Planarization apparatus and method for performing a planarization operation.

摘要

Described is a method and apparatus for improving planarity of substrates, like semiconductor wafers by chemical and/or mechanical means. The wafer (31) is affixed to the planar surface (32) of a carrier (33). A planar platen (35), on which is mounted a polishing pad (37), is moved about in a plane parallel to the pad surface with either an orbital, fixed-direction vibratory, or random-direction vibratory motion. In one embodiment of the invention, pressure between the surface of the wafer (31) to be polished and the moving polishing pad (37) is generated by the force of gravity acting on at least the wafer (31) and the carrier (33); in another embodiment the pressure is provided by a mechanical force applied normal to the wafer surface. The polishing pad (37) is wetted with a slurry (40) having abrasive particles suspended in a liquid which may be chemically reactive with respect to at least one material on the wafer (31).