Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus. The CMP apparatus may include a polishing pad including a plurality of concave regions. These concave regions may be two-dimensionally arranged in the polishing pad in a first direction and a second direction that are not perpendicular to each other and not parallel to each other. The concave regions arranged in the first direction may have a first pitch, and the concave regions arranged in the second direction may have a second pitch equal to the first pitch.

1 . A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising:
 a polishing pad including a plurality of concave regions,   wherein the plurality of concave regions are two-dimensionally arranged in a first direction and a second direction which are not perpendicular to each other and not parallel to each other, and wherein   the concave regions arranged in the first direction have a first pitch and the concave regions arranged in the second direction have a second pitch equal to the first pitch.   
     
     
         2 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of grooves in the polishing pad, wherein the plurality of grooves partition the plurality of concave regions. 
     
     
         3 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of grooves are disposed in the polishing pad in a curve form, a straight line form, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of concave regions have a circular form or an elliptical form. 
     
     
         5 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a spacing between the concave regions arranged in the first direction is substantially equal to a diameter of each of the plurality of concave regions. 
     
     
         6 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a polishing station; and   a head assembly facing the polishing station,   wherein the polishing pad is mounted on the polishing station such that the plurality of concave regions face the head assembly.   
     
     
         7 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the head assembly comprises a supporting member on which a wafer is mounted, and a polishing target surface of the wafer is mounted on the supporting member to face the polishing pad. 
     
     
         8 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a slurry supply unit supplying slurry between the wafer and the polishing pad. 
     
     
         9 . A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising:
 a polishing station which includes a polishing pad conditioner for controlling a surface state of a polishing pad during a polishing process, a slurry supply unit for supplying slurry onto a surface of the polishing pad during the polishing process and a polishing table which includes a platen and the polishing pad, wherein the platen is configured such that the polishing station can rotate and wherein the polishing pad is disposed on the platen; and   a head assembly which includes a polishing head and a driving motor,   wherein the driving motor provides power to the polishing head such that the polishing head can perform a vibrating motion, a rotating motion and/or a reciprocating motion, and wherein a wafer is mountable on the polishing head for the polishing process,   wherein the polishing pad includes a plurality of concave regions and a plurality of grooves disposed in the polishing pad between the concave regions, wherein the plurality of concave regions are arranged two-dimensionally in a first direction and a second direction which are not perpendicular to each other and not parallel to each other, and   the concave regions arranged in the first direction have a first pitch and the concave regions arranged in the second direction have a second pitch equal to the first pitch, and wherein the plurality of grooves partition the plurality of concave regions disposed in the polishing pad and provide a path for slurry between the polishing pad and the wafer in the polishing process.   
     
     
         10 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the angle between the first direction and the second direction is about 60°. 
     
     
         11 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a spacing between the concave regions arranged in the first direction is substantially equal to a diameter of each of the plurality of concave regions. 
     
     
         12 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of concave regions face the head assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the head assembly comprises a supporting member on which the wafer is mounted, and a polishing target surface of the wafer is mounted on the supporting member to face the polishing pad. 
     
     
         14 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of concave regions comprise a first concave region, a second concave region and a third concave region, and wherein lines connecting a central point of the first concave region, a central point of the second concave region and a central point of the third concave region forms an equilateral triangle. 
     
     
         15 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of concave regions have a circular shape. 
     
     
         16 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of concave regions have an elliptical shape. 
     
     
         17 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of concave regions have a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         18 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the grooves are provided in a straight line form in the polishing pad. 
     
     
         19 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of grooves in the polishing pad are curved-shaped grooves. 
     
     
         20 . The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of grooves in the polishing pad comprise straight line-shaped grooves and curved-shaped grooves.