Abstract: A buried transistor particularly suitable for SOI technology, where the transistor is fabricated within a trench in a substrate and the resulting transistor incorporates completely isolated active areas. The resulting substrate has a decreased topography and there is no need for polysilicon (or other) plugs to connect to the transistor, unless desired. With this invention, better control is achieved in processing, particularly of gate length. The substrate having the buried transistor can be silicon oxide bonded to another substrate to form an SOI structure.

Abstract: Conditioning systems and methods for conditioning polishing pads used in mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies. In one aspect of the invention, a conditioning system includes a conditioning element or conditioning member having a conditioning face configured to engage a polishing pad. The conditioning face preferably includes a bonding medium covering at least a portion of the conditioning face and a plurality of conditioning particles attached to the bonding medium. The conditioning system also includes a corrosion-inhibiting unit that can be coupled to the conditioning element or a liquid on the polishing pad. The corrosion-inhibiting unit retards corrosion of the bonding medium in the presence of chemicals on the polishing pad that would otherwise corrode the bonding medium.

Abstract: A planarization method including the provision of a wafer having a wafer surface. A pad is positioned for contact with the wafer surface and the wafer surface is planarized using the pad and a fluid composition that includes a chelating agent. The chelating agent is a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). A fluid composition for use in planarization of a surface of a wafer includes a chemically interactive component that interacts with the surface of the wafer and a chelating agent for reducing the metal ion contamination of the wafer during planarization. The chelating agent may be one of a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). Further, the fluid composition may include an abrasive component.

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.

Abstract: Conditioning systems and methods for conditioning polishing pads used in mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies. In one aspect of the invention, a conditioning system includes a conditioning element or conditioning member having a conditioning face configured to engage a polishing pad. The conditioning face preferably includes a bonding medium covering at least a portion of the conditioning face and a plurality of conditioning particles attached to the bonding medium. The conditioning system also includes a corrosion-inhibiting unit that can be coupled to the conditioning element or a liquid on the polishing pad. The corrosion-inhibiting unit retards corrosion of the bonding medium in the presence of chemicals on the polishing pad that would otherwise corrode the bonding medium.

Abstract: Conditioning systems and methods for conditioning polishing pads used in mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies. In one aspect of the invention, a conditioning system includes a conditioning element or conditioning member having a conditioning face configured to engage a polishing pad. The conditioning face preferably includes a bonding medium covering at least a portion of the conditioning face and a plurality of conditioning particles attached to the bonding medium. The conditioning system also includes a corrosion-inhibiting unit that can be coupled to the conditioning element or a liquid on the polishing pad. The corrosion-inhibiting unit retards corrosion of the bonding medium in the presence of chemicals on the polishing pad that would otherwise corrode the bonding medium.

Abstract: A planarization method including the provision of a wafer having a wafer surface. A pad is positioned for contact with the wafer surface and the wafer surface is planarized using the pad and a fluid composition that includes a chelating agent. The chelating agent is a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). A fluid composition for use in planarization of a surface of a wafer includes a chemically interactive component that interacts with the surface of the wafer and a chelating agent for reducing the metal ion contamination of the wafer during planarization. The chelating agent may be one of a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). Further, the fluid composition may include an abrasive component.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a semiconductor processing method of reducing corrosion of a material, comprising exposing the material to a liquid solution comprising at least about 5% (by atomic percent) of an oxygen-comprising oxidant to form an oxide layer over the material. In another aspect, the invention includes a semiconductor processing method of forming an aluminum-comprising line within a layer of material, comprising: a) forming a layer of material over a semiconductive substrate; b) forming trenches within the layer of material; c) forming an aluminum-comprising layer within the trenches and over the layer of material; d) planarizing the aluminum-comprising layer to form aluminum-comprising lines within the material, the planarizing comprising abrading a portion of the aluminum-comprising layer with a first fluid, the first fluid comprising a slurry; and e) displacing the slurry with a second fluid comprising at least about 5% (by atomic percent) of ozone.

Abstract: A planarization method including the provision of a wafer having a wafer surface. A pad is positioned for contact with the wafer surface and the wafer surface is planarized using the pad and a fluid composition that includes a chelating agent. The chelating agent is a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). A fluid composition for use in planarization of a surface of a wafer includes a chemically interactive component that interacts with the surface of the wafer and a chelating agent for reducing the metal ion contamination of the wafer during planarization. The chelating agent may be one of a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). Further, the fluid composition may include an abrasive component.

Abstract: Conditioning systems and methods for conditioning polishing pads used in mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization of microelectronic-device substrate assemblies. In one aspect of the invention, a conditioning system includes a conditioning element or conditioning member having a conditioning face configured to engage a polishing pad. The conditioning face preferably includes a bonding medium covering at least a portion of the conditioning face and a plurality of conditioning particles attached to the bonding medium. The conditioning system also includes a corrosion-inhibiting unit that can be coupled to the conditioning element or a liquid on the polishing pad. The corrosion-inhibiting unit retards corrosion of the bonding medium in the presence of chemicals on the polishing pad that would otherwise corrode the bonding medium.

Abstract: A planarization method including the provision of a wafer having a wafer surface. A pad is positioned for contact with the wafer surface and the wafer surface is planarized using the pad and a fluid composition that includes a chelating agent. The chelating agent is a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). A fluid composition for use in planarization of a surface of a wafer includes a chemically interactive component that interacts with the surface of the wafer and a chelating agent for reducing the metal ion contamination of the wafer during planarization. The chelating agent may be one of a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). Further, the fluid composition may include an abrasive component.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a semiconductor processing method of reducing corrosion of a material, comprising exposing the material to a liquid solution comprising at least about 5% (by atomic percent) of an oxygen-comprising oxidant to form an oxide layer over the material. In another aspect, the invention includes a semiconductor processing method of forming an aluminum-comprising line within a layer of material, comprising: a) forming a layer of material over a semiconductive substrate; b) forming trenches within the layer of material; c) forming an aluminum-comprising layer within the trenches and over the layer of material; d) planarizing the aluminum-comprising layer to form aluminum-comprising lines within the material, the planarizing comprising abrading a portion of the aluminum-comprising layer with a first fluid, the first fluid comprising a slurry; and e) displacing the slurry with a second fluid comprising at least about 5% (by atomic percent) of ozone.

Abstract: A planarization method includes providing a wafer surface and positioning a pad for contact with the wafer surface. The wafer surface is then planarized using the pad and a slurry. The slurry includes a dispersant which is one of any micellar forming surfactants. Preferably, the dispersant is a diprotic acid having 6 or less carbons connecting the acid groups, more preferably a diphosphonic acid with 4 or less carbon atoms connecting the acid groups, and most preferably is 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). The wafer surface may be either a nonplanar or a substantially planar wafer surface. Another slurry that can be used in the method includes a slurry component including an abrasive component and a chemically interactive component that interacts with the surface. The slurry component when used alone in a planarization of the surface results in a surface thickness uniformity having a first standard deviation and a first rate of removal of material from the surface.

Abstract: A cleaning method for use in fabrication of integrated circuit devices includes providing a surface of a substrate assembly. The surface is exposed to a cleaning solution having megasonic energy projected therethrough. Gas bubbles are passed across the surface. A gas flow is introduced into the cleaning solution at a position relative to the surface such that the bubbles formed pass across the surface of the substrate assembly as the bubbles rise in the solution. Further, the pH of the cleaning solution may be controlled by the introduction of the gas bubbles in the cleaning solution. A megasonic cleaning apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided which includes a tank for holding the cleaning solution into which the surface is immersed.

Abstract: A cleaning method for use in fabrication of integrated circuit devices includes immersing a surface of a substrate assembly into a cleaning solution having a first pH. The first pH of the cleaning solution is controlled by introducing gas bubbles into the cleaning solution. The gas bubbles include a reactive component that alters the first pH of the cleaning solution to attain a second pH of the cleaning solution that is different than the first pH.

Abstract: A planarization method including the provision of a wafer having a wafer surface. A pad is positioned for contact with the wafer surface and the wafer surface is planarized using the pad and a fluid composition that includes a chelating agent. The chelating agent is a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). A fluid composition for use in planarization of a surface of a wafer includes a chemically interactive component that interacts with the surface of the wafer and a chelating agent for reducing the metal ion contamination of the wafer during planarization. The chelating agent may be one of a water soluble multidentate chelating agent, preferably a water soluble bidentate ionic chelating agent, and more preferably 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). Further, the fluid composition may include an abrasive component.

Abstract: A cleaning method for use in fabrication of integrated circuit devices includes providing a surface of a substrate assembly. The surface is exposed to a cleaning solution having megasonic energy projected therethrough. Gas bubbles are passed across the surface. A gas flow is introduced into the cleaning solution at a position relative to the surface such that the bubbles formed pass across the surface of the substrate assembly as the bubbles rise in the solution. Further, the pH of the cleaning solution may be controlled by the introduction of the gas bubbles in the cleaning solution. A megasonic cleaning apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided which includes a tank for holding the cleaning solution into which the surface is immersed.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemically conditioning a surface of a planarizing substrate while a semiconductor wafer is planarized on the substrate. The conditioning apparatus has a conditioning solution dispenser that deposits a conditioning solution onto the substrate, and a conditioning solution barrier that removes the conditioning solution from the substrate to prevent the conditioning solution from contacting the wafer or diluting the planarizing solution. The conditioning solution dispenser is positioned over the planarizing substrate down-stream from the wafer with respect to the path along which the substrate travels. The conditioning solution barrier is positioned down-stream from the conditioning solution dispenser and upstream from the wafer to remove the conditioning solution from the surface of the substrate. The conditioning solution barrier accordingly cleans the surface of the substrate so that planarizing solution may be dispensed onto a surface relatively free from other fluids or particles.

Abstract: A planarization method includes providing a wafer surface and positioning a pad for contact with the wafer surface. The wafer surface is then planarized using the pad and a slurry. The slurry includes a dispersant which is one of any micellar forming surfactants. Preferably, the dispersant is a diprotic acid having 6 or less carbons connecting the acid groups, more preferably a diphosphonic acid with 4 or less carbon atoms connecting the acid groups, and most preferably is 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (EDP). The wafer surface may be either a nonplanar or a substantially planar wafer surface. Another slurry that can be used in the method includes a slurry component including an abrasive component and a chemically interactive component that interacts with the surface. The slurry component when used alone in a planarization of the surface results in a surface thickness uniformity having a first standard deviation and a first rate of removal of material from the surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemically conditioning a surface of a planarizing substrate while a semiconductor wafer is planarized on the substrate. The conditioning apparatus has a conditioning solution dispenser that deposits a conditioning solution onto the substrate, and a conditioning solution barrier that removes the conditioning solution from the substrate to prevent the conditioning solution from contacting the wafer or diluting the planarizing solution. The conditioning solution dispenser is positioned over the planarizing substrate down-stream from the wafer with respect to the path along which the substrate travels. The conditioning solution barrier is positioned down-stream from the conditioning solution dispenser and upstream from the wafer to remove the conditioning solution from the surface of the substrate. The conditioning solution barrier accordingly cleans the surface of the substrate so that planarizing solution may be dispensed onto a surface relatively free from other fluids or particles.