Temperature-Responsive Polishing Agent for CMP Viscosity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The semiconductor industry faces challenges in stabilizing the supply and discharge of polishing agents during chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes, particularly in adjusting viscosity to enhance polishing performance, which is crucial for removing raised defects and ensuring efficient planarization without increasing equipment costs or complexity.
Innovation Solution
The use of organic polymers that undergo reversible phase transitions between gel and sol states based on temperature and shear rate, allowing for adjustable viscosity in polishing agents, enabling efficient polishing and easy supply/discharge through temperature and rotation speed control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If polishing agent viscosity is increased to enhance polishing performance, then polishing performance is improved, but supply and discharge of polishing agent becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The polishing agent uses a temperature-responsive polymer that dynamically changes its viscosity based on temperature. During polishing, the agent maintains high viscosity for effective polishing performance. During supply and discharge, the temperature is adjusted to change viscosity, enabling easy flow and removal without manual intervention or complex mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of viscosity by controlling temperature. The polishing agent contains a polymer whose viscosity is highly dependent on temperature, allowing the system to switch between high-viscosity (polishing mode) and low-viscosity (supply/discharge mode) states through temperature adjustment, resolving the contradiction between polishing performance and ease of operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If polishing agent viscosity is adjusted to match different polishing requirements, then polishing adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple polishing agents with different viscosities or complex mixing systems, the invention uses a single polishing agent whose viscosity parameter is changed through temperature control. This allows adaptation to different polishing requirements while maintaining simple device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The polishing agent autonomously adjusts its viscosity in response to temperature changes, eliminating the need for external control systems, pumps, or mixing mechanisms. The polymer's inherent temperature-responsive properties enable self-adjustment, reducing device complexity while maintaining high adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances polishing performance by adjusting viscosity according to process needs, improving planarization rates and reducing equipment costs by allowing for high-viscosity polishing in initial stages and low-viscosity polishing in later stages, while facilitating easy supply and discharge of the polishing agent.
Implementation Method 1
The organic polymer makes a reversible phase transition between a gel state and a sol state depending on a temperature
Implementation Method 2
A polishing agent comprises abrasive grains and an organic polymer
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a polishing method includes supplying a polishing agent to be between a polishing pad and to-be-polished surface, then polishing the to-be-polished surface with the polishing agent while rotating at least one of the to-be-polished surface and the polishing pad. The polishing agent includes abrasive grains and an organic polymer. The organic polymer makes a reversible phase transition between a gel state and a sol state depending on temperature.