US5246884A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Cvd diamond or diamond-like carbon for chemical-mechanical polish etch stop
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1991-10-30
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Granted: 1993-09-21
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Expires: 2011-10-30
Abstract
Abstract Metallized semiconductor chips, such as are intended for VLSI, are coated with a first layer of SiO2 followed by a second layer of CVD diamond or DLC as an etch stop. The resulting structure is reproducibly and controllably planarized using a chem-mech slurry and an appropriate polishing pad, enabling subsequent layers to be built up similarly.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark A. Jaso
- 👤 Paul B. Jones
- 👤 Bernard S. Meyerson
- 👤 Vishnubhai V. Patel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:55
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P95/06; H10P95/062; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/071; H10W20/092
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of planarizing a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a planar substrate on which is disposed topographical featuring; coating the substrate and topographical featuring overall with a first layer of insulating material; coating the first layer with a second layer comprising conformal diamond or diamond-like carbon material, wherein the diamond or diamond-like carbon is deposited within a temperature range of about 75 to about 350 degrees C. by CVD or sputtering; chemical-mechanical polishing with a polishing pad in a slurry such that the layers of material over the topographical featuring is removed at a faster rate than the material over the planar substrate; and stopping the process when substantial overall planarity is achieved.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of planarizing a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a planar substrate on which is disposed topographical featuring; coating the substrate and topographical featuring overall with a first layer of insulating material; coating the first layer with a second layer comprising conformal diamond or diamond-like carbon material, wherein the diamond or diamond-like carbon is deposited within a temperature range of about 75 to about 350 degrees C. by CVD or sputtering; chemical-mechanical polishing with a polishing pad in a slurry such that the layers of material over the topographical featuring is removed at a faster rate than the material over the planar substrate; and stopping the process when substantial overall planarity is achieved.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method recited in claim 1, further including the step of removing any residual carbon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method recited in claim 2, further including the step of building a VLSI device using a plurality of aligned layers of planarized semiconductor devices.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the topographical featuring includes circuit traces and pads.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method recited in claim 4, wherein the traces and pads are comprised of aluminum-copper alloy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises amorphous or crystalline SiO2.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method recited in claim 6, wherein the SiO2 is deposited by sputtering.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the diamond or DLC is deposited to a thickness of about 750 Angstroms to about 1000 Angstroms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the polishing pad comprises a pad having a Shore hardness of less than 70.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein the slurry comprises an aqueous colloidal silica slurry.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method recited in claim 2, wherein the residual carbon is removed by RIE or oxygen ashing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the diamond or DLC is deposited within a temperature range of about 75 to about 300 degrees C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method recited in claim 12, wherein the diamond or DLC is deposited between about 200 degrees C. and about 250 degrees C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the hardness of the diamond or DLC ranges from about 3,000 to about 5,000 on the Vickers hardness scale.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the layer of diamond or DLC is deposited by CVD by thermal chemical vapor deposition, plasma chemical vapor deposition, electron-assisted chemical vapor deposition, radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, or direct current enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the second layer is energetically deposited from a hydrocarbon precursor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the etch rate ratio of the first layer of insulating material to diamond or diamond-like carbon is between about 19:1 and 311:1.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method recited in claim 10, wherein the polishing pad has a Shore hardness of less than 70 to about 55.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method recited in claim 10, wherein the polishing pressure is about 2 to about 10 lbs/in2.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method recited in claim 19, wherein the polishing pressure is about 2 lbs/in 2 .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method recited in claim 11, wherein the power density of the RIE plasma is maintained at about 100 to about 200mW/cm2 at a pressure of about 30 to about 100mTorr.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method recited in claim 9, wherein the temperature at which the diamond or DLC is deposited is about 150 to about 250 degrees C.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method recited in claim 7, wherein the SiO2 is sputtered to a thickness of about 1 micron.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the layer comprising diamond or DLC film is deposited by CVD by the thermal, electrical or catalytic fragmentation of a carbon-containing material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method recited in claim 16, wherein the hydrocarbon precursor comprises a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, ethylene, acetylene and alcohol and mixtures thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4671851A
Cited
US4944836A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-09-20 | 1997-03-22 | 1997-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-09-20 | 2001-03-22 | 2001-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-09-20 | 2005-03-22 | 2005-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |