International Business Machines Corporation

Cuc Kim Huynh

Douglas P Nadeau

David Louis Walker

Gary Joseph Beardsley

Shaun Crawford

Paul A Manfredi

Thomas M Wagner

Thomas J Martin

Matthew J Rutten

Adam Charles Smith

A Gary Reid

Steven J Holmes

Theodore Gerard Van Kessel

Robert K Leidy

James Stuart Dunn

Jeffrey Scott Brown

Harold G Linde

Anthony M Palagonia

Thomas Benjamin Faure

Marc A Taubenblatt

Bernadette Ann Pierson

Paul William Pastel

Donald M DeCain

Patricia E Marmillion

Jose L Cruz

Timothy Scott Bullard

Steven J Messier

Robert A Jurjevic

Steven H Voldman

Timothy Joseph Dalton

Mahadevaiyer Krishnan

Timothy Charles Krywanczyk

Keith Randal Pope

Brian Trevor Denton

Rangarajan Jagannathan

Michelle Leigh Steen

James Albert Gilhooly

Susan L Cohen

James P Levin

Michael Joseph MacDonald

Mark P Murray

Yutong Wu

Michael P McMahon

Thomas Edwin Sandwick

Douglas Keith Sturtevant

Shreesh S Tandel

Richard A Bartley

Robert Albin Jurjevic

Joseph M Weatherwax, Jr

Zhong X He

Michael R Amsden

Amarnath Jha

A scheduling optimizer system, method and program product that analyzes a device for sensitivities, such as ESD sensitivities, and allows for modification of a floor schedule of the assembly unit of the device based on the sensitivity of the device while improving the overall performance of the assembly unit are disclosed. The scheduling optimizer analyzes sensitivity data for a device during operation of the assembly unit on the floor schedule. The floor schedule is then optimized based on the analyzed sensitivity data.

Optimized scheduling based on sensitivity data

A photoresist trimming gas compound is provided which will selectively remove a resist foot or scum from the lower portions of sidewalls of a photoresist. Additionally, the trimmer compound hardens or toughens an upper surface of the photoresist thereby strengthening the photoresist. The trimmer compound includes Oand at least one other gaseous oxide and is typically utilized in a dry etching process after a trench has been formed in a photoresist. The other oxide gases, in addition to the Omay include CO, SOand NO.

Photoresist trimming process

Methods for manufacturing a photomask, such as a chrome on glass photomask and a phase shift photomask are provided. A selective main chrome etch and a selective chrome overetch in the fabrication process provides a photomask having improved image quality and provides nominal image size control and image size uniformity across the photomask within current process flows and manufacturing steps. The selective etch process utilizes a main etch where the resist etch selectivity (amount of chrome removed to resist removed) is higher than in the overetch step in which the etch is more selective to removal of the resist layer relative to the chrome layer. To control the etch selectivities the composition of the etchant chemistry and/or the etchant reactor hardware settings (power, voltage, etc.) can be adjusted.

Method to etch chrome for photomask fabrication

A photoresist trimming gas compound is provided which will selectively remove a resist foot or scum from the lower portions of sidewalls of a photoresist. Additionally, the trimmer compound hardens or toughens an upper surface of the photoresist thereby strengthening the photoresist. The trimmer compound includes Oand at least one other gaseous oxide and is typically utilized in a dry etching process after a trench has been formed in a photoresist The other oxide gases, in addition to the Omay include CO, SOand NO.

A photomask is formed by depositing an opaque layer on a transparent substrate. A resist is formed on the opaque layer and selectively patterned to expose the portions of the opaque layer that are to be etched out. During the dry etching step, the photomask is exposed to an etchant gas mixture which exhibits a selectivity equal to or higher than 1.2:1 between the opaque layer and the resist layer. Due to the selectivity of the gas mixture, a thinner resist film can be used, thereby increasing resolution and accuracy of the opaque layer pattern. Also, due to reduced susceptibility to both a macro-loading effect and a pattern density effect, overetching of the resist and underetching of the opaque layer are significantly reduced, thereby achieving improved etching uniformity and consequently improved CD uniformity.

CD uniformity of chrome etch to photomask process

A CMP slurry for and method of polishing a semiconductor wafer during formation of metal interconnects are disclosed. The present invention utilizes a first slurry comprising a first oxidizer, preferably ferric nitrate, to remove the excess metal of the metal interconnect but which leaves the metal residues on the surface of the wafer. A second slurry comprising another oxidizer, preferably potassium iodate solution, having a greater affinity to both the metal residue and the liner material than the underlying dielectric is used to remove the metal residue and liner material with significantly reduced scratching of the underlying dielectric. The more robust metal interconnects formed utilizing the present invention is effective in lowering the overall resistance of a wafer, reducing the number of shorts, and provides greater protection of the underlying dielectric. Overpolishing of the wafer and its associated problems are avoided.

Method to prevent leaving residual metal in CMP process of metal interconnect

The present invention is a method and apparatus for CMP processing that reduces scratching of the insulating film and conductor lines of a wafer. More specifically, the method and apparatus introduce an aqueous solution to the polishing pad and wafer during various intervals of the polishing procedure.

Method and apparatus for multiphase chemical mechanical polishing

An apparatus and method of planarizing objects, particularly electronic components. The off-concentric polishing system of the present invention comprises at least two polishing platens positioned adjacent each other such that the polishing portions of the platens are substantially co-planar. At least one wafer carrier is moveably mounted over the at least two platens such that a wafer may be polished by more than one platen substantially simultaneously. The platen configurations may be in a linear or non-linear configuration such that the wafer being polished is no longer centrally disposed over a single platen but is off-concentrically positioned over multiple platens. The off-concentric positioning of the wafer provides enhanced slurry distribution and endpoint detection. The present invention reduces time and cost in manufacturing electronic components by engaging several polishing conditions simultaneously without the need for sequential polishing.

Off-concentric polishing system design

In a fabrication process, photoresist is disposed over a semiconductor substrate ( ), covering a front surface ( ) of the substrate ( ) and filling trenches ( ) therein. The photoresist is planarized in chemical mechanical polishing to achieve a uniform thickness throughout the substrate ( ). An anisotropic etching process partially removes the photoresist in the trenches ( ), thereby creating recesses in the trenches ( ). Because the thickness of the photoresist is uniform throughout the substrate ( ) before the etching process, the depths of the recesses in different trenches ( ) are substantially equal to each other. A uniform recess depth throughout the substrate ( ) is thereby achieved. The uniform recess depth facilitates in ensuring the semiconductor devices fabricated on the substrate ( ) to have consistent parameters, characteristics, and performances.

Method for homogenizing device parameters through photoresist planarization

A method of detecting the presence of a brush used in a semiconductor wafer cleaner for post-CMP processing is described. Semiconductor wafers are loaded into the wet environment of the wafer cleaner, affixed to a rotatable fixture and rotated at high speed. The rotatable fixture is effectuated by a servo motor linked to a servo controller and a torque monitor. A first torque on the rotating wafer is calculated prior to the start of the brush cleaning cycle. During the brush cleaning cycle, as the brush within the brush cleaner contacts the rotating wafer, the torque on the wafer increases and a second torque is calculated. If, during the brush cleaning cycle, the second torque calculation is substantially equal to the first torque calculation, the brush cleaner is not contacting the wafer and cleaning has not progressed. A tool user can be notified to reaffix the brush within the cleaner. When the second torque calculation is greater than expected, the tool user can be notified that the brush downforce has been improperly set. Inadequate removal of CMP residue is detected before entire wafer lots have passed through an ineffective brush cleaning cycle prior to an inspection point.

Post CMP cleaning method using a brush cleaner with torque monitor

A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate. The polishing apparatus has a slurry delivery system for delivering slurry to the apparatus; a porous polishing pad having an upper surface at which the substrate is polished; and a rotating platen upon which the porous pad lies. The rotating platen has a recess which has a first portion in communication with the delivery means for delivering slurry into the first portion. The recess further has a second portion extending under the polishing pad. Slurry is delivered from the first portion to the second portion and to the upper surface of the pad where it aids in the polishing of the substrate. Preferably, the first portion of the recess is situated such that the slurry delivered to the top surface returns to the first portion for removal or reuse due to the rotational force of the rotating platen.

CMP apparatus with built-in slurry distribution and removal

Semiconductor materials are prepared by CMP with a first rough polishing step using an acidic slurry followed by cleaning a the pad and wafer separately. After cleaning a second polishing step with a basic slurry is used which buffs the wafer. Finally the pad and wafer are rinsed while a low pressure is applied to complete the process.

Method for chemical mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafer

A carrier rinse unit comprising a plurality of nozzles prepositioned to eject a cleaning fluid against a surface of a wafer while the wafer is rotated within a wafer carrier. The prepositioned nozzles may be angled to spray a leading edge, a trailing edge, an outer edge of the wafer, or any desired point on the surface of the wafer.

Wafer carrier rinsing mechanism

An apparatus for and method of detecting the presence of a brush used in a semiconductor wafer cleaner for post-CMP processing is described. Semiconductor wafers are loaded into the wet environment of the wafer cleaner, affixed to a rotatable fixture and rotated at high speed. The rotatable fixture is effectuated by a servo motor linked to a servo controller and a torque monitor. A first torque on the rotating wafer is calculated prior to the start of the brush cleaning cycle. During the brush cleaning cycle, as the brush within the brush cleaner contacts the rotating wafer, the torque on the wafer increases and a second torque is calculated. If, during the brush cleaning cycle, the second torque calculation is substantially equal to the first torque calculation, the brush cleaner is not contacting the wafer and cleaning has not progressed. A tool user can be notified to reaffix the brush within the cleaner. When the second torque calculation is greater than expected, the tool user can be notified that the brush downforce has been improperly set. Inadequate removal of CMP residue is detected before entire wafer lots have passed through an ineffective brush cleaning cycle prior to an inspection point.

Post CMP clean brush with torque monitor

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Jericho, VT, United States of America

Cuc Kim Huynh