• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.309-313
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• 2006

Pad surface characteristics such as roughness, groove and wear rate of pad have a effect on the within wafer non-uniformity(WIWNU) in chemical mechanical polishing(CMP). Although WIWNU increases as the uniformity of roughness(Rpk: Reduced peak height) becomes worse in an early stage of polishing time, WIWNU decreases as non-uniformity of the Rpk value. Also, WIWNU decreases with the reduction of the pad stiffness, though original mechanical properties of pad are unchanged by the grooving process. In addition, conditioning process causes the inequality of pad wear during in CMP. The profile of pad wear generated by the conditioning process has a significant effect on the WIWNU. These experiments results could help to understand the effect of pad surface characteristics in CMP.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.07a
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• pp.38-39
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• 2005

We have investigated the effect of the pad surface characteristics such as roughness, groove density and wear of pad on within wafer non-uniformity(WIWNU) in chemical mechanical polishing(CMP). We found that WIWNU increases as pad surface roughness($R_{pk}$; Reduced peak height) increases in an early stage of polishing. But after polishing time goes to a certain extent, WIWNU decreases as uniformity of pad surface roughness. Also, groove of pad has effect on relative pad stiffness although original mechanical properties of pad are unchanged by grooving. WIWNU decreases as relative pad stiffness decreases. In addition, conditioning process causes non-uniform wear of pad during in CMP. The profile of pad wear has a significant effect on WIWNU.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.05c
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• pp.223-227
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• 2002

As the channel length of device shrinks below $0.13{\mu}m$, CMP(chemical mechanical polishing) process got into key process for global planarization in the chip manufacturing process. The removal rate and non-uniformity of the CMP characteristics occupy an important position to CMP process control. Especially, the post-CMP thickness variation depends on the device yield as well as the stability of subsequent process. In this paper, every wafer polished two times for the improvement of oxide CMP process characteristics. Then, we discussed the removal rate and non-uniformity characteristics of post-CMP process. As a result of CMP experiment, we have obtained within-wafer non-uniformity (WIWNU) below 4 [%], and wafer-to-wafer non-uniformity (WTWNU) within 3.5 [%]. It is very good result, because the reliable non-uniformity of CMP process is within 5 [%].

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.521-526
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• 2005

Within wafer non-uniformity(WIWNU) improves as the stiffness of pad decrease. We designed the pad groove to study of pad stiffness on WIWNU in Chemical mechanical polishing(CMP) and measured the pad stiffness according to groove width. The groove influences effective pad stiffness although original mechanical properties of pad are unchanged by grooving. Also, it affects the flow of slurry that has an effect on the lubrication regime and polishing results. An Increase of the apparent contact area of pad by groove width results in decrease of effective pad stiffness. WIWNU and profile of removal tate improved as effective pad stiffness decreased. Because grooving the pad reduce its effective stiffness and it makes slurry distribution to be uniform. Futhermore, it ensures that pad conforms to wafer-scale flatness variability. By grooving the top pad, it is possible to reduce its stiffness and hence reduce WIWNU and edge effect.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.85-90
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• 2003

Removal rate and Within Wafer Non-Uniformity (WIWNU), the most critical issues in Chemical Mechanical Polish (CMP) process, are related to the pressure distribution, wafer shape, slurry flow, mechanical property of pad and etc. Among them, wafer warp generated by other various manufacturing process of wafer may induce the deviation of pressure distribution on the backside of wafer. In the convex shaped wafer the pressure onto the backside of wafer is higher than that of perfectly flat shaped wafer. Besides, such an added pressure is in proportion to the curvature of wafer. That is, the bigger the curvature of wafer becomes the higher the removal rate goes. And the WIWNU is known to be directly related to the pressure distribution on the wafer as well. In other words, the deviation of pressure distribution is in proportion to the WIWNU. In this paper, it is found that the wafer shape may be modified through heating the backside of it and thus properly changed pressure onto the backside of it may improve the WIWNU.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.58-58
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• 2009

Uniformity related issues in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) are within wafer non-uniformity (WIWNU), wafer to wafer non-uniformity (WTWNU), planarity and dishing/erosion. Here, the WIWNU that originates from spatial distribution of independent variables such as temperature, sliding distance, down force and material removal rate (MRR) during CMP, relies to spatial dependency. Among various sources of spatial irregularity, hardness and modulus of pad and surface roughness in sources for pad uniformity are great, especially. So, we investigated the spatial variation of pad surface characteristics using pad measuring system (PMS) and roughness measuring system. Reduced peak height ($R_{pk}$) of roughness parameter shows a strong correlation with the removal rate, and the distribution of relative sliding distance onwafer during polishing has an effect on the variation of $R_{pk}$ and WIWNU. Also, the results of pad wear profile thorough developed pad profiler well coincides with the kinematical simulation of conditioning, and it can contribute for the enhancement of WIWNU in CMP process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2011.06a
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• pp.183-184
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• 2011

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.358-363
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• 2010

The polishing pad is important element for polishing characteristic such as material removal rate(MRR) and within wafer non-uniformity(WIWNU) in the chemical mechanical planarization(CMP). The result of the viscoelasticity measurement shows that 1st elastic modulus is increased and 2nd elastic modulus is decreased when the top pad is thickened. The finite element analysis(FEA) was conducted to predict characteristic of polishing behavior according to the pad thickness. The result of polishing experiment was similar with the FEA, and it shows that the 1st elastic modulus affects instantaneous deformation of pad related to MRR. And the 2nd elastic modulus has an effect on WIWNU due to the viscoelasticity deformation of pad.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.567-568
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• 2006

To investigate the recycle possibility of slurry for the oxide-chemical mechanical polishing (oxide-CMP) application, three kinds of retreated methods were introduced as follows: First, the effects on the addition of silica abrasives and the diluted silica slurry (DSS) on CMP performances were investigated. Second, the characteristics of mixed abrasive slurry (MAS) using non-annealed and annealed alumina ($Al_2O_3$) powder as an abrasive added within DSS were evaluated to achieve the improvement of removal rates (RRs) and within-wafer non-uniformity (WIWNU%). Third, the oxide-CMP wastewater was examined in order to evaluate the possible ways of reusing it. And then, we have discussed the CMP characteristics of silica slurry retreated by mixing of original slurry and used slurry (MOS).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.1068-1071
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• 2001

Recently, the minimum line width shows a tendancy to decrease and the multi-level to increase in semiconductor. Therefore, a planarization technique is needed, which chemical polishing(CMP) is considered as one of the most important process. CMP accomplishes a high polishing performance and a global planarization of high quality. But there are several defects in CMP such as microscratches, abrasive contaminations, and non-uniformity of polished wafer edges. Spin Etching can improve the defects of CMP. It uses abrasive-free chemical solution instead of slurry. Wafer rotates and chemical solution is simultaneously dispensed on a whole surface of the wafer. Thereby chemical reaction is occurred on the surface of wafer, material is removed. On this study, TEOS film is removed by CMP and Spin Etching, the results are estimated at a viewpoint of material removal rate(MRR) and within wafer non-uniformity(WIWNU).