International Business Machines Corporation

William J Patrick

William L Guthrie

Steven G Barbee

Charles L Standley

Wolfgang Alfred Westdorp

Kathleen A Perry

Gregory P Devine

Gerard Seeley

John Edward Cronin

Kenneth Parker Rodbell

Klaus D Beyer

Jacob Riseman

Lawrence D David

Carter W Kaanta

Robert William Pasco

Frank Benjamin Kaufman

Anton Nenadic

Barbara Jean Luther

William A Pliskin

Paul M Schaible

Stanley R Makarewicz

Salvatore J Scilla

Eric Mendel

Jeffrey William Carr

Thomas H Strudwick

Melanie M Chow

Bernard K Bischoff

Disclosed is a method of chem-mech polishing an electronic component substrate. The method includes the following steps;

Method of chemical-mechanical polishing an electronic component

A method is disclosed for producing coplanar metal/insulator films on a substrate according to a chem-mech polishing technique. In one example, a substrate having a patterned insulating layer of dielectric material thereon, is coated with a layer of metal. The substrate is then placed in a parallel polisher and the metal is removed elsewhere except in the holes where it is left intact. This is made possible through the use of an improved selective slurry which removes the metal much faster than the dielectric material. The insulating layer may then be used as an automatic etch stop barrier. In a second example a substrate having a patterned metallic layer is coated with an insulating layer and then subjected to chem-mech polishing. The structure is coplanarized by the chem-mech removal of the insulating material from the high points of the structure at a faster rate than from the lower points. Optional etch stop layers also may be used.

Chem-mech polishing method for producing coplanar metal/insulator films

Patterned conductive lines are formed simultaneously with stud via connections through an insulation layer to previously formed underlying patterned conductive lines in multilevel VLSI chip technology. A first planarized layer of insulation is deposited over a first level of patterned conductive material to which contacts are to be selectively established. The first layer then is covered by an etch stop material. Contact holes are defined in the etch stop material at locations where stud connectors are required. The first layer of insulation is not etched at this time. Next, a second planarized layer of insulation, is deposited over the etch stop material. The second layer insulation, in turn, is etched by photolithography down to the etch stop material to define desired wiring channels, some of which will be in alignment with the previously formed contact holes in the etch stop material. In those locations where the contact holes are exposed, the etching is continued into the first layer of insulation to uncover the underlying first level of patterned conductive material. The channels and via holes are overfilled with metallization. The excess metallization is removed by etching or by chem-mech (chemical-mechanical) polishing.

Method for producing coplanar multi-level metal/insulator films on a

A method for forming a uniform layer of a material from a vapor phase onto the surface of an object at a high rate of deposition includes a heated reservoir for vaporizing the material to be deposited, a reactor containing the objects to be coated, and a vacuum device for flowing the gaseous material from the reservoir to the reactor. The mass flow rate of the gas from the reservoir is held constant by precisely controlling the pressure at the outlet of the reservoir and at the inlet of the reactor. In one embodiment the upstream pressure is controlled by a valve responsive to a pressure sensor at the reservoir outlet, and the downstream pressure is controlled by adjusting the vacuum in the reactor as measured by a pressure sensor at the reactor inlet. A vacuum bypass line around the reactor is provided to stabilize the upstream pressure prior to admitting the gas to the reactor when a deposition cycle is commenced, and the connection between the reservoir and the reactor, and the flow control valves and pressure sensors in the flow path are maintained at a temperature sufficient to prevent condensation of the vapor downstream of the reservoir.

Method for vacuum vapor deposition with improved mass flow control

A system and method for forming a uniform layer of a material from a vapor phase onto the surface of an object at a high rate of deposition includes a heated reservoir for vaporizing the material to be deposited, a reactor containing the objects to be coated, and a vacuum device for flowing the gaseous material from the reservoir to the reactor. The mass flow rate of the gas from the reservoir is held constant by precisely controlling the pressure at the outlet of the reservoir and at the inlet of the reactor. In one embodiment the upstream pressure is controlled by a valve responsive to a pressure sensor at the reservoir outlet, and the downstream pressure is controlled by adjusting the vacuum in the reactor as measured by a pressure sensor at the reactor inlet. A vacuum bypass line around the reactor is provided to stabilize the upstream pressure prior to admitting the gas to the reactor when a deposition cycle is commenced, and the connection between the reservoir and the reactor, and the flow control valves and pressure sensors in the flow path are maintained at a temperature sufficient to prevent condensation of the vapor downstream of the reservoir.

Vacuum deposition system with improved mass flow control

A wide precipitate-free-zone (PFZ) is formed at the surface of a semiconductor substrate and at the same time a high density of oxygen precipitate particles are produced beneath at the surface PFZ by a two step annealing process involving a first cycle of very rapidly heating the wafers to a first high temperature and a second cycle of very slowly heating the wafers to a second high temperature.

Method for tailoring oxygen precipitate particle density and

The seed to tail oxygen concentration gradient in silicon crystals, which are drawn from a silicon melt contained in a silica vessel according to the Czochralski process, is controlled by a process employing stop-go crucible rotation to provide fluid shearing at the melt-crucible interface.

Control of oxygen in silicon crystals

The oxygen content of silicon crystals, which are drawn from a silicon melt contained in a silica vessel according to the Czochralski process, is controlled by changing the surface characteristics of the portion of the silica vessel which is in contact with the melt so as to provide an increased oxygen concentration in the melt during the crystal drawing process.

Controlling the oxygen content of Czochralski process of silicon

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Newburgh, NY, United States of America

William J Patrick