Abstract: There is provided a metal abrasive composition which can polish metal wiring at high speed and control the etching rate thereof in manufacturing a semiconductor device. A metal abrasive composition comprises (a) a chelating resin particle having at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid group, an aminophosphonic acid group and an iminodiacetic acid group, (b) an inorganic particle, and (c) a surfactant having at least one functional group selected from a group consisting of a carboxylic acid group, a sulfonic acid group and a phosphoric acid group.

Abstract: A slurry for polishing a metal film of a semiconductor device, comprising alumina-type fine particles having specific properties and composition, a polishing accelerator and water.

Abstract: The invention provides an aqueous dispersion for chemical mechanical polishing that can limit scratches of a specific size to a specific number, even with interlayer insulating films with small elastic moduli (silsesquioxane, fluorine-containing SiO2, polyimide-based resins, and the like.). When using the aqueous dispersion for chemical mechanical polishing of an interlayer insulating film with an elastic modulus of no greater than 20 GPa as measured by the nanoindentation method, the number of scratches with a maximum length of 1 &mgr;m or greater is an average of no more than 5 per unit area of 0.01 mm2 of the polishing surface. An aqueous dispersion for CMP or an aqueous dispersion for interlayer insulating film CMP according to another aspect of the invention contains a scratch inhibitor agent and an abrasive. The scratch inhibitor may be biphenol, bipyridyl, 2-vinylpyridine, salicylaldoxime, o-phenylenediamine, catechol, 7-hydroxy-5-methyl-1,3,4-triazaindolizine, and the like.

Abstract: Chemical mechanical polishing compositions and slurries comprising a film-forming agent and at least one silane compound wherein the compositions are useful for polishing substrate features such as copper, tantalum, and tantalum nitride features.

Abstract: An attachment surface for an implantable device has an irregular pattern formed through a process including masking, chemical or electrochemical etching, blasting and debris removal steps. Surface material is removed from the implant surface without stress on the adjoining material and the process provides fully dimensional fillet radii at the base of the surface irregularities. This irregular surface is adapted to receive the ingrowth of bone material and to provide a strong anchor for that bone material which is resistant to cracking or breaking. The surface is prepared through an etching process which utilizes the random application of a maskant and subsequent etching in areas unprotected by the maskant. This chemical etching process is repeated a number of times as necessitated by the nature of the irregularities required in the surface. The blasting and debris removal steps produce microfeatures on the surface that enhance the ingrowth of bone material.

Abstract: An aqueous dispersion containing abrasive particles comprises abrasive particles having superparamagnetic metal oxide domains in a non-magnetic metal oxide or non-metal oxide matrix. The abrasive particles of the aqueous dispersion can have an average particle size of below 400 nm and a BET surface area of 50 to 600 m2/g. The dispersion can be produced by dispersing the abrasive particles with an energy of at least 200 kJ/m3 using a device in which the abrasive particles are first subjected to high pressure, then decompressed through a nozzle so that the abrasive particles collide with one another or against sections of wall in the device. The aqueous dispersion can be used for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP).

Abstract: Polishing slurry for texturing the surface of a magnetic hard disk substrate has abrading particles with diameters in the range of 1-10 nm dispersed in a dispersant such as water and a water-based aqueous solution. The abrading particles may be monocrystalline diamond particles, polycrystalline diamond particles or cluster particles with monocrystalline and polycrystalline diamond particles. A method of texturing a surface of a magnetic hard disk substrate includes the steps of rotating the magnetic hard disk substrate, supplying polishing slurry of this invention on the surface of the substrate, and pressing a polishing tape on the substrate surface and running the polishing tape.

Abstract: Methods for finishing or refurbishing surfaces on protective covers encapsulating microelectronic dies. In one embodiment, a method for finishing a surface of a protective package on a microelectronic device includes abrading the surface of the package by engaging an abrasive media with the surface of the package, terminating the abrasion when a surface blemish has been at least partially removed from the package, and cleaning residual materials from the package after terminating the abrasion of the package surface. The abrasive media can include a fixed-abrasive member, a fixed-abrasive member and a solution, a non-abrasive member and a chemical solution having abrasive particles, or an abrasive blasting media.

Abstract: Gel-free colloidal abrasive polishing compositions and associated methods for polishing (e.g., chemical mechanical polishing) are described. These abrasive polishing compositions are comprised of a surface-modified colloidal abrasive that has been modified with a boron-containing compound(s), such as boron surface-modified colloidal ceria or silica. These compositions are useful in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) applications as well as in substrate polishing applications. These abrasive compositions are most often negatively-charged colloids, which remain as stable negatively-charged colloids even in acidic media.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing composition comprising a soluble cerium compound at a pH above 3 and a method to selectively polish a silicon oxide overfill in preference to a silicon nitride film layer in a single step during the manufacture of integrated circuits and semiconductors.

Abstract: Methods of planarizing structures formed on the surfaces of substrates and wafers are disclosed. The methods form a planarizing layer over the surface and the structures, or the locations where the structures are to be formed, such that the top surface of the layer has low areas between the locations of the structures, and such that the low areas lie substantially within a plane which is below the tops of the structures. A polish-stop layer is thee formed over the low areas of the planarizing layer, the polish-stop layer being more resistant to polishing than the planarizing layer and, preferably, the structures. The resulting surface is then polished. The polishing may be accomplished by, for example, standard mechanical polishing, and chemical-mechanical polishing.

Abstract: A polishing composition comprising an abrasive, an acid and/or a salt thereof, and water, wherein copper (Cu) is contained in an amount of 1 mg or less per kg of the polishing composition; a process for reducing a surface defect of a substrate comprising applying to a substrate or a polishing pad a polishing composition comprising an abrasive, an acid and/or a salt thereof, and water, wherein copper (Cu) is contained in an amount of 1 mg or less per kg of the polishing composition fed to the substrate or the polishing pad; and a process for manufacturing a substrate comprising a polishing step comprising applying to a substrate or a polishing pad the above polishing composition.

Abstract: Two problems seen in CMP as currently executed are a tendency for slurry particles to remain on the surface and the formation of a final layer of oxide. These problems have been solved by adding to the slurry a quantity of TMAH or TBAH. This has the effect of rendering the surface being polished hydrophobic. In that state a residual layer of oxide will not be left on the surface at the conclusion of CMP. Nor will many slurry abrasive particles remain cling to the freshly polished surface. Those that do are readily removed by a simple rinse or buffing. As an alternative, the CMP process may be performed in three stages—first convention CMP, then polishing in a solution of TMAH or TBAH, and finally a gentle rinse or buffing.

Abstract: An acidic polishing slurry for chemical-mechanical polishing, containing 0.1 to 5% by weight of a colloidal silica abrasive and 0.5 to 10% by weight of a fluoride salt, is distinguished by a higher polishing selectivity with regard to the rate at which silica is removed compared to the rate at which silicon nitride is removed compared to a conventional polishing slurry containing pyrogenic silica.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for updating a process recipe in a CMP process for a multi-layer wafer wherein the CMP process has at least one control parameter capable of being controlled includes the steps of (a) inputting a model comprising at least one control parameter for CMP processing of a wafer having at least first and second layers, said model comprising a first component that predicts a value for a characteristic of the first layer and a second component that predicts a value for a characteristic of the second layer; (b) determining a process recipe based upon the model of step (a); (c) receiving a measured value of the characteristic of the first layer and/or the characteristic of the second layer for a wafer processed according to the process recipe of step (b); and (d) determining an updated model based upon the difference between the measured value and the predicted value of the characteristic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the manufacture of thin film magnetic transducers using a compliant pad or mat or surface in a lapping process is disclosed. The lapping process is applied to heads to eliminate both ductile element connections between the MR and shields and poletip and shield protrusion. A lapping media is dispensed onto an interface surface of a compliant pad. Then, the interface surface is engaged to the surface of a head outside a region comprising transducers defining a head gap. The pad is then moved over the head in a direction parallel to the head gap while using a head rail to guide the pad. The soft, compliant pad conforms to the head rail to ensure parallel movement. The pad is typically not stopped at the elements, but rather moves from one end of the head to the other to prevent bridging and damage that might occur during start/stop on the delicate elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for sequential processing of a workpiece comprises an assembly line processing system. The apparatus comprises multiple workpieces moving in an assembly line fashion under multiple process stations. The multiple process stations provide different processes onto the workpieces for a sequential processing of the workpieces. The sequential processing action is carried out by the movement of the workpieces under the various process stations.

Abstract: A polishing composition comprising an abrasive, water and an organic acid or a salt thereof, wherein the composition has a specified viscosity of from 1.0 to 2.0 mPa·s at a shearing rate of 1500 s−1 and 25° C.; a roll-off reducing agent comprising a Brönsted acid or a salt thereof, having an action of lowering viscosity so that the amount of viscosity lowered is 0.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus that is equipped with a chilled retaining ring and a method for using the apparatus are described. The retaining ring is mounted therein a heat transfer means such as a metal tube and flowing therethrough a heat exchanging fluid for carrying away heat from the wafer mounted in the retaining ring, resulting in a temperature reduction in the slurry solution that contacts the wafer. The present invention apparatus and method therefore reduces the delamination problem for low k dielectric materials during polishing and the wafer scratching problem.

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing composition comprising (a) a silica abrasive, (b) methanol, and (c) a liquid carrier, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 1 to about 6, and the polishing composition is colloidally stable. The invention also provides a method for polishing a substrate comprising a silicon-based dielectric layer using the polishing composition. The invention further provides a method of stabilizing a silica abrasive in a polishing composition by contacting the abrasive with methanol.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for planarizing substrate surfaces with selective removal rates and low dishing. One aspect of the method provides for processing a substrate including providing a substrate to a polishing platen having polishing media disposed thereon, providing an abrasive free polishing composition comprising one or more surfactants to the substrate surface to modify the removal rates of the at least the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material, polishing the substrate surface, and removing the second material at a higher removal rate than the first material from a substrate surface. One aspect of the apparatus provides a system for processing substrates including a platen adapted for polishing the substrate with polishing media and a computer based controller configured to perform one aspect of the method.

Abstract: At the conclusion of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) there is found to be a topography difference at the periphery of the wafer. For example, for a 200 mm wafer, the oxide surface in a peripheral region up to 20 mm wide, may end up about 1,000 Å above or below the central portion of the surface. This problem has been overcome by varying the type of polishing pad and retainer ring from one CMP operation to the next. Thus, if the equipment that is used to effect a given CMP step results in a post CMP surface in which the periphery of the wafer is higher than the center, CMP equipment for the next layer is selected that, operating alone, would result in a surface in which the periphery of the wafer is lower than the center. The two CMP operations thus cancel each other and a uniformly flat final surface results. The conditions required to produce either surface topography are described and discussed.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device having a front surface where circuits are formed and a back surface, a hemispherical solid immersion lens is formed at the back surface of the semiconductor device in a body with the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A polishing slurry prepared by dispersing in a dispersion medium, abrasive grains comprised of a material having a solubility in the dispersion medium at 25° C., of 0.001 g/100 g or higher is used to effectively remove any abrasive grains standing adherent to the surfaces of objects to be polished or the interiors of polishing apparatus after polishing.

Abstract: Methods and devices for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of semiconductor wafers, field emission displays and other microelectronic substrate assemblies. One method of planarizing a microelectronic substrate assembly in accordance with the invention includes pressing a substrate assembly against a planarizing surface of a polishing pad at a pad/substrate interface defined by a surface area of the substrate assembly contacting the planarizing surface. The method continues by moving the substrate assembly and/or the polishing pad with respect to the other to rub at least one of the substrate assembly and the planarizing surface against the other at a relative velocity. As the substrate assembly and polishing pad rub against each other, a parameter indicative of drag force between the substrate assembly and the polishing pad is measured or sensed at periodic intervals.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, a planarizing pad for mechanical or chemical-mechanical planarization includes a base section and a plurality of embedded sections. The base section has a planarizing surface, and the base section is composed of a first material. The embedded sections are arranged in a desired pattern of voids, and each embedded section has a top surface below the planarizing surface to define a plurality of voids in the base section. The embedded sections are composed of a second material that is selectively removable from the first material. A planarizing pad in accordance with an embodiment of the invention can be made by constructing the embedded sections in the base section and then removing a portion of the embedded sections from the base section. By removing only a portion of the embedded sections, this procedure creates the plurality of voids in the base section and leaves the remaining portions of the embedded sections.

Abstract: Powder composition and method for polishing stone. The present invention relates to a powder composition and to a method for polishing stone, in particular granite, said method making use of said powder composition.

Abstract: A polishing composition comprising a dispersion of silane-modified abrasive particles formed by combining at least one metal oxide abrasive having at least one surface metal hydroxide with at least one silane compound and methods for polishing substrate features such as metal features and oxide features using the polishing compositions.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which can reduce or prevent abrasive material from remaining in an indentation in a surface after a CMP process. After forming a titanium nitride film (5), a tungsten film (6) is formed on an entire surface. The temperature is set at approximately 430° C. for the reaction and, first, 50 sccm of WF6, 10 sccm of SiH4 and 1000 sccm of H2 are used in the atmosphere of 30 Torr of Ar, N2 so as to form a seed layer with a film thickness of approximately 100 nm. After that, in the atmosphere of 80 Torr of Ar, N2, 75 sccm of WF6 and 500 sccm of H2 are used as a reactive gas so as to layer a film with a thickness of approximately 300 nm. The tungsten film (6) has grains (6a) in a pillar form of which the grain diameter is small to the degree that the abrasive material (50) used in the CMP process does not easily become caught in the gaps between the grains.

Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing system, and a method of polishing using the system, comprising (a) an abrasive, a polishing pad, or both an abrasive and a polishing pad, (b) iodine, (c) an iodine vapor-trapping agent, and (d) a liquid carrier.

Abstract: The invention provides an aqueous dispersion for chemical mechanical polishing that is hard to putrefy, scarcely causes scratches, causes only small dishing and is suitable for used in a micro isolating step or a planarizing step of an inter layer dielectric in production of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A composition for chemical mechanical polishing includes a slurry. A sufficient amount of a selectively oxidizing and reducing compound is provided in the composition to produce a differential removal of a metal and a dielectric material. A pH adjusting compound adjusts the pH of the composition to provide a pH that makes the selectively oxidizing and reducing compound provide the differential removal of the metal and the dielectric material. A composition for chemical mechanical polishing is improved by including an effective amount for chemical mechanical polishing of a hydroxylamine compound, ammonium persulfate, a compound which is an indirect source of hydrogen peroxide, a peracetic acid or periodic acid. A method for chemical mechanical polishing comprises applying a slurry to a metal and dielectric material surface to produce mechanical removal of the metal and the dielectric material.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention monitors a signal corresponding to a torque value of a motor that is used to maintain relative motion between a conductive top surface of a workpiece and a workpiece surface influencing device in the presence of physical contact between the conductive top surface of the workpiece and the workpiece surface influencing device. In another aspect, the present invention uses the signal to control a force applied to a top conductive surface of a workpiece during electrotreatment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for forming a metal or metal suicide layer by an electroless deposition technique. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including depositing an initiation layer on a substrate surface, cleaning the substrate surface, and depositing a conductive material on the initiation layer by exposing the initiation layer to an electroless solution. The method may further comprise etching the substrate surface with an acidic solution and cleaning the substrate of the acidic solution prior to depositing the initiation layer. The initiation layer may be formed by exposing the substrate surface to a noble metal electroless solution or a borane-containing solution. The conductive material may be deposited with a borane-containing reducing agent. The conductive material may be used as a passivation layer, a barrier layer, a seed layer, or for use in forming a metal silicide layer.

Abstract: Improved methods, compositions and structures formed therefrom are provided that allow for reduction of roughness in layers (e.g., oxide layers) of a planarized wafer. In one such embodiment, improved methods, compositions and structures formed therefrom for reduction of roughness in layers (e.g., oxide layers) of a planarized wafer are used in conjunction with high modulus polyurethane pads. In one embodiment, improved methods, compositions and structures formed therefrom are provided that reduce rough interlayer dielectric (ILD) conditions for a wafer during CMP processing of such a wafer. Embodiments of a method for forming a microelectronic substrate include mixing a surfactant at least 100 parts per million (ppm) to slurries to form a polishing solution.

Abstract: A polishing pad for use in polishing a surface of a substrate comprises a pad main body having a polishing surface and a plurality of electrode portions formed within the pad main body and mutually spaced apart in a plane direction of the pad main body. Each electrode portion is formed of a conductive portion and an insulating portion formed on the conductive portion.

Abstract: A polishing composition comprising an abrasive having an average primary particle size of 200 nm or less, an oxidizing agent, an acid having a pK1 of 2 or less and/or a salt thereof, and water, wherein the acid value (Y) of the polishing composition is 20 mg KOH/g or less and 0.2 mg KOH/g or more; a process for reducing fine scratches of a substrate, comprising polishing a substrate to be polished with the above-mentioned polishing composition; and a method for manufacturing a substrate, comprising polishing a substrate to be polished with the above-mentioned polishing composition. The polishing composition can be suitably used for final polishing memory hard disk substrates and polishing semiconductor elements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chemical mechanical polishing slurry for use in removing a first substance from a surface of an article in preference to silicon nitride by chemical mechanical polishing. The chemical mechanical polishing slurry according to the invention includes an abrasive, an aqueous medium, and an organic polyol that does not dissociate protons, said organic polyol including a compound having at least three hydroxyl groups that are not dissociable in the aqueous medium, or a polymer formed from at least one monomer having at least three hydroxyl groups that are not dissociable in the aqueous medium. In the preferred embodiment, ceria particles are used as the abrasive and the organic polyol is selected from the group consisting of mannitol, sorbitol, mannose, xylitol, sorbose, sucrose, and dextrin. The chemical mechanical polishing slurry can further optionally include acids or bases for adjusting the pH within an effective range of from about 2 to about 12.

Abstract: A slurry collection device 1 includes a ring-shaped barrier member 2 provided around a turntable T of a polishing machine E and a ring-shaped slurry collection container 3 provided around the barrier member 2. The turntable T is connected to an upper end of a main rotation shaft T1 that sticks out from a bottom portion of a sink S of the polishing machine E and is lifted from the bottom portion of the sink S. The slurry collection device 1 of the present invention is inserted between the turntable T and the sink S.

Abstract: An aqueous dispersion is used in the chemical mechanical polishing of surfaces, particularly oxidic surfaces, such as silicon dioxide. The aqueous dispersion contains a powder of pyrogenically produced silicon dioxide doped with 0.01 and 3 wt. % aluminium oxide, relative to the total amount of powder, said powder having an average particle diameter in the dispersion of not more than 0.1 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A method of polishing a wafer in a carrier by a polishing pad, controlling a ratio of platen speed to carrier speed (PS to CS) within a specific range, or controlling a first polishing step with a PS to CS ratio in the range of about 150:1 to about 1:150 followed by a second polishing step with a platen speed of about 0 to 20 rpm while maintaining the carrier speed used in the first polishing step, which maximizes clearing of residual material removed from a patterned wafer surface by polishing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for releasably attaching a planarizing medium, such as a polishing pad, to the platen of a chemical-mechanical planarization machine. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include several apertures in the upper surface of the platen that are coupled to a vacuum source. When a vacuum is drawn through the apertures in the platen, the polishing pad is drawn tightly against the platen and may therefore be less likely to wrinkle when a semiconductor substrate is engaged with the polishing pad during planarization. When the vacuum is released, the polishing pad can be easily separated from the platen. The apparatus can further include a liquid trap to separate liquid from the fluid drawn by the vacuum source through the apertures, and can also include a releasable stop to prevent the polishing pad from separating from the platen should the vacuum source be deactivated while the platen is in motion.

Abstract: Planarizing solutions, planarizing machines and methods for planarizing microelectronic-device substrate assemblies using mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarizing processes. In one aspect of the invention, a microelectronic-device substrate assembly is planarized by abrading material from the substrate assembly using a plurality of first abrasive particles and removing material from the substrate assembly using a plurality second abrasive particles. The first abrasive particles have a first planarizing attribute, and the second abrasive particles have a second planarizing attribute. The first and second planarizing attributes are different from one another to preferably selectively remove topographical features from substrate assembly and/or selectively remove different types of material at the substrate surface.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating a variety of microlens array structures on substrates using chemical mechanical polishing techniques.

Abstract: In one implementation, a chemical mechanical polishing method includes providing a workpiece having a dielectric region to be polished. A first chemical mechanical polishing of the dielectric region is conducted on the workpiece using a polishing pad and a first slurry. Then, a second chemical mechanical polishing is conducted of the dielectric region on the workpiece using the polishing pad and a second slurry different from the first slurry. In one implementation, a chemical mechanical polishing method includes providing a workpiece having a dielectric region to be polished. The dielectric region has a thickness ultimately desired to removed by polishing prior to moving the workpiece on to a subsequent nonpolishing processing step. A first chemical mechanical polishing of the dielectric region is conducted on the workpiece using a first slurry. Then, a second chemical mechanical polishing of the dielectric region is conducted on the workpiece using a second slurry different from the first slurry.

Abstract: A method for polishing a semiconductor wafer includes providing a semiconductor wafer having topographical features and forming a dielectric layer on the semiconductor wafer to fill portions between the features. The dielectric layer is planarized across the entire semiconductor wafer for a first portion of a polishing process. The dielectric layer is polished for bulk removal of the dielectric layer for a remaining portion of the polishing process.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing slurry comprising a film forming agent, an oxidizer, a complexing agent and an abrasive, and a method for using the chemical mechanical polishing slurry to remove copper alloy, titanium, and titanium nitride containing layers from a substrate.

Abstract: A method for removing at least a portion of a structure, such as a layer, film, or deposit, including ruthenium metal and/or ruthenium dioxide includes contacting the structure with a material including ceric ammonium nitrate. A material for removing ruthenium metal and amorphous ruthenium dioxide includes ceric ammonium nitrate and may be in the form of an aqueous solution including ceric ammonium nitrate and optionally, other solid or liquid solutes providing desired properties. In one application, the method and material may be utilized to etch, shape, or pattern layers or films of ruthenium metal and/or ruthenium dioxide in the fabrication of semiconductor systems and their elements, components, and devices, such as wires, electrical contacts, word lines, bit lines, interconnects, vias, electrodes, capacitors, transistors, diodes, and memory devices.

Abstract: A method for checking the position of alignment marks after a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process and automatically compensating for alignment of a wafer stepper based on the position checking is described. A wafer is provided having an alignment mark thereon for the purpose of aligning a reticle in the wafer stepper. The wafer is polished by CMP. Thereafter, alignment mark positioning is checked for deviation from a normal vectorial position of the alignment mark whereby information about the deviation is fed back to the wafer stepper and wherein the wafer stepper automatically compensates for correctable alignment error based on the deviation information.

Abstract: A process for polishing a semiconductor wafer includes the steps of providing a plurality of wafers, forming a first layer, such as a barrier layer, over at least a portion of each wafer, and forming at least one layer including copper over at least a portion of each first layer. The process also includes the steps of providing a first polishing pad, providing a buffing pad, providing a plurality of operatively connected wafer carriers, and disposing a wafer within each of the wafer carriers. The process further includes the steps of disposing a first slurry composition on the first polishing pad and polishing a first wafer with the first polishing pad for a first length of time, in which the first polishing pad substantially removes the copper layer of the first wafer.