Chemical mechanical polishing shielding

Abstract

A polishing system includes a housing having sidewalls and a ceiling to form a polishing chamber, a platen located in the chamber to support a polishing pad, a carrier head located in the chamber to hold a substrate, a motor to generate relative motion between the platen and the carrier head, a polishing liquid dispenser having a polishing liquid supply line in fluid communication with a reservoir positioned outside the housing, and a shield positioned inside the chamber. The shield has a backing plate having a flat inner surface facing the platen, and a laminate of a plurality of individually peelable layers attached to the inner surface of the backing plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A polishing system, comprising:
 a housing having sidewalls and a ceiling to form a polishing chamber;   a platen located in the chamber to support a polishing pad;   a carrier head located in the chamber to hold a substrate;   a motor to generate relative motion between the platen and the carrier head;   a polishing liquid dispenser having a polishing liquid supply line in fluid communication with a reservoir positioned outside the housing; and   a shield positioned inside the chamber and adjacent a sidewall of the housing, the shield having a backing plate having a flat inner surface facing the platen, and a laminate of a plurality of individually peelable layers attached to the inner surface of the backing plate.   
     
     
         2 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the polishing liquid supply line extends between the sidewall and the shield. 
     
     
         3 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the shield covers an irregular surface of the side-wall. 
     
     
         4 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the shield is manually removable. 
     
     
         5 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of shields, and wherein each respective sidewall has a respective shield from the plurality of shields. 
     
     
         6 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein a lower edge of the shield extends below a top of the platen. 
     
     
         7 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of individually peelable layers are plastic layers. 
     
     
         8 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , comprising a port for transfer of a substrate into the polishing system. 
     
     
         9 . A polishing system, comprising:
 a housing having sidewalls and a ceiling to form a polishing chamber;   a platen located in the chamber to support a polishing pad;   a carrier head located in the chamber to hold a substrate;   a motor to generate relative motion between the platen and the carrier head;   a polishing liquid dispenser having a polishing liquid supply line in fluid communication with a reservoir positioned outside the housing; and   a shield positioned inside the chamber and horizontally over one or more components in the chamber, the shield having a backing plate having a flat inner surface facing the ceiling, and a laminate of a plurality of individually peelable layers attached to the inner surface of the backing plate.   
     
     
         10 . The polishing system of  claim 9 , wherein the shield is positioned over the polishing liquid supply line. 
     
     
         11 . The polishing system of  claim 9 , wherein the shield is manually removable. 
     
     
         12 . The polishing system of  claim 9 , wherein the shield is positioned below the top of the platen. 
     
     
         13 . The polishing system of  claim 9 , comprising a port for transfer of a substrate into the polishing system. 
     
     
         14 . A method of cleaning a polishing system, comprising:
 disposing a shield inside a chamber of the polishing system, the shield having a backing plate and plurality of individually peelable layers laminated on the backing plate; and   peeling a layer of a plurality of layers off the shield positioned in a polishing chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of individually peelable layers are plastic layers. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein disposing the shield includes positioning the shield in a vertical orientation adjacent a sidewall of the chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein disposing the shield includes positioning the shield in a horizontal orientation over components in the chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising removing the shield from the chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising re-laminating a new plurality of individually peelable layers onto the backing plate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising re-installing the shield in the chamber.