Polishing pad and method of fabricating semiconductor device

Abstract

A polishing pad includes a first pad portion and a second pad portion disposed therearound, and each of the first and second pad portions is replaced individually. A CMP apparatus with the polishing pad (first and second pad portions) attached thereto conducts polishing of a semiconductor wafer. The second pad portion is replaced with a replacement second pad portion when the total polishing time reaches a predetermined period of time.

1 . A polishing pad of a polishing apparatus comprising:
 a first pad portion; and   a second pad portion disposed around the first pad portion and being separable from the first pad portion.   
     
     
         2 . The polishing pad of a polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first pad portion has a circular shape, and   the second pad portion has an annular shape.   
     
     
         3 . The polishing pad of a polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first pad portion is provided with any one of a protruding portion and a recessed portion in a periphery thereof, and   the second pad portion is provided with any one of a recessed portion and a protruding portion in an inner periphery thereof, the recessed portion and the protruding portion of the second pad portion being configured to fit to the protruding portion and the recessed portion of the first pad portion, respectively.   
     
     
         4 . The polishing pad of a polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the first pad portion and the second pad portion is provided with a groove in a surface thereof.   
     
     
         5 . The polishing pad of a polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the first pad portion and the second pad portion is provided with a hole in a surface thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The polishing pad of a polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more pad portions disposed around the second pad portion and being separable from the first pad portion and the second pad portion. 
     
     
         7 . A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
 using a polishing pad separable into a first pad portion and a second pad portion to polish a surface of a semiconductor wafer by pressing the polishing pad against the semiconductor wafer;   performing conditioning on a surface of the polishing pad; and   replacing any one of the first pad portion and the second pad portion of the polishing pad.   
     
     
         8 . The method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to  claim 7 , wherein a slurry is supplied onto the polishing pad in the polishing the surface of the semiconductor wafer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to  claim 7 , wherein the second pad portion is replaced when a total conditioning time reaches a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to  claim 9 , wherein a thickness of a replacement second pad portion is set based on a thickness of the first pad portion at a moment of the replacement of the second pad portion.