Carrier Head with Elevatable Support for Wafer Planarization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of semiconductor devices with multiple layers and high integration leads to surface wrinkles on wafers, causing issues like defocusing in photolithography due to unevenness, which existing surface planarization technologies struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A carrier head with a ring-shaped body, elevatable support unit, regulating members, and a retainer ring system that allows for adjustable height and contact with the polishing pad to efficiently support and polish wafers, ensuring even surface planarization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If regular polishing is performed to address surface unevenness, then surface evenness is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier head integrates multiple functions into a single device: wafer support, pressure application to the polishing pad, and height adjustment capability. This merging of functions reduces the need for separate processing steps while maintaining surface evenness control
Solution Approach 2:
The support unit is designed to be elevatable and adjustable relative to the body, allowing dynamic height control. This enables the carrier head to adapt to different polishing requirements and maintain optimal contact pressure without requiring multiple fixed-position components
2Ease of manufacture
If the carrier head structure is simplified, then ease of manufacture is improved, but control precision over polishing pressure is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier head is divided into distinct functional segments: the body, the elevatable support unit, the retainer ring, and the regulating member. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using standard processes while collectively providing precise pressure control through their coordinated arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The regulating member acts as an intermediary element between the support unit and the body, controlling the height and position of the support unit. This simple intermediary component enables precise pressure control without requiring complex actuation mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a carrier head. The carrier head includes: a body having a ring shape, wherein a first locking part is formed on an external surface of the body; a support unit surrounding lateral and lower parts of the body to be elevatably coupled to the body, wherein a second locking part vertically facing the first locking part is formed on an internal surface of the support unit; a regulating member located in a space between the first locking part and the second locking part; a retainer ring having a ring shape and located at the external bottom of the support unit; and an elevating unit coupling the retainer ring to the support unit to enable a height to be regulated relative to the support unit.