Abstract: A clean chemistry composition includes an organic acid and a polar surfactant. The clean chemistry composition is capable of imparting an electrical charge to particles generated during a CMP operation on a wafer made up of semiconductors having a metal gate structure. The imparted electrical charge has the same polarity as that of an electrical charge on the wafer surface, such that the resulting repulsive force between the wafer surface and the newly-charged particles is sufficient to repel the particles from the wafer surface.

Abstract: A chemical composition and methods to remove defects while maintaining corrosion protection of conductors on a substrate are described. The composition includes a conductive solution, a corrosion inhibitor; and a surfactant. A surfactant-to-inhibitor ratio in the composition is a function of a metal. The surfactant is an anionic surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant, or any combination thereof. The concentration of the corrosion inhibitor in the chemical composition can be low. The corrosion inhibitor can form soft bonds with a conductor material. The conductive solution can be a high ionic strength solution. The composition is applied to a wafer having conductors on a substrate. At least two conductors on the substrate have different potentials. The composition can be used to clean the wafer after forming the conductors on the substrate. The composition can be used for chemical mechanical polishing of the wafer.

Abstract: A method for reducing the dissolution of aluminum gate electrodes in a high pH clean chemistry comprises modifying the high pH clean chemistry to include a silanol-based chemical. The silanol-based chemical causes a protective layer to form on a top surface of the aluminum gate electrode. The protective layer substantially reduces or prevents corrosion that occurs due to the high pH level of the clean chemistry. The protective layer is formed by the silanol-based chemical bonding to the aluminum gate electrode through a hydrolysis reaction, thereby forming a silanol-based protective layer.

Abstract: Replacement metal gates may be formed by removing a polysilicon layer from a gate structure. The gate structure may be formed by patterning the polysilicon layer and depositing a spacer layer over the gate structure such that the spacer layer has a first polish rate. The spacer layer is then etched to form a sidewall spacer. An interlayer dielectric is applied over the gate structure with the sidewall spacer. The interlayer dielectric has a second polish rate higher than the first polish rate. In one embodiment, the interlayer dielectric has a lower polish rate than that of oxide.

Abstract: A metal layer cleaning composition including a first component that is an acid; and a different second component that is a chelating agent, wherein the composition is in a form suitable for use in effectively removing undesirable constituents from a wafer surface following a polishing operation.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer cleaning brush may have ligands attached along the length of its polymer chain. These ligands may provide moieties with specific functional features such as providing a hydrophilic characteristic, a hydrophobic characteristic, a reducing agent, or an oxidizing agent, to mention a few examples. In addition, the attaching ligand may provide a mechanical cleaning structure that is effective in reaching into small areas on the wafer to be cleaned. The ligand may be attached to the length of the brush polymer using a hydrolysis reaction in one embodiment.

Abstract: A ceria based abrasive is used in a chemical mechanical polishing operation at low polish pressure, and a predetermined pH range, to achieve high polish rates and good uniformity when planarizing layers formed from low dielectric constant materials, including but not limited to polymers. The distribution of ceria particle sizes in an exemplary slurry is bimodal and controlled. In a particular embodiment a polishing abrasive containing a controlled distribution of ceria particle sizes is used in a CMP polisher apparatus with a polishing pressure of approximately 3 psi and a pH of approximately 10.6 to planarize polymer films.

Abstract: A ceria based abrasive is used in a chemical mechanical polishing operation at low polish pressure, and a predetermined pH range, to achieve high polish rates and good uniformity when planarizing layers formed from low dielectric constant materials, including but not limited to polymers. The distribution of ceria particle sizes in an exemplary slurry is bimodal and controlled.