The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 09, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 08, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
LSI Logic Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
438401 ; 438462 ;
Abstract
Provided is a method and composition for reducing the rate of, and rendering more uniform the oxidation of alignment mark trench side walls by CMP slurry accumulating in an alignment mark trench during CMP processing. In a preferred embodiment, a nucleation layer of tungsten having an equiaxed grain structure with fine grain size and conformity is deposited over a conventionally applied bulk tungsten layer prior to commencing CMP operations. The fine grain size and equiaxed grain structure of this nucleation layer make it more resistant and more uniform in response to slurry attack. As a result, the tungsten trench profile remains a consistent and reliable alignment mark.