In situ technique for dynamic fluid film pressure measurement during chemical mechanical polishing

A device has been designed to measure the pressure of the wafer-pad interfa cial film during chemical mechanical polishing. Measurements have been coll ected and compared from trials where the wafer was held stationary and wher e it was rotated. Stationary trials resulted in an asymmetrical pressure di stribution, a large pressure range, and some subatmospheric values. Dynamic trials showed less variability, no subatmospheric values, and pressure inc reasing monotonically from edge to center. Flow separation was observed und er wafers with a concave shape and resulted in erratic pressure fluctuation s. (C) 2000 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-3651(99)11-029-2. An rights reserved.