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:
May. 21, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 11, 1998
John Skrovan, Boise, ID (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
A series of process steps is described for the planarization of a semiconductor substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, using a linear track polisher, a rotational polisher, or the combination of both. The process steps include a first processing step at a first polishing pressure and a first continuous polishing surface speed which enables a relatively high rate of material removal from the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a second processing step at a second polishing pressure and a second continuous polishing surface speed which removes any surface scratches, abrasions, or other defects which may have been induced during the first processing step. The same continuous polishing surface can be used in both the first and second processing steps. An alternative third processing step is described wherein an abrasive chemical slurry, used in the first and second processing steps to facilitate material removal, is converted to a non-abrasive, pH controlled cleaning solution to facilitate substrate pre-cleaning and to prevent build-up of particles on a polishing surface of the linear track or rotational polisher.