A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a carrier body, an outer membrane assembly, an annular segmented chuck, and an inner membrane assembly. The outer membrane assembly is supported from the carrier body and defines a first plurality of independently pressurizable outer chambers. The annular segmented chuck supported below the outer membrane assembly, and includes a plurality of concentric rings that are independently vertically movable by respective pressurizable chambers of the outer membrane assembly. At least two of the rings having passages therethrough to suction-chuck a substrate to the chuck. The inner membrane assembly is supported from the carrier body and is surrounded by an innermost ring of the plurality of concentric rings of the chuck. The inner membrane assembly defines a second plurality of independently pressurizable inner chambers and has a lower surface to contact the substrate.

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 polishing apparatus has a polishing pad, a top ring for holding a semiconductor wafer, and a vertical movement mechanism operable to move the top ring in a vertical direction. The polishing apparatus also has a distance measuring sensor operable to detect a position of the top ring when a lower surface of the top ring is brought into contact with the polishing pad, and a controller operable to calculate an optimal position of the top ring to polish the semiconductor wafer based on the position detected by the distance measuring sensor. The vertical movement mechanism includes a ball screw mechanism operable to move the top ring to the optimal position.

A polishing apparatus has a polishing pad, a top ring for holding a semiconductor wafer, and a vertical movement mechanism operable to move the top ring in a vertical direction. The polishing apparatus also has a distance measuring sensor operable to detect a position of the top ring when a lower surface of the top ring is brought into contact with the polishing pad, and a controller operable to calculate an optimal position of the top ring to polish the semiconductor wafer based on the position detected by the distance measuring sensor. The vertical movement mechanism includes a ball screw mechanism operable to move the top ring to the optimal position.

A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polisher includes a base, a substrate mounting surface, an annular inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring has a lower surface configured to contact an upper surface of a substrate positioned on the substrate mounting surface, an outer surface, and an inwardly facing surface extending downwardly from the lower surface and is configured to circumferentially surround the edge of the substrate, the inner ring vertically movable relative to the substrate mounting surface. The outer ring has an inner surface circumferentially surrounding the inner ring, an outer surface, and a lower surface to contact the polishing pad, and the outer ring is vertically movable relative to and independently of the substrate mounting surface and the inner ring.

A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polisher includes a base, a substrate mounting surface, an annular inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring has a lower surface configured to contact an upper surface of a substrate positioned on the substrate mounting surface, an outer surface, and an inwardly facing surface extending downwardly from the lower surface and is configured to circumferentially surround the edge of the substrate, the inner ring vertically movable relative to the substrate mounting surface. The outer ring has an inner surface circumferentially surrounding the inner ring, an outer surface, and a lower surface to contact the polishing pad, and the outer ring is vertically movable relative to and independently of the substrate mounting surface and the inner ring.

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 retaining ring used in the polishing of semiconductor substrates is described herein. A retaining ring includes a bottom surface configured to contact a polishing pad and a top surface configured to attach to a carrier head. The top surface includes a plurality of screw holes and a plurality of alignment slots. The top surface also includes a first insert disposed in a first alignment slot of the plurality of alignment slots, the first insert flush with or below the top surface, and where the first insert configured to prevent insertion of an alignment pin into the first alignment slot.