A retaining ring can be shaped by machining or lapping the bottom surface of the ring to form a shaped profile in the bottom surface. The bottom surface of the retaining ring can include flat, sloped and curved portions. The lapping can be performed using a machine that dedicated for use in lapping the bottom surface of retaining rings. During the lapping the ring can be permitted to rotate freely about an axis of the ring. The bottom surface of the retaining ring can have curved or flat portions.

The present disclosure relates to retaining rings that include tunable chemical, material and structural properties, improved structural and fluid transport configurations and new methods of manufacturing the same. According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, it has been discovered that a retaining ring with improved properties may be produced by an additive manufacturing process, such as a three-dimensional (3D) printing process. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an advanced retaining ring that has discrete features and geometries, formed from at least two different materials that are formed from one or more polymers. The layers and/or regions of the advanced retaining ring may include a composite material structure, such as a polymer that contains at least one filler, such as metals, semimetal oxides, carbides, nitrides and/or polymer particles.

The present disclosure relates to retaining rings that include tunable chemical, material and structural properties, improved structural and fluid transport configurations and new methods of manufacturing the same. According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, it has been discovered that a retaining ring with improved properties may be produced by an additive manufacturing process, such as a three-dimensional (3D) printing process. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an advanced retaining ring that has discrete features and geometries, formed from at least two different materials that are formed from one or more polymers. The layers and/or regions of the advanced retaining ring may include a composite material structure, such as a polymer that contains at least one filler, such as metals, semimetal oxides, carbides, nitrides and/or polymer particles.

A wafer carrier assembly includes a wafer carrier and a fluid passage. The wafer carrier comprises a retainer ring confining a wafer accommodation space. The fluid passage is inside the wafer carrier. The fluid passage includes an inlet and at least an outlet to dispense fluid into the wafer accommodation space.

A wafer carrier assembly includes a wafer carrier and a fluid passage. The wafer carrier comprises a retainer ring confining a wafer accommodation space. The fluid passage is inside the wafer carrier. The fluid passage includes an inlet and at least an outlet to dispense fluid into the wafer accommodation space.

A grinding ring set for semiconductor wafer in chemical and mechanical grinding process includes a grinding surface and an attaching surface attaching to the grinding surface. Material of the attaching ring is selected from HDPE, PE, PPS, PBT, PEI, PEEK, PET, PTFE, PBI, PAI, PETP, PVC, NYLON, POM, ABS, PVDF, etc. or the combination thereof, compound of two or more plastic additives, which has a weight percentage between 0.9-1.8 g/cm3. The grinding ring set may also be made of plastic materials, but is different from those used in the attaching ring. Therefore, by above mentioned design, the whole weight is light with a preferred strength, lower cost, less processes, and reduction of rust, etc. Furthermore, plastic is more flexible then metal.

A grinding ring set for semiconductor wafer in chemical and mechanical grinding process includes a grinding surface and an attaching surface attaching to the grinding surface. Material of the attaching ring is selected from HDPE, PE, PPS, PBT, PEI, PEEK, PET, PTFE, PBI, PAI, PETP, PVC, NYLON, POM, ABS, PVDF, etc. or the combination thereof, compound of two or more plastic additives, which has a weight percentage between 0.9-1.8 g/cm3. The grinding ring set may also be made of plastic materials, but is different from those used in the attaching ring. Therefore, by above mentioned design, the whole weight is light with a preferred strength, lower cost, less processes, and reduction of rust, etc. Furthermore, plastic is more flexible then metal.

A substrate holding apparatus which can adjust polishing profile precisely is disclosed. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane that forms a plurality of pressure chambers for pressing a substrate, and a head body to which the elastic membrane is coupled. The elastic membrane includes a contact portion to be brought into contact with the substrate for pressing the substrate against a polishing pad, an edge circumferential wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the contact portion, and a plurality of inner circumferential walls arranged radially inwardly of the edge circumferential wall and extending upwardly from the contact portion. At least two adjacent inner circumferential walls of the plurality of inner circumferential walls include slope circumferential walls inclined radially inwardly. The slope circumferential walls are inclined radially inwardly in their entirety from their lower ends to upper ends, and extend upwardly.

A substrate holding apparatus which can adjust polishing profile precisely is disclosed. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane that forms a plurality of pressure chambers for pressing a substrate, and a head body to which the elastic membrane is coupled. The elastic membrane includes a contact portion to be brought into contact with the substrate for pressing the substrate against a polishing pad, an edge circumferential wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the contact portion, and a plurality of inner circumferential walls arranged radially inwardly of the edge circumferential wall and extending upwardly from the contact portion. At least two adjacent inner circumferential walls of the plurality of inner circumferential walls include slope circumferential walls inclined radially inwardly. The slope circumferential walls are inclined radially inwardly in their entirety from their lower ends to upper ends, and extend upwardly.

A retaining ring for a polishing process is disclosed. The retaining ring includes a body comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, and a sacrificial surface disposed on the lower portion, the sacrificial surface comprising a negative tapered surface having a taper height that is about 0.0003 inches to about 0.00015 inches.