US5858813A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chemical mechanical polishing slurry for metal layers and films
Assignee: CMC Materials LLC
•
Filing: 1996-05-10
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Granted: 1999-01-12
•
Expires: 2016-05-10
Abstract
Abstract A polishing slurry for chemically mechanically polishing metal layers and films during the various stages of multilevel interconnect fabrication associated with integrated circuit manufacturing. The slurry includes an aqueous medium, an abrasive, an oxidizing agent, and an organic acid. The polishing slurry has been found to significantly lower or inhibit the silicon dioxide polishing rate, thus yielding enhanced selectivity. In addition, the polishing slurry is useful in providing effective polishing to metal layers at desired polishing rates while minimizing surface imperfections and defects. Also disclosed is a method for producing coplanar metal/insulator films on a substrate utilizing the slurry of the present invention and chemical mechanical polishing technique relating thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 Debra L. Scherber
- 👤 Vlasta Brusic Kaufman
- 👤 Rodney C. Kistler
- 👤 Brian L. Mueller
- 👤 Christopher C. Streinz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 00:48
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09G; C09G1/00; C09G1/02; C09K; C09K3/00; C09K3/14; C09K3/1454; C09K3/1463; C23; C23F; C23F3/00; H; H10; H10P; H10P52/00; H10P52/40; H10P52/403
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 57
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for chemical-mechanical polishing of a substrate containing an insulator layer and at least one metal layer or thin-film, the method which comprises the steps of: a) providing a chemical mechanical polishing slurry comprising: an aqueous medium, an abrasive, an oxidizing agent, and succinic acid, wherein the selectivity between said metal layer or thin-film and said insulator layer is equal or greater than 50:1; and b) chemical mechanical polishing a metal layer or thin-film on a semiconductor substrate with said slurry.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for chemical-mechanical polishing of a substrate containing an insulator layer and at least one metal layer or thin-film, the method which comprises the steps of: a) providing a chemical mechanical polishing slurry comprising: an aqueous medium, an abrasive, an oxidizing agent, and succinic acid, wherein the selectivity between said metal layer or thin-film and said insulator layer is equal or greater than 50:1; and b) chemical mechanical polishing a metal layer or thin-film on a semiconductor substrate with said slurry.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said metal layer or thin-film is selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, copper, titanium, tantalum, and alloys thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said metal layer or thin-film is aluminum or aluminum alloy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said aluminum layer or thin-film further comprises at least one underlayer selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium nitride, titanium tungsten, tantalum, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said metal-layer or thin-film is copper.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said copper layer on thin-film further comprises at least one underlayer selected from the group consisting of: titanium, titanium nitride, titanium tungsten, tantalum, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said aqueous medium is deionized water.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said aqueous medium is distilled water.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said abrasive is a metal oxide abrasive.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said metal oxide abrasive is selected from the group consisting of: alumina, ceria, germania, titania, silica, zirconia, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said metal oxide abrasive consists of metal oxides aggregates having a size distribution less than about 1.0 micron, a mean aggregate diameter less than about 0.4 micron.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said metal oxide abrasive consists of discrete, individual metal oxide spheres having a primary particle diameter less than 0.400 micron and corresponding surface area ranging from about 10 m 2 /g to about 250 m 2 /g.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said abrasive has a surface area ranging from about 5 m 2 /g to about 430 m 2 /g.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said abrasive has a surface area ranging from about 30 m 2 /g to about 170 m 2 /g.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said abrasive is present in said slurry in a range between about 0.5% and 55% by weight.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said abrasive is present in said slurry in a range between about 1% and 10% by weight.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said metal oxide abrasive is a precipitated abrasive or a fumed abrasive.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said alumina is a precipitated alumina or a fumed alumina.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said oxidizing agent is an oxidizing metal salt.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said oxidizing agent is an oxidizing metal complex.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said oxidizing agent is an oxidizing nonmetallic complex.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method slurry of claim 21, wherein said oxidizing nonmetallic complex is ammonium persulfate, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, periodic acid and mixtures thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of: iron salts, aluminum salts, sodium salts, potassium salts, ammonium salts, quaternary ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, nitrates, permanganates, persulfates and mixtures thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said succinic acid is present in said slurry in an amount sufficient to improve the oxide selectivity of said slurry.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 24, wherein said succinic acid is present in an amount between 0.5% and about 7% by weight.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said slurry further comprises a surfactant.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 26, wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of: anionic surfactants, cationic surfactant, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said slurry further comprises an inorganic acid.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said slurry further comprises an inorganic salt.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the selectivity between said aluminum layer or thin-film and said underlayer is equal or less than 10:1.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the selectivity between said copper layer or thin-film and said underlayer is equal or less than 10:1.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
53 words
A chemical-mechanical polishing slurry for polishing a substrate containing an insulator layer and at least one metal layer or thin-film comprising: an aqueous medium an abrasive an oxidizing agent; and succinic acid, wherein the selectivity between said metal layer or thin film and said insulator layer is equal to or greater than 50:1.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
53 words
A chemical-mechanical polishing slurry for polishing a substrate containing an insulator layer and at least one metal layer or thin-film comprising: an aqueous medium an abrasive an oxidizing agent; and succinic acid, wherein the selectivity between said metal layer or thin film and said insulator layer is equal to or greater than 50:1.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
12 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said aqueous medium is deionized water.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
12 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said aqueous medium is distilled water.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
13 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said abrasive is a metal oxide abrasive.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
The slurry of claim 35, wherein said metal oxide abrasive is selected from the group consisting of: alumina, ceria, germania, silica, titania, zirconia, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
33 words
The slurry of claim 35, wherein said metal oxide abrasive consists of metal oxides aggregates having a size distribution less than about 1.0 micron, a mean aggregate diameter less than about 0.4 micron.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
43 words
The slurry of claim 35, wherein said metal oxide abrasive consists of discrete, individual metal oxide spheres having a primary particle diameter less than 0.400 micron and a surface area ranging from about 10 m 2 /g to about 250 m 2 /g.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said abrasive has a surface area ranging from about 5 m 2 /g to about 430 m 2 /g.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
25 words
The slurry of claim 39, wherein said abrasive has a surface area ranging from about 30 m 2 /g to about 170 m 2 /g.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
23 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said abrasive is present in said slurry in a range between about 0.5% and 55% by weight.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
23 words
The slurry of claim 41, wherein said abrasive is present in said slurry in a range between about 1% and 10% by weight.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
18 words
The slurry of claim 35, wherein said metal oxide abrasive is a precipitated abrasive or a fumed abrasive.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
16 words
The slurry of claim 36, wherein said alumina is a precipitated alumina or a fumed alumina.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
14 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said oxidizing agent is an oxidizing metal salt.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
14 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said oxidizing agent is an oxidizing metal complex.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
14 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said oxidizing agent is an oxidizing nonmetallic compound.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
22 words
The slurry of claim 47, wherein said oxidizing nonmetallic compound is ammonium persulfate, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, periodic acid and mixtures thereof.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
40 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of: iron salts, aluminum salts, sodium salts, potassium salts, ammonium salts, quaternary ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, nitrates, permanganates, persulfates and mixtures thereof.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
26 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said succinic acid is present in said slurry in an amount sufficient to improve the oxide selectivity of said slurry.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
21 words
The slurry of claim 50, wherein said succinic acid is present in an amount between 0.5% and about 7% by weight.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
12 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said slurry further comprises a surfactant.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
26 words
The slurry of claim 52, wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of: anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
13 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said slurry further comprises an inorganic acid.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
13 words
The slurry of claim 32, wherein said slurry further comprises an inorganic salt.
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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) | 2002-01-11 | 2002-07-13 | 2003-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-11 | 2006-07-13 | 2007-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-11 | 2010-07-13 | 2011-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |