An omni-directional conditioner device includes a carrier that includes a holding part for holding and rotating an object for polishing purpose; a conditioner disposed around the carrier; and a transmission mechanism connected with the carrier on one side and the conditioner on the other side, the transmission mechanism including at least one directional adjustment unit that controls the rotational direction of the conditioner. When the directional adjustment unit is set in one position, the carrier and the conditioner rotate in a same direction, and when the directional adjustment unit is set in another position, the carrier and the conditioner rotate in opposite directions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 107118643, filed on May 31, 2018.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to an omni-conditioner device that may be adapted to use for rotating an object such as a wafer in a polishing/finishing process.

BACKGROUND

Specific products (e.g., a wafer) are subjected to an abrasive polishing or a surface finishing process, such as a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, so as to make the products flat or planar. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,754, in a conventional CMP process, a rotating pad is provided to a carrier that is disposed over a first part of the rotating pad (not on the center of the rotating pad) to carry the product, to press the product on a pad surface of the rotating pad, and to rotate the product such that the product is flattened.

Additionally, a conditioner is disposed over a second part of the rotating pad, and is configured to perform a conditioning operation so as to remove particles that is left on the pad surface (e.g., material of the product that is removed from the product being pressed on the pad surface, a slurry that is applied on the pad surface for lubrication, etc).

It may be beneficial to perform the polishing process and the conditioning operation simultaneously with simplified mechanism. It is also beneficial to expel the particles in a direction away from the product, so as to avoid the potential scratches on the product, for any combinations of rotational directions for the polisher and the pad.

SUMMARY

One object of the disclosure is to provide an omni-directional conditioner device.

According to one embodiment of the disclosure, the omni-directional conditioner device is adapted for rotating an object, and includes:

a carrier that includes a holding part for holding the object, and a surrounding surface surrounding the holding part;

a conditioner that is disposed around the surrounding surface; and

at least one directional adjustment unit that includesa transmission mechanism disposed between the carrier and the conditioner, and associated with the surrounding surface of the carrier and the conditioner,a directional adjustment unit that controls the rotational direction of said conditioner,

one embodiment of the directional adjustment unit is a locking component for selectively engaging the transfer mechanism to control its rotational direction,

wherein when the locking component is in a first position it drives the conditioner to rotate in the same direction as the carrier via the transmission mechanism. When the locking component in a second position, the transfer mechanism drives the conditioner in the opposite direction of the conditioner. In addition, with the same configuration of the carrier, the conditioner, the transfer mechanism, and the directional adjustment unit, the driving force can be either from the carrier or from the conditioner.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a mechanical surface-finishing system that includes the above-mentioned omni-directional conditioner device. The mechanical surface-finishing system further includes a rotating table formed with a hole.

The omni-directional conditioner device is disposed on the rotating table and is adapted to rotate an object to perform a surface-finishing operation. The hole permits waste that is generated during the surface-finishing operation to be expelled therethrough.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a schematic view illustrating an omni-directional conditioner device according to one embodiment of the disclosure. The omni-directional conditioner device is adapted to the carrier which carries and polishes the object.

In this embodiment, the omni-directional conditioner device may be employed in a surface-finishing operation, such as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. Specifically, as shown inFIG. 3, a rotating table6may be employed to operate with the omni-directional conditioner device to form a mechanical surface finishing system, and the object to be carried by the omni-directional conditioner device is a wafer.

In use, the omni-directional conditioner device is to be disposed over a pad surface of the rotating table6, is connected to a support arm (not shown), and is driven by a driving mechanism (e.g., a motor, not shown) that is mounted to the support arm so as to rotate simultaneously with the rotating table6. In this manner, the wafer, which is driven to rotate by the omni-directional conditioner device, is to be pressed onto the pad surface of the rotating table6, and is flattened by the relative movements between the wafer and the rotating table6. It is noted that during the CMP process, particles of waste resulting from the wafer being finished are generated.

The omni-directional conditioner device includes a carrier2, a conditioner3, and a transmission mechanism. In one embodiment, the transmission mechanism includes at least one directional adjustment unit4. In some embodiments, the transmission mechanism of the omni-directional conditioner device further includes a mounting seat5.

The carrier2includes a holding part21for holding the object, and a surrounding surface22surrounding the holding part21. In this embodiment, the holding part21is circular-shaped. The carrier2may be connected to the driving unit that provides force needed for the carrier2to rotate. In other embodiments, the conditioner3may be connected to the driving unit.

The conditioner3is disposed around the surrounding surface22, and has an inner surface30disposed to face the carrier2. In this embodiment, the conditioner3is ring-shaped. When the conditioner3is being rotated, particles located below the conditioner3are expelled due to a centrifugal force provided by the rotation of the conditioner3. The operation of the conditioner3may be referred to as a conditioning operation.

The transmission mechanism is configured to transmit the rotational energy from one of the carrier2and the conditioner3to the other.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the at least one directional adjustment unit4is disposed to associate the carrier2and the conditioner3with each other. In this embodiment, three directional adjustment units4are present.

In this embodiment, each of the directional adjustment units4includes a driving component41, a connecting component43, and a locking component44. In some embodiments, each of the directional adjustment units4further includes a supporting component42. The connecting component43and the locking component44may be referred to as a whole as a directional adjustment unit.

The driving component41is disposed between the carrier2and the conditioner3, and is associated with the surrounding surface22of the carrier2and the inner surface30of the conditioner3. In this embodiment, the driving component41is embodied using a pinion, and both the surrounding surface22of the carrier2and the inner surface30of the conditioner3is formed with teeth (not depicted in the drawings) to mesh with the driving component41.

It is noted that in other embodiments, the driving component41and components connected to the driving component41may be embodied using other mechanisms and/or structures. Additionally, the directional adjustment unit may be embodied using other mechanisms and/or structures.

The connecting component43is co-rotatably connected to the driving component41. The locking component44is for removably engaging the connecting component43. That is to say, at least one of the locking component44and the connecting component43is operable to engage or to disengage from the other one of the locking component44and the connecting component43.

The connecting component43and the locking component44are configured in a manner such that when the connecting component43engages the locking component44, rotation of either one of the carrier2and the conditioner3in a first direction drives the other one of the carrier2and the conditioner3to rotate in the first direction via the driving component41. On the other hand, when the connecting component43does not engage the locking component44, rotation of either one of the carrier2and the conditioner3in the first direction drives the other one of the carrier2and the conditioner3to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction via the driving component41.

In order to achieve the effect as described above, the mounting seat5may be employed. As shown inFIG. 1, the directional adjustment units4are mounted on the mounting seat5, which is disposed to surround the carrier2. Each of the carrier2, the conditioner3and the mounting seat5is rotatably mounted to the support arm (directly or indirectly). Either one of the carrier2and the conditioner3may be coupled to and be driven by the driving mechanism.

When the connecting component43engages the locking component44, the mounting seat5, the carrier2and the conditioner3are co-rotatable with one another.

On the other hand, when the connecting component43does not engage the locking component44, the carrier2and the conditioner3are configured to respectively rotate in two opposite directions relative to the mounting seat5.

FIG. 2and part (A) ofFIG. 4partially illustrate one of the directional adjustment units4used in the embodiment ofFIG. 1.

In this embodiment, each of the directional adjustment units4further includes a supporting component42that is spaced apart from the driving component41and that is co-rotatably connected to the mounting seat5. The connecting component43includes a slidable engaging portion431that is co-rotatable with the driving component41and that is slidable between a contact location (seeFIG. 2), in which the slidable engaging portion431engages the locking component44, and a non-engaging position (see part (A) ofFIG. 4), in which the slidable engaging portion431does not engage the locking component44. In this embodiment, the movement of the slidable engaging portion431may be manually driven, and may be controlled by a separate mechanism to move when needed.

The connecting component43is rotatably mounted to the supporting component42. The engaging portion431is slidable relative to the supporting component42. The locking component44is disposed on the supporting component42.

Specifically, the engaging portion431may be embodied using slidable block having a recess400for engaging the locking component44.

The operation of the omni-directional conditioner device when the connecting component43engages the locking component44(i.e., the slidable engaging portion431is in the contact location), is illustrated inFIG. 3.

Specifically, each of the rotating table6and the carrier2may be separately driven to rotate in a specific direction (e.g., counter-clockwise), and the mounting seat5is permitted to rotate relative to the support arm. Since the engaging portion431engages the locking component44, rotational movements of the connecting component43relative to the supporting component42is prohibited, and each of the directional adjustment units4serves to drive rotation of the conditioner3in the specific direction (i.e., counter-clockwise) along with the carrier2.

On the other hand, the operation of the omni-directional conditioner device when the connecting component43does not engage the locking component44(i.e., the slidable engaging portion431is in the non-engaging position), is illustrated inFIG. 5.

Specifically, when the rotating table6is driven to rotate in a specific direction (e.g., counter-clockwise), the carrier2is driven to rotate in an opposite direction (e.g., clockwise), and the mounting seat5is locked relative to the support arm (i.e., the mounting seat5is not rotatable relative to the support arm).

In this case, the components of the omni-directional conditioner device, that is, the carrier2, the directional adjustment units4mounted on the mounting seat5, and the conditioner3are configured to operate as a planetary gear. Of the planetary gear, the carrier2serves as a sun gear, the transmission components41serve as planet gears, the mounting seat5serves as a planet carrier, and the conditioner3serves as a ring gear.

By virtue of the characteristics of the planetary gear, when the sun gear is driven to rotate in a first direction and the planet gears are configured to rotate with the sun gear without orbiting movement, the ring gear is configured to rotate in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

As a result, in the example ofFIG. 5, when the carrier2is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction, the conditioner3in turn is driven to rotate in the counter-clockwise direction.

Referring to part (B) ofFIG. 4, a modification of the directional adjustment unit4is configured such that, the locking component44is movably mounted on the supporting component42, and is operable to engage or disengage from the engaging portion431of the connecting component43.

FIGS. 6 to 9illustrate different possible cases when components of the mechanical surface finishing system are rotating in various directions during the surface-finishing operation on the object.

Specifically, as shown by the broken arrow, an expel direction (D) indicates, for each case, a direction in which the residues generated during the surface-finishing operation is expelled by the conditioner3.

The term “frontal residue flow direction” can be defined as the residues carried by the rotating table6and coming to the conditioner3. The term “rear residues” refers to residues that are carried away from the polishing area of the rotating table6, and that are of little concern regarding the surface scratch on the surface of the object/product. The flow direction of the rear residues are, in general, opposite to the counterpart frontal residues.

As a result, the removal of front residue by the conditioner3needs to be addressed. Regardless of the carrier rotational direction, situations of the frontal residue flow direction affected by the pad and conditioner rotational directions are summarized in the following Table 1.

Referring to Table 1, with sufficient rotation of the conditioner3, as long as the rotational directions of the rotating table6and the conditioner3are the same, the direction of the frontal residue flow, which is outward, will be effective for removing the residues from the product (seeFIGS. 6 and 9). If the rotational directions of the rotating table6and the carrier6are opposite to each other, even though many of the rear residues may have been expelled outward to be removed from the rotating table6, it may be beneficial to have a hole or channel in the central part of the rotating table6to allow the remaining inward frontal resides to be expelled from the system. This will ensure that the residues are expelled away from the product surface.

FIG. 10is a perspective view illustrating an omni-directional conditioner device according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

In this embodiment, the conditioner3has a base surface31, atop surface32opposite to the base surface31, and a plurality of grooves33.

Each of the grooves33is formed through the base surface31and the top surface32, and extends radially in a linear or a non-linear fashion.

One advantage of the omni-directional conditioner device in this embodiment is that, by introducing the grooves33on the conditioner3, the waste generated during the surface-finishing operation may be expelled by the conditioner3more efficiently, since the grooves33provide better channels for the wastes to be removed more effectively. The shapes of these radially placed grooves33can also be optimized for better effectiveness.

It is noted that the centrifugal forces acting upon the wastes in the grooves of the rotating omni-directional conditioner device can also contribute to the removal of the wastes away from the carrier2.

FIG. 11is a fragmentary bottom perspective view illustrating a part of a conditioner3of an omni-directional conditioner device according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

In this embodiment, the conditioner3has a base surface31that faces a direction toward the rotating table6, the same direction as that of the holding part21faces (with reference toFIG. 1 or 10), a top surface32that is opposite to the base surface31, a surrounding groove34, different from the radial grooves33mentioned previously, that is formed in the base surface31and that is disposed for surrounding the holding part21, and a plurality of through holes35.

Each of the through holes35is formed through the top surface32and a groove-defining surface that defines the surrounding groove34.

It is noted that in this embodiment, the structures of other components of the omni-directional conditioner device are the same with the embodiment ofFIG. 1, and details thereof are omitted herein for the sake of brevity.

There are two distinct ways of using these holes and channels: 1) It is possible to employ a suction force disposed over the top surface32. The suction force is capable of creating a vacuum in the through holes35, so as to remove the waste from the omni-directional conditioner device; 2) Pressurized liquid or gas, such as water or air can be injected from above the top surface32through the through holes35in directions conducive to expel the residue more effectively to better condition the rotating pad on the rotating table6. It is also possible to inject cleaning plasma through the holes or groves to react with the residues making it easier to remove from the system.

In some embodiments, the base surface31may be formed or attached with some small hard elements350. The elements350may be made of scrubbing or rubbing elements such as diamond or other pad cleaning materials to enhance residue removal from the rotating table6.

FIG. 12is a schematic view of a mechanical surface finishing system according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

In this embodiment, the rotating table6is formed with a hole60, and the omni-directional conditioner device is one as described in the embodiment ofFIG. 1.

In this embodiment, the omni-directional conditioner device is disposed on the rotating table6, and is adapted to rotate an object to perform a surface-finishing operation. The hole60permits waste that is generated during the surface-finishing operation to be expelled therethrough for the case when the frontal residue flowing direction is inward as indicated in Table 1.

Notice that the rotation driving force of this disclosure can originate from the carrier2and be provided to the conditioner3or originate from the conditioner3and be provided to the carrier2depending on which one is connected to the driving unit. This disclosure covers both of the situations.

To sum up, embodiments of the disclosure provides a mechanical surface finishing system, which includes an omni-directional conditioner device. By connecting the carrier2and the conditioner3of the omni-directional conditioner device and to configure the carrier2and the conditioner3to be capable of rotating in any combinations of rotational directions with easy lock switch (i.e., the directional adjustment unit can be easily switched between positions), and the conditioning and polishing operations may be done simultaneously and efficiently without having to use separate driving mechanisms to control each of the carrier2and the conditioner3.

In some embodiments, the conditioner3and/or may be formed with various structures to enhance the efficiency of the conditioning operation, such that waste generated during the surface-finishing operation may be expelled away from the carrier2.

The following Table 2 lists the elements that have been recited in the disclosure and the corresponding reference numerals.