# US 6,293,848 B1 · Composition and method for planarizing surfaces > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,293,848 B1 - Document ID: US6293848B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/440,401 - Filed: 1999-11-15 - Granted: 2001-09-25 - Earliest claimed: 1999-11-15 - Assignees: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation - Inventors: Mingming Fang; Brian L. Mueller; James A. Dirksen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6293848B1 ## CPC - C09K 3/1463: {Aqueous liquid suspensions} - G11B 5/8404: {manufacturing base layers} - H10P 52/403: {of conductive or resistive materials} - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A composition and a method for planarizing or polishing a surface with the composition are provided. The composition comprises a liquid carrier, a chemical accelerator, and solids comprising about 5-90 wt. % of fumed metal oxide, and about 10-95 wt. % of abrasive particles, wherein about 90% or more of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no greater than 100 nm. The composition of the present invention is useful in planarizing or polishing a surface with high polishing efficiency, uniformity, and removal rate, with minimal defectivity, such as field loss of underlying structures and topography. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A composition for planarizing or polishing a surface comprising (a) a liquid carrier, (b) a chemical accelerator, and (c) solids comprising about 5-90 wt. % of fumed metal oxide and about 10-95 wt. % of abrasive particles, wherein about 90% or more of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no greater than 100 nm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the solids have a packing density of at least about 0.1. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The composition of claim 2, wherein the solids have a packing density of at least about 0.3. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the solids comprise about 10-85 wt. % of fumed metal oxide and about 15-90 wt. % of abrasive particles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The composition of claim 4, wherein the solids comprise about 15-75 wt. % of fumed metal oxide and about 25-85 wt. % of abrasive particles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the fumed metal oxide is fumed silica. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the abrasive particles are condensation-polymerized metal oxide particles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the fumed metal oxide is fumed silica and the abrasive particles are condensation-polymerized silica particles. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein about 95% or more of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no greater than 100 nm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The composition of claim 9, wherein about 98% or more of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no greater than 100 nm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The composition of claim 10, wherein substantially all of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no greater than 100 nm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein about 90% or more of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no less than 5 nm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The composition of claim 12, wherein about 95% or more of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no less than 5 nm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The composition of claim 13, wherein about 98% or more of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no less than 5 nm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein substantially all of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no less than 5 nm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the abrasive particles have a particle size distribution of abrasive particles characterized by a geometric standard deviation by number (σg) of at least about 1.3. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the solids are present in a concentration of about 0.1-40 wt. % of the composition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The composition of claim 17, wherein the carrier is water. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the chemical accelerator is a sulfate, a persulfate, or a nitrate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The composition of claim 19, wherein the chemical accelerator is selected from the group consisting of ammonium persulfate, iron (III) nitrate, and hydroxylamine nitrate. ### Claim 21 A method of planarizing or polishing a surface comprising contacting a surface with a composition comprising (a) a liquid carrier, (b) a chemical accelerator, and (c) solids comprising about 5-90 wt. % of fumed metal oxide and about 10-95 wt. % of abrasive particles, wherein about 90% or more of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size no greater than 100 nm. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the surface is a memory or rigid disk surface. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the memory or rigid disk surface is a nickel-phosphor surface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the solids have a packing density of at least about 0.3. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the fumed metal oxide is fumed silica and the abrasive particles are condensation-polymerized silica particles. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the chemical accelerator is a sulfate, a persulfate, or a nitrate. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the chemical accelerator is selected from the group consisting of ammonium persulfate, iron (III) nitrate, and hydroxylamine nitrate.