• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2016

Total thickness variation (TTV), BOW, and surface roughness are essential characteristics for high quality sapphire substrates. Many researchers have attempted to increase removal rate by controlling the key process parameters like pressure and velocity owing to the high cost of consumables in sapphire chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). In case of the pressure approach, increased pressure owing to higher deviation of pressure over the wafer leads to significant degradation of the TTV. In this study, the authors focused on reducing TTV under the high-pressure conditions. When the production equipment polishes multiple wafers attached on a carrier, higher loads seem to be concentrated around the leading edge of the head; this occurs because of frictional force generated by the combination of table rotation and the height of the gimbal of the polishing head. We believe the skewed pressure distribution during polishing to be the main reason of within-wafer non-uniformity (WIWNU). The insertion of a hub ring between the polishing head and substrate carrier helped reduce the pressure deviation. Adjusting the location of the hub ring enables tuning of the pressure distribution. The results indicated that the position of the hub ring strongly affected the removal profile, which confirmed that the position of the hub ring changes the pressure distribution. Furthermore, we analyzed the deformation of the head via finite element method (FEM) to verify the pressure non-uniformity over the contact area Based on experiment and FEM results, we determined the optimal position of hub ring for achieving uniform polishing of the substrate.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.138-143
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• 2004

CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) technology for global planarization of multilevel interconnection structure has been widely studied for the next generation devices. Among the consumables for CMP process, especially, slurry and their chemical compositions play a very important role in the removal rates and within-wafer non-uniformity (WIWNU) for global planarization ability of CMP process. However, CMP slurries contain abrasive particles exceeding 1 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ size, which can cause micro-scratch on the wafer surface after CMP process. Such a large size particle in these slurries may be caused by particle agglomeration in slurry supply-line. In this work, to investigate the effects of agglomeration on the performance of oxide CMP slurry, we have studied an aging effect of silica slurry as a function of particle size distribution and aging time during one month. We Prepared and compared the self-developed silica slurry by adding of alumina powders. Also, we have investigated the oxide CMP characteristics. As an experimental result, we could be obtained the relatively stable slurry characteristics comparable to aging effect of original silica slurry. Consequently, we can expect the saving of high-cost slurry.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.74-79
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• 2007

Most studies on copper Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) have focused on material removal and its mechanisms. Although many studies have been conducted on the mechanism of Cu CMP, a study on uniformity in Cu CMP is still unknown. Since the aim of CMP is global and local planarization, the approach to various factors related to uniformity in Cu CMP is essential to elucidate the Cu CMP mechanism as well. The main purpose of the experiment reported here was to investigate and mechanically analyze the roles of slurry components in the formation of the uniformity in Cu CMP. In this paper, Cu CMP was performed using citric acid($C_{6}H_{8}O_{7}$), hydrogen peroxide($H_{2}O_{2}$), colloidal silica, and benzotriazole($BTA,\;C_{6}H_{4}N_{3}H$) as a complexing agent, an oxidizer, an abrasive, and a corrosion inhibitor, respectively. All the results of this study showed that within-wafer non-uniformity(WIWNU) of Cu CMP could be controlled by the contents of slurry components.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.16.1-16.1
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• 2006

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.156-162
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• 2002

There are many factors affecting the results of CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing). Among them, the temperature is related to the removal rate and WIWNU (Within Wafer Non-Uniformity). In other words, the removal rate is proportional to the temperature and the variation of temperature distribution on a pad affects the non-uniformity within a wafer. In the former case, the active chemistry improves the rate of chemical reaction and the removal rate becomes better. But, there are not many advanced studies. In the latter case, a kinematical analysis between work-piece and pad can be obtained. And such result analysed from the mechanical aspect can be directly related to the temperature distribution on a pad affecting WIWNU. Meanwhile, the temperature change affects the quantities of both slurry and pad. The change of a pH value of the slurry chemistry due to a temperature variation affects the surface state of an abrasive particle and hence the agglomeration of abrasives happens above the certain temperature. And the pH alteration also affects the zeta potential of a pad surface and therefore the electrical force between pad and abrasive changes. Such results could affect the removal rate and etc. Moreover, the temperature changes the 1st and 2nd elastic moduli of a pad which are closely related to the removal rate and the WIWNU.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.184-191
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• 2000

Properties of pad are investigated to find the relationship between the chemical mechanical polishing(CMP) results, such as material removal rate and within wafer non-uniformity(WIWNU), and its properties. Polishing pressure is considered as important factors to affect the results, so behavior of ordinary polymer is studied to define the polishing result affecting properties of pad. Experimental setup is devised to identify the behavior of pad and several different pads are used in chemical mechanical polishing experiments to verify the correlations between pad properties and polishing results. The results indicate that the viscoelastic properties of pad had relationships with the polishing results, and shows correlation between suggested properties of pad and polishing result.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.922-927
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• 2003

In this paper, slurry fluid motion, abrasive particle motion, and roles of groove patterns on the pads are numerically investigated in the 2D and 3D geometries. The simulation results are analyzed in terms of experimental removal rate and WIWNU (within wafer non-uniformity) for ILD (inter level dielectric) CMP process. Numerical investigations reveal that the grooves in the pad behave as uniform distributor of abrasive particles and enhance the removal rate by increasing shear stress. Higher removal rate and desirable uniformity are numerically and experimentally observed at the pad with grooves. Numerical analysis is very well matched with experimental results and helpful for understanding polishing mechanism and local physics.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.29 no.4 s.235
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• pp.435-440
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• 2005

In this paper, slurry fluid motion, abrasive particle motion, and roles of groove patterns on the pads are numerically investigated in the 2D and 3D geometries. The simulation results are analyzed in terms of experimental removal rate and WIWNU (Within Wafer Non-Uniformity) for ILD (Inter Level Dielectric) CMP process. Numerical investigations reveal that the grooves in the pad behave as uniform distributor of abrasive particles and enhance the removal rate by increasing shear stress. Higher removal rate and desirable uniformity are numerically and experimentally observed at the pad with grooves. Numerical analysis is very well matched with experimental results and helpful fur understanding polishing mechanism and local physics.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.39-42
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• 2002

Recently, CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) technology has been widely used for global planarization of multi-level interconnection for ULSI applications. However, COO (cost of ownership) and COC (cost of consumables) were relatively increased because of expensive slurry. In this paper, we have studied the possibility of recycle of reused silica slurry in order to reduce the costs of CMP slurry. The post-CMP thickness and within-wafer non-uniformity(WIWNU) were measured as a function of different slurry composition. As a experimental result, the performance of reused slurry with annealed silica abrasive of 2 wt% contents was showed high removal rate and low non-uniformity. Therefore, we propose two-step CMP process as follows In the first-step CMP, we can polish the thick and rough film surface using remaked slurry, and then, in the second-step CMP, we can polish the thin film and fine pattern using original slurry. In summary, we can expect the saving of high costs of slurry.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.759-764
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• 2003

Recently, CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) technology has been widely used for global planarization of multi-level interconnection for ULSI applications. However, COO (cost of ownership) and COC (cost of consumables) were relatively increased because of expensive slurry. In this paper, we have studied the possibility of recycle of roused silica slurry in order to reduce the costs of CMP slurry. The post-CMP thickness and within-wafer non-uniformity (WIWNU) wore measured as a function of different slurry composition. As an experimental result, the performance of reused slurry with annealed silica abrasive of 2 wt％ contents was showed high removal rate and low non-uniformity. Therefore, we propose two-step CMP process as follows , In tile first-step CMP, we can polish the thick and rough film surface using remaked slurry, and then, in the second-step CMP, we can polish the thin film and fine pattern using original slurry. In summary, we can expect the saying of high costs of slurry.