US5647952A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Chemical/mechanical polish (CMP) endpoint method
Assignee: Transpacific IP Ltd
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Filing: 1996-04-01
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Granted: 1997-07-15
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Expires: 2016-04-01
Abstract
Abstract An improved and new process for chemical/mechanical planarization (CMP) of a substrate surface, wherein the endpoint for the planarization process is detected by monitoring the temperature of the polishing pad with an infrared temperature measuring device, has been developed. The process allows endpoint detection in-situ at the polishing apparatus, when polishing to remove a first layer of material and to stop the removal process when a second layer of material is exposed.
Inventors
- 👤 Lai-Juh Chen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:00
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B37/00; B24B37/005; B24B37/013; B24B49/00; B24B49/14; H; H10; H10P; H10P74/00; H10P74/23; H10P74/238
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of chemical/mechanical planarization (CMP) of a semiconductor substrate containing layers of different materials comprising: planarizing the semiconductor substrate by holding the semiconductor substrate on a rotating platen against a rotating polishing pad in the presence of a polishing slurry; controlling the temperature of the polishing slurry in the temperature range between about 10° to 30° C.; dispensing said temperature controlled slurry onto said rotating polishing pad; measuring by infrared detection means the temperature of said rotating polishing pad at a selected polishing pad location which is abrading the surface of said semiconductor substrate; and detecting an endpoint when a change in temperature of said rotating polishing pad occurs due to removal of a first material and contact by said rotating polishing pad to a second material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of chemical/mechanical planarization (CMP) of a semiconductor substrate containing layers of different materials comprising: planarizing the semiconductor substrate by holding the semiconductor substrate on a rotating platen against a rotating polishing pad in the presence of a polishing slurry; controlling the temperature of the polishing slurry in the temperature range between about 10° to 30° C.; dispensing said temperature controlled slurry onto said rotating polishing pad; measuring by infrared detection means the temperature of said rotating polishing pad at a selected polishing pad location which is abrading the surface of said semiconductor substrate; and detecting an endpoint when a change in temperature of said rotating polishing pad occurs due to removal of a first material and contact by said rotating polishing pad to a second material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said polishing slurry comprises SiO 2 or CeO 2 and NH 3 or KOH.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said temperature of said rotating polishing pad is measured in the temperature range between about 10° to 80° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first material is a hard, difficult to polish material and said second material is a soft, easy to polish material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 4, wherein endpoint is detected as a decrease in temperature of said rotating polishing pad due to removal of said hard, difficult to polish material and contact by said rotating polishing pad to said soft, easy to polish material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first material is a soft, easy to polish material and said second material is a hard difficult to polish material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 6, wherein endpoint is detected as an increase in temperature of said rotating polishing pad due to removal of said soft, easy to polish material and contact by said rotating polishing pad to said hard, difficult to polish material.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for fabricating a planarized layer of dielectric material on a semiconductor substrate containing a structure, comprising the steps of: providing said structure on said semiconductor substrate; depositing a first layer of dielectric material onto said semiconductor substrate containing said structure; depositing onto said first layer of dielectric material a second layer of dielectric material which is easier to polish than said first layer of dielectric material; planarizing said second layer of dielectric material by holding said semiconductor substrate on a rotating platen against a rotating polishing pad in the presence of a polishing slurry and applied pressure between the platen and polishing pad; controlling the temperature of the polishing slurry in the temperature range between about 10° to 30° C.; dispensing the temperature controlled slurry onto the rotating polishing pad; measuring by infrared detection means the temperature of the polishing pad at a location which is abrading the surface of said second layer of dielectric material; and detecting endpoint for the planarization process when the polishing pad temperature increases due to removal of the easier to polish second layer of material.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for fabricating a planarized layer of dielectric material on a semiconductor substrate containing a structure, comprising the steps of: providing said structure on said semiconductor substrate; depositing a first layer of dielectric material onto said semiconductor substrate containing said structure; depositing onto said first layer of dielectric material a second layer of dielectric material which is easier to polish than said first layer of dielectric material; planarizing said second layer of dielectric material by holding said semiconductor substrate on a rotating platen against a rotating polishing pad in the presence of a polishing slurry and applied pressure between the platen and polishing pad; controlling the temperature of the polishing slurry in the temperature range between about 10° to 30° C.; dispensing the temperature controlled slurry onto the rotating polishing pad; measuring by infrared detection means the temperature of the polishing pad at a location which is abrading the surface of said second layer of dielectric material; and detecting endpoint for the planarization process when the polishing pad temperature increases due to removal of the easier to polish second layer of material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said structure is an active device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said structure is an interconnection pattern of conducting material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said structure comprises both active devices and an interconnection pattern of conducting material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said active device is a NFET or PFET MOS device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said interconnection pattern of conducting material is aluminum having a thickness between about 4,000 to 10,000 Angstroms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said first layer of dielectric material is SOG, applied as between about 2 to 4 layers, followed by reflow at a temperature between about 250° to 450° C., resulting in a thickness between about 4,000 to 8,000 Angstroms.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said second layer of dielectric material is PE-TEOS deposited from tetraethylorthossilicate, at a temperature between about 200° to 400° C., to a thickness between about 2,000 to 5,000 Angstroms.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said polishing slurry comprises SiO 2 or CeO 2 and NH 3 or KOH controlled in the temperature range between about 10° to 30° C.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said rotating polishing pad is rotated in a range between about 10 to 70 rpm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said rotating platen is rotated in a range between about 10 to 70 rpm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said applied pressure between the platen and polishing pad is in a range between about 1 to 10 psi.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said polishing pad temperature increase is in a range between about 10° to 30° C.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for fabricating a planarized layer on a semiconductor substrate, wherein said semiconductor substrate contains a first layer of material having a first coefficient of friction deposited over a second layer of material having a second coefficient of friction, wherein said first coefficient of friction is larger than said second coefficient of friction, comprising the steps of: planarizing said first layer of material by holding said semiconductor substrate on a rotating platen against a rotating polishing pad in the presence of a polishing slurry and applied pressure between the platen and polishing pad; controlling the temperature of the polishing slurry in the temperature range between about 10° to 30° C.; dispensing the temperature controlled slurry onto the rotating polishing pad; measuring by infrared detection means the temperature of the polishing pad at a location which is abrading the surface of said first layer of dielectric material; and detecting endpoint for the planarization process when the polishing pad temperature decreases due to removal of said first layer of material.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for fabricating a planarized layer on a semiconductor substrate, wherein said semiconductor substrate contains a first layer of material having a first coefficient of friction deposited over a second layer of material having a second coefficient of friction, wherein said first coefficient of friction is larger than said second coefficient of friction, comprising the steps of: planarizing said first layer of material by holding said semiconductor substrate on a rotating platen against a rotating polishing pad in the presence of a polishing slurry and applied pressure between the platen and polishing pad; controlling the temperature of the polishing slurry in the temperature range between about 10° to 30° C.; dispensing the temperature controlled slurry onto the rotating polishing pad; measuring by infrared detection means the temperature of the polishing pad at a location which is abrading the surface of said first layer of dielectric material; and detecting endpoint for the planarization process when the polishing pad temperature decreases due to removal of said first layer of material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said first layer of material is tungsten, deposited using LPCVD at a temperature between about 350° to 500° C., to a thickness between about 2,000 to 10,000 Angstroms.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said second layer of material is titanium nitride, deposited using sputtering or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), at a temperature between about 200° to 400° C., to a thickness between about 500 to 2,000 Angstroms.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said polishing slurry comprises Al 2 O 3 and a ferric nitrate solution in H 2 O, controlled in the temperature range between about 10° to 30° C.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said rotating polishing pad is rotated in a range between about 10 to 70 rpm.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said rotating platen is rotated in a range between about 10 to 70 rpm.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said applied pressure between the platen and polishing pad is in a range between about 1 to 10 psi.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said polishing pad temperature decrease is in a range between about 10° to 30° C.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-07-14 | 2001-01-13 | 2001-07-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-07-14 | 2005-01-13 | 2005-07-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-07-14 | 2009-01-13 | 2009-07-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |