carrier head 300 can be implemented in various types of substrate processing equipment. For example, the carrier head 300 can be implemented in a CMP system such as those described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or other types of CMP systems.

[0046] 3-5, the substrate carrier head 300 can include a carrier body 21 that supports various components of the carrier head 300. The carrier head can include a substrate retainer 20 attached to the carrier body 21. The retainer 20 can be configured to hold and support a substrate on the carrier head 300. For example, the substrate retainer can include an aperture 40 configured to receive a substrate. The aperture 40 can form a sidewall that extends partially or completely through the thickness of the substrate retainer for support, thus preventing lateral movement of a substrate retained within the aperture 40. The retainer 20 can be a separate or integrally formed part and can be the same or a different material as the carrier body 21. The substrate retainer can include a substantially uninterrupted outer surface 42, or the surface can have grooves or other recesses to improve slurry flow.

[0047] Carrier head 300 can include a first elastic membrane 25 and a second elastic membrane 30. The membranes, or portions thereof, can be stacked or positioned adjacent to one another, for example, without an intervening structure. The membranes 25, 30 can come together to press a substrate against a substrate processing platen during substrate processing, as described above with respect to the CMP process of Figures 1 and 2. Portions of the membranes 25, 30 can be pressed against one another.

[0048] The membranes may be flexible so that each conforms to adjacent structures. The membrane material may be any elastic material, such as a material suitable for receiving a back pressure and transmitting that back pressure to a substrate held within the carrier head. In some embodiments, the membrane material may be one of a rubber or synthetic rubber material. The membrane material may be one of an ethylene propylene diene monomer (M class) (EPDM) rubber or silicone. Alternatively, the membrane material may be one or more combinations of vinyl, rubber, silicone rubber, synthetic rubber, nitrile, thermoplastic elastomers, fluorelastomers, hydrated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, or urethane and polyurethane forms.

[0049] The membranes 25, 30 may include portions that support a substrate held within the carrier 300. Such substrate supporting portions may be distinguished from other portions of the membrane that do not support a substrate but aid in attaching the membrane to other portions of the carrier.

[0050] For example, the first elastic membrane 25 can include a first substrate support portion having a width W1 as shown. The first substrate support portion as shown is a horizontal portion of the first membrane 25 that extends and provides support across its width W1 for a substrate held within the aperture 40 of the substrate retainer 20. The remaining portion of the first elastic membrane 25 (i.e., the portion that is not the first substrate support portion) can include shorter vertical and horizontal portions that wrap in a serpentine shape around and / or between the outer support plate 36 (described further below), the membrane backing support 17, the substrate retainer 20, and the outer portion of the carrier body 21, for example, and can be configured to attach the first membrane 25 to the remaining portion of the carrier head 300.

[0051] The second elastic membrane 30 may include a second substrate support portion having a width W2. The second substrate support portion as shown is a horizontal portion of the second membrane 30 that extends and provides support across its width W2 to an inner central portion of a substrate held within the aperture 40 of the substrate retainer 20. The second substrate support portion may be disposed between the first substrate support portion and the carrier body 21. The first and second substrate support portions may be stacked on top of each other and may be stacked directly (i.e., in contact with each other) on top of each other. The second substrate portion may be stacked above the first substrate portion in the orientation shown. The second substrate support portion may be configured to selectively provide a force against the inner section of the first non-perforated substrate support portion as shown. The outer surface of the second substrate support portion may directly contact the inner surface of at least the inner section of the first substrate support portion. This configuration may enable the second membrane 30 to provide improved processing and uniformity on the substrate, for example, to provide improved center removal rate control in CMP processing.

[0052] The remaining portion of the second elastic membrane 30 (relative to the second substrate support portion) may include, for example, a short vertical portion at its outer edge and a horizontal lip extending from a distal end of the vertical portion and may be configured to attach the second membrane 30 to the remainder of the carrier head 300.

[0053] Membranes 25, 30 may each include non-perforated portions, or membranes 25, 30 may each be substantially completely non-perforated. Membranes 25, 30, or sections thereof, may be non-perforated to allow for expansion and contraction of the membrane using pressure or vacuum during processing. Thus, for example, the first and second substrate support portions may be non-perforated to form a first non-perforated substrate support portion and a second non-perforated substrate support portion, respectively.

[0054] The carrier head may include an inner support plate 33. Once assembled, the inner support plate may be fixed to prevent relative movement with respect to the carrier body 21. The inner support plate 33 may include a substantially flat, rigid support surface configured to support a substrate held on the second substrate support portion of the second membrane 30 during processing.

[0055] The carrier can include an outer support plate 36. The outer support plate 36 can include a substantially flat rigid support surface configured to support a substrate held on the first substrate support portion of the first membrane 25. In some embodiments, the outer support plate 36 can support a section of the first substrate support portion of the first membrane 25. For example, the outer support plate 36 can include a central opening 41 surrounded by an outer plate portion that can support a corresponding outer section of the first substrate support portion of the second membrane 30 during processing. The central opening 41 can be configured to surround the second substrate support portion. In some implementations, the width W1 of the first substrate support portion can be greater than the width W2 of the second substrate support portion. In some embodiments, the outer support plate 36, the first membrane 25, and the second membrane 30 can be configured to allow the second substrate support portion to pass through the central opening 41 of the outer support plate 36. Thus, in some embodiments, the inner support plate 33 can support an inner portion of a substrate held on the carrier 300, and the outer support plate 36 can support an outer portion of a substrate held on the carrier 300 during processing.

[0056] The membranes herein may be single-zone or multi-zone membranes. For example, the membranes may have grooves (e.g., depressions) and / or raised portions that effectively separate various zones within each membrane. In a non-limiting example, the grooves may be arranged in a series of concentric circles starting from the center of the membrane. In another example, the grooves and raised portions may be irregularly shaped (e.g., interconnected circles, non-circular depressions, circular patterns scattered across the surface of the membrane) to improve the distribution of pressure applied across the substrate during processing.

[0057] In some embodiments, either or both membranes may be single-zone membranes, with each zone configured to receive pressure or vacuum only from a single cavity on the backside of each membrane. A "single cavity" is defined as a single volume in common fluid communication and is not limited to a particular shape. A cavity may comprise a small volume in common fluid communication, which volume is formed between relatively small tolerances between components and is not readily visible on FIG. 5. For example, the carrier 300 may include a single first membrane cavity formed in a relatively small open space between a first substrate support portion of the first membrane 25 and a portion of the carrier body 21 and / or outer support plate 36. The first membrane cavity may provide fluid communication from a vacuum or pressure source to the backside of the first substrate support portion of the first membrane 25. In some embodiments, the carrier 300 may include a single second membrane cavity formed, for example, between a second substrate support portion of the second membrane 30 and the inner support plate 33. The first and / or second cavity may increase in volume upon pressurization of the corresponding first and second membranes 25, 30.

[0058] In some embodiments, the cavity can include a portion of the volume formed by the vacuum / pressure source to the membranes 25, 30 and / or any holes in the corresponding plates 33, 36. For example, the second membrane 30 can be in direct contact with the inner support plate 33 in a non-pressurized and non-vacuum state (quiescent state). Under such a scenario, the carrier still includes a cavity that provides back pressure (or vacuum) to the second membrane 30 via the aforementioned small tolerances between components, the volume within the pressure / vacuum source, and / or the holes in the plate 33. The second membrane cavity can provide fluid communication from the vacuum or pressure source to the backside of the second substrate support portion of the second membrane 30. In some embodiments, the carrier 300 can include only a single first and second membrane cavity and includes only the first and second substrate support portions of the first membrane 25 and second membrane 30 only.

[0059] In some embodiments, at least one of the outer support plate 36 and the inner support plate 33 can include a plurality of holes, as shown. The holes can be configured to extend through a thickness of the outer support plate and / or the inner support plate. The plurality of holes can include a plurality of holes that extend through a thickness of the outer support plate 36. The plurality of holes can include a plurality of holes that extend through a thickness of the inner support plate.

[0060] The holes can provide fluid communication between a vacuum and / or pressure source and the backside of the membranes 25 and 30. For example, the plurality of holes can provide fluid communication between the first cavity and the backside of the first substrate support portion. The plurality of holes can provide fluid communication between the second cavity and the backside of the second substrate support portion. In an embodiment including a first and second membrane cavity, the holes can allow fluid communication between the first membrane cavity and the backside of the membrane 25 and between the second membrane cavity and the backside of the membrane 30. Upon exposure to vacuum, the corresponding substrate support portions of the membranes 25 and / or 30 can be at least partially drawn into the corresponding plurality of holes to form corresponding dimples in the membranes, as shown in FIG. 7. Such dimples can provide a suction cup effect to hold the substrate on the substrate support portion of the membrane 25 within the carrier 300. The substrate can be released from the carrier 300 by providing pressure to the membranes 25 and / or 30 or by releasing the vacuum.

[0061] The size and / or shape of the holes can be selected to reduce substrate damage and improve uniformity. Each of the multiple holes may be the same or different shape or size relative to each other. One or more of the holes may be circular. As shown for illustrative purposes, each of the multiple holes is circular and each is the same diameter relative to each other. In some embodiments, the holes can be sized below a threshold to reduce substrate damage during processing. For example, each of the multiple holes is about 0.43 in. 2 , 0.4in 2 , 0.3in2 , 0.2in 2 , 0.15in 2 , 0.07in 2 , or 0.05 in. 2 Less than or equal to 0.44 in., or any range therebetween, while being large enough to provide a suction cup effect under vacuum, as described elsewhere herein. 2 In some embodiments, each of the plurality of holes can be sized to have an area that reduces substrate breakage as compared to holes having an area of ​​0.75 inches or greater while being circular and large enough to provide a suction cup effect under vacuum as described elsewhere herein, less than or equal to about 0.74 inches, 0.7 inches, 0.6 inches, 0.5 inches, 0.4 inches, 0.3 inches, 0.25 inches, or any range therebetween. 2 The holes can be sized to have a diameter that reduces substrate damage compared to holes having a diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the holes.

[0062] In some embodiments, the plurality of holes can include a central hole extending through the center of the inner support plate 33. The central hole can be of the same cross-sectional area as at least one of the other plurality of holes extending through the inner support plate 33.

[0063] The carrier 300 may include a substrate sensor 32 configured to detect whether a substrate is held within the carrier 300. The sensor 32 may include an adjustable spring such that the sensor 32 has an adjustable spring force. Thus, the amount of force that the sensor 32 exerts on a substrate held within the carrier 300 may be adjusted below a desired threshold to reduce the possibility of substrate damage. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​the sensor 32 may be sized below a threshold to reduce substrate breakage during processing. In some embodiments, the sensor 32 may be sized to have a diameter less than or equal to about 0.25 inches, 0.19 inches, 0.13 inches, 0.094 inches, 0.063 inches, or any corresponding cross-sectional area (regardless of shape), or any range therebetween, which reduces substrate breakage compared to sensors having larger diameters while still being able to provide the sensing function.

[0064] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating coplanarity between components of the carrier head 300 of FIGS. 3-5. With reference to one or more of FIGS. 3-6, in some embodiments, the carrier 300 can be configured to allow relative movement (and thus relative positioning) between the outer support plate 36 and at least one of the carrier body 21, the second elastic membrane 30, and the inner support plate 33. Such an embodiment can allow the inner plate 33 and the outer plate 36 to be substantially coplanar with respect to one another. Such coplanarity can be implemented during processing to reduce uneven forces on the substrate and reduce substrate breakage. In some implementations, the inner plate 33 and the outer plate 36 can be substantially coplanar with respect to one another within a range of between substantially 0 mm and 1 mm, between about 0.001 mm and 1 mm, for example, up to about 1 mm. In some embodiments, the flatness of the inner plate 33 and the outer plate 36 may be substantially in the range of between 0 mm and 0.1 mm, between about 0.0005 mm and 0.1 mm, for example, up to about 0.1 mm, or up to about 0.05 mm.

[0065] The aforementioned relative movement and positioning between the outer support plate 36 and at least one of the carrier body 21, the second elastic membrane 30, and the inner support plate 33 can be accomplished in different ways. For example, the outer support plate 36 can engage a bladder 23 attached to the body 21 at the bladder retainer 18. The bladder 23 can receive a vacuum or pressure from a vacuum or pressure source to move the outer support plate 36 relative to one or more of the carrier body 21, the second elastic membrane 30, and the inner support plate 33. The bladder 23 can move the outer support plate 23 via direct contact therebetween or via an intervening support structure.

[0066] The carrier body 21 may be supported by additional support structures to interface the carrier head 300 with the remainder of the substrate processing tool. For example, the carrier body 21 may be attached to a mounting base 27 that allows the carrier head 300 to be attached to the remainder of the substrate processing tool. The carrier head 300 may be configured to allow relative motion between the carrier body 21 and the mounting base 27. For example, the carrier head 300 may include a rotating diaphragm 24 that may receive pressure or vacuum from a pressure or vacuum source and provide said relative motion. The rotating diaphragm 24 may be supported in different ways. For example, an outer diaphragm support 26 may secure an outer portion of the diaphragm 24 to the body 21, and an inner portion of the diaphragm 24 may be secured between a first inner diaphragm support 28 and a second inner diaphragm support 19.

[0067] A pressure and / or vacuum source (not shown) capable of providing pressure and / or vacuum to one or more of the first substrate support portion, the second substrate support portion, the bladder 18, and the diaphragm 24 can be implemented in different ways. For example, the carrier 300 can include manifolds, fittings, tubes, piping, channels, or other components to provide pressure / vacuum as described herein. For example, the base 27, the support 28, the central shaft 31, or other components can provide fluid communication as described herein.

[0068] Carrier 300 may include any of a number of different mechanical components to provide attachment, sealing, and other typical functions between different components of carrier 300. For example, the drawings show lock washer 1, screws 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, dowel pin 7, tube 8, O-rings 9-15, fitting 16, indexing pin 22, and other unnumbered components for illustrative purposes only and without being limited to the exact configuration and quantities depicted. Fitting 43 is provided to facilitate flow from a pressure / vacuum source to the backside of membrane 30, as shown in FIG.

[0069] The term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any aspect or embodiment described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or embodiments. Various aspects of the novel systems, apparatus, and methods are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to any specific structure or function presented throughout the disclosure. Rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Based on the teachings herein, one skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover any aspect of the novel systems, apparatus, and methods disclosed herein, whether implemented independently of or in combination with any other aspects described. For example, an apparatus may be implemented or a method may be practiced using any number of the aspects set forth herein. Moreover, the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover such apparatus or methods that are implemented using other structure, functions, or structures and functions in addition to or other than the various aspects of the disclosure described herein. It should be understood that any aspect disclosed herein may be embodied by one or more elements of a claim.

[0070] It should also be understood that unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using "As used herein, the term '-' means..." or a similar sentence, there is no intention to limit the meaning of the term, either expressly or impliedly, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such terms should not be construed as limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the claim language). While the terms set forth in the claims at the end of this patent are referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, this is done solely for the sake of clarity and to avoid confusing the reader, and such claim terms are not intended to be limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning.

[0071] Conditional language such as "can," "could," "might," or "may," unless specifically stated otherwise or interpreted otherwise within the context in which it is used, is typically intended to convey that certain embodiments include certain features, elements, or steps, while other embodiments do not. Thus, such conditional language is not necessarily intended to suggest that the features, elements, or steps are in any way required by one or more embodiments, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for determining, with or without user input or instruction, whether those features, elements, or steps are included in or should be performed in any particular embodiment.

[0072] Conjunctive phrases such as "at least one of X, Y, and Z," unless specifically stated otherwise, are to be construed in conjunction with the context in which they are generally used to convey that an item, term, etc. can be either X, Y, or Z. Thus, such conjunctive phrases are not necessarily intended to suggest that a particular embodiment requires that it includes at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.

[0073] Phrases expressing degrees as used herein, such as the terms "approximately," "about," "generally," and "substantially," are intended to describe a value, amount, or characteristic that is close to a given value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or produces a desired result. For example, the terms "approximately," "about," "generally," and "substantially" can mean an amount that is within 10%, within 5%, within 1%, within 0.1%, and within 0.01% of the stated amount, depending on the desired function or result.

[0074] Although specific embodiments have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and modifications of the systems and methods described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure.

[0075] It is to be understood that a property, substance, feature, or group described in connection with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example may be applied to any other aspect, embodiment, or example described in this section or elsewhere in this specification, unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any of the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings), or all of the steps of any method or process disclosed in the same, may be combined in any combination, except combinations in which at least some of such features or steps are mutually exclusive. Protection is not limited to the details of any of the preceding embodiments. Protection extends to any novel, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any of the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings), or to any novel, or any novel combination of the steps of any method or process disclosed in the same.

[0076] Moreover, certain features described in this disclosure in the context of a separate implementation may also be implemented in combination with a single implementation. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation may also be implemented in multiple implementations individually or in any suitable subcombination. Furthermore, although features may be described above as functioning in a particular combination, in some cases one or more features from a claimed combination may be deleted from the combination and the combination may be claimed as a subcombination or a variation of the subcombination.

[0077] Furthermore, although operations may be shown in the figures or described herein in a particular order, such operations need not be performed in the particular order or sequence shown, or all operations need not be performed to achieve a desired result. Other operations not shown or described may be incorporated into the example methods and processes. For example, one or more operations may be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the described operations. Furthermore, operations may be rearranged or reordered in other implementations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that in some embodiments, the actual steps performed in the illustrated and / or disclosed processes may differ from those shown in the figures. In some embodiments, some of the steps described above may be removed and other steps may be added. Furthermore, the features and attributes of certain embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form further embodiments, all of which are within the scope of the present disclosure. Also, the separation of various system components in the above-described implementations should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems may generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products. For example, any of the components of the energy storage systems described herein may be provided separately or integrated together (e.g., packaged together or attached together) to form the energy storage system.

[0078] For the purpose of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features are described herein. Not all such advantages may be achieved according to any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein, without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

[0079] The headings provided herein, if any, are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the devices and methods disclosed herein.

[0080] The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosure of preferred embodiments in this section or elsewhere herein, but may be defined by the claims, as set forth in this section or elsewhere herein, or as set forth in the future. The claim language should be interpreted broadly based on the language used in the claims, and not limited to the examples described herein or during the prosecution of this application, which examples should be interpreted as non-exclusive.

Claims

1. 1. A substrate carrier head comprising: A carrier body; a substrate retainer attached to the carrier body, the substrate retainer including an aperture configured to receive a substrate; a first elastic membrane having a first non-perforated substrate support portion having a width W1; a second elastic membrane comprising a second non-perforated substrate support portion having a width W2, the second non-perforated substrate support portion being disposed between the first non-perforated substrate support portion and the carrier body and configured to selectively provide a force to at least an inner section of the first non-perforated substrate support portion; an inner support plate fixed to the carrier body to prevent relative movement with respect to the carrier body, the inner support plate comprising a support surface configured to support a substrate held on the second non-perforated substrate support portion while abutting the second non-perforated substrate support portion; an outer support plate configured to support an outer section of the first non-perforated substrate support portion; A substrate carrier head comprising:

2. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , wherein W1 is greater than W2.

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

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

5. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , wherein the outer support plate includes a central opening configured to surround the second solid substrate support portion.

6. The substrate carrier head of claim 5 , wherein the outer support plate, first membrane, and second membrane are configured to allow the second non-perforated substrate support portion to pass through the central opening.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: forming a first membrane cavity between the first non-perforated substrate support portion and the carrier body; a second membrane cavity formed between the second non-perforated substrate support portion and the carrier body; Further equipped with 7. The substrate carrier head of claim 6, wherein at least one of the outer support plate and the inner support plate comprises a plurality of holes extending through a thickness of at least one of the outer support plate and the inner support plate, the plurality of holes being configured to provide fluid communication between at least one of i) the first membrane cavity and the first non-perforated substrate support portion, and ii) the second membrane cavity and the second non-perforated substrate support portion.

8. 8. The substrate carrier head of claim 7, wherein the plurality of holes comprises a first plurality of holes extending through the thickness of the outer support plate and a second plurality of holes extending through the thickness of the inner support plate.

9. 9. The substrate carrier head of claim 8, wherein the second plurality of holes comprises a central hole extending through a center of the inner support plate, the central hole being of the same cross-sectional area as at least one of the other plurality of holes.

10. The substrate carrier head of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of holes is circular and of the same diameter relative to each other.

11. Each of the plurality of holes is approximately 0.4 in. ２ The substrate carrier head of claim 7 having an area of ​​less than

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

13. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , further comprising a bladder configured to move the outer support plate relative to at least one of the carrier body, the second elastic membrane, and the inner support plate.

14. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate sensor having a diameter of about 0.25 inches or less.

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

16. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , wherein the inner support plate and the outer support plate are substantially coplanar with one another, having a coplanarity of up to about 1 mm.

17. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inner support plate and the outer support plate comprises a flat surface having a flatness of up to about 0.05 mm.

18. The substrate carrier head of claim 1 , wherein the substrate retainer includes a substantially uninterrupted outer surface.

19. A chemical mechanical planarization system comprising the substrate carrier head of claim 1 .

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