Abstract: The invention provides a polymer-polymer composite polishing pad useful for polishing or planarizing a substrate of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The polymer-polymer composite polishing pad includes a polishing layer having a polishing surface for polishing or planarizing the substrate; a polymeric matrix forming the polishing layer and including gas-filled or liquid-filled polymeric microelements; and fluoropolymer particles embedded in the polymeric matrix. The fluoropolymer particles have a tensile strength lower than the tensile strength of the polymeric matrix wherein diamond abrasive materials cut the fluoropolymer to form a reduced number of pad debris particles in the 1 ?m to 10 ?m size range.

Abstract: A polishing pad useful in chemical mechanical polishing comprising a polishing portion having a top polishing surface and comprising a polishing material an opening through the polishing pad, and a transparent window within the opening in the polishing pad, the transparent window being secured to the polishing pad and being transparent to at least one of magnetic and optical signals, the transparent window having a thickness and a top surface having a plurality of elements separated by interconnected recesses to provide a pattern in the top surface that includes recesses for improved deflection into a cavity in the polishing pad during polishing.

Abstract: A neutral to alkaline chemical mechanical composition for polishing tungsten includes, as initial components: water; an oxidizing agent selected from an iodate compound, a periodate compound and mixtures thereof; colloidal silica abrasive particles including a nitrogen-containing compound; optionally, a pH adjusting agent; and, optionally, a biocide. The chemical mechanical polishing method includes providing a chemical mechanical polishing pad, having a polishing surface; creating dynamic contact at an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; and dispensing the neutral to alkaline chemical mechanical polishing composition onto the polishing surface at or near the interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; wherein some of the tungsten is polished away from the substrate and, further, to at least inhibit static etch of the tungsten.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing or planarizing a substrate of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The method includes attaching a polymer-polymer composite polishing pad having a polishing layer to a polishing device. A hydrophilic polymeric matrix forms the polishing layer. Cationic fluoropolymer particles having nitrogen-containing end groups are embedded in the polymeric matrix. A slurry containing anionic particles is applied to the polymer-polymer composite polishing pad and rubbed against the substrate to polish or planarize the substrate with the fluoropolymer particles interacting with the anionic particles to increase polishing removal rate.

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing pad suitable for polishing at least one of semiconductor, optical, magnetic or electromechanical substrates. It includes a polyurea polishing layer and a polyurea matrix. The polyurea has a soft segment being a copolymer of aliphatic fluorine-free polymer groups and a fluorocarbon having a length of a least six carbons. The polyurea matrix being cured with a curative agent and including gas or liquid-filled polymeric microelements. The polyurea matrix has a bulk region and a transition region adjacent the bulk region that extends to the polishing layer. The polymeric microelements in the transition region decrease in thickness as they approach the polishing layer with thickness of the compressed microelements adjacent the polishing layer being less than fifty percent of a diameter of the polymeric microelements in the bulk region. The polishing layer remains hydrophilic during polishing in shear conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of manufacturing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP polishing) layer for polishing substrates, such as semiconductor wafers comprising providing a composition of a plurality of liquid-filled microelements having a polymeric shell; classifying the composition via centrifugal air classification to remove fines and coarse particles and to produce liquid-filled microelements having a density of 800 to 1500 g/liter; and, forming the CMP polishing layer by (i) converting the classified liquid-filled microelements into gas-filled microelements by heating them, then mixing them with a liquid polymer matrix forming material and casting or molding the resulting mixture to form a polymeric pad matrix, or (ii) combining the classified liquid-filled microelements directly with the liquid polymer matrix forming material, and casting or molding.

Abstract: A polishing pad useful in chemical mechanical polishing comprises a base, and a plurality of structures protruding from the base wherein a portion of the plurality of structures are defined by a cross section having a perimeter which defines an area. The perimeter can be defined by parametric equations and can have six or more inflection points or the cross-section can comprise three or more lobes. The cross-section has a Delta parameter in the range of 0.2 to 0.75.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing or planarizing a substrate. First, the method comprises attaching a polymer-polymer composite polishing pad to a polishing device. The polishing pad has a polymer matrix and fluoropolymer particles embedded in the polymeric matrix. The fluoropolymer particles have a zeta potential more negative than the polymeric matrix. Cationic particle-containing slurry is applied to the polishing pad. Conditioning the polymer-polymer composite polishing pad exposes the fluoropolymer particles to the polishing surface and creates fluoropolymer-containing debris particles in the slurry. Polishing or planarizing the substrate with the increased electronegativity from the fluoropolymer at the polishing surface and in the fluoropolymer-containing debris particles stabilizes the cationic particle-containing slurry to decreases the precipitation rate of the cationic particle-containing slurry.

Abstract: A method of enhancing the removal rate of polysilicon from a substrate includes mixing an acid chemical mechanical polishing slurry containing water, an organic acid and an abrasive with an alkaline solution containing water, an abrasive, a low alkyl amine compound; providing a chemical mechanical polishing pad, having a polishing surface; creating dynamic contact at an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; and dispensing the mixture of the chemical mechanical polishing slurry and the alkaline solution onto the polishing surface at or near the interface between the polishing pad and the substrate, wherein some of the polysilicon is polished away from the substrate.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing pad is provided containing a polishing layer having a polishing surface, wherein the polishing layer comprises a reaction product of ingredients, including: an isocyanate terminated urethane prepolymer; and, a curative system, containing a high molecular weight polyol curative; and, a difunctional curative.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing composition includes water, colloidal silica abrasive particles with a silica core containing a nitrogen species, a cerium compound coating including cerium oxide, cerium hydroxide or mixtures thereof, and a positive zeta potential, optionally an oxidizing agent, optionally a pH adjusting agent, optionally a biocide and optionally a surfactant. The chemical mechanical polishing composition has a pH of less than 7. Also described is a method of polishing a substrate containing silicon dioxide and a method of making the composite colloidal silica particles with the coating of cerium oxide, cerium hydroxide or mixtures thereof. The chemical mechanical polishing composition can be used to enhance the removal of silicon dioxide from a substrate in an acid environment.

Abstract: A process for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate containing tungsten and titanium is provided comprising: providing the substrate; providing a polishing composition, containing, as initial components: water; an oxidizing agent; a chitosan; a dicarboxylic acid, wherein the dicarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of propanedioic acid and 2-hydroxypropanedioic acid; a source of iron ions; a colloidal silica abrasive with a positive surface charge; and, optionally pH adjusting agent; providing a chemical mechanical polishing pad, having a polishing surface; creating dynamic contact at an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; and dispensing the polishing composition onto the polishing surface at or near the interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; wherein some of the tungsten (W) and some of the titanium (Ti) is polished away from the substrate with a removal selectivity for the tungsten (W) relative to the titanium (Ti).

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing pad suitable for polishing integrated circuit wafers. It includes an upper polishing layer that having a polishing surface and at least one groove in the upper polishing layer. At least one transparent window is located within the upper layer. The at least one transparent window has a thickness greater than a desired wear depth of the at least one groove. The at least one transparent window includes a non-fluorescent transparent polymer; and a fluorescent transparent polymer. The transparent window allows measuring groove depth by activating the fluorescent transparent polymer with an activation source at a wavelength sufficient to excite the fluorescent transparent polymer and allow endpoint detection by sending light through the fluorescent transparent polymer and the non-fluorescent transparent polymer.

Abstract: A process for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate containing cobalt, zirconium oxide, poly-silicon and silicon dioxide, wherein the cobalt, zirconium, and poly-silicon removal rates are selective over silicon dioxide. The chemical mechanical polishing composition includes water, a benzyltrialkyl quaternary ammonium compound, cobalt chelating agent, corrosion inhibitor, colloidal silica abrasive, optionally a biocide and optionally a pH adjusting agent, and a pH greater than 7, and the chemical mechanical polishing compositions are free of oxidizing agents.

Abstract: The invention provides a polymer-polymer composite polishing method comprising a polishing layer having a polishing surface for polishing or planarizing a substrate. The method includes attaching a polymer-polymer composite having a polishing layer and a polymeric matrix. The polymer matrix has fluoropolymer particles embedded in the polymeric matrix. Then a cationic particle slurry is applied to the polymer-polymer composite polishing pad. Conditioning the polymer-polymer composite polishing pad with an abrasive cuts the polymer-polymer composite polishing pad; and rubbing the cut polymer-polymer composite polishing pad against the substrate forms the polishing surface. The polishing surface has a fluorine concentration measured in atomic percent at a penetration depth of 1 to 10 nm of at least ten percent higher than the bulk fluorine concentration measured with at a penetration depth of 1 to 10 ?m to polish or planarize the substrate.

Abstract: An aqueous alkaline chemical mechanical polishing composition includes a quaternary phosphonium compound having aromatic groups which enables enhanced reduction of defects on silicon oxide substrates and enables good silicon oxide removal rates during chemical mechanical polishing. The chemical mechanical polishing composition is stable.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing dielectric substrates includes colloidal silica abrasive particles stabilized with polyalkoxylated organosilanes.

Abstract: The invention provides a polishing pad suitable for polishing integrated circuit wafers. A polyurethane polishing layer has a top surface and at least one groove in the polyurethane polishing layer. At least one copolymer wear detector located within the polyurethane polishing layer detects wear of the polishing layer adjacent the at least one groove. The at least one wear detector includes two regions, a first region being a fluorescent acrylate/urethane copolymer linked with a UV curable linking group and a second non-fluorescent region, The wear detector allows detecting wear of the polishing layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides aqueous chemical mechanical planarization polishing (CMP polishing) compositions comprising one or more dispersions of a plurality of elongated, bent or nodular anionic functional colloidal silica particles or their mixture with one or more dispersions of anionic functional spherical colloidal silica particles, one or more amine carboxylic acids having an isoelectric point (pI) below 5, preferably, an acidic amino acid or pyridine acid, and, preferably, one or more ethoxylated anionic surfactants having a C6 to C16 alkyl, aryl or alkylaryl hydrophobic group, wherein the compositions have a pH of from 3 to 5. The compositions enable good silicon nitride removal and selectivity of nitride to oxide removal in polishing.

Abstract: An acid chemical mechanical polishing composition includes colloidal silica abrasive particles having a positive zeta potential, and select alkoxysilane succinic acid anhydride compounds to enhance the reduction of defects on dielectric materials of substrates such as silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. Also disclosed are methods for polishing a substrate with the acid chemical mechanical polishing composition to remove some of the dielectric materials such as silicon dioxide and silicon nitride.