Polishing Tool Conductive Layer for Wafer Static Elimination

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing polishing tools for wafers, which incorporate static electricity eliminating portions, face issues with uneven wear of the polishing layer, leading to reduced effectiveness in eliminating static electricity and potentially causing device failures.

Innovation Solution

A polishing tool with a polishing layer containing an electrically conductive material, such as carbon fiber, dispersed throughout, ensuring consistent contact with the wafer and effective static electricity elimination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a polishing tool with static electricity eliminating portions (different material from polishing layer matrix) is used, then static electricity is eliminated during polishing, but the polishing layer wears unevenly in regions with static electricity eliminating portions, reducing the effectiveness of static electricity elimination over time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestatic electricity elimination effectivenessVSAvoidpolishing layer uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the static electricity eliminating function directly into the polishing layer material itself by dispersing electrically conductive particles throughout the polishing layer matrix. This integration ensures that the static electricity eliminating portions and the polishing layer wear at the same rate, maintaining uniform contact with the wafer surface and consistent static electricity elimination effectiveness throughout the polishing layer's service life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite material structure where electrically conductive particles (such as metal particles or carbon particles) are dispersed within the polishing layer matrix material. This composite approach provides both the polishing function of the matrix material and the static electricity elimination function of the conductive particles, ensuring they wear uniformly together while maintaining the desired electrical conductivity for static electricity elimination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If cylindrical static electricity eliminating portions are embedded in the polishing layer, then static electricity is eliminated during polishing, but the polishing layer thickness reduces in those regions over time, making it difficult for the eliminating portions to contact the wafer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice qualityVSAvoidpolishing layer thickness uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by dispersing electrically conductive particles throughout the entire polishing layer matrix, creating localized conductive regions distributed across the polishing surface. This ensures that static electricity elimination occurs at multiple points across the wafer surface while the polishing layer maintains uniform thickness and wear characteristics, preventing the formation of localized thin regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the polishing layer material and static electricity eliminating portions are made of different materials, then static electricity elimination is achieved, but uneven wear occurs between the polishing layer and eliminating portions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestatic electricity eliminationVSAvoidpolishing tool service life

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The use of an electrically conductive material in the polishing layer ensures long-lasting static electricity elimination, preventing device failures and maintaining the quality of device chips.

Implementation Method 1

static electricity generated by the contact between the wafer and the polishing layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStatic electricity generation: Triboelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

the electrically conductive material dispersed in the polishing layer ensures consistent contact with the wafer and effective static electricity elimination

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS12304024B2Polishing tool

Publication Date: 2025.05.20 DISCO CORP

AI summary

There is provided a polishing tool for polishing a wafer. The polishing tool includes a base and a polishing layer fixed to the base. The polishing layer includes an electrically conductive material dispersed therein to eliminate static electricity generated when the polishing layer comes into contact with the wafer. Preferably, the electrically conductive material is carbon fiber, and the carbon fiber is included at a content of 3 wt % or more but 15 wt % or less.