Back to results
US 5,461,007 AGranted
Process for polishing and analyzing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorThomas S. Kobayashi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A layer over a patterned semiconductor is polished and analyzed to determine a polishing endpoint. The analysis may be performed using reflected radiation beams or by a radiation scattering analyzer. The analysis may be performed on virtually any layer using a radiation source. The analysis may be performed with a liquid, such as an aqueous slurry, contacting the substrate. The polishing and analysis may be integrated such that both steps are performed on the same polisher.
Claims30
A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface and is an uppermost layer over the substrate;
- polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface;
- and
- analyzing the second exposed surface, wherein:
- a radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface at a first angle relative to the second exposed surface;
- the layer is opaque to the radiation beam;
- at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a reflected beam;
- the reflected beam is at a second angle relative to the second exposed surface, wherein the second angle is within five degrees of a supplementary angle of the first angle;
- a detector analyzes the reflected beam to determine a detected intensity;
- and
- the step of polishing is repeated if the detected intensity is lower than a threshold intensity.
8 more elements
A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface and an edge;
- polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface;
- and
- analyzing the second exposed surface, wherein:
- a radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface;
- at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam;
- if the edge is still present, at least a portion of the primary reflected beam is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam;
- a detector determines whether the secondary reflected beam is present;
- and
- the step of polishing is repeated if the detector determines that the secondary reflected beam is present.
7 more elements
A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface having a first topography;
- polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface having a second topography;
- and
- analyzing the second exposed surface with a radiation beam to detect topography changes along the second exposed surface, wherein the step of polishing is repeated if a topography change along the second exposed surface is detected, wherein:
- the radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface;
- at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam;
- the radiation beam and primary reflected beam lie along a plane;
- if an edge is present within the second exposed surface, at least a portion of the primary reflected beam is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam;
- and
- as seen by a top view of the substrate, the secondary reflected beam is at an angle that is in a range of 80-100 degrees from the plane.
7 more elements
A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface having a first topography with an edge;
- analyzing the first topography with a radiation beam to form a first topographic output, wherein:
- the radiation beam is directed towards the first exposed surface;
- at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the first exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam of the first topography:
- the radiation beam and primary reflected of the first topography lie along a plane;
- at least a portion of the primary reflected beam of the first topography is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam;
- and
- as seen by a top view of the substrate, the secondary reflected beam is at an angle that is in a range of 80-100 degrees from the plane;
- polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface having a second topography;
- analyzing the second topography with a radiation beam to form a second topographic output, wherein:
- the radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface;
- at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam of the second topography;
- the radiation beam and primary reflected beam of the second topography lie along a plane;
- if an edge is present within the second exposed surface, at least a portion of the primary reflected beam of the second topography is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam of the second topography;
- and
- as seen by a top view of the substrate, the secondary reflected beam of the second topography is at an angle that is in a range of 80-100 degrees from the plane;
- and
- comparing the first and second topographic outputs, wherein the step of polishing is repeated if the second topographic output lies within a tolerance the first topographic output.
15 more elements
A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface;
- polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface with a slurry having slurry particles;
- analyzing the second exposed surface with a radiation beam, wherein:
- the radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface;
- at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam;
- the radiation beam and primary reflected beam lie along a plane;
- if an edge is present within the second exposed surface, at least a portion of the primary reflected beam is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam;
- as seen by a top view of the substrate, the secondary reflected beam is at an angle that is in a range of 80-100 degrees from the plane;
- and
- this step is performed prior to removing the slurry particles and drying the substrate and after the step of polishing;
- and
- drying the substrate after the step of analyzing.
9 more elements
A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface;
- polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface;
- and
- analyzing the second exposed surface, wherein:
- a spectral incident radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface;
- at least a portion of the spectral incident radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a reflected beam;
- a detector analyzes the reflected beam to whether reflected beam is polarized;
- and
- the step of polishing is repeated if the reflected beam is polarized.
6 more elements
A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface;
- polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface;
- and
- analyzing the second exposed surface, wherein:
- a spectral incident radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface;
- at least a portion of the spectral incident radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a reflected beam;
- a detector analyzes the reflected beam to whether the reflected beam is spectral;
- and
- the step of polishing is repeated if the reflected beam is not spectral.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.