SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY

Reducing the mechanical action of polishing pressure and abrasive during copper chemical mechanical planarization

Mengting Jiang and Yuling Liu

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 Corresponding author: Jiang Mengting, Email:jmtlyh@163.com

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Abstract: Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is a critical process in deep sub-micron integrated circuit manufacturing. This study aims to improve the planarization capability of slurry, while minimizing the mechanical action of the pressure and silica abrasive. Through conducting a series of single-factor experiments, the appropriate pressure and the optimum abrasive concentration for the alkaline slurry were confirmed. However, the reduced mechanical action may bring about a decline of the polishing rate, and further resulting in the decrease of throughput. Therefore, we take an approach to compensating for the loss of mechanical action by optimizing the composition of the slurry to enhance the chemical action in the CMP process. So 0.5 wt% abrasive concentration of alkaline slurry for copper polishing was developed, it can achieve planarization efficiently and obtain a wafer surface with no corrosion defect at a reduced pressure of 1.0 psi. The results presented here will contribute to the development of a "softer gentler polishing" technique in the future.

Key words: planarization capabilitymechanical actionalkaline slurrysofter gentler polishing



[1]
Fayolle M, Romagna F. Copper CMP evaluation:planarization issues. Microelectron Eng, 1997, 37/38:135 doi: 10.1016/S0167-9317(97)00104-4
[2]
Zantye P B, Kumar A, Sikdar A K. Chemical mechanical planarization for microelectronics applications. Mater Sci Eng, 2004, 45(3):89 http://www.worldcat.org/title/chemical-mechanical-planarization-for-microelectronics-applications/oclc/491603826
[3]
Chiu S Y, Wang Y L, Liu C P, et al. High-selectivity damascene chemical mechanical polishing. Thin Solid Films, 2006, 498(1/2):60 http://web.mit.edu/cmp/publications/papers/electrochemical2.pdf
[4]
Lakshminarayanan S, Steigerwald J, Price D T, et al. Contact and via structures with copper interconnects fabricated using dual damascene technology. IEEE Electron Device Lett, 1994, 15(8):307 doi: 10.1109/55.296225
[5]
Wu L X, Yan C F. An analytical model for step height reduction in CMP with different pattern densities. J Electrochem Soc, 2007, 154(7):H596 doi: 10.1149/1.2735932
[6]
Ruan W B, Chen L, Li Z G, et al. Effects of pattern characteristics on copper CMP. Journal of Semiconductors, 2009, 30(4):046001 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/30/4/046001
[7]
Yin K D, Wang S L, Liu Y L, et al. Evaluation of planarization capability of copper slurry in the CMP process. Journal of Semiconductors, 2013, 34(3):036002 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/3/036002
[8]
Pandija S, Roy D, Babu S V. Achievement of high planarization efficiency in CMP of copper at a reduced down pressure. Microelectron Eng, 2009, 86(3):367 doi: 10.1016/j.mee.2008.11.047
[9]
Li Y, Liu Y L, Niu X H, et al. Application of a macromolecular chelating agent in chemical mechanical polishing of copper film under the condition of low pressure and low abrasive concentration. Journal of Semiconductors, 2014, 35(1):016001 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/1/016001
[10]
Kim N H, Lim J H, Kim S Y, et al. Semi-abrasive free slurry with acid colloidal silica for copper chemical mechanical planarization. J Mater Sci, 2005, 16(9):629 doi: 10.1007/s10854-005-3241-0
[11]
Lee H, Park B, Jeong H. Mechanical effect of process condition and abrasive concentration on material removal rate profile in copper chemical mechanical planarization. J Mater Processing Technol, 2009, 209(4):1729 doi: 10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2008.04.021
[12]
Lee H, Park B, Jeong H. Influence of slurry components on uniformity in copper chemical mechanical planarization. Microelectron Eng, 2008, 85(4):689 doi: 10.1016/j.mee.2007.12.044
Fig. 1.  The effects of pressure on copper CMP results. (a) Material removal rate and WIWNU after CMP as a function of diverse pressures. (b) Material removal rate profiles with the different pressures

Fig. 2.  The effects of abrasive concentration on copper CMP results. (a) Material removal rate and WIWNU after CMP as a function of abrasive concentration. (b) Material removal rate profiles with the abrasive concentration

Fig. 3.  The static etch rate of different H$_{2}$O$_{2}$ concentrations in slurry

Fig. 4.  The AFM images of the copper wafer surface using the optimized slurry. (a) Before CMP. (b) After CMP

Table 1.   Parameters of pressure and abrasive concentration

Table 2.   Parameters of chelating agent and hydrogen peroxide

Table 3.   The effects of H$_{2}$O$_{2}$ concentration on the residual step height at various locations of pattern wafer

Table 3.   The effects of FA/O V concentration on the residual step height at various locations of pattern wafer

[1]
Fayolle M, Romagna F. Copper CMP evaluation:planarization issues. Microelectron Eng, 1997, 37/38:135 doi: 10.1016/S0167-9317(97)00104-4
[2]
Zantye P B, Kumar A, Sikdar A K. Chemical mechanical planarization for microelectronics applications. Mater Sci Eng, 2004, 45(3):89 http://www.worldcat.org/title/chemical-mechanical-planarization-for-microelectronics-applications/oclc/491603826
[3]
Chiu S Y, Wang Y L, Liu C P, et al. High-selectivity damascene chemical mechanical polishing. Thin Solid Films, 2006, 498(1/2):60 http://web.mit.edu/cmp/publications/papers/electrochemical2.pdf
[4]
Lakshminarayanan S, Steigerwald J, Price D T, et al. Contact and via structures with copper interconnects fabricated using dual damascene technology. IEEE Electron Device Lett, 1994, 15(8):307 doi: 10.1109/55.296225
[5]
Wu L X, Yan C F. An analytical model for step height reduction in CMP with different pattern densities. J Electrochem Soc, 2007, 154(7):H596 doi: 10.1149/1.2735932
[6]
Ruan W B, Chen L, Li Z G, et al. Effects of pattern characteristics on copper CMP. Journal of Semiconductors, 2009, 30(4):046001 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/30/4/046001
[7]
Yin K D, Wang S L, Liu Y L, et al. Evaluation of planarization capability of copper slurry in the CMP process. Journal of Semiconductors, 2013, 34(3):036002 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/3/036002
[8]
Pandija S, Roy D, Babu S V. Achievement of high planarization efficiency in CMP of copper at a reduced down pressure. Microelectron Eng, 2009, 86(3):367 doi: 10.1016/j.mee.2008.11.047
[9]
Li Y, Liu Y L, Niu X H, et al. Application of a macromolecular chelating agent in chemical mechanical polishing of copper film under the condition of low pressure and low abrasive concentration. Journal of Semiconductors, 2014, 35(1):016001 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/1/016001
[10]
Kim N H, Lim J H, Kim S Y, et al. Semi-abrasive free slurry with acid colloidal silica for copper chemical mechanical planarization. J Mater Sci, 2005, 16(9):629 doi: 10.1007/s10854-005-3241-0
[11]
Lee H, Park B, Jeong H. Mechanical effect of process condition and abrasive concentration on material removal rate profile in copper chemical mechanical planarization. J Mater Processing Technol, 2009, 209(4):1729 doi: 10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2008.04.021
[12]
Lee H, Park B, Jeong H. Influence of slurry components on uniformity in copper chemical mechanical planarization. Microelectron Eng, 2008, 85(4):689 doi: 10.1016/j.mee.2007.12.044
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    Received: 03 May 2014 Revised: 14 July 2014 Online: Published: 01 December 2014

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      Mengting Jiang, Yuling Liu. Reducing the mechanical action of polishing pressure and abrasive during copper chemical mechanical planarization[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2014, 35(12): 126001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/12/126001 M T Jiang, Y L Liu. Reducing the mechanical action of polishing pressure and abrasive during copper chemical mechanical planarization[J]. J. Semicond., 2014, 35(12): 126001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/12/126001.Export: BibTex EndNote
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      Mengting Jiang, Yuling Liu. Reducing the mechanical action of polishing pressure and abrasive during copper chemical mechanical planarization[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2014, 35(12): 126001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/12/126001

      M T Jiang, Y L Liu. Reducing the mechanical action of polishing pressure and abrasive during copper chemical mechanical planarization[J]. J. Semicond., 2014, 35(12): 126001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/12/126001.
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      Reducing the mechanical action of polishing pressure and abrasive during copper chemical mechanical planarization

      doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/12/126001
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      Project supported by the 02 Science and Technology Key Program of the National Medium-and Long-Term Science and Technology Development Plan of China (No. 2009ZX02308) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China (No. E2013202247)

      the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China E2013202247

      the 02 Science and Technology Key Program of the National Medium-and Long-Term Science and Technology Development Plan of China 2009ZX02308

      More Information
      • Corresponding author: Jiang Mengting, Email:jmtlyh@163.com
      • Received Date: 2014-05-03
      • Revised Date: 2014-07-14
      • Published Date: 2014-12-01

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