Polymeric particle slurry system and method to reduce feature sidewall erosion
View Patent ↗A slurry system for a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process and a method for using the same wherein the slurry system includes an aqueous dispersion comprising at least abrasive polymer containing particles in an alkaline solution having a pH of less than about 9.5; and wherein the method includes providing a semiconductor wafer process surface including a oxide containing material and metal filled semiconductor features; providing the system; and, polishing in a CMP process the semiconductor wafer process surface using the slurry system to remove at least a portion of the oxide containing material and the metal comprising the metal filled semiconductor features.
1. A slurry system for an improved low-K oxide/copper chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process with low solids content to avoid copper damascene sidewall erosion and to reduce CMP impact forces comprising:
an aqueous dispersion comprising particles, said particles comprising a first material having an elastomeric polymer outer surface, said first material surrounding a core comprising a second material, said second material different from said first material, said particles in said aqueous dispersion capable of exhibiting elastic behavior during the CMP process, said elastomeric polymer only on said particles in said aqueous dispersion;
said aqueous dispersion having a pH of between about 7.0 and about 10.0, and,
wherein said aqueous dispersion has a solids content of said particles of between about 0.5 and about 6.5 weight percent of the total weight of the aqueous dispersion.
2. The slurry system of claim 1 , wherein the particles comprise a thermoplastic material.
3. The slurry system of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric polymer outer surface comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, neoprenes, silicones, fluorosilicones, fluorocarbon polymers, polysulfones, acrylic resins, polyacetals, saturated polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polypropyilenes, phenol resins, urea resins, melamine resins, and epoxy resins.
4. The slurry system of claim 1 , wherein the particles comprise an elastomeric polymer coating over a metal oxide.
5. The slurry system of claim 1 , wherein the particles have a mean particle diameter of from about 20 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.
6. The slurry system of claim 1 , wherein the particles have a mean particle diameter of from about 50 nanometers to about 200 nanometers.
7. The slurry system of claim 1 , wherein the slurry system further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH), ammonia (NH 3 ), and tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH).
8. The slurry system of claim 1 , further comprising a surfactant at about 0.01 weight percent to about 0.5 weight percent.
9. The slurry system of claim 8 , wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of fatty acids and their salts.
10. The slurry system of claim 9 , wherein the surfactant includes at least one of a detergent and a soap.
11. The slurry system of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric polymer outer surface surrounds a core comprising an inorganic material.
12. A slurry system for an improved low-K oxide/copper chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to reduce copper damascene sidewall erosion comprising:
an alkaline aqueous dispersion comprising abrasive particles, said abrasive particles consisting essentially of particles comprising a first material having an elastomeric polymer outer surface, said first material surrounding a core comprising a second material, said second material different from said first material, said abrasive particles in said alkaline aqueous dispersion capable of exhibiting elastic behavior during the CMP process, said elastomeric polymer only on said particles in said alkaline aqueous dispersion.
13. The slurry system of claims 12 wherein said alkaline aqueous dispersion has a pH of between about 7.0 and about 10.0.
14. The slurry system of claims 12 wherein said alkaline aqueous dispersion has a solids content of said particles of between about 0.5 and about 6.5 weight percent of the total weight of the aqueous dispersion.
15. The slurry system of claim 12 , wherein the particles comprise a thermoplastic material.
16. The slurry system of claim 12 , wherein the elastomeric polymer outer surface comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, neoprenes, silicones, fluorosilicones, fluorocarbon polymers, polysulfones, acrylic resins, polyacetals, saturated polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polypropylenes, phenol resins, urea resins, melamine resins, and epoxy resins.
17. The slurry system of claim 12 , wherein the particles comprise an elastomeric polymer coating over a metal oxide.
18. The slurry system of claim 12 , wherein the abrasive particles have a mean particle diameter of from about 20 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.
19. The slurry system of claim 12 , wherein the abrasive particles have a mean particle diameter of from about 50 nanometers to about 200 nanometers.
20. The slurry system of claim 12 , wherein the slurry system further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH), ammonia (NH 3 ), and tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH).
21. The slurry system of claim 12 , further comprising a surfactant at about 0.01 weight percent to about 0.5 weight percent.
22. The slurry system of claim 21 , wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of fatty acids and their salts.
23. The slurry system of claim 12 , wherein the elastomeric polymer outer surface surrounds a core comprising an inorganic material.
24. A slurry system for an improved low-K oxide/copper chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to reduce copper damascene sidewall erosion comprising:
an alkaline aqueous dispersion comprising abrasive particles, said abrasive particles consisting essentially of particles comprising a first material having an elastomeric polymer outer surface, said first material surrounding a core comprising a second material, said second material different from said first material, said abrasive particles in said alkaline aqueous dispersion capable of exhibiting elastic behavior during the CMP process, said elastomeric polymer only on said particles in said alkaline aqueous dispersion;
wherein said alkaline aqueous dispersion has a pH of between about 7.0 and about 10.0, and,
wherein said alkaline aqueous dispersion has a solids content of said particles of between about 0.5 and about 6.5 weight percent of the total weight of the aqueous dispersion.
25. The slurry system of claim 24 , wherein the particles comprise a thermoplastic material.
26. The slurry system of claim 24 , wherein the elastomeric polymer outer surface comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, neoprenes, silicones, fluorosilicones, fluorocarbon polymers, polysulfones, acrylic resins, polyacetals, saturated polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polypropylenes, phenol resins, urea resins, melamine resins, and epoxy resins.
27. The slurry system of claim 24 , wherein the abrasive particles comprise an elastomeric polymer coating over a metal oxide.
28. The slurry system of claim 24 , wherein the abrasive particles have a mean particle diameter of from about 20 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.
29. The slurry system of claim 24 , wherein the slurry system further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH), ammonia (NH 3 ), and tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH).
30. The slurry system of claim 24 , further comprising a surfactant selected from the group consisting of fatty acids and their salts.
31. The slurry system of claim 24 , further comprising a surfactant at about 0.01 weight percent to about 0.5 weight percent.
32. The slurry system of claim 31 , wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of fatty acids and their salts.
33. The slurry system of claim 24 , wherein the elastomeric polymer outer surface surrounds a core comprising an inorganic material.