Abstract:
Method and apparatus are provided for polishing substrates comprising conductive and low k dielectric materials with reduced or minimum substrate surface damage and delamination. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including positioning a substrate having a conductive material formed thereon in a polishing apparatus having one or more rotational carrier heads and one or more rotatable platens, wherein the carrier head comprises a retaining ring and a membrane for securing a substrate and the platen has a polishing article disposed thereon, contacting the substrate surface and the polishing article to each other at a retaining ring contact pressure of about 0.4 psi or greater than a membrane pressure, and polishing the substrate to remove conductive material.
Abstract:
A method of chemical mechanical polishing a metal layer on a substrate in which the substrate is polished at a first polishing rate. Polishing is monitored with an eddy current monitoring system, and the polishing rate is reduced to a second polishing rate when the eddy current monitoring system indicates that a predetermined thickness of the metal layer remains on the substrate. Then polishing is monitored with an optical monitoring system, and polishing is halted when the optical monitoring system indicates that an underlying layer is at least partially exposed.
Abstract:
An optical monitoring system for a two-step polishing process which generates a reflectance trace for each of plurality of radial zones. The CMP apparatus may switch from a high-selectivity slurry to a low-selectivity slurry when any of the reflectance traces indicate initial clearance of the metal layer, and polishing may halt when all of the reflectance traces indicate that oxide layer has been completely exposed.
Abstract:
A process of polishing two dissimilar conductive materials deposited on semiconductor device substrate optimizes the polishing of each of the conductive material independently, while utilizing the same polishing equipment for manufacturing efficiency. A tungsten layer (258) and a titanium layer (256) of a semiconductor device substrate (250) are polished using one polisher (10) but two different slurry formulations. The two slurries can be dispensed sequentially onto the same polishing platen (132) from two different urce containers (111 and 112), wherein the first slurry is dispensed until e tungsten is removed and then the slurry dispense is switched to second slurry for removal of the titanium. In a preferred embodiment, the first slurry composition is a ferric nitrate slurry while the second slurry composition is an oxalic acid slurry.
Abstract:
A wafer polishing device with movable window can be used for in-situ monitoring of a wafer during CMP processing. During most of the CMP operation, the window remains below a polishing surface of a polishing device to protect the window from the deleterious effects of the polishing process. When the window moves into position between the wafer and a measurement sensor, the window is moved closer to the polishing surface. In this position, at least some polishing agent collected in the recess above the window is removed, and an in-situ measurement can be taken with reduced interference from the polishing agent. After the window is positioned away from the wafer and measurement sensor, the window moves farther away from the wafer and polishing surface. With such a movable window, the limitations of current polishing devices are overcome.
Abstract:
A polishing pad (34) with a poromeric structure polishes two dissimilar materials (56, 58). By using a relatively softer pad. and conditioning, relatively constant times can be used for polishing the dissimilar materials (56, 58). This makes polishing more predictable and increases the number of substrates that can be polished using a single polishing pad (34). Polishing pads (34) are typically changed when other maintenance is performed on the polisher rather than when the polishing rate becomes too low.
Abstract:
A method for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) a copper layer (22) begins by forming the copper layer (22). The copper layer (22) is then exposed to a slurry (24). The slurry (24) contains an oxidizing agent such as H.sub.2 O.sub.2, a carboxylate salt such as ammonium citrate, an abrasive slurry such as alumna abrasive, an optional triazole or triazole derivative, and a remaining balance of a solvent such as deionized water. The use of the slurry (24) polishes the copper layer (22) with a high rate of removal whereby pitting and corrosion of the copper layer (22) is reduced and good copper interconnect planarity is achieved. This slurry (24) has good selectivity of copper to oxide, and results in copper devices which have good electrical performance. In addition, disposal of the slurry (24) is not environmentally difficult since the slurry (24) is environmentally sound when compared to other prior art slurries.
Abstract translation:通过形成铜层(22)开始化学机械抛光(CMP)铜层(22)的方法。 然后将铜层(22)暴露于浆料(24)。 浆料(24)含有氧化剂如H 2 O 2,羧酸盐如柠檬酸铵,研磨浆如校准研磨剂,任选的三唑或三唑衍生物,剩余的溶剂如去离子水。 浆料(24)的使用以高的去除速度抛光铜层(22),从而降低了铜层(22)的点蚀和腐蚀,并实现了良好的铜互连平面性。 这种浆料(24)具有铜对氧化物的良好选择性,并且导致具有良好电性能的铜器件。 此外,浆料(24)的处理不是环境困难的,因为与其它现有技术的浆料相比,浆料(24)是无害环境的。
Abstract:
A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen to hold a polishing pad, a carrier to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process, a dispenser to supply a polishing liquid to the polishing surface, and a temperature control system. The temperature control system includes a plurality of thermal control modules positioned above the polishing pad at a plurality of different radial positions to heat or cool a plurality of regions of the polishing pad. Each thermal control module is configured to independently heat or cool a radial region of the polishing pad.
Abstract:
A method of fabricating a polishing pad using an additive manufacturing system includes receiving data indicative of a desired shape of the polishing pad to be fabricated by droplet ejection. The desired shape defines a profile including a polishing surface and one or more grooves on the polishing pad. Data indicative of a modified pattern of dispensing feed material is generated to at least partially compensate for distortions of the profile caused by the additive manufacturing system, and a plurality of layers of the feed material are dispensed by droplet ejection in accordance to the modified pattern.