Abstract: A method and composition for planarizing a substrate. The composition includes one or more chelating agents, one or more oxidizers, one or more corrosion inhibitors, a polar solvent, and deionized water. The composition may further comprise one or more surfactants, one or more agents to adjust the pH and/or abrasive particles. The method comprises planarizing a substrate using a composition including a polar solvent.

Abstract: Dishing in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is reduced by introducing a material that balances electrochemical forces. In a first embodiment of the invention, a polishing pad having copper material in grooves on the polishing pad surface is used in the polishing process to reduce dishing. In a second embodiment of the invention, the polishing pad has perforations with copper fillings. In a third embodiment of the invention, a copper retaining ring on the polishing head introduces copper material to the CMP process to reduce dishing. In a fourth embodiment of the invention, a conditioning plate of copper is used in the polishing apparatus. In a fifth embodiment of the invention, additional copper features are placed on the substrate to be polished. The polishing of the additional features introduces copper steadily through the polishing process. In a sixth embodiment of the invention, copper compounds are added to the polish slurry.

Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.

Abstract: Dishing in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is reduced by introducing a material that balances electrochemical forces. In a first embodiment of the invention, a polishing pad having copper material in grooves on the polishing pad surface is used in the polishing process to reduce dishing. In a second embodiment of the invention, the polishing pad has perforations with copper fillings. In a third embodiment of the invention, a copper retaining ring on the polishing head introduces copper material to the CMP process to reduce dishing. In a fourth embodiment of the invention, a conditioning plate of copper is used in the polishing apparatus. In a fifth embodiment of the invention, additional copper features are placed on the substrate to be polished. The polishing of the additional features introduces copper steadily through the polishing process. In a sixth embodiment of the invention, copper compounds are added to the polish slurry.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for removing material from the edge of a disk. In one embodiment, the edge of the disk is contacted with etchant via an etchant containing swab or trough (which may contain one or more transducers) and is rotated such that successive portions of the disk edge are scanned through the trough or past the swab. To prevent etchant from contacting the major surface of the substrate, and/or to prevent excessive etching, the edge of the disk is contacted with a rinsing fluid (e.g., a rinsing fluid nozzle or a trough filled with rinsing fluid). In a further embodiment material such as residue or particles may be removed via a trough containing sonically energized rinsing fluid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for removing material from the edge of a disk. In one embodiment, the edge of the disk is contacted with etchant via an etchant containing swab or trough (which may contain one or more transducers) and is rotated such that successive portions of the disk edge are scanned through the trough or past the swab. To prevent etchant from contacting the major surface of the substrate, and/or to prevent excessive etching, the edge of the disk is contacted with a rinsing fluid (e.g., a rinsing fluid nozzle or a trough filled with rinsing fluid). In a further embodiment material such as residue or particles may be removed via a trough containing sonically energized rinsing fluid.

Abstract: A CMP slurry is formulated with an oxidizer capable of oxidizing a metal undergoing planarization and yielding a complexing agent which complexes with the oxidized metal thereby minimizing overetching. The slurry may further include abrasive particles, inhibitors, pH adjusting agents, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for polishing substrates comprising conductive and low k dielectric materials with reduced or minimum substrate surface damage and delamination. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including positioning a substrate having a conductive material formed thereon in a polishing apparatus having one or more rotational carrier heads and one or more rotatable platens, wherein the carrier head comprises a retaining ring and a membrane for securing a substrate and the platen has a polishing article disposed thereon, contacting the substrate surface and the polishing article to each other at a retaining ring contact pressure of about 0.4 psi or greater than a membrane pressure, and polishing the substrate to remove conductive material.

Abstract: A method for performing chemical-mechanical polishing/planarization providing highly selective, rapid removal of a Ta-containing barrier layer from a workpiece surface, such as a semiconductor wafer including a damascene-type Cu-based metallization pattern in-laid in a dielectric layer and including a Ta-containing metal diffusion barrier layer, comprises applying an aqueous liquid composition to the workpiece surface during CMP or to the polishing pad utilized for performing the CMP, the composition comprising at least one reducing agent for reducing transition metal ions to a lower valence state, at least one pH adjusting agent, at least one metal corrosion inhibitor, and water, and optionally includes ions of at least one transition metal, e.g., Cu and Fe ions. According to another embodiment, the aqueous liquid composition contains Ag ions and the at least one reducing agent is omitted.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for polishing conductive materials with low dishing of features and reduced or minimal remaining residues. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate by polishing the substrate to remove bulk conductive material and polishing the substrate by a ratio of carrier head rotational speed to platen rotational speed of between about 2:1 and about 3:1 to remove residual conductive material. In another aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including polishing the substrate at a first relative linear velocity between about 600 mm/second and about 1900 mm/second at the center of the substrate, and polishing the substrate at a second relative linear velocity between about 100 mm/second and about 550 mm/second at the center of the substrate.

Abstract: Polishing pad glazing during CMP of Al and Al alloys is eliminated or substantially reduced by utilizing a neutral polishing slurry containing a sufficient amount of a surfactant to prevent agglomeration of the abrasive particles with polishing by-products. Embodiments include CMP an Al or an Al alloy surface employing a slurry containing abrasive Al203 particles and about 0.02 to about 5 wt. % of a surfactant to prevent Al203 abrasive slurry particles from agglomerating with Al(OH)3 polishing by-products. Embodiments further include subsequent ex situ pad conditioning using an acid or base to dissolve, or a complexing agent to remove, Al(OH)3 polishing by-products.

Abstract: An optical monitoring system for a two-step polishing process which generates a reflectance trace for each of plurality of radial zones. The CMP apparatus may switch from a high-selectivity slurry to a low-selectivity slurry when any of the reflectance traces indicate initial clearance of the metal layer, and polishing may halt when all of the reflectance traces indicate that oxide layer has been completely exposed.

Abstract: An optical monitoring system for a two-step polishing process which generates a reflectance trace for each of plurality of radial zones. The CMP apparatus may switch from a high-selectivity slurry to a low-selectivity slurry when any of the reflectance traces indicate initial clearance of the metal layer, and polishing may halt when all of the reflectance traces indicate that oxide layer has been completely exposed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus that uses a surfactant to clean a hydrophobic wafer is provided. In a first aspect, the method may clean and dry a wafer without applying pure DI water to the wafer. In a second aspect, the method may clean a wafer by applying pure DI water to the wafer only for a short duration of time such that the DI water application ceases prior to or as soon as a surfactant solution is rinsed from the wafer thereafter the wafer is dried. In a further aspect a hydrophobic wafer is maintained wetted with surfactant as it is transferred between cleaning apparatuses and is rinsed via diluted surfactant or via a brief DI water spray and is thereafter dried.

Abstract: A method and composition for planarizing a substrate. The composition includes a pressure sensitive solution and one or more chemical agents for complexing with a metal or oxidized metal. The method for removal of a copper containing layer from a substrate surface, comprising applying a composition to a polishing media, the composition comprising a pressure sensitive solution, and one or more chemical agents for complexing with a metal or oxidized metal, and polishing the substrate surface with the polishing media.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing machine is provided with a platen that has an integral sub-pad. A fixed abrasive polishing layer is mounted, without adhesive between the polishing layer and the sub-pad, to the top surface of the platen and the sub-pad. The polishing layer is vacuum mounted, for example, to the integral sub-pad of the platen. A cooling arrangement is provided in the platen that cools the polishing layer and improves product quality.

Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus that uses a surfactant to clean a hydrophobic wafer is provided. In a first aspect, the method may clean and dry a wafer without applying pure DI water to the wafer. In a second aspect, the method may clean a wafer by applying pure DI water to the wafer only for a short duration of time such that the DI water application ceases prior to or as soon as a surfactant solution is rinsed from the wafer thereafter the wafer is dried. In a further aspect a hydrophobic wafer is maintained wetted with surfactant as it is transferred between cleaning apparatuses and is rinsed via diluted surfactant or via a brief DI water spray and is thereafter dried.

Abstract: Polishing compositions for metal CMP with reduced dishing and overpolish insensitivity are formulated to have a low static etching rate at high temperatures, e.g., higher than 50° C. Embodiments include abrasive-free polishing compositions comprising one or more chelating agents, one or more oxidizers, one or more corrosion inhibitors, one or more acids to achieve a pH of about 3 to about 10 and deionized water.

Abstract: The invention is embodied in a method of cleaning a plasma reactor by creating a vacuum in the chamber while introducing an etchant gas into the chamber through the gas injection ports, and applying RF energy to a ceiling electrode in the chamber while not necessarily applying RF energy to the coil antenna, so as to strike a predominantly capacitively coupled plasma in the vacuum chamber. In another embodiment the method includes, whenever the reactor is to be operated in an inductive coupling mode, applying RF power to the reactors coil antenna while grounding the ceiling electrode, and whenever the reactor is to be operated in a capacitive coupling mode, applying RF power to the ceiling electrode, and whenever the reactor is to be cleaned, cleaning the reactor by applying RF power to the ceiling electrode and to the coil antenna while introducing an etchant gas into the vacuum chamber.