# US 11,999,027 B2 · Method for polishing semiconductor substrate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,027 B2 - Document ID: US11999027B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/818,135 - Filed: 2022-08-08 - Published: 2022-12-01 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-07 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. - Inventors: James Jeng-Jyi Hwang; He Hui Peng; Jiann Lih Wu; Chi-Ming Yang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999027B2 ## CPC - B24B 37/042: {operating processes therefor} - B24B 1/00: Processes of grinding or polishing; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such processes - B24B 37/20: Lapping pads for working plane surfaces - B24B 53/017: Devices or means for dressing, cleaning or otherwise conditioning lapping tools - B24B 57/02: for feeding of fluid, sprayed, pulverised, or liquefied grinding, polishing or lapping agents - H10P 52/00: Grinding, lapping or polishing of wafers, substrates or parts of devices - H10P 52/403: {of conductive or resistive materials} - H10P 72/0602: {Temperature monitoring} - H10P 95/062: {involving a dielectric removal step} - B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A method for polishing a semiconductor substrate includes the following operations. A semiconductor substrate is received. An abrasive slurry having a first temperature is dispensed to a polishing surface of a polishing pad. The semiconductor substrate is polished. The abrasive slurry have a second temperature is dispensed to the polishing surface of the polishing pad during the polishing of the semiconductor substrate. The second temperature is different from the first temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for polishing a semiconductor substrate, comprising: receiving a semiconductor substrate; dispensing an abrasive slurry having a first temperature to a polishing surface of a polishing pad; polishing the semiconductor substrate; cooling the abrasive slurry to a second temperature lower than the first temperature; and dispensing the abrasive slurry having the second temperature to the polishing surface of the polishing pad during the polishing of the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling of the abrasive slurry to the second temperature is performed by a slurry temperature control device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a feature and a layer covering the feature, and the feature and the layer comprise different materials. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the dispensing of the abrasive slurry having the first temperature and the dispensing of the abrasive slurry having the second temperature further comprise: dispensing the abrasive slurry having the first temperature to remove a portion of the layer; and dispensing the abrasive slurry having the second temperature to remove a portion of the layer and a portion of the feature. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the dispensing of the abrasive slurry having the second temperature is performed in response to an operation time or a vibration signal. ### Claim 6 A method for polishing a substrate, comprising: receiving a substrate comprising a feature and a layer covering the feature, wherein the feature and the layer comprise different materials; heating an abrasive slurry to a first temperature; dispensing the abrasive slurry having the first temperature to a polishing surface of a polishing pad; polishing a surface of the layer; cooling the abrasive slurry to a second temperature; and dispensing the abrasive slurry having the second temperature to the polishing surface of the polishing pad at an end of the polishing of the substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the feature comprises a semiconductor feature, and the layer comprises a dielectric layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the semiconductor feature comprises a gate feature or a fin feature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the feature comprises a dielectric feature, and the layer comprises a conductive layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the first temperature is greater than 50° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the second temperature is less than 25° C. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising heating the abrasive slurry to the first temperature and cooling the abrasive slurry to the second temperature by a slurry temperature control device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the dispensing of the abrasive slurry having the first temperature and the dispensing of the abrasive slurry having the second temperature further comprise: dispensing the abrasive slurry having the first temperature to remove a portion of the layer; and dispensing the abrasive slurry having the second temperature to remove a portion of the layer and a portion of the feature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the surface of the layer and a surface of the feature are aligned with each other at the end of the polishing of the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 15 A method for polishing a substrate, comprising: receiving a substrate comprising a feature and a layer covering the feature, wherein the feature and the layer comprise different materials; heating an abrasive slurry to a first temperature by a slurry temperature control device; removing a portion of the layer by a polishing using the abrasive slurry having the first temperature; cooling the abrasive slurry to a second temperature by the slurry temperature control device; and removing a portion of the layer and a portion of the feature by the polishing using the abrasive slurry having the second temperature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the feature comprises a semiconductor feature, and the layer comprises a dielectric layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor feature comprises a gate feature or a fin feature. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the feature comprises a dielectric feature, and the layer comprises a conductive layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first temperature is greater than 50° C., and the second temperature is less than 25° C. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the dispensing of the abrasive slurry having the second temperature is performed in response to an operation time or a vibration signal.