Slurry Protection Unit for Semiconductor Polishing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional slurry supply devices in semiconductor wafer manufacturing are prone to contamination from dust and metal particles, leading to defects and reduced yield during lapping or chemical-mechanical double side polishing processes, especially with larger diameter wafers.
Innovation Solution
A slurry supply device design that includes a nozzle, a slurry supply unit with multiple discharge holes, a receiving unit, and a slurry protection unit to enclose the slurry passage area, preventing contaminants from entering and ensuring hermetic sealing, along with a system for measuring and controlling the flow of ultra-pure water and washing solution to prevent contamination and overflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If slurry is supplied from a nozzle to a slurry ring in conventional slurry supply devices, then slurry can be delivered to the polishing area, but contaminants such as dust and metal particles attach to the slurry, causing contamination and damage to the object being polished
Solution Approach 1:
A protective tube is introduced as an intermediary component between the nozzle and the slurry ring. This tube encloses the slurry passage and prevents direct contact between contaminants in the environment and the slurry, while still allowing the slurry to flow through to the polishing area. The protective tube acts as a barrier that maintains slurry purity without interfering with its function.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective tube functions as a flexible enclosure that can be positioned between the nozzle and slurry ring. This shell-like structure creates a protected pathway for the slurry, preventing dust and metal particles from contaminating the slurry while allowing it to maintain its flow and polishing function.
2Reliability
If the slurry passage is left open for easy maintenance and cleaning, then device complexity is reduced, but contaminants can easily enter and contaminate the slurry
Solution Approach 1:
The protective tube serves as a simple intermediary component that adds minimal structural complexity while providing effective contamination protection. It is a straightforward cylindrical enclosure that can be easily installed between the nozzle and slurry ring, maintaining ease of maintenance while preventing contaminants from entering the slurry passage.
3Productivity
If larger diameter wafers are used to increase productivity, then wafer processing capacity improves, but the risk of contamination and defects increases due to larger surface area and more exposed components
Solution Approach 1:
The protective tube acts as a contamination barrier that becomes increasingly important as wafer diameter increases. For larger wafers with greater surface areas, the protective tube prevents contaminants from reaching the slurry and subsequently the wafer surface, thereby maintaining quality while enabling higher productivity through larger wafer processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective tube creates a sealed environment that protects against contamination during processing of larger diameter wafers. This enclosure ensures that even as wafer size increases and exposure to contaminants increases, the slurry remains pure and does not introduce defects to the wafer surface.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a slurry supply device including a nozzle configured to eject slurry, a slurry supply unit configured to receive the slurry from the nozzle and to discharge the slurry through at least one slurry hole, a receiving unit configured to allow the slurry supply unit to be mounted, inserted, seated, coupled, supported, or placed therein so as to enable discharge of the slurry from the slurry supply unit, the receiving unit being configured to receive a flowing material around the slurry supply unit and a slurry protection unit configured to enclose a space for passage of the slurry from an exit of the nozzle to an entrance of the slurry supply unit in conjunction with the flowing material.