Gary Joseph Beardsley - Underhill VT Timothy Scott Bullard - Johnson VT Cuc Kim Huynh - Jericho VT Theodore Gerard van Kessel - Millbrook NY David Louis Walker - Enosburg Falls VT
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY
A method of detecting the presence of a brush used in a semiconductor wafer cleaner for post-CMP processing is described. Semiconductor wafers are loaded into the wet environment of the wafer cleaner, affixed to a rotatable fixture and rotated at high speed. The rotatable fixture is effectuated by a servo motor linked to a servo controller and a torque monitor. A first torque on the rotating wafer is calculated prior to the start of the brush cleaning cycle. During the brush cleaning cycle, as the brush within the brush cleaner contacts the rotating wafer, the torque on the wafer increases and a second torque is calculated. If, during the brush cleaning cycle, the second torque calculation is substantially equal to the first torque calculation, the brush cleaner is not contacting the wafer and cleaning has not progressed. A tool user can be notified to reaffix the brush within the cleaner. When the second torque calculation is greater than expected, the tool user can be notified that the brush downforce has been improperly set.
Gary Joseph Beardsley - Underhill VT Timothy Scott Bullard - Johnson VT Cuc Kim Huynh - Jericho VT Theodore Gerard van Kessel - Millbrook NY David Louis Walker - Enosburg Falls VT
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY
International Classification:
A46B 1304 A46B 1302
US Classification:
15 77
Abstract:
An apparatus for and method of detecting the presence of a brush used in a semiconductor wafer cleaner for post-CMP processing is described. Semiconductor wafers are loaded into the wet environment of the wafer cleaner, affixed to a rotatable fixture and rotated at high speed. The rotatable fixture is effectuated by a servo motor linked to a servo controller and a torque monitor. A first torque on the rotating wafer is calculated prior to the start of the brush cleaning cycle. During the brush cleaning cycle, as the brush within the brush cleaner contacts the rotating wafer, the torque on the wafer increases and a second torque is calculated. If, during the brush cleaning cycle, the second torque calculation is substantially equal to the first torque calculation, the brush cleaner is not contacting the wafer and cleaning has not progressed. A tool user can be notified to reaffix the brush within the cleaner. When the second torque calculation is greater than expected, the tool user can be notified that the brush downforce has been improperly set.
Dr. Bullard graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1995. He works in Hanford, CA and specializes in Emergency Medicine. Dr. Bullard is affiliated with Adventist Medical Center Hanford.
Dr. Bullard graduated from the University of Florida College of Medicine at Gainesville in 1976. He works in Orlando, FL and specializes in Emergency Medicine. Dr. Bullard is affiliated with Dr P Phillips Hospital, Orlando Regional Medical Center, South Seminole Hospital and St Cloud Regional Medical Center.