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. 27, 2006
Filed:
May. 01, 2002
Guy F. Hudson, Boise, ID (US);
Renee Zahorik, Boise, ID (US);
Guy F. Hudson, Boise, ID (US);
Renee Zahorik, Boise, ID (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a semiconductor wafer that enhances polish-stop endpointing in chemical-mechanical planarization processes. The semiconductor wafer has a substrate with a device feature formed on the substrate, a stratum of low friction material positioned over the substrate, and an upper layer deposited on the low friction material stratum. The low friction stratum has a polish-stop surface positioned at a level substantially proximate to a desired endpoint of the chemical-mechanical planarization process. The upper layer, which is made from either a conductive material or an insulative material, has a higher polishing rate than that of the low friction stratum. In operation, the low friction stratum resists chemical-mechanical planarization with either hard or soft polishing pads to stop the planarization process at the desired endpoint.