Zirconia CMP Slurry With Hydroxylamine for Copper Selectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current abrasive slurries for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) processes face challenges in achieving a high material removal rate while maintaining low surface roughness and selectivity, particularly in polishing copper-containing materials compared to silicon dioxide and silicon nitride.
Innovation Solution
A polishing composition comprising abrasive particles with at least 80 wt% zirconia and an oxidizing agent including hydroxylamine, which provides a high polishing selectivity of copper to silicon dioxide and silicon nitride, achieving an average material removal rate of at least 3500 Å/min and minimizing copper dishing during the polishing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional abrasive slurries are used for CMP processes, then polishing can be performed, but the material removal rate is insufficient and surface roughness cannot be adequately controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the slurry by incorporating hydroxylamine as an oxidizing agent and using zirconia abrasive particles with specific size distributions. This chemical parameter modification enables simultaneous achievement of high material removal rate (at least 3500 Å/min) and low surface roughness, resolving the contradiction between productivity and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite slurry system combining zirconia abrasive particles with hydroxylamine oxidizing agent in an aqueous solution. This composite formulation synergistically combines mechanical abrasion from zirconia particles with chemical oxidation from hydroxylamine, achieving both high productivity and manufacturing precision that neither component could achieve alone
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional slurries are used, then polishing can be performed, but selectivity between copper and silicon dioxide cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical environment parameters by adjusting pH and incorporating hydroxylamine, which creates selective chemical reactivity toward copper while being less reactive toward silicon dioxide. This parameter adjustment achieves polishing selectivity of at least 2.5:1 for copper to silicon dioxide while maintaining high material removal rate through the mechanical action of zirconia particles
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 effectively polishes copper-containing substrates with a high copper removal rate and low surface roughness, maintaining selectivity and stability, thereby enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the CMP process.
Implementation Method 1
an oxidizing agent including hydroxylamine
Implementation Method 2
abrasive particles including zirconia
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a polishing composition can comprise abrasive particles including zirconia, an oxidizing agent including hydroxylamine and water. The polishing composition can have a high copper removal rate of at least 3500 Å/min, and a polishing selectivity of copper to silicon dioxide(Cu:SiO2) can be at least 2.5:1. In another embodiment, a combination product can comprise a first polishing composition and a second polishing composition, wherein each of the first polishing composition and the second polishing composition can comprise abrasive particles including zirconia and an oxidizing agent including hydroxylamine, wherein a hydroxylamine weight % ratio of the first polishing composition to the second polishing composition may be at least 5:1.