Patent US5723874A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5723874A
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Dishing and erosion monitor structure for damascene metal processing
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1996-06-24
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Granted: 1998-03-03
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Expires: 2016-06-24
Abstract
Abstract According to the preferred embodiment, an erosion and dishing monitor is provided that facilitates the accurate optimization of a planarization process as in semiconductor process. The dishing monitor comprises at least two monitor structure sets embedded in a semiconductor substrate, the monitor structure sets comprising a plurality of monitor structures connected together with a plurality of connective conductors. The erosion monitor comprises a plurality of elongated conductors embedded into a semiconductor substrate, the plurality of conductors having varying conductor widths and adjacent substrate widths.
Inventors
- 👤 Faye Diann Baker
- 👤 Daniel Shaw Brooks
- 👤 Robert Kenneth Leidy
- 👤 Anne Elizabeth McGuire
- 👤 Rock Nadeau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:23
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/06; H10P72/0604; H10P74/00; H10P74/27; H10P74/277; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/062
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A monitor for characterizing the dishing occurring in a planarization process comprising: a) a wafer; b) a first monitor structure set embedded in said wafer, said first monitor structure set comprising a first plurality of monitor structures, said first plurality of monitor structures connected together in series with a first plurality of connective traces; and c) a second monitor structure set embedded in said wafer, said second monitor structure set comprising a second plurality of monitor structures, said second plurality of monitor structures having an area less than said first plurality of monitor structures and connected together in series with a second plurality of connective traces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
A monitor for characterizing the dishing occurring in a planarization process comprising: a) a wafer; b) a first monitor structure set embedded in said wafer, said first monitor structure set comprising a first plurality of monitor structures, said first plurality of monitor structures connected together in series with a first plurality of connective traces; and c) a second monitor structure set embedded in said wafer, said second monitor structure set comprising a second plurality of monitor structures, said second plurality of monitor structures having an area less than said first plurality of monitor structures and connected together in series with a second plurality of connective traces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The monitor of claim 1 wherein said first plurality of monitor structures comprise substantially identical structures.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The monitor of claim 1 wherein said first plurality of monitor structures comprise substantially identical rectangular metal regions having a predetermined length to width ratio.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The monitor of claim 3 wherein said predetermined length to width ratio is in the range of 0.20:1 to 5:1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The monitor of claim 1 wherein said first and second plurality of connective channels comprise a plurality of damascene connectors between each of said first and second plurality of monitor structures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The monitor of claim 1 wherein said first and second plurality of monitor structures each comprise damascene deposited rectangular metal regions having equal predetermined length to width ratios.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The monitor of claim 1 wherein said first and second plurality of monitor structures comprise an equal number of monitor structures having the same number of conductivity squares.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The monitor of claim 1 wherein said first and second monitor structure set each include a current input and a voltage input such that conductivity is measurable using a four-point probe method.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The monitor of claim 1 wherein said first plurality of monitor structures has a predetermined ideal conductivity and wherein said second plurality of monitor structures has a predetermined ideal conductivity proportional to said predetermined conductivity for said first plurality of monitor structures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
88 words
A monitor for characterizing the erosion of a planarization process comprising: a) a wafer; b) a first erosion monitor embedded in said wafer, said first erosion monitor comprising at least one elongated conductor, said elongated conductor having a first predetermined width and a first width of adjacent portions of the wafer; c) a second erosion monitor embedded in said wafer, said second erosion monitor comprising at least one elongated conductor, said elongated conductor having a second predetermined width and a second width of adjacent portions of the wafer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
88 words
A monitor for characterizing the erosion of a planarization process comprising: a) a wafer; b) a first erosion monitor embedded in said wafer, said first erosion monitor comprising at least one elongated conductor, said elongated conductor having a first predetermined width and a first width of adjacent portions of the wafer; c) a second erosion monitor embedded in said wafer, said second erosion monitor comprising at least one elongated conductor, said elongated conductor having a second predetermined width and a second width of adjacent portions of the wafer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The erosion monitor of claim 10 wherein said first and second elongated conductors comprise intertwined serpentine conductors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The erosion monitor of claim 10 wherein said first and second elongated conductors comprise twin intertwined serpentine conductors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The erosion monitor of claim 10 wherein said first and second elongated conductors have a predetermined ideal conductivity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
124 words
A monitor for characterizing the dishing of a planarization process comprising: a wafer including a plurality of recessed regions in the surface of the wafer, said recessed regions comprising a first plurality of substantially identical rectangular subregions having a predetermined length to width ration of between about 0.20:1 and 5:1, each first subregion being connected to at least one other first subregion by a plurality of connective channels; said recessed regions further comprising a second plurality of subregions, each second subregion having a predetermined length to width ration equal to that of the first subregions and being of a smaller area than said first subregions and each second subregion being connected to at least one other second subregion by a plurality of conductive channels.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
124 words
A monitor for characterizing the dishing of a planarization process comprising: a wafer including a plurality of recessed regions in the surface of the wafer, said recessed regions comprising a first plurality of substantially identical rectangular subregions having a predetermined length to width ration of between about 0.20:1 and 5:1, each first subregion being connected to at least one other first subregion by a plurality of connective channels; said recessed regions further comprising a second plurality of subregions, each second subregion having a predetermined length to width ration equal to that of the first subregions and being of a smaller area than said first subregions and each second subregion being connected to at least one other second subregion by a plurality of conductive channels.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The monitor of claim 14 wherein said recessed regions comprise regions etched into said wafer as part of a damascene deposition process.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
69 words
A monitor for characterizing the erosion of a planarization process comprising: a wafer including a plurality of recessed regions in the surface of the wafer, said recessed regions comprising a first subset of elongated recessed regions forming a first predetermined area percentage of recessed to non-recessed surface; said recessed regions further comprising a second subset of elongated recessed regions having a different predetermined percentage of recessed to non-recessed surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
69 words
A monitor for characterizing the erosion of a planarization process comprising: a wafer including a plurality of recessed regions in the surface of the wafer, said recessed regions comprising a first subset of elongated recessed regions forming a first predetermined area percentage of recessed to non-recessed surface; said recessed regions further comprising a second subset of elongated recessed regions having a different predetermined percentage of recessed to non-recessed surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The monitor of claim 16 wherein said recessed regions comprise regions etched into said wafer as part of a damascene deposition process.
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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) | 2001-03-02 | 2001-09-01 | 2002-03-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-02 | 2005-09-01 | 2006-03-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-02 | 2009-09-01 | 2010-03-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |