Abstract: Methods for polishing tungsten are provided. During ECMP, increasing the voltage to the pad is not always enough to increase the polishing rate. When polishing tungsten, simply increasing the applied voltage will, in some cases, actually decrease the removal rate. By increasing the down force pressure between the polishing pad and the substrate, the applied voltage, and the rotation speed of the substrate and the polishing pad, the tungsten removal rate will also increase.

Abstract: Polishing compositions and methods for removing conductive materials from a substrate surface are provided. In one aspect, a composition is provided for removing at least a conductive material from a substrate surface including one or more inorganic acids, a pH adjusting agent, a chelating agent, a passivating polymeric material, a pH between about 5 and about 10, and a solvent. The composition may be used in a single step or two step electrochemical mechanical planarization process. The polishing compositions and methods described herein improve the effective removal rate of materials from the substrate surface, such as tungsten, with a reduction in planarization type defects.

Abstract: Embodiments of a conditioning head for in-situ conditioning and/or cleaning a processing pad of a CMP, ECMP, or other processing system are provided. In one embodiment, the conditioning head includes a brush disposed in a central cavity. A cleaning fluid is provided through the central cavity of the conditioning head to a processing pad. The brush spins and moves laterally across the surface of the processing pad. The cleaning solution dispensed through the conditioning head dissolves by-products of the processing operation while the brush gently wipes the processing pad. A lip of the conditioning head retains the cleaning fluid and cleaning waste, thereby minimizing contamination of the area outside of the conditioning head. The cleaning waste is removed from the processing pad via passages formed near the outer periphery of the conditioning head.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for processing a substrate having a conductive material layer disposed thereon are provided. In one embodiment, a composition for processing a substrate having a conductive material layer disposed thereon is provided which composition includes an acid based electrolyte, a chelating agent, a corrosion inhibitor, a passivating polymeric material, a pH adjusting agent, a solvent, and a pH between about 3 and about 10. The composition is used in a method to form a passivation layer on the conductive material layer, abrading the passivation layer to expose a portion of the conductive material layer, applying a bias to the substrate, and removing the conductive material layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electrochemically processing a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, a method for electrochemically processing a substrate includes the steps of establishing an electrically-conductive path through an electrolyte between an exposed layer of barrier material on the substrate and an electrode, electrochemically removing a portion of the exposed layer during a first electrochemical processing step in a barrier processing station, detecting an endpoint of the first electrochemical processing step at or just prior to breakthrough of the exposed layer of barrier material, electrochemically processing the exposed layer of barrier material in a second electrochemical processing step in the barrier processing station, and detecting an endpoint of the second electrochemical processing step.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally include a method and intermediate plating solution for plating metal onto a substrate surface. The method generally includes filling the features and/or growing a film layer on the field areas by plating a metal from a first solution on a seed layer under an applied first current, wherein the first solution includes an acid in an amount sufficient to provide a first solution pH of about 6 or less, copper ions, and at least one suppressor. The method may further include substantially filling features by plating metal ions from a second solution onto the substrate under an applied second current to form a metal layer, wherein the second solution includes an acid in an amount sufficient to provide a second solution pH of from about 0.