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:
Mar. 19, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1999
Laertis Economikos, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Sumit Pandey, Boston, MA (US);
Ronald J. Schutz, Millbrook, NY (US);
Ravikumar Ramachandran, Ossining, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
The invention provides slurry-less chemical-mechanical polishing processes which are effective in planarizing oxide materials, especially siliceous oxides, even where the starting oxide layer has significant topographical variation. The processes of the invention are characterized by the use of a fixed abrasive polishing element and by use of an aqueous liquid medium containing a cationic surfactant for at least a portion of the polishing process involving reduction in the amount of topographic variation (height differential) across the oxide material on the substrate. The method reduces or eliminates the transfer of topographic variations to levels below the desired planarization level.