Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing machine and a fabrication process using the same. The chemical mechanical polishing machine comprises a retainer ring having a plurality of slurry passages at the bottom of the retainer ring. The retainer ring further comprises a circular path. By conducting the slurry through the slurry passages and the circular, a wafer is planarized within the chemical mechanical polishing machine.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus includes a filtering apparatus for filtering slurry. The filtering apparatus includes an input aperture located at the top of the filter housing and connected to a slurry supplying machine. An output aperture located at the side of the filter housing is connected to a polishing pad. The filtering apparatus also includes a filter attached to the top of the filter housing and a stirring objected located below the filter. A stirrer is located below the filter housing for driving the stirring object without a mechanical contact. The stirring object is preferably bar-shaped and enclosed with PTFE.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing machine having an improved wafer retainer ring design for the polishing head, comprising a polishing table, a polishing pad, a polishing head and a wafer retainer ring, wherein the polishing pad is above the polishing table, the polishing head is above the polishing pad, and the wafer retainer ring is mounted onto the polishing head. Improvement of the retainer ring design includes the formation of a plurality of guiding holes around the periphery of the retainer ring such that the guiding hole axis follows the centrifugal line produced by a rotating polishing head. Furthermore, the guiding hole has a gradual diffusing structure from the outer inlet to the inner outlet.

Abstract: A method of preventing overpolishing in a chemical-mechanical polishing operation includes using a spin-on polymer material instead of spin-on glass as the local planarization material. The spin-on polymer layer is further used as a polishing stop layer so as to prevent damage to components due to overpolishing, because the polishing rate of the spin-on polymer layer in a chemical-mechanical polishing operation is, in general, lower than the polishing rate of the silicon dioxide layer formed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

Abstract: A method for planarizing interlayer dielectric is disclosed. The present invention includes firstly forming a barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate. Next, a buffer layer is formed on the barrier layer by a spin-on-glass technique. A dielectric layer is formed on the buffer layer, wherein etch rate of the dielectric layer is larger than etch rate of the buffer layer, and the barrier layer serves as a block of autodoping coming from the dielectric layer. Finally, the dielectric layer is etched back using the buffer layer as buffer, thereby planarizing the dielectric layer.