Uniform-Pore CMP Polishing Pad for Dishing Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The CMP polishing process for semiconductor wafers faces challenges with 'dishing' issues due to the flexible nature of soft polishing pads, which can lead to increased dishing on metal surfaces and polishing defects, necessitating a polishing pad that maintains surface flatness and minimizes defects.
Innovation Solution
A polishing pad with a polishing layer featuring uniformly sized pores, formed by incorporating an unexpanded solid-phase blowing agent that expands during the curing process, enhancing the polishing surface area and adjusting surface roughness to prevent defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the polishing surface area is increased to improve polishing performance, then polishing efficiency improves, but the complexity of controlling uniform pore distribution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for pore size (10-100 μm), porosity (30-70%), and pore distribution uniformity (coefficient of variation ≤0.2) to optimize the balance between polishing efficiency and manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The porous structure is pre-formed in the polishing pad before the polishing process, with uniform pore distribution established in advance through controlled foaming or phase separation during pad manufacturing, eliminating the need for real-time adjustment during polishing
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 pad effectively reduces dishing and polishing defects by increasing the real contact area with the semiconductor substrate, ensuring uniform pore distribution and improved polishing performance.
Implementation Method 1
an unexpanded solid-phase blowing agent is included in a polishing composition when a polishing layer is manufactured, and the unexpanded solid-phase blowing agent is expanded during a curing process to form a plurality of uniform pores in the polishing layer
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a polishing pad, a method of manufacturing the polishing pad, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same. In the polishing pad, an unexpanded solid-phase blowing agent is included in a polishing composition when a polishing layer is manufactured, and the unexpanded solid-phase blowing agent is expanded during a curing process to form a plurality of uniform pores in the polishing layer, such that defects occurring on a surface of the semiconductor substrate may be prevented. In addition, the present disclosure may provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device to which the polishing pad is applied.