Chemical planarization
AssigneeChempower Corporation
InventorsSudhanshu Misra, Suryadevara Babu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Examples are disclosed that relate to planarizing substrates without use of an abrasive. One example provides a method of chemically planarizing a substrate, the method comprising introducing an abrasive-free planarization solution onto a porous pad, contacting the substrate with the porous pad while moving the porous pad and substrate relative to one another such that higher portions of the substrate contact the porous pad and lower portions of the substrate do not contact the porous pad, and removing material from the higher portions of the substrate via contact with the porous pad to reduce a height of the higher portions of the substrate relative to the lower portions of the substrate.
Claims17
A method of chemically planarizing a substrate, the method comprising;
- introducing an abrasive-free planarization solution onto a functionalized porous pad, the abrasive-free planarization solution comprising a functionalizing compound comprising one or more of a complexing agent or a hydrolyzing agent;
- contacting the substrate with the functionalized porous pad while moving the functionalized porous pad and substrate relative to one another such that higher portions of the substrate contact the functionalized porous pad and lower portions of the substrate do not contact the functionalized porous pad, wherein the functionalized porous pad comprises:
- a first polymer layer configured to contact the substrate during abrasive-free chemical planarization, the first polymer layer comprising a first, larger average pore size within a range of 10 to 1000 nanometers, and
- a second polymer layer positioned on an opposite side of the first polymer layer as a substrate-contacting side of the first polymer layer, the second polymer layer comprising a second, smaller average pore size within a range of 5 to 500 nanometers;
- and
- removing material from the higher portions of the substrate via contact with the functionalized porous pad to reduce a height of the higher portions of the substrate relative to the lower portions of the substrate.
A method of chemically planarizing a substrate, the method comprising;
- introducing an abrasive-free planarization solution onto a functionalized porous pad, the abrasive-free planarization solution comprising a hydrolyzing agent and a complexing agent;
- contacting the substrate with the functionalized porous pad while moving the functionalized porous pad such that higher portions of the substrate contact the functionalized porous pad and lower portions of the substrate do not contact the functionalized porous pad, wherein the functionalized porous pad comprises:
- a first polymer layer configured to contact the substrate during abrasive-free chemical planarization, the first polymer layer comprising a first, larger average pore size within a range of 10 to 1000 nanometers, and
- a second polymer layer positioned on an opposite side of the first polymer layer as a substrate-contacting side of the first polymer layer, the second polymer layer comprising a second, smaller average pore size within a range of 5 to 500 nanometers;
- removing material from the higher portions of the substrate via hydrolyzing agent on the functionalized porous pad to reduce a height of the higher portions of the substrate relative to the lower portions of the substrate;
- and
- complexing, via the complexing agent, the material removed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.