DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0037] The inventions disclosed and claimed herein address and solve the foregoing problems thereby improving the efficiency and reducing the cost of CMP while maintaining improved wafer-to-wafer uniformity and, generally improving the quality of semiconductor devices. The inventions set forth herein are illustrated by the embodiments set forth hereinafter.

[0038] Embodiment No. 1

[0039] The inventive concept resides in providing a permeable web 110 to introduce chemicals, e.g., a microporous web. Advantages further include preventing air bubbles under the web. The web material itself is permeable to the supply chemicals.

[0040] A problem which arises during CMP is effective supplying chemicals underneath the wafer resulting in starvation at the wafer center. This would apply to both fixed abrasive and conventional slurry CMP. As the wafer rotates, a leading edge-trailing edge situation arises. But in any case, around the edge of the wafer at some point all of the different points on the edge get to be leading at some point and all of them get to be trailing at some point, but the center is always the center. The leading edge chemical concentrations are greater than the trailing edge chemical concentrations. There may be some depletion across the wafer during rotation and the wafer is rotating around the center of the wafer. Thus, the center of the wafer always experiences some medium chemical concentration. Accordingly, the chemical concentration is going up and down and up and down causing a very unstable situation. This problem is solved by providing a permeable abrasive pad so that the wafer sees a uniform concentration of chemicals everywhere. The web 110 is permeable in a vertical direction, coming up from the bottom 120. The chemicals would be supplied through the platen not shown itself up directly through the membrane.

[0041] Another advantage is that if air bubbles are trapped, by providing a non-flat surface to the abrasive, it would permeate out. The bottom 120 is shown in FIG. 1.

[0042] This arrangement is not incompatible with vacuum hold down, because by sucking it through a semipermeable membrane a pressure drop across the membrane occurs and this is what provides the necessary hold down, also referred to as conductance.

[0043] Aspects include patterns of vacuum channels on one part and chemical supply channels on another part. The vacuum hold down is, therefore, dispersed evenly enough to get a good hold down on a film without localized tearing. The chemistry supply would go up through the film with proper spacing of the air and chemical supply channels.

[0044] Embodiment No. 2

[0045] This invention entails impregnating the plastic matrix of a web 200 with process chemicals. FIG. 2, depicts a post 205 of abrasive material. Such posts are typically about 50 microns tall 210 and about 200 microns in diameter 220. But the shape of it in no way limits the invention. During polishing, the first wafer is at the top 230 of the post 205, which wears down 240 so that later wafers are exposed to a lower part 250 of the post 205.

[0046] There are a number of different functions performed by the CMP chemistry, e.g., oxidizers, inhibitors, such as corrosion inhibitors, buffers, and chelating agents. Ergo, there are a number of different roles performed that vary somewhat, depending on the particular system, e.g., copper, tungsten or oxide. However, the concept of chemical impregnation would be the same.

[0047] For illustrative purposes, in a Cu system, the oxidizers attack the copper and oxidize it to get copper oxide. That performs two functions. Initially, a corrosion barrier is provided where there is no abrasion—it is self limiting where rubbing does not occur. Therefore, etching stops. But in the high spots the oxide is more prone to polish than the copper metal. Therefore, the oxide is polished and then reoxidized, polished, and then reoxided. The oxide is not a good enough barrier in the low spots, and that is why some corrosion inhibitors, e.g., BTA, are included to basically assist the oxidizer in capping the surface in the low spots where not undergoing polishing. The mechanical action of polishing on the high spots removes both the oxide layer and the inhibitor so that it initiates a fresh attack of the copper. Chemical buffers are employed to maintain the pH in the solution because these chemicals are pH active—it is an electrochemical type of a process which is dependent on pH. Chelating agents take the copper in the solution and maintain it in solution so that the material rubbed off is removed instead of redepositing on the wafer.

[0048] It is particularly advantageous to impregnate a buffer into the plastic matrix to maintain a desired pH. The buffer impregnated in the plastic matrix is continually supplied at the exact point needed—right at the point of polishing. Thus, any of the types of chemicals could be supplied into the posts, e.g., buffers, oxidizers, inhibitors, etc.

[0049] There are several advantages of putting the chemicals into the posts 205. One is that it provides a timed release. As the post 205 wears down, more and more chemical is provided in a very controlled manner.

[0050] The pad 200 refers to the squishy stuff supplied as a backing 270 either integral or nonintegral with the web material itself, which is the backing film that carries the posts 205 and the posts 205 themselves. From a very minimalistic standpoint, the web is the posts 205 and the backing 270. For the web, as in going reel to reel, it is just the backing 270 and the posts 205, and the squishy subpads are supplied independently. It is the posts 205 themselves that are in contact with the wafer. Thus, as the posts 205 wear down fresh chemicals are continually exposed for timed release, thereby obtaining a more constant concentration over time right at the point of contact where it is desired.

[0051] Moreover, web manufacturers can determine how much chemicals to include, which is more controllable than depending on a technician to refurbish chemicals, since it is always going to be the same concentration depending on your manufacturability position, rather than what is going on in the field or if the equipment is breaking down.

[0052] Another aspect comprises introducing a chemical marker 280 down near the bottom of the posts 205 that is inert to the process but detectable, thereby providing a signal when approaching the end of the posts 205. Such chemicals can include an organic dye, that would not adversely interact with the process chemistry. When it starts getting released it would be very obvious to the eye because of a color change. In addition, optical detectors can be installed in the effluent stream. Another aspect of this embodiment comprises detecting a drift in process uniformity from first wafer to a subsequent wafer, and correcting the drift by suitable chemistry in the posts.

[0053] Embodiment No. 3

[0054] This embodiment involves forming a fixed abrasive web 300 with a plurality of posts 310 having different shapes, different sizes, different heights, different materials and having different distributions of particles. This provides the ability to tailor a web 300 for different functions, for example, simultaneous CMP of metal and oxide.

[0055] This embodiment solves the problem of process drift over time by tailoring a number of posts 310 in contact over time so that when some of them wear down, the wafer starts engaging more and more posts 310. Another problem stems from a rate difference between initial contact of the posts 310 and subsequent post contact after some CMP. The first contact with lower posts 320 and 330 would experience a different rate.

[0056] FIG. 3B and FIG. 3C, shows examples of two different shapes 340 and 350. By combining the different shapes on the web the benefits of the different shapes are achieved.

[0057] Later on in the process, copper 360, for example, begins to clear over oxide 365 and a barrier layer of Tantalum (Ta) 370 is exposed as shown in FIG. 3E. The Ta must also be removed stopping on the oxide 365. This aspect involves tailoring the selectivity, whereas, conventionally, the web 300 is very selective to both Ta and oxide, e.g., about 500 to 1 on Ta and about 250 to 1 on oxide. Aspects of this embodiment include a web 300 with a selectivity of 1 to 1 to 1, as by strategically formulating the posts with suitable chemistry for targeted etching.

[0058] Varying the shape, height and diameter of the posts to obtain different structures or patterns can be easily implemented. Smaller posts 320 and 330 have a better removal rate and faster abrasion, because the smaller ones have the ability to dig better.

[0059] Embodiment No. 4

[0060] This invention includes the concept of varying the compressibility of the web 400 to obtain non-linear compressibility to effectively treat both high and low spots on a wafer. Under compression, the modulus of compressibility would increase significantly as the material 405 is compressed to about 50% 410, as with common sealant elastomers that are loaded with a silica filler to provide strength and body. As the squishy sealant is compressed, the polymer compresses, but upon filler to filler contact, compression ceases completely, i.e., a very non-linear compressibility. In this embodiment, a post is provided so that when a force is applied, it can compress a certain amount, but then further force doesn't compress it any further, i.e., a non-linear spring. As illustrated in FIG. 4B, with a wafer 420 having a high part 405 and a low part 415, the high part 405 contacts the post 425 and compress it to obtain a large force 430. Where they are in contact with the low parts 415, a weak force 440 is obtained. By providing a non-linear force, part of the wafer 420 protrudes a number of microns beyond a low spot 415 and compresses a post 425 to a greater extent making it even stiffer so that it pushes back harder. The modulus of compressibility of the post 425 can be changed by suitable crosslinking in the polymer, varying the amount of filler, or changing the nature of the polymer, e.g., a more linear polymer or a more trifunctional or even a quadrifunctional polymer. This is well known art in the polymer industry.

[0061] The inventive concept is that, as the wafer 420 is pressed down, in the limit, only the high points 405 on the wafer will automatically contact the pad 400 for polishing. Each post 425 will vary in its modulus of compressibility depending on the amount of force applied to it. Thus, each post 425 is similar to a little spring and the frictional force varies with the applied force. In a linear spring, the force is relatively constant with displacement. However, with non-linear springs, as in this embodiment, if sufficient pressure is applied, the force dramatically increases, thereby automatically applying greater force 430 to the high spots 405 on a wafer 420 vis-a-vis low spots 415.

[0062] Embodiment No. 5

[0063] Advantageously, a fixed abrasive polishing web comprising a heat dissipating material can overcome the problems associated with excess heat build-up during polishing. In an aspect of this embodiment, the heat dissipating substance is incorporated into the posts and/or associated backing sheet. Thermally conductive materials include a metal powder, e.g., iron, nickel, copper, zinc, tin, lead, silver, gold, titanium, tungsten, palladium, bismuth, indium, gallium, aluminum and alloys thereof; metallized polymers or metallized ceramics such as alumina, silica, glass, polyamide, polystyrene, polyetheramide, polyacetylene, polyphenylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polypyrol, polythiophene, and graphite. The conductive elements may be provided in many forms, such as for example, particles, wires, filaments, and metallized flakes. The elements may have a wide variety of regular and irregular shapes, as for example, spheres, rods, flakes, and filaments. The binder can be a thermoplastic or a thermo- setting-type polymer or a monomer which will polymerize to form the thermally conducted substrate having the thermally conducted element therein.

[0064] Embodiment No. 6

[0065] This embodiment relates to a fixed abrasive web comprising a plurality of elongated posts on a sheet. Conventional posts have a diameter of about 125 to 1,000 microns, with the diameter about twice the height. Accordingly, conventional posts extend up to 500 microns above the backing sheet. The present embodiment comprises forming posts 510 with a ratio of the height 520 to diameter 530 opposite conventional practices, so that the posts 510 are significantly higher than their diameter 530. In this way, a multiplicity of very tall posts 510 are formed, as shown in FIG. 5. Instead of polishing on their upper edges 540, these tall posts 510 lean over like bristles and polish on their sides 525 that wear off during CMP. Thus, the tall posts 510 are formed so that they lean over during CMP of a substrate 505 and flow brushing from the side and round off at the top as shown in FIG. 5B. FIG. 5C and FIG. 5D illustrate additional embodiments of the individual posts having a sloped one directional (1-D) side 545 and having a rounded direction averaged side 550.

[0066] Advantageously, according to this embodiment, only a small amount of force is required to bend over the individual posts. However, the force would increase as the taller posts bend to contact each other any are stacked upon each other side by aide. At this point, the down force gets compressed. Aspects of this embodiment include forming posts 510 having a height 520 of about one micron to about ten microns and paced apart about one micron to about ten microns.

[0067] Embodiment No. 7

[0068] This embodiment comprises preconditioning fixed abrasive articles 600 comprising a plurality of posts 610 so that the posts have equal heights 620 above the backing to achieve a uniform texture, i.e., uniform abrasive surface on the posts as shown in FIG. 6. In this way, each post has exactly the same top surface, i.e. uniform surfaces and uniform heights. This objective can be implemented by physical dressing, as by an abrasive material which is harder than the abrasive material of the posts, pre-seeding with a slurry including polishing debris. By pre-seeding employing polishing debris, the first wafer effect is eliminated. The first wafer effect is conventionally encountered and involves initial non-uniformity with the initial wafer. It is believed that subsequent wafers are polished in the presence of polishing debris. Accordingly, by pre-seeding with polishing debris, the first wafer effect is eliminated.

[0069] Another aspect of the present invention comprises the use of a laser to precondition the posts 610.

[0070] Embodiment No. 8

[0071] This invention relates to improvements with respect to in situ rate measurement (ISRM) devices. The ISRM device is a laser base device that shines a light 750 though the web material 700 to provide a measurement of film thickness. The web material 700 is a composite of abrasive particles 705 and a polymer binder 715. The dispersed particles typically have a different refractive index than the matrix 725 thereby resulting in scattering 710. It is therefore, very difficult to get the laser through with detectable intensity, particularly since it has to make the trip twice, (i.e.) it has to go in reflect and come back out. This embodiment solves that problem changing the refractory index of the polymer matrix 725 to match that of the abrasive particles 735. The refractory of the polymers can easily be adjusted to match it to about that of the refractory index to obtain totally clear material 720. See FIG. 7.

[0072] Embodiments of the present invention include abrasive particles 735 and binders 725 made of a laser light transparent material. For example, both abrasive particles 735 and the binder 725 can be made of a transparent polymer, e.g., a polyurethane, a polycarbonate, an epoxy resin; inorganic minerals, e.g., sapphire, glass, quartz; or hard organic or semi-organic materials, e.g., diamond or germanium.

[0073] Embodiment No. 9

[0074] The invention resides in forming a fixed abrasive web with negative posts, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,468 and incorporating chemicals in the negative recesses. Typically, the posts form about 10-25 percent of the surface of the pad, leaving at least about 75% as open channel, i.e., a connected phase employing terminology from percolation theory. The connected phase is the one connected all the way through. The open space is the connected phase; the posts are disconnected from one another. This embodiment reverses the conventional fixed abrasive pad by making the open space the disconnected phase and making the posts the connected phase, thereby maintaining the same relative amount of post area. However, a region can be walled off or damned, as by forming a hexagonal recess 820 which is isolated, such that the posts 810 constitute walls around these isolated recesses 820. In the process of contacting the web 800 and the wafer, the chemicals are supplied in these recesses 820. The chemicals are primarily liquid and the concern with the posts 810 where the open spaces, the connected phases, is that the liquid can mix around and go around. If the chemicals are supplied in these isolated recesses, then the chemicals are going to be transported with the web 800 and remain in one place. Therefore, the chemistry is basically isolated through a number of different little cells, each cell a pocket 830. A circuitous or tortuous path can be formed between the posts so that you're not totally isolated, but effectively isolated. See FIGS. 8A and 8B.

[0075] Embodiment No. 10

[0076] This embodiment resides in proving a non-homogenous web 900 with different areas to perform different functions, thereby providing greater flexibility. For example, posts can be used to perform buffing. This embodiment provides macroscopic regions of the web which are different for different functions. For example, one area of the web can be for copper polish and another area for example, would remove Ta, thereby achieving a macroscopic effect. This can be easily implemented in round/round polishing when the wafer 910 travels around in a circle on the web material 920, and it rotates in its place. See FIG. 9.

[0077] The wafer 910 effectively describes a circle around on the web material 920 and, therefore, the track of the center is at a uniform distance in a circular path around on the web. However, the edges sometimes extend further out and sometimes further in, because they are also rotating as the wafer 910 goes around. Accordingly, polishing is enhanced, as, for example, at the center, versus the edge, by introducing a strip of material where the center would spend more time over that strip. The concept includes altering the behavioral performance of the web in different regions, in macroscopic regions, to alter performance of for example, under the edge on the wafer 910.

[0078] Embodiment No. 11

[0079] The problem addressed by the present invention is that the conventional web backing material, i.e., believed to be a polyester-based material, sheds on abrasion. Frictional interaction between the platen and the web during advancement generates particles in the process. The solution to this problem resides providing a non-shedding backing material, such as a self-lubricating plastic. Such self-lubricating plastics are conventional.

[0080] Examples of self-lubricating polymers include fluorinated alkane, e.g., teflon, fluorinated polyethers. fluorinated polyesters, polyether ketones, e.g., PEEK, nylons, or acetal resins. Examples of self-lubricating polymeric compositions include a resin component and from about 30 wt. % to about 0.5 wt. % of a lubricating system. Resin components useful in the polymeric composition can be selected from polyamides, polyesters, polyphenylene sulfides, polyolefins, polyoxymethylenes, styrene polymers, and polycarbonates. The lubricating system of the present invention can be characterized as containing a lubricating amount, sufficient to reduce friction and wear, of the resin component and can include polytetrafluorethylene, stearates, and calcium carbonates. Many other materials, including solid lubricants and fibers, e.g., graphite, mica, silica, talc, boron nitride and molybdenum sulfide, paraffin waxes, petroleum and synthetic lubricating oils, and other polymers, e.g., polyethylene and polytetrafluorethylene, can be added to the resin component to improve friction properties.

[0081] Embodiment No. 12

[0082] This invention provides a safety technique to determine when the posts are consumed. Embodiments include incorporating a tracer component, such as an inert chemical, to provide a warning as to the number of wafers capable of being polished by the partially consumed web 1000. In another aspect, a notch or a bar 1110 is provided for a mechanical indication. See FIG. 10.

[0083] Some indicators are higher than the surrounding, to indicate the end of the CMP process. When the indicator or bar 1010 is reached, only a certain amount of height 1020 remains. This can be detected by visually inspecting or by physically sensing the height to determine when the heights of the post 1005 and wear bar 1010 are equal.

[0084] Embodiment No. 13

[0085] This invention resides in providing a mechanical means, such as a notch 1110, to determine when approaching the end of the abrasive web roll 1110. See FIG. 11A. When advancing the web 1100, it is advantageous to know when the end is approaching to avoid running out of roll 1100. A notch 1110 is provided which can be detected either mechanically or optically, similar to the dots that flash to indicate to a projectionist in the movie theater that the end of a reel is approaching, or the prink stripe 1120 in cash register receipts as shown in FIG. 11B, preferably, on the web back to avoid impacting the process.

[0086] Embodiment No. 14

[0087] The invention resides in coding the web throughout its length to enable determining the location of different portions of the web. Bar codes or a number readable with optical character recognition can be used. Little holes can be punched through to provide a detectable pattern. Any type of encoding along the length of the web can be provided and read with an appropriate type of sensor. The inventive concept involves encoding the location along the length of the web. There are at least two benefits. One is real time feedback and any kind of motion control. For example, the length of a moving web is determined with feed back control to activate a command signal to advance the web. A second benefit is that the amount of web advanced can be read. This enables: (1) good tracking of wafers polished to location on web; and (2) determination of the proximity to the end of the web and alarm for an operator to replace the web.

[0088] Embodiment No. 15

[0089] A thin monolayer, e.g., one millimeter, of diamond is formed on the web posts containing silicon carbide particles, and chemical preconditioned to remove about 500 Å of matrix from the top of the posts to expose the diamonds, as by chemical preconditioning using heat or solvent to selectively remove the matrix.

[0090] This embodiment advantageously prolongs the wear rate of the web through the use of superabrasive, a term used in the industry for a very hard material, e.g., diamond, or cubic boronitride. The wear rate of the posts are reduced to the extent that they don't change appreciatively over time, thereby improving CMP uniformity.

[0091] Embodiment 16

[0092] This invention resides in providing perforations in the sides or end of the web for improved handling. Rolls can be provided with sprockets to engage the perforations.

[0093] The present invention is applicable to all types of fixed abrasive articles, including rotating polishing pads that are substantially circular and substantially rectangular polishing sheets. The present invention provides wafer-to-wafer rate stability for CMP and can be employed during various phases of semiconductor device manufacturing. The present invention, therefore, enjoys utility in various industrial applications, particularly in CMP in the semiconductor industry as well as the magnetic recording media industry.

[0094] Only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and but a few examples of its versatility are shown and described in the present disclosure. It is to be understood that the present invention is capable of use in various other combinations and environments and is capable of changes and modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein.

[0095] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.