Polishing Pad Surface Roughness Control via Water Vapor Refreshing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing CMP process for semiconductor manufacturing faces challenges in extending the useful life of polishing pads, leading to increased waste and reduced efficiency due to declining polishing performance over time, resulting in environmental pollution and process interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the supply of water vapor to the polishing pad, which includes a polishing surface with pores and fine concave portions, to refresh and extend the life of the pad by changing the surface roughness and maintaining polishing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the polishing pad is used repeatedly for CMP processes, then the polishing performance gradually declines, but replacing the polishing pad frequently increases waste and reduces manufacturing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by altering the surface roughness of the polishing pad through controlled roughening processes. By adjusting roughness parameters (Ra values) to specific ranges, the polishing pad's performance is restored without replacement. This transforms the physical state of the polishing pad surface to maintain effective polishing capability throughout extended usage cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables self-service by allowing the polishing pad to be refreshed in-situ during the manufacturing process. The roughening unit is integrated into the polishing apparatus, enabling the polishing pad to treat itself by restoring its surface characteristics without removal or external intervention, thus maintaining continuous operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the polishing pad is replaced frequently to maintain polishing quality, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but environmental pollution increases due to waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains polishing quality by dynamically adjusting the surface roughness parameter of the polishing pad. Through controlled roughening that brings Ra values within optimal ranges, the polishing pad consistently delivers required polishing precision without replacement, thereby preventing waste-related environmental pollution.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the polishing pad when performance declines, the invention recovers its functionality by restoring surface roughness characteristics. The used polishing pad is regenerated through roughening processes that revive its polishing capabilities, converting what would be waste into reusable material.
3Loss of substance
If the polishing pad is used beyond its useful life, then waste is reduced, but polishing performance and flatness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by proactively roughening the polishing pad surface before polishing performance significantly deteriorates. The roughening unit operates at predetermined intervals or when roughness reaches threshold values, preventing performance decline while extending useful life and avoiding waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by monitoring the surface roughness of the polishing pad and adjusting roughening operations accordingly. When Ra values exceed predetermined ranges, the roughening unit is activated to restore surface characteristics, ensuring polishing quality is maintained throughout the pad's extended service life.
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 method effectively extends the useful life of the polishing pad, reducing waste and enhancing manufacturing efficiency by maintaining or restoring the pad's polishing performance, thereby reducing the frequency of replacements and minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
supplying water vapor to a polishing pad
Implementation Method 2
the polishing layer includes a plurality of pores
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method for refreshing a polishing pad, and, through increasing a useful life of a polishing pad used in a polishing process, is capable of reducing the amount of discarded polishing pad, and significantly enhancing polishing efficiency by shortening the time required to replace the polishing pad. In addition, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is a manufacturing process using the method for refreshing a polishing pad, wherein a polishing pad having the period of usage ended is reusable by having polishing performance equivalent to a new polishing pad, and process efficiency may be enhanced by reducing the number of replacements of polishing pads.