Patent ID: 8517802
Filing Date: 2013-08-27
Classification: B24B,G01F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of feeding abrasive slurry mixture to a chemical mechanical planarization station the method comprising: preparing a quantity of diluted slurry mixture in a first mixing tank; transporting the quantity of diluted slurry mixture from the first mixing tank to a first day tank; pumping the quantity of diluted slurry mixture from the first day tank using a first slurry feed pump of a first set of at least two slurry feed pumps arranged in series pumping relationship to a second slurry feed pump of the first set of at least two slurry feed pumps, wherein the first slurry feed pump of the first set of at least two slurry feed pumps takes suction from the first day tank and a discharge of the first slurry feed pump of the first set of at least two slurry feed pumps is fluidly coupled to a suction of the second slurry feed pump of the first set of at least two slurry feed pumps; pumping the quantity of diluted slurry mixture from the suction of the second slurry feed pump of the first set of at least two slurry feed pumps through a valve manifold box and back to the first day tank to define a first slurry piping loop using the second slurry feed pump of the first set of at least two slurry feed pumps; in parallel with the preparation of the diluted slurry mixture in the first mixing tank, preparing an additional quantity of diluted slurry mixture in a second mixing tank; transporting the additional quantity of diluted slurry mixture from the second mixing tank to a second day tank; pumping the additional quantity of diluted slurry mixture from the second day tank using a first slurry feed pump of a second set of at least two slurry feed pumps arranged in series pumping relationship to a second slurry feed pump of the second set of at least two slurry feed pumps, wherein the first slurry feed pump of second set of at least two slurry feed pumps takes suction from the second day tank and a discharge of the first slurry feed pump of the second set of at least two slurry feed pumps is fluidly coupled to a suction of the second slurry feed pump of the second set of at least two slurry feed pumps; pumping the additional quantity of diluted slurry mixture from the suction of the second slurry feed pump of the second set of at least two slurry feed pumps through the valve manifold box and back to the second day tank to define a second slurry piping loop using the second slurry feed pump of the second set of at least two slurry feed pumps, wherein the valve manifold box comprising a plurality of valves and having a slurry discharge piping header fluidly connected to at least one chemical mechanical planarization station; diverting the diluted slurry mixture from either the first or second slurry piping loops to the slurry discharge piping header using the valve manifold box; and providing the diluted slurry mixture from the slurry discharge piping header to the at least one chemical mechanical planarization station.