This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-224757, filed Oct. 12, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments described herein relate generally to a CMP method, a CMP apparatus and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
In order to solve a problem that the surface of a polished film easily suffers polishing scratches in planarization of a silicon oxide film (film to be polished) by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), there is a technique using a silicon oxide abrasive as an abrasive to be contained in the slurry in place of a cerium oxide abrasive.
According to this technique, it is possible, by further introducing a water-soluble polymer into the slurry, to prevent the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film from being lowered by the use of the silicon oxide abrasive.
However, when the above-mentioned technique is used, it is difficult to secure a polishing selectivity ratio of the silicon oxide film serving as the film to be polished to a silicon nitride film serving as a polishing stopper film.
For example, a technique of raising the polishing selectivity ratio of the silicon oxide film to the silicon nitride film by introducing a polycarboxylate into the slurry is known; however, this technique is effective when a cerium oxide abrasive is used, and cannot exhibit a sufficient effect when a silicon oxide abrasive is used.
In general, according to one embodiment, a CMP method comprises: starting a polishing of a silicon oxide film by using a slurry including a silicon oxide abrasive and a polishing stopper film including a silicon nitride film, and stopping the polishing when the polishing stopper is exposed, wherein the slurry includes a first water-soluble polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of 50000 or more and 5000000 or less, and a second water-soluble polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of 1000 or more and 10000 or less.
Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.
A CMP method of an embodiment is applied to a process of carrying out planarization of a silicon oxide film (film to be polished) by using a slurry containing therein a silicon oxide abrasive, and using a silicon nitride film as a polishing stopper film. For example, in the manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, although a process of embedding a silicon oxide film in a trench of a semiconductor substrate is known, the CMP method of the embodiment is used in such a process.
In this case, in the embodiment, first and second water-soluble polymers having different molecular weight values are further contained in the CMP slurry.
The first water-soluble polymer has a weight-average molecular weight of 50000 or more and 5000000 or less, and the second water-soluble polymer has a weight-average molecular weight of 1000 or more and 10000 or less. The first and second water-soluble polymers are selected from a group constituted of, for example, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polysulphonic acid, and their salts.
According to the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to reduce the polishing scratches on the surface of the silicon oxide film (film to be polished) by using the silicon oxide abrasive. Further, by containing the first water-soluble polymer in the slurry, it is possible to improve the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film. Further, by containing the second water-soluble polymer in the slurry, it is possible to secure the polishing selectivity ratio of the silicon oxide film to the silicon nitride film serving as the polishing stopper film.
First, a CMP apparatus configured to carry out the CMP method of the embodiment will be described below.
Holding portion 13 holds object to be polished (for example, a semiconductor wafer) 14, and brings object to be polished 14 into contact with a surface portion of polishing pad 12 in a state where holding portion 13 holds object to be polished 14. Holding portion 13 is, for example, rotationally driven (clockwise/counterclockwise).
It is desirable that both of stage portion 11 and object to be polished 14 be rotationally driven from the viewpoint of eliminating nonuniformity in the polishing amount of object to be polished 14. When both of them are rotationally driven, it is desirable that the rotational direction of holding portion 13, and that of stage portion 11 be identical to each other.
Here, it is desirable for the polishing pressure of object to be polished 14 to be, for example, 100 hPa (hectopascals) or more and 500 hPa or less. Further, it is desirable for the rotational speed of stage portion 11 or holding portion 13 to be, for example, 30 rpm (revolutions per minute) or more and 120 rpm or less.
Object to be polished 14 is, for example, as shown in
Supplying portion 15 is arranged above stage portion 11, i.e., above, when stage portion 11 has a circular cylindrical shape, a central portion of the circle, and supplies slurry to the surface portion of polishing pad 12. The slurry contains therein, for example, a chemical solution serving as an abrasive, water, and the like.
Surface conditioning portion 16 has a function of restoring the surface portion of polishing pad 12 clogged with the silicon oxide abrasive produced by the polishing of object to be polished 14 or contained in the slurry to the initial state thereof before the polishing of object to be polished is carried out. Surface conditioning portion 16 restores the surface portion of polishing pad 12 to the initial state thereof by cutting the surface portion of polishing pad 12 by a predetermined amount.
It should be noted that surface conditioning portion 16 may restore the surface portion of polishing pad 12 to the initial state thereof each time one CMP process is completed or may restore the surface portion of polishing pad 12 to the initial state thereof after several CMP processes are carried out.
Temperature setting portion 17 is arranged on the surface portion of polishing pad 12, and sets the temperature of the surface portion of polishing pad 12, i.e., the temperature of the polishing surface of object to be polished 14. Temperature setting portion 17 is provided with, for example, a heat exchanger (contact mechanism) to be brought into contact with the surface portion of polishing pad 12, noncontact mechanism configured to supply an inert gas (heat exchange gas) to the surface portion of polishing pad 12, and the like.
When temperature setting portion 17 is constituted of the heat exchanger, it is possible to secure a wide controllable temperature range of the surface portion of the polishing pad. Further, when temperature setting portion 17 is constituted of the noncontact mechanism, neither a scratch nor nonuniformity occurs in polishing pad 12, and hence as a result, it is possible to reduce polishing scratches of object to be polished 14.
Further, temperature setting portion 17 may include a temperature sensor. Further, a temperature sensor may be provided in a portion other than temperature setting portion 17, and temperature setting portion 17 may not include a temperature sensor.
Furthermore, means for indirectly controlling the temperature of the surface portion of polishing pad 12 or the temperature of the polishing surface of object to be polished 14 by controlling the temperature of stage portion 11 or holding portion 13 may be provided in place of temperature setting portion 17.
Control portion 18 controls operations of stage portion 11, holding portion 13, supplying portion 15, surface conditioning portion 16, and temperature setting portion 17. Control portion 18 includes torque current-monitor portion 19.
Torque current-monitor portion 19 monitors a value of the torque current configured to rotationally drive stage portion 11 or holding portion 13. That is, when each of stage portion 11 and holding portion 13 is driven at a given rotational speed, it is possible to determine the point in time (polishing completion time point) at which the silicon nitride film serving as the polishing stopper film is exposed by monitoring the torque current value.
This is because, for example, when object to be polished 14 is a semiconductor device shown in
More specifically, as shown in
Further, after this, when silicon nitride film 14b is exposed, the contact resistance between polishing pad 12 and silicon nitride film 14b is higher than the contact resistance between polishing pad 12 and silicon oxide film 14c, and hence the torque current value becomes a little larger.
It should be noted that this torque behavior is only an example, and a torque behavior different from that described above is exhibited in some cases depending on the combination of the slurry and polishing pad or the like.
As described above, it is possible to determine the polishing completion time point by detecting the changing points P1 (time t1) and P2 (time t2) of the torque current value.
However, it is also possible to determine the polishing completion time point without providing torque current-monitor portion 19. For example, the polishing completion time point may be determined by monitoring the polishing time in the CMP process according to an empirical rule.
A CMP method using the CMP apparatus of
This flowchart is carried out by control portion 18 of
First, object to be polished 14 is set on holding portion 13 (step ST1).
This setting includes an operation of holding object to be polished 14 by holding portion 13, and operation of moving holding portion 13 to a predetermined position on stage portion 11.
Here, the object to be polished 14 is a silicon oxide film, and a silicon nitride film is used as a polishing stopper film. For example, object to be polished 14 is the semiconductor device shown in
Next, rotation of stage portion 11 is started (step ST2).
Holding portion 13 may be rotated together with the rotation of stage portion 11. However, the rotation time of holding portion 13 may be identical to or different from the rotation time of stage portion 11.
Next, slurry is supplied to a portion on polishing pad 12 on stage portion 11 (step ST3).
The slurry is uniformly applied to the entire surface of polishing pad 12 by the centrifugal force.
Here, the slurry contains therein a silicon oxide abrasive. Further, the slurry contains therein a first water-soluble polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of 50000 or more and 5000000 or less, and a second water-soluble polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of 1000 or more and 10000 or less.
The first and second water-soluble polymers are selected from a group constituted of, for example, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polysulphonic acid, and their salts.
Here, the slurry supplying method of this embodiment is not particularly limited.
For example, a solution containing therein the silicon oxide abrasive and first and second water-soluble polymers may be supplied at a time or supply of a solution containing therein a silicon oxide abrasive, and supply of a solution containing therein the first and second water-soluble polymers may be separately carried out.
It should be noted that the molecular weight of each of the first and second water-soluble polymers can be controlled by the degree of polymerization. When the molecular weight is within each of the above-mentioned ranges, the type of the first water-soluble polymer, and the type of the second water-soluble polymer may be identical to or different from each other.
The state where steps ST1 to ST3 are completed is shown in
Next, object to be polished 14 held by holding portion 13 is brought into contact with polishing pad 12, and polishing of object to be polished 14, i.e., polishing of the silicon oxide film is started (step ST4).
Starting of the polishing can be carried out by, for example, lowering of holding portion 13. The state of step ST4 is shown in
Next, the polishing is terminated at a point in time at which the silicon nitride film serving as the polishing stopper film is exposed (step ST5).
Termination of the polishing can be carried out by, for example, raising holding portion 13.
It should be noted that the time point at which the silicon nitride film is exposed may be determined, as already described, by monitoring the torque current value of stage portion 11 or holding portion 13 or may be determined by monitoring the polishing time according to an empirical rule.
The state of step ST5 is shown in
Finally, the rotation of stage portion 11 is stopped (step ST6).
According to the CMP method described above, it is possible to reduce polishing scratches on the surface of the silicon oxide film (film to be polished) by using the silicon oxide abrasive. Further, it is possible to improve the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film by containing the first water-soluble polymer in the slurry. Further, it is possible to secure the polishing selectivity ratio of the silicon oxide film to the silicon nitride film serving as the polishing stopper film by containing the second-water-soluble polymer in the slurry.
The polishing selectivity ratio is defined as a value obtained by dividing the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film by the polishing rate of the silicon nitride film. Further, the comparative example is a result obtained when the second water-soluble polymer is removed from the slurry used in the embodiment of the above-mentioned CMP method.
As is evident from
This effect can be considered to be attributable to the fact that the surface of the silicon nitride film serving as the polishing stopper film is protected by the second water-soluble polymer, and hence the probability of the silicon oxide abrasive coming into contact with the surface of the silicon nitride film decreases.
Comparison of the number of polishing scratches is carried out on the basis of the value of the comparative example obtained when the value of the embodiment is made 1. The comparative example is a result obtained when a cerium oxide abrasive is used in place of the silicon oxide abrasive contained in the slurry used in the embodiment of the above-mentioned CMP method.
As is evident from
This embodiment is a modification example of the first embodiment. Accordingly, a detailed description of steps identical to those of the first embodiment is omitted.
This flowchart is carried out by control portion 18 of
First, object to be polished 14 is set on holding portion 13 (step ST1).
As in the first embodiment, the object to be polished 14 is a silicon oxide film, and a silicon nitride film is used as a polishing stopper film. For example, object to be polished 14 is the semiconductor device shown in
Next, temperature setting is carried out (step ST2).
This step is a step newly added to this embodiment.
An object of the temperature setting is to improve the flatness of the polishing surface of the film to be polished. More specifically, the temperature of the surface portion of polishing pad 12 or the temperature of the polishing surface of object to be polished 14 is set to 40° C. or lower.
Next, rotation of stage portion 11 is started, and slurry is supplied to a portion on polishing pad 12 on stage portion 11 (steps ST3 to ST4).
The slurry contains therein a silicon oxide abrasive as in the first embodiment. Further, the slurry contains therein a first water-soluble polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of 50000 or more and 5000000 or less, and a second water-soluble polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of 1000 or more and 10000 or less.
The first and second water-soluble polymers are selected from a group constituted of, for example, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polysulphonic acid, and their salts.
The state where steps ST1 to ST4 are completed is shown in
It should be noted that regarding the temperature setting, it is sufficient if the temperature of the surface portion of polishing pad 12 or the temperature of the polishing surface of object to be polished 14 is set to 40° C. or lower by the time immediately before the start of polishing (step ST5) to be described later. That is, the temperature setting is not conditioned to be completed between step ST1 and step ST2.
Further, even after the polishing is started, it is desirable from the viewpoint of improving the flatness of the polishing surface of the film to be polished that management be carried out in such a manner that the temperature of the surface portion of polishing pad 12 or the temperature of the polishing surface of object to be polished 14 is within the range of 40° C. or lower until the polishing is completed.
Next, object to be polished 14 held by holding portion 13 is brought into contact with polishing pad 12, and polishing of object to be polished 14, i.e., polishing of the silicon oxide film is started (step ST5).
Starting of the polishing can be carried out by, for example, lowering of holding portion 13.
The state of step ST5 is shown in
Next, the polishing is terminated at a point in time at which the silicon nitride film serving as the polishing stopper film is exposed (step ST6).
Termination of the polishing can be carried out by, for example, raising holding portion 13.
The state of step ST6 is shown in
Finally, the rotation of stage portion 11 is stopped (step ST7).
According to the CMP method described above, it is possible to reduce polishing scratches on the surface of the silicon oxide film (film to be polished) by using the silicon oxide abrasive. Further, it is possible to improve the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film by containing the first water-soluble polymer in the slurry. Further, it is possible to secure the polishing selectivity ratio of the silicon oxide film to the silicon nitride film serving as the polishing stopper film by containing the second-water-soluble polymer in the slurry.
Further, it is possible to improve the flatness of the polishing surface of the film to be polished by keeping the temperature of the surface portion of polishing pad 12 or the temperature of the polishing surface of object to be polished 14 at 40° C. or lower.
The flatness implies a difference between the lowest point and highest point of the polishing surface of the film to be polished. That is, the flatness implies that the flatness is improved as the value thereof gets closer to zero.
In this embodiment, standardization is carried out by making the flatness obtained when the line width of the concave portion is 5 μm and the temperature is 45° C. 1.
First, according to
Next, according to
By applying the above-mentioned CMP method to the trench-embedding process of the manufacturing method of the semiconductor device, it is possible to realize improvement in the characteristics and manufacturing yield of the semiconductor device by the improvement in the flatness.
Hereinafter a description will be specifically given.
First, as shown in
Further, silicon oxide film 14c configured to fill up the trench is formed on silicon nitride film 14b by, for example, chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
Next, as shown
The slurry used in CMP contains therein, as described previously, the first water-soluble polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of 50000 or more and 5000000 or less, and second water-soluble polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of 1000 or more and 10000 or less.
By the process described above, the semiconductor device according to this embodiment is completed.
It should be noted that silicon oxide film 14c remaining in the trench of semiconductor substrate 14a is used as, for example, shallow trench isolation (STI) for element isolation.
According to the embodiment, when planarization of a silicon oxide film is carried out by using a slurry containing therein a silicon oxide abrasive, it is possible to improve the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film, reduce polishing scratches thereof, and secure the polishing selectivity ratio of the silicon oxide film to the silicon nitride film serving as the polishing stopper film.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011-224757 | Oct 2011 | JP | national |