CMP Chamber Shielding With Peelable Layers for Slurry Debris
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contaminants such as dried slurry particles, polishing by-products, and polishing pad debris accumulate on the inner surfaces of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) chambers, leading to increased risks of defects and inefficient manual cleaning processes that consume time and water.
Innovation Solution
Implement removable shields with a laminated peelable layer over chamber components to facilitate easy cleaning and reduce water usage, allowing for quick maintenance and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual cleaning of chamber surfaces is performed, then contaminants are removed, but maintenance time and water consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the disposable principle by using removable shields with laminated peelable layers that are discarded after use. These shields are positioned inside the chamber to catch contaminants, and when contaminated, the entire shield assembly is removed and discarded rather than attempting to clean the underlying chamber surfaces. This eliminates time-consuming manual cleaning operations while maintaining defect prevention through continuous contaminant capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing shields as intermediate elements between the chamber surfaces and contaminants. The shields with peelable layers serve as mediators that intercept contaminants before they adhere to the chamber surfaces, allowing for easy removal and replacement without disturbing the underlying chamber structure. This intermediary layer simplifies the cleaning process significantly.
2Reliability
If manual cleaning of chamber surfaces is performed, then contaminants are removed, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable shields replace the need for water-based cleaning operations. By using inexpensive, single-use shield assemblies with peelable layers, the system prevents contaminant accumulation without requiring water for rinsing or washing chamber surfaces, thereby eliminating water consumption associated with manual cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cleaning function from the chamber surfaces themselves and transfers it to removable shields. The contaminants are captured on the shields rather than adhering to the chamber surfaces, allowing the shields to be removed and discarded with contaminants intact, eliminating the need for water-based extraction of contaminants from chamber surfaces.
3Productivity
If conventional polishing chamber design is used, then polishing operations are performed, but contaminant accumulation on surfaces occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The shields act as intermediary elements positioned between the polishing operation and the chamber surfaces. They intercept contaminants generated during polishing operations before they can accumulate on the chamber surfaces, maintaining a clean environment for continuous polishing operations without the harmful effects of contaminant buildup.
Solution Approach 2:
The shields incorporate thin, flexible peelable laminated layers that conform to the chamber surfaces and effectively capture contaminants. These thin film layers provide continuous protection against contaminant accumulation while being easily removable and replaceable, ensuring uninterrupted polishing operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A polishing system includes a housing having sidewalls and a ceiling to form a polishing chamber, a platen located in the chamber to support a polishing pad, a carrier head located in the chamber to hold a substrate, a motor to generate relative motion between the platen and the carrier head, a polishing liquid dispenser having a polishing liquid supply line in fluid communication with a reservoir positioned outside the housing, and a shield positioned inside the chamber. The shield has a backing plate having a flat inner surface facing the platen, and a laminate of a plurality of individually peelable layers attached to the inner surface of the backing plate.