An intelligent analysis system for measuring signals of polishing pad surface, a method and a computer readable medium thereof are provided. The intelligent analysis system includes a measurement signal capturing device and a measurement signal analysis device signally-connected to each other. After the measurement signal capturing device obtains the measurement signal of the measured polishing pad, an artificial intelligence model of the measurement signal analysis device is trained to classify the measurement signal to remove the interference caused by a water film on the polishing pad to obtain a better measurement signal, such that the intelligent analysis system can solve the problems of time-consuming, laborious and misjudgment caused by the classification of the measurement signal by the conventional technology.

A system and method for polishing a substrate, and a retaining ring assembly therefor, are described herein. A retaining ring assembly is configured to be attached to a carrier head. The retaining ring assembly includes a retaining ring including a lower surface, an inner surface, an outer surface and a plurality of grooves, where the lower surface is configured to contact a polishing pad during a polishing process, and each of the plurality of grooves are formed in the lower surface and extend from the inner surface to the outer surface. The retaining ring assembly includes a plurality of retainers, each retainer including a movable tooth at least partially disposed in a respective groove of the retaining ring and moveable relative to the lower surface.

A system and method for polishing a substrate, and a retaining ring assembly therefor, are described herein. A retaining ring assembly is configured to be attached to a carrier head. The retaining ring assembly includes a retaining ring including a lower surface, an inner surface, an outer surface and a plurality of grooves, where the lower surface is configured to contact a polishing pad during a polishing process, and each of the plurality of grooves are formed in the lower surface and extend from the inner surface to the outer surface. The retaining ring assembly includes a plurality of retainers, each retainer including a movable tooth at least partially disposed in a respective groove of the retaining ring and moveable relative to the lower surface.

A system and method for thinning an integrated circuit (IC) wafer. The system includes a support structure to hold the IC wafer and a mechanism to operate on the IC wafer. The support structure includes one or more inductive coils configured to transmit a power signal to the IC wafer and receive a feedback signal from the IC wafer. The system further includes a process controller to control the operation based at least in part on the feedback signal received from the IC wafer.

A system and method for thinning an integrated circuit (IC) wafer. The system includes a support structure to hold the IC wafer and a mechanism to operate on the IC wafer. The support structure includes one or more inductive coils configured to transmit a power signal to the IC wafer and receive a feedback signal from the IC wafer. The system further includes a process controller to control the operation based at least in part on the feedback signal received from the IC wafer.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a polishing section and a transport section. The polishing section has a first polishing unit, a second polishing unit, and a transport mechanism. The first polishing unit has a first polishing apparatus and a second polishing apparatus. The second polishing unit has a third polishing apparatus and a fourth polishing apparatus. Each of the first to fourth polishing apparatuses has a polishing table to which a polishing pad is mounted, a top ring, and auxiliary units that perform a process on the polishing pad during polishing. Around the polishing table, a pair of auxiliary unit mounting units for mounting the respective auxiliary units in a left-right switchable manner with respect to a straight line connecting a swing center of the top ring and a center of rotation of the polishing table is provided at respective positions symmetrical with respect to the straight line.

The present invention provides a polishing pad for a wafer polishing apparatus, comprising: an upper pad having a front surface part, which has a cut surface and is in contact with a wafer, a rear surface part positioned on the lower part of the front surface part, and a plurality of grid grooves passing through the front surface part and the rear surface part; a lower pad, which is arranged on the lower part of the upper pad and can be attached to a surface plate; and an adhesion part positioned between the upper pad and the lower pad to couple the upper pad with the lower pad.

The present invention provides a polishing pad for a wafer polishing apparatus, comprising: an upper pad having a front surface part, which has a cut surface and is in contact with a wafer, a rear surface part positioned on the lower part of the front surface part, and a plurality of grid grooves passing through the front surface part and the rear surface part; a lower pad, which is arranged on the lower part of the upper pad and can be attached to a surface plate; and an adhesion part positioned between the upper pad and the lower pad to couple the upper pad with the lower pad.

A method and an apparatus for in-situ monitoring of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) processes are disclosed. In one aspect, a CMP system includes a carrier configured to retain a substrate, a platen supporting a polishing pad, an optical detector positioned on a side of the polishing pad opposite the substrate and configured to generate a first signal, one or more position encoders configured to generate second signals, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the first signal and the second signals, identify one or more measurement sites on the substrate based on the second signals, select one or more of the measurement sites for repeated measurements based on the first signal, and determine the removal rate and/or thickness of a film of the substrate at the selected one or more of the measurement sites based on the first signal and the second signals.

A method and an apparatus for in-situ monitoring of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) processes are disclosed. In one aspect, a CMP system includes a carrier configured to retain a substrate, a platen supporting a polishing pad, an optical detector positioned on a side of the polishing pad opposite the substrate and configured to generate a first signal, one or more position encoders configured to generate second signals, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the first signal and the second signals, identify one or more measurement sites on the substrate based on the second signals, select one or more of the measurement sites for repeated measurements based on the first signal, and determine the removal rate and/or thickness of a film of the substrate at the selected one or more of the measurement sites based on the first signal and the second signals.