Abstract: A polishing slurry including an oxidant, a metal oxide dissolver, a metal inhibitor and water and having a pH from 2 to 5. The metal oxide dissolver contains one or more compounds selected from one or more acids (A-group) selected from acids of which the negative value of the logarithm of the dissociation constant Ka (pKa) of a first dissociable acid group is less than 3.7 and from which five acids of lactic acid, phthalic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid and aminoacetic acid are excluded, ammonium salts of the A-group and esters of the A-group, and one or more compounds selected from one or more acids (B-group) selected from acids of which the negative value of the logarithm of the dissociation constant Ka (pKa) of a first dissociable acid group is 3.7 or more and the five acids, ammonium salts of the B-group and esters of the B-group.

Abstract: A single crystal for a scintillator that is a specific single crystal of a cerium-activated orthosilicate compound that comprises 0.00005 to 0.1 wt. %, based on the entire weight of the single crystal, of at least one element selected from a group consisting of elements belonging to Group 13 of the periodic table.

Abstract: This invention provides a polishing medium for chemical-mechanical polishing, comprising an oxidizing agent for a conductor, a protective-film-forming agent for protecting a metal surface, an acid, and. water; (1) the polishing medium having a pH of 3 or less, and the oxidizing agent being in a concentration of from 0.01 to 3% by weight, or (2) the polishing medium containing abrasive grains having an average particle diameter of 50 nm or less, and the abrasive grains having standard deviation of particle size distribution in a value of more than 5 nm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a CMP polishing slurry comprising cerium oxide particles, a dispersant, a water-soluble polymer and water, wherein the water-soluble polymer is a polymer obtained in polymerization of a monomer containing at least one of a carboxylic acid having an unsaturated double bond and the salt thereof by using at least one of a cationic azo compound and the salt thereof as a polymerization initiator. The present invention provides a polishing slurry and a polishing method allowing polishing efficiently uniformly at high speed without scratch and also allowing easy process management in the CMP technology of smoothening an interlayer dielectric film, BPSG film, and insulation film for shallow trench isolation.

Abstract: A polishing slurry including an oxidant, a metal oxide dissolver, a metal inhibitor and water and having a pH from 2 to 5. The metal oxide dissolver contains one or more compounds selected from one or more acids (A-group) selected from acids of which the negative value of the logarithm of the dissociation constant Ka (pKa) of a first dissociable acid group is less than 3.7 and from which five acids of lactic acid, phthalic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid and aminoacetic acid are excluded, ammonium salts of the A-group and esters of the A-group, and one or more compounds selected from one or more acids (B-group) selected from acids of which the negative value of the logarithm of the dissociation constant Ka (pKa) of a first dissociable acid group is 3.7 or more and the five acids, ammonium salts of the B-group and esters of the B-group.

Abstract: A polishing slurry including an oxidant, a metal oxide dissolver, a metal inhibitor and water and having a pH from 2 to 5. The metal oxide dissolver contains one or more compounds selected from one or more acids (A-group) selected from acids of which the negative value of the logarithm of the dissociation constant Ka (pKa) of a first dissociable acid group is less than 3.7 and from which five acids of lactic acid, phthalic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid and aminoacetic acid are excluded, ammonium salts of the A-group and esters of the A-group, and one or more compounds selected from one or more acids (B-group) selected from acids of which the negative value of the logarithm of the dissociation constant Ka (pKa) of a first dissociable acid group is 3.7 or more and the five acids, ammonium salts of the B-group and esters of the B-group.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a CMP polishing slurry comprising cerium oxide particles, an organic compound having an acetylene bond (triple bond between carbon and carbon) and water, and a method for polishing a substrate which comprises a step of polishing a film to be polished of the substrate with the polishing slurry. In a CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) technique for flattening inter layer dielectrics, insulating films for shallow trench isolation and the like in a manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, the present invention enables the effective and high-speed polishing.

Abstract: The scintillator single crystal of the invention is a specific cerium-activated silicate single crystal wherein the total content of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of elements belonging to Groups 4, 5, 6 and Groups 14, 15, 16 of the Periodic Table is no greater than 0.002 wt % based on the total weight of the single crystal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for heat treating a single crystal, comprising a step of heating a single crystal of a specific cerium-activated orthosilicate compound in an oxygen-containing atmosphere.

Abstract: To polish polishing target surfaces of SiO2 insulating films or the like at a high rate without scratching the surface, the present invention provides an abrasive comprising a slurry comprising a medium and dispersed therein at least one of i) cerium oxide particles constituted of at least two crystallites and having crystal grain boundaries or having a bulk density of not higher than 6.5 g/cm3 and ii) abrasive grains having pores. Also provided are a method of polishing a target member and a process for producing a semiconductor device which make use of this abrasive.

Abstract: A CMP polishing slurry of the present invention, contains cerium oxide particles, a dispersant, a polycarboxylic acid, a strong acid having a pKa of its first dissociable acidic group at 3.2 or less, and water, the pH of the polishing slurry is 4.0 or more and 7.5 or less, wherein the strong acid is contained 100 to 1,000 ppm or 50 to 1,000 ppm, or the strong acid is a monovalent strong acid contained 50 to 500 ppm or is a bivalent strong acid contained 100 to 1,000 ppm. The preferable polycarboxylic acid is a polyacrylic acid. The present invention allows polishing in the CMP methods of surface-smoothening an interlayer dielectric film, a BPSG film and a shallow-trench-isolation insulation film with high speed operation efficiently and easier process management and cause smaller fluctuation in film thickness due to difference in pattern density.

Abstract: This invention provides a polishing medium for CMP, comprising an oxidizing agent, a metal-oxide-dissolving agent, a protective-film-forming agent, a water-soluble polymer, and water, and a polishing method making use of this polishing medium. Also, it is preferable that the water-soluble polymer has a weight-average molecular weight of 500 or more and the polishing medium has a coefficient of kinetic friction of 0.25 or more, a Ubbelode's viscosity of from 0.95 mPa·s (0.95 cP) to 1.5 mPa·s (1.5 cP) and a point-of-inflection pressure of 5 kPa (50 gf/cm2).

Abstract: This invention provides a polishing medium for CMP, comprising an oxidizing agent, a metal-oxide-dissolving agent, a protective-film-forming agent, a water-soluble polymer, and water, and a polishing method making use of this polishing medium. Also, it is preferable that the water-soluble polymer has a weight-average molecular weight of 500 or more and the polishing medium has a coefficient of kinetic friction of 0.25 or more, a Ubbelode's viscosity of from 0.95 mPa·s (0.95 cP) to 1.5 mPa·s (1.5 cP) and a point-of-inflection pressure of 5 kPa (50 gf/cm2).

Abstract: A CMP abrasive comprising a cerium oxide slurry containing cerium oxide particles, a dispersant and water, and a liquid additive containing a dispersant and water; and a liquid additive for the CMP abrasive. A method for polishing a substrate which comprises holding a substrate having, formed thereon, a film to be polished against a polishing pad of a polishing platen, followed by pressing, and moving the substrate and the polishing platen while supplying the above CMP abrasive in between the film to be polished and the polishing pad to thereby polish the film to be polished. The CMP abrasive and the method for polishing can be used for polishing a surface to be polished such as a silicone oxide film or a silicon nitride film without contaminating the surface to be polished with an alkali metal such as sodium ions and with no flaws, and the CMP abrasive is excellent in storage stability.

Abstract: A scintillator single crystal of a specific cerium-doped silicate compound that contains 0.00005 to 0.1 wt % of one or more types of element selected from the group consisting of elements belonging to group 2 of the periodic table based on the total weight of the single crystal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a single crystal heat treatment method, having a step of heating a single crystal of a cerium-doped silicate compound represented by any of general formulas (1) to (4) below in an oxygen-containing atmosphere Y2-(x+y)LnxCeySiO5??(1) (wherein Ln represents at least one elemental species selected from a group consisting of elements belonging to the rare earth elements, x represents a numerical value from 0 to 2, and y represents a numerical value greater than 0 but less than or equal to 0.2) Gd2-(z+w)LnzCewSiO5??(2) (wherein Ln represents at least one elemental species selected from a group consisting of elements belonging to the rare earth elements, z represents a numerical value greater than 0 but less than or equal to 2, and w represents a numerical value greater than 0 but less than or equal to 0.

Abstract: A single crystal heat treatment method having a step of heating a single crystal of a specific cerium-doped silicate compound in an oxygen-poor atmosphere at a temperature T1 (units: ° C.) that satisfies the conditions represented by formula (3) below 800?T1<(Tm1?550)??(3) (wherein Tm1 (units: ° C.) represents the melting point of the single crystal).

Abstract: To polish polishing target surfaces of SiO2 insulating films or the like at a high rate without scratching the surface, the present invention provides an abrasive comprising a slurry comprising a medium and dispersed therein at least one of i) cerium oxide particles constituted of at least two crystallites and having crystal grain boundaries or having a bulk density of not higher than 6.5 g/cm3 and ii) abrasive grains having pores. Also provided are a method of polishing a target member and a process for producing a semiconductor device which make use of this abrasive.

Abstract: To polish polishing target surfaces of SiO2 insulating films or the like at a high rate without scratching the surface, the present invention provides an abrasive comprising a slurry comprising a medium and dispersed therein at least one of i) cerium oxide particles constituted of at least two crystallites and having crystal grain boundaries or having a bulk density of not higher than 6.5 g/cm3 and ii) abrasive grains having pores. Also provided are a method of polishing a target member and a process for producing a semiconductor device which make use of this abrasive.

Abstract: A CMP abrasive comprising a cerium oxide slurry containing cerium oxide particles, a dispersant and water, and a liquid additive containing a dispersant and water; and a liquid additive for the CMP abrasive. A method for polishing a substrate which comprises holding a substrate having, formed thereon, a film to be polished against a polishing pad of a polishing platen, followed by pressing, and moving the substrate and the polishing platen while supplying the above CMP abrasive in between the film to be polished and the polishing pad to thereby polish the film to be polished. The CMP abrasive and the method for polishing can be used for polishing a surface to be polished such as a silicone oxide film or a silicon nitride film without contaminating the surface to be polished with an alkali metal such as sodium ions and with no flaws, and the CMP abrasive is excellent in storage stability.