Laminated Membrane for CMP Substrate Holder

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Solution Overview

Problem

The high cost and time required to design and manufacture elastic members with complicated shapes for CMP apparatuses to accommodate variously-sized substrates, as conventional methods involve using molds with intricate designs, which is inefficient for processing substrates such as semiconductor, CCL, PCB, and display panel substrates.

Innovation Solution

A laminated membrane is used in the substrate holder, comprising multiple sheet materials laminated together to form pressure chambers without the need for a mold with a complicated shape, allowing for adjustable pressure control on the polishing pad for each region of the substrate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a mold with a complicated shape is used to manufacture an elastic member including multiple pressure chambers, then the elastic member can be manufactured with the required complex structure, but the manufacturing cost and time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic member is divided into multiple independent pressure chambers that can be formed separately. Each pressure chamber corresponds to a specific region of the substrate and can be controlled independently, allowing complex substrate shapes to be accommodated without requiring a single complex mold

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic member with multiple pressure chambers serves multiple functions: it can accommodate variously-sized substrates (semiconductor, CCL, PCB, display panel), provide uniform polishing pressure across different substrate regions, and maintain consistent contact with the polishing pad. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for different molds for different substrate types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If elastic members are designed to correspond to variously-sized substrates, then different substrate types can be polished, but the design and fabrication costs greatly increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidease of manufacture

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic member incorporates multiple pressure chambers that can be dynamically adjusted to accommodate different substrate sizes and shapes. By selectively activating or deactivating specific pressure chambers, the system adapts to various substrate configurations without requiring physical redesign or new molds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters (pressure distribution across multiple chambers) rather than physical parameters (mold geometry) to accommodate different substrate types. This allows the same elastic member structure to handle semiconductor substrates, CCL substrates, PCB substrates, and display panel substrates with varying dimensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11638980B2Laminated membrane, substrate holder including laminated membrane, and substrate processing apparatus

Publication Date: 2023.05.02 EBARA CORP

AI summary

An elastic member that includes a plurality of pressure chambers is manufactured without using a mold having a complicated shape. According to one embodiment, a laminated membrane used in a substrate holder of a substrate processing apparatus is provided. Such a laminated membrane includes a first sheet material and a second sheet material disposed on the first sheet material. A part of the first sheet material is secured to a part of the second sheet material.