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.
Claims20
A functionalized porous pad for performing abrasive-free chemical planarization of a substrate, the functionalized porous pad comprising:
- a polymer layer configured to contact the substrate during the abrasive-free chemical planarization, the polymer layer lacking an abrasive and comprising an average pore size within a range of 10 nanometers to 1000 nanometers and a thickness within a range of 0.1 to 5 microns;
- and
- an abrasive free planarization chemistry disposed within pores of the polymer layer, the abrasive-free planarization chemistry comprising a functionalizing compound bonded to a surface of at least some pores of the functionalized porous pad, the functionalizing compound comprising one or more of a complexing agent or a hydrolyzing agent.
A functionalized porous pad for performing abrasive-free chemical planarization of a substrate, the functionalized porous pad comprising:
- a first polymer layer configured to contact the substrate during the abrasive-free chemical planarization, the first polymer layer lacking an abrasive and comprising a first average pore size within a range of 10 to 1000 nanometers, the first polymer layer comprising a hydrolyzing agent bonded to at least some pores of the first polymer layer;
- 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 lacking an abrasive and comprising a second average pore size smaller than the first average pore size, the second polymer layer comprising a complexing agent bonded to at least some pores of the second polymer layer.
A functionalized porous pad for performing abrasive-free chemical planarization of a substrate, the functionalized porous pad comprising:
- asymmetric porous media lacking an abrasive and comprising a gradual variation in pore size from a relatively larger average pore size near a substrate-contacting side of the functionalized porous pad to a relatively smaller average pore size further from the substrate-contacting side;
- and
- an abrasive free planarization chemistry disposed within pores of the asymmetric porous media, the abrasive-free planarization chemistry comprising a functionalizing compound bonded to a surface of at least some pores of the functionalized porous pad, the functionalizing compound comprising one or more of a complexing agent or a hydrolyzing agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.