Method and apparatus for increasing-chemical-polishing selectivity
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorKarl M. Robinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for increasing chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) selectivity is described. A CMP pad is formed having a pattern of recesses and islands to provide non-contact portions and contact portions, respectively, with respect to contacting a substrate assembly surface to be polished. As the CMP pad is formed from a non-porous material, chemical and mechanical components of material removal are parsed to the non-contact portions and the contact portions, respectively. The relationship or spacing from one contact island to another, or, alternatively viewed, from one non-contact recess to another, provides a duty cycle, which is tailored to increase selectivity for removal of one or more materials over removal of one or more other materials during CMP of a substrate assembly.
Claims20
A method for forming a chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) pad to remove a first layer of material more rapidly than a second layer of material, said first layer of material and said second layer of material forming at least part of a substrate assembly, said method comprising:
- providing a sheet member, said sheet member intrinsically non-porous with respect to CMP solution particles to be used with said CMP pad;
- forming said sheet member to provide spaced-apart contact portions, said contact portions separated by at least one non-contact portion, said contact portions providing a surface to contact said substrate assembly during CMP, said contact portions spaced-apart to provide a predetermined duty cycle, said duty cycle predetermined to provide a target selectivity;
- and
- said duty cycle predetermined at least in part by:
- selecting a distance between said contact portions depending at least in part on said first layer of material and said second layer of material;
- and
- selecting a width for said contact portions depending at least in part on said first layer of material and said second layer of material.
A method for forming a chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) pad to remove a first material more rapidly than a second material, said first material and said second material forming at least part of a substrate assembly, said CMP pad to be used with a CMP solution having particles, said method comprising:
- providing a polymer sheet, said polymer sheet intrinsically non-porous with respect to said particles;
- forming said polymer sheet to provide spaced-apart contact portions, said contact portions formed to allow said particles to be transported, said contact portions separated by at least one non-contact portion for containing said CMP solution for reacting with said substrate assembly during CMP, said contact portions providing a surface to contact said first material and said second material of said substrate assembly during CMP, said contact portions spaced-apart to provide a predetermined duty cycle, said duty cycle predetermined to provide a target selectivity;
- and
- said duty cycle predetermined at least in part by:
- selecting a distance between said contact portions depending at least in part on said first material and said second material;
- and
- selecting a width for said contact portions depending at least in part on said first material and said second material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.