UV Curable Polishing Pads for CMP Porosity Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional polishing pads used in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes for electronic device manufacturing soften at high temperatures, leading to reduced hardness and increased defectivity, such as scratches on the substrate surface.

Innovation Solution

A curable porogen-forming composition is used to create removable porogen-features in polishing pads produced through additive manufacturing. This composition includes acrylamide monomer compounds, polyhydroxy compounds, and a photoinitiator, which are formulated to maintain the polishing pad's material properties over a wide temperature range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If harder polishing pad materials are used, then local planarization performance is improved, but defectivity increases (scratches on substrate surface)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal planarization performanceVSAvoiddefectivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameters of the polishing pad by incorporating a temperature-responsive polymer that alters its mechanical properties based on temperature. This allows the pad to dynamically adjust its hardness during the CMP process, resolving the contradiction between needing hard material for planarization and soft material to avoid scratches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The polishing pad material is designed to be dynamic rather than static, with temperature-dependent mechanical properties. As the pad heats up during polishing, its hardness automatically adjusts, enabling it to provide both planarization capability and scratch reduction without requiring separate pads for different conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Strength

If harder polishing pad materials are used, then storage modulus is improved, but the pad softens at high temperatures reducing hardness stability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage modulusVSAvoidhardness stability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a temperature-responsive polymer whose storage modulus and hardness are functions of temperature. This creates a dynamic equilibrium where the material properties change predictably with temperature, maintaining optimal performance across the operating temperature range rather than degrading.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes thermal-responsive material behavior where the polymer's molecular structure undergoes conformational changes with temperature, affecting the macroscopic mechanical properties. This thermal response is engineered to maintain hardness stability rather than cause degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #37Thermal expansion

3Object-affected harmful factors

If softer polishing pad materials are used, then defectivity is reduced, but local planarization performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedefectivityVSAvoidlocal planarization performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The polishing pad transitions from a static soft material to a dynamic material that can adjust its effective hardness during operation. Initially softer to minimize scratches, the pad becomes progressively harder as temperature increases, enabling it to perform local planarization functions that softer materials cannot achieve.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 pads with porogen-features exhibit stable performance and reduced defectivity over a wide temperature range, improving local planarization and material removal rates while minimizing substrate surface damage.

Implementation Method 1

a photoinitiator component in an amount of from about 0.2 wt. % to about 4 wt. %

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotopolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS20250034296A1UV curable printable formulations for porosity control in high performance chemical mechanical polishing pads

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 APPLIED MATERIALS INC

AI summary

Polishing pads having porogen-features, methods of manufacturing polishing pads having porogen features, and compositions for manufacturing polishing pads having porogen features, and more particularly, to polishing pads used for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a substrate in electronic device processing are provided. In one aspect, the porogen-forming composition, in proportions based on a total weight of the porogen-forming composition, includes (A) from about 60 to about 80 wt. % of an acrylamide monomer compound selected from acryloylmorpholine, N, N-dimethylacrylamide, or a combination thereof. The curable porogen-forming composition further includes (B) from about 10 to about 40 wt. % of a polyhydroxy compound having two or more hydroxyl groups. The curable porogen-forming composition further includes (C) from about 0.2 wt. % to about 4 wt. % of a photoinitiator component.