Polishing Pad Dressing Control With Load-Corrected Height Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polishing technologies face challenges in maintaining consistent polishing rates due to variations in polishing member surface undulations caused by inappropriate dressing, leading to polishing defects.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus that adjusts the swing speed of a dresser in multiple scanning areas on the polishing member along the radial direction, using height detection and load setting to correct the polishing pad profile and optimize the dressing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the dresser load is increased to improve dressing effectiveness, then the polishing member surface undulation is reduced, but the measured height values become inaccurate due to compression deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary height measurements at a first dresser load before increasing the load, then uses these measurements as a reference to calculate compression deformation when the load is increased. This preliminary action allows the system to compensate for the deformation effect and maintain measurement accuracy throughout the dressing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the dresser load parameter from a first load to a second load during the dressing process, and simultaneously adjusts the height measurement interpretation by calculating compression deformation based on the load change. This parameter change approach allows optimization of dressing effectiveness while compensating for the resulting measurement distortion.
2Productivity
If the dresser load is changed to optimize dressing performance, then the polishing rate consistency is improved, but the height profile measurement becomes inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from initial height measurements taken at a reference dresser load to calculate compression deformation when the load changes. This feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain accurate height profile information despite load changes, thereby supporting optimized dressing performance and consistent polishing rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces direct mechanical height measurement under varying loads with a calculation-based approach that substitutes physical measurement with mathematical computation of compression deformation. This substitution allows the system to maintain measurement accuracy without being constrained by the mechanical limitations of direct measurement under load.
3Ease of operation
If dressing is performed with constant parameters to simplify operation, then the operation ease is improved, but surface undulation occurs leading to polishing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static constant dressing parameters to dynamic adjustable parameters, where the dresser load and height measurements are adaptively adjusted based on real-time conditions. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain simple operation while achieving superior surface uniformity through automated parameter optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The dressing process is segmented into multiple stages with different dresser loads and measurement points. By dividing the continuous dressing operation into discrete segments with optimized parameters for each segment, the system achieves both operational simplicity through automation and surface uniformity through targeted parameter adjustment in each segment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures consistent polishing rates across the polishing surface, minimizing defects and maintaining uniformity by adjusting the dresser's swing speed based on measured surface height variations and load changes.
Implementation Method 1
a height detection section that measures a surface height of the polishing member along the radial direction of the polishing member
Implementation Method 2
When a dressing load is changed (for example, when a dressing load is increased), the polishing pad is pressed by that amount
Implementation Method 3
the surface of the polishing member is shaved, albeit in a small amount
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus that polishes a substrate by sliding the substrate on a polishing member, the substrate processing apparatus including a dresser that dresses the polishing member by swinging on the polishing member, the dresser being enabled to adjust a swing speed in a plurality of scanning areas set on the polishing member along a radial direction, a height detection section that measures a surface height of the polishing member along the radial direction of the polishing member and thereby generates a pad profile, a dresser load setting section that sets a dresser load to be applied by the dresser to the polishing member, a pad height correction section that calculates an amount of correction of the surface height of the polishing member according to an amount of variation from a reference load of the dresser load over the radial direction, corrects the measured value of the surface height with the amount of correction and thereby corrects the pad profile, and a moving speed calculation section that adjusts the swing speed of the dresser in each scanning area based on the corrected pad profile.