Gas phase planarization process for semiconductor wafers
AssigneeVLSI Technology, Inc.
InventorsRao V. Annapragada, Calvin T. Gabriel, Milind G. Weling
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Abstract
A gas phase planarization process for semiconductor wafers. The present invention comprises a system and method of dry planarization for a semiconductor wafer. For instance, the present invention includes a system adapted to effectively remove all, or a portion of, a layer of dielectric material of a semiconductor wafer through the application of dry abrasion and dry chemistry. As such, a present invention system flattens out height differences of the dielectric material, since high areas of topography are removed faster than low areas.
Claims32
A system for planarizing a surface of a semiconductor wafer, said system comprising:
- a vacuum chamber wherein a subatmospheric pressure is established;
- a mechanical abrading machine adapted to abrade a surface of a semiconductor wafer utilizing a dry polishing pad, wherein said dry polishing pad is located within said vacuum chamber;
- and
- a gas generator coupled to said vacuum chamber, wherein said gas generator is adapted to generate reactive gas and to provide said reactive gas to said vacuum chamber, wherein said reactive gas is utilized to remove material from said surface of said semiconductor wafer.
A system for planarizing a surface of a semiconductor wafer, said system comprising:
- a vacuum chamber wherein a subatmospheric pressure is established;
- a mechanical abrading machine adapted to abrade a surface of a semiconductor wafer utilizing a dry polishing pad, wherein said dry polishing pad is located within said vacuum chamber;
- a plasma gas generator coupled to said vacuum chamber, wherein said plasma gas generator is adapted to generate plasma gas and to provide said plasma gas to said vacuum chamber, wherein said plasma gas is utilized to remove material from said surface of said semiconductor wafer in order to planarize said surface of said semiconductor wafer;
- and
- a device coupled to said vacuum chamber, wherein said device is adapted to samples gas species of an interior space of said vacuum chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.