Effects of stress-induced particle agglomeration on defectivity during CMP of low- k dielectrics

Feng Chi Chang, Siddharth Tanawade, Rajiv K. Singh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

In the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) of dielectrics and metals, the presence of oversized particles in the slurry is one of the main causes of defectivity. Pumps within the slurry distribution system play a significant role in increasing both the number and distribution of oversized particles. In this study, the effect of stress induced by different types of pumps on particle agglomeration was investigated. The size of the particles in circulated silica slurries and the surface roughness of low- k samples were characterized using a single-particle optical sensor and atomic force microscope, respectively. We found the mean value of normalized oversized concentrations in the positive displacement pump system at 500 turnovers to be 6 times higher than that of a magnetically levitated centrifugal pump system. Our results indicate that the magnetically levitated centrifugal pump was a low-shear pump and did not increase the concentration of oversized particles significantly with slurry turnovers. Low- k wafers polished by circulated slurries from the magnetically levitated centrifugal pump system showed little increase in surface roughness and defectivity. Consequently, a positive correlation was established between the roughness/defect density and the degree of agglomeration.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)H39-H42
JournalJournal of the Electrochemical Society
Volume156
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

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