A chemical mechanical planarization system includes a chemical mechanical planarization pad that rotates during a chemical mechanical planarization process. A chemical mechanical planarization head places a semiconductor wafer in contact with the chemical mechanical planarization pad during the process. A slurry supply system supplies a slurry onto the pad during the process. A pad conditioner conditions the pad during the process. An impurity removal system removes debris and impurities from the slurry.

A chemical mechanical planarization system includes a chemical mechanical planarization pad that rotates during a chemical mechanical planarization process. A chemical mechanical planarization head places a semiconductor wafer in contact with the chemical mechanical planarization pad during the process. A slurry supply system supplies a slurry onto the pad during the process. A pad conditioner conditions the pad during the process. An impurity removal system removes debris and impurities from the slurry.

A method and apparatus for determining a polishing pad thickness profile are described herein. A set of displacement sensors, including an arm displacement sensor and one or more conditioning disk displacement sensors are utilized to determine the orientation of a conditioning disk and the thickness of the polishing pad. The displacement sensors are non-contact sensors, such as a laser sensor, a capacitive sensor, or an inductive sensor. Once the thickness profile of the polishing pad is determined, one or more process conditions is altered to improve substrate polishing.

A method and apparatus for determining a polishing pad thickness profile are described herein. A set of displacement sensors, including an arm displacement sensor and one or more conditioning disk displacement sensors are utilized to determine the orientation of a conditioning disk and the thickness of the polishing pad. The displacement sensors are non-contact sensors, such as a laser sensor, a capacitive sensor, or an inductive sensor. Once the thickness profile of the polishing pad is determined, one or more process conditions is altered to improve substrate polishing.

The present disclosure describes an apparatus for chemical-mechanical polishing of a semiconductor wafer. Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a pad, a slurry introduction mechanism, a wafer carrier (e.g., carrying a wafer being polished by the chemical-mechanical polishing system), a pad conditioner, and a pad cooling mechanism. The pad cooling mechanism of the present disclosure may apply a liquid or gas to the pad (e.g., to an upper surface of the pad) to control the temperature of the pad as the chemical-mechanical polishing process occurs. As a result, the temperature of the pad may be maintained at a safe and operable level for an extended period of time during chemical-mechanical polishing of a wafer.

The present disclosure describes an apparatus for chemical-mechanical polishing of a semiconductor wafer. Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a pad, a slurry introduction mechanism, a wafer carrier (e.g., carrying a wafer being polished by the chemical-mechanical polishing system), a pad conditioner, and a pad cooling mechanism. The pad cooling mechanism of the present disclosure may apply a liquid or gas to the pad (e.g., to an upper surface of the pad) to control the temperature of the pad as the chemical-mechanical polishing process occurs. As a result, the temperature of the pad may be maintained at a safe and operable level for an extended period of time during chemical-mechanical polishing of a wafer.

A method for polishing a semiconductor substrate includes the following operations. A semiconductor substrate is received. An abrasive slurry having a first temperature is dispensed to a polishing surface of a polishing pad. The semiconductor substrate is polished. The abrasive slurry have a second temperature is dispensed to the polishing surface of the polishing pad during the polishing of the semiconductor substrate. The second temperature is different from the first temperature.

A method for polishing a semiconductor substrate includes the following operations. A semiconductor substrate is received. An abrasive slurry having a first temperature is dispensed to a polishing surface of a polishing pad. The semiconductor substrate is polished. The abrasive slurry have a second temperature is dispensed to the polishing surface of the polishing pad during the polishing of the semiconductor substrate. The second temperature is different from the first temperature.

In one embodiment, a method is provided for polishing a substrate. The method generally includes receiving a plurality of dwell times of a pad conditioning disk, wherein the plurality of dwell times are to be used in a pad conditioning process performed on a pad disposed on a platen, and each dwell time corresponding to a zone of a plurality of zones of the pad disposed on the platen, determining a plurality of total pad conditioning disk cut times to be used in the pad conditioning process, each total pad conditioning disk cut time corresponding to a zone of the plurality of zones, and generating a first pad wear removal model based on a set of parameters, including the plurality of dwell times and the plurality of total pad conditioning disk cut times.

In one embodiment, a method is provided for polishing a substrate. The method generally includes receiving a plurality of dwell times of a pad conditioning disk, wherein the plurality of dwell times are to be used in a pad conditioning process performed on a pad disposed on a platen, and each dwell time corresponding to a zone of a plurality of zones of the pad disposed on the platen, determining a plurality of total pad conditioning disk cut times to be used in the pad conditioning process, each total pad conditioning disk cut time corresponding to a zone of the plurality of zones, and generating a first pad wear removal model based on a set of parameters, including the plurality of dwell times and the plurality of total pad conditioning disk cut times.