CMP process optimization using alkaline bulk copper slurry on a 300 mm Applied Materials Reflexion LK system

CMP process optimization for bulk copper removal based on alkaline copper slurry was performed on a 300 mm Applied Materials Reflexion LK system. Under the DOE condition, we conclude that as the pressure increases, the removal rate increases and non-uniformity is improved. As the slurry flow rate increases, there is no significant improvement in the material removal rate, but it does slightly reduce the WIWNU and thus improve uniformity. The optimal variables are obtained at a reduced pressure of 1.5 psi and a slurry flow rate of 300 ml/min. Platen/carrier rotary speed is set at a constant value of 97/103 rpm. We obtain optimized CMP characteristics including a removal rate over 6452 A/min and non-uniformity below 4% on blanket wafer and the step height is reduced by nearly 8000 A/min in the center of the wafer on eight layers of copper patterned wafer, the surface roughness is reduced to 0.225 nm.

Planarization properties of an alkaline slurry without an inhibitor on copper patterned wafer CMP

The chemical mechanical polishing/planarization（CMP） performance of an inhibitor-free alkaline copper slurry is investigated.The results of the Cu dissolution rate（DR） and the polish rate（PR） show that the alkaline slurry without inhibitors has a relatively high copper removal rate and considerable dissolution rate.Although the slurry with inhibitors has a somewhat low DR,the copper removal rate was significantly reduced due to the addition of inhibitors（Benzotriazole,BTA）.The results obtained from pattern wafers show that the alkaline slurry without inhibitors has a better planarization efficacy;it can planarize the uneven patterned surface during the excess copper removal.These results indicate that the proposed inhibitor-free copper slurry has a considerable planarization capability for CMP of Cu pattern wafers,it can be applied in the first step of Cu CMP for copper bulk removal.

Planarization mechanism of alkaline copper CMP slurry based on chemical mechanical kinetics

The planarization mechanism of alkaline copper slurry is studied in the chemical mechanical polishing （CMP） process from the perspective of chemical mechanical kinetics.Different from the international dominant acidic copper slurry,the copper slurry used in this research adopted the way of alkaline technology based on complexation. According to the passivation property of copper in alkaline conditions,the protection of copper film at the concave position on a copper pattern wafer surface can be achieved without the corrosion inhibitors such as benzotriazole（BTA）,by which the problems caused by BTA can be avoided.Through the experiments and theories research,the chemical mechanical kinetics theory of copper removal in alkaline CMP conditions was proposed. Based on the chemical mechanical kinetics theory,the planarization mechanism of alkaline copper slurry was established. In alkaline CMP conditions,the complexation reaction between chelating agent and copper ions needs to break through the reaction barrier.The kinetic energy at the concave position should be lower than the complexation reaction barrier,which is the key to achieve planarization.

The stability of a novel weakly alkaline slurry of copper interconnection CMP for GLSI

Chemical mechanical polishing（CMP） is one of the important machining procedures of multilayered copper interconnection for GLSI, meanwhile polishing slurry is a critical factor for realizing the high polishing performance such as high planarization efficiency, low surface roughness. The effect of slurry components such as abrasive（colloidal silica）, complexing agent（glycine）, inhibitor（BTA） and oxidizing agent（H_2O_2） on the stability of the novel weakly alkaline slurry of copper interconnection CMP for GLSI was investigated in this paper. First, the synergistic and competitive relationship of them in a peroxide-based weakly alkaline slurry during the copper CMP process was studied and the stability mechanism was put forward. Then 1 wt% colloidal silica, 2.5 wt% glycine,200 ppm BTA, 20 m L/L H_2O_2 had been selected as the appropriate concentration to prepare copper slurry, and using such slurry the copper blanket wafer was polished. From the variations of copper removal rate, root-mean square roughness（Sq） value with the setting time, it indicates that the working-life of the novel weakly alkaline slurry can reach more than 7 days, which satisfies the requirement of microelectronics further development.