Patent US5624299A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5624299A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus with improved carrier and method of use
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1995-05-01
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Granted: 1997-04-29
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Expires: 2015-05-01
Abstract
Abstract A carrier apparatus for positioning and biasing a substrate against a polishing pad. The carrier apparatus includes a resilient membrane which loads the substrate against the pad. The membrane is configured to create one or more vacuum regions which chuck the substrate to the membrane so that the carrier may move the substrate on and off the polishing pad. In addition, the membrane may be pressurized to dechuck the substrate and allow the substrate to be front loaded or to float on the polishing pad. A retaining ring is directly adhered to the membrane to define a substrate receiving portion of the membrane. The retaining ring limits twisting of the membrane with respect to the substrate. In addition, the membrane is protected from the polishing pad by a right angled and annular shield. The membrane has a circumferential dimple expansion member prevent the center of the membrane from doming during the polishing process.
Inventors
- 👤 Norman Shendon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:19
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B37/00; B24B37/04; B24B37/042; B24B37/07; B24B37/10; B24B37/105; B24B37/27; B24B37/30; B24B49/00; B24B49/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A carrier for removably positioning a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising: a body portion having a recess and an opening to said recess; a plate extending across said opening to define a chamber, said plate including an exposed face and a plurality of passages from said exposed face through said plate to said chamber; a flexible member extending over said plate and, in conjunction with said chamber, forming a sealed cavity; a port extending into said sealed cavity to selectively evacuate said sealed cavity to pull said flexible member into said passages, and to selectively pressurize said sealed cavity to urge said flexible member away from said plate; and a retainer ring connected to a movable portion of said flexible member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A carrier for removably positioning a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising: a body portion having a recess and an opening to said recess; a plate extending across said opening to define a chamber, said plate including an exposed face and a plurality of passages from said exposed face through said plate to said chamber; a flexible member extending over said plate and, in conjunction with said chamber, forming a sealed cavity; a port extending into said sealed cavity to selectively evacuate said sealed cavity to pull said flexible member into said passages, and to selectively pressurize said sealed cavity to urge said flexible member away from said plate; and a retainer ring connected to a movable portion of said flexible member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The carrier of claim 1, further including a support ring extending about the perimeter of said plate and connected to said body portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The carrier of claim 2, wherein said sealed cavity includes an annular outer wall, and said support ring is received in said recess within the perimeter of said annular outer wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The carrier of claim 1, further including a retainer ring connected to said flexible member and defining a substrate receiving surface of said flexible member within its circumference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The carrier of claim 4, further including a material expansion member extending about the perimeter of said retainer ring.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of polishing a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising the steps of: providing a carrier selectively positionable over the polishing surface; providing a recess, having an opening facing the polishing surface when the carrier is positioned over the polishing surface, in the carrier; extending a plate having at least one aperture therein over the opening; extending a flexible member over the plate and intermediate of the plate and the polishing surface so as to create a sealed cavity within the perimeter of the flexible member and the recess; positioning a substrate against the flexible member; providing a vacuum in the sealed cavity to create at least one vacuum region between the substrate and the flexible member; providing a retainer ring on the exposed surface of the flexible member; positioning the substrate within a region defined by the inner perimeter of the retainer ring; and providing an expansion seam radially outwardly of the retainer ring to enable relative motion of the retainer ring without distorting the flexible member within the inner perimeter of the retainer ring.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of polishing a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising the steps of: providing a carrier selectively positionable over the polishing surface; providing a recess, having an opening facing the polishing surface when the carrier is positioned over the polishing surface, in the carrier; extending a plate having at least one aperture therein over the opening; extending a flexible member over the plate and intermediate of the plate and the polishing surface so as to create a sealed cavity within the perimeter of the flexible member and the recess; positioning a substrate against the flexible member; providing a vacuum in the sealed cavity to create at least one vacuum region between the substrate and the flexible member; providing a retainer ring on the exposed surface of the flexible member; positioning the substrate within a region defined by the inner perimeter of the retainer ring; and providing an expansion seam radially outwardly of the retainer ring to enable relative motion of the retainer ring without distorting the flexible member within the inner perimeter of the retainer ring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said expansion seam is an integral portion of the flexible member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said expansion seam is a dimple which projects inwardly of said recess.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 6, further including providing a positive pressure in said sealed cavity while moving said carrier relative to said polishing surface to thereby press the substrate against the polishing surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
119 words
A carrier apparatus for removably positioning a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising; a body portion having an outer annular wall, a recess and an opening to said recess; a plate extending across said opening, said plate including an exposed face and at least one aperture from said exposed face through said plate; a support ring positioned in said recess, said support ring extending about the perimeter of said plate and connected to said body portion; a flexible member extending over said plate and between said support ring and said annular outer wall, said flexible member forming, in conjunction with said recess, a sealed cavity; and a port extending into said sealed cavity to selectively evacuate said sealed cavity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
119 words
A carrier apparatus for removably positioning a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising; a body portion having an outer annular wall, a recess and an opening to said recess; a plate extending across said opening, said plate including an exposed face and at least one aperture from said exposed face through said plate; a support ring positioned in said recess, said support ring extending about the perimeter of said plate and connected to said body portion; a flexible member extending over said plate and between said support ring and said annular outer wall, said flexible member forming, in conjunction with said recess, a sealed cavity; and a port extending into said sealed cavity to selectively evacuate said sealed cavity.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The carrier of claim 3, wherein said flexible member extends between said support ring and said annular outer wall.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The carrier of claim 11, further including a shield received on said flexible member and extending over at least a portion of the interface between said outer annular wall and said flexible member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The carrier of claim 12, wherein said shield further includes a lip portion extending partially between said flexible member and the polishing pad.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
115 words
A carrier apparatus for removably positioning a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising; a body portion having a recess and an opening to said recess; a plate extending across said opening, said plate including an exposed face and at least one aperture in said exposed face of said plate; a flexible member extending over said plate, said flexible member forming, in conjunction with said recess, a sealed cavity; a port extending into said sealed cavity to selectively evacuate said sealed cavity; a retaining ring connected to said flexible member and defining a substrate receiving surface of said flexible membrane within its circumference; and a material expansion member extending about the perimeter of said retainer ring.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
115 words
A carrier apparatus for removably positioning a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising; a body portion having a recess and an opening to said recess; a plate extending across said opening, said plate including an exposed face and at least one aperture in said exposed face of said plate; a flexible member extending over said plate, said flexible member forming, in conjunction with said recess, a sealed cavity; a port extending into said sealed cavity to selectively evacuate said sealed cavity; a retaining ring connected to said flexible member and defining a substrate receiving surface of said flexible membrane within its circumference; and a material expansion member extending about the perimeter of said retainer ring.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The carrier of claim 14, wherein said expansion member is an integral portion of said flexible member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The carrier of claim 15, wherein said expansion member is a circumferential dimple extending inwardly of said cavity.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The carrier of claim 14, wherein said retainer ring is moveable with respect to said plate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
84 words
A carrier for positioning a substrate against the surface of a polishing material, comprising: a body portion; a conformable material, having at least a first surface and a second surface, received on said body portion and deformable therefrom by the application of fluid pressure against said first surface thereof; a retainer connected to said second surface and defining a substrate receiving surface within its perimeter; and a flexible coupling between said retainer and portions of said conformable material disposed radially outwardly of said retainer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
84 words
A carrier for positioning a substrate against the surface of a polishing material, comprising: a body portion; a conformable material, having at least a first surface and a second surface, received on said body portion and deformable therefrom by the application of fluid pressure against said first surface thereof; a retainer connected to said second surface and defining a substrate receiving surface within its perimeter; and a flexible coupling between said retainer and portions of said conformable material disposed radially outwardly of said retainer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The carrier of claim 18, wherein said flexible coupling is an integral portion of said conformable material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The carrier of claim 18, wherein said body portion further includes a recess, and said conformable material sealingly covers said recess to form a fluid cavity therein.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The carrier of claim 20, further including a plate, having at least one aperture therethrough, received within said recess.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The carrier of claim 20, further including a port extendable into said recess to change the pressure therein.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The carrier of claim 18, wherein the plane defined by said substrate receiving surface is variable with respect to the polishing surface during polishing of the substrate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The carrier of claim 22, wherein a portion of said flexible member extends inwardly of said aperture if a vacuum pressure is maintained in said fluid cavity.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
36 words
The carrier of claim 24, further including a substrate received against said conformable material; and a vacuum region formed between said conformable material and the substrate when the conformable material is pulled inwardly of said aperture.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
97 words
A carrier apparatus for removably positioning a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising; a plate having an exposed face and at least one aperture in said exposed face; a flexible member extending over said plate, said flexible member forming, in conjunction with said aperture, a sealed cavity; a port extending into said sealed cavity to selectively evacuate said sealed cavity to pull said flexible member into said aperture, and to selectively pressurize said sealed cavity to urge said flexible member away from said plate; and a retainer ring connected to a movable portion of said flexible member.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
97 words
A carrier apparatus for removably positioning a substrate on a polishing surface, comprising; a plate having an exposed face and at least one aperture in said exposed face; a flexible member extending over said plate, said flexible member forming, in conjunction with said aperture, a sealed cavity; a port extending into said sealed cavity to selectively evacuate said sealed cavity to pull said flexible member into said aperture, and to selectively pressurize said sealed cavity to urge said flexible member away from said plate; and a retainer ring connected to a movable portion of said flexible member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-04-28 | 2000-10-28 | 2001-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-04-28 | 2004-10-28 | 2005-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-04-28 | 2008-10-28 | 2009-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |