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Method and System for Modeling, Predicting, and Optimizing Chemical Mechanical Polishing Pad Wear and Extending Pad Life: 6,169,931

Abstract: 

A computer implemented system and method for modeling, predicting and optimizing a Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP)
system for polishing semiconductor wafers and other types of substrates used in the manufacture of integrated circuits. The
method and system comprises a pad wear and conditioning model that predicts the polishing effectiveness of each sampling
point on the polish pad based upon the polishing pad and substrate parameters, the pressure and speed between the wafer and
the polish pad, and on the amount of polishing the point has performed in a simulated CMP hardware configuration using the
CMP system recipe settings. The model determines the change in pad roughness and thickness for each sampling point on the
pad. The model results are used along with wafer scale uniformity and feature scale planarity model results to optimize pad life
and determining optimal recipe settings for the CMP process.

Patent Number: 
6,169,931
Date Of Issue: 
01/01/2001
Inventors: 

Scott R. Runnels