Patent ID: 6780086
Filing Date: 2004-08-24
Classification: B24B

Abstract:
A manufacturing method comprising:(a) polishing a structure comprising a substrate and at least a first layer disposed above the substrate, to thereby remove at least a portion of the first layer; (b) determining and declaring an endpoint for the polishing operation based on friction present between the structure and a polishing tool used for performing the polishing; (c) stopping said polishing upon said declaring of the endpoint; wherein said determining and declaring of the endpoint includes the following machine-implemented operations: (b.1) first detecting that the friction has a friction versus time waveform with a first average slope indicating that the friction is steadily rising, (b.2) second detecting, after said first detecting, that the friction versus time waveform has a second average slope indicating that the friction is steadily falling; and (b.3) wherein said declaring of the endpoint occurs immediately after said second detecting or a predetermined amount of time after said second detecting.