Surface-Modified Abrasive Grains for High-Speed Polishing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current polishing compositions, such as those using colloidal silica immobilized with organic acids, do not achieve sufficient polishing speed for certain materials like silicon-oxygen, silicon-silicon, and silicon-nitrogen bonded objects, necessitating a higher polishing rate.

Innovation Solution

A polishing composition containing surface-modified abrasive grains with directly applied ionic dispersants and a dispersing medium, which suppresses grain aggregation, enabling faster polishing of objects with silicon-oxygen, silicon-silicon, and silicon-nitrogen bonds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If colloidal silica is used as abrasive grains, then polishing can be performed, but polishing speed is insufficient for high-performance applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolishing speedVSAvoidpolishing performance consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the abrasive grain surface by immobilizing organic acid groups (carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid, or phosphonic acid) onto the colloidal silica surface. This chemical modification alters the surface properties to enhance polishing speed while maintaining performance consistency across different materials including silicon oxide, polysilicon, and silicon nitride.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure by combining colloidal silica particles with immobilized organic acid groups. This composite abrasive grain structure integrates the mechanical properties of silica with the chemical reactivity of organic acids, achieving both high polishing speed and reliable performance across multiple semiconductor materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If common colloidal silica is used, then the composition is simple, but polishing speed is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolishing speedVSAvoidcomposition complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by introducing specific organic acid groups onto the silica surface. This controlled chemical modification enhances polishing speed without significantly complicating the overall composition structure, as the organic acids are immobilized rather than added as separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If polishing speed is increased for high productivity, then manufacturing efficiency improves, but surface defects may increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolishing speedVSAvoidsurface quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the chemical composition parameters by selecting specific organic acid types and controlling their immobilization density. This precise parameter control enables high polishing speeds while maintaining surface quality, as the modified abrasive grains achieve better material removal characteristics without excessive scratching or surface damage.

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 composition allows for higher polishing speeds compared to conventional colloidal silica and immobilized organic acid-based compositions, while maintaining dispersion stability and reducing surface defects.

Implementation Method 1

a dispersing medium, wherein, in the dispersing medium, aggregation of the abrasive grains is suppressed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDispersion: Dispersion (of waves)

Implementation Method 2

surface-modified abrasive grains in which an ionic dispersant is directly modified on a surface of the abrasive grains

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface modification: Adsorption

Implementation Method 3

a polishing composition used for polishing an object to be polished

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Data Source

PatentUS10414019B2Polishing composition
Publication Date: 2019.09.17 FUJIMI INCORPORATED

AI summary

An object of the present invention is to provide a polishing composition enabling polishing of an object to be polished at higher speed.Provided is a polishing composition used for polishing an object to be polished in which the polishing composition contains surface-modified abrasive grains, in which an ionic dispersant is directly modified on the surface of the abrasive grains, and dispersing medium, and aggregation of the abrasive grains is suppressed in the dispersing medium.