Cabot Microelectronics Corporation

Jian Zhang

Steven Grumbine

Phillip W Carter

Isaac K Cherian

Francesco De Rege Thesauro

Shoutian Li

Shumin Wang

David Schroeder

Eric Howard Klingenberg

Ming-Shih Tsai

Fred Sun

Renjie Zhou

Ian Wylie

Isaac Cherian

The invention provides compositions and methods for planarizing or polishing a substrate. The composition comprises an abrasive, iodate ion, a nitrogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen-containing Cheterocycle and a Calkylamine, and a liquid carrier comprising water.

Iodate-containing chemical-mechanical polishing compositions and methods

The invention provides a composition for chemical-mechanical polishing. The composition comprises an abrasive, a first metal rate polishing modifier agent, a second metal rate polishing modifier agent, and a liquid carrier. In one embodiment, the first metal rate polishing modifier agent has a standard reduction potential less than 0.34 V relative to a standard hydrogen electrode, and the second metal rate polishing modifier agent has a standard reduction potential greater than 0.34 V relative to a standard hydrogen electrode. In other embodiments, the first and second metal rate polishing modifier agents are different oxidizing agents.

Compositions for CMP of semiconductor materials

Compositions and methods for CMP of semiconductor materials

The invention provides a method of determining at least one electrochemical characteristic of a chemical-mechanical or electrochemical-mechanical polishing system comprising application of a potential between a polishing substrate and an electrode to generate a current, and determining the at least one electrochemical characteristic by analysis of the current as a function of time.

Tribo-chronoamperometry as a tool for CMP application

A composition suitable for tantalum chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) comprises an abrasive, an organic oxidizer, and a liquid carrier therefor. The organic oxidizer has a standard redox potential (E) of not more than about 0.5 V relative to a standard hydrogen electrode. The oxidized form comprises at least one pi-conjugated ring, which includes at least one heteroatom directly attached to the ring. The heteroatom can be a N, O, S or a combination thereof. In a method embodiment, a CMP composition comprising an abrasive, and organic oxidizer having an Eof not more than about 0.7 V relative to a standard hydrogen electrode, and a liquid carrier therefor, is utilized to polish a tantalum-containing surface of a substrate, by abrading the surface of the substrate with the composition, preferably with the aid of a polishing pad.

Compositions and methods for tantalum CMP

The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising a polishing component, a surfactant, and a liquid carrier. The invention further provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with the polishing system.

Polymeric inhibitors for enhanced planarization

A technique for in situ monitoring of polishing processes and other material removal processes employs a quartz crystal nanobalance embedded in a wafer carrier. Material removed from the wafer is deposited upon the surface of the crystal. The resulting frequency shift of the crystal gives an indication of the amount of material removed, allowing determination of an instantaneous removal rate as well as a process endpoint. The deposition on the quartz crystal nanobalance may be controlled by an applied bias. Multiple quartz crystal nanobalances may be used. In a further embodiment of the invention, the quartz crystal nanobalance is used to detect defect-causing events, such as a scratches, during the polishing process.

Real time polishing process monitoring

The invention provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising (i) contacting a substrate with a polishing system comprising (a) an abrasive, a polishing pad, a means for oxidizing a substrate, or any combination thereof, (b) a conducting polymer having an electrical conductivity of about 10S/cm to about 10S/cm, and (c) a liquid carrier, and (ii) abrading or removing at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate.

Method of polishing a substrate with a polishing system containing conducting polymer

The invention provides a polishing system comprising (a) an abrasive, a polishing pad, a means for oxidizing a substrate, or any combination thereof, (b) a conducting polymer having an electrical conductivity of about 10 S/cm to about 10 S/cm, and (c) a liquid carrier.

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Aurora, IL, United States of America

Jian Zhang