Patent ID: 7172496
Filing Date: 2007-02-06
Classification: B08B,B24B

Abstract:
1. A process for in situ cleaning of a back side of a carrier used in a CMP tool for holding a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer onto a polishing pad during a polishing process of the wafer without interrupting a normal process flow in the CMP tool, wherein the polishing process employs a slurry containing abrasives which can be deposited on both a front and back surface of the wafer carrier, the cleaning process comprising introducing a spray to wash the back surface of said carrier at a predetermined time in the process flow so as to remove slurry from the back side of the carrier whereby contamination of the polishing pad with agglomerated slurry abrasives is avoided, wherein said spray washing of the carrier back surface comprises spraying through a back side spray nozzle mounted within said CMP tool and wherein the carrier is held by a spindle that is mounted to a turret and wherein the back side spray nozzle is mounted to the turret.