Polishing Composition Erosion Control via Ultrafine Abrasive

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In the manufacturing of LSI semiconductor devices, the challenge is to improve level difference performance, particularly by suppressing erosion during the chemical mechanical polishing process, as design rules become stricter and the technique required for device manufacture becomes more demanding.

Innovation Solution

A polishing composition is developed that includes abrasive grains with an average primary particle size of 40 nm or less and a controlled number of coarse particles per cubic centimeter, specifically 20,000 or less, along with a dispersing medium, which effectively improves level difference performance by optimizing the polishing process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional polishing compositions are used, then polishing speed is maintained, but erosion increases and level difference performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelevel difference performanceVSAvoiderosion
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the particle size parameter of abrasive grains to 40 nm or less (ultrafine range) and controls the coarse particle content to 20,000 or less per 1 cm³. This parameter change transforms the polishing mechanism to reduce erosion while maintaining polishing speed, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and harmful factors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite abrasive grain system combining ultrafine particles (40 nm or less) with controlled coarse particle content, creating a multi-scale abrasive composition that achieves both high precision polishing and erosion suppression through synergistic effects of different particle sizes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Manufacturing precision

If erosion is suppressed to improve level difference performance, then manufacturing precision improves, but polishing speed may decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelevel difference performanceVSAvoidpolishing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By setting the abrasive grain particle size to 40 nm or less and controlling coarse particle content to 20,000 or less per 1 cm³, the patent achieves a parameter optimization that simultaneously maintains high polishing speed and suppresses erosion, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The polishing composition significantly enhances the level difference performance by reducing erosion and improving the polishing speed of silicon nitride films, achieving high flatness and precise control of the semiconductor substrate.

Implementation Method 1

chemical mechanical polishing (CMP)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

a dispersing medium

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDispersion: Dispersion (of waves)

Data Source

PatentUS10851267B2Polishing composition
Publication Date: 2020.12.01 FUJIMI INCORPORATED

AI summary

Polishing compositions are disclosed which contribute to improvement of level difference performance (in particular, erosion). The polishing composition used for polishing an object to be polished includes abrasive grains and a dispersing medium, wherein the abrasive grains have an average primary particle size of 40 nm or less, and the number of coarse particles having a particle size of 0.2 to 1,600 μm in the abrasive grains is 20,000 or less per 1 cm3 of the polishing composition.