Honeywell International Inc.

Alliedsignal Inc.

Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Daniel L Towery

Neil H Hendricks

Joseph A Levert

Fan Zhang

Denis H Endisch

Tian-An Chen

Shyama P Mukherjee

Anna M George

Michael A Fury

Paul E Schilling

An aqueous metal oxide sol slurry has been developed for removal of low dielectric constant materials. The slurry is formed directly in solution utilizing non-dehydrated chemically active metal oxide sols which are formed in a colloidal suspension or dispersion. The oxide sols have not undergone any subsequent drying and the particles are believed to be substantially spherical in structure, dimensionally stable and do not change shape over time. The sol particles are mechanically soft and heavily hydrated which reduces surface damage even in the case where soft polymer or porous dielectric films are polished. The sol particles are formed of a chemically active metal oxide material, or combinations thereof, or can be coated on chemically inactive oxide material such as silicon dioxide or can be coformed therewith. The oxide sols can include a bi-modal particle distribution. The slurry can be utilized in CMP processes, with or without conditioning.

Reactive aqueous metal oxide sols as polishing slurries for low dielectric constant materials

Chemical mechanical planarization or spin etch planarization of surfaces of copper, tantalum and tantalum nitride is accomplished by means of the chemical formulations of the present invention. The chemical formulations may optionally include abrasive particles and which may be chemically reactive or inert. Contact or non-contact CMP may be performed with the present chemical formulations. Substantially 1:1 removal rate selectivity for Cu and Ta/TaN is achieved.

Composition for chemical mechanical planarization of copper, tantalum and tantalum nitride

An apparatus for planarizing or patterning a dielectric film on a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a press for applying contact pressure to an operably connected compression tool. The compression tool has a working face that is planar or patterned. A controller for regulating the position, timing and force applied by the compression tool to the dielectric film is also provided. There is also provided a support, with an optional workpiece holder for supporting the substrate and dielectric film during contact with the compression tool. Methods of using the apparatus, as well as planarized and/or patterned dielectric films are also provided.

Method for integrated circuit planarization

An oxidizing slurry for removal of low dielectric constant materials. The slurry is formed utilizing non-oxidizing particles with a separate oxidizing agent, oxidizing particles alone or reducible abrasive particles with a compatible oxidizing agent. The particles can be formed of a metal oxide, nitride, or carbide material, by itself or mixtures thereof, or can be coated on a core material such as silicon dioxide or can be coformed therewith. A preferred oxidizing slurry is multi-modal in particle size distribution. Although developed for utilization in CMP semiconductor processing the oxidizing slurry of the present invention also can be utilized for other high precision polishing processes.

Oxidizing polishing slurries for low dielectric constant materials

A method for cleaning the surface of a semiconductor wafer having an organic dielectric film thereon by removing residual slurry particles adhered to the wafer surface after chemical-mechanical planarization is provided. The semiconductor is subjected to a post CMP cleaning step by applying mechanical frictional force to the surface of the wafer while concurrently applying to the wafer surface and aqueous solution having a pH of greater than 10 for a period of time sufficient to wet and clean the wafer surface, the basic aqueous solution comprised of a surfactant and a tetra alkyl quaternary ammonium hydroxide compound such as tetramethylammonium hydroxide.

Method for cleaning semiconductor wafers containing dielectric films

A process for the formation and planarization of polymeric dielectric films on semiconductor substrates and for achieving high chemical mechanical polish removal rates when planarizing these films. A cured, globally planarized, polymeric dielectric thin film is produced on a semiconductor substrate by (a) depositing a polymeric, dielectric film composition onto a surface of a semiconductor substrate; (b) partially curing the deposited film; (c) performing a chemical mechanical polishing step to said partially cured dielectric film, until said dielectric film is substantially planarized; and (d) subjecting the polished film to an additional curing step. Preferred dielectric films are polyarylene ether and/or fluorinated polyarylene ether polymers which are deposited by a spin coating process onto a semiconductor substrate. A thermal treatment partially cures the polymer. A chemical mechanical polishing step achieves global planarization. Another thermal treatment accomplishes a final cure of the polymer. In this way, the chemical mechanical polishing removal rate is increased compared to the removal rate for a fully cured polymer film.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Daniel L Towery