• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.5-9
• /
• 2002

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) has become the preferred planarization method for multilevel interconnect technology due to its ability to achieve a high degree of feature level planarity. Especially, to achieve the higher density and greater performance, shallow trench isolation (STI)-CMP process has been attracted attention for multilevel interconnection as an essential isolation technology. Also, it was possible to apply the direct STI-CMP process without reverse moat etch step using high selectivity slurry (HSS). In this work, we determined the process margin with optimized process conditions to apply HSS STI-CMP process. Then, we evaluated the reliability and reproducibility of STI-CMP process through the optimal process conditions. The wafer-to-wafer thickness variation and day-by-day reproducibility of STI-CMP process after repeatable tests were investigated. Our experimental results show, quite acceptable and reproducible CMP results with a wafer-to-wafer thickness variation within 400$\AA$.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.15 no.10
• /
• pp.838-843
• /
• 2002

Chemical mechanical polishing(CMP) process has been widely used to planarize dielectric layers, which can be applied to the integrated circuits for deep sub-micron technology. The reverse moat etch process has been used for the shallow trench isolation(STI)-chemical mechanical polishing(CMP) process with conventional low selectivity slurries. Thus, the process became more complex, and the defects were seriously increased. In this paper, we studied the direct STI-CMP process without reverse moat etch step using high selectivity slurry(HSS). As our experimental results show, it was possible to achieve a global planarization without the complicated reverse moat process, the STI-CMP process could be dramatically simplified, and the defect level was reduced. Therefore the throughput, yield, and stability in the ULSI semiconductor device fabrication could be greatly improved.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2003.05c
• /
• pp.149-153
• /
• 2003

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technology for global planarization of multi-level inter-connection structure has been widely studied for the next generation devices. CMP process has been paid attention to planarized pre-metal dielectric (PMD), inter-layer dielectric (ILD) interconnections. Expecially, shallow trench isolation (STI) used to CMP process on essential. Recently, the direct STI-CMP process without the conventional complex reverse moat etch process has established by using slurry additive with the high selectivity between $SiO_2$ and $Si_3N_4$ films for the purpose of process simplification and n-situ end point detection(EPD). However, STI-CMP process has various defects such as nitride residue, tom oxide and damage of silicon active region. To solve these problems, in this paper, we studied the planarization characteristics using a high selectivity slurry(HSS). As our experimental results, it was possible to achieve a global planarization and STI-CMP process could be dramatically simplified. Also we estimated the reliability through the repeated tests with the optimized process conditions in order to identify the reproducibility of HSS STI-CMP process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2001.07a
• /
• pp.33-36
• /
• 2001

Chemical mechanical polishing(CMP) process has been widely used to planarize dielectric layers, which can be applied to the integrated circuits for deep sub-micron technology. The rise throughput and the stability in the device fabrication can be obtained by applying of CMP process to STI structure in 0.18$\mu\textrm{m}$ m semiconductor device. The reverse moat process has been added to employ in of each thin films in STI-CMP was not equal, hence the devices must to be effected, that is, the damage was occurred in the device area for the case of excessive CMP process and the nitride film was remained on the device area for the case of insufficient CMP process, and than, these defects affect the device characteristics. Also, we studied the High Selectivity Slurry(HSS) to perform global planarization without reverse moat step.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2000.04b
• /
• pp.35-38
• /
• 2000

In this study, the rise throughput and the stability in fabrication of device can be obtained by applying of CMP process to STI structure in 0.l8um semiconductor device. Through reverse moat pattern process, reduced moat density at high moat density, STI CMP process with low selectivity could be to fit polish uniformity between low moat density and high moat density. Because this reason, in-situ motor current end point detection method is not fit to the current EPD technology with the reverse moat pattern. But we use HSS without reverse moat pattern on STI CMP and take end point current sensing signal.[1] To analyze sensing signal and test extracted signal, we can to adjust wafer difference within $110{\AA}$.

• KIEE International Transactions on Electrophysics and Applications
• /
• v.3C no.1
• /
• pp.28-32
• /
• 2003

In this paper, we have studied the in-situ end point detection (EPD) for direct chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of shallow trench isolation (STI) structures without the reverse moat etch process. In this case, we applied a high selectivity $1n (HSS) that improves the silicon oxide removal rate and maximizes oxide to nitride selectivity Quite reproducible EPD results were obtained, and the wafer-to-wafer thickness variation was significantly reduced compared with the conventional predetermined polishing time method without EPD. Therefore, it is possible to achieve a global planarization without the complicated reverse moat etch process. As a result, the STI-CMP process can be simplified and improved using the new EPD method.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
• /
• v.52 no.10
• /
• pp.441-446
• /
• 2003

The chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process is now widely employed in the ultra large scale integrated (ULSI) semiconductor fabrication. Especially, shallow trench isolation (STI) has become a key isolation scheme for sub-0.13/0.10${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ CMOS technology. The most important issues of STI-CMP is to decrease the various defects such as nitride residue, dishing, and tom oxide. To solve these problems, in this paper, we studied the planarization characteristics using slurry additive with the high selectivity between $SiO_2$ and $Si_3$$N_4$ films for the purpose of process simplification and in-situ end point detection. As our experimental results, it was possible to achieve a global planarization and STI-CMP process could be dramatically simplified. Also, we estimated the reliability through the repeated tests with the optimized process conditions in order to identify the reproducibility of STI-CMP process.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.175-184
• /
• 2001

In this study, the improved throughput and stability in device fabrication could be obtained by applying CMP process to STi structue in 0.18 um semiconductor device. To employ the CMP process in STI structure, the Reverse Moat Process used to be added after STI Fill, as a result, the process became more complex and the defect were seriously increased than they had been,. Removal rate of each thin film in STI CMP was not uniform, so, the device must have been affected. That is, in case of excessive CMP, the damage on the active area was occurred, and in the case of insufficient CMP nitride remaining was happened on that area. Both of them deteriorated device characteristics. As a solution to these problems, the development of slurry having high removal rate and high oxide to nitride selectivity has been studied. The process using this slurry afford low defect levels, improved yield, and a simplified process flow. In this study, we evaluated the 'High Selectivity Slurry' to do a global planarization without reverse moat step, and also we evaluated EPD(Eend Point Detection) system with which 'in-situ end point detection' is possible.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2000.07a
• /
• pp.90-93
• /
• 2000

In this study, the rise throughput and the stability in fabrication of device can be obtained by applying of CMP process to STI structure in 0.18um semiconductor device. To employ in STI CMP, the reverse moat process has been added thus the process became complex and the defects were seriously increased. Removal rates of each thin films in STI CMP was not equal hence the devices must to be effected, that is, the damage was occured in the device dimension in the case of excessive CMP process and the nitride film was remained on the device dimension in the case of insufficient CMP process than these defects affect the device characteristics. To resolve these problems, the development of slurry for CMP with high removal rate and high selectivity between each thin films was studied then it can be prevent the reasons of many defects by reasons of many defects by simplification of process that directly apply CMP process to STI structure without the reverse moat pattern process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2001.11b
• /
• pp.181-184
• /
• 2001

Chemical Mechanical Polishing(CMP) of Shallow Trench Isolation(STD structure in 0.18 m semiconductor device fabrication is studied. CMP process is applied for the STI structure with and without reverse moat pattern and End Point Detection (EPD) method is tested. To optimize the transistor properties related metal 1 parameters. we studied the correlation between CMP thickness of STI using high selectivity slurry. DOE of gate etch recipe, and 1st metal DC values. Remaining thickness of STI CMP is proportional to the thickness of gate-etch process and this can affect to gate profile. As CMP thickness increased. the N-poly foot is deteriorated. and the P-Poly Noth is getting better. If CD (Critical Dimension) value is fixed at some point,, all IDSN/P values are in inverse proportional to CMP thickness by reason of so called Profile Effect. Weve found out this phenomenon in all around DOE conditions of Gate etch process and we also could understand that it would not have any correlation effects between VT and CMP thickness in the range of POE 120 sec conditions. As CMP thickness increased by $100\AA$. 3.2 $u\AA$ of IDSN is getting better in base 1 condition. In POE 50% condition. 1.7 $u\AA$ is improved. and 0.7 $u\AA$ is improved in step 2 condition. Wed like to set the control target of CD (critical dimension) in gate etch process which can affect Idsat, VT property versus STI topology decided by CMP thickness. We also would like to decide optimized thickness target of STI CMP throughout property comparison between conventional STI CMP with reverse moat process and newly introduced STI CMP using high selectivity slurry. And we studied the process conditions to reduce Gate Profile Skew of which source known as STI topology by evaluation of gate etch recipe versus STI CMP thickness.