Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Other

Motorola Corporation

Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Amd Inc.

Yuri Solomentsev

John C Flake

Errol Todd Ryan

Yeong-Jyh Tom Lii

Kevin Cooper

Janos Farkas

Matthew S Angyal

Stanley Michael Filipiak

Terry Grant Sparks

Kathleen C Yu

Kirk J Strozewski

Johannes Groschopf

Cindy Goldberg

Bradley P Smith

Cindy K Goldberg

Jennifer Lynn Cooper

Johannes Friedrich Groschopf

Susan Gee-Young Kim

This disclosure describes a low particle concentration formulation for slurry which is particularly useful in continuous CMP polishing of copper layers during semiconductor wafer manufacture. The slurry is characterized by particle concentrations generally less than 2 wt %, and advantageously less than 1 wt %. In particular embodiments, where the particle concentration is in a range of 50 to 450 PPM, an 8-fold increase in polishing rate over reactive liquid slurries has been realized. Slurries thus formulated also achieve a reduction in defectivity and in the variations in planarity from wafer to wafer during manufacture, by improving the stability of polishing quality. The slurry formulations permit substantial cost savings over traditional 2-component, reactive liquid and fixed/bonded abrasive slurries. In addition the formulations provides an advantageous way during CMP to easily change the selectivity or rate of removal of one film material vs. another. Yet another use is to provide slurry 'pulsing' as a means to activate bonded abrasive or fixed abrasive slurry technology.

CMP metal polishing slurry and process with reduced solids concentration

A method for processing semiconductor wafers is disclosed. A semiconductor wafer is provided to a semiconductor processing stage where a block copolymer surfactant (BCS) is applied to the wafer surface. In one embodiment, the BCS includes a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion. Alternatively, the BCS may be a silicone-containing BCS. In one embodiment, the BCS is within an aqueous solution where the concentration of the BCS within the aqueous solution is less than one percent by weight. Also disclosed is an aqueous solution including abrasive particles and a BCS having a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion. The abrasive particles may include silica, alumina, or ceria.

Method of using an aqueous solution and composition thereof

The present invention provides a method for forming a low-k dielectric structure on a substratethat includes depositing, upon the substrate, a dielectric layerA multi-film cap layeris deposited upon the dielectric layer. The multi-film cap layer includes firstand secondfilms, with the second film being disposed between the dielectric layer and the first film. The first film typically has a removal rate associated therewith that is less than the removal rate associated with the second film. A deposition layeris deposited upon the multi-film cap layer and subsequently removed. The properties of the multi-film cap layer are selected so as to prevent the dielectric layer from being exposed/removed during removal of the deposition film. In this manner, a deposition layer, having variable rates of removal, such as copper, may be planarized without damaging the underlying dielectric layer.

Method for forming a low-k dielectric structure on a substrate

Dummy features () are formed within an interlevel dielectric layer (). Passivation layers (and) are formed by electroless deposition to protect the underlying conductive regions (and) from being penetrated from the air gaps (). In addition, the passivation layers (and) overhang the underlying conductive regions (and), thereby defining dummy features (and) adjacent the conductive regions (and). The passivation layers (and) can be formed without additional patterning steps and help minimize misaligned vias from puncturing air gaps.

Method for forming a passivation layer for air gap formation

The present invention provides a low-k dielectric constant structure and method of forming the same on a substrate that features having a dielectric layer with differing regions of density and . To that end, the method includes depositing, upon the substrate, a dielectric layer having first and second density regions. The density associated with the second density region being greater than the density associated with the first density region, and the first density region being disposed between the substrate and the second density region.

Method and structure for low-k dielectric constant applications

Growing community of inventors

Allen, TX, United States of America

Yuri Solomentsev