Abstract: A method and polishing system for planarizing a substrate having one or more materials formed thereon. The method generally includes positioning the substrate in proximity with a polishing pad, dispensing a polishing fluid to the polishing pad, the polishing fluid being subjected to carbonation prior to being dispensed to the polishing pad, and polishing the substrate. The polishing system generally includes a polishing platen having a polishing pad disposed thereon and in proximity to the substrate, a controller configured to cause the polishing pad to contact the substrate, and a polishing fluid delivery system to deliver a polishing fluid to the polishing pad, the polishing fluid delivery system including a carbonation system.

Abstract: The polishing uniformity of a material on a substrate is improved by using a polishing method where an applied pressure on the backside of the substrate is changed during the polishing process. The method is especially useful for polishing thin material layers requiring precise control of polishing across the substrate, e.g., for TaSiN layers used in the formation of gate stacks and stacked capacitors.

Abstract: A system for chemical-mechanical polishing is described which includes a wafer backing film having concentric first and second portions. The portions of the wafer backing film are of different materials. The second portion of the wafer backing film has an annular shape and surrounds the first portion; a backing shim is used to adjust the first portion and second portion with respect to each other in a vertical direction. The first and second portions of the wafer backing film and the backing shim are mounted on an adhesive assembly film, thereby forming an assembly for mounting on a wafer carrier. The second portion of the wafer backing film is less compressible than the first portion, and is adjusted in the vertical direction so that the outer edge of the wafer is substantially sealed when backside air is applied to the wafer during a film removal process.

Abstract: A system is provided for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a semiconductor wafer by periodically relatively moving a polishing pad on a rotating platen, and the wafer, retained in the aperture of a rotating and oscillating ring having a wear surface surrounding the aperture and wafer, with respect to each other while the wafer and wear surface frictionally contact the pad. A CMP slurry is dispensed to the wafer periphery in the vicinity of the pad at a plurality of perimetrically spaced apart channels in the wear surface maintained in fixed relation to the wafer during the relative movement. The ring is fixed to the underside of a carrier in turn fixed at its upper portion to the bottom end of a spindle which is rotatably mounted at its top end on an oscillating support beam, such that the wafer, ring, carrier and spindle rotate and oscillate in common. The carrier has a heat exchanger to heat or cool the slurry.

Abstract: A system is provided for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a semiconductor wafer by periodically relatively moving a polishing pad on a rotating platen, and the wafer, retained in the aperture of a rotating and oscillating ring having a wear surface surrounding the aperture and wafer, with respect to each other while the wafer and wear surface frictionally contact the pad. A CMP slurry is dispensed to the wafer periphery in the vicinity of the pad at a plurality of perimetrically spaced apart channels in the wear surface maintained in fixed relation to the wafer during the relative movement. The ring is fixed to the underside of a carrier in turn fixed at its upper portion to the bottom end of a spindle which is rotatably mounted at its top end on an oscillating support beam, such that the wafer, ring, carrier and spindle rotate and oscillate in common. The carrier has a heat exchanger to heat or cool the slurry.

Abstract: A system for chemical-mechanical polishing is described which includes a wafer backing film having concentric first and second portions, and a wafer carrier having corresponding first and second portions for mounting the portions of the wafer backing film thereon. The portions of the wafer backing film are of different materials. The second portion of the wafer backing film has an annular shape and surrounds the first portion; the second portion of the wafer carrier is adjustable with respect to the first portion of the wafer carrier in a vertical direction. The second portion of the wafer backing film is less compressible than the first portion, and is adjusted in the vertical direction so that the outer edge of the wafer is substantially sealed when backside air is applied to the wafer during a film removal process.

Abstract: A composition for reducing dishing in patterned large metal surfaces embedded in a dielectric as a workpiece during chemical mechanical polishing, comprising: a viscosity increasing amount of viscosity enhancer in replacement of a portion of deionized water in a slurry containing an abrasive.