Control of CMP removal rate uniformity by selective control of slurry temperature
OwnerLeland Swansoninventor
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Abstract
A CMP machine (100, 200, 300) and/or process that uses selective heating of the slurry (160) to improve uniformity. A temperature control mechanism (110) is used to heat and/or cool slurry (160) applied to a selected area of the pad or belt (120, 220, 320). Heating in the selected area improves the removal rate in that area, whereas cooling decreases the removal rate in that area. For example, heating along the perimeter of the pad (120, 220) improves the removal rate at the perimeter of the semiconductor wafer (150).
Claims14
A method of fabricating an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
- placing a wafer against a moving polishing pad while adding a first slurry to a first location and a second slurry to a second location wherein a temperature of said first slurry is higher than a temperature of said second slurry.
A method of fabricating an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
- providing a partially fabricated wafer to a wafer carrier of a chemical-mechanical polish (CMP) machine;
- moving a polishing pad of said CMP machine;
- adding slurry to a surface of said polishing pad from at least two dispense points, wherein there is a slurry temperature gradient between said at least two dispense points;
- and
- placing said wafer against said surface while said polishing pad is moving.
A chemical-mechanical polish (CMP) machine comprising:
- a platen;
- a polishing pad located over said platen;
- a wafer carrier for holding a wafer against said polishing pad;
- and
- at least two slurry dispense outlets, wherein at least one of said slurry dispense outlets contains a temperature control mechanism for establishing a slurry temperature gradient between said at least two slurry dispense outlets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.