Cmp conditioner, method for arranging rigid grains used for cmp conditioner, and method for manufacturing cmp conditioner

Abstract

Disclosed are CMP conditioners which can suppress microscratching of the surface of a semiconductor substrate and can realize stable CMP conditioner properties. The CMP conditioner according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a support member and a plurality of hard abrasive grains provided on a surface of the support member, wherein the plurality of hard abrasive grains are regularly arranged on the surface of the support member. The CMP conditioner according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises a support member and a plurality of hard abrasive grains provided on the surface of the support member, wherein the plurality of hard abrasive grains are arranged on the surface of the support member regularly and so as for the density of the hard abrasive grains to decrease from the inner side of the support member toward the outer side of the support member.

1 . A CMP conditioner comprising: a support member; and a plurality of hard abrasive grains provided on a surface of the support member, wherein 
 said plurality of hard abrasive grains are regularly arranged on the surface of the support member.    
     
     
         2 . The CMP conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein said hard abrasive grains are arranged at respective lattice points of a unit lattice formed of a square on the surface of the support member.  
     
     
         3 . The CMP conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein said hard abrasive grains are arranged at respective lattice points of a unit lattice formed of a regular triangle on the surface of the support member.  
     
     
         4 . A CMP conditioner comprising: a support member; and a plurality of hard abrasive grains provided on a surface of the support member, wherein 
 the variation in density of the hard abrasive grains among regions having a given area where said hard abrasive grains are present is within ±50%.    
     
     
         5 . The CMP conditioner according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein said hard abrasive grains are diamond grains.  
     
     
         6 . The CMP conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein said diamond grains have been brazed in a single layer to said support member, formed of a metal and/or an alloy, with an alloy containing 0.5 to 20% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of titanium, chromium, and zirconium and having a melting point of 650° C. to 1,200° C. to form a layer of a carbide of a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, chromium, and zirconium at the interface between the diamond grains and the alloy.  
     
     
         7 . A method for arranging hard abrasive grains for use in a CMP conditioner, comprising the steps of: 
 positioning an arranging member in a thin plate form, provided with a plurality of regularly arranged through-holes, on an abrasive grain arrangement surface; and    placing a hard abrasive grain in each through-hole of the arranging member.    
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the abrasive grain arrangement surface is a surface of a support member for constituting the CMP conditioner.  
     
     
         9 . A method for arranging hard abrasive grains for use in a CMP conditioner, comprising the steps of: 
 holding a plurality of hard abrasive grains, in a regularly arranged state, on a holding member; and    transferring the hard abrasive grains held on the holding member onto the surface of a support member for constituting the CMP conditioner.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said holding member has first bonding means for holding the hard abrasive grains and said support member has on its surface second bonding means which is different from said first bonding means in properties.  
     
     
         11 . A process for producing a CMP conditioner, comprising the steps of: utilizing the method for arranging hard abrasive grains for use in a CMP conditioner according to any one of  claims 7  to  10  to arrange the hard abrasive grains on the surface of the support member; and then fixing the hard abrasive grains on the surface of the support member.  
     
     
         12 . A CMP conditioner comprising: a support member; and a plurality of hard abrasive grains provided on the surface of the support member, wherein 
 said plurality of hard abrasive grains are arranged on the surface of the support member regularly and so as for the density of the hard abrasive grains to decrease from the inner side of the support member toward the outer side of the support member.    
     
     
         13 . The CMP conditioner according to  claim 12 , wherein said hard abrasive grains are arranged substantially radially from the center of the support member.  
     
     
         14 . A CMP conditioner comprising: a support member; and a plurality of hard abrasive grains provided on a surface of said support member, wherein 
 regions, where said plurality of hard abrasive grains are absent, are provided substantially radially on the surface of the support member.    
     
     
         15 . The CMP conditioner according to any one of  claims 12  to  14 , wherein said hard abrasive grains are diamond grains.  
     
     
         16 . The CMP conditioner according to  claim 15 , wherein said diamond grains have been brazed in a single layer to said support member, formed of a metal and/or an alloy, with an alloy containing 0.5 to 20% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of titanium, chromium, and zirconium and having a melting point of 650° C. to 1,200° C. to form a layer of a carbide of a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, chromium, and zirconium at the interface between the diamond grains and the alloy.  
     
     
         17 . The CMP conditioner according to  claim 16 , wherein said alloy having a melting point of 650° C to 1,200° C. is a nickel-base alloy.  
     
     
         18 . A method for arranging hard abrasive grains for use in a CMP conditioner, comprising the steps of: 
 positioning an arranging member in a thin plate form, provided with a plurality of through-holes arranged regularly and so as for the density of the through-holes to decrease from the inner side toward the outer side of the arranging member, on an abrasive grain arrangement surface; and    placing a hard abrasive grain in each through-hole of the arranging member.    
     
     
         19 . A method for arranging hard abrasive grains for use in a CMP conditioner, comprising the steps of: 
 positioning an arranging member in a thin plate form, in which regions free from a plurality of through-holes are provided substantially radially, on an abrasive grain arrangement surface; and    placing a hard abrasive grain in each through-hole of the arranging member.    
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18  or  19 , wherein the abrasive grain arrangement surface is a surface of a support member for constituting the CMP conditioner.  
     
     
         21 . A method for arranging hard abrasive grains for use in a CMP conditioner, comprising the steps of: 
 holding a plurality of hard abrasive grains, on a holding member, in such a state that the hard abrasive grains are arranged regularly and so as for the density of said hard abrasive grains to decrease from the inner side toward the outer side of the holding member; and    transferring the hard abrasive grains held on the holding member onto the surface of a support member for constituting the CMP conditioner.    
     
     
         22 . A method for arranging hard abrasive grains for use in a CMP conditioner, comprising the steps of: 
 holding a plurality of hard abrasive grains, on a holding member, in such a state that regions free from said plurality of hard abrasive grains are provided substantially radially; and    transferring the hard abrasive grains held on the holding member onto the surface of a support member for constituting the CMP conditioner.    
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21  or  22 , wherein said holding member has first bonding means for holding the hard abrasive grains and said support member has on its surface second bonding means which is different from said first bonding means in properties.  
     
     
         24 . A process for producing a CMP conditioner, comprising the steps of: utilizing the method for arranging hard abrasive grains for use in a CMP conditioner according to any one of  claims 18  to  23  to arrange the hard abrasive grains on the surface of the support member; and then fixing the hard abrasive grains on the surface of the support member.