US 12,138,732 B2
Polishing system apparatus and methods for defect reduction at a substrate edge
Asheesh Jain, Livermore, CA (US); and Sameer Deshpande, Milpitas, CA (US)
Assigned to APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/121,467.
Prior Publication US 2022/0184771 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. B24B 37/04 (2012.01); B24B 57/02 (2006.01)
CPC B24B 37/042 (2013.01) [B24B 57/02 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A polishing system, comprising:
a carrier loading station comprising:
one or more support surfaces for supporting a to-be-polished substrate, wherein the one or more support surfaces are sized and located to engage with radially outermost portions of an active surface of the to-be-polished substrate;
a load cup;
a carrier head comprising a substrate backing assembly and an annular retaining ring surrounding the substrate backing assembly; and
a fluid delivery assembly directly fixed to the load cup, the fluid delivery assembly comprising one or more first nozzles configured to spray energized fluids in a fan shaped spray pattern having a flat portion directed towards an annular gap formed between the substrate backing assembly and the annular retaining ring when the carrier head is disposed over the carrier loading station and is aligned therewith,
wherein the flat portion of the fan shaped spray pattern is tangential to a peripheral edge of the to-be-polished substrate when the to-be-polished substrate is vacuum chucked to the carrier head positioned over the carrier loading station and aligned therewith,
wherein the energized fluids comprise acoustically energized fluid, liquid mixed with a pressured gas, thermally energized fluid, or a combination thereof.