Cmp machine with improved throughput and process flexibility

Abstract

An apparatus for performing chemical mechanical planarization is disclosed. The apparatus includes a support, wherein an axis of rotation extends through the support. The apparatus includes at least one elongated member including a first portion and a second portion opposed to the first portion. The first portion is configured to rotatably connect to the support and pivot the elongated member about the axis of rotation relative to the support through an angle of rotation that is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction. The apparatus includes a carrier head configured to connect to the second portion and to hold and process a substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A chemical mechanical planarization apparatus, comprising:
 at least a first substrate carrier head system and a second substrate carrier head system, each carrier head system comprising:
 a support, wherein an axis of rotation extends through the support; 
 at least one elongated member comprising a first portion and a second portion opposed to the first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to rotatably connect to the support and pivot the elongated member about the axis of rotation relative to the support through an angle of rotation; and 
 at least one carrier head configured to connect to the second portion and to hold and process a substrate; 
   a platen configured to simultaneously process a first substrate held by the first carrier head system and a second substrate held by the second carrier head system on different areas of the platen; and   a pad conditioner configured to sweep across substantially the entire platen during the simultaneous processing of the first and second substrates.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of rotation is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the angle of rotation is substantially unrestricted in a single direction. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to cause the first carrier head system to move a first substrate from a first position for performing a first process on the first substrate on a first platen to a second position for performing a second process on a second substrate on a second platen.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second processes are different. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to place the first substrate carrier head system in an offline state while the second substrate carrier head system remains in a processing state.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the first or second carrier head system to replace a polishing pad of the at least one platen. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a load station; and   an unload station,   wherein the at least one elongated member of the first substrate carrier head system comprises a first elongated member and a second elongated member and the at least one carrier head of the first substrate carrier head system comprises a first carrier head connected to the first elongated member and a second carrier head connected to the second elongated member,   wherein the at least one elongated member of the second substrate carrier head system comprises a third elongated member and a fourth elongated member and the at least one carrier head of the second substrate carrier head system further comprises a third carrier head configured to hold a third substrate and connected to the third elongated member and a fourth carrier head configured to hold a fourth substrate and connected to the fourth elongated member,   wherein the at least one platen comprises a first platen and a second platen, and   wherein the first and second substrate carrier head systems are further configured to independently move the first to fourth carrier heads between the load station, the unload station, the first platen, and the second platen.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second substrate carrier head systems are further configured to process each of the first to fourth substrates on a single corresponding carrier head corresponding to each of the first to fourth carrier head, respectively, without transferring the first to fourth substrates between the first to fourth carrier heads. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein each of the carrier heads is configured to be independently positionable on either side of the first and the second platens. 
     
     
         11 . A chemical mechanical planarization system, comprising:
 a first substrate carrier head system, comprising:
 a first support, wherein a first axis of rotation extends through the first support; 
 a first elongated member comprising a first portion and a second portion opposed to the first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to rotatably connect to the first support and pivot the elongated member about the first axis of rotation relative to the first support through an angle of rotation that is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction; and 
 a first carrier head configured to connect to the second portion and to hold and process a substrate; 
   a second substrate carrier head system, comprising:
 a second support, wherein a second axis of rotation extends through the second support; 
 a second elongated member configured to rotatably connect to the second support and pivot the second elongated member about the second axis of rotation; and 
 a second carrier head configured to connect to the second portion and to hold and process a second substrate; 
   a first platen configured to polish a surface of each of the first and second substrates; and   a pad conditioner configured to sweep across substantially the entire platen during the simultaneous processing of the first and second substrates,   wherein the first carrier head and the second carrier head are configured to polish the first substrate and the second substrate on the first platen at the same time.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the angle of rotation is substantially unrestricted in a single direction. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first carrier head comprises a membrane configured to be pressurized, to allow a substrate to contact and be processed by a polishing pad on the first platen. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a second platen; and   a controller configured to cause the first carrier head to move the first substrate from a first position allowing a first process to be performed on the first substrate on the first platen, to a second position allowing a second process to be performed on the first substrate on the second platen.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second processes are different. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first process is a bulk removal process and the second process is a fine removal process. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first carrier head and the second carrier head is configured to provide pressure against a substrate to allow the substrate to be processed by the first platen. 
     
     
         18 . The chemical mechanical planarization system of  claim 11 , the first elongated member comprising:
 a first link having a first portion and a second portion opposed to the first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to rotatably connect to the first support and pivot the first link about the first axis of rotation relative to the first support through the first angle of rotation, and wherein a second axis of rotation extends through the second portion, the first and the second axes of rotation approximately parallel with respect to each other; and   a second link having a third portion and a fourth portion opposed to the third portion, wherein the third portion is configured to rotatably connect to the second portion and pivot the second link relative to the first link about the second axis of rotation through a second angle of rotation; and   wherein the first carrier head is configured to connect to the fourth portion and to hold and process a substrate.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the system is configured to move the carrier head linearly toward a center of a platen based at least in part on a synchronized rotation of the first link and the second link. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first carrier head and the second carrier head are further configured to polish a third substrate and a fourth substrate on the platen at different times. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first carrier head and the second carrier head are further configured to stagger processing of the first substrate and the second substrate such that the first substrate is processed for a first length of time before beginning processing of the second substrate.