US 11,986,923 B2
Polishing head with local wafer pressure
Andrew Nagengast, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Steven M. Zuniga, Soquel, CA (US); Jay Gurusamy, Santa Clara, CA (US); Charles C. Garretson, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Vladimir Galburt, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/512,284.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/112,141, filed on Nov. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0143779 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. B24B 37/32 (2012.01); B24B 37/005 (2012.01); B24B 37/04 (2012.01)
CPC B24B 37/32 (2013.01) [B24B 37/005 (2013.01); B24B 37/04 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A substrate carrier configured to be attached to a polishing system for polishing a substrate, the substrate carrier comprising:
a housing;
a retaining ring coupled to the housing;
a membrane disposed within the housing and spanning an inner diameter of the retaining ring, the membrane having:
a bottom portion configured to contact the substrate;
an upper portion opposite the bottom portion; and
a side portion extending orthogonally between the bottom portion and the upper portion, wherein an outer edge connects the side portion to the bottom portion; and
an actuator disposed on the outer edge of the membrane and configured to apply a load to the outer edge of the membrane towards the substrate thereby altering a pressure applied between the substrate disposed in the substrate carrier and a polishing pad,
wherein the side portion includes an annular recess formed along an outer edge of the side portion, an annular sleeve is disposed in the annular recess, and the load applied to the outer edge of the membrane is applied via the annular sleeve, and
wherein the actuator comprises a piston that engages the upper portion of the membrane, wherein the load applied to the outer edge of the membrane is applied by the piston applying a load to the upper portion of the membrane.